Storiesonline.net ------- Runaway by Sparkyman1961 Copyright© 2012 by Sparkyman1961 ------- Description: An account based on the true story of a runaway girl and me, a lonely, jaded man. Within minutes of discovering her, I decided to lead this girl down an entirely different path to the dangerous dead-end road she was following. I slowly earn her trust and she in turn gains my love, admiration and respect. I help the girl overcome her horrendous childhood, introduce her to new experiences, work, college and nurture her confidence and self-esteem. In return I gain a close companion and best friend. Codes: MF Mf cons rom het true oral mastrb slow ------- ------- Prologue NOTE: THIS STORY HAS BEEN POSTED BEFORE! PLEASE SEE MY BLOG FOR AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT WAS REMOVED. TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY READ THIS STORY, PLEASE NOTE THERE IS AN UPDATED EPILOGUE TAKING THE STORY UP TO DECEMBER 2012. At the time of completing this story, I'm 51 years old, have been married for 21 years and have two teenage kids; my son Dan 18 and my daughter Jess, 16, but my story actually starts just over three years. As this story unfolds your need to take into consideration that I love my wife but for various reasons that are not totally relevant to this story I'm not 'in-love' with her; we enjoy a purely platonic relationship and are for the most part, friendly and civil to each other. For many years I have therefore been celibate, apart from a brief fling ten years ago with my re-discovered childhood sweetheart, but that's another story ... To the outside world, we appear to be the ideal nuclear family, but in reality the only reason our relationship has survived is because of my kids and job. If I was in a nine-to-five job and home every night, I think I would have gone berserk by now and left home. But working away from home so much means I don't have daily opportunities to fall out with my wife; it also means I appreciate returning home to my kids and doing stuff with them. I'm almost like a divorced weekend dad but without the expense and hassle of a being a divorcee. Career wise, I'm the technical manager of an electrical and mechanical engineering firm. I spend approximately one-third of my time in the office and the rest 'on the road' visiting clients the length and breadth of the UK, Ireland and Holland. My work is interesting and varied but the travel and times spent in motels tedious. I don't drink or smoke, or like watching or discussing sport plus I'm quite shy and don't make 'small talk' easily. Therefore, there's little point me mingling in the foyer and bar areas that are usually affiliated with motels and trying to find short-term friendship for the evening. I'm what's known as a 'Billy no mates' type and for the most part, prefer my own company and solitude anyway. So, I spend my evenings walking at every opportunity for both exercise and to relieve boredom, or else I chill in my room watching a little TV, but mostly listening to music and reading. As I'm from the UK, this story is written in UK English and some of the words I use are UK slang words. I've written my account in the every day language that I use, not in a generic international English version. So, for the benefit of those used to American-English terms, I offer the following short list of 'translations': Fanny or quim – pussy (vagina) Bollocks – nuts (testicles) Knickers – panties Bloke – guy Lass – girl/women Mate – friend Quid – slang for 'Pounds', the British currency Fags - cigarettes ------- Part 1 ------- Chapter 1 'The first week - early Monday evening' It was early October 2009 and the end of just another typical working day in my life. I walked down the corridor and stopped outside 'door 122'. I sighed as I put the key in the lock and turned it. I knew exactly what was on the other side of that door. I could tell you exactly where the TV was located, where the table and chair would be, even the colour of the bed spread and exactly how many of those little plastic tubs of milk there would be on the complimentary tray. For I was in yet another motel, located in a mundane business district on the outskirts of a typical humdrum town; a way of life I have known for more years than I care to remember. I entered the room and sure enough I was met with familiar surroundings I knew so well. Don't get me wrong, the rooms are very comfortable and have everything one needs. It's just the whole 'ground hog day' feel to it all that sometimes gets me down. I dumped my away bag on the floor and laptop on the desk and took out some work, fully intending to type up two or three hour's worth of documentation that night. But then I decided that could wait until later so I stripped off my work clothes and headed for a quick shower. Refreshed and changed into jeans and a T-shirt, I pondered over whether to have a meal first or go for a walk first. I decided on the latter as the weather looked like it might be on the turn and I didn't have a waterproof with me. October is a strange month in the UK; sometimes the evenings can be balmy followed by warm nights just like summer then, within minutes, it can suddenly turn into a freezing, wild winter squall. I left the motel and turned left out of the gate for no other reason than I'm left-handed. I guess I naturally veer to the left when given a left-right decision to make that has no particular aim or direction in mind. My kids are both left-handed and would do the same. My wife is right-handed and would tend to turn right given a choice so there is probably some merit to this theory! I walked past various business premises and noted all the typical architecture that can be seen in just about any town in any westernised country; in other words, non-descript and bland. I headed towards the main drag into town and past the usual out-of-town shops and stores that again can be seen in any town or city. I always try to find the old, original area of a town or city that I find myself in. At least in the old district there is a chance of finding interesting architecture to look at. I walked past a group of teen girls and enjoyed the sight of their youthful beauty and exuberance. I duly noted that one of the girls was sporting 'Daisy Dukes' and a cropped top, rather brave given the time of year. Her legs were long and slender, she had a beautiful flat midriff and her boobs were firm and ample and obviously affected by the chilly evening air! I mentally 'undressed' her and thought of all the depraved things I'd love to do to her supremely fit body: all in the space of just a few seconds. I have developed staring at such beauties into an art-form and I'm rarely 'caught in the act' so to speak, not even by my wife. Besides, I'm sure the average group of teen girls are not even likely to notice an 'old fart' like me and, even if they do, they usually remain unfazed and shout something along the lines of "Seen enough you old perv?" I found the old part of the town and, as I had hoped, it was very pleasant and thankfully devoid of modern buildings. After enjoying the sights I about turned and headed out on another road that I guessed would take me on a circular return route back to my motel as I hate linear walks and retracing my steps. I usually have a good sense of direction but occasionally have been caught out and ended up walking many more miles than intended. The buildings along my chosen return route started to change from the smart retail stores and car franchises to bland commercial buildings, then to downright rundown industrial buildings and factories. I'm not concerned by such dicey surroundings and simply make a rule of avoiding eye contact with strangers and keep my head down. I turned right down a road that I sensed would take me back to the motel and noticed a person at the side of the pavement on the grass. The person was sitting hunched up with head in hands, rocking gently to and fro. A scruffy rucksack and two carrier bags were enough to confirm my suspicion that this was more than likely a homeless person. Knowing that fuelled by cheap booze or drugs such people can be volatile and unpredictable, I started to cross the road to avoid any possible confrontation. However, on hearing my footsteps the person looked up. I was surprised to see that it was in fact a girl and she only looked to be 14 or so years old. She had a lifeless, expressionless face and hollow, dull eyes that were clearly tear-stained. Her unkempt hair and scruffy clothes just added to the pitiful sight. Although still very much wary of her, my paternal instinct kicked-in and I felt compelled to offer help. My own daughter was 13 at the time and I found myself immediately thinking of her exuberant personality, dressed in her designer clothes and enjoying all the trappings of a comfortable middle-class upbringing and then comparing that vision with the sorry, pathetic scene now facing me. I put my hands up in an act of showing surrender in an attempt to put the child at ease and hopefully to demonstrate I was no threat to her. I then gently spoke to her. "Are you OK?" "What's it to you?" "Err, dunno; just wondered if maybe you wanted some help or to call anyone..." I held out and offered my mobile phone to her as if to back up my statement. She made a loud snorting noise and said sarcastically "Yeah, right, I'll just phone Daddy shall I and he'll come round immediately and pick me up?" "I'm sure he'll be worried about you. Do you want to phone?" She didn't answer and simply looked back down at her feet. I continued "My daughter is about your age. Well, maybe a bit younger, she's 13." I don't really know why I said this; perhaps I was trying to put the girl's mind at ease by letting her know I was a father myself and not just some potential pervert. I immediately thought how pathetic my attempts to help were, especially my opening gambit of 'are you OK?' Of course she was not OK! I felt a little awkward now, not really knowing how to proceed. I'm not good at dealing with out-of-the-ordinary situations with people. Give me inanimate machinery any day. I should have simply walked on and pretended I'd never seen her like the vast majority would but I decided to persist in my quest to help. Usually being the kind of person that prefers not to get involved I would have normally chosen the former but I found myself addressing her again. "Do you mind if I sit down?" "It's a free country," she quipped. I sat down on the grass, keeping a few feet between us. For all I knew she may have been hiding a six inch switchblade plus I didn't want to get too close and invade her 'personal space' in case it freaked her out. "Did you hear me say I have a 13 year old daughter?" "Yeah, I'm not deaf. So what?" "Well, you look about the same age, maybe a little older, and I would hate the thought of my own daughter sitting by the roadside like you are, so it bothers me seeing you." "I'm touched," she said in a mocking tone. "Sooooo ... have you run away from home?" Damn, second stupid question of the day... "No, I just dress like this for the fun of it; what do you think?" she said with heavy sarcasm. I made a mental note that the kid at least had a caustic wit so there was nothing wrong with her mental faculties and she didn't appear to be under the influence of drugs or drink. "OK, OK, you win, that was crap question," I offered apologetically. I continued. "Look, you know what? I think I should call the police and report you as a suspected runaway child but I know you'd freak and simply run off and disappear, so I won't do that. It'll waste police time and besides it would lead to awkward questions aimed at me. So, can we start again?" She didn't answer and continued to stare down at her feet. Undeterred, I questioned her again. "When did you last eat?" "Oh, um, let's think ... yesterday. I found some delicious stale bread buns at the back of that transport café just over there. They were absolutely gorgeous, as was the stale and hard cheese I found in the dustbin too." Her answer was delivered with the sort of sarcasm that in any normal situation I would find irritating and precocious coming from a child. But here was clearly a kid that had a far 'older head' on her young shoulders. She had the cynicism of a jaded middle-aged adult, well rather like me in fact. I couldn't begin to guess at what sort of horrible situations had led this poor girl into her present predicament but clearly something very unpleasant. I was suddenly reminded of my own hunger. It had been some two hours since I'd left the motel and I hadn't eaten since breakfast. I also had quite a thirst from walking briskly. "Look, how about I buy you a meal? There's a McDonald's just back along this road and I could do to eat myself. You can walk behind me if you want and, once we've eaten, I'll stay in the restaurant until you've left and got well away." It was the best idea I could think of to try and put her mind at rest that I was no threat and not trying to trap her. I think hunger overruled her obvious streetwise caution because, saying nothing, she started to gather her things and slowly stood up which I understood to mean she was taking me up on my offer. Once she had stood up, I could see she was quite tall for what I took to be a 14 year old; about up to my shoulders at a guess. As promised, I started to walk ahead, looked behind and sure enough she was following. A little while later I checked over my shoulder again and, although she was still following me, she had lagged a long way behind. I do walk briskly but the distance we'd covered was short, a few hundred yards at the most. My 'runaway' was clearly walking very slowly. She looked a pitiful sight and my heart went out to her. The poor kid was clearly malnourished and lacked energy. I slowed my pace and allowed her to catch me up. "Only a short distance now," I encouraged. She didn't look up. The McDonald's was almost empty. We walked in and I thought it best to occupy a far corner table. Although she didn't appear to smell, my runaway kid was clearly dishevelled and unkempt and we must have looked quite a contrast. She sat down heavily and slumped in the chair, looking like she'd fall asleep in an instant. "So, what would you like to eat?" She looked baffled at such a simple question, almost behaving like a simpleton and it was completely at odds with the quick wit she had so ably demonstrated earlier. "Um, you choose for me." I shrugged. 'Fair enough' I thought. I walked up to the counter to order. "I'd watch it, mate, if I was you," proffered the spotty youth about to serve me. "Excuse me?" "I'd watch it, mate, if I was you" he repeated, nodding in the direction of the girl slumped in the corner. "I've seen her walk past here a couple of times. She looks trouble. Looks to me like she's followed you in and begged you to buy her some food eh?" "Well, not that it's any of your business, but actually I offered to buy her a meal. She's only a kid and she's starving." He simply shrugged in response to my answer and then snapped back into servile robot mode. "Can I take your order please?" he said in that annoyingly jangly voice accompanied by an equally annoying forced smile that all fast food employees seem to be taught. "Yeah, two Big Mac meals, go large, one with coke and one with coffee." He punched in the order with what I thought to be unnecessary force on the till's touch screen. "That will be ten-forty please." With some amusement I watched the droids behind the drinks machines and burger racks spring into action. Because it was late the order had to be prepared so took a little longer than usual. I imagined the duty manager pressing a button on a large remote control that controlled all of them. I looked back to where my runaway was sitting. She was hunched up in the chair with her arms wrapped around herself staring out of the window. She looked completely lost and pathetic. The sight of her was tugging at my heart strings because I couldn't help but think of Jessie, my own daughter, in her comfortable and protected world; a world far removed from the one this girl knew. "Your order, mate," spotty youth said in a raised voice. I don't think this was the first time the spotty youth had said this because he sounded impatient. I'd clearly zoned out with my thoughts and had stepped out of reality for a while not hearing him at first. Hearing his raised voice brought me back down to earth. "Sorry, miles away, thanks." With that, I picked up the tray and walked towards the table. My runaway looked at the food put in front of her as if I'd presented her with a feast of unbelievable extravagance. Her hollow eyes briefly went wide and showed some sign of life. She picked up her Big Mac and started to attack it with fervour, eating like a wild dog would, ever fearful of another animal stealing its food. "Whoa, slow down girl, you'll get wind!" I opined. She ignored me, never looking up from her food, remaining hunched up like a frightened animal. Dispensing with the straw and lid, she drunk greedily from the beaker of coke, taking large gulps one after the other. I found myself both mesmerised and disgusted by the scene in front of me. I often chastised my own kids for eating too quickly but they were positively dainty in comparison with this kid. I started to eat my own burger and was barely a quarter of the way through it by the time she'd finished hers and was now attacking the fries, ten at a time. I desperately tried to think of something simple and friendly to say in an attempt to break the ice. "Look, I'm not wishing to pry into your affairs or anything, but at least tell me your name. Mine's Duncan or, if you prefer and as my workmates and friends like to call me, Duncs." Without making eye contact with me she briefly paused from eating, "It's Amy or if you prefer, as my mother and her cronies used to call me, bitch, fucking twat, useless cunt, fuck-slut or some other similar, equally colourful nickname. Your choice, Duncs." I was sipping my coffee at the time she blurted out this revelation and I almost choked. I glanced around the restaurant. A couple sitting a few tables had clearly heard her outburst and were staring in our direction, the women slack-jawed and the man slowly chewing on his last mouthful as he stared. They quickly looked away again when their eyes met mine. Goodness knows what they must have thought. I decided not to react to this unexpected insight into Amy's unusual relationship with her mother. "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'll call you Amy and it happens to be one of my favourite girl's names too." "Whatever." She'd finished her fries and was again attacking the coke. "Would you like the rest of my fries? I'm full." I wasn't but her need was clearly greater than mine. Without a word she started on my fries. Again, my own children would have been admonished for not saying 'thanks' but I surmised that this was a word that didn't figure highly in Amy's life, if it could be called a life. I looked outside and noted with dismay that it was now slinging it down, raining absolute 'cats and dogs'. I'd only come out in jeans and a T-shirt. The weather prompted me to ask Amy a question. "Where on earth do you sleep, especially in weather like this?" "Wherever I can; in doorways, skips, old buildings..." she trailed off seemingly not really interested in finishing her reply. "Would you like something else to eat?" I offered. "Whatever." I took this to mean 'yes', so I went back to the counter and ordered a couple of doughnuts and an ice-cream. Again, she greedily and hurriedly ate the doughnuts and ice-cream as if frightened I'd suddenly snatch the food away from her. "Look, I know I said I didn't want to pry into your life but I could tell you'd been crying before I walked up to you. At least tell me you are not in any danger or frightened about something?" For the first time since we met she actually looked directly at me though her face was still expressionless, her eyes still hollow and lifeless. I couldn't work out if she was trying to read my inner thoughts or simply trying to weigh me up. All I saw was a girl that seemed to have lost all hope; at the end of her tether. I felt a lump in my throat and couldn't really speak. So instead, I brought out my wallet and opened it up. I took out a photo of my beautiful daughter and showed it to her. Finding my voice again, I said, "This is my daughter Jessica. She's 13. Everyone, except me, calls her Jess. I've always called her Jessie but I'm the only person allowed that honour." Amy remained passive and unresponsive. I took out another photo. "This is my son Daniel. He's 15. Everyone calls him Dan." Amy still remained passive. It would seem that I wasn't going to break through her protective barrier. Then slowly, Amy reached down and picked up her tattered rucksack. She opened it up and started rummaging through the contents. She brought out a tatty brown envelope and, saying nothing, she handed it to me. Looking at her for some sort of validation that I was allowed to open it, there was none forthcoming, I reasoned that as she had handed it to me she clearly intended me to look at the contents. I carefully opened the envelope, afraid that it might fall apart and drew out a document. When I opened it up I discovered it was a birth certificate. Amy's name was on it, along with her mother's but where her father's name should have been it simply stated 'unknown'. The most intriguing detail though was the date. I looked at the date, then at my watch and then looked back at the date on the document. Then it dawned on me what I think Amy wanted me to discover. "So you're 17 and your birthday was only a couple of days ago?" "No shit Sherlock," she replied facetiously. "I guess you were crying because of that fact and felt completely down in the dumps." Realising I was stating the obvious again, I tried desperately to think of something else to say but it was becoming increasingly hard to talk to a person that gave away no verbal or non-verbal clues as to what she was thinking. A couple of minutes passed by. I desperately tried to think of something to say to Amy in an attempt to connect with her. Even though I'd seen her birth certificate, I did have a small nagging doubt that maybe it was not hers. She didn't look 17 years old. "Forgive me for saying this, but you don't look 17. You barely look older than Jessie." "Well then, I'm a paedo's dream girl aren't I? A girl that looks like a kid but old enough to be legally fucked," she said with no emotion and an expressionless face. I looked across at the couple sitting a few tables away. They were now staring intently, straining to catch every word and this time they didn't even bother to look away when our eyes met. "Would you care to join us at our table so that you can hear our conversation more easily?" I asked them facetiously. A couple more minutes went by. Then Amy challenged me with a question that hit me like a freight train. "So, when ya gonna fuck me then?" "What? What the ... So, so you think that's all I want?" "Well, isn't it? A fuck for a favour. That's what it's all about, what all blokes want isn't it?" "No Amy. No it isn't. You've got it all wrong. I just wanted to help you in some way!" She snorted again like she did when I first met her at the roadside "So, you bought me a meal and expect nothing in return?" "Yes Amy, yes, exactly that..." I trailed off, still gobsmacked by her question. For the second time she looked directly at me, her lifeless eyes staring at me intently at me as if trying to assess whether or not I was really genuine. It then dawned on me that perhaps Amy couldn't comprehend the concept of an act of kindness bestowed on her by another person that had no ulterior motive, no hidden agenda. I really felt I was getting nowhere and toyed with the idea of simply handing Amy a few quid, wishing her the best of luck and walking away from her and this surreal situation I now found myself in. But even though I knew she was nearly of adult age, I couldn't help but see the image of a little lost girl and I felt an overwhelming desire to continue to try and help her. I felt it was time to leave but Amy seemed in no hurry to go. I guess the warmth of the restaurant appealed, especially given the now inclement weather. The decision whether or not to leave, however, was made for us. The spotty youth came over to our table and told us they were closing in five minutes. I was surprised at how long we'd been there. Looking out into the darkness, I could see that it was still raining heavily plus it was now windy too. I selfishly thought about how cold and wet I was going to get during the ten minute walk back to the motel. But then I thought about Amy having to spend the night in this atrocious weather. Speaking softly to her I said "Where will you go Amy?" "Dunno," she said, staring into the darkness. "Look, don't freak out at this suggestion, but do you want to come back to my motel room and stay the night? You can have a nice long shower, be warm and sleep in a bed for a change". "See, I knew it. You're all the same. I knew you wanted to fuck me." I sighed with dismay and shook my head slowly "Look Amy, there's a settee that makes-up into a bed so we won't be sharing a bed. You can lock yourself in the bathroom when showering and have complete privacy." She clenched and unclenched her hands rapidly and her left leg shook rapidly too. Her thoughts were clearly in turmoil as she considered her limited options. Suddenly, she stood up, gathered her things and without looking at me started to walk towards the door. As I'd promised to her earlier, I stayed where I was. I assumed she'd decided to take her chances outside, calculating the risk of taking me up on my offer to be too great. When she got to the door she looked back at me. "Are we going then?" I stood up and walked towards her. I opened the door and held it for her. The spotty faced youth had a stupid grin on his face as he bade us goodbye. He clearly thought I was going to get my evil way with her. I said nothing. Amy walked past me and I followed. ------- Chapter 2 'The first week - late Monday evening' We headed across the McDonald's car park and back onto the pavement. "Do you want me to carry anything for you?" "No, I can manage." "I'm sure you can but it's considered good manners for a bloke to offer to help a lass, even in this politically correct age!" Amy didn't reply. My attempt to make conversation, to connect with her had failed again. I pondered over whether she was mildly autistic or suffering from Asperger's syndrome. But then I recalled that people suffering from these conditions are unable to comprehend humour of any kind and take everything said at face value. Amy had clearly demonstrated her caustic wit several times already so I immediately dismissed this hypothesis. I decided to simply walk beside her and remain silent. She was still walking slowly, her recent meal obviously not giving her a much needed energy boost just yet. I reached out to take her carrier bags off her. She immediately flinched and recoiled, reacting as if I was about to hit her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." "I said I can manage. I don't need your help." I said nothing. I could see the motel sign in the distance and for once I was pleased to see it as by now I was shivering from the cold wind and rain. Amy seemed oblivious to the bad weather, her baggy fleece affording her more protection than my thin T-shirt. I guessed that she was probably wearing several layers underneath too as she looked very frumpy. We approached the motel door and entered. I didn't make eye contact with the lone receptionist and walked briskly past, Amy following closely behind. I headed down the corridor and faced the door to room 122 yet again but this time with a guest who I knew nothing about. 'What the hell did I think I was doing?' I thought to myself. I let Amy enter first and she walked past the bed and headed for the settee. Placing her worldly possessions down neatly in the corner of the room she then sat down heavily on the settee. She clearly looked out of her comfort zone as she surveyed the room. I apologised for the mess I'd left it in. There were plans, sketches and notebooks spread all over the table and the bed; the work I had intended to do later that evening. "I think you should get out of those wet clothes, don't you?" Realising she may misconstrue this statement I hurriedly added, "In the bathroom of course." Again she said nothing. I got some fresh towels from the shelving unit and beckoned her to come over to the bathroom. She got up and came across the room towards me. I handed her the towels and told her she was welcome to use either my shower gel, or the gel provided by the motels own dispenser. I also suggested she may prefer a bath to the shower. I rummaged in my sponge bag and even found her a brand new toothbrush, still in its packaging. She once again seemed perplexed by the choice of a bath or shower, almost as if she didn't understand what she was supposed to do. "How long can I stay in the shower?" I thought it an odd question, shrugged but chose to simply say, "As long as you want, sweetheart". "I'm not your sweetheart. Can I close the door?" Now it was my turn to be perplexed. I told her, "Well of course. Why wouldn't you?" Again she didn't answer; no surprise there then but I was getting used to her lack of response. Rummaging in my large away bag, I said "Look, here's one of my T-shirts and a pair of shorts for you to change into. They'll be a bit big for you but at least they're clean." Saying nothing, she took my clothes, went into the bathroom and slowly closed the door. I went back to the bed and removed all my work clutter and placed it on the table. I contemplated doing the work I'd intended to do that night but realised I was too pre-occupied with Amy to be able to concentrate. I cleared the crap off the settee and turned it into a single bed for Amy. Then I picked up the telly remote and crashed out on the large bed. I flicked through the channels and found nothing of interest so surfed up to the radio channels instead. Settling on 'Radio 1', I then picked up a book and started to read. I could hear the sound of the shower and found myself imaging Amy standing in the shower as nude as the day she was born. It was then that I realised I had no real idea what her build was like. She had been wearing so many layers on her body it was hard to make out her shape or proportions. Also, her jeans were very baggy and loose so I couldn't picture how shapely her legs were either. The only things I had seen up to now were her face and hands. She was clearly a pretty girl but, with her expression being so dead, it has hard to tell just how pretty. She had fine facial features: thin lips; a small, pert nose; large, dark, albeit lifeless eyes and slightly hollow cheeks. Her teeth appeared to be in surprisingly good shape. I say this because I wondered how a homeless person would clean their teeth on a regular basis. She also appeared to be a natural blonde. She had slender hands, with long, thin fingers, something I find very attractive on lasses. The only down side was that she chewed her fingernails but, under the circumstances, I suppose that was understandable. I'd been reading for about 20 minutes when I heard the shower stop. A couple of minutes later I heard the noise of the hair dryer. It made the radio on the telly crackle. I tutted and thought to myself 'there's another appliance with a faulty suppressor', a sad trait of being an electrical engineer that can never quite switch off from work. The hairdryer stopped and then silence. After 20 minutes or so there was still no noise and Amy hadn't emerged from the bathroom. I walked towards the door and, not wanting to frighten her, gently tapped on it. "Are you OK?" "Yes." "OK then, good ... Would like a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate?" "Whatever." I put on the kettle which luckily I'd already filled with water. Seeing how Amy had left the choice of drink up to me, just as she had with her meal at McDonald's, I chose hot chocolate for her; my decision based purely on my daughter's preferred choice of hot drink. Once the kettle had boiled, I made Amy her hot chocolate and myself a coffee. Facing the bathroom door, I said "Your drink's ready sweetheart" No answer from the other side of the door. I shrugged and returned to the bed, placing my drink on one side, and Amy's on the other, nearest to the made-up bed. After a couple of minutes, the bathroom door opened and Amy emerged. The transformation was immediately apparent and a pleasant surprise. Amy's hair looked beautiful. She had simply dried it straight and I could now see just how long it was. Her hair covered most of her face, so I couldn't yet see her features properly. She also looked towards the floor, almost as if she were ashamed of something. "Um ... I'm sorry I took so long..." her words trailed off as if she were expecting trouble of some kind. "It's not a problem," I said softly, "I told you to take as long as you wanted." "Your shorts were way too big for my waist so I can only wear your T-shirt." "Again it's not a problem. You don't have to explain." I looked at her standing there in just my T-shirt and, for the first time, could see just how slim she was. I'm not a big guy but my T-shirt looked positively huge on her tiny frame and was long enough to act as a nightshirt. From what I could see of her legs they were long and slender; so too were her arms. She appeared to have the kind of figure that I really love. She asked me where she could sit which I thought another odd question. I wondered why she was apparently so subservient and felt she had to seek permission for mundane things. "Amy, you can sit where ever you like, on the single bed, next to me, on the chair, on the floor, it's entirely up to you. Just make yourself at home. Your drink is over there." I gestured towards the bedside shelf that was between my bed and the made-up bed. She walked around to the other side of my bed and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. Picking up her drink and taking a sip, I was relieved to see that she drank more slowly this time. "Is that OK?" "It's nice." "Good." I puffed up the two pillows on her side of the bed and told her to get more comfy. She did so without questioning me. Sitting upright with her legs stretched out straight I got a better view of her legs. They were very lithe and sinewy. She had incredible muscle definition on the top of her thighs but I couldn't see her calf muscles. All the same, I imagined they would be toned too. There didn't appear to be an ounce of fat on her legs. Like her hands, her feet were very slim and long too, with long, delicate toes and all the fine bones in her feet were visible as well. But what stood out more than anything were a number of scars on her legs and what appeared to be round burn marks. They looked like fag burns but I really hoped they weren't. I decided it was better not to enquire and kept my thoughts to myself. She continued to sip her drink, holding the mug in both hands and seemingly hiding her face behind it. She still looked uneasy but at least appeared to be calm so I returned to my book, not wishing to look at her too much in case it unnerved her. "If you don't want the radio, you can switch over to the telly instead. I don't care, I'm reading," I said tossing over the remote in her direction. "Music's fine. I like music." I was pleasantly surprised that she didn't simply respond with 'whatever', which seemed to be how she normally responded when given a choice. I took a sip from my coffee and returned to the book. Out of the corner of my eye, I was aware that Amy was staring at me. I turned to look at her and she quickly looked down at her legs. I felt it better not to say anything as she seemed pensive. I turned back to my book and found myself reading the same paragraph over and over again. With the distraction of Amy next to me, I clearly wasn't going to be able to concentrate on the book. Amy eventually broke the silence and very quietly, almost imperceptibly uttered, "You can fuck me. I don't mind." I sighed and said, "Amy, I told you before, I don't want to do that. You don't owe me anything. I'm just trying to help you out a little." "But I have to give you something in return. That's how it works!" "What do you mean, that's how it works? And no, you don't have to do something for me in return." She said nothing. I continued, "Sometimes people just like to do nice things for other people without wanting anything back. We're not all bad people you know." I realised that my tone and choice of words were more suitable for addressing a ten year old but then, in some ways, Amy did seem very child-like. She still said nothing. I began to sense that her life up to now had been very different from the upbringing I'd known as a child and that of my own children. It seemed that Amy had not experienced much happiness or love in her life, if at all. I wanted to ask her so many questions but knew it was pointless. She would just clam up, bottling-up what I surmised to be a troubled and traumatic past. Not being able to stand the strange atmosphere any longer and sensing that Amy was expecting me to jump her bones at any minute, I finally put my book down and faced her. "OK, look Amy, maybe there is something you can do for me." She now looked up at me as if waiting for some sort of command. "I don't want to fuck you but I would like to hold you, to give you a cuddle like I would my own daughter when she wasn't feeling too good or sad. How does that sound? Deal?" She continued to look at me and snorted again and said "A cuddle? Yeah, now that would certainly be a new experience." I reached out to her and she instinctively recoiled, as if expecting to be hit or slapped. I moved my arm back a little to reassure her. "Amy, I'm not going to hurt you, sweetheart. Please don't ever think that. Come here." This time I slowly moved my arm towards her, giving her time to adjust. She didn't seem to know what to do next. So very slowly and gently I put my arm behind the back of her head and, cupping my hand on her far shoulder, I gently pulled her towards me. She yielded and allowed me to guide her face into the side of my neck, and her cheek came to rest on my shoulder. I brought my other arm around and rested that on her upper back. She didn't move at all save for her slow and shallow breathing. I felt her warm breath on my neck and luxuriated in the simple pleasure this feeling gave me. Other than my daughter, it had been a long time since I had simply held a lass in such an embrace and it felt wonderful. Using the hand that had been resting on her shoulder, I gently started to stroke her long blonde hair savouring the feel of its freshly-washed silkiness. I was lying flat on the bed and Amy was on her side to me. In an attempt to get more comfortable than for any sensual reasons, she placed her upper leg onto mine. Never mind her reasons, it still felt good to me. I also hadn't failed to notice her small, firm boobs pressed against my chest. With only two thin T-shirts between her boobs and my chest that felt good too. Despite saying I didn't want to fuck her, I would have dearly loved to but, under the circumstances, it would have been very wrong. Amy was clearly only offering me her body as a way of 'payment', not through love or lust or a personal need. Unless a lass was a willing sexual partner in the true sense of the word, I was not the sort of bloke who would take advantage. I continued to enjoy the simple act of holding and cuddling my new acquaintance, content in the knowledge that I was holding a pretty lass and satisfied that at least she was warm, comfortable and safe for at least one night in her miserable life. I moved the hand that had been resting on her back to gently stroke her cheek. She flinched when I first made contact. By the way she reacted to any movement near to her, Amy had clearly suffered violence or the threat of violence in her past and I felt so sorry for her. As I stroked her cheek more, she slowly relaxed again, probably content with the realisation that, at least for now, she wasn't going to get slapped or hurt. Some moments later I felt moisture on my neck and realised that Amy was silently crying, her guard momentarily lowered allowing her emotions to escape. I slowly turned my head, not wishing to startle her yet again, and gently kissed her forehead. She didn't respond but neither did she pull away. I didn't say anything. I didn't want to break the spell and I was content to simply hold this troubled girl all night if required. If I could make her feel safe, wanted and sort of loved for just one night in her life, then maybe, just maybe, it would offer her some hope. The radio was still on in the background and a track came on that suddenly took me back to a very memorable time when I was just sixteen years old. It was Pink Floyd's 'Shine on you Crazy Diamond'. Pink Floyd remains one of my all-time favourite bands and this track was particularly poignant, as it was playing at the time I lost my virginity to a beautiful girlfriend I was going out with at the time. All the more poignant was that Amy shared many of the attributes with that girlfriend back in '78. She was tall, slim, small-breasted and blonde, just like Amy. I revelled in my teen memories and smiled at the irony of my present situation; once again cuddling a girl that was only one year older and of a similar physique, but 31 years later in my life. Amy was now more of deadweight on me and her pattern of breathing had changed into longer and less frequent breaths. She had, quite simply, fallen into a deep sleep, probably for the first time in ages. It mattered not to me. There was going to be little or no conversation anyway and it made things less awkward if she slept. I continued to stroke her hair, cheek and back, nuzzle into her hair and gently kiss her face. They were all simple, non-sexual pleasures but, all the same, it made me very feel so very content and relaxed, to the extent that that I dozed-off myself. I awoke with a start and for a few moments was completely disorientated. Amy was still at my side, in the same position, still in a deep sleep. I badly needed to pee so slowly and very carefully I extricated my arm from behind her head and slowly and carefully got off the bed. As I peed, I recalled the intimate cuddle with Amy and I felt quite sexually aroused at the thought of it. So, after I'd finished my pee, I sat down on the toilet and 'pleasured' myself to relieve sexual tension. Returning to the bed, I looked down on Amy and drank in the view. She had gone into the foetal position and looked so peaceful and serene. I could see her face and for the first time noticed just how really beautiful she was. Gone was the expressionless, lifeless face to be replaced by the more gentle lines of a person in deep sleep. With her eyes shut, I could forget her hollow, lifeless stare and imagine instead, bright, mischievous eyes just like my daughter Jessie has. Quite simply, she looked stunning and I wanted to just scoop her up and cradle her in my arms. I noticed with a certain depraved delight that her T-shirt had ridden up, to reveal that she was 'sans knickers'. She had a tight, pert, beautifully formed and smooth bum and I could only imagine what her fanny would look like but sadly that was obscured from my view. I was now able to study her lower legs and, just like her thighs, her calves had wonderfully toned muscles leading down to gloriously slim ankles with clearly defined Achilles heels. I gently ran my hand up one of her legs marvelling at her firm, smooth and warm skin. Her legs were perfect apart from the numerous scars and what seemed to be fag burns. Checking she was still asleep, I gently touched her bum, enjoying the luxuriant feel of her firm cheeks under my hand. Despite my recent 'hand relief', I was getting hard again and felt I should bring things to a stop before getting carried away and waking Amy up. It seemed wrong to be touching up a soundly sleeping girl, especially after telling her I didn't intend to fuck her. So I simply lay beside her for what must have been ages, wrapping an arm around her, gently stroking her hair and face and kissing her forehead and cheek. As I looked again at the delightful sleeping form of this troubled teen girl, I experienced a whole gamut of emotions. In the space of just a few seconds, my entire life flashed past me; my successes, my failures, the highs, the lows, the once optimistic outlet I had on life and the now pessimistic, cynical and jaded outlook I endured. But the one thing that really shone out in my mind was that I recognised that a small part of me needed this beautiful troubled teen girl as much as she (or so it would seem) very much needed me. Pulling Amy into an even tighter cuddle, I buried my head to the side of hers and silently wept for some minutes for no apparent reason. However, it was getting very late and I needed to sleep. So pulling myself together, I reluctantly released my grip on Amy and moved away. Slowly and carefully I pulled the duvet from under her and then gently placed it on top of her, gave her one last kiss and then carefully getting off the bed I made my way over to the made-up settee bed, pausing only to pick up my wallet which I placed under my pillow. I wasn't going to risk losing that if Amy decided to do a midnight flit and take what she could. I got into bed and looked over at the other bed and saw the back of Amy's head, her long blonde hair spread around. As I drifted off to sleep, I contemplated the strange turn of events that evening and wondered what tomorrow would bring. ------- Chapter 3 'The first week - Tuesday morning' I awoke before my alarm clock went off, which is quite usual for me. After my eyes had adjusted to the dim light in the room, I looked towards the other bed and saw that Amy was facing me, lying on her side and, more to the point, she was wide awake and just staring at me. Her face was expressionless but still softer than the previous evening. Her hair was tousled and strewn all over the place, making her look very sexy. "Hello beautiful, well, you're a lovely sight to wake up to," I cheerfully said. "Hello," she said, quietly, as she continued to look at me. Then she looked puzzled, "Why aren't you in bed with me?" "Well, when I cuddled you, you fell asleep, so I stayed with you for a while and then pulled the duvet over you, left you alone and went to bed myself." "But you could have stayed with me and fucked me. I wouldn't have stopped you." She seemed obsessed with the idea that I would fuck her, even when she was asleep. I neglected to tell her the small detail that the thought had crossed my mind and before speaking I considered my reply carefully. "Amy, you're a very beautiful girl and I would normally be extremely flattered by such an invitation. But, you are making the offer for the wrong reasons. To put it in your terms, I would only fuck you if wanted it too and the desire was mutual. I suspect you neither want to nor have the desire to fuck, at least not in your present state of mind. The only reasons you should offer to fuck a bloke is because you either like or love him and share his passion. You should never simply offer your body as a form of payment or reward." She didn't answer. I got up and moved to her bed and sat beside her. Remembering how she recoiled and flinched whenever I moved an arm towards her and, making sure she saw my arm, I slowly reached out to stroke her hair. She remained motionless and made no attempt to stop me stroking her hair. I think that, although she didn't show it, she did in fact enjoy this gentle touching and I suspect it was maybe a new experience for her. I bent down and gently kissed her forehead. Raising my head back up, I spoke to her again. "Please don't think I'm patronising you, but did you understand what I meant?" "Sort of." "Amy, I'm guessing here, but I bet your childhood hasn't been a happy one and that you've been though a lot of turmoil and probably horrible things have happened to you. I don't expect you to talk to me about it but I do want you to know that if you do I'll listen to you as long as you want me to." "OK." Clearly she was being economical with her words again, almost as if her speech was rationed. Realising I wasn't getting anywhere, I changed tack. "Do you need the bathroom first? Cos if you don't, I need to get ready for work." "Nah, go ahead." To spare her blushes, I took out a pair of fresh undies from my away bag to take into the bathroom with me so that I could change in there. Then in I went into the bathroom, peed, had a shave and a quick shower. I then went back in to the room to get dressed. Amy was already up and dressed in her old, ragged clothes and was gathering her things together. "You know, you don't have to leave. You can stay all day if you wish. I'm here for two weeks." She looked perplexed again and started to shift uneasily. "Thought you'd want me to leave. You don't want to fuck me so what's the point in me staying?" I gave out a long sigh. "Amy, Amy, Amy, what am I going to do with you, eh?" I smiled at her and slowly reached out to her with both arms. For once she didn't recoil. I gently cupped her face in my hands and drawing her head towards mine I again kissed her forehead. Keeping my hands on her cheeks I then spoke to her. "You're a free person and of course I will not stop you leaving, or do anything against your will but I would rather you stayed at least just for today. You still look very tired and anyway, wouldn't you rather stay in the warm than just wandering aimlessly outside?" "Whatever." It then clicked in my brain. I began to realise that every aspect of Amy's life had probably been controlled; that she had possibly never been allowed to make a choice or make her own decisions. I decided to test my theory. "OK Amy, I would like you to stay for as long as you want and you don't have to ever offer me sex, at least not as a method of payment." "OK." She said and then, she sat down on the made-up bed. "I'm so pleased you agree," I realised she hadn't really agreed, but I wanted her to think she had. "Now listen, I'm going to get my breakfast now. I'll bring something up for you. I guess you want me to choose for you, right?" "Yes." "OK, I'll be 20 minutes or so." I went down for breakfast and got my usual cereal and orange juices. After that, I went to get coffee and my hot choice. Breakfast is my main meal of the day and the one thing I love about the motel chain I use is that they have an 'all you can eat' breakfast policy, something I take advantage of. After I'd eaten my breakfast, I returned to the coffee machine, picked a takeaway cup and filled it. I filled another takeaway cup with orange juice. Then I went back to the hot buffet and made-up a bacon and sausage sandwich and wrapped it in a couple of paper napkins. I also wrapped up a couple of croissants in napkins too. Finally, I picked up a selection of fruit and a couple of those individual serving boxes of cereal. Stuffing those, the croissants and the fruit into my fleece pockets and carefully holding the two cups and the sandwich, I made my out of the restaurant. One of the waiters had been watching me with some amusement, and as I passed by, I smiled sheepishly like some naughty school boy caught in the act. As I made my way back to the room, I was pleased my room was on the ground floor as negotiating the stairs or lift would have been challenging with my hands full of food and drink. I got to the door of my room and kicked the door several times hoping Amy would come and open it. She didn't, so placing the drinks on the floor, I got my room key out and let myself in. I saw Amy sitting where I had left her and, for the first time, her face actually showed an emotion other than nothing but it wasn't a nice sight. She looked very frightened. I walked towards her. She spoke rapidly with a tone of great anxiety, stuttering on her words as I approached, looking at me like a wild deer caught in the glare of car headlights. "S-s-s-sorry, I-I, Um, I didn't open the door. I didn't know who it was or what to do or..." She trailed off again, not completing her sentence, watching my every move intently. She was probably expecting me to shout at her or do worse. I don't know what but it was heart breaking to see her over-reaction to the situation. For her benefit I made light of it. "No worries Amy, I guessed that. We should have agreed a knocking code like spies would." Seeing me smile she seemed to calm down a little. I put the cups and wrapped-up sandwich on the table and then unpacked my pockets. "OK, come on girl. Tuck-in and eat what you want." I pointed out that one cup was orange juice and the other coffee. Not knowing whether she liked sugar or not, I went to the complimentary tray and picked up a couple of sachets of sugar. She still seemed shaken by the knocking at the door incident. She sat down in the chair and looked at the selection of food I had brought. I gently bent over her and kissed her forehead. "Enjoy," I encouraged and she started to eat the sandwich. "Right, I'm going to have to go to work soon as I have to meet somebody at a certain time. So I'm just going to tell you a couple of things before I go but carry on eating as I talk. There's an old laptop on the table and my backup mobile phone is next to it. My mobile number is in the phone memory as 'Blackberry'. If you need anything just call me. The laptop is picking up the motel WIFI, so you can surf the net. Do you know how to use a phone and a PC?" She looked at me with an expression of both disdain and disbelief and said "I'm a seventeen year old kid. Whaddya think?" I laughed at myself when I realised my question was a little stupid. It was also good to see that her face was not always expressionless and lifeless. "OK, here's a spare key for the room and here's a few quid in case you get hungry. You'll have to go to McDonald's or somewhere else as the motel doesn't do lunch. There are vending machines in reception. If you do decide to leave for good, please at least leave me a note so that I know that's what you've decided to do. And if you do leave, you're welcome to take the mobile phone with you. Oh, and take that little solar panel with you. You can charge the phone with it. I want you to know that you can call me anytime and I will try and do my best to help you but I'd really rather you stayed." That said I put the key and money down on the table and moved the little solar panel gizmo next to the key in case she didn't know what I meant by 'solar panel'. I then looked at her. She was eating slowly as she tried to digest all the information I'd just told her rather than digest the food she was eating. I was late so I quickly picked up my laptop bag and keys and started towards the door pausing to kiss Amy once more on the forehead. I opened the door and looking back I blew a kiss to her, like I would towards my wife or daughter. "You're supposed to pretend to catch it and then place your hand on your mouth." She clearly didn't comprehend this silly act of fondness that people who are close or care for one another practice daily. I then added, "See you tonight then, I'll be back about six o'clock. I really hope you'll still be here." With that, I went out into the corridor, closed the door behind me and hooked the 'do not disturb' sign on the door knob. I informed reception that I had an acquaintance staying with me and asked him to tell housekeeping not to clean the room that day as there was no need. I was there for two weeks so one day didn't really matter. One of the better aspects of motels over hotels is that you only pay for the room, not the number of guests, so the receptionist was quite happy with me adding a guest. I was about to tell him her name, which I guessed he'd need for the register when I realised that I didn't actually know Amy's surname. I tried to picture the birth certificate in my minds eye in the hope that I might 'see' and recall the name, but I couldn't. I told him her name is 'Amy Smith'. That done, I walked out. I walked through the car park, found my car, opened the back door and put my things on the back seat. Then opening the driver's door, I paused before I got in and looked towards the motel. I knew which window belonged to my room and, as I looked at it, I saw the net curtain twitch and return to its natural state. Amy had obviously been spying on me. 'How cute' I thought. My drive was uneventful and gave me time to reflect on the last 12 hours. First of all I wondered about the foolishness of leaving a girl who I knew precious little about alone in my motel room. I weighed up the worst that could possibly happen. I'd left her some money, about seven quid in change, but it was for her anyway to spend on whatever she wanted. I'd left a crappy old pay-as-you-go mobile phone with little or no value and an old company laptop that was a zero-rated asset. Normally, our IT department would simply scrap them after issuing an employee with a replacement but I had insisted on keeping it. I sometimes find myself using a laptop in pretty bad environments and, when this is the case, I wheel out the old one and leave my decent one in a safe location. That old laptop refused to die despite being dropped twice, receiving a soaking and being handled roughly! So if she decided to leave there was nothing of any real value for her to take. OK, she might steal my clothes but most of those were work clothes with the company logo on them so again of little value, and, after seeing her in my T-shirt and her telling me that my shorts wouldn't stay on her waist, I knew for sure they wouldn't fit her. So I reasoned that the worst that could happen is she might trash the motel room but then I reckoned this highly unlikely so quickly dismissed the thought. Then I started to think about Amy herself. Obviously a troubled, possibly traumatised girl, but nonetheless a seemingly intelligent one with a quick wit. She didn't appear to smoke or do drugs. She lacked social graces and manners and seemed to be easily confused by simple questions involving choice or decisions. This concerned me as did her subservient attitude. I could only assume that her mother or somebody had taken total control of her life and treated her like she couldn't think for herself. And yet when she did speak she was coherent, clear and appeared to be educated to some degree. Her obvious fear of a person approaching her too quickly or trying to touch her led me to believe she must have been exposed to violence of some kind either by her mother or others close to her. However, the thing that bothered me most of all was Amy's insistence that she should barter her body in exchange for something given to her. This was very disturbing and I found myself dwelling on it all day. I found Amy consuming my thoughts so much I found it hard to concentrate on work that day. An acquaintance noticed my lack of concentration and remarked on it saying it was out of character for me and asked if I was OK. I told him I was just tired. I then mulled over how I could get into Amy's inner thoughts but came to the conclusion I would make a mess of it and decided that, if she wanted to tell me about her past, she would in her own good time. But then what was going to happen long term? What if at the end of my two week stay in this town she didn't want to leave me? Just what was I getting myself into? What about my own family? If she stayed with me where would she go when I was at home? So many questions and 'what-if' scenarios running through my brain were sending my head in a spin so I made my excuses and left the construction site early. It was a long walk to the contractor's car park, and I welcomed that and the cool breeze. It helped to clear my head a little. I felt my Blackberry vibrate in my pocket so I guessed it was either a text or email. Looking at my phone the display showed one new message. I opened it and it was from 'old phone'. It was the phone I had left with Amy. I opened and read the message. I LIKE YOU :) AMY It was a simple message but it meant a great deal to me. It gave me a glimmer of hope that Amy saw something in me other than a bloke after a quick fuck. I texted back: I LIKE U 2 :) CU LATER DUNCS. I continued to walk to my car, strangely excited by the prospect of this breakthrough with Amy and I looked forward to seeing her. But now I shifted my thoughts from Amy to myself and started to question my own sanity. What the hell was wrong with me? Normally a logical, rational person not known for taking risks, my quest to help Amy was the antithesis of all these qualities. I began to question my own motives with Amy. Was I perhaps just simply after a quick fuck, the very thing that Amy assumed I was after? Well, no, I didn't think so. If that was my only motive, I certainly wouldn't choose a homeless person. I would pluck up courage and try and find a lonely lass in the motel bar instead. Besides, I'd gone years without seeking sex so that couldn't be my motive. Was I simply trying to fill the void of my own loneliness? It was true that I did feel quite alone most of the time. A life on the road meant that I had no real close friends back at home. I never had time to join clubs or societies. My wife was wrapped up in her own world and my teen kids now had their own busy social lives. I got into my car and set off. I remembered passing an Asda on the way to the clients that morning. So I decided to go to there and buy Amy some new clothes. If she was going to stay around for a while she would need some fresh clothes. I was fairly confident I would get the right size. Amy was very similar in build to Jessie, except I suspected Amy's hips were narrower than Jessie's. I was also quite comfortable browsing for girls clothes, as Jessie and I often went shopping and surprisingly she valued my opinion. If I thought something was too tarty or simply didn't suit her I would tell her and she usually listened. I parked up at Asda and negotiated my way past all the mothers, kids and shopping trolleys. It was unfortunately just after school kick-out time, and the mums must have been shopping on the way home after picking up little 'Jack or Jill' from school. I detest supermarkets but I was on a mission. I headed for the teen girls clothes section. I picked out a couple of pairs of jeans, several colourful T-shirts and fitted tops, a fleece, a Disney nightie and some multi packs of knickers, bras and socks. It was certainly not the sort of stuff Jessie would wear. For her it would have to be Hollister or Jack Wills or some other such brand but I'm sure Amy wouldn't care about the label. I moseyed over to the shoe section and picked up a pair of colourful trainers and some canvas pumps. My daughter loved those sorts of shoes so I hoped Amy would too. Finally, I went to the personal hygiene section and picked up few girly toiletries for her. I even contemplated getting her a box of tampons but felt that was maybe going too far. There was huge queue at the line of checkouts and the whining kids and angry mums really got on my nerves. After what seemed like an eternity it was finally my turn. "Buying for your daughter are you?" enquired the friendly checkout lady. I was tempted to reply 'no, actually I'm buying them for a homeless girl that I've just met and know nothing about, who for all I know may have psychotic tendencies but who's body I would love to ravish for hours and hours' but I simply said, "Yes." "Well you're certainly a brave bloke. I certainly wouldn't buy clothes for my daughter!" She laughed at the thought of her own statement. I smiled back but said nothing. I'm not good at small talk. An extremely cute girl carefully packed the clothes into several bags for me and I smiled at her in appreciation but I'm sure my facial expression was telling her 'fuck, you're really cute and you've got gorgeous boobs'. She smiled back at me, and her facial expression was saying, 'Yeah, I'm cute and I know it and stop staring at my boobs you fucking perv, ' which validated what I'd thought. I paid, said goodbye and left. It took ages to get out of the crowded car park but then on top of that I faced rush-hour traffic on the road. It took me 45minutes to cover just over two miles to the motel. It would have been quicker to walk. I finally pulled into the motel car park, got out the car, gathered all my stuff and locked it. Then I headed towards the motel. ------- Chapter 4 'The first week - early Tuesday evening' I entered the motel reception and nodded at the bloke behind the desk. "Good evening, sir" he said with a smile. "Evening mate." I walked past quickly him lest there were any awkward questions and headed for room 122. This time when I paused at the door, I wasn't thinking about the predictable room layout but, more to the point, what would be actually left in the room. I could hear faint music coming from the room. The 'do not disturb' sign was still on the door knob. I put the key in the door and found I could only open it a couple of inches. Amy had put the night chain on. 'Sensible girl, ' I thought. I shouted "It's me, Duncs." I heard nothing and then suddenly the door closed and I heard Amy removing the chain. She then reopened the door. She didn't smile at me but simply said hello which I guess was better than nothing. Her face wasn't quite as lifeless as it had been the previous evening and her eyes looked a little less cold but still lacked sparkle. "Hello, gorgeous," I said, looking for a sign of appreciation but there was none. I don't think words like 'gorgeous' and 'beautiful' were words used to address Amy in her past. I noted that Amy was still only wearing my T-shirt so I assumed she had stayed in all day. I entered the room and put the Asda bags down on the bed and my laptop in the corner of the room. Amy had made the normal bed and turned the made-up bed back into a settee. I glanced at the table and noted with some surprise and delight that Amy had tidied up all my work mess. The drawings were all neatly folded and stacked and my site notes that were scrawled on various bits of paper and notebooks were placed in another neat pile. "Hey girl, thanks for that. You can stay again!" I joked. There was no sign of any food left from breakfast but I noted that the money I had given her appeared to be the same amount of coinage I had left earlier in the day, although I couldn't say for sure exactly how much I'd given her. I needed to pee so went into the bathroom. My second surprise was that Amy had obviously washed all her clothes, I presumed in the bath, as they were all hanging up on the shower curtain rail and towel rail. Resourceful and practical girl, I thought to myself. I came out of the bathroom and found Amy sitting on the settee looking awkward as if waiting for her 'orders'. I beckoned her over to the bed. She rose and slowly and cautiously approached me still obviously wary of getting close to me. When she was next to me I pointed to the bags I'd placed there. "I've bought you a few things. Think of them as belated birthday presents if you like." She looked at the bags, then back at me, not sure what to do. Remembering that Amy seemed to want to be told what to do I said, "You can open the bags. It doesn't matter which one first." She slowly opened the first bag and took out two pairs of jeans and carefully laid them out on the bed. Then she opened the second bag and took out several T-shirts and again laid them on the bed. The third bag contained the packs of knickers, bras, socks and nightie. Again she laid them out. She didn't open the other bags but instead ran over to the settee, sat down hunched up in the corner and covered her head in hands. I realised I'd overwhelmed her and she didn't know how to handle it. I approached her and softly called her name so that she knew I was there before I touched her. The last thing I wanted to do was startle her again. I slowly sat down next to her and gently put my arms round her and pulled her towards me. She was shaking and I assumed crying. I held her for several minutes stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. Sensing her thinking about the 'payment' she indubitably would have felt duty-bound to offer me, I jumped in first. "Amy, before you say anything, I don't want anything in return, not anything apart from..." She jumped a little and tensed up when I uttered 'apart from' so I knew I had her attention, "Maybe a smile or two would be nice." Her body relaxed again. Then she slowly raised her head and looked at me. Her eyes were moist and she looked so sad. "Why are you doing all these nice things for me, you MUST want something," she insisted. I cupped her face in my hands and smiled at her "I'm trying to give you a bit of a break in life. I don't want anything in return from you except perhaps a smile. I would love to see your pretty face smile. There, that's what you can do for me." I kissed her forehead once again and then held her close again. A few minutes later she gently pulled away from me but not in fear. She looked at me again and I could tell she desperately wanted to do something but wasn't sure of herself. Suddenly, just as I was about to say something reassuring to her, she gave me a very quick smile, not particularly natural but a smile nonetheless and then gave me a very quick kiss on my cheek. She pulled back immediately as if in fear of the consequences of her actions towards me. I smiled at her and said "Thank you, Amy. You made my day." I stood up and offered my hand out. She took my hand and I helped her up off the settee. "C'mon, go and open the other bags." She opened the fourth bag and took out the trainers and pumps. Then she opened the fifth bag and inspected the various toiletries I had bought. "I hope everything is OK; I bought the sort of stuff my daughter would wear and use. I know she's four years younger than you, but she's worn clothes meant for older lasses for a long time now." "Thanks," she whispered as she surveyed the items on the bed. This was the first time I'd heard her say thanks. I thought to myself 'at last, a break-through'. I was standing beside her and carefully put an arm round her waist. She only flinched a little bit which was good. "My pleasure sweetheart." I said gently. We stood for a while, neither of us knowing what to do. I finally broke the silence. "Are you hungry?" "Yes." "Right then, pick out a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, knickers and bra, go to the bathroom and get dressed then." I felt the direct approach in telling her what to do seemed to be the best ploy. Sure enough it worked. She chose items of clothing without looking for validation from me, picked up her toiletries and headed for the bathroom. Ten minutes later she emerged. I congratulated myself for picking sizes that clearly fitted her. I hadn't lost my touch. Years of shopping with Jessie had certainly taught me a couple of things. The jeans hugged her fantastic hips and legs to perfection. The fitted T-shirt also showed off her wonderful torso and the bra made her boobs more pronounced. She had brushed her hair back over her ears, but had left a fringe, which made her look incredibly cute. I felt a stirring in my loins as I took in the breathtaking view. "You look absolutely gorgeous, Amy," I said with obvious enthusiasm. "Are you happy with the clothes?" "Yes" she said nodding to confirm her spoken word. "Right then, put on your new trainers or pumps and I'll just quickly get changed myself. I grabbed a T-shirt and jeans and went into the bathroom. I hadn't got hot or sweaty at work, so I dispensed with a shower and had a quick upper body wash instead. I was out in five minutes. In that time, Amy had carefully folded the remainder of her clothes and had placed them on the shelving unit. She'd also placed her worn-out bags into two of the new Asda bags. I marvelled at her efficiency and tidy nature and thought it seemed at odds with her apparent bewilderment when faced with simply having to choose what to eat or drink. "C'mon then, gorgeous. Let's go and get something to eat." She followed me out of the room into the corridor and then proceeded to follow behind me. "Come along beside me. You're not a pet dog. You're my friend so walk with me," I said. She obeyed and I gently took hold of her hand. We walked past the reception desk and I saw the bloke behind the counter look Amy up and down. I couldn't blame him. With her long slim legs and curvy hips, accentuated even more by the cut of the jeans she was wearing, her slim torso shown to perfection by the fitted top and her long, blonde hair, she looked stunning and would make any full-blooded man turn and look. There were several blokes in the bar area who I would guess to be in their mid-twenties. They too all looked at Amy, then at me, and then back at Amy, probably trying to work out whether I was her Dad or a lucky old-fart that had scored that evening. We walked past the bar and up to the small desk to wait to be seated. Thankfully, the restaurant was nearly empty. I didn't think Amy would appreciate a full and noisy place. The waiter came up to the desk and addressed me' "Just a table for you and your daughter or is anyone else joining you?" "Actually, this is my girlfriend and no, nobody else is joining us." As I said this, I looked at Amy and winked at her, a mischievous grin on my face. Unbelievably she must have picked up the vibe because on cue, she cocked her head jauntily to one side as she stared at the waiter. It was perfect and the waiter almost blushed, clearly feeling awkward at jumping to conclusions. He started to mumble. "Ah, yes, of course sir. I just thought ... Well-er-please, let me show you to your table." I smiled at him, enjoying his discomfort. We followed him and he took us to a window seat. "Is this OK?" "Yeah, fine thanks." He pulled out a chair and looked at Amy expectantly. Sensing Amy didn't know she was supposed to sit there or what to do, I subtly helped her out of her predicament. "Amy, do you want to sit that side or this side?" I said gesturing at the other chair. She then realised what I meant. "This ones fine," she went to sit and the waiter pushed the chair in for her. As I sat down myself, the waiter asked me if I wanted to order drinks. I looked at Amy and asked what she wanted. Predictably she said "You choose." "OK, a coke and a bottle of sparkling water please," I said, looking at the waiter. The waiter walked briskly away and went up to the barman. I looked their way and could tell he was recounting the conversation at the desk because the barman kept looking in our direction. I couldn't help but feel smug, imagining all the blokes thinking 'lucky bugger' or some such term! Turning to Amy I asked, "Are you OK?" She just nodded and kept her head slightly down as if embarrassed or shy. "You know you look stunning; absolutely beautiful, don't you?" it was a rhetorical question, but Amy took it literally. "You're the only bloke that has said that to me. Normally I get called..." I cut her short, sensing the tirade of filth she was about to utter and said "It's OK. Amy. Please don't say those names you said last night again. Whoever said those cruel things to you was in the wrong, not you." True to form, Amy remained silent, as I now began to realise she did whenever a conversation strayed into her past. I tried a different approach. "You know every single bloke we walked past looked at you in admiration, you really do look gorgeous." "They just want to fuck me," she said in a very matter of fact way and with no emotion. Instead of denying this blunt fact that Amy had uttered to me several times already during our short acquaintance with each other, I decided to go along with her cynical view of every bloke in the world. "Well, yes they do but that would only be the ultimate aim. They first of all notice a beautiful girl and think, wow, I would love to have her as my girlfriend. Nature makes you gorgeous so that you attract the male species. It's what makes the world go round, so to speak. The vast majority of blokes think that way. There are a very small minority of blokes that are not right in the head and yes, they simply see a girl purely as an object to fuck." I had clearly hit a raw nerve as Amy was now looking down at the table, allowing her long hair to fall forwards and mask her face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," I said. "Whatever." The waiter brought the drinks over. I thanked him and told him we weren't yet ready to order food. "C'mon, Amy, look at the menu and decide what you want to eat and no, before you ask, I won't choose for you." I'd set a challenge and to her credit she rose to it. "Can I have a pizza with some chips?" "Girl, you can have the whole damn menu if you want!" She looked at me for a couple of seconds and offered me a hint of a faint smile. It was barely visible but, all the same, it was a smile. She had been amused by my reply and had lowered her guard for a couple of seconds. It was a wonderful moment, a positive result. I continued the challenge. "There's a choice of four Pizzas. Which one do you want?" "You choose for me." 'OK, slightly disappointing, ' I thought but I didn't push it. "OK, but is there anything you don't like?" "I'll eat anything." "OK, good, then I'll order the meat feast. That way if you don't finish it I can enjoy the rest. I like the meat feast best." She seemed satisfied with this. I attracted the waiter's attention. He walked over. "My girlfriend would like a meat feast pizza and a side order of chips and I'll have the chicken breast with bacon and melted cheese, please." He read back the order and I confirmed it to be correct. He walked off. Amy was looking out of the window, staring into the distance, and clearly lost in her own thoughts again. I pondered again over what terrible secrets she was holding in her troubled head. But I also couldn't stop staring at her. Her beauty was mesmerising and she made me feel like a teen again. Just looking at her across the table made my loins tingle and stir. I must have zoned out again because the next thing I knew the waiter was putting our plates on the table. "Do you want anything else sir, some sauce or mustard?" "No, not for me. How about you Amy?" Amy simply shook her head and, on seeing this, the waiter left. "Amy, this may sound very rude of me to suggest this, but you're not going to eat quickly like you did in the McDonald's are you?" "No, not if you don't want me to." "It's not about what I want but yes, you're right. I don't want you to. You don't have to rush your meal. We have all evening and nobody will take your food away from you." With that, she picked up her first slice of pizza and began to eat it slowly and delicately. "Now, I always do this to my daughter, just to annoy her." As I said that I proceeded to steal a chip off her side plate. Again, I was rewarded with a faint smile. We settled into quietly eating and drinking. Suddenly Amy spoke "Jess is very pretty." I was slightly taken aback by this statement, assuming that she hadn't really studied the photo I'd showed her the previous evening. "Yes, she is Amy, just like you are," she ignored this compliment but continued to talk. "I found a load of your family photos on the laptop. Dan and your wife look nice too. And you all look happy in the holiday photos. I really like the photos where there were a lot of mountains with snow on them." I was stunned. This was the longest sentence she had uttered to me, apart from the outburst in McDonald's. "Yes, we've had some lovely holidays and always try to have a good time. The photos with the snow-covered mountains would have been taken in Switzerland. So, whereabouts have you been on holiday?" "I've never been on holiday." "What, not even in England?" She shook her head and I sensed her nearly retracting into her protective world again. "Well, I'll have to see if I can do something about that then." She looked up at me, with a slightly curious look on her face. I decided that I wouldn't respond with a question again but would simply let her talk and would answer her questions only. However, we ate the rest of our meal in silence. Amy surprised me by eating all of the pizza which was by no means small. I guess she was taking advantage of the food whilst she could, rather like a wild animal would eat as much as possible, not knowing when or where its next meal would come from. "Would you like a dessert, Amy?" "Can I have ice cream?" followed by a tentative pause, "Please?" Wow, she said please but almost in a begging way, rather like Oliver does in the film 'Oliver', you know, "Please, sir, can I have some more?" "Of course you can!" I summoned the waiter. I decided to have some fun at his expense. He came over. "My insanely beautiful and unbelievably sexy girlfriend would like some ice cream!" "Er ... Yes ... Yes, of course sir, what flavour?" "What do you suggest?" "Er ... well, they're all tasty, sir." "Well, give her a mix of flavours then, with lots of cream. She likes cream in her mouth." "Er, OK sir." He couldn't wait to walk away. He was clearly uneasy with an old-fart like me being with a gorgeous young girl and I had just made him more uneasy. 'That'll teach him for saying daughter', I chuckled to myself. "Do you really think I'm sexy or were you just saying that to embarrass the waiter?" Very perceptive of her, I thought. She realised I was having some fun at the waiter's expense. "Both. Yes, I was saying that to embarrass the waiter, but yes, for real, I really do think you look very sexy." "But you said you didn't want to fuck me." 'Oh dear, here we go again, back to square one, ' I thought to myself. "Amy, you are confusing two different emotions. You are a very sexy and beautiful girl and any full-blooded male would want to go out with you, get to know you, love you and eventually make love to you, which in your language is, to fuck you. But you are seeing a bloke fucking you as his reward for doing something for you; the two are entirely different." "So, if you think I'm sexy and beautiful and you got to know me, you would eventually fuck me?" "Yes, yes but only if you wanted to as well. It would have to be because we both wanted it, through love or friendship and respect." "I've never been loved, had any real friends or been respected." "No, no, I've guessed that, sweetheart. Look, lets not..." I broke off my sentence because our hapless waiter had appeared with the ice cream. "Oo-oo-ooh, look at all that cream on top, Amy! I shall really enjoy watching you lick that off the wafers." With that, the waiter really did blush and practically ran off. I'd pushed him too far! "You were mean to him." "Then why do I see a faint smile on your lips then, eh?" "Cos it was funny!" "Yeah, it was. Now girly, enjoy your ice cream." She ate in silence, and slowly too much to my relief. Once she'd finished I got up and Amy followed my lead. We waited at the little desk to pay. Our waiter came over and, barely making eye contact, started to process my bill. I handed my credit card and asked for a receipt. I punched in the PIN without being asked. I knew the routine so well. "Thank you sir," he said as he handed me the card and receipt. He stole a quick glance at Amy. I think he had the hots for her. He wouldn't have been much older than her and I can't say I blamed him. I looked at him and then, looking at Amy, I winked at him as if to say 'you know what I'm going to do now, don't you mate?' With that, Amy started to walk off. "Just look at that bum move. Poetry in motion, isn't it?" He said nothing. I think he'd probably come in his undies there and then! During the time it had taken to eat our meal, the twenty-something blokes had downed several pints of beer and were now less than discreet with their admiration of Amy. As Amy walked past them, ahead of me, she received a couple of wolf-whistles and a one beer-fuelled 'hello gorgeous' statement. As I walked by, one of the blokes leant towards me and in a slurred voice said, "You lucky bugger. She's bloody gorgeous mate ." 'How charming', I thought and said, "Yes she is, isn't she? Shame for me she's a lesbian." I carried on walking not letting him see the smirk on my face. I imagined the perplexed conversations between the blokes as they tried to come to terms with my revelation and then trying to work out if I was winding them up or not. I caught up with Amy and walked by her side. "You handled those pissed blokes very well. I'm proud of you, lass, and you played it cool with the waiter too. You know, I think he's got the hots for you!" "I did it for you. I could see you were having fun at his expense." We were in front of door 122 again and this time I actually looked forward to going into the room. As I opened the door, I leant over and kissed Amy on the cheek. To my utter delight, she returned the gesture and kissed me back on my cheek. It was very brief but nonetheless it was still a kiss. We entered the room. Amy closed the door and put on the night chain. ------- Chapter 5 'The first week - late Tuesday evening and Wednesday' Amy wandered to the centre of the room and just stood there looking awkward, as if waiting for her next instruction. I walked very slowly towards her, acutely aware of how nervous she could be when approached. I gently reached out to her and cupped her face in my hands. "You look really beautiful sweetheart and I was proud to have you with me in the restaurant." Amy looked down, clearly not used to receiving compliments. I released her face and put my arms around her and drew her towards me. Her head came against my shoulder and her face settled into the nape of my neck. I held her like this for a couple of minutes, stroking the back of her head with one hand. She made no attempt to pull away and seemed content to remain standing like this. It was me that had to break the embrace. "Amy, as much as I don't want to let you go, I really have to spend a couple of hours working tonight, and then I can cuddle you again, if that's what you'd like. I was supposed to work last night, so I really must do it today. Why don't you watch telly or listen to the radio. Is that OK?" Amy suddenly got a look of excitement on her face which both intrigued and surprised me; her face had rarely shown emotion of any kind. Amy walked over to the table and sat down in the chair. She switched on my old laptop, waited for it to wake up, clicked the Excel icon and then opened a spreadsheet. She then beckoned me over to look at it. At first it looked like one of my typical sheets I use to transfer site notes into something more logical and presentable. When I studied it carefully though, I could see it was in fact a new sheet for my current project. At first I was puzzled because I knew I hadn't started one for this project. Then I realised why Amy wanted to show me it; it was her own work! I studied the sheet in more detail and realised that Amy had taken my site notes and transformed them into a presentable document. I was speechless, surprised and elated. I just gave Amy a big smile and she returned with one of her barely perceptible smiles. "Amy, how, how ... how on earth did you work out how to interpret my site notes and turn them into this wonderful spread sheet? Very few people can read my handwriting, let alone understand my strange way of making notes. I'm bloody impressed, girl, really I am!" I lunged at her to give her a big kiss and she immediately recoiled. 'Shit, I moved too fast again' I thought. "Amy, I'm so sorry sweetheart, sorry..." "It's OK. It's my fault not yours." I moved towards her again but slowly this time. I gave her a big kiss on the cheek. "Amy, you've saved me a couple of hours work but how did you work out my methods? I'm intrigued." "I looked at your other spread sheets and found a common pattern so I just copied what you had done before." "But what about my handwriting? How did you cope with that?" "It's not so bad and there is a pattern to the way you write your site notes too." I was astounded at what Amy had achieved. None of my colleagues would have been able to do what she achieved without asking me questions or getting it completely wrong. I quickly scanned her work, and it all seemed in order. She wanted to show me something else too so I stood behind the chair looking over her shoulder. I placed my hands on her shoulders and gently rubbed my thumbs in a circular motion over her shoulder blades. It's a gesture I often do to my wife when she's showing me something on her PC so I just naturally did it to Amy without thinking. At my first touch she flinched but soon relaxed again. "That feels nice" she eventually said. It was the first time Amy had ever commented on something she enjoyed. "Good, I'm pleased." Amy was starting AutoCAD but it would take forever to load on the decrepit old laptop I was letting her use. I waited, impatiently, dying to see what else she'd done. I bent down and kissed the top of her head as we waited. I took the opportunity to survey her curves from my birds-eye view. Her boobs looked wonderful housed in their new bra and I loved the way her hips gently curved out from her very slim waist. Her firm legs looked wonderful in the tight jeans I had bought for her. I also noticed that she had quite a wide gap between her legs, even though her legs were not particularly parted. That is something I find very sexy on a lass. I just love it when a lass is standing up straight with her legs together and there is a gap between her legs, so much more sexy than when the thighs meet together. I wondered whether I would get the opportunity to see such a view for real rather than just in my imagination. I had repeatedly told Amy I didn't want to fuck her but, of course, that was a lie in some ways. If only she wasn't offering me her body for the wrong reasons... "Duncs?" I heard Amy say, and I could tell by her tone it probably wasn't the first time she had said this. I'd obviously zoned out again. "Sorry, sweetheart, miles away. What ya showing me then, girl?" "I found file names on the laptop that matched up to the file names on the drawings you had left opened up on the table so I clicked on one of the files and it started AutoCAD." "Go on." "Well, I've never used AutoCAD before but I got the hang of some of the basics by messing around ... But I did save a copy of the files first..." she said the latter part of her statement with fear in her voice and looked at me as if I was going to be angry. "Of course you did, Amy. I wouldn't expect anything less from you!" I said trying to reassure her. To be honest, I was mesmerised by this kid now. She was talking about what she did with such authority it was in complete contrast to her subservient tendencies and her inability to choose. I couldn't begin to comprehend how mixed-up this girl's brain must be. Snapping out of my thoughts, I said, "Carry on." "Well, I saw on the plans you'd written a note in large, red writing 'must annotate drawings tonight' and I saw you'd crossed out some of the typed words and written new words and numbers next to them. Also, you'd added extra words next to some other words too. I didn't know what annotate meant, so I looked it up on the Internet. Once I knew it, I then started to change the text on the AutoCAD file. I ... I ... I ... hope you're not angry..." "Angry? Why would I be angry Amy? What you've done is bloody fantastic. I'm dumfounded!" And I was truly dumfounded. I opened up the paper version of the drawing that Amy had open on the laptop and quickly scanned my notes and, sure enough, Amy had edited the text on the drawing to match my notes. I knew I was right when I guessed she was an intelligent girl but her aptitude was incredible too. I wondered what sort of score she would achieve in a MENSA test. "How do you learn to use programmes so quickly? Oh yeah, silly me; you're a 17 year old kid aren't you?" I said quickly before she had chance too. "I've still got one drawing to finish. Would you like me to do it now so that you don't have to do it?" "Tell you what, you do that and I'll type up some notes on my other laptop and we'll be done really quickly then." She seemed pleased to be able to help me. Seizing an opportunity to help Amy overcome one of her hang-ups, I spoke slowly and in measured tones so that she'd take it in. "Amy, you know how you keep telling me that I can fuck you, and I know you only say that because you think that you have to offer me 'a fuck' in return for something I do for you?" I paused for a reaction. She slowly nodded her head up and down but I could tell she was pensive, waiting for the next part of my statement. She probably thought I was finally going to demand my 'payment in kind' off her. "Well, instead of offering me a fuck, how about you help me with typing up my notes and drawings, just like you've done today? You could be my personal assistant, what's known as a PA in business." She looked relieved at this idea and then excited again. "OK, I'll do it then!" "On one condition though ... You don't ever tell me ever again that I can fuck you in return for something I do for you. OK?" "OK," she said in a very positive way. With that agreed, Amy opened up the paper copy of the last drawing she hadn't completed annotating and then opened the equivalent file on the laptop. I got out my laptop and sat down on the settee. I didn't do much. I was too busy thinking about what I'd just been shown by this beautiful girl sitting down at the table quietly getting on with her task. She certainly was a major distraction. She turned round to look at me. "Don't hear much typing Duncs," she said facetiously. "No ma'am, sorry, I'll get on with it right away," I retorted with mock humbled tones. Amy gave me one of her trademark imperceptible and faint smiles but it may as well have been a huge grin as far as I was concerned. That faint smile was a breakthrough. I also noticed that her eyes had a hint of life in them now. Hopefully, things could only get better from now on. I realised I was thirsty, and thought about a coffee would be nice. "Would you like a drink?" "Could I have hot chocolate again, please?" "For you ma'am, one hot chocolate right away." I made our drinks and walked over towards Amy. I placed the mug down on the table and stood behind her watching her work. I loved the sight of her delicate hand on the mouse and watching the muscles and tendons twitch in her arms as she moved it around. I reached out to stroke her hair. I was obsessed with it, the silkiness of it and the length. Amy turned round to look at me. I could sense that she wasn't used to being gently caressed but seemed to be coming round to the idea and hopefully she liked it. She still flinched but not quite as badly as the previous night. It possible she was starting to trust me. I went back to the settee and did some more work. Amy had finished her task and made her way over to the settee. She sat quite close to me and watched me work. I was nearly done too. Out of the corner of my eye I once again admired her long, slim legs. She had one crossed over the other making her knee cap more pronounced. 'Damn, she even has sexy knees, ' I thought. I was completely smitten with this girl and felt like a horny teen lad again. I quickly finished my document and shut down my laptop. I finished the rest of my coffee then turned to look at Amy. She was in her 'I'm waiting for a command' mode again. "Amy, what you did today was really first class. You've really helped me out a lot by typing up those notes and updating the drawings. I'm really grateful, you know, and amazed at your resourcefulness." She didn't say anything, but seemed pleased. It was hard to read her face, but there were very subtle changes I could now pick up. I hoped her face would become more animated as she got to know me better. That pretty face of hers needed to be more expressive. Amy looked down at her lap and wrung her hands in the nervous way I had witnessed the previous evening, only nothing like as badly this time. She looked as if she wanted to say something but didn't know whether she should or not. I wondered again what kind of upbringing this poor kid had that made her so nervous, so subservient and afraid. "What's the matter gorgeous? Do you want something? Is there anything I can do?" "Um, y ... yes..." But then her voice trailed off. "Well tell me then," I said in a soft, reassuring voice. "Will, um ... will you um ... you cuddle me again like you did last night?" "Well of course I will sweetheart!" I didn't need to be asked twice. What lonely middle-aged bloke in his right mind wouldn't want to cuddle a beautiful, slim, blonde girl only 17 years old? Before cuddling her I went over to the TV and switched it to radio mode. I tuned to 'Jazz FM', knowing it would be playing some chilled-out music at this time of night. "Right, as requested, one cuddle coming up for a very beautiful girl!" I sat in the corner of the settee so that I could slouch and beckoned Amy towards me. She slid over and came to rest against my chest, the top of her head resting just below my chin. I wrapped my arms around her and started to gently caress her. Within minutes I felt her start to become more of deadweight on me as her body relaxed. I smiled to myself, pleased that she apparently felt comfortable and at ease with me. We stayed like that for a long time. Nothing was said. We didn't look at each other and the only movement was my hands and arms running through her hair, stroking her cheek, her arms, her back, her neck. I was entirely content to do this all evening and it would seem Amy was content with it too. Amy eventually broke the spell by getting up to go to the toilet. I needed to reposition anyway as I was getting cramp but didn't want to disturb Amy so her timing was good for me too. She was some time in the bathroom, longer than it would take to have a pee I'd thought. When she eventually came out, she had changed into the Disney nightie that I had bought for her. For a moment I had to remind myself that she was in fact 17. She looked 14 again, wearing a nightie featuring a cartoon character and, for a moment, I felt quite guilty. With hindsight, perhaps I should have got her a more adult nightie. But there again, my wife wears cartoon character nighties and she's 41, so I thought 'what the hell'. Mind you, my wife doesn't look 14 when wearing them. "Do you want to go to bed? Are you tired?" "I'm a bit tired, yes, but I got changed to be more comfortable too." I wasn't complaining. Her legs were bare again and, apart from the scars, they were wonderful. Without me prompting her, Amy came over to the settee and resumed her position to be cuddled again. I gladly resumed caressing her again and, testing the water, I slowly moved one of my hands down to Amy's thigh. She didn't react in any way so I continued to stroke it. The firmness of her legs was incredible and I wondered what she did to have such marvellous muscle tone but I resisted the temptation to ask her now. We stayed like this for an hour or so, both seemingly content for our own reasons. However, I had to break the spell this time. I needed to pee and I'd noted it was getting late. I needed to work a little harder the next day to make up for my lack of it earlier today. I gently moved Amy out of the way and headed for the bathroom. I normally sleep without a stitch on but, feeling that it may be too much for Amy to deal with, I took a pair of loose-fitting shorts into the bathroom with me so that I could get changed into them. "I don't know about you but I'm going to turn-in when I've finished in the bathroom. Could you make up the settee into a bed please? You choose which bed you want. I don't care." "OK." With that, I went into the bathroom. I noticed that Amy's old clothes were now all neatly folded and that she'd placed them above the towel rack. I guess she'd done that to dry them some more. I noticed her new clothes also neatly folded but in another pile, the bra and intriguingly her knickers on top of the pile. So was she 'sans knickers' or had she put on another pair for bed? I chuckled to myself at the thought of how near I'd been to her potentially bare fanny whilst stroking her thighs just a minute ago. The long Disney nightshirt had given nothing away. The thought of her without knickers started to arouse me. I peed, got changed then brushed my teeth When I came out of the bathroom the room was quite dim. Amy had switched off all the lights save the small recessed lights above the bed. The minimal lighting certainly softened the ambience of the room and made it quite romantic. Amy was sitting up in the main bed, her legs under the duvet. "Hey girl, I thought you were going to turn the settee into a bed for me!" I exclaimed. "Um, I don't want you to sleep on the made-up bed." She spoke very softly and was looking down at her lap again, in her way of thinking, probably worried that she was going to make me angry for not 'obeying me'. "OK then, do I have to sleep in my car?" I joked but Amy didn't respond to the humour. In the quietest voice imaginable, she said "um, cuddle me again like you did last night. I want to fall asleep being cuddled, only this time I want you to stay in bed with me when I do fall asleep." I couldn't believe my luck. This beautiful girl was inviting me to share a bed with her. I didn't care if it was for nothing more than a close cuddle. I would still feel her warmth. I would still enjoy the feel of her hair on my body, and her firm leg resting on top of mine, not to mention her pert boobs pressed against my chest. This time though only her nightie would be between them and me as I was only wearing shorts. "Ok, but lets get one thing clear. You are doing this because you want to not because you feel you have to. Is that right? "Yes." "You're sure? And you don't mind me just being in shorts? I can put on a T-shirt if you prefer?" "Yes, it's what I want, and I don't mind you just wearing shorts." Trying not to be too enthusiastic I moved round to the bed and slowly got in. As I reached over to pull Amy close to me she yielded instantly and didn't flinch at all. A thought flashed again through my mind. I wondered if she was in fact 'sans knickers' or had she simply put on a fresh pair to go to bed in. Amy immediately adopted the position of putting one leg over mine and nuzzling her face into the hollow of my neck. And sure enough, I felt one of her pert boobs press into my side. I wrapped one arm round her waist and the other ended up under her neck and resting on her back. I was quite content to simply stay like this and drift off to sleep with her. It was absolute bliss just to be holding her. I don't remember who fell asleep first. As always, I awoke before my alarm went off. Amy and I were 'spooning' and my cock, true to form, was suffering from 'morning wood', only this time it had found a convenient place to park itself, namely Amy's bum. My arm was wrapped round Amy's torso, just below her boobs and she had wrapped her own arms around my arm as if my arm was a substitute cuddly toy. She was still asleep so I just enjoyed being close to her and feeling her warmth and the sensation of her gentle, slow breathing. I nuzzled into the back of her neck and enjoyed the feel of her hair against my face. I gently kissed the back of her head and neck, I just couldn't resist it. I felt Amy's grip on my arm tighten a little and then she let out a sort of sigh. But then she flinched violently and seemed to panic. I spoke softly. "Hey sweety, shshshshshshsh. It's OK Amy. You're OK sweetheart." She turned sharply to face me and for a few seconds she didn't seem to know where she was. Then her brain engaged gear and she then seemed to be OK. She gave me a faint smile and I kissed her on the nose. "Now that's what you get for sleeping with blokes you hardly know; a nasty surprise when you wake up!" I joked. Amy decided to ignore the joke. "You stayed in bed with me," she simply said, a hint of surprise in her voice. "You asked me to!" I stroked her hair away from her face and then kissed her cheek. I then tried to kiss her on the mouth but she pulled away. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." "It's not your fault, I just didn't expect that." We cuddled together in silence but something didn't feel right. I couldn't work out what. Then the peace was shattered by my alarm going off. Amy jumped again. She seemed very agitated for some reason. Perhaps she was having second thoughts about having asked me to join her in bed last night. "Penny for your thoughts or will it cost me more than that?" I asked lightly but she seemed uneasy and unwilling to speak. "C'mon, what's the matter, girl?" I asked softly. "Um, d-d-did y-y-you do anything to me l-l-last night?" she stuttered. I thought she was going to burst into tears. She was trembling. I knew what she was hinting at and it hurt that she would think that of me but I guess she had a really hard time trusting blokes. "Amy, we cuddled and then fell asleep, end of story, sweetheart. When I woke up we were still cuddling except you had turned round. I had my arm round you and you had both hands around my arm. That's all I know. Maybe you had a bad dream and thought something else?" "Yeah, sorry. I'm really sorry." "No worries, Amy." Then I kissed her again and held her close. Eventually she stopped trembling and I felt the tension go in her body. The alarm went off again, so I knew we had been like this for ten minutes as that was the preset snooze time on my alarm. "Amy, I hate to say this, but I have to get up and get ready for work." "I know." I got out of bed and started to walk away. But I looked back and returned and tucked Amy in then gave her a kiss on her nose, like I would have done with Jessie when she was much younger. I don't know why I did it. Perhaps because Amy had a 'little girl lost' look on her face and my fatherly instinct kicked in. She seemed confused. Perhaps she had simply expected me to have taken advantage of her last night, almost as if she was resigned to the fact. Once the realisation set in that I hadn't actually done so, I think it almost disappointed her because it broke her perception that all men 'were only after one thing'. This of course was all conjecture on my part. I went to the bathroom to do the usual and got dressed in there too. Then I had an idea. I came out of the bathroom, and Amy was still in bed but awake. "How would you like to come to work with me today?" "I-I-I don't know. What would I do?" "Help me, silly!" "But I don't know what you do." "You can already do enough to help me just by typing up notes but I have another job you can help me with too." "OK then, well, um, I guess so." She seemed unsure but all the same got out of bed to head for the bathroom. I heard the shower start then only minutes later the hair dryer, and then only a few minutes after that Amy emerged, dressed in the jeans and T-shirt she wore the previous night. I was impressed at her speed. She had been ten minutes at the most. Jessie or my wife would have been in there for an hour! She had pulled her hair back into a single pony tail. It looked neat and businesslike but I preferred her lovely long hair to hang free. I said nothing because she had obviously done it for practical reasons. She still looked gorgeous though. "What kept you?" I joked. "Was I too long?" She looked nervous again. "No, no, that was a joke!" "Oh, I wasn't sure..." she trailed off again. She seemed to do this when worried or nervous. Not letting her dwell on things, I spurred her on "C'mon girl, get your trainers on and let's go for breakfast." "You've only paid for yourself." "Well, today I'm going to pay for you too. Is that OK?" "OK." With that, we left the room and headed down the corridor towards the restaurant. It was the same waiter as the previous evening on duty again. He looked at Amy and quickly looked down. I approached his desk. "Look mate, about last night, I'm sorry, I was just having a little fun at your expense." "No problem sir, I guess you were getting back at me for thinking your girlfriend was your daughter." "Very perceptive of you, but I can see how you would think that! Anyway, can I pay for my guest to join me for breakfast?" "All guests are entitled to free coffee sir, so she can join you for that anyway. If you were to accidentally put some food in front of her and she eats it, I'm sure I won't notice." I smiled at him, appreciating his gesture "You're a good man. Thank you." With that Amy and I headed for the buffet. "Whatcha gonna have then, girl?" Amy looked at the vast selection of juices, hot drinks, cereals, breads, fruits, yoghurts, cold meats and hot breakfast items in disbelief. I don't think she'd ever been in a place like this before. "Wow! I don't know." "Well, I'm not choosing for you, have whatever you like; your potential boyfriend over there won't mind!" I busied myself getting my usual fare and Amy followed me almost picking the same items. If that made her feel comfortable then that was fine by me. We finished and as usual I helped myself to a take-away coffee to have in the car on the way to my client. I asked Amy if she wanted one too but she didn't. As we walked out, I thanked the waiter and Amy gave him one of her little smiles, before quickly looking away. I'm sure it meant a lot to him and he probably thought she was just being coy as she looked away. He would never know just how much effort it took for Amy to pass that little gesture his way. As we walked away, I gently put my arm around Amy's waist, just to remind him that she was 'mine'. We went back to the room and I picked up the things I would need for the day. "Amy, bring the old mobile will you. You'll need it for one of the jobs we need to do." She picked it up and her new fleece and then we left the room again. We got in the car and headed out of the motel car park. I stole a quick glance at Amy's long legs and thought again how wonderful she looked in tight jeans. I wanted to put a hand on her thigh but thought she might not like it so decided not to. "Couple of things, Amy. There's my colleagues and some tradesmen at the place we're going to that know me. They're really nice blokes when you get to know them but they all like a pretty girl when they see one. Please don't be frightened or worried if you get whistled at or whatever. It's what makes the world go round. You're a pretty girl and they like to see a pretty girl, simple as that. There's no harm intended; in fact, take it as a compliment. Also, if anyone asks, you work for an agency and I've taken you on as a temp, OK?" "OK," she said. Ah, OK, I see she was going to be talkative again... We had an uneventful drive and Amy said nothing and spent most of the journey staring out of the side window. I wondered what she was thinking about and just how troubled by past demons she really was. We got to the client's building and I headed for the temporary car park at the rear that had been set up for contractors. Our company was installing the mechanical systems, heating, ventilation and refrigeration equipment for a new building the client needed for their expansion plans. I headed for the cabin where we all signed in. Fred, our site manager was already in the office. Fred was a gruff but kind, gentle bloke, nearing retirement and was affectionately referred to as 'Grandad' by the rest of us. I told Fred I'd taken on a temp PA from an agency to help me with the commissioning and documentation I had to complete for the project. "Fred, this is Amy; Amy this is Fred." "Wow, the agency seem to be sending them younger and younger, don't they?" "No Grandad, you're just an old-fart and would think anyone under 30 years old was young!" He laughed at the joke made at his expense. "Well Duncs, you'll have to get her some PPE sorted out. She doesn't say much, does she?" "Leave her alone Fred, she's just shy," I said rather over-protectively. "Come on, Amy, let's leave Fred alone before he suffers a heart attack ogling at you!" "Cheeky bugger!" He laughed and started rasping and coughing, no doubt the result of a lifetime of smoking. I took Amy to the next cabin to get her kitted out with PPE. She would need a yellow tabard, a safety helmet, safety glasses, suitable gloves and metal toecap boots as a minimum to comply with site health and safety. The hat, glasses, gloves and tabard were no problem, but boots were. Amy's feet were only size six. The smallest boots I could find in the store were sevens, so that had to do. I found her a pair of new socks in the store too. "Here, put these extra socks on first. That should help fill out the boots." Amy put her socks and boots on in silence, then the tabard, glasses, gloves and safety helmet. She looked kind of sexy in a strange way! Amy was wearing her trademark expressionless face and dressed as she was, she looked like a serious professional. "Come on, sexy. I'll show you around." I took Amy into the plant room. Areas like this are where I spend most of my time on site so to me the noise is part and parcel of my everyday life. It's easy to forget a newcomer can find it quite intimidating. I'd forgotten this fact and Amy seemed terrified to be met with a cacophony of various sounds when I opened the door. Just then a friendly face appeared from the side of the now open door. "Hey, Duncs! You OK?" It was Mike, one of our electricians. Mike was the practical joker of our group and I was always on my guard when he was around. "Duncs, you'll really have to stop picking up schoolgirls you know. You're gonna get nicked one day," said Mike's mate, George, who had suddenly appeared too, grinning as he looked Amy up and down. Amy said nothing of course and just stared at George with her expressionless face, which George and Mike no doubt interpreted as her not being amused. "This is Amy, a temp PA I've taken on to help with the paperwork. Don't give her any lip. She's a black belt in Karate ya know!" They laughed at this and so it went on as we came across other tradesmen I know and work with. It's all harmless banter and leg-pulling and the world would be a sadder place without it. I was pleasantly surprised at the restraint all the guys showed towards Amy. There was not one wolf whistle or inappropriate comment aimed at her at all. No doubt when she was out of ear shot they would have been discussing her though. Even in her non-flattering PPE she still looked gorgeous. We left the plant room and crossed over an area of wasteland to a site cabin. This was my temporary office. We went in and had the place to ourselves. "See Amy, they're not too bad eh?" "They all seem nice". Then she added, "None of them whistled at me. Does that mean they don't think I'm pretty?" "No! They're just being polite for once. Maybe it's the serious face you always have. They maybe think you won't stand any nonsense". "I look serious?" she said in a hurt voice. "Amy, you have this expression you put on that gives nothing away to people about what you're thinking or what your emotions are. I know why you do it. It's a protective mechanism. You did it to me when I first met you. I've seen you do it whenever you feel nervous or afraid. Don't take it to heart; given what I assume has been a traumatic past for you, it's hardly surprising. That's why I like it so much when you do that little smile. It shows you have other faces." "OK." I bent down and gave her a little kiss on her cheek. It was a bit awkward as our safety helmets clashed. Amy actually smiled at this. "That's better! Right, let's get to work." I needed to verify that the readings I obtained from various test gauges and instruments agreed with the readings from an array of electronic sensors that went back to a control system known as a BMS (building management system). It's tedious work but a very essential element of commissioning. Normally, I'd grab one of the blokes to help me but today I had Amy. Based on the demonstration of her skills and quick learning the previous evening, I was in no doubt that she'd find this task easy. "OK Amy, here's what I need you to do. I'll walk back to the plant room to do various tests. Then I'll call you on the mobile and ask you to look at this PC screen and tell me what the reading is. I'll then give you my reading and you need to record both readings in my field notebook." Amy looked at the PC screen that showed a pipe-work schematic with various real-time measurements dotted about. "This screen looks similar to the AutoCAD drawings I was updating for you and I recognise some of the names next to the numbers. They're similar descriptions to the field notes I typed up for you." I smiled at how quickly she associated what she'd seen in the drawings and my field notes and related it to what she was seeing on the actual operator's PC console. "You've got it in one girl," I said. "What do I do about these numbers; how do you record those accurately?" she asked pointing at an area on the screen where some of the measurements were a little unstable. I was awestruck at her ability to immediately spot a potential problem and ask an intelligent question. In a matter minutes she had spotted one of the problems we always have with plant; how to record a reading that never 'stays still'. And yet this was the same girl that couldn't decide what to have for breakfast without copying me for ideas. Her contrasting personalities were wide apart. "You have to do your best to estimate the average measurement and record it as such. If it's particularly bad, when you write down the value in the notebook, write next to it that the reading was unstable or difficult to record and I'll know to check the equipment for problems later." "OK, I've got it." And I had no doubt in my mind that she had got it. Amy really was going to be a great PA and another plan hatched in my mind but I'd have to speak to my boss first. So we spent the rest of the morning measuring and recording readings between us. Amy would tell me when a reading was particularly bad, and in some cases I saw the problem, made an adjustment to the plant there and then called Amy back for the verdict. She accurately related back to me whether it was more stable or worse or reading lower or higher. She was meticulous and consistent in her reporting. In short, she was a delight to work with. I have colleagues that have done this sort of work for many years who cannot relay the information as well as she did and this was her first day. At lunchtime, we went to the works canteen and met up with Fred, Mike, George and a couple of other contractors. Word had clearly got round that there was a pretty lass working on site, as most of the lads seemed to find an excuse to come over to our part of the canteen to snatch a quick look at Amy. Amy was just in her T-shirt and Jeans, so the full force of her beauty and superb figure was on show. I couldn't blame the guys for wanting to look at her. I could hardly keep my eyes off her either. With hindsight, perhaps Amy wearing tight jeans was not such a good idea on a construction site full of horny lads! If Amy had noticed all the attention she was doing a pretty good job of hiding it and remained calm. I was pleased because I did have a concern that she might feel intimidated. I got Amy and myself a sandwich and coffee which I had chosen for her; surprise, surprise. She had said 'whatever' when I had asked what she wanted; so strange. We went to sit with the lads and Fred beckoned Amy to sit opposite him. She looked at me as if to seek permission, and I said "Go on Amy, make Granddad's day but don't quicken his pulse too much." "Look, this canteen is full of ugly buggers like you Duncs; can you blame me for wanting a pretty young thing like Amy sitting opposite me?" He had a point. There was no doubt that Amy was real eye candy. Amy sat down and gave Fred one of her faint smiles and Fred beamed back at her. "Right lass," he said, "I'll apologise in advance for the rest of the blokes here. They're an uncouth lot and their language can get pretty colourful and the jokes pretty crude and awful, and they're bound to forget you're sitting with us." "I don't mind, Fred. I'm sure I'll have heard it all before so don't worry about it, guys, carry on as normal." As she said this, she looked at the rest of the guys and gave them all a faint smile. "Nice one Amy; you'll fit in well here," said George. And with that we ate, drank, read the papers, joked and chatted. Amy was quiet but, more to the point, she didn't look uncomfortable or anxious. In fact, she seemed amused by the banter. Ours eye met and I smiled at her and winked. She gave me a faint smile back. 'Wow! She's so incredibly beautiful, ' I thought to myself. Three quarters of an hour later we all went back to work. I usually work to about seven PM but with Amy's efficient assistance, I had done the tests I'd wanted to complete that day by about five PM so I thought I'd call it a day. I walked back to the cabin to collect Amy. She showed me my field notebook with all her readings and notes. It was a complete contrast to my own methods and writing. Amy's handwriting was exquisitely neat. She had also used a ruler for drawing lines for column and rows, whereas I would have just done them freehand. Her observations were meticulously recorded too. I shook my head in disbelief. "Amy, this is superb work. Your field notes are almost like looking at a typed spreadsheet. Thanks so much. You've been a great help. You can come again!" Amy seemed pleased with my enthusiastic response. "C'mon, girl. Let's get you out of here." We walked to Fred's cabin, signed out and bade him goodbye. As Amy turned to walk out, I caught Fred admiring her bum and, as he did so, he shook his head slowly and smiled. I think Fred had drifted back to some distant memory as he had a wistful expression on his face and was lost in his thoughts. "You dirty old bugger. She'd kill you, mate!" "Yeah, I know, but what a way to go!" I chuckled at the thought. We headed back to the car park, got in the car, headed out of the site and I eased the car onto the road to join the slowly moving traffic. "So, did you enjoy working?" "Yes, it was interesting and your workmates are friendly guys." "Good, I'm pleased you found it interesting. I'm proud of you too. I know you're shy and uneasy with certain situations but you were fantastic today. Would you like to come with me tomorrow?" "Yes. I'd like that." 'Good, ' I thought to myself. Not only was Amy a superb assistant, she was also gorgeous to look at and going to work each day was going to be far more interesting now if she were by my side. I'd been working on a plan all day to try and make the work arrangement with Amy more permanent. I felt that giving her a job would give her a purpose in life and that, even if we drifted apart, if she had a job she would have no reason to be homeless again. No matter how things developed between us personally I didn't really care. I still wanted to help her anyway. This beautiful, intelligent girl needed a second chance in life. I didn't tell her my idea just yet as I needed to speak to my boss first but I knew I had an idea that he'd love. I must have been miles away in thought because I suddenly heard Amy say, "The motel's just up there. I take it you're gonna slow down?" 'Ooh, facetious little bugger', I thought to myself but I still smiled. I loved it when she demonstrated her wit. I turned into the motel car park and pulled up. We got out, passed the receptionist who said hello to me and smiled at Amy and then we headed down the corridor to room 122 and into our little private world where Amy could be a little more relaxed. ------- Chapter 6 'The first week - early Wednesday evening' We headed across the room and I dumped my stuff in my usual haphazard way. Amy tutted and rearranged my things to make them neater. I smiled; she really liked things to be neat and tidy. "I'm gonna have a quick shower." "OK" she said. I took in fresh undies so I could change into them in the bathroom thus sparing Amy's blushes. I got in the shower and enjoyed the feeling of the water hitting my back. I switched the head to pulsate mode and enjoyed the sensation even more. I liked the feeling on my cock too. I thought how nice it would be to share a shower with Amy, having fun lathering each other up and spending lots of time making sure her fanny and boobs were especially squeaky clean. Just the thought of this and thinking of Amy in her tight jeans all day got me very aroused and I just had to relieve myself. I came out of the bathroom in just my underwear. Amy glanced round to look at me and then went back to her work. "Whatcha doing, sweety?" "Typing up my field notes." 'Wow, such efficiency', I thought to myself. "Nice one Amy. When you're done we'll go and get a bite to eat." "I'll have a quick shower first if that's OK?" "Of course it is sweetheart. You don't have to ask." I quickly got dressed then crashed out on the settee. I was going to read my book but found myself instead watching Amy. I was fascinated by her; she worked deftly and without distraction, almost like a machine. When I work on my laptop, I tend to have a website or two open at the same time and can't resist 'alt tabbing' to and fro from my spreadsheet to something more fun, which is why it probably takes me all night to complete a 30 minute task. I'm also a bit of a 'hunt and peck' typist but Amy seemed to be able to type correctly as she used all her fingers. She could look at her field notes and type at the same time; something I've never been able to do. I marvelled at her nimble, dainty fingers dancing over the keys. Even her hands were sexy to watch and it wasn't long before I started wondering what those lovely dainty hands would be like wrapped around my cock. Amy was done in about forty minutes. I cast an eye over her handiwork; it was of course perfectly laid out and correct. "I'm going for a shower now if that's OK?" "Amy, you don't have to seek approval for everything you do. This room is yours as much as mine now." She gave me that faint smile of hers, which pleased me, but I longed to see a proper smile. Her face was so pretty but that beauty was hidden to a certain extent because of the expressionless look she gave most of the time. She needed to smile to amplify her beautiful features even more. I heard the shower start and imagined Amy in it, the water trickling down her gorgeous slim frame and lithe limbs. That thought aroused me in a heartbeat; she excited me like no other lass had done in the past. Well, that's not strictly true, my childhood sweetheart being the exception. I busied myself with a little 'housekeeping'. I stuck a memory stick in the old laptop and backed up Amy's work from today and the previous day. I didn't want to trust the ageing hard disk in the old laptop she'd been working on. I started up Firefox so that I could log into my company email. However, I couldn't resist looking at the history from the day before to see what Amy had been browsing. After all, if she didn't want me to see what she had been browsing, she would have cleared the cache I reasoned to myself. She'd pulled up our company website and had gone through most of the pages so obviously she had a healthy curiosity. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. But then something else caught my eye. There was a website that appeared to be a school. I could still hear the shower and I knew Amy would then dry her hair so I had a few minutes to myself. I clicked on the link and sure enough it was a secondary school. The town was some distance from where we were located, at least 200miles, so, assuming this was Amy's school, she had clearly been quite nomadic since leaving home. She'd been surfing the school's 'alumni' page so was presumably looking up old peers. It saddened me to think of her sitting in the room by herself, lost in her thoughts, trying to recall some morsel of a happy time or event at school, if there ever was one. I heard the shower stop then moments later the sound of the hairdryer. I knew she'd be out in a few minutes as she had demonstrated she was quick during her morning ablutions. It would seem her ruthless efficiency ruled in the bathroom too, unlike my wife and daughter. I logged on to my company email and answered one or two ones. There was one from my boss and the subject line was: 'Who's the blonde totty working with you?' I smiled. The company 'bat phone' and rumour mill was obviously working with its usual speed and efficiency. No doubt it was all around the office that 'Duncs was shagging a piece of young totty'. I opened the email and read it. My boss had said Fred had sent in his daily site report and log and had also mentioned that I had a new and very pretty assistant working for me. I sent a quick one line reply to tell him that yes, I did have a 'piece of totty' working for me, that her name was Amy and that she wasn't costing the company a thing. I told him 'call it work experience' if you like. I also told him I had a plan for this girl which I needed to discuss with him. 'That'll pique his interest', I thought as I clicked the send button. I then cleared the browser history as I didn't want Amy to know I'd been 'snooping' on her recent searches and shut down the laptop. About a minute later, Amy came out of the bathroom looking gorgeous as ever. I was relieved to see her hair was down again, so much better and sexier. "Wow, you're a sight for sore eyes; you look absolutely gorgeous sweetheart." Amy gave me her signature faint smile and she seemed pleased with my appreciation. She was wearing a fresh top and it was the one I'd picked for her that had a low cut to the front. Her pert breasts were pressing firmly against the material, the top of them clearly visible, and she looked sexy as hell. "Where do you wanna eat?" "Can we go to Mc Donald's ... please?" I was amazed! Amy had made a decision, asked for something and said please all in one sentence. "Of course we can, but if you're thinking of the cost, don't. You're welcome to have a meal in the restaurant or are you shying away from the waiter who has the hots for you?" "Nah, I just want something quick to eat. Then, as I know you like walking and I do too, thought that perhaps we can go for a walk afterwards?" "Sure, sounds like a plan to me." Even though it was October, it was a lovely evening, and I think Amy had the right idea. It was also nice that she'd made two suggestions in a row. "How about we walk first, then eat, then it doesn't matter if it gets dark or the weather turns to crap?" "OK." With that decided we left the motel through the car park and then turned left. I decided to retrace the same route I had done previously. At first we simply walked side-by-side. I was pleased to discover that Amy walked at a brisk pace as I find it hard to walk slowly. It was evident that the several decent meals she had eaten since my first discovering her had done the trick and restored her energy levels. I reached out for her hand and she offered hers back straight away. It'd been a long time since I'd held hands with a lass; the exception being Jess when she was younger. Simple acts like that can be so pleasurable. We said little during the walk but it mattered not. I was content to simply be with Amy and she seemed to be OK, if still a little serious. We passed the group of girls I'd seen the other night so I guess the spot must have been their regular meeting place. 'Daisy Dukes' was among them but Amy was way classier than her so I didn't even give her a second look. The group of girls looked at Amy's face, probably to work out if they knew her from school which of course they wouldn't, then they looked at me and then back to her. I could sense the gears turning in their heads as they assessed the situation. Was she his daughter or lover? I smiled at the thought of them sniggering and talking about it. Perhaps they had recognised me from the other evening and were thinking 'that old perv has scored with a young lass'. We walked towards the old town and I explained to Amy that I much preferred looking at old buildings rather than new. After some time she agreed that 'they are nicer looking', but I don't think architecture was something that had played heavily in her world up till now. Perhaps she'd come to appreciate the beauty of such things once she had cleared her head of her demons. I turned round at the same place as before and then we headed up the road that would bring us round in a big circle and past the McDonald's. "So, how did you enjoy working today?" "It was great. I enjoyed it and your workmates were nice to me." I laughed at the thought of my colleagues. They all have rough, tough exteriors but, deep down, all of them have hearts of gold and, all but George, were family men too. In fact, Fred was a granddad. Credit to them too in that they were remarkably restrained in the presence of Amy and refrained from profanities and telling too many crude jokes. The power of a pretty girl, I guess. "Yes, they're a nice bunch of blokes. Did you meet Serge?" "Serge?" "You'd know if you'd met Serge, maybe you'll see him tomorrow." Serge is our site labourer. He came over from Poland looking for work in the UK. He was sent to one of our sites by a job agency. We gave him two weeks work as a trial and that was three years ago; he's been with us ever since. Serge is a man-mountain of a bloke. He is absolutely huge; his arms are bigger than most blokes' legs. Shaking hands with him is an experience as your whole hand is encased by his massive ham of a hand. Serge can carry a full length of 6" pipe on his shoulder. Normally, two blokes would carry something like this between them. I've seen him sling an oxygen or acetylene bottle over his shoulder too. His strength knows no bounds. And yet he is the most gentle, mild mannered bloke you could ever wish to meet. "So I can go to work with you tomorrow then?" "Of course, but only if you really want to. Don't do it just to please me." "You bet. It's my new way of repaying you!" "Nice one Amy. I like the way you're thinking." It pleased me no end to know she was thinking along more positive lines now. The McDonald's was coming into view and I was glad. The stroll had made me thirsty and quite peckish. We entered the McDonald's and it was fairly quiet. The spotty youth was on duty again. He looked at me briefly and then back to his till. Then he looked at me again, obviously recognising me the second time. "Oh, hello again, what can I get y... ?" He stopped mid-sentence. He had just seen Amy and he went slack jawed. It had stopped his droid programming dead. 'Droid reset required over here', I felt like shouting to the duty manager. "Yes, it's the same lass," I offered, reading his mind. His lips silently mouthed 'Well, fuck me'. "You were about to ask me what I wanted," I prompted. "S-s-sorry mate. What can I get you, sir?" This time, he forgot to use his jangly, text-book McDonald's voice but instead used his own, monotone voice. The lad kept stealing glances at Amy. I looked over to Amy and she had her usual expressionless face which must have confused the hell out of spotty youth. "Amy, tell your new admirer what you'd like." I was expecting an 'I'll have what you're having' or a 'whatever', but no. "I'll have a chicken burger meal with Fanta." "G-g-go large?" he stuttered. "No thanks." The spotty youth looked at me, waiting for my choice. "Whatever she's having." I looked at Amy. She gave me the faint smile. She knew what I'd done and clearly it had amused her. I paid the spotty youth, who had now regained his McDonald's trained ways, because he handed me my change accompanied with a jangly 'thank you mate'. We went and picked a table but empty-handed because the chicken burgers had to be prepared. I took the opportunity to study the top of Amy's perfect, pert boobs. She caught me looking but didn't seem fazed. She then stared out of the window so that I couldn't see her face easily. Was she far away in thoughts or was she grinning at the fact that she caught me copping a look at her boobs and didn't want me to know she thought it funny? I'll never know. Spotty youth kindly brought over our meals rather than shouting across the restaurant like they normally do. Of course, I realised he had an ulterior motive in offering the waiter service; he wanted to cop a look at Amy's tits too. I could forgive him for wanting that little pleasure. We tucked into our food and this time Amy was the perfect lady, taking dainty bites and sipping her drink through the straw. 'What a contrast to that first night' I thought. Amy said little and looked a little distant but not in a bad way. "Penny for your thoughts?" "Oh, nothing Duncs. I'm OK." She gave me her faint smile again. She rarely used my name or nickname but I liked it when she did. We continued to eat in silence apart from me telling Amy once again how beautiful she was. I wondered whether anyone before me had ever told her this fact. "Finished, or would you like ice cream or a doughnut?" "No thanks. I'm fine." "OK, let's go then." As we walked out, spotty youth said, "Thank you. 'Bye." "Yeah, 'bye. Oh, by the way, sweet dreams tonight, son!" I offered as a parting message, grinning at him. Then we left. "Why did you say that to him?" "Well, the lad was infatuated with you. You're beautiful lass. How many times do I have to tell you? Look at the effect you had on the waiter back at the motel." Amy was either being extremely modest or she simply didn't get it. I guess if you've been told all through your childhood that you're a 'useless cunt', a 'fuck slut' etc., you must eventually believe it. We started to head down the road and this time Amy reached out for my hand which I readily took hold of. It touched me that she made the offer first. We then walked past the patch of grass where I had first encountered her. Amy looked at the spot and suddenly stopped walking. She turned to me and, before I knew it, she flung her arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek. Then she simply rested her head on my chest. I naturally put my arms around her back and just hugged her. I stroked her head with one hand and kept the other on the small of her back. Eventually, she started to speak very quietly and slowly "Um, thank you." She paused, apparently collecting herself together. "The night you walked up to me ... an ... an ... and bothered to speak to me and treat me like a human, well ... um ... that night I was thinking of ending it all. I was at my lowest I'd ever been. My 17th birthday had just passed by and there was no one to wish me happy birthday, not that anybody ever did before mind." She paused. "I'd simply had enough. And then you walked up to me ... and ... well ... thank you. You've been so kind." She said no more and pressed her head harder against my chest. I was crying by now. I just couldn't help it. Fate deals some people bad luck. In my case fate dealt me a strange deal. I had ended up with a beautiful, but troubled girl, an answer to my lonely existence but a dilemma too. In Amy's case, it would seem that fate had dealt her the kindest deal possible: that of hope and, from the sound of it, potentially saving her life. I don't know how long we stood on that corner. Time stood still and we just held each other. Eventually, aware it was getting dark I spoke softly. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go back to the privacy of our room." "You said 'our room' not 'my room'. That's so nice" "Because it is 'our' room now," I said softly. I put my arm round Amy's shoulder and she put her arm around my waist and we headed back to the motel. ------- Chapter 7 'The first week - late Wednesday evening' We entered the room and Amy locked it and put on the night chain, just as she had done before. I guess she liked the security. I didn't usually bother. "Would you like music or telly?" "Music would be nice." I was pleased Amy seemed to like music. Also, given her age, she didn't seem to mind what I selected to listen to. I have wide musical tastes, everything from early Baroque, through to bluegrass, Jazz, 60's, 70's right up to dub step and drum and bass. My kids sometimes apologise to their friends for me having my music on too loud. One of Dan's friends was amazed and thought it cool when he came round once and heard me playing 'Pendulum' at an obscene volume level. It's probably why our house is always full of Dan and Jessie's friends; we are apparently considered 'cool parents' because of our laid back ways, or so I've been told. Because we were both somewhat subdued, I tuned again to 'Jazz FM' for some soothing music. Jazz FM didn't disappoint and, with the combination of some smooth music and the dim recessed lights above the bed, the room felt warm and inviting. A song came on that I hadn't heard in a long time, namely 'There's Nothing Like it' by Omar. It's a great track with a simple and tight bass line, simple drum beat and quiet keyboard but with Omar's superb voice over the top of it. Without really thinking about it, I gently took Amy into my arms and we just smooched together to the music. We were like the last couple in some lonely bar at three in the morning. Amy really got into it and laid her head against my chest. It was soothing beyond words. We stayed like this for several songs in succession, neither of us in any hurry to separate. Amy eventually broke the spell "I need to pee." I liked her directness, "Well, go and pee girl!" "I'm going to get changed for bed too" she said in a matter of fact way. "OK." It didn't bother me that she wanted to go to bed; I was hoping for a repeat of last night so decided I would get ready for bed too. I didn't bother to wait for Amy to come out of the bathroom and got changed into my 'night shorts' in the room. When Amy came out of the bathroom she seemed pleased that I too had decided to go to bed. Before I went in to the bathroom, I said "Are you going to make up the settee into a bed?" "Nope!" "OK then. The car keys are on the table; hope you can get comfortable on the backseat," I said. Amy giggled. I absolutely loved hearing that very first giggle. I wondered how long that beautiful sound had been trapped in her brain. I brushed my teeth and peed. I was done in a couple of minutes. I wanted nothing more than to cuddle this beautiful girl again. 'If that's all we ever do I'll be content', I thought to myself. I came out of the bathroom and without waiting to be invited got into bed and snuggled alongside Amy. She immediately adopted her cuddle position and I wasted no time caressing her and stroking her hair. I heard the faintest of sighs emanate from Amy's mouth and I smiled, knowing she must have felt content and safe again. I wanted to talk about her revelation on the way back from Mc Donald's but it didn't seem to be the right moment. The room was dimly lit and there was smooth, soothing and chilled-out music playing on the radio. Still, there was so much I wanted to know about this troubled girl. Amy was a little more animated than the previous night; the leg she had resting on top of my leg was ever so gently moving up and down and the sensation against my leg felt lovely. She was also gently pecking at my neck. It wasn't so much kissing but it felt sensational all the same. Amy had a hand on the side of my body but it was static; just like the previous evening. I guess she didn't really know what to do with it. But then Amy suddenly surprised me by placing that hand on my bare chest. I savoured the warmth and light touch of her dainty slim hand; the simple pleasure of it thrilled me. She began to circle her fingers around my chest hair. The warmth of her breath on my neck and her nibbling at me was making me tingle. It had been so long since I'd enjoyed such intimacy. All these simple sensations were exaggerating every sense purely because of it. Suddenly Amy broke the spell and pulled her head away so that she could look at me. "Um, I've been thinking about things you told me yesterday," she began. I said nothing but just looked at her attentively. "Um, you said I should only ask you to fuck me if I wanted it too," she went on. I still said nothing but she now had my full attention. I continued to caress her, just as she continued to play with my chest hair. "I ... I've had men forced on me for as long as I can remember and I don't want to be fucked like that ever again," she continued in flat tone of voice. I couldn't believe she was opening up to me like this. She paused a little; I think she was finding it hard to carry on without getting emotional. "I've also been repeatedly told that my only purpose in life was to keep them happy and that sex was just for their pleasure, not mine; I was just their fuck toy." She paused for some time now, swallowing hard, trying her best not to cry, but her eyes betrayed her and began to fill with tears. "Go on, sweetheart," I eventually said, very softly. "Um, well, um, how can I ever ask you to fuck me if I don't like it then? Those men hurt me and I don't see how I could ever actually want to be fucked." She had really opened up to me a little and some of the truth of her horrible past was out; she had confirmed my suspicions. I could also see where her logic was going. She had reached an impasse with her own thoughts. I maintained my gentle caresses and started to talk softly to Amy. "Look Amy, the way I see it, you've obviously been through hell. For how long I don't know but I'm sure one day you'll tell me more. What you've just described should never have happened to you. You were not having sex as such. Those men were raping you so I'm not surprised you didn't enjoy it." I paused to see if there was any reaction; there was none but she continued to play with my chest hair so I continued. "I could show you what sex should really be like; the pleasure that you feel is indescribable if you have sex under the right circumstances with someone sensitive to your needs and feelings. The problem for you is your mind and body has been conditioned to think of it as horrible and painful, and I would hate to be responsible for reawakening bad memories for you. You may be not ready for this yet so perhaps you should just enjoy cuddles for now, eh?" She said nothing for some time and I simply continued to hold and caress her and she continued to play with my chest. Eventually she spoke "Um, you know the first time I'd ever been cuddled in my life was by you that night we met. I'd no idea what a cuddle would be like until then; I could only guess. My mother never cuddled me once and I never met any of my mother's relatives apart from someone she said was my Uncle Bert. But he just fucked me like the rest of them too. But when you cuddled me I felt safe and secure; it's a lovely feeling." I heard the pain in her voice and it broke my heart. "Well, I'm honoured to be the first person to cuddle you then," was all I could think to say. I was getting too choked up by Amy's revelations. A few more minutes went by. She spoke again, "You said something else the other day too. You said you didn't like the term fuck and preferred to say make love. I get that, I do like the sound of that. It's a far nicer expression." "It's a choice of words that mean what they say, Amy" I said. "Sex between two people that care for one another is making love. OK, some people have sex simply for fun too, which isn't really making love as such, but even then both those people both want it so it's still OK." Amy then surprised me by suddenly giving me a kiss on my cheek. "You know apart from a very kind and understanding male teacher at my school, you're the first man that that has been nothing but kind and not tried to force himself on me," she said. "Even when I said you could fuck me you didn't. You are extremely nice and I think it's sad that you seem to be so lonely and don't have sex with your wife." I was puzzled by this last statement as I couldn't recall telling Amy these facts. She surely couldn't be that perceptive could she? I said nothing, as I felt tonight was about Amy, not my comparatively trivial problems. Amy then kissed me again on the cheek and then rested her head on my chest. The softness and warmth of her cheek on my chest was such a glorious sensation. I rested my hand on her head and stroked her other cheek. Then, after a few minutes she uttered the wonderful words, "I want you to make love to me." She said it quietly but with firm intent. I couldn't believe my good fortune but the 'Mr Nice Guy' in me still didn't think it right. Damn my conscience! "But Amy, are you really sure, sweetheart? What if it reawakens bad memories for you?" "I have thought about the risk of that but I really want you to make love to me; I want you to show me what sex should be like. I trust you enough to stop if I don't like it." She paused. "Please make love to me. I love being cuddled by you; it makes me feel safe. I now want you to be the bloke that makes love to me." "OK Amy, it will be my utmost pleasure to make love to you but the moment I do something you don't like you must tell me. I won't be angry or annoyed. I'll take the lead but you must be the one to stop things if you don't feel comfortable." "OK." I thought about how to tackle this wonderful challenge ahead of me. That I wanted Amy for my own carnal needs there could be no doubt but, that said, I really did want her to benefit from what would be a new and hopefully enjoyable experience too. "Well Amy, we are in fact already starting to make love simply by the act of cuddling like we're doing now; cuddling is always a good starting point." "Cool," she said. "Amy, let me kiss you on the lips. Let's start there." "But I don't know how to kiss properly." "No worries, you'll pick it up." I gently brought her head up to mine. I looked into her eyes first and was delighted to see that her hollow look had all but gone. I now saw her large brown eyes as something of beauty and my heart softened more for her in an instant. I gently pressed my lips against hers and then gently pushed my tongue between her lips. She instinctively parted her lips and allowed my tongue to enter her mouth. I probed her mouth and eventually felt her warm tongue against mine. Amy began to move her tongue too. 'She's a fast learner' I thought to myself. The sensation of kissing this beautiful girl was incredible and I felt like a 17 year old lad again. Amy had moved more onto my body now. She was still lying mostly by my side but her upper body was now lying on my chest, her head above mine. I enjoyed the luxuriant feel of her long blonde hair draped all over my face and chest. I cupped her face in my hands as I continued to French kiss my more than willing pupil. We briefly paused and I looked at her. "So, did you like the sensation of that? "Yes, I want to do it again!" With that she suckered back onto my lips in a heartbeat, not that I was objecting. I began to run my hands up and down her back feeling every vertebra as I travelled up and down her spine. I played my fingers up and down her ribs too and then moved down to feel her hip bones. Amy was very slim but not painfully skinny. I love to see a little bone definition on a lass and Amy's felt just right. Amy had pulled more of herself on top of me now, with one leg between my legs and the other leg to my side. My cock was starting to swell and I was nervous Amy would be put off by it although there was nothing I could do about it. Cocks have a mind of their own. Her thigh was pressed right down on mine so she would definitely feel it, just as I could feel her prominent pubic bone pressing on my thigh. I was certainly getting very aroused. Amy continued to indulge in her new-found pleasure of French kissing amazing me at how quickly she took to it. But there again, this was a girl that could read my handwriting, who could pick up the basics of AutoCAD in an afternoon, type up a spread sheet simply by studying my previous efforts and interpret instrument readings and record the results with meticulous detail. She was going to be a quick learner and I was her very willing teacher. I broke off the kiss, much to her displeasure, but I wanted to speak to her. "Do you feel OK?" "Yeah, I do. I feel kind of warm and tingly but a strange kind of warm. It's nice all the same." "That's your body reacting to the sensations of us being close together and us kissing and caressing each other intimately. Feels good doesn't it?" "Yeah, yes it does," she whispered. And then she plunged back down onto my lips. I moved my hands onto her wonderfully pert bum and gently caressed the cheeks. She made no attempt to stop me so I continued. She was stroking my chest with more vigour now and I realised she was really starting to relax. I gently ran a finger between her bum cheeks, enjoying the feel of her tight crack. Still she didn't stop me so I continued. Amy was maybe too busy ravaging my mouth to care. I ran my hands back up to her body and caressed the side of her rib cage, edging closer and closer to her boobs. I then ran a probing thumb around the edge of one of her boobs and Amy accommodated it by shifting her body to give me better access. I moved more of my hand in between my chest and her boob so that I could really feel it. It was small and very firm and I could make out her nipple poking through the material of her nightie. She made no attempt to stop me. My cock was fully erect now and I knew she must be able to feel it. I worried that Amy would see a cock as a potential weapon to hurt her rather than something for pleasure but she seemed more than happy to press her firm, muscular thigh against it. She was very slightly grinding her fanny against my thigh too. Whether she was doing this consciously or not I couldn't tell but nonetheless it was incredibly erotic. I decided to up the ante a little and so repositioned myself so that I was more on my side, putting Amy on her side too. Her lips never left mine during the manoeuvre, so I took that to be a good sign. Moving my hands back down to her hips, I enjoyed the feel of her prominent hip bone. I then slid my hand down to the top of her thigh and let my fingers run lightly up and down them for a few minutes. Amy was still working away on my mouth and her technique was getting better and better. She was like a kid with a new toy but there again so was I. I moved my hand further down her leg and reached the hem of her nightie. 'Time to test the water' I thought to myself. I ran my hand up the inside of her nightie to the top of her thigh. She still made no attempt to stop me so I continued upwards. Ah, so she was 'sans knickers'. She clearly knew what she wanted to do tonight before she even came to bed. I moved my hand over to meet her bare pert bum and enjoyed my second feel of this gorgeous part of her body. Again I gently ran a finger up and down her bum crack and again there was no negative reaction. Amy's own hand was getting adventurous and she was now moving it up and down my back and ribs. I had one arm under her head and put this to use stroking the back of her head and hair. She paused from her onslaught of kissing to take on air and I noticed her breathing was now deeper and faster. Her face had taken on a lovely soft expression of contentment and I loved the sight of it. I smiled at her and to my utter delight she smiled back, not a faint imperceptible smile but a proper smile. I kissed her cute nose and told her how beautiful she was. She smiled again and then went in for round three of her newly discovered pleasure of French kissing. I don't think I had a choice in the matter. With my hand still under her nightie, I now ran it up her back. I circled my fingers in the small of her back and sought out her dimples too. She responded by moving her back to the movement of my hand. I moved my hand up further still, my ultimate target being one of her beautiful small, pert and firm boobs. I didn't want to rush it. I wanted Amy to enjoy the feel of having all of her body caressed. I stroked her ribcage and again allowed my thumb to run round the edged of her boob. Her body responded to this sensation by slightly bucking up and she did it so quickly my hand slipped over her boob. I paused to make sure she was happy about this situation, and that her bucking was not actually a nervous flinch. However as she continued to kiss me and seemed happy with my hand on her boob I took that to mean she was still OK with my advances. I caressed her wonderfully firm and small boob. My hand covered her entire breast and it was a wonderful sensation to be able to encapsulate it entirely in this way. I am not a 'huge boob' fan and have never understood the attraction. I always say to colleagues admiring some tart in the tabloids with big plastic tits that anything more than a handful is a waste. I tenderly ran my finger back and forth over her nipple and her body responded back by gently heaving. I moved my hand over to her other boob and, as soon as I touched, it her body again responded to the touch. She briefly stopped kissing me and was lightly panting instead of breathing normally. I gently kneaded her boobs and loved how she took a sharp intake of breath as I did so. It was lovely to see her body reacting to my touch. I think my pupil was enjoying her first lesson in the art of making love and I was certainly enjoying being her teacher. "Are you OK, sweety?" "Yeah" she said in a breathless voice. 'Wow, that sounded sexy as hell, ' I thought. "Do you want me to continue? Are you sure you're happy to do this?" "Um, yeah, yeah, I'm fine." And as if to validate her statement she went in for round four of assaulting my mouth. This was all the encouragement I needed so it was time to move up another notch. I carefully and slowly started to raise the hem of her nightie, scrutinising her body language for any negative response. There was none, so I started to peel it over her body. The confirmation I needed for my actions came when she stopped kissing me and raised her arms to aid me taking her nightie off. She then lay flat on her back, her arms down by her side and I lay next to her, propped up on one arm on my side. For the first time I now saw her body in all its glory and I wasn't disappointed. It was firm body no visible fat. Her stomach was flat and, although not a six-pack, still had a hint of muscle definition. I could see the faint outline of her ribs; not too prominent as to make her skinny, but just the right amount to be as sexy as hell. I had imagined them to look like this when I had caressed her body earlier. Her beautiful small boobs were a perfectly sculpted, matching pair. They were topped off with perfect nipples surrounded by beautiful areolas. I actually sighed in appreciation of the wonderful sight in front of me. Amy looked a little embarrassed and then worried on hearing my sigh. "Um, is there something wrong? D-d-don't you like what you see?" "Wrong? No Amy, there's nothing wrong, sweety. You have a superb figure." "But you sighed." "Yes, a sigh of awe and appreciation, nothing else!" Amy really didn't know how to interpret certain human mannerisms, actions or expressions. I made a mental note to try and be more obvious in future. I continued to enjoy the visual feast in front of me and now looked down at her stomach, abdomen and then on to her fantastic hip bones. They were raised higher than her slightly concave abdomen and were clearly defined and prominent, another characteristic I love on a lass. Continuing downwards with my visual exploration I admired her pronounced pubic bone. She had the neatest patch of pubic hair imaginable, almost straight rather than curly and it was blonde too, matching the hair on her head. I wanted to touch it right then to find out if it was as silky as the hair on her head. It certainly looked to be but I resisted the temptation, instead enjoying the rest of my visual inspection. I cast my eyes further down and saw her rounded, puffy labia and her neat, almost hairless slit housed between those lovely puffy lips; the portal to her very sex looking so inviting. And, as I had suspected earlier, when looking down on her as she sat at the desk, she did have a pronounced gap between her legs, even though her legs were together. Of course, I had already seen her wonderfully-shaped legs but had to take another look so that I could build-up a mental picture of her entire body for future recall during lonely times. So I now had Amy without a stitch on and, apart from those damn scars on her legs, she was perfect. I had no idea how many more opportunities I might have to see her like this. For all I knew back then, she might have had a huge change of heart, packed up her stuff the next day and walked out of my life. Amy said nothing while I studied her, her breathing surprisingly calm as she simply lay still until my inspection was complete. If I was writing a report for work, she would have got an 'A1 fit for purpose' comment off me. I looked at her face and she had a quizzical look on it. Realising she was waiting for some sort comment or encouragement, I spoke. "Amy, you have a beautiful, pretty face. I've told you that several times already and I now see you have a magnificent body too. I could look at you all day and never tire of the view. The sight of you makes this middle-aged, jaded old-fart a very happy man." For the second time that night she giggled in response to this; at what I don't know but I didn't care. I didn't think she was capable of such a sound but she'd just giggled again and it sounded wonderfully girly and made me smile back at her. "Ready to move on?" She nodded back, looking a little apprehensive. Sensing this I said "Remember what I said. I'll lead but you call the shots if you want me to stop. I don't want to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. Deal?" She nodded again. Then she looked down at my body and stopped as she came to my shorts. "I'm completely nude and you're not. That's not fair" she said in a mock childish voice. "Do something about it then," I said smiling at her, setting a challenge. "No, you do it." OK, so I wasn't about to risk upsetting her now that I'd got this far. I quickly removed my shorts and then lay back down at her side. I moved over towards her face and kissed her gently on the lips. Parting from her mouth I said, "There, we're quits now!" She smiled back at me. "OK Amy, just let your body go with the flow and join in if you want to OK?" She nodded again, looking a little apprehensive for a second time. "Amy, you said you trust me. I'm not going to do anything quickly; you'll have plenty of time to stop me if you feel strange or uncomfortable. Just move away if you don't like something. I won't be angry." I added that last statement as I was acutely aware Amy seemed to fear that people would be angry with her if she did the slightest thing wrong. I'd suspected she'd led a life of servitude throughout her childhood, a suspicion I would later find out to be true. For now though, the focus of my attention was to make Amy feel good about sex. The fact that I was going to personally enjoy her initiation was the icing on the cake. I had a beautiful, lithe, slim, seventeen year-old girl next to me, completely nude and waiting; willing to learn the pleasures of loving, passionate sex. What more could a 47 year old bloke want in life? I now intended to explore every inch of her body with my hands and mouth, and savour every second of it. I thought to myself that I might as well start at the top and work my way down. I gently kissed Amy on the lips and she started to kiss back, but I had other ideas. I kissed her all over her face and then moved round to her ear. I gently nibbled on her earlobe and then kissed all around her neck moving round to the other ear which then got the same treatment. At the same time I allowed my free hand to explore her body. Gently circling my fingers around her stomach, I felt the rise and fall of her body as she breathed. I moved my hand up to between her boobs, then moved around each boob before finally cupping each boob in turn. Those wonderful small but firm breasts stood proud even though she was lying down. I gently squeezed each nipple between my thumb and forefinger and then very lightly ran my fingers over her nipples, hoping this would give her two different kinds of sensation. So far she hadn't reacted much, although by now her eyes were barely open. I moved my head down from her neck and started to kiss her upper chest. I loved the feel of her hard breast bone and the minimal flesh covering it. Moving further down, I kissed between her boobs and then under them and around them. Next I licked up between her breasts and then licked around the top. Amy's breathing was starting to increase a little now and her eyes were shut tight. She still had her arms beside her body but I noticed her slowly and gently clenching and unclenching her fists. I'd seen her do this when she was extremely nervous but I don't think this was the case now. She had also subconsciously opened her legs a little and they were both bent slightly at the knee as if inviting me to explore her nether regions but I wasn't finished with her boobs yet. I then ran my tongue over the top of her nipple and she took a sharp intake of breath. Her chest rose rapidly, pushing her breast harder against my exploring mouth. I looked up at her face; her eyes were still tightly shut but now her lips were slightly parted. I again licked across her nipple and once again her chest rose sharply to meet my teasing lick. I took her nipple between my lips and gently sucked, chewed and bit. She was now breathing more rapidly and her head was rocking slowly from side to side, her long blonde hair spread in all directions. Wow, she looked sexy. I moved over to her other boob and gave it the same treatment with my mouth whilst simultaneously caressing the first boob with my hand. Amy's arousal was clearly evident now; her body was starting to writhe and she'd drawn her legs up. I reached up and kissed her on the lips and she greedily kissed me back, thrusting her tongue into my mouth with far more vigour than before. I stroked her head and arm which she now raised and placed across my back. I was pleased that she was starting to participate. "You OK, sweety?" "Yeah ... oh yeah," she replied in a breathless, husky voice. I moved back down from her head, tracing my tongue down between her boobs and continued on to her stomach. Her stomach felt firm and warm against my tongue and I repeatedly kissed all over her stomach and lower abdomen. I explored her hip bones with both my mouth and hand and Amy met my touches by twisting her hips to meet my explorations. At the same time, she placed her hand on my head and stroked my hair, the first time she had done this. I continued my journey south and rapidly approached her quim. I kissed her pubic bone and I felt Amy rise under me. She anticipated where I was going and tried to hurry me along by raising her body up. I moved with her to prolong the tease. I wanted to pause at her neat patch of pubic hair first. I felt it with my hand first and it was as silky as her long blonde hair, not coarse as pubic hair usually is. I explored it with my mouth and that was just as pleasurable. Being so near to her quim I could now smell the faint muskiness of her and she smelt divine. My cock was incredibly hard and I would have loved her to touch it in some way but this was Amy's night. I wanted her to enjoy all these pleasurable sensations without having to worry about my needs. Besides I was more than happy in my role. Maintaining the tease, I skipped past her quim and started to kiss her toned thighs. I kissed all the way down her legs and then onto her feet. I was kneeling on the bed now, facing her and looking up at her body. I sucked on her toes and she seemed to like this. I could see her beautiful quim in all its glory as she had spread her free leg way out as I sucked on the foot of the other. Her slit was moist and I wanted to suck on it there and then, but I was enjoying witnessing Amy's increasing arousal too much to rush to her sex. I looked at her face and it was beginning to show an expression of 'beautiful agony'; her eyes were screwed up tight and her mouth was now open. She was breathing in a series of very short breaths and would then take an occasional long breath. I was mesmerised just watching her face. I stopped licking and sucking on her toes and started a continuous lick all the way up her shin past her knee and back to her firm thighs. I kissed and licked her inner thighs and this was clearly an erogenous zone for her as she was now bucking and twisting rapidly from side to side. When I licked to the side of her quim she actually gasped. I was both happy and aroused to hear this wonderful sound emanating from her mouth. My attention to her wonderful body was obviously having the desired effect I hoped it would. Finally, not able to resist any longer, I homed in on her quim and gently kissed her labia and ran the tip of my tongue up and down her slit. She let out several short and quiet gasps as I did this, barely catching her breath in between. The thin strip of moisture on her slit met the tip of my tongue and I got my first taste of her sex. It was the sweetest nectar and I greedily wanted more. I gradually increased the pressure of my tongue, slowly parting her labia and probing deeper into her delightful quim. Amy raised her legs more, whether voluntarily or involuntarily I don't know, but it gave me better access to her fanny. I pushed my tongue harder into her parting labia and then came to rest against the nub of her clit. As soon as I touched it Amy let out another gasp, only about five times as loud as when I had first licked her labia. I gently licked around her clit, licked across it and then very gently took it into my lips and sucked and nibbled on it. Amy was writhing around in pure ecstasy by now and, to my utter delight, she'd placed both her hands on my head pulling me harder into her quim. This was the validation I sought to continue; she was clearly enjoying this new experience. Kneeling between her widely spread legs, I placed my thumbs on her labia and gently parted her lips. I briefly stared at the beautiful folds of pink flesh within; it all looked so fresh and inviting. I resumed probing her exposed clit with my tongue which resulted in another bout of short gasps from Amy. I looked up at her. Her tousled hair was covering her face and I could barely see her features but it mattered not. I now had another fantastic image to store away for future recall. Ever so gently, I started to push my index finger into her slit. I watched Amy for any sign of anxiety. I was concerned that actually penetrating her sex with my finger might bring back some awful memory for her and I certainly didn't want that. I moved my finger in and out very slowly whilst continuing to lick and suck her clit. My finger slipped in very easily as she was so wet. Her juices were delicious and I revelled in the taste of her. I stopped working on her clit for a while and just slowly finger fucked her. "Is this OK?" I asked. She seemed to have lost the power of speech but managed to nod her approval. I carried on finger fucking her and slowly introduced another finger. Amy responded by slightly arching her back and pushing her pelvis to and fro to coincide with my finger movements. Amy still had her hands on my head and steered it back towards her clit. This action made it quite clear she enjoyed cunnilingus. My cock was painfully rock hard now and I was certain that if Amy wrapped her long slim fingers around it that I would only last a short time. It had been some eight years since I'd made love with a lass and I was extremely turned on by this beautiful and very sexy girl. Despite Amy wanting me to remain locked on her fanny with my mouth, I gently pulled away and started to kiss my way up her abdomen, then stomach and then back to those beautiful boobies. At the same time, I continued to finger fuck her, simultaneously pressing on her clit with the palm of my hand. In harmony, Amy raised and lowered her pelvis to vary the pressure applied by my hand. I started to suck and nibble her boobs again and the combined sensations of this and my handiwork on her fanny were almost too much for Amy's senses. Her back arched, her legs thrashed around and her head turned rapidly from side-to-side. By now, Amy had a thin film of perspiration all over her body which glistened, illuminated from the light above the bed. She was muttering something incomprehensible and I found the whole scene mesmerising and thrilling. It was such a pleasure to see this beautiful but troubled girl discovering the joys of sex for the first time. I moved away from Amy's boobs and made for her face. I wanted to kiss her whilst she was in her heightened state of arousal. As soon as my lips touched her mouth, she responded back instantly and probed my mouth with her tongue. She placed her arms around my body and pulled me tightly towards her. I was amazed at the strength in her arms; it was a truly passionate embrace which I never expected. I increased the speed of finger fucking her in response to her actions as I suspected she was getting near to going over the edge. Amy broke away from kissing me and, barely able to speak, gasped, "L-l-lick me again; d-down there ... please ... down th... ," she trailed off, her speech replaced with panting. I knew what she wanted so dutifully returned to her quim, pausing briefly on my return journey south to quickly suck on her nipples again which were by now rock hard. I was still furiously finger fucking her and her pelvis was bucking wildly in response, so it was quite hard to actually lock my mouth onto its intended target. Her fanny was now absolutely soaking wet and her labia fully engorged. I nibbled and sucked on her clit and Amy responded with loud gasps and a new sound of long deep moans. Amy once again placed her hands on my head and pulled me with some force into her sex. She was really into it now and each suck or lick on her clit brought a fresh moan or gasp. Then suddenly, without warning, she arched her back far higher and more violently than ever before and let out a long, loud moan. I knew she had crested the peak and now waves of pleasure were coursing through her body. I carried on relentlessly finger fucking and sucking on her clit. I wanted her first orgasm to be explosive and memorable. Her fanny started to drip more and more nectar and Amy was breathing so hard she was rasping. After a few more seconds, she pleaded with me to stop. Normally in this situation, I would carry on working a lass, to keep her beautiful agony going, but I felt in Amy's case I shouldn't, at least not this time. Amy's legs flopped sideways, her body went limp and her arms dropped down by her side. I moved up towards her face. Her hair was damp with perspiration and a complete mess. Her face flushed and her chest almost crimson. This girl had just had her first orgasm and the evidence was clearly on show. I brushed her hair aside and gently caressed her cheek. Her eyes were still shut and her chest still heaving as she tried to pump air back into her depleted lungs. I kissed her on the mouth and she eagerly returned my kiss but with far less energy than before. I then tenderly kissed her cheeks, nose, eyes and then back to her mouth. I drew back to look at her beautiful face; she had the most content look imaginable. Gradually, as she came back down to earth, Amy opened her eyes. Now for the first time I saw her eyes as objects of beauty, gone was the hollow, dead look of the days before; they now positively radiated life and sparkled. The transformation was amazing. I smiled at her and she smiled back, still panting a little. I spoke first. "Something tells me that you might have enjoyed that experience?" She grinned and slowly nodded her head. She didn't have the power of speech yet. I changed position to lie by her side and Amy turned on her side so that we were now facing each other. This time Amy moved her head to mine and started to kiss me on the mouth. I willingly responded and opened my mouth her receive her tongue. She placed her arms around me and embraced me. I wrapped my arms round her in a similar fashion and we remained like this for some minutes, gently kissing and caressing each others backs. My achingly hard cock was now pressed tightly against Amy's pubic bone, a fact that had not gone unnoticed by her. She stopped kissing and asked, "What about you?" "What about me?" She grinned, "I do know what's supposed to happen next you know!" "Ok, but I don't have any condoms." "I can't get pregnant." "I didn't mean that. We're supposed to practice safe sex in these modern times. Besides, I can't get you pregnant anyway as I've had a vasectomy." "I know I have no STD's," she informed me. I thought this last statement strange and her revelation 'I can't get pregnant' to be sinister. I chose not to say anything as I didn't want to spoil the moment. "OK then, well I haven't had a sex for eight years, not even with my wife, so I guess I'm clean too." Amy wasn't really listening to me and seemed desperate to kiss me again. She was provocatively grinding her pubic bone against my hard cock and the sensation was indescribable. Amy broke away from kissing me and looked at me; her eyes had a slightly wild look to them. Staring at me intently she simply said "Fuck me." I didn't bother to say 'are you sure?' or 'do you want this too?', or 'are you just doing it for me?' etc. I could tell this girl was highly charged and her wonderfully crude two word statement came from her heart. Her words alone made my body tingle. She was commanding me to fuck her and I don't think I had any choice in the matter! "Amy, I won't last long; I'm so aroused by you. I hope you won't be disappointed..." She didn't seem bothered and was starting to move and squirm against my body. Fuck! She was one horny girl now and it was a pleasure to witness. Amy was starting to roll on her back and I think she assumed we would fuck in the missionary position. I had a fleeting thought that with her being below she might feel intimidated and this could trigger a nasty flashback in her troubled mind which would be a disaster. So I lay on my back and gently pulled Amy on top of me. She got the idea in a heartbeat. She was now sitting astride me and the view I had was wonderful. Her cute boobs and slim torso looked fantastic and moving my gaze down I marvelled at her gently widening and curvaceous hips and then those wonderful toned and lithe thighs, one each side of my own body. I sighed again at the sight, only this time Amy got the message and smiled at me. I reached up to cup her face and simply said, "Wow, you're one gorgeous girl!" I brought her head gently down to meet mine and sighed again as her long blonde hair started to spread all over my face, the feeling of which I love. I gently kissed her and then I quietly explained to her "I want you on top of me so that you feel in control. You can pull off me the moment you feel uncomfortable or bothered, OK?" "Um, I won't be bothered." She said this quietly as if to reassure me which I thought was cute. With that Amy started to reposition herself over me but she wasn't quite sure how to get my cock in her fanny. For some inexplicable reason I then had a horrible thought flash through my brain and imagined the depraved blokes raping her young body. There would be no finesse and they probably just made her lie on her back whilst they forced themselves on her. Just that one thought started to kill my passion and I quickly had to snap out of this zone and instead focus my attention on the wonderful girl sitting astride me. I told Amy to lift up slightly and, placing my hand on my cock, I guided it towards her quim. Amy was still very wet from her first orgasm so as soon as I started to guide the head of my cock into her slit I met little resistance. As I slowly pushed into my first fanny for eight years I savoured the sensation of her lips pressing lightly against the sides of my cock; it was a luxurious feeling. I continued to push all the way in and Amy met my gentle thrust upwards by pushing her pelvis down. I placed my hands on her gorgeous pert bum and gently lifted her up and down. I wasn't in any rush here; I didn't want a power fuck. No, I wanted enjoy every gentle thrust into this girls exquisite sex. I looked up at Amy's face. She had already closed her eyes and her lips were already parted. Any worries I'd had about her getting out of her comfort zone were quickly dispelled. Amy seemed to be enjoying the moment as much as I was. I knew Amy was a quick learner by the way she had picked up the basics of AutoCAD and worked out my methods of taking site notes but I didn't expect her to be a quick learner in bed too! She was starting to take charge of movements and my hands resting on her bum were now along for the ride rather than actually guiding and regulating her speed. She had worked out not to just go up and down but was also pivoting her pelvis and hips to create a two-dimensional movement. I realised she was doing this more for herself than for me; the way she was moving would be applying pressure to her clit and I could tell she wasn't going to waste an opportunity to get off again. She started to speed up, desperate to climax, but I gently applied pressure with my hands on her hips to indicate for her to slow down. To her credit she did. I wanted to savour my first fuck with this insanely gorgeous girl for as long as I could. However, my eight years of celibacy plus the mix my witnessing Amy rise and peak to her first orgasm and then finally the pleasure of fondling, licking and caressing her body all added up to an answer that stated I was not going to last too long. Amy started to breathe more rapidly and gasp on each exhalation. I moved my hands up and cupped her face then gently drew her towards me. I wanted to experience kissing her as we fucked and as soon as our lips touched it was evident Amy wanted to as well. It was hard to believe that she had only learnt the art of French kissing that same evening. She kissed me with passion and lust, her willing tongue quickly darting in and around my mouth. She had to keep stopping to gasp and catch air but then she would quickly resume kissing again. I was aware of a heightened urgency in her pelvic movements and could sense she wanted to go up a gear. I didn't want to slow her this time. This was her night as far as I was concerned and I wanted her to explore her sexuality and feelings in whatever way she wanted. I just hoped I would last long enough for her to fulfil her desire to have a second orgasm before I had my own. To help her along I reached between her legs and probing gently around with my index finger found her clit. As soon as I touched it she let out another gasp and I kept up the pressure and gently circled my finger around it. Amy's gyrations on top of me had taken on even more urgency and she was really letting herself go. She rose up and placed her hands on my chest. I looked at the fantastic curve her torso had adopted so that she could get maximum pleasure from my cock. I also looked in wonderment at her face; a face that only yesterday showed no emotion, expression or life. Now her eyes were shut tight, her mouth gaped and she had what I like to call the 'beautiful agony' look again. She was on another planet and I was simply a fuck machine for her. Even in my own high state of arousal, I still laughed internally at the wonderful irony of this. After what I would guess was years of being used herself, she was now using me and I didn't care one bit. Amy now gasped with every exhalation of breath as I continued to relentlessly rub her clit and, with my other hand, gently pinch and pull her nipples between my thumb and index finger. I contemplated fingering her bum hole but I thought better of it, best left for another day of exploring boundaries. I was close and wouldn't last much longer. I desperately wanted Amy to either come before me or at the same time. So I gently gave words of encouragement. "Come on sweety, let yourself go ... C'mon girl..." "Yeah ... yeah ... um, yeah ... I'm ... I ... I..." she hoarsely said back to me. I knew she was so near now and I concentrated damn hard on not coming. I wanted so badly for her to come first or with me. "C'mon Amy ... C'mon girl ... Come for me ... C'mon!" I shouted this pretty loud; goodness only knows what the poor buggers in the adjacent rooms must have been thinking. She seemed to like this encouragement as with each 'c'mon', I felt her thrust harder. May be that part of her psyche that liked to be told what to do had kicked in and she liked being 'commanded' to come. Her hands were now clawing and gripping my chest; it hurt but in a pleasurable way. Suddenly, I felt a change in her quim; I could feel it convulsing and I was aware of her nectar flooding past my cock. She had almost crested again. She moaned softly and then let out one enormous gasp, the sound of which sent me over the edge too. I just couldn't help it but I was happy in the knowledge that she was at least just starting to crest her own orgasm. We had almost come together and that I was just slightly ahead was not a bad result. I felt the first shot of spunk leave my cock with a ferocity like I'd never felt before. Amy clearly felt it shoot into her sex too because she gasped loudly at the same time. And with that, it was my first shot of hot spunk that tipped the balance for her and triggered her own orgasm. Her legs involuntary squeezed tightly against the sides of my body to the point that it almost hurt. She thrust down hard on my cock and, for the next three of her hard downward thrusts, I responded by shooting three more jets of spunk into her quim. Her fanny muscles were contracting wildly now and I just went along with the ride. My bollocks were spent but Amy was still riding the wave of her orgasm. It was the most mesmerising sight I had ever seen to watch this beautiful lithe, slim and energetic sex machine writhing in utter ecstasy on top of my body. Amy began to slow down but I could still feel her fanny muscles contracting. Slowly but surely she came to a stop and then collapsed on top of me, totally spent. Her body radiated heat and she was soaked in perspiration. Her hair was soaked like she'd just come out of the shower. Her head was to one side of mine and the heat from her cheek was intense. She was panting rapidly. I put my arms around her and held her tight. We stayed like that for what seemed like ages, my softening cock still inside her. Eventually we both moved so that our faces met and we tenderly kissed each other. Eventually I broke her limpet-like lips away from my own to ask, "Well girl, do you like making love?" "Yes, oh fuck, yes," is all she said beaming at me as she spoke. Her eyes now positively sparkled. She was a beautiful sight indeed. "C'mon girl, we'd better have a quick shower and then hit the sack, especially as we both have to work tomorrow." She giggled and we went off to shower together. Showering together was as much fun as I had thought it would be. I spread gel all over her body paying extra attention to her pert boobs and quim. When I rinsed her off she looked wonderful with wet skin. There is something especially sexy about wet skin to me. I was a little disappointed that Amy didn't reciprocate by washing me but I thought that would come in time. She was probably a little shy or unsure of herself. We got out of the shower and I dried her off. I dried myself off as Amy dried her hair with the hair dryer. She was standing facing the mirror and I got my first opportunity to study her from behind. Standing erect without a stitch on her pert bum and legs looked superb, as firm as they were. I made a mental note to one day ask her why she had such wonderful muscle tone in her legs. "Seen enough?" she said, looking at me via the mirror. "Oh no, not nearly enough, sweety!" She smiled and that pleased me a great deal. She had finished drying her hair and I was tidying the bathroom when I was quite surprised to turn round and find Amy having a pee. Not that I minded. I was just surprised that she felt comfortable doing it with me present. She finished, wiped and then left the bathroom without a word. I shrugged to myself, quite amused by the scene. I had a pee myself and then left the bathroom. Amy was already in bed with just her pretty face and blonde hair on show. "Shall I make up the settee into a bed?" I said with a deadpan face. "Whatever," she said with an equally deadpan face. After some 'satellite delay' on my part I realised she was actually taking the mickey out of herself. I then laughed. With that, I joined her in bed and started to cuddle her "I don't remember asking for a cuddle." She again tried to look serious but her face cracked after a few seconds and she giggled again. What a lovely sound I thought to myself. She then embraced me and I reached out and switched off the lights. We kissed gently and passionately for a while and then just cuddled. I felt Amy get heavy on me, her arms gradually relaxed their grip and I knew she had drifted off to sleep. I hoped she'd have some happy thoughts for once as she did; she deserved them. I lay awake for some time, thinking about the last three days which had been a roller coaster of emotions for both of us, especially for Amy. ------- Chapter 8 'The first week - Thursday' I awoke before my lovely young companion did. We were entwined and locked together, both completely nude and it was the most wonderful way to wake up in the morning that I could remember in a long time. I caressed the still slumbering Amy and once again marvelled at her supremely firm body. I did wonder how she felt about my body. I keep myself reasonably fit but, at forty-seven, I've got some battle scars and one or two bits are starting to show their age. Perhaps she didn't care. Perhaps my kindness towards was all that mattered. Whatever, I wasn't going to worry about it; if she wanted to be in bed with me and make love, I wasn't going to question it. My caresses soon woke Amy up and I was pleased that she didn't wake up confused or startled like the previous morning. She turned to face me and gave me a dreamy smile. It melted me in an instant. Then a second later she started to kiss me on the mouth. Any doubts I had about Amy having second thoughts about our night time activities were quickly dispelled there and then. "Um, make love to me again." Those are the kind of words that any middle-aged bloke wants to hear uttered by a very nude, seventeen year-old, beautiful and sexy girl. "Sweetheart, I can't think of anything better I'd want to do than make love to you but we have to get ready for work." I always set the alarm to give me 20 minutes to get ready which, without the wonderful distraction of Amy, would normally be more than sufficient time. I would need to wake up a lot earlier if she was going to demand morning love-making too. Damn work! She started to grind her pelvis against mine, all the time giving me a mischievous look. "Amy!" I said in mock anger. "Awww, Duncs," she retorted in a cheeky manner. "You're like a kid with a new toy, aren't you?" "Yep!" I was pleased that she had found making love an enjoyable pastime, a fact confirmed by her wanting a repeat performance. "Sorry girl, c'mon, let's get up." To her credit she didn't make a fuss, get hurt or take offence. "Ladies first" I gestured to the bathroom door. "Nah, we can get ready together." 'OK, ' I thought, 'so be it.' We went to the bathroom and I lathered up and started to shave. Amy sat on the toilet and started to pee. I have to say that I found this quite sexy and I didn't mind it one bit. She finished, wiped and stood up. Then she just watched me shave as if fascinated by the sight. She then got in the shower and I joined her. I lathered her up again and she actually did the same but only my body; she avoided my cock and bollocks. I didn't really care; in fact, it was probably a good job she didn't touch me there otherwise it would have led to other things. She got out before me and dried her hair. Her body was still gloriously wet and I marvelled once more at her glistening skin. I gently dried her body as she dried her hair and again admired the tendons and muscle movements in her arms as she moved the hairdryer in one hand and hair brush in the other. Nothing was said between us; it didn't have to be. We were helping each other with our ablutions and it was very pleasurable. 'If only every morning in a motel room could be like this, ' I thought to myself. I was dry so I gently gave Amy a pat on her bum and left the bathroom. I was dressed by the time she came out. She had pulled on a pair of pink knickers and they looked good on her lovely hips; they also gave her a glorious camel toe. Because of her prominent hip bones and slightly concave abdomen there was a gap between the hem of her knickers and her body; that is so damn sexy. "Gonna get dressed or are you going to work like that?" "I'm sure the blokes on site wouldn't mind me like this." "I'm sure you're right but the accident rate would be unbelievably high; you'd better get dressed." "OK!" She pulled on her tight jeans and the top she'd worn the evening before. "Amy, I don't think that top's really appropriate, sweety. The lads will be staring at your boobs all day; perhaps you'd better put on one of your other T-shirts." She smiled at me and then changed her top. I don't know whether or not that's what she'd intended but she didn't get huffy or upset. We went for breakfast. Amy's potential suitor wasn't on duty today and in his place was a stern, miserable-looking middle-aged woman. We approached hand-in-hand and I gave her my room number. She looked Amy up and down and then at me with obvious disdain. Her face said it all. She'd clearly worked out that we were 'an item' and seemed disgusted by it. "And your room number, miss?" she was addressing Amy. "Actually, she's with me," I jumped in not wishing Amy to be put on a spot and made to feel awkward. "Says you've only paid for one breakfast?" "My girlfriend only has coffee" I explained in the knowledge that all guests were entitled to free coffee. The women made a sort of snorting noise, not unlike the noise Amy made on that first night. 'I guess she didn't finished charm school', I thought to myself. I didn't wait for the women to say anything more. I thought she'd been rude and judgemental. She was probably only jealous of Amy's youth and beauty. Amy got a coffee and I got my breakfast and gestured to Amy to help herself from my plate. Then I went for more juice and slipped it surreptitiously towards Amy. I went back for 'seconds' of cooked breakfast items and again Amy tucked into it, the plate on my side of the table. She giggled at the cheek of what she was doing and I found her giggle infectious and started laughing with her. The miserable old bag kept looking at us and I could hear her tutting loudly. I didn't give a damn; I spend enough at the motel chain in a year to have earned a free breakfast or two for my beautiful companion. Stuff her I thought. We left hand-in-hand and giggling. I gave the old bag an exaggerated large smile and said thanks in a loud over-the-top way. I felt like a naughty teen kid again. "You're terrible!" Amy said, poorly hiding a smirk. I grinned at her. The journey to work was uneventful and Amy was again quiet, staring out of the side window once more. I found it unsettling how she could go from being reasonably exuberant back to being shy and retiring in such a short space of time. She seemed to be a very mercurial person but I guess with the sort of childhood that she'd had, which was something I was beginning to piece together based on the snippets and revelations Amy had been telling me, it was hardly surprising. We arrived at the construction site and went to the site office. "Hello, gorgeous!" said Fred. "Aw, Fred, I didn't know you felt that way. You never let on!" I answered back. Fred laughed, then rasped then coughed and laughed again. "I meant Aims." I pretended to be upset. "Hello, Fred," Amy said in a sweet voice. "So you mean to say you want to spend another day with Duncs? You must be a sucker for punishment," Fred replied. "Well, someone's got to show him where he's been going wrong all this time!" she retorted. With that I thought Fred was going to laugh himself to death. He clearly liked Amy's quick wit. "Steady on, old man, we need you to last at least to the end of this contract". "Bugger off, the pair of you!" We could still hear him laughing as we walked across the waste land. "You were funny with Fred, Amy; I love your quick wit" She said nothing. I looked at her, smiled and she smiled back. Despite her more relaxed appearance, I could still see some sadness and anxiety in her eyes but she was still way better than she had been three days ago. Amy and I pretty much did the same as we had done the previous day. We barely spoke, other than to discuss the work in hand. Late morning, I came back to the office because Amy had noticed one particular measurement that was way off the mark and I needed to check some equipment located in the office to see why. When I walked in Amy quickly put her arms round me and kissed me passionately for a minute or so. I wasn't expecting it but wasn't objecting either. "Wow, what a welcome!" "You don't mind, do you?" She said it in a timid voice; here was the Amy that was unsure of herself again. "Mind? Of course not, sweetheart." I sorted out the rogue measurement which turned out to be a faulty device. I asked Amy to join me in the plant room as I needed some help with test gear. "Remember it's noisy in there, won't you?" "Yep, I don't mind." Amy put her PPE back on and I thought how professional she looked. We went into the plant room and Amy seemed fascinated by all the equipment. I explained what all the items were and what they did. She asked many searching and intelligent questions and I had a job to keep up with her barrage of questions and her enthusiasm. I was in awe of her intellect and grasp of everything I told her. I really had to speak to my boss soon and tell him about this remarkable young woman. "Hey Aims, how ya doing girl?" It was George. "Fred says you're showing Duncs where he's been going wrong. Good luck with that!" Amy smiled at him and looked a little coy. "Got nowt to do, George?" I said. "You do value your job, don't you?" George walked off laughing. Amy seemed to be enjoying this rough but lovable bunch of blokes. Perhaps their blunt, matter-of-fact but kind ways were just what she needed. I loved the way they had all given her a nickname already, Aims. Usually a newcomer on site doesn't get a nickname for at least a few days so the lads clearly liked Amy. After giving her a tour of the plant room, I explained the task I needed Amy to do and she grasped the concept quickly. We worked together for an hour or so in perfect harmony. It was like having an assistant that had done the job for years. Quite simply, she was a breath of fresh air. Fred, George, Mike and a couple of other lads came by "We're going for lunch. Are you two joining us?" said Fred. "I need to finish something I've started but thanks for the offer. Amy, you go with them if you like. I can finish up here by myself." "Yeah, come on Aims, leave the old misery by himself and come and join us." Amy looked at me as if for approval so I smiled at her and told her to go. "Behave yourself, don't embarrass the lads now, will ya!" I shouted after her. She turned back and smiled and the blokes laughed. I watched them walk off with Amy among them. The sight of her slim, lithe legs and that pert bum in her tight jeans were in sharp contrast to the blokes with their baggy and torn overalls. I briefly wondered whether Amy would be OK but then stopped worrying. I knew the guys would take care of their pretty, new friend; they were all obviously taken by her. Three quarters of an hour later they all trooped back in and Amy had kindly brought me a coffee. "Did they behave themselves?" I asked Amy, pretending to look sternly at the blokes. "Yeah, they weren't too bad, I suppose," said Amy, smiling at the guys at the same time. Fred looked at her in a fatherly sort of way. "You're a lovely lass, Aims. One day some very lucky guy is going to win your heart." Amy embarrassedly looked down at her feet. With that they all walked off. "I guess I'm that lucky guy for now." Amy gave me a little smile in response to this but clearly looked a little anxious. Suddenly she spoke. "Why is everybody so nice to me?" "Because that's what the vast majority of people are like Amy. It's very tragic that you have only known cruel and twisted people when you were growing up." She seemed unsure of herself again. I wanted to scoop her up in my arms right there and them but a plant room was hardly an appropriate place. "C'mon Amy, don't dwell on it. Try and enjoy the feeling of being around people that are genuinely nice to you and care about you. None of those blokes would hurt you and all would look out for you." "I know. They're all really nice; I feel safe with them. Ooh, by the way, I met Serge!" Suddenly her face was animated again and Amy was once more cheerful. "He's a big guy, isn't he?" "Yes, he is but he's so quietly spoken and has a very friendly face. Fred made me hold up my hand against his hand and his was so huge! Serge likes my name and says it in a strange way." I laughed at the thought of Amy's delicate and slender hand against Serge's ham of a hand. Mine looked small against his; Amy's must have looked like a baby's. "C'mon girl, we've got work to do." We spent the rest of the afternoon validating sensors and equipment. Amy's notes were superbly written up, just as they were the day before. We finished for the day and drove back to the motel. Amy seemed anxious most of the way back to the motel. I didn't ask what the matter was. I was coming to terms with the fact that she would only offer information on her conditions, when she felt ready to say something and certainly not when asked. It bothered me to see how quickly she became deflated after being cheerful only moments before. We got back in the room and Amy asked me if it was OK to have a quick shower. I told her gently once again that she didn't have to ask. She was finding it hard to accept that I was treating her as my equal. Amy went into the bathroom but some minutes later I realised I hadn't heard the shower start. I was a little puzzled but thought nothing of it. After a few more minutes, I still didn't hear the shower; worried, I walked towards the bathroom door and gently knocked. "All OK Amy?" There was no response so I slowly opened the door which thankfully she hadn't locked. I reasoned that as we'd made love, had seen each other without a stitch on and she'd quite happily peed in front of me, she wouldn't object to me going in. To my dismay I found Amy sitting on the floor in the corner of the bathroom, in just her knickers and bra, hunched up and rocking just as she had been on the grass that first evening. My heart ached at the sight of this. She looked again like a little lost girl and it was pitiful. I very slowly approached her, not wishing to add to her angst by frightening her and then lowered myself down to the floor and sat down beside her. I gently wrapped my arms around her and just held her, kissing her head and stroking her hair. "It's OK sweetheart. It's OK. You're safe with me. Its OK," I kept repeating over and over again. She started sobbing uncontrollably, a great outpouring of emotion like I'd never seen from her before. The poor girl was trembling quite violently and I was concerned. After a while I slowly got up and gently lifted her up. She didn't resist and seemed to be on another planet. I guided her towards the bed and laid her down and then laid down myself beside her. I then resumed cuddling her. She was still sobbing and moaning and all I could do was try and comfort her. It was pointless speaking to her; she was too zoned out to listen. My eyes welled-up several times as I once again found myself trying to imagine what she'd been through; I pictured all sorts of scenes of torture and rape. It certainly wasn't pleasant to think about. I then thought about Jessie and her world of comfort, fun, safety and love and what a stark contrast it was to Amy's past cruel world. I must have held Amy for at least an hour before her sobbing had subsided to almost nothing. Then she began to speak very quietly. "When we were driving through the town, I'm almost certain I saw one of the men that used to fuck me." I nearly blurted out 'but you're 200miles from home' but stopped myself "Really? So this is your home town then?" "No." "Did he see you?" "No." I was trying to think of the right thing to say to Amy. Up to now I'd asked her some pretty crap questions. I was not natural at this sort of thing. But then Amy spoke again in slow, measured tones. "You know they would take turns to hold me down whilst another man fucked me ... One would hold my arms; another two would hold my legs whilst a fourth fucked me. It was usually on the kitchen table but sometimes on the settee. All the time they would laugh at me and call me horrible names. If I said anything or screamed they'd slap me. My mother would be there, encouraging them and saying 'fuck the useless fucking cunt as hard as you can'. She would usually be fucking or sucking-off some guy too, but willingly. My mother even came over to me and slapped me too if she thought I was causing trouble ... When they held my legs they sometimes did it with such force they would cut into my skin and once they stretched one of my legs so badly I could hardly walk on it for days. One of the men used to smoke as he fucked me. He would stub his fag on my legs and dare me to scream with the pain. If I did scream he'd do it some more and I'd get slapped too ... I learned to deal with the pain in the end and keep quiet. I'd try and think of something else ... When they'd finished fucking me they would try and outdo each other with new ways to hurt or humiliate me. Sometimes they'd all pee on me. Once, one bloke even shit on me ... Other times they would tie me to the table, each arm and leg stretched to the corner of the table and I'd be gagged. Once when they did this, they then left the house to go to a club or pub. I was there for hours and had to pee. I had no choice." Amy paused in an attempt to compose herself. "That cost me dearly though 'cos when they saw what I'd done, they got a towel to wipe up the pee off the table and then they forced my eyes and mouth open and squeezed the towel above my eyes and mouth so that the pee drained into them. As if that wasn't enough, one of the blokes threw-up all over my face ... And then they fucked me and all the time my mother would be laughing loud and shouting abuse at me. I'd been tied up for about six hours and when they finally untied me I couldn't move properly. My mother screamed at me to go to my room. I told her I couldn't move easily so then she pushed me off the table onto the floor and screamed 'crawl then you fucking useless cunt', and the blokes would be laughing at her and me. Then, as I started to crawl they all kicked me. I don't remember anything more about that night ... I never knew when I would next get fucked ... I would be asleep and some bloke would storm into my room and just fuck me, then walk out without saying so much as a word. One day, my mother brought two blokes back home that I hadn't seen before. They both took it in turns to fuck me and then one of the blokes fucked my Mother but really hard and hurt her too. And then they beat my Mother up calling her a fucking slut and useless bitch for allowing them to fuck me. Even though I was in pain, I actually laughed; I thought it funny that my Mother had got a taste of what she allowed to happen to me. But then, after the blokes left the house, my mother beat me up so badly I passed out. I didn't go to school for ages until all the obvious bruises had gone." And then Amy's voice trailed off and she was silent. It had been the most she'd ever said to me in one huge torrent of words, an outpouring from her very soul. I had been cuddling her, stroking her hair and back all the time, and crying. The anger I felt towards these sick, deranged people was indescribable. Right then my feelings were I'd kill all of them if Amy could tell me where they were. Amy looked at me, her eyes red raw from crying. "I'm sorry," she said, looking at me in a concerned way. I cupped her face in my hands. "What? Why are you sorry? What do you possibly have to be sorry about?" "Um, I ... I've upset you." "Amy, please don't ever feel you have to apologise for telling me your tragic story. Yes, I'm upset; upset for you, what you have described is so awful I cannot begin to comprehend what you went through. I can't comprehend why your Mother would allow it. I can't comprehend how you are able to function at all. You should be insane and yet for the most part, you appear normal. I really admire you, sweetheart." I was still crying as I spoke and Amy gently took hold of my hands that were still cupping her face and placed them around her neck. She put her own hands around the back of my head and drew me towards her. She then gave me the gentlest, sweetest kiss on my mouth. She drew away and looked at me again. "You're the complete opposite to those blokes. You have shown me nothing but kindness and respect, even when I was nasty and rude to you. I sort of grew up thinking that all men would be like the blokes my mother knew. Thanks for stopping to help me that night and showing me a different world." Then she kissed me again and we just held each other. I then remembered that Amy was only in her bra and knickers. "Sure you're not cold sweety?" "No, I'm OK" she said. Then she seemed to snap out of her melancholy. "Actually, I'm quite hungry but I don't really feel like going out tonight." "No worries girl. How about I go and order a pizza and have it sent to the room?" "Sounds good." I was still dressed so I quickly washed my face as I'd been blubbing like a baby and didn't want to be seen like that. I went to the restaurant and approached the waiter. It was the lad who was besotted with Amy who was on duty. "I'd like a meat feast pizza, a four cheese pizza and a large bowl of chips please, oh and one large coke and a bottle of sparkling water, delivered to room 122." "Certainly sir." He was looking past me, as if looking for Amy. Despite my melancholic mood, I couldn't resist another wind-up at his expense. "Oh, are you looking for my girlfriend? She's in bed, waiting for me. Better not keep her waiting, had I? She might go off the boil." With that, I smiled and winked at him and then walked off. 'Poor guy, ' I thought chuckling to myself. I got back to the room and I could hear the shower. Amy had turned on the dim lights above the bed and switched on a radio station named 'Smooth Radio'. For once I saw the motel room in a different light to the way I normally view them. Rather than cold and corporate, the room seemed warm and inviting but I suppose this was mainly due to me now occupying it with a beautiful girl. I heard the shower stop and then the hairdryer start up. I wanted to go into the bathroom and just watch Amy dry her hair. It turned me on just her doing everyday things like that. I loved to watch the tendons and muscles twitch and move in her sinewy arms as she dried her hair. Then though I thought about her recent revelations and felt sombre; my respect for her had increased ten-fold that evening. How she was able to function as a human being in any capacity at all, given the terrible things that had happened to her, was beyond me. There was a knock at the door. I answered the door and a pretty waitress stood facing me with a large tray. I thanked her and took the tray in. "Pizza's here poppet!" "OK, one minute." I smiled for she sounded normal again. I was amazed she could snap out of her melancholy so quickly but then, I reminded myself, she was a very mercurial person. Amy came out of the bathroom without a stitch on. I actually gasped. It sure was a pleasant surprise to see her beauty in all its nude splendour. She walked past me as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "Forgotten something have we?" I quipped. "No, um, don't think so ... oh, yes, sorry. Thank you for getting the food." She knew what I really meant of course. So here was a girl who thirty minutes ago had been sobbing uncontrollably and had then begun to pour her heart out to me and now, she was jaunty, calm, mischievous, nude and completely at ease in a room with a dressed middle-aged man. I just smiled and mused that my time with Amy was going to be a roller coaster of emotions and events. Life certainly wouldn't be the same for me again. She puffed up the pillows and sat on the bed, one leg crossed over the other. I enjoyed the scene for a few seconds, admiring her pert boobs, slim body and long sinewy limbs. Then I looked at her insanely pretty face and long blonde hair. She looked serene and glowed in the soft lighting. I smiled at her and shook my head slowly. "You know something Amy? You're one bloody gorgeous and beautiful girl." She smiled back and I took the tray over to the bed and sat down next to her. "Forgotten something?" Amy said, looking at me quizzically, a cheeky grin forming on her face. I paused, not sure what she meant, but then twigged. "Ah, of course, silly me; no parmesan cheese!" She giggled. Of course, I knew what she really meant too. I got off the bed, stripped off my T-shirt, and then my jeans and undies in one go. "Happy now, girl?" "Yep but you really should have fetched the parmesan before taking off your clothes." I got back on the bed and ate pizza, chips, drank water and ogled at Amy. What a surreal moment it was. I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams sitting on a bed in a motel room in the nude and eating pizza with an equally nude seventeen year old girl. We didn't say anything whilst we ate. I quite liked these periods of silence. It wasn't awkward but actually very tranquil and I wondered if Amy felt the same. Just her presence in the room was all I needed. At one point I turned and faced her with a large chip sticking out of my mouth. She caught on straightaway, leant towards me and nibbled at the portion of chip sticking out of my mouth. Then we kissed. We repeated this silly game several times. It was a simple, childish pastime but one that gave me, and I think Amy, a lot of pleasure. I thought wistfully to myself what a shame that my wife and I didn't play like this any more and, for a moment, felt a twinge of guilt that here I was breaking my marriage vows for a second time. "Penny for your thoughts?" I snapped out of my reverie on hearing Amy use my expression. "Oh, nothing sweety, just miles away." "You looked sort of sad." "No poppet, not sad just reflective; there's a difference." We continued to eat in silence for a few minutes. Amy suddenly broke it and in a very matter-of-fact way said, "Make love to me again." I didn't bother to ask her if she was sure. Amy had made her intentions quite clear how she wanted the evening to progress by coming out of the bathroom without a stitch on. I was amazed that she could even consider wanting sex after the terrible emotional state she had been in only an hour or so before. But then I concluded that discovering the joys of making love must have been such a contrast to her previous traumatic experiences of forced sex that she must have found it therapeutic. Whatever her reasons were, she had commanded me to make love to her and I was only too willing to oblige. "It will be my pleasure, sweetheart." We finished our food and I got up and put the tray on the table. When I turned around to face the bed, Amy had slid down a little and had one arm across her stomach and the other behind her head. She had raised one leg, bent at the knee, and had stretched the other out at a slight angle so that I had a nice view of her quim. It was a most erotic pose and, I think that even with her inexperience, Amy knew this. I felt my cock stirring already as I studied this wonderful slim nymph lying before me, eager and willing to learn more about making love. I was one lucky bugger! "Like what you see Duncs?" "Love it, sweetheart. Love it." I got onto the bed and kneeled facing her. I reached out and stroked her raised leg. Then I stroked the shin of the other stretched out leg. Once again, I enjoyed the feel of her firm legs. I took hold of her foot and raised it to my mouth and gently sucked and nibbled on her toes. I loved her feet; they were long and slim, with a lovely curved instep and were so smooth. Amy stared at me intently, her large dark brown eyes so hypnotic, and now so lovely to look at too, compared with only a few days ago. She seemed fascinated to see her toes disappearing into my mouth as I sucked on them. I then started to kiss her foot, and worked my way up her leg, kissing and caressing her calf muscle and savouring her smooth, warm skin against my lips. I worked my way up to her inner thighs which were so gloriously firm. As I got to the top of her thigh, I got my first sniff of her sex; the smell was intoxicating and made me shiver with delight. Amy took in some deep breaths, her pelvis rising in anticipation of what she thought would be the next target for my mouth but I was going to tease her a little. I moved across her quim, pausing only briefly to breathe in her scent, and then licked and kissed my way down her other thigh, kissed all around her knee, and finally licked a trail down her shin and on to her foot which I kissed liberally. I finished by sucking on her toes, watching her face as I did so. She seemed to really like me sucking on her toes as much as I loved doing it. She was breathing a little more heavily now and her wide stare had diminished to half-closed eyes. Taking her foot out of my mouth and gently placing her leg back down on the bed, I parted her legs and bent both at the knee. Amy held the position I placed them in, anticipating my next move. Placing my hands on her hip bones I headed for her quim. I wasted no time. I had teased her; now I was going to give her some instant gratification. I opened my mouth wide and enveloped her entire quim with it pushing my tongue up her already moist slit. She immediately responded with a gasp and raised her pelvis to give me better access to her sex. I penetrated her deeply with my tongue giving her long, firm licks and each lick was met with a thrust from her pelvis and a gasp or moan. Finding her clit, I darted my tongue on and around it making her squirm with pleasure. She soon had both her hands on my head, pulling me tight into her crotch, obviously revelling in the pleasure my mouth and tongue gave her. I took my hands off her hips and placed them on her inner thighs, spreading her legs wide and Amy gladly obliged and opened her legs some more. She was extremely flexible, and I was amazed at just how far she could spread her legs. I gently parted her lips and probed even deeper with my tongue, exploring her sex with a passion. Her nectar was already flowing liberally and I readily lapped it up. I moved my tongue a little below her fanny and licked and kissed between her quim and bum hole, waiting and gauging to see if she reacted in a negative way. She didn't and in fact emitted a little moan. At the same time I worked my index finger around her clit and gently massaged it, making Amy emit a burst of short gasps. Next I moved my tongue down to her neat little anus and gently kissed her there running my tongue around the perimeter. She immediately raised her whole lower body so high that her pert bum was actually raised off the bed. I had found another erogenous zone and one that didn't appear to be off-limits. I was greedy though; I wanted to taste more of her delicious quim so I moved back there, Amy encouraging me with her hands directing my head. The girl clearly loved cunnilingus. Whilst feasting on her fanny, I moved my hands up her body and sought out her pert boobs. Placing one hand on each boob, I gently massaged both in unison and then pinched her already rock-hard nipples between each thumb and forefinger. Amy responded to this added stimulus. I tried another little experiment and, moving my hand towards her mouth, I placed the index finger that had just massaged her clit on her mouth. At first she did nothing but then she kissed my finger and licked it before drawing it into her mouth and sucking on it. I think she had discovered the taste of her own nectar on my finger and liked it. For one with such little sexual experience, she seemed very natural and very at ease, all the more surprising given her traumatic past. I decided I wanted to kiss her beautiful face and moved up towards her head. Amy readily met my mouth with hers but then, discovering her juices were all around my mouth, proceeded to lick my face which was most erotic. I placed two fingers into her soaking wet slit, getting them nice and wet, and then presented them to Amy's mouth. She immediately sucked on my fingers, sucking them for all her worth; she really seemed to love the taste of her own juices. She then attacked my mouth again and thrust her tongue into my mouth as far as she could. My raging hard cock was now resting on her thigh and Amy moved her leg up and down as if to give me some stimulation. Whether intentional or not I don't know but it felt good. Then she surprised me by grabbing my bum with both hands and, by the way she was pulling me, I could tell she wanted me on top of her instead of half on, half off like I had been. Like the previous evening, I was still concerned that psychologically with me on top of her it might be too much for her to take but she was taking the lead. She got me where she wanted me and the tip of my cock was lightly brushing her slit. Amy then thrust her pelvis, forcing more contact with my cock. I hesitated, because I felt I hadn't given her enough foreplay but she was clearly getting agitated for my cock. Then she overruled my hesitation with three words. "Fuck me now!" It was a firm command and she clearly knew what she wanted. I was strangely turned on by her directness. As she said it, she took me by surprise and pulled hard on my bum and my cock had no choice but to enter her quim. Amy exhaled loudly as it entered and then she sucked like a limpet onto my lips and kissing me hard. It would seem I had inadvertently awakened a raving sex machine in less than forty-eight hours and she absolutely amazed me. I started to gently thrust in and out of her, Amy meeting and synchronising to my rhythm by gyrating her pelvis. However, she had other ideas and didn't want me to go slowly though. Whereas the previous evening I had regulated her to slow down the pace Amy was doing the opposite. By the way she pulled on my bum and gyrated her pelvis, she wanted me to go quicker and quicker. So I obliged and increased my speed and the force of my thrusts. However, I was concerned that a dark corner of her brain might suddenly be reminded that this felt like her traumatic sessions of being raped and might overrule the part of her brain that was enjoying sex. My worrying had the effect of killing my passion to a certain extent but there again it also made me last longer. Then things changed for the worse. Amy was kissing me so hard by now it was actually becoming unpleasant. Her teeth were actually hurting my lips. She seemed completely different to the night before and I wasn't sure what to make of it. She dug her fingers hard into my bum cheeks and for once I was glad that she chewed her finger nails. Had they been long I think she would have drawn blood. She continued to pull me into her harder and harder. She had drawn her legs up to her body and wrapped them around the sides of my body and with her strong leg muscles was gripping me like a vice. I briefly looked at her and didn't like what I saw. She was staring back at me with wide open, wild-looking eyes but it was not a look of passion like the previous evening. It was a look of lust with no friendliness at all. I continued to thrust into her but really she was working me, pulling me in and out of her quim with a combination of the sheer strength in her arms, legs and pelvis. Eventually I had to pull my mouth from hers as she was truly hurting it now; in fact, I could taste blood. Free from my mouth, she started to grunt louder and louder but it wasn't a pleasant sound like she'd made before. Her body was convulsing but in a strange sort of way. It was not like she was approaching an orgasm, more like she was having some sort of fit and she was muttering incomprehensible words between her guttural grunts. I was by now far from aroused, very concerned and wanted to end it. I was just about to force myself away from her, thinking she was about to snap, when she suddenly came without warning. I felt her quim contract around my cock, a sensation I would normally love. She continued to convulse for a few more seconds as she rode her orgasm, grunting and panting until she was sated. Then it was all over as quickly as it had begun. She simply released her legs from my body, released her grip on my bum and went rigid under me. She looked to one side, avoiding eye contact with me and made no attempt to move. As far as she was concerned, we had finished. She had got what she wanted and I felt I had simply been used as her fuck machine, a human dildo. Realising she was 'closed for business', with some relief I got off her and lay next to her, bewildered and unsure what to do next. I reached over to caress her in an attempt to restart the passion but she simply didn't react to my touch. I may as well have caressed the pillow. I'm no psychologist but I wondered if somehow she had zoned out and gone into some dark world where she was now the sexual aggressor and I was her unfortunate target. The combination of her earlier break-down and revelations to me, still fresh in her mind, had somehow got mixed up with the reality of us making love. Her troubled mind somehow got scrambled and had gelled together the real sensations of our initially passionate love making with her memories of her evil past and, as a consequence, her personality had changed half way through our love making. I hadn't come myself, but my cock was well and truly soft by now anyway. All thoughts of any sexual pleasure evaporated from my mind and body. I had been far from turned on by the previous fifteen or so minutes spent with Amy and I actually felt quite uneasy to be in the room with her. The strength she had demonstrated in her arms and legs was unbelievable. I'm by no means weak but I was convinced that she could have manipulated me however she wanted at that time. She had now turned on her side, facing away from me and was breathing very slowly, motionless. After some minutes I got up and went to the bathroom. I was feeling physically sick either because of my increasing concern or because of the physical activity immediately after eating or a combination of both. I don't know what. I sat on the toilet waiting for the inevitable to happen but in the end I wasn't actually sick. However, I did some soul-searching and for the first time since encountering Amy began to have serious doubts about what I'd done in inviting her into my life. I looked in the bathroom mirror and sure enough, she'd actually bitten my lips in a couple of places. I turned so that I could study my bum and saw dark red welts; she had grabbed me harder than I'd thought. I came out of the bathroom and went over to the settee. I grabbed my clothes and quickly got dressed. "Amy, I'm going for a walk; I need some fresh air as I don't feel so good." She didn't answer or even look at me. She was still lying on her side and staring at the wall. Normally, seeing her like that I would have gone over to her and stroked her hair or cuddled her. To be honest though, I just didn't want to approach her, fearful she might do something unpredictable. I grabbed my wallet and phone, my car keys and a room key and walked out of the room. I walked for hours, not really taking any notice of where I was heading. I saw a group of teen girls but couldn't even be bothered to admire them. I somehow ended up in the old town and sat down on a bench seat, for how long I don't know. Suddenly I was aware of a voice. "Duncs, are you OK? Duncs ... Duncs?" I looked up to see the concerned faces of Mike and George looking down at me. They must have been to the pub or out for a bite to eat. I knew they were staying in digs somewhere in the old town as they'd mentioned it. "Oh hello you two; yeah, sorry lads, I was miles away," I said apologetically. "Yeah and miles from your motel too. Sure you're OK, mate?" "Yeah, just got a lot on my mind at the moment: work, money, wife and teenage kids. You know the sort of thing." I did my best to sound light-hearted and I think I succeeded as George and Mike chuckled at me. "Look, thanks for the concern lads but I'm OK; I'd better make tracks now." With that I got up and started to walk off, saying goodbye to them. After an hour or so of brisk walking I got back to the motel at around one o'clock in the morning. I didn't really want to go into the room, worried what I might find. The receptionist looked up at me. "Good evening, sir. Oh, by the way, your friend left an hour or so ago and handed me her room key saying she wouldn't need it any more." "Oh, oh, err, OK. Thanks mate," I said a bit dazed by his statement. I walked down the corridor and faced door 122. I slowly put the key in the door and opened it wondering what state it would be in and what would be missing. The room was actually extremely tidy. Amy had made the bed and the table was tidy. All my notebooks and papers were neatly stacked. My new laptop was where I'd left it and my old laptop was on the table and switched on. There was a fresh spread sheet on display and I could see that Amy had typed up the notes that she'd taken that day. Amy's two carrier bags and rucksack were gone, as were all her old and ragged clothes. The pile of change I had given her a couple of days before was still left on the table. It appeared that all the new clothes that I'd bought her were left on the shelves, all neatly folded. The trainers and pumps were in a neat row on the floor. I looked in the bathroom and she'd left all the toiletries I'd bought, even the toothbrush. For a brief moment, I thought and hoped that she'd at least taken my old mobile phone as I'd instructed her to do if she ever decided to leave. But then I saw it hidden behind the old laptop. There was no note, no letter, nothing. The only things missing from the room were Amy and all the worldly possessions she'd arrived with four day before. I sat down on the settee and picked up her neatly folded nightie. I held it to my nose and could smell Amy on it; I buried my face in it and cried softly into the material. ------- Chapter 9 'The first week - Friday' I woke up dazed and confused, still on the settee, still dressed and aching from falling asleep in an awkward position. I was still clutching Amy's nightie. Sitting up I looked at my watch. It was quarter past six so there was little point going to bed; I'd be getting up at seven anyway. I made myself a coffee and sat down to think. I replayed the last four days in my mind's eye and tried to make sense of it all. Could I have done more for Amy? Had I maybe done too much? Had I rushed her into thinking about making love? Should I have shown more restraint and resisted her urges to explore making love? Should I have just fucked her on that first night, given her fifty quid and wished her good luck, before sending her on her way? I went into the bathroom and went through my usual routine. My lips were still sore and cut from Amy's violent kissing, if it could be called that. I got dressed, picked up my things and left the room. I made my way to the restaurant. As I didn't feel like eating, I just grabbed a take-away coffee. "Sir, you know you've pre-paid for breakfast today, don't you?" It was Amy's admirer speaking to me. "Yes, but I'm not hungry thanks. Think of it as my way of paying for my girlfriend's free breakfast the other day." I walked off without looking at him or even smiling. I wondered what he was thinking of the situation; he'd be confused by my unusual curt manner and I felt slightly guilty. I drove to work looking out for Amy as I did but she could have been anywhere so it was a pretty pointless exercise. I was the first on site; even Fred wasn't there and he was always the first to arrive. I had a key to his office so went in and signed the log. Then I went across the waste land to my office and went in. I sat at the chair Amy had recently used, thinking of her making her neat notes and imagining her delicate hand atop the PC mouse or her fingers dancing over the keyboard. There was a sheet of paper with her handwriting on it. It was a list of technical terms I had taught her with a vertical line drawn to the right of them and to the right of the line a brief description of each term. I scanned down the list and her descriptions for each term were 100% accurate, proving she had listened to me very carefully. I shook my head at the thought of her attention to detail and consistency in the way that she had worked. And now she was gone, presumably back to her nomadic and unpredictable life on the road. It was such a waste. I had planned to discuss with my boss the possibility of creating a permanent job for her as I just instinctively knew that she would be a great asset to the company. Well, that all seemed academic now. I carefully placed Amy's list of terms in my laptop bag; I wanted to keep it, to keep a little something of her. I had sadly come to the conclusion that Amy had probably moved on for good. Fred moseyed over to my office; he must have seen my name and signature in the site logbook and guessed I'd be in the office. "You're early! Couldn't you sleep?" "Yeah, something like that, Fred." "Where's Aims?" "I've no idea Fred." Of course, I wasn't lying either. I pretended to be busy by staring at the plant operators PC; I didn't want to engage in small talk with Fred, much as I liked the old guy. "Hmm, bet you frightened her off what with all your fancy technical bollocks an' all," said Fred as he walked off chuckling to himself. I mostly worked by myself all day barely talking to colleagues and acquaintances; I didn't even bother with a sandwich at lunchtime. I left the site about six o clock and headed back to the motel. Although it was Friday I wasn't going home that night. I was about 350miles from home and had decided to work through the weekend. At least, that was the plan a week ago. However, when Amy came into my life and told me that she'd never been on holiday I was secretly planning to take her away to the Lake District for the weekend, a place I know and love very much. However, I was now alone and facing the prospect of a lonely weekend in a motel again. I faced the door to room 122 and the old feeling was back, only this time much worse. I'd never had a beautiful seventeen year old lass share a motel room with me before and now I had to go back into the room with the strong memory of her being there. It would make my lonely existence all the worse and I began to regret the whole damned affair and got angry with myself. Why I hadn't simply flung some spare change at Amy and walked on by after she'd rudely uttered 'what's it to you' when I'd enquired if she was OK? I'll never know. Damn her! I decided to go for a walk. I couldn't even be bothered to get showered and changed and went out in my work clothes. I wandered pretty much the same route as before and purely by chance ended up outside the McDonald's. I couldn't really be bothered to eat but knew I should; I'd only had coffee all day. I went in and spotty youth was serving again. Before he even had chance to speak I ordered rather abruptly a Big Mac with coffee. I handed him the money and said nothing. He got my food and drink fairly quickly and handed the tray to me. I didn't even say thanks which was very unlike me. "Told you she'd be trouble, mate," he said with some concern which, coming from a youth, impressed me, as did his astute perception of my mood which had obviously prompted his comment. "No shit, Sherlock," I said as I walked off. I went to the same table that Amy and I had sat at that first night. I ate my food on autopilot, barely noticing the taste nor really enjoying it. It was food for survival, nothing else. I stared out of the window, sipping my coffee, still trying to come to terms with all that had happened that week. I had no idea how long I'd been away with my thoughts. Spotty youth came over with another cup of coffee. "Here, on the house sir. You look like you could do with it." "Thanks, son, I appreciate it." I looked at him and smiled. I really did appreciate his gesture and felt a pang of guilt for thinking of him as a mere droid. He clearly had a non-McDonald's side to his personality too. "For what it's worth, I think what you tried to do for that girl was really cool." My admiration for this young man's humanity just went up another notch. "Yeah, I tried to help but it went tits-up, son. Guess I've learned my lesson. I'm just a lonely old fart that tried to make a difference in a troubled young girl's life." "Err, yeah, guess so." He then walked off, clearly unsure what else to say back to me now. I wasn't really surprised. I think he'd stretched his limited resources of humanity as far as he could. What I'd just said to him made me realise something though: that I'd wanted to help Amy for my own selfish reasons too. I wanted a companion to make my life exciting again. I drank my coffee and with dismay noticed that it had started to rain hard. I had a mental image of poor Amy trying to find shelter. Ground hog day, here we come again. Spotty youth and his colleagues started to sweep up and put chairs on tables so I took the hint and got up to leave. Passing by spotty youth I thanked him again for the free coffee and walked out. It was still raining hard but I didn't really notice. I couldn't even be bothered to walk fast. I approached the motel and walked through the car park. Out of force of habit I stopped by my car just to make sure it was locked and then headed towards the entrance and entered the motel. Once again outside the door of my room, I opened it with a heavy heart. Although my time with Amy had been an emotional roller-coaster, there had been some very intimate and passionate times too. My room was going to seem all the lonelier now. I also worried like hell at the thought of Amy once again being out on the streets, vulnerable to attack, abuse, cold and hunger. I turned on the TV and tuned to a radio channel. I then sat down and tried to do some work but I was too preoccupied with the thought of Amy and her state of mind. The previous night she'd presumably thought about what had happened and had either feared her own actions or the way I might have reacted to her or both and thought it better to leave. I paced the room. I tried to work and I tried to read failing in both tasks. I repeatedly looked out of the window hoping to see her hanging around the car park. In the end I simply went to bed and, after a long time tossing and turning, finally went to sleep through exhaustion. I awoke with a start looking around the room for some reason expecting to see Amy. Of course, she wasn't there. I got up, carried out my ablutions, got dressed and left the room. Again not feeling like breakfast I simply grabbed a coffee; I didn't even notice who the duty waiter was. I went out to my car and immediately noticed a piece of folded paper placed under the windscreen wiper. Picking it up, I got into the car and unfolded it; it was a note from Amy. The handwriting was neat and tidy, as always. It said: DUNCAN, I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAY I RUINED MAKING LOVE LAST NIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME BUT HOW I ACTED FRIGHTENED ME AFTERWARDS AND MUST HAVE WORRIED YOU TOO; I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I MIGHT BE CAPABLE OF DOING. I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU THROUGH THAT AGAIN OR ANY OTHER WORRY THAT I KNOW I MIGHT CAUSE YOU SO IT IS BEST FOR BOTH OF US THAT I LEAVE. YOU'RE THE ONLY BLOKE I HAVE EVER TRUSTED IN MY LIFE AND I FELT SAFE AND WANTED WHEN WITH YOU. YOU'RE A VERY KIND AND GENEROUS MAN AND I HOPE YOU FIND PEACE AND HAPPINESS IN YOUR LIFE. DAN AND JESS ARE VERY LUCKY KIDS TO HAVE YOU AS THEIR DAD. PLEASE DON'T BE ANGRY WITH ME OR SAD OR WORRIED. I HAVE LIVED ON THE STREET FOR OVER A YEAR NOW SO I'M USED TO IT. I WILL ALWAYS TREASURE THE MEMORIES OF THE TIME I SPENT WITH YOU. AMY X I sat and stared at the note and read it over and over again. I then started the car and drove out the car park. I drove all over town, every side street and lane, behind buildings, down ten-foots, all the industrial estates and all suburbs. I stopped at all the large shopping centres and walked the entire length of them, stopped near large junctions and checked the underpasses, the railway station, bus station, everywhere I could think of where she might be but it was pointless, like looking for a needle in a haystack. I drove some miles down each main road from the town thinking she may try to move on to another town. What if she'd hitched a lift? She could be miles away by now. Defeated I drove back to the motel and only then really noted the time; it was nearly half past four. I had been searching nearly all day for her. I headed for reception. "By any chance did you see a blonde-haired girl wearing scruffy clothes with a rucksack and a couple of carrier bags loitering outside the motel?" "No sir," the receptionist gave me a weird look. She was new and didn't know me. "If you see a girl that fits that description, please call me. I'm in room 122." "Err, OK then sir." I went back to my room, sat on the bed and put my head in my hands. I couldn't decide what to do. I knew what I really should do: forget all about Amy and get back to my normal logical self. But it wasn't that easy. I'd befriended this girl, attempted to try and help her, even made love to her. She had started to open up to me and no doubt had much more to tell. There was so much more I could do for her to try and help her get back on track. I showered and changed and again left the room; only this time remembered my cagoule in case it rained. I was going to walk the industrial estate and look for her. Maybe she hadn't gone so far as I'd thought and was very local. I knew I was probably kidding myself though. I walked every road on the extensive industrial estate and checked all abandoned buildings, skips and doorways; the kind of places Amy said she would take cover in. When I was got to the McDonald's, I called in. Spotty youth was on duty again and immediately recognised me. "Have you seen her?" I asked. "No mate, I haven't. Err, look, this is none of my business but, err, I think you should forget her mate. She's not right in the head that one; she might end up topping you or something." The lad was being sincere and I couldn't fault his rather melodramatic logic. "It's not that easy son, I want to help her you see and..." I trailed off not finishing my sentence. "Can I get you anything sir?" He said it in a gentle, quiet voice, not his droid fast-food style voice. "Yeah, I'll have a coffee to take out please." "Here you go sir, one pound eighty please." "Thanks ... Err look, by the way, you're wasted working here. You seem an intelligent lad; go and get yourself a proper job." I then walked out, sipping my coffee. I walked along some more roads asking passers by if they'd seen a blonde girl in scruffy clothes. I wouldn't normally talk to strangers but I was desperate and on a mission. It started to rain again and I was glad I had remembered to wear my cagoule. I found myself wandering up and down the same roads, my searches becoming more random and less-well thought out. It was now dark and raining hard. My jeans were soaked, but at least my body was dry. Dejected and resigned to never finding Amy, I headed back to the motel. On reaching the motel I entered the car park and, as always, stopped by my car to make sure it was locked. I checked for more notes; there was none. I was about to turn and walk away when behind my car I saw a familiar sight. Two carrier bags and a worn out rucksack and, next to those items, a person huddled up, rocking to and fro. "Amy? AMY?" She looked up at me, her hair soaking wet, her eyes wide and looking so sad reflecting in the harsh glare of the car park lighting. Her bottom lip was trembling and she again looked like a totally vulnerable fourteen year-old child again. "Um, s-s-sorry ... I'm so sorry, don't be angry with me, PLEASE," she blurted out then broke into loud sobs. I bent down and hooked my hands under her armpits and raised her to her feet. Then I just held her and felt her body go limp against me, her head flat against my chest. It was still raining hard but I didn't really care. "Shshshsh sweetheart, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about." I held her for a couple of minutes and then, making sure she was supporting herself, carefully let her go and picked up her belongings. "Come on Amy, let's get inside pet." She didn't put up any resistance so I put an arm round her waist and led her into the motel. The receptionist looked up, then back at her desk, then abruptly back up again. "Oh, um, you found her then?" "Err yes, I found her. Yes, thanks." We carried on walking and headed down the corridor and once again faced door 122. I opened it and guided Amy to the settee. I put down her bags and rucksack exactly as she liked to place them in the corner of the room. Then I knelt down on the floor in front of her. I cupped her face in my hands. "Don't you ever, ever leave me again without at least telling me first. OK?" She nodded. "I've been worried sick about you." "Um, I ... I ... saw you twice today in your car. You were so near to finding me but I hid from view..." she tailed off as if she were in trouble. I kissed her on the forehead. "Come on. Get out of those wet clothes and go and have a nice warm shower or bath. Now, are you hungry?" "Yes, very. I-I haven't eaten since we had pizza." "Right, whilst you're showering, I'll go and get some food. OK?" "OK, you choose..." I left the room and headed for the restaurant. "May I order a couple of cheese burgers and chips please and two cokes for Room 122." "Yes sir, it'll be 10 minutes. Do you want to wait or shall I get it delivered? "I'll wait, ta." I helped myself to a coffee whilst waiting. It was a bit of a cheek really because, although coffee is free-vend during breakfast time, it's chargeable during the evening, something I've always thought to be odd. A couple of the waitresses were talking and looking repeatedly in my direction. I surmised that the receptionist had already told the rest of the staff that I'd brought in a scruffy-looking girl. None of the weekend staff were the same as the weekday staff so they wouldn't know me or Amy and I guessed I was a novelty to discuss in their humdrum working lives. The waitress came out with my order on a tray. "Thanks. Err, by the way, I helped myself to a coffee." "No worries, sir. Forget it." "Thanks." I headed back to the room and let myself in. I could hear the hairdryer and knew Amy wouldn't be long. I scanned her new clothes on the shelf and noticed the Disney nightie was missing. I was strangely relieved that she was not going to come out of the bathroom nude. I put the TV on and selected a radio station. Not Jazz FM or Smooth Radio; this time I put on Radio 1 as I didn't want quiet or seductive music. It was a dub step session. Surprisingly, I like dub step, a style of music that wouldn't appeal to most forty-seven year olds. The poor quality loudspeaker of the TV couldn't begin to do it justice; you need a decent subwoofer to hear the low bass notes of dub step. Amy came out of the bathroom looking as beautiful as ever. Her face showed no emotion but nevertheless it was not completely lifeless. As I'd guessed, she was wearing the nightie too. "Food's here; come and sit on the settee." She sat in the corner and I handed her a plate. She started to eat and thankfully ate slowly. I sat at the other end of the settee, a few feet away. Amy kept shooting glances at me but quickly turned back and stared at her plate when she caught my gaze. Suddenly she spoke. "Th-th-thanks, um, thanks for taking me back in. I really didn't expect you to. I only came back because I just wanted to say goodbye to you properly." "Then you don't know me yet, do you, girl?" "No, not really. I do know you're kind, generous and gentle but also a bit stupid too!" "Harsh!" "Well, you must be to get mixed up with a fucked-up lass like me." "Yep, you've got a good point there kiddo!" "Harsh too!" she quipped. I laughed at her. What I loved about Amy was despite everything in her sad, traumatic life her humour would surface at any time. We finished our meal and drinks and just sat in silence for a while. Amy broke the silence. "This music's crap!" "Well, I like it!" "Jazz FM or Smooth Radio is way better." I chuckled at the irony of a seventeen year-old girl calling dub step crap and a forty-seven year old man defending it. "Put what you want on then, I don't mind." "It's your room." 'Oh dear, back to that stage again, ' I thought to myself. "It's ours whilst you're staying here with me," I said. She didn't answer. "Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to have to work for a while." "Site notes?" "Yep." "I'll do them for you if you want." "You don't have to." "Payment, remember?" "Oh, OK then." Amy sat down at the desk and started up the laptop and opened my site book. "Hey, this is a bit neater than usual!" she joked. "Ya cheeky young bugger!" Although I was pleased that she'd lightened up a little, I felt unusually cautious in my approach towards her. Normally, when she was sitting at the table, I would have walked up behind her and rubbed her shoulders or played with her hair or something but instead I remained on the settee and, picking up my book, started to read it without even being distracted by her. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Amy look round at me a couple of times, probably confused as to why I wasn't with her doing those very things. I didn't even watch her hands on the keys or mouse, one of those inexplicable things that usually gave me much pleasure. I saw Amy close my site notebook so guessed she must have finished typing up my notes, but she remained sitting at the table. She was still using the laptop so I assumed she was surfing the net. I continued to read a couple of chapters of my book, for once actually concentrating on it instead of Amy. It was ten o'clock and I felt tired, probably due to the high emotions of the last 24 hours and my lack of a decent sleep for two nights. I went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. I put on night shorts and kept my T-shirt on. When I came out of the bathroom Amy was still surfing the web; she was on some sort of teen news site. I went over to her and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm off to bed poppet. I'm knackered but don't worry about the radio. It won't keep me awake." "Oh, OK then. Um ... night-night then." She sounded a little hurt and confused, probably wondering why I hadn't suggested she should go to bed too, or hinted at wanting to make love with her. But to be honest, I was really unsure of her at that moment. How irrational of a grown man to be timid about a slim seventeen year old girl but a girl that had nevertheless shown incredible strength. I certainly didn't want to make love to her that night, let alone cuddle her, in case it led to more unpredictable behaviour. I could take her 'black' periods when she would hardly speak or smile. I could take her indecisiveness but I never again wanted to see that wild look she gave me during what bordered on the violent sex that I'd endured with her. I'm sure some blokes would revel in it but not me. "I'm really glad you're back, Amy; I was really worried about you," I said at least to make her feel she was welcome if not necessarily wanted at the time. Then I went to bed and fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. ------- Chapter 10 'The first week - Saturday' I must have slept soundly as I woke up to the sound of my alarm which is rare. As a rule, for some reason I usually wake up about five minutes before the alarm goes off but not today. I felt around the bed with my arm, expecting to find Amy somewhere near to me but she wasn't. Thinking she'd done a midnight flit again, I quickly sat up to survey the room and to my relief she was asleep on the settee. She'd hastily made it up into a bed. She must have kicked the covers off at some stage in her sleep and she was uncovered and sleeping in the foetal position and always looked cute like this. She also had knickers on which was unusual for her during bedtime. I clearly must have given out vibes stronger than intended that I was being a little cautious about her as she must have thought she wasn't even welcome in my bed. I guess I can see why she would think that but I had fully expected her to join me and cuddle up to me. I got up quietly so as not to disturb her. Her need for a decent night's sleep must have been as great if not greater than my own. I had a shower and shave and got dressed. Amy was still asleep so I left her a note telling her I was going for breakfast and to join me if she wanted to. Amy didn't appear by the time I had finished so I gathered a few things that I knew she liked to eat and took them back to the room. When I got back she was still asleep. I went over to her and gently stroked her head; she stirred and then opened her eyes and focussed on me. "Hey, sleepy head!" "Hi!" "I've brought you some breakfast." "Thanks, that was nice of you. Are you working today?" "Normally I would be but I've got you back now so I'm taking the day off." In fact, I was taking Monday off too. I'd planned to take Amy up to the Lake District Saturday and Sunday but hadn't planned on her disappearing for two days. I'd sent a text to my boss asking him for Monday off. He rarely refuses such requests from me; I typically work sixty hour weeks so have plenty of hours 'in the bank' so to speak. He had texted back to me: 'No problem Duncs, hope she's worth it!' little realising the truth of his joke. After what had happened, I still couldn't believe why I'd made the decision to still go ahead and take Amy away to the lakes but decided to I had. "When you've eaten, get showered and dressed quickly and pack your stuff. I'm taking you on a surprise." She looked both excited and anxious. "OK," she said. She ate quickly and disappeared into the bathroom. She came out without a stitch on and then quickly got dressed. I had a few seconds to admire her body. She caught me glancing and I made no attempt to hide my admiring gaze. She smiled at me, probably in relief that I was actually looking at her and showing an interest in her sublime nude beauty. She put on the top with the low cut front, her tightest jeans and her pumps without socks. If she had chosen that combination deliberately to thrill she had succeeded; she looked absolutely ravishing. From getting out of bed with tousled, tangled hair to fully-dressed with immaculately presented hair had taken her just twelve minutes. I made a mental note to get her one day to pass on her technique to my wife and daughter. "You'll have to gather all your stuff because I'm giving up the motel room for two days; we'll be back on Tuesday." "Two days?" "Yep, two days. Worried? Don't you trust me?" "Um, yes of course I do. I'm just curious!" "Good! Stay curious!" She grinned and I chuckled. It was good to see her face animated again. I packed Amy's new clothes into my bag and, with us both heavily laden, we left Room 122. "Say goodbye to room 122 'cos I can't guarantee we'll get the same room on our return." Amy looked around the room and actually looked a little sad. I imagined that room would be firmly lodged in her memory banks as a place where she experienced some very mixed emotions but at least some of those would be happy memories for her. We struggled to the car and dumped all our stuff in the back and then got in. "Are you going to tell me where we're going yet?" "Nope!" "OK, I'm cool with that." "Choose a CD or a radio station then, girl. C'mon, you're not a very good co-pilot are you?" Amy giggled. She was like a little kid; her excitement was obvious. I don't think Amy ever had surprises in her life, at least, not nice ones. I eased the car onto the town ring road, then the bypass, and then in a few minutes we were on the motorway. I set cruise and settled in for the drive of 270 miles or so. Sunday morning was a great time to be on the motorway; the traffic was light and free of both arrogant 'road warriors' chasing their next appointment and huge trucks. As the motorway was quite straight and relatively free of traffic, I took the opportunity to take some long glances at Amy. She had the seat far back and reclined and her long lithe legs stretched out. They looked superb in her tight jeans and I marvelled at the contours of her muscles. Then I looked at her body and could see the top of her wonderful pert boobs, tantalisingly showing a little cleavage due to the low-cut top. Her long blonde hair was resting over her boobs, adding to the sexiness of the whole package. "Amy, will you do something for me?" "OK." I hadn't even told her what it was and she agreed. She was clearly on a high at the moment. "Will you take your pumps off and rest your feet on the dashboard?" She did what I asked without question. Now the sexy look was complete. I have a fetish about bare feet and ankle showing at the end of a pair of jeans. I can't explain it but I absolutely love it. Spending many hours on the road, I often see pretty girls in cars in this very pose and it never fails to excite me. The sight of Amy's feet and ankles showing at the end of her jeans and resting on my own dashboard did not disappoint. I love her feet and ankles anyway; they are very slim and delicate with a hint of all the bones that make up her feet on show and have beautiful curved insteps. Her feet are perfect specimens to me. Amy clearly got the idea that I'd asked her to do this for my own gratification rather than her comfort as she arranged her legs in a variety of poses to enhance the look for me. It was wonderful how she could be so in-tune with some situations and yet paradoxically so perplexed when faced with other simple everyday life events and decisions. I noted one or two other male drivers in cars drawing alongside us staring at Amy and her feet and wondered if they shared my fetish. One guy saw me catch him looking. I smiled in a way that said, 'Yeah, I know mate. Sexy isn't it?' and he smiled back in the same way. Only difference was that she was with me; whereas he'd have to dream about her later. I placed a hand on Amy's thigh and gently stroked it. She looked at me and smiled. She looked so relaxed and happy and obviously pleased with the renewed contact and appreciation by me. "D'ya know lass, you look so lovely 'n' sexy!" "Thanks!" she beamed. "How far now?" "Oh, still about 100 miles." "I've never been on a big road like this before." I saw an opportunity to open-up a conversation based on her statement. "So how did you get from town to town after you ran away from home? Did you hitch-hike?" "I walked mainly and picked quiet roads. I never had a plan where I was going to go; I just wanted to get as far away from home as possible. I did hitch a couple of lifts with car and van drivers but I was usually too frightened to do it most of the time." I shuddered at the thought of the things that could have happened to her when picked up by some pervy van driver. "Is that why you've got such well-toned leg muscles, from all the walking?" "No, not entirely..." she trailed off and her mood turned instantly sombre. "What is it, sweety?" "Oh, nothing, just old memories." She gave me a weak smile as if to reassure me. "I'm sorry if I inadvertently triggered a bad memory for you" "Not your fault, Duncs; there are many things that trigger bad memories for me." "You don't have to tell me anything as you know. But that said, you can talk to me whenever you feel like it, even if it's three in the morning. You know that, don't you?" Yeah, I know. Thanks." We drove in silence for some miles save for the sound of the radio. Then Amy started to speak in her slow, measured tones like the other night when she'd revealed the sordid details of some of the abuse she'd suffered at the hands of her mother's many boyfriends. "You know, my mother hated me from the day I was born. Why she didn't abandon me or have me adopted I'll never know; I would have probably been far better off if she had. She was only just 15 when she had me, pregnant at 14. Although I was too young to remember, my grandmother actually raised me the first two years as my mother was too busy partying and being the teen girl which of course she still was. My grandmother died when I had just turned three so I never knew her really. I certainly was never aware of a grandfather. My mother used to call me names from as far back as I can remember and constantly reminded me of how much I'd ruined her life. As soon as I was old enough to do jobs around the house she had me slaving away for her. She had me washing clothes and doing housework from when I was about seven or eight years old. I never had any toys or treats at all. I wasn't allowed any choice in the food she gave me. It was either eat it or don't ... or clothes, or allowed to bring back friends from school, or go to their houses, not that I had many friends anyway ... At first when she brought men back to the house they left me alone and just fucked her, usually in front of me; they didn't care, they were drugged up or pissed or both. Then, when I was around ten or eleven, the abuse started on me. I won't tell you about that; I told you enough the other night. I'm sure you don't want to..." she had trailed off and was looking at me. "I'm listening, sweetheart. Carry on if you want to." "I was just making sure you're OK. You're driving and..." "I'm OK. Carry on in your own time and only if you want to." "Well, I never had anything, not even a proper bedroom. I had what was the spare room in the house with just an old bed in the corner of the room. There was a load of old junk that my mother wouldn't throw away that filled most of the room. But there were two things in that room I loved; one was an old radio and the other was an exercise machine. I used to listen to all kinds of music. I kept the radio quiet in case my mother heard it; she might have taken it off me otherwise. When she was being fucked by the many guys she'd bring home and I was being left alone I'd turn it up to try and drown out the noise. I'd ride the exercise machine all the time. It was a form of control I could have over myself; something my mother couldn't control." "So that's why you have such a wonderfully toned body?" "Yep. I used to pedal harder and harder until it hurt and I ached but I used that pain to control my other pain and fear. As I said, a kind of self-control." "How come your mother never stopped you using it?" "She was usually too pissed or stoned to know what day it was, let alone what was happening in the house. If I hadn't done all the chores, nothing would have got done." "What did you do about school?" "I went as much as I could. Often, my mother wouldn't let me go 'cos she wanted some jobs doing. Then the twag man would come round to see why I hadn't been at school and she'd say I was ill. Then, when he'd gone she'd hit me for not going to school but it was her that stopped me going in the first place!" "Didn't the teachers think something was wrong?" "If they did they said nothing. But it was a rough area, a rough school full of rough kids. Most of the teachers weren't really bothered about us kids. There was one male teacher, Mr Coltman; he was really nice and kind. I think he knew all wasn't well with my home life and would often tell me that I could talk to him but I never did." "May I ask why you didn't tell him or someone else what was happening to you?" "Fear. Simply pure fear and my mother said she'd lay me out or break my legs or something if I told anyone about our home life. She'd given me these sort of threats from when I first began to speak so it was engrained in my brain; I didn't think straight. I know I should have said something to someone. I know that now but not back then. I hadn't known any other kind of home life so, in a strange way, my life was normal until I began to really think things through at fifteen or so." "Sweety, I wasn't criticising or judging you." "Yeah, sorry, I know you weren't." "I'm intrigued about one thing. From what you say your school life was pretty inconsistent, yet you write beautifully, you're very eloquent and have a good grasp of many subjects; how is that?" "Easy. One thing my Mother allowed me to do was go to the library. I don't know why she allowed it but I wasn't about to question it. Probably because it was free; I dunno. I used to get three or four books a week from a very early age. I knew all the librarians. They would let me take out books that were meant for adults because they trusted me. I read books on all sort of things. I love reading. As for writing, I would practice writing in my room because I simply enjoyed it. Mr Coltman used to give me old exercise books that were only half used. I would write stories or copy text from books. I had no toys so my total entertainment was the exercise machine, radio, books and writing." "Wow, Amy! I don't know what to say. Oh, yeah, and your knowledge of PCs?" "There's free PC's to use in the library and we had them at school too." "Ah, of course, I forgot they provided them." I couldn't remember the last time I'd been to the library but I remembered my son once telling me there was free Internet and PCs installed recently in our own town's library. "I guess if you hadn't created that little world of sanity for yourself you would have gone completely crazy?" "Yeah, something like that, Duncs. But I wasn't really all that stable though; I'd often do bizarre things. Once, a bunch of lads at school were taunting and teasing me, calling me names and crowding round me; I was fourteen years old. Anyway, I started to rip off my clothes and was down to just my school blouse, knickers off. I just shouted at the lads, 'C'mon on then, is this what you want?', as I displayed my fanny to them. 'C'mon then, who wants to fuck me first?'" "What did they do?" "They backed off and left me alone. I got dressed again and simply walked away. After that, nobody in school would really talk to me thinking I was a real nut job. In some ways, I preferred them to think that; it meant they left me alone." "So, tell me to mind my own business, but what finally gave you the courage to run away?" "I was nearly sixteen. As usual my mother came back after a night of partying with two guys and one of them wanted to fuck me whilst the other bloke fucked my mother. So, as he had nobody to hold me down, he was going to tie me up. Well, something finally snapped in me and I kicked and lashed out at him. I really laid into him. It wasn't too difficult as he was quite drunk. I pushed him hard and he fell against the cooker and hit is head and was out cold. By now my mother was screaming at me like never before, calling me a 'fucking slut' and asking me 'how dare you hit my fucking boyfriend' etc. I shouted back at her and told her I'd hit her next and her other boyfriend. I was absolutely wild and like an animal. Her other boyfriend ran towards me to sort me out but I kicked him hard and square in the bollocks. It stopped in him his tracks and he fell to his knees in agony and whilst he was down on the floor I kicked him in the head several times." Amy paused and looked at me. "Go on," I encouraged. "By this time my mother in her drunken, drugged-up state had staggered over and had started slapping me but I was oblivious to the pain. I carried on kicking the other guy until he fell over, hunched up in a ball trying to protect his bollocks and face. Then my mother and I scrapped like cats: punching, biting, kicking and pulling each others hair. I could taste blood in my mouth but all that did was make me more determined. I landed one punch square on my mother's nose and blood spurted everywhere from it, including on my own face, I can remember it so clearly. She fell to the floor cursing me and I then kicked her as hard as I could in the stomach. I didn't care how much I hurt her. The red mist was down over my eyes and I was getting my own back for my nearly sixteen years of a hell-hole of a childhood. My mother was groaning on the floor in agony with one of her boyfriends groaning alongside her. I laughed at her and said 'I hope you die, you fucking cunt' or something like that, not quite sure what I said. The first bloke was now stirring and trying to get up so I ran over to him and he screamed at me not to hurt him but I kicked him in the stomach too. I just didn't care whether they lived or not or what harm I was doing to them. Then I ran to my room and picked up the rucksack and two carrier bags I'd already packed and had hidden away. I had been planning to try and run away for some time but never dared do it. After hitting and kicking three people really badly, I now had the excuse and adrenalin I needed. I simply had to go otherwise my mother would have probably killed me once she'd come round." "Bloody hell Amy ... I ... I mean fucking hell girl ... I'm ... I'm..." "Speechless?" "Err ... yeah!" I was thinking of the other night when Amy had gone wild during what had started out as our gentle love-making. I could quite believe the events she had just told me; I had witnessed the supreme strength in her legs and arms. She had a slim, slight build but was very lithe and sinewy, all muscle and zero fat; that she was supremely fit there could be no doubt. I had thought at the time that something had snapped in her brain when she turned aggressor on me. The red mist she'd just described had obviously descended that night too when she used me as her fuck toy. It was probably a good job she had reached an orgasm otherwise she may have taken it out on me. Presumably though she'd also retained enough sanity that night to realise it was me she had taken her anger out on and that's why she simply froze afterwards and had the good grace to allow me to get off her reasonably unscathed. "So-o-o ... then what?" I asked not sure how much more I wanted to know at the time. "So I ran out of the house not even bothering to check beforehand if my mother or her twisted boyfriends were OK and I ran and ran for what seemed like ages. Of course, I was very fit from all the exercise machine use and it was no effort, even with a rucksack on my back and a bag in each hand. I was in a daze too and didn't really know where I was going. I had never once left my hometown; that town was all I knew. I slowed down when I realised I was on the outskirts and quite lost. But I just walked and walked all through the night. In the end, I came across a bus shelter and went in and slept in it". "Fucking hell, Amy! I ... I..." "Still speechless?" "For now? Yes!" She smiled at me. Despite recalling all these details and although sombre, she had remained completely calm and emotionless, her eyes showing no sign of tears. It was almost as if she were proud of what she'd done in practically maiming three people. But that said, the three people deserved everything Amy had dished out to them, and although I abhor violence of any kind, I had to admire her for finally taking a stance and dealing with the problem in the only way she really knew how. Her mother had subjected her to a campaign of hate, terror, rape and violence so it was hardly surprising that she finally hit back in the way that she did; her mother literally had received a taste of her own medicine. "Wow, the scenery is really beautiful here," Amy said in a manner that completely dismissed and closed the topic of her previous conversation. "It sure is, and it gets better. We've still got about thirty miles to go," I said in response to her. I was relieved that Amy finally changed the subject, not because I didn't want to hear what she had to say, but because I feared she'd get melancholic. We were heading up the M6 and were drawing near to Kendal, the southern end of the Lake District and, as Amy had noted, the scenery does start to change dramatically. Amy still had her feet on the dashboard. It was a strange combination, this beautiful and sexy girl sitting in my car in a lovely pose, just for me, and at the same time describing to me something straight out of a horror film. I asked her to pass me a bottle of water, for some reason, my mouth was bone dry. We turned off the motorway and headed along the twisty roads of the Lake District. As I promised her, the scenery got more and more spectacular and Amy was looking out of all the windows, drinking in the splendour of it. I have been to the Lake District many times and still I never tire of the views but for Amy, it was her first taste of a part of England she'd never seen before. We drove past the beautiful village of Grasmere and she again broke the silence. "I could never imagine seeing scenery like this. I've seen pictures of lovely places in books but never seen anything like this for real. I've only ever known ugly towns and a bit of countryside in between. The Lakes are so beautiful..." she trailed off. I looked at her; her eyes were moist but her face was tranquil. She was so moved by what she was seeing and it brought a lump to my throat. "Yes, Amy, this is one of the most beautiful areas in England and I'm so pleased you like it." "Where are we going?" "Wait and see!" We drove through the picture-postcard town of Keswick and our journey was nearly over. We stopped at the supermarket and picked up provisions and then set off again. Amy was still in awe of the hills and mountains and hardly said a word. I heard her mutter a couple of 'wows' and realised then that my decision to bring her here was the right one. We headed onto the road that took us past Bassenthwaite Lake and then up a windy country lane and we'd arrived. It was the log cabin I'd invested in a few years ago. Situated at the edge of the lake and with the dramatic backdrop of Skiddaw Mountain behind, it is certainly a spectacular location. This is the place I come to unwind. Amy jumped out the car and skipped down to the lake and then ran around the cabin. It made me laugh. She looked and reacted like Jessie used to when she was only ten or so. Amy ran back to me and flung her arms around my neck and kissed me. "Are we really staying here?" "Yep, this is the family holiday home." "Wow!" I unlocked the door and let Amy enter first. She wandered slowly in and looked around. It's a simple but beautifully furnished and appointed cabin and very comfortable. "This place is amazing!" I put the food bags down and went back to the car to get more things. When I came back in, Amy was already busying herself putting the food in the fridge and cupboards. 'Years of being conditioned to doing chores', I thought to myself. I also chuckled at the thought of my own kids; it would never occur to them to help us put things away! We had a drink and a quick bite to eat and then I decided we should make the most of the rest of the day. "We should go for a walk whilst the weather is good. It can change rapidly here, even in the summer months. Jessie's walking boots will probably fit you and you can use her cagoule." "OK then!" said and excited Amy. I packed a small rucksack with a few things and we headed out. Within no time Amy offered me her hand to hold and I gladly accepted. It felt good to be with her again and the bad experience I'd had with her two days before began to evaporate from my mind. Amy's face was a delight to look at. She was the happiest I'd ever seen her and was clearly in love with the beautiful countryside. We didn't say much to each other but it didn't really matter. At one point Amy stopped me walking and turned to face me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and held me close. I put my arms around her waist in return. Then she looked at me and gently ran her index finger on the two cuts on my lip. "Did I do that the other night?" she said in a sad and concerned tone. "Err, no, I cut myself shaving." "You liar. I'm so, so sorry. I know it was me ... I'm really sorry." "You don't have to be sorry sweetheart. You had some sort of bad turn and we'll just have to deal with it." She drew my lips to hers and gently kissed me. I instantly melted at the feel of her warm lips and kissed her back. It felt good. I also loved the smell of her skin after being exposed to the cool October air and deeply breathed in the scent of her. "Thanks for bringing me here. It's so beautiful. It really is!" Then she ran off, laughing. She turned round to face me, running backwards, "Come on, you old bugger, chase me then!" "Old bugger eh? You cheeky young-un!" I had no chance of catching up with her. She was prancing around like a gazelle and could easily outrun me. She deliberately slowed down so that I could pretend I'd caught her. When I did we kissed some more then continued our walk hand-in-hand. "Amy, does it bother you that I'm thirty years older than you?" "Nope. The only thing that matters to me is that you're kind, understanding and I feel safe with you." "But where do you see our relationship going? You're a smart lass and have probably already worked out that I won't leave my wife and that we are destined to remain just lovers and close friends." Amy stopped me. "Yep, I know, I know, but I don't want to think about that. All I feel at the moment is that for the first time in my miserable life I feel happy, wanted, safe and useful to someone, and that someone is you." "Well, OK then. And I'm more than happy to enjoy your company, to hopefully help you further and be someone you can always trust." We walked a few miles that afternoon and it was clear how fit Amy was. She made light of climbing hills and never once got out of breath. We headed back to the cabin because it was starting to get dark. Once inside, I busied my self making a fire and getting the place ready for the evening. "Can I have a shower please?" "What do you think?" "Oh, um, I don't have to ask, do I?" "Nope!" Whilst Amy went for a shower, I prepared an evening meal for us. It made a change to be able to cook a meal for Amy rather than simply going to a motel restaurant or McDonald's. Amy came back into the living area wearing her nightie and a pair of socks. She looked radiant after her shower and I once again marvelled at her natural beauty. She looked a little anxious though. "D-do you mind if I wear just my nightie or would you rather I got dressed? "No, I like you in your nightie, sweetheart, and if you're comfortable wearing that, then that's fine by me." "It's just that I didn't know if things had changed now..." she trailed off. "You mean since the other night? Look Amy, I won't pretend that you didn't scare the shit out of me but I do realise that you're going to be pretty mixed up sometimes. That night you'd told me some pretty awful things about your childhood. With hindsight, we shouldn't have made love straight after that; those thoughts were fresh in your mind and it affected your demeanour and outlook on things." "You're too nice and understanding; I don't deserve you." And with that Amy came over to the kitchen area and gave me a big hug. I hugged her back and revelled in the feel of her slim body under the touch of my hands. I buried my face in her hair and breathed in heavily, enjoying the smell of the scent of shower gel on it and her skin. "Come on, girl; let's eat!" I'd done a simple meal of various cuts of grilled meat, chicken legs, potato wedges, a mixed salad and fresh bread, a sort of indoor barbecue. Before sitting down, Amy went over to the stereo and tuned in to some chilled-out radio station. She didn't listen to the sort of music most late teen girls would listen to and preferred the quieter, more relaxed music. "This looks great, Duncs. I'm starving!" "Good, tuck-in then!" We ate and talked about the Lakes and our walk. Amy told me it was the best day ever in her life; I found that quite humbling. All we'd done was go for a walk by the lake and in the countryside but to her it meant everything. We finished eating and, without being asked by me, Amy cleared the table and washed up all the plates and cutlery. She cleaned the kitchen and left it perfect. All the time I sat back and enjoyed the view of my slim, beautiful young lover as she busied herself. Even doing domestic chores Amy was a delight to watch. When she'd finished I beckoned her over to me. Without being prompted, she sat across my legs and wrapped her arms around my neck and smiled at me. "Thank you, poppet; I appreciate you doing that for me." "It's only fair; you prepared and cooked the meal which was great by the way." I kissed her on the cheek and stroked her hair "You know, within reason, I'd do anything for you, gorgeous." She smiled and looked content. "Come on, let's go and get comfortable on the settee. You said you liked reading; there's a selection of books over there. Why don't you get one?" "OK then." Amy selected a book and I picked up the book I'd been reading in the motel. I sat in the settee and Amy decided to sit on the rug in front of the settee with her body wedged between my legs. It reminded me of Jessie as she would often sit like this with me. The log fire was well and truly blazing now, crackling and spitting and very warm and I loved the way the glow of the flames illuminated Amy's face. I settled in to reading as did Amy. We said nothing but it mattered not. The fire, the soft music and the ambience were perfect; all was good. I noticed that after a while Amy wasn't reading and was just staring at the fire. "Penny for your thoughts?" "It'll cost ya a quid" I was pleased to note her humour; it meant she was OK. I actually rummaged in my pocket, found change and calling her bluff threw down a one pound coin which landed in her lap. "Well, go on then!" "Um, nothing really, I was just enjoying watching the fire." "Is that all? Hey, I want my money back!" "Oh, there's more ... an' ... and I know you probably don't want to hear this ... but w-will you make love to me tonight?" 'Wow, that was definitely worth a pound', I thought to myself. "I'd like that Amy; I'd like that very much. But I'll let my food settle down a bit more first. There's no rush; we have all night." She jumped up from the floor and landed on my lap with lightening speed and gave me a huge kiss. "Thanks, I didn't think you'd want to; I thought I'd blown it the other night." I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her on the forehead. "No chance of that poppet. How could an old bugger like me possibly refuse to make love to a beautiful, gorgeous and sexy young-un like you?" Amy laughed at my reference to the terms used earlier that day. "You're a real nice bloke Duncs; d'ya know that? S'pose I'd better get off your lap before your aging body gets indigestion!" "Cheeky young pup!" I said, slapping her bum as she got off me. Amy squealed in mock pain but did little to hide her happiness. She settled back down on the rug, only this time she lay on her stomach, propped up on her arms and started to read her book again. Her nightie did little to hide the contours of her back and pert bum and of course her slim, long legs were stretched out behind her. It was a wonderful sight indeed. I read another chapter of my book, and then got up to go to the toilet. When I came back into the living room I was met with the most beautiful sight that any full-blooded male would want to see. Amy was lying on her side, propped up on one arm, with one leg out straight and the other raised and bent, without a stitch on, the glow of the fire illuminating her in a tantalising way. Her face was serene and she was smiling at me, her eyes wide open and expectant. I marvelled once more at her pert boobs and then gazed at her fanny and the neat patch of golden pubes above it. "So what you waiting for?" she purred. "Just enjoying the beautiful sight of you, girl; just enjoying the beautiful, beautiful sight." She seemed pleased that her body could evoke this sort of response from me. I guess after nearly sixteen years of hearing nothing but abusive talk my appreciative words must have meant the world to her. Amy retained her pose, only she was now slowly rocking her raised leg in a very provocative way. My cock had stirred into life and this prompted me to strip off my clothes. I then walked over and lay down by her side. "One part of you looks ready for action even if the rest isn't!" Amy joked as she stared at my cock. "Well, make all of me ready then," I said, in a way setting Amy a challenge. I decided not to lead quite so much. I was laying flat on my back and, to my delight Amy made the first move. She leant over me and started to kiss me on the lips resting one hand on my chest. I placed a hand over her back. She gently explored the inside of my mouth with her tongue and I met it with mine. For a fleeting moment I remembered our last night of passion that had ended in such a disastrous way had also started off gently but I quickly dismissed my fears. Amy placed a leg over mine and my cock jerked when her thigh made contact. She then slowly moved her thigh up and down and the rubbing against my cock was a wonderful sensation. I moved my hand up and down her back, my fingers rippling over her spine as I did. I moved my hand down and caressed her firm bum cheeks and ran a finger up and down her crack before moving my hand up to her back again. I could honestly caress her like this for hours; her body was wonderful to explore. Amy briefly broke off from kissing me. "Play with my boobs," she murmured and then smiled at me. "With pleasure, my little sexpot!" She then suckered back on to my mouth but still being so gentle and soft with her sensual kissing. I obeyed her wish and startled to fondle her beautiful boobs. Amy reacted to my initial touch with a slight quiver in her body. It was lovely to feel her react. Her nipples went hard almost instantly and I gently pulled and squeezed them between thumb and forefinger. She was starting to grind her groin against my hip bone, indicating that her fanny needed some attention too. Selfishly, I wanted to taste her sweet nectar as hers was the best fanny juice I'd ever remembered. So far, Amy was doing a pretty good job of leading things along but I decided to interject a little. Breaking off our kiss, I asked her to sit astride my chest. She looked puzzled but complied. I then grabbed her bum and pulled her towards my face. She then got it immediately and knew I wanted to eat her out. She actually moaned before I had even touched her fanny. She shuffled her pelvis so that her fanny made maximum contact with my mouth. She was already wet, no doubt from grinding her sweet quim against my hip bone. My tongue got instant gratification from the taste of her sex and I wasn't disappointed. I lapped my tongue between her labia and alternated the licking with sucking on her hard little clit. Amy writhed and squirmed on top of me reacting to every lick and suck that I executed on her sweet quim. As I had already learned, she really loved cunnilingus and I wondered if it was because this was a sensation far removed from her past painful experience of having cocks thrust into her without a care or thought for her comfort. As Amy ran her hands through my hair I kneaded her pert bum with my hands. Looking up at her writhing body and the expression of beautiful agony on her face, her mouth wide open and panting for breath between moans, was a sight and sound to behold. I moved my hands from her bum to her boobs. The combined sensation of me working her quim with my mouth and kneading her boobs made Amy moan even louder. I then moved back to her bum with one hand and ran my finger up and down her bum crack again. Then, very gently I placed my finger tip on her anus and then started to circle around and probe it. Amy made no attempt to stop me so I took that to mean she liked it. I reached for her fanny with that finger to get some juice on it to use as lube and then went back to her anus. Very gently I pushed my finger into her bum hole and gave Amy yet more stimulation. Amy reacted by pushing her bum down onto my hand as well as trying to maintain maximum quim to mouth contact. I think it was almost too much for her. What with one hand on her boobs, a finger gently probing her anus and my mouth working her fanny for all its worth, she was now moaning and gasping very loudly. I was enjoying giving all this pleasure and stimulation to her and quite content to simply get my reward at the end when we would eventually shag. However, to my utter surprise and delight I suddenly felt my cock being handled. Amy had reached behind with one arm to find my cock. The feel of her small hand and her delicate touch were sensational and I only wished I could see her hand too. She then gently stroked her hand up and down my cock and I moaned into her quim. Realising it would be quite uncomfortable for her to reach behind like she was doing I broke away from her fanny to speak to her. "Amy, spin round and then you can do what you're doing to me more easily." "OK then ... oh, do you like what I'm doing?" "Oh yes sweety, oh yes!" Amy spun around and I was now presented with a view of her quim and bum from a new angle. She wasted no time in positioning her soaking quim onto my mouth and I set to work immediately. Now I could also lick her bum easily too. I stroked my tongue the length of her slit and beyond up to her bum-hole then back down again. Amy moaned with each lick and seemed to enjoy the anal stimulation too. I fingered her bum hole again whilst sucking and chewing her clit like crazy. Amy was riding my face with rhythmic movements of her pelvis and I found it a huge turn on. In the meantime, she was working her magic on my cock. Her extremely gentle touch was extremely stimulating, far more so than some of the rough handling I'd had in the past. I reached up to Amy's hips and caressed her wonderful curves. Then I stroked her firm thighs. Amy was pushing down on my mouth so hard now it was hard to breath; I gently pushed her up a little and she got the hint. "Sorry, so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," she said breathlessly. "You weren't hurting me but I do like to breathe occasionally" I joked. She giggled, which was all the more funny as it was between two gasps. Amy was building up her rhythm more intensely now and I sensed some urgency in her pace. I licked her more furiously than ever and moved my finger quicker in and out of her bum hole. Suddenly I was aware of her going from a sitting up position to bending more over my body. 'Surely she isn't going to suck my cock, is she?' I thought to myself. Then to my surprise I suddenly felt another light, warm and moist touch on the end of my cock; sure enough, she was now kissing the end of my cock as she gently continued to stroke it with her hand. I couldn't believe my luck. I hadn't asked for this or even hinted at it but she had taken the lead and made her own decision. Her warm lips and tongue felt sensational and along with the gentle stroking it was almost too much. I didn't know how long I'd last with her exquisite and gentle treatment of my cock. By now Amy was moaning all the time and I could feel the vibrations of her moans on my sensitised glans. I felt her body start to convulse and quiver. It was only a matter of time before she was going to orgasm, as was I. "Amy, sweetheart, you might not want to keep your mouth near my cock too much longer." I blurted out quickly, desperate for her not to experience something she might find unpleasant. I couldn't guarantee I would give her much warning before I came. "I... don't... care... I ... know what... to expect..." she was barely able to speak and I only just understood her but she seemed sure of herself. She went back to kissing and placing her lips over my glans but never taking any length into her warm mouth. I didn't care; she was still doing far more than I expected and it felt really wonderful. I felt Amy's whole body convulse violently and her nectar was streaming from her quim and all over my face. She briefly lifted off my cock and screamed in ecstasy as her orgasm peaked but then, not to neglect her new found duty she duly placed her lips back on my cock. I licked her relentlessly and fingered her bum-hole wanting to maximise her pleasure and sustain her orgasm. She writhed and twisted and bucked on my face and then, just as I knew would happen, I came myself and didn't have time to warn her. Amy continued to stroke me, but more quickly, and firmer, as if by instinct knowing this would maximise my own pleasure. I felt some of my spunk land on my abdomen; I wasn't sure where the rest was going. I was still sucking on Amy's clit but, as her orgasm started to subside, she gasped, "Stop. Please stop ... It's too much ... Please!" She was breathless and panting and still slowly stroking my cock even though I was spent. I stopped teasing her throbbing clit with my tongue and slowly withdrew my finger from her bum. Amy collapsed on top of me, her hand still grasping my cock but now quite still. I felt her head come to rest on my hip. We lay like that for some time, both perspiring, recovering our breath and strength. It was the most amazing '69' I'd ever experienced and, even though Amy hadn't taken much of my cock into her mouth, it didn't matter a jot; I'd found her very gentle touch and her licking and kissing around the head of my cock was actually more exciting and stimulating than that of a more experienced women giving full strong hand strokes and taking my cock fully into her mouth. I really hoped that Amy would never change her style. Amy slowly got off me, turned around, and lay at my side. I turned to lie on my side too so that I could face her. Her hair was dishevelled and damp with what looked like to be some of my spunk congealed in it. Her face clearly had strings of spunk on it too as did the top of her boobs so I got my answer as to where the rest of my spunk had gone. Amy was staring at me, her eyes wide and dazed, her mouth gaping and her breathing still a little fast. I don't know what I looked like to her but I guess all around my mouth must have been covered with her juices and I know my hair was wet from perspiration too. We were a pair well-matched. We didn't say anything to each other but no words were required. The status quo had returned; we had rediscovered our beautiful, passionate love making and were at peace with one another. I pulled her head to mine and kissed her on the lips and pushed my tongue into her mouth which she accepted readily. I could taste my spunk on her lips and no doubt she could taste herself on me. It was the most erotic kiss I could remember. I then licked her face clean with lots of small kisses and she did the same to me. I gently stroked her body all over and held her tight to me. I didn't want the moment to end; it was magical beyond belief. Some time later I felt Amy's hand reach down to my cock. She was gently stroking me back to life with her exquisite delicate touch. With such treatment it was soon to attention again. I looked down to watch her handy work. I had to have an image of her hand on my cock for the memory banks. Her long slim fingers wrapped around my shaft looked amazing. Amy pulled away from me and gave me a most wicked smile, her eyes no longer dazed and now sparkling with life again. "I haven't finished with you yet, you old bugger. You haven't shagged me yet!" "Well, we can't have that now, can we young-un?" With that, I reached down with my hand and began to gently finger her quim. Amy murmured and moaned in response. She was still very wet from our previous session so inserting a couple or three fingers into her sex was no problem at all. I tickled her clit with my thumb whilst continuing to finger-fuck her with three fingers. Amy was soon squirming around and it was hard to maintain contact with her. She was certainly very active and animated when aroused. We were again kissing with amazing passion but Amy was always gentle with it, probably mindful of my cut lips. Still lying side-by-side, Amy raised her upper leg and placed it over my upper leg. She was letting me know she wanted my cock in her so I wasted no time. Rather awkwardly we repositioned ourselves a little and I entered her inviting quim with my cock. Amy let out a low sigh as soon as I entered her. We then synchronised our movements and gently shagged side by side, kissing all the time and embracing each other tightly. It was so beautifully intimate. No fast, furious animalistic screwing; just slow and erotic. We carried on like this for some time. I was in no rush as I was less sensitive now and could simply enjoy the ride. Amy seemed to be going for a nice slow build-up too. She gently dug her fingers into my back which felt incredible. Again I found myself thinking how glad I was that her nails were short. Explaining deep scratches on my back to my wife would be difficult, to say the least. For the third time that evening Amy took the lead again. She gently pushed me so that I ended up lying on my back with her on top once more. She wanted to up the pace a little so I guessed she must have felt her second orgasm building. She had learnt before that by moving her pelvis in a certain way she could maximise her own pleasure. I duly adopted the new position with her and decided to let her do all the work. She started to ride me with renewed vigour, supporting herself with her hands on my chest. I stroked her thighs, clenched her bum cheeks, played with her boobs before going back to her thighs. All the time she was looking down at me with her mouth gaping. She was gasping, moaning and panting; her eyes sort of half closed but looking at me with her face screwing up each time some wave of sensation coursed through her body. It was a mesmerising sight but I really wanted to kiss her so I gently drew her head down to meet mine and we locked into another passionate kiss. Amy was now in top gear and riding me faster. I reached round her bum and gently started to circle her anus with my finger. Then, as carefully as I did before, I inserted my finger into her tight bum hole. She tried to maintain her passionate kiss, but had to keep breaking off to breathe. She sat up again and started to thrust harder and faster on my cock, but not in the nasty way she had done before. This was pure passion. She threw her head back and gasped as I fondled her boobs once more to heighten her pleasure. "I-I'm go-going ... to..." she gasped between breaths, pants and moans. And then she did. It was the strongest orgasm I had seen her have so far. She literally screamed at the peak and thrust harder onto my cock. Her own passion had me highly turned on and that last scream of hers did it for me. I could feel my bollocks stirring and knew I was about to explode into her. Amy's own orgasm was subsiding and obviously not wanting her to slow down or stop I shouted, "Keep going Amy. Please keep going sweety. I'm go..." I didn't finish my sentence as I came myself. Amy must have felt my hot spunk shoot up inside her because she bucked again and, I think, had an 'after shock' orgasm, a little mini one. And she kept riding me for a few more seconds when she slowed her pace and stopped. She collapsed on top of me; breathing rapidly and deeply, her soaking wet hair draped all over me. I could feel the heat of her face on my own cheek and it was all good, so good. We stayed like that for half an hour or so; I gently massaged her back whilst Amy was motionless apart from her by now gentle breathing. We must have both fallen asleep because then the next thing I knew I woke up and we were locked together, limbs entwined and lying side-by-side. I needed to pee and, not wishing to wake her, I very carefully got up and went to the bathroom. I came back with a blanket and a couple of pillows and, lying again by Amy's side, I gently raised her head and placed a pillow under it before pulling the blanket over us and cuddling back up to her. Amy briefly opened her eyes, smiled dreamily at me and then went back to sleep. I kissed her face all over and then resumed cuddling her and dropped back off to sleep myself. It was certainly the most beautiful night of passionate love making I could ever remember, in front of an open log fire and on the thick rug in a log cabin. What could be better? ------- Chapter 11 'The first week - Sunday and Monday morning' I woke up warm and content. I was still snuggled up to Amy, who was sound asleep. The thick rug and blanket felt nice against my skin but I knew the room would be cold as the log fire had burnt out and the central heating wasn't on. I remained cuddled up to Amy; I was in no rush to get up. The feel of her slim, taut, lithe body next to mine was too much of a pull; I needed little persuasion to stay where I was. I stroked and caressed Amy's body whilst enjoying the feel of her breath on my neck. I tried to stroke her hair, but it was a tousled, tangled mess after our night of passion and, not wishing to pull on her scalp, I gave up. Amy started to stir with my advancing caresses and eventually opened her eyes. She looked at me and her eyes had a beautiful, dreamy quality to them that was so far removed from the dead, hollow and lifeless eyes I had first seen only one week ago. She gave me such a lovely smile. "Hello, gorgeous. Welcome back to the land of the living!" "Hello, Duncs ... Ooh, I need to pee!" She giggled at her own cheeky statement. "What's it worth for me to let you go then?" "To you, it's worth me not peeing on you!" "OK, you win!" I let her go and she sprung up to her feet with such grace. I patted her bum which made her squeal with delight. She then shook her bum at me before prancing off to the toilet. I could hear her pee as she hadn't bothered to shut the door. I imagined her sitting on the toilet her peeing and, strangely, found myself quite aroused by the thought of it. This was odd as I wasn't aware I had a pee fetish; perhaps it was some latent desire in me waiting to surface. I was contemplating getting up to make breakfast when Amy came back, almost skipping and dancing towards me, graceful and light on her feet. She was a beautiful sight indeed. She stood straddled across me, allowing me to look up at her quim and pert bum. Then, with a wicked smile she lowered herself down and straddled me mid-chest, putting her hands on her hips and her head jauntily to one side in a very cute, girly way. Then, her wicked grin just got bigger and she said, "Face or cock?" Not expecting such a blunt and forward question I was taken aback and initially and quite stupidly didn't realise what she meant. "Face or cock?" She repeated her question with mock impatience, looking at me expectantly. Then it clicked. She was sitting astride me mid-chest because she was waiting to be told whether to slide forward or backwards. All thoughts of making breakfast quickly vanished when I realised that my beautiful young companion wanted to make love again and who was I to refuse? "You choose. I'm all yours. Do what you want to me." She giggled and immediately slid forwards and presented her quim to my mouth and then wiggled her hips as if to tell me to start proceedings; she smelt of shower gel and I was impressed that she'd had the decency to wash herself down there, probably realising that she would be a little stale after the previous evening's activities. Her quim was deliciously warm and soft as my lips met it and I gently kissed all around her labia before progressing to making long licks along her slit, whilst at the same time fondling her bum, hips and boobs. Amy very quickly warmed to me working her body in this way and was soon emitting low moans and gasps. I was always pleasantly surprised at how quickly she got turned on. Taking into consideration that she was still relatively young and very new to consensual, loving and passionate sex as opposed to her previous years of rape and molestation, she was very quick to learn, explore and enjoy her new-found passion of making love. I had been with many lovely and sexy women before I married, most of whom had many years of sexual experience under their belts, so to speak, and none of them to my memory could come close to Amy for how quickly they became aroused or reached orgasm. Maybe it was her youth and her feeling of being safe and wanted by me that made her enjoy the intimacy all the more. I'm no psychologist and made no attempts to analyse her further. I just decided to enjoy my good fortune at having such a beautiful and willing young partner to enjoy sexual relations with. Amy's juices soon started flowing and my mouth was presented with her nectar once again which beat any breakfast juice by a long shot. Amy settled into a beautiful rhythmic pelvic movement, synchronising the grinding of her fanny into my mouth with my firm tonguing and sucking. On her own volition, Amy decided to spin around and presented me with a new angle to attack her soaking wet fanny with my mouth. I knew why she'd spun round and I wasn't disappointed. My hard cock was rewarded with the feel of her slim and delicate hand enveloping its shaft which she then began to work her magic on by gently stroking up and down. Then she added to my pleasure by once again kissing the end of my cock and placing her warm, moist lips over my glans. She licked and sucked my glans rather like a kid sucks a lollipop and the sensation made my bollocks tingle. I felt a pang of guilt that my cock was not washed but, if she was bothered, she wasn't showing it. We worked each other up into quite a frenzy and then, taking the lead again, Amy got off me and laid on her back, her legs as wide apart as she could get them without holding them. "Fuck me; I want to come with you inside me." She said it in the sweetest voice imaginable and it melted my heart. I hesitated as it was the missionary position that'd got us into so much trouble only a couple of nights before. Amy, as astute as ever, sensed my hesitation and concern. "I'm fine Duncs. I'm at peace with myself; no red mist this time, honest." She gave me a dreamy smile and I lowered myself over her and kissed her on her already open mouth. I slid my cock with ease into her inviting quim; she was soaking wet and ready. I started with very slow and full strokes and Amy responded with each forward thrust with either a gasp or a moan. She closed her eyes and her face contorted into her 'beautiful agony' expression. I loved the look of her face like that and found it a massive turn-on. Amy drew her legs up further and rested them against the side of my body, only this time not with a vice-like grip. She also wrapped her arms either around my upper back or neck. Whether this was deliberate or not on her part to put me at ease I don't know but I was pleased that she hadn't grabbed my bum like before. Amy was panting now and gasping loudly with each thrust. I instinctively increased my pace and was met with an increased volume of Amy's moaning. I could feel my own orgasm looming and knew I wouldn't last much longer. I couldn't do the porn stars' trick of going on for ever without coming. This was reality and I was making love to an extremely beautiful and sexy girl who was a huge turn on to me; I simply wasn't going to last and hoped she was near to the brink of her own orgasm too. Amy continued to raise her pelvis in response to my thrusts and she was becoming more and more vocal with her moans and gasps. She had pulled my face towards her so that she could kiss me passionately and still I could hear her muffled moaning in my mouth as she tried to kiss me. Her moaning, kissing and writhing beneath me were too much and I shot my load of spunk into her quim making a loud, low moan myself as I did so. My next thrust produced another spurt of spunk and I felt Amy's body react to the feeling of my spunk hitting her cervix. I could tell she was near to her own orgasm and I continued to thrust into her, even though I was now spent myself. Amy's body was writhing around with careless abandon. She'd given up kissing me and her head was now thrashing from side to side, mouth open and eyes tight shut, panting, gasping and screaming. "Keep going... Keep... I ... I'm I'm..." Her attempt to speak trailed off. Then she screamed loud and low and raised her hips lifting her bum off the rug to meet my thrusts, maximising the contact on her clit with whatever she could contact on my body. She was convulsing and gasping into another amazing orgasm and I kept going for her as long as I could but I knew my cock was starting to soften. Eventually, she placed her hands on my hips to indicate I could slow down. I don't think she could ask me; her power of speech was temporally out-of-order. It was an experience beyond belief to watch this beautiful slim girl, with her fine and delicate features and long, slim muscular limbs, turn into a raging sex machine in front of me. Amy collapsed back on the rug, arms flung behind her head, head on one side, her eyes tight shut and her mouth wide open as she gasped for air. I rose up and knelt between her spread-wide legs, mesmerised by the sight of her chest rising and falling as she attempted to replenish her lungs with air. Her pert boobs remained proud and erect and looked fantastic rising up and down with her deep breathing. I looked down at her sopping-wet quim, now starting to ooze our combined fluids. Being the ever practical person, I moved part of the blanket under her nether regions, reasoning that the blanket was far easier to wash than the thick rug. "Are you OK, sweetheart?" Still panting and eyes shut, Amy simply nodded and managed a very breathless 'yes'. She looked incredibly sexy lying there, recovering from her orgasm and slowly coming back down to planet earth. I bent down and gently kissed her boobs and stomach. I kissed the top of her quim and cute patch of soft blonde pubic hair. I kissed her hip bones and the top of her firm thighs; then I moved up to kiss her breast bone and her neck. Finally, I settled on her face and kissed her exposed cheek. Amy had recovered her breath by now and turned her head so her mouth met mine. She kissed me once again ever so gently and yet very passionately. We both turned so that we were once again laying side-by-side, embracing and gently caressing one another. It was a beautiful wind-down to another amazing session of making love. As much as I didn't want to break the spell, I prised myself from Amy and kissed her smooth forehead. "C'mon, girl. Let's get showered and dressed." "Awwww, let's not; let's shag again." "Amy, you beautiful, gorgeous sexpot; I can't, not just yet. I can't keep up with you, sweety!" "You old bugger!" she said and giggled so I responded by tickling her under her armpits without showing her mercy. She writhed and squirmed, all the time her infectious giggle ever present. I stopped and kissed her again. "You're an unbelievably lovely and beautiful girl, Amy. I hope you ultimately find happiness in your life; you deserve it." "Um, I already have." As she said this she looked at me with her wide-open beautiful eyes, sparkling with life and she gave me another of her wonderful smiles. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I couldn't see how our wonderful time together could last without ever-increasing complications; it would have simply crushed her new-found safe world so I simply smiled back at her and stroked her face. "C'mon, let's get showered. Bags me first!" I said. Amy sprang to her feet in a heartbeat and of course I didn't stand a chance of beating her, but I knew that. I smiled as she pranced around the living area in all her nude glory goading me to beat her to the bathroom. "Tell you what, let's share the shower." "OK, that sounds cool," she said. I followed her in, admiring her pert bum cheeks that moved like poetry in motion as she walked. We lathered each other up, me paying particular attention to her boobs and fanny which must have been squeaky clean by the time I'd finished. For the first time, Amy also lathered up my cock and bollocks which I enjoyed immensely. We dried each other and got dressed. I was out first as Amy dried her hair. "Hungry?" "Yep!" I made coffee and cooked up some bacon, sausage and eggs. Amy came out looking as immaculate and beautiful as ever. Amy is one of those lucky girls that need no makeup to look gorgeous, partly the reason why she could get ready so quickly. I smiled at her and beckoned her to sit down. Before she did, she opened the patio doors that are in front of the dining table. It was a cold October morning but I guessed that she wanted to smell the fresh air and witness nature at its best. It didn't bother me a jot; I enjoy the smell and freshness too. We ate in silence and I saw that Amy couldn't stop looking at the vista beyond the patio doors. "You love it here don't you?" I said quietly. "Absolutely, it's so beautiful and peaceful. Thank you so much for bringing me here, I really do love it," she said as tears welled-up in her eyes. I got up and walked over to her and stood behind her chair. I placed my hands on her shoulders and bent down to kiss her head. "The pleasure is all mine, sweetheart. I just knew you would love it here. Please don't get upset." "I'm not upset. I'm really happy but just a bit emotional too; that's all." I kissed her again and, not wanting her to dwell on her emotions, I snapped her out of her thoughts by quickly changing the subject. "c'mon girl, finish up your breakfast. Let's get out there and make the most of the day!" She finished eating and helped me clear away. Amy washed up as I made a packed lunch and packed the rucksack. I was going to take her on a decent walk and some sightseeing. We left the cabin, packed the car and then headed down the country lane to pick up the main road to Keswick. Keswick is a beautiful, unspoilt and, depending on the season, bustling town, full of tourists from all corners of the world. October is a great time to visit; the weather is still usually reasonable and all except the hard-core tourists have left the area. Parking can be a nightmare during the height of season but, on this occasion, I was able to park in the centre of town. It was sunny when we got out of the car but, knowing the vagaries of Cumbria weather, I suggested we should take our cagoules. Amy was immediately struck at the contrast of a town like Keswick compared with the ugly, industrial towns that she was used to. We sauntered slowly through the streets, soaking up the atmosphere and Amy's head didn't stay still. She was constantly looking around at her surroundings, overdosing on the visual delights of the quaint buildings and beautiful scenery around them. We headed for the main focal point of Keswick, the town square and the 'Moot Hall'. This is usually guaranteed to be a lively area due to the presence of street entertainers. We weren't disappointed; there was a street acrobat and a juggler I'd seen a couple of times before, one of the town regulars. He always puts on an exceptional show and, because there were far less tourists, we made it to the front. As part of his act, this guy likes to involve the audience, usually kids, but there were none today. He made a beeline for Amy, whether purely a coincidence or because her beauty had attracted him to her I don't know, but he seemed determined to use her as his prop. Amy seemed unsure of what to do and looked at me for validation. I smiled and nodded yes to her and encouraged her to participate. Amy went and, to her credit, became a willing prop and stooge for the entertainer's tricks. I don't think she was entirely happy but she carried it off well. I took Amy to the lovely 'Victorian' sweet shop where many traditional sweets are on sale. She loved the place and I was hard-pressed to get her out of it. Then I headed us away from the town and towards the park, my eventual destination being the main waterfront of Derwent Water which is the lake adjacent to the town. We walked hand-in-hand and, every time I looked at Amy, she had a look of contentment on her face; all was well in her life that day, and all her past horrific memories seemed to be firmly locked away. When her gaze met mine, she simply gave me a big beaming smile; that alone was worth everything to me. Once we arrived at the edge of Derwent Water, we went to feed the ducks, which is an obligatory pastime for my family, and Amy confessed she'd never done this before and acted like a small kid discovering something new for the first time. I felt a great sadness welling up in me at how tragic it was that she'd never even experienced this simple pleasure as a young child. Due to the lack of tourists, the ducks were hungry and willing receivers of the food Amy offered. Within a short space of time she was surrounded by scores of squabbling ducks accompanied by a cacophony of quacking. She just giggled at the situation, crouched down and proceeded to hand-feed the ducks rather than just simply throwing the bread to them. It was a truly magical moment for both her and, for different reasons, me. For a few precious moments, Amy was acting like a five-year-old and it didn't matter a jot. Watching the ducks eating made me realise my own hunger so, once Amy had finished feeding them, we headed over to the picnic tables to have our packed lunch. Having a picnic was another activity Amy confessed to have never done. We started to eat our sandwiches and Amy was delighted that the cheeky sparrows and starlings would actually land on the picnic table, waiting for crumbs of food. I told her to place some food on her hand and hold it out and keep very still. It was the kind of thing I'd tell Jessie to do when she was a small girl but here I was instructing a seventeen year-old girl to do the same. It was simple situations like this that made it all too apparent how unnatural Amy's childhood had been. I found it heart-wrenching but at the same time I was glad I could be the instigator of giving Amy back some of her lost childhood, even though it was quite insignificant in the overall scheme of things. Sure enough, after a minute or so of Amy steadily holding out her hand, one of the more daring sparrows landed on her hand and proceeded to eat from it. Amy had a huge grin on her face and, ready with my camera, I took a photo of her with a bird in her hand. We finished the picnic and, with her usual efficiency, Amy had tidied up all the packaging and waste and thrown it in the bin, something I would usually have to ask my own children to do. I told Amy to wait at the table whilst I went over to the kiosk that sold launch tickets. I bought a roundtrip ticket for two and returned back to Amy. "C'mon, we're getting the next launch; it leaves in five minutes!" "Really? What? We're going on one of those boats?" "Yep!" Amy flung her arms around my neck and gave me a big kiss. She was truly being a kid today and I loved it. Once we were seated on the launch, Amy again showed her excitement. She was acting the way my own kids would have done when in their younger years. The whole day was a big adventure for her and I found it truly humbling. The boat set off and Amy once again marvelled at the surrounding scenery. The mountains and hills surrounding Derwent Water are not huge by any stretch of the imagination; nor is the lake itself; to walk around it is only a ten mile hike. That doesn't matter though; it is a truly magical and completely unspoilt area and one I never tire of visiting, despite the many times I've been. I have told my wife that I want my ashes scattered in this area; I love it so much. So it was wonderful to share my own love of the area with a newcomer. Amy's enthusiasm was infectious and my own jaded outlook on life quickly evaporated that day. We went halfway around the lake and I told Amy we were going to get off at the next jetty. Our tickets allowed us to do this and we could resume the journey from that jetty or another by getting a later boat back to the main waterfront. I wanted to take Amy on a taste of proper hiking unlike the walk we'd done the previous day which was a just a stroll alongside Bassenthwaite Lake and some gentle hills. The walk starts through a beautiful wood alongside Derwent Water. Amy once again offered me her hand to hold. There are various sculptures along this footpath carved from tree trunks. There is one particular sculpture that I knew Amy, in her 'child mode', would absolutely love. It's a sculpture of a giant pair of hands in the shape of someone cupping their hands together as if waiting to receive something. Sure enough, as soon as this sculpture came into view, Amy released her hand from mine and ran over to the sculpture and jumped into them; she then lay in them giggling with excitement. "What're ya like, eh?" I said in a mock despairing tone. "Take a photo of me, please!" How could I resist. In fact, I took several of her. She looked like my own daughter would have done, lying within the giant hands, giggling and smiling, and, for now, I didn't see her as a beautiful, sexy older teen but rather as a cute little girl and the fatherly instinct came out in me again. "C'mon girl, time to move on." "Awwww, but this is fun." "C'mon, or do I have to come and get you?" I said pretending to be angry. She giggled. "Right, warned you!" I started to walk over to her and just as I was within reach, she sprang up and skirted round me with lightening speed; I was no match for her athletic agility. Then she ran off, turning round and taunting me to catch her. I made a half-hearted attempt to run after her and Amy darted around me, gazelle-like and giggling all the time. It was a lovely moment to see her like this. She was free of her demons for a while and enjoying life to the full. A little later, she deliberately made it easy for me to catch her and made it clear she wanted cuddling; I was all too happy to oblige. We held each other and kissed passionately. It occurred to me that to anyone walking past, the situation would have looked like a father kissing his daughter rather too intimately and the thought amused me. We released each other and continued our walk. Leaving the wood, we crossed over a country lane and started the ascent up to Cat Bells, the start of the walk proper. The ascent is not too steep but is relentless. Amy took it in her stride, as I knew she would, and her breathing remained normal. Once on top, the view is spectacular looking over Derwent Water, Keswick and, in the distance, Bassenthwaite Lake, Skiddaw and other mountains. We sat on top of Cat Bells for a good half hour, drinking in the view. Amy sat by my side resting her head on my shoulder. I had my arm around her shoulder and she rested a hand on my thigh. We said little but we were both certainly content. Aware of the time and the fact there was one other sight I wanted to show her, I reluctantly got up to leave and Amy followed suit. We made our way down Cat Bells, the initial precarious section presenting little problem to Amy who practically skipped her way down. Her agility and poise were beautiful to watch, her strong leg muscles obviously aiding her graceful movements. The rest of the descent is a gentle, grassy path and we were once again able to resume holding hands. "Like fell walking?" "Love it!" she said, grinning. Once down at the bottom of Cat Bells we again crossed the country lane and then down to another path that led us back to the Derwent Water. Finding the jetty for the boat, we waited patiently for the next launch to arrive. We sat on the jetty, dangling our legs over the side and rocking them to and fro like a pair of kids would. Amy looked wistfully into the distance, lost in her thoughts. I didn't disturb her and was content to simply hold her. The launch arrived and, before we knew it, we were back at the main water front. We walked back into Keswick and made our way to the car park. "OK, one more sight to show you then we'll go back to the cabin." "OK, cool!" I drove through Keswick and made my way to a road that leads around Derwent Water. A couple of miles later and I turned off the road up a steep narrow lane that leads to a viewing area known as Surprise View. Not as high as being on the top of Cat Bells this viewpoint nevertheless affords lovely views across Derwent Water and Keswick. We got out of the car and walked over to the view area. I warned Amy that the drop is severe and to be careful, worried she may sprint off unawares. She heeded my warning and stayed with me. We sat on a rock and simply enjoyed the view. Amy snuggled into me, resting her head on my chest and wrapping her arms around my body. We sat there until the sun set. I became aware that Amy was shaking a little and moved her so that I could see her face. She was crying softly and looked sad. "Hey sweety, whatever's the matter?" "Um, I ... I ... I don't want today to end. I want to stay here forever." I held her tightly and gently kissed her on the head feeling tears well up in my own eyes as I did so. "Reality is a bitch, Amy, and I don't want today to end either but I promise we'll come back here again. Deal?" "Deal." The cold night air was starting to bite and it was almost dark now so we made our way back to the car and drove back to the cabin. Once inside, Amy threw her arms around me and gave me a huge hug. "Thank you Duncs; today was absolutely brilliant. I loved all of it. Thank you, thank you!" "My pleasure, sweetheart. The pleasures all mine!" I was truly humbled by Amy's genuine and heart-felt gratitude. I made my way over to the fire place to light the fire again. Amy made her way over to the kitchen and started to prepare a meal. I let her get on with it. She had told me that she'd been a slave for her mother for many years so I had no doubt of her abilities to prepare a meal and she seemed to really want to do it. Once the kindling was alight and a couple of logs were starting to take, I left the fire alone and went over to the stereo and switched on the radio. Then I sat up at the breakfast bar to watch Amy busying herself in the kitchen. I loved the way she moved; even doing mundane everyday tasks she looked graceful and I particularly loved watching her slender arms at work. Watching the tendons and muscles flexing as her arms moved was tantalising; I was obsessed with it, almost to the point of it being a fetish. Amy kept looking up at me and smiled each time. She didn't seem at all bothered that I was following her every move, watching her like an affectionate and obedient dog waiting to be told what to do. She deftly prepared salad items, chopping them up with far greater precision than I would have. Her timing with the cooking was perfect and all items she had cooked were ready simultaneously. My son, now seventeen, can barely manage to make toast yet here was Amy preparing a meal like a person with many years of experience of cooking would do it. I was impressed. "C'mon Duncs, take some stuff over to the table please!" She said it to me in the same way that I would address my own kids, that tone one uses when you shouldn't have to ask someone to do something that is patently obvious. I was so focussed on watching Amy, I had zoned out. "Oh, sorry sweetheart, of course" I said apologetically. She giggled, knowing full well that my attention had been focussed solely on her. "Good job I didn't prepare tea in the nude or you probably wouldn't have even heard me speaking!" The very thought of the scenario Amy had just set in my mind made my loins stir and I smiled at the imagery, a smile that Amy clearly understood. "You old perv!" "You said it, not me!" We sat down to eat and Amy had prepared a truly delicious meal. The fire was roaring by now, the lighting turned down and the radio was playing soft music; the ambience was perfect. After the meal, I cleared the table and washed up whilst Amy disappeared into the bathroom. I could hear her having a shower and then heard the hairdryer. I imagined her standing in the shower, the water streaming down her sublimely slim and curvaceous body and limbs, and then I imagined her drying her hair. The very thoughts made my nether regions tingle. Sitting on the settee and reading, I waited with anticipation to see how she would emerge from the bathroom. She didn't disappoint and came out with her lovely long hair brushed to perfection and wearing her nightie. I imagined her to be 'sans knickers' and felt immediately turned on by the thought of it. I was sitting at one end of the settee reading when Amy came over and lay down taking up the rest of the settee and resting her head on my lap. I held my book in one hand and let my other hand lazily stroke her hair and body. Amy snuggled in further just like a cat, to the extent where I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd started purring. One thing I'd rapidly learned about Amy: she was a very tactile person and clearly enjoyed being caressed and having her hair stroked. It was amazing to think that she'd only discovered and enjoyed this pleasure for little over a week; never having experienced such loving contact before. "Do you want me to stop reading and talk to you or are you happy in your thoughts?" "No, I'm fine as I am, thanks." She looked up at me and gave me one of her delicious dreamy smiles, her eyes wide and sparkling with life. The fact that the light of the fire was reflecting off them and her face only added to her charming looks. I smiled back at this beautiful creation of nature lying on my lap and thought I must be the luckiest man alive. She spoke again "Today was really wonderful," she said then sighed contentedly and continued to stare into the fire. We remained like that for some time but I became increasingly aware of Amy stirring and fidgeting. She began to move her head, pressing her cheek against my groin and the sensation began to make my cock stir. She also started to stroke my thigh which was something she hadn't done before. Sensing Amy was looking for some action, I let the hand that had been stroking her hair wander down to her body and stroked the side of her ribcage, occasionally brushing one of her boobs. Amy's body jerked slightly every time I brushed her boob so I knew she was in the mood for making love. I put my book down and now stroked her head with one hand and continued to explore her body with the other. Amy then got up and moved onto me, sitting on my lap astride me. She gave me one of her dreamy looks that would melt the stoniest of hearts and then very slowly and seductively raised the hem of her nightie and slowly peeled it off. I'd seen her body many times by now but still the initial sight of her beautiful form made my heart race. She now flung her arms around my neck and drew my face towards hers and started to kiss me. Breaking away momentarily, she simply said, "I'm going to make love to you." I didn't have to think about this statement but I loved the subtle variation that she was going to make love to me. Amy continued to kiss me, grinding her groin in a circular motion into my stiffening cock. I placed my hands on her back and slowly moved them down to her bum and then back up again. Because of the way she was sitting on me, her back was arched in a very sexy way, making stroking her back all the more pleasurable. Her bum cheeks were extra taut too due to the angle of her body. Amy again broke away from kissing me to take off my T-shirt. This was the first time she'd actually undressed me, another experience for me to enjoy. She was definitely taking the lead this time and I was more than happy to be the passive partner. Amy then moved down to my trousers and released my belt and undid the fly. She slid down to the floor and I raised my bum off the settee so that she could pull my trousers down. She pulled my undies off with them too; she wasn't wasting any time. Then she returned to her position of sitting on my lap, facing and astride me. My cock was already hard and in all honesty I could have taken her there and then but I wanted to enjoy Amy taking the lead and to see what she'd do next. She continued to kiss me passionately, grinding her quim against the shaft of my cock but not allowing it to penetrate. It was extremely erotic and I now realised she was actually teasing me. I placed my hands on her bum and kneaded her wonderful buttocks. Amy broke off her kiss and raised her body, presenting her pert boobs to my face. Knowing what she required of me, I began to lick one of them before moving my tongue over her nipple and around the areola. Then gently I drew the nipple into my mouth and sucked and nibbled on it. Amy's body moved to each sensation and she was clearly getting quickly aroused. I moved to the other boob and gave it the same treatment whilst moving one hand off her bum to knead her other boob with it. With my other hand already on her bum cheek, I now ran my finger into her crack and carefully probed around for her anus. Very gently, I circled my finger around and gently pressed on it. As soon as I did, Amy emitted a small gasp, making it clear she still liked anal stimulation. After some time, Amy wanted to move things along for she partially stood up, resting her knees against the back of the settee with her hands on the top of it so that her quim was now level with my mouth. Again it was clear what she wanted me to do so I set to work on her fanny with my tongue. At this angle I was limited to what I could do with my mouth but I could still lick and suck on her clit. I ran one hand up the inside of her thigh and eventually towards her quim before starting to gently finger fuck her. Amy was soaking wet already and I had no problem inserting a couple of fingers into her sex. With my other hand I continued to finger her bum crack and anus. Amy was now moaning with each breath and writhing around with the triple stimulation I was giving her. I found it a real turn on seeing how her body reacted to my touch; so much so that it didn't bother me whether Amy touched me back or not but, when she did, it was just an added bonus. Amy became increasingly aroused and animated, eventually lowering herself right back down and starting to kiss me again. First though she licked around my mouth to taste her own nectar. I found this a huge turn on, that she liked the taste of herself. Amy reached down and stroked my cock for a few minutes whilst we continued to kiss passionately. Then, holding my cock still, she positioned her quim and deftly sank down on it, getting her aim perfect first time. It was hard to believe she'd only been enjoying the delights of passionate and consensual sex for little under a week such was her confidence and ability to orchestrate proceedings. And I must say I found the passive role quite refreshing. It was like a pupil having been taught something now showing teacher that she could put into practice what she'd learned. For that she'd get an A+ off me. I decided to let Amy regulate her speed and how she wanted to use my cock. I simply caressed her buttocks, back, boobs then returned to her bum. Sitting on the settee with Amy astride me was a wonderful position to make love in as I could admire most of her body as she gyrated around in front of me. Amy's increasingly loud gasps and moans, her rapid breathing and sense of urgency indicated to me that she was nearing one of her epic orgasms and, for once, I realised she was probably going to make it before me. Sure enough, a minute or so later her body convulsed and shook. She threw her head back, eyes tight shut and mouth wide open, and let out a low guttural scream. The feeling of her quim contracting on my cock was simply amazing but I wasn't quite ready to come. I wondered what Amy would do now because she probably realised that I hadn't yet come. I wasn't going to be disappointed. Amy briefly came to rest against my chest, capturing lost breath, but all the time gently gyrating on my rock-hard cock. Then she lifted off my chest, gave me the most mischievous expression I'd ever seen up to then and said in a husky voice "Now to finish you off". With that, she dismounted me and slithered to the floor, ending up kneeling between my legs. She then grasped my cock with her hand and began to gently stroke and twist my shaft. Looking up at me, she repeated her delicious mischievous look and then slipped her mouth over my glans. I gasped as soon as her warm lips and tongue made contact; the sensation was simply out of this world. "Amy, I ... I won't be long ... I won't be able to..." Amy interrupted me, "I don't care!" 'OK, just lay back and enjoy', I thought to myself. I lightly placed my hands on Amy's head and stroked her hair. As before, Amy had the lightest hand and mouth touch possible but it was all the more sensational for that. She kissed, sucked and circled her tongue on my glans whilst simultaneously stroking my shaft. I felt the tale-tale sign of extreme tingling in my balls and knew I was about to shoot my spunk. "Amy ... I ... I..." She carried on, ignoring my attempt to warn her and then I exploded three blasts of spunk and let out a loud moan in the process. Amy continued to kiss and lick my glans, so I knew some of my spunk must have shot in her mouth. If it did, she wasn't bothered. She carried on stroking me until I had to ask her to stop; the sensation was just too much. She looked up at me and smiled, obviously pleased with herself. A trickle of my spunk was dribbling out one corner of her mouth; there was spunk in her hair and on her left cheek. It was an amazingly erotic sight. Amy slid up my body and started to kiss my face. Then her lips met mine and I could taste my spunk but didn't mind a bit. It was the first time a girl had ever done this to me straight after a blow job. I found myself licking her cheek for a taste of more of my own spunk, rather like Amy enjoyed licking and tasting her own juices off my face. I had learnt something new from my own pupil: that I liked the taste of my own spunk! We continued to kiss and caress and then Amy sank down a little and laid her head on my chest. Finally, she broke the silence. "So, did you enjoy that? Did I do OK?" "You were simply amazing, sweetheart; you can take the lead again!" "Cool!" We lay together for another half hour or so until I glanced at the clock and realised it was getting quite late. "Amy, hate to spoil the party, but we have to be up early to drive back down to work again." "Awwww, I wanna stay here," she said, in a mock hurt voice. Ignoring her plea, I said, "Do you want to sleep in the bed or under the rug by the fire again?" "Oh, by the fire, far nicer!" OK, I need a pee, so you get the rug out eh?" With that Amy jumped up at lightening speed and, giggling as she did so, made a dash for the toilet first. "I need to pee too!" I smiled at her cheek. How couldn't I? So I got the rug out and made our ad-hoc bed by the fire. I chucked another log on the fire and walked towards the bathroom. Just as I got there Amy came out. I gently spanked her bum as she passed me and she squealed. "That's for jumping the queue to the bathroom!" I said. Amy giggled again. When I got back to the living area, Amy was already snuggled under the rug, with just her head showing. Her face looked wonderful illuminated by the light of the fire and I suddenly felt a huge outpouring of love and emotion for this beautiful girl lying before me, to the point that I almost cried. I quickly got down on the floor and under the rug to join her. Amy immediately put an arm over my chest and a leg over mine and started to kiss me on the lips. Now I tasted toothpaste on her lips and tongue which, although pleasant, could not replace the taste of my spunk during that previous kiss. We kissed and embraced for a while longer and then I told Amy we'd better get some sleep. Amy turned around so that we ended up spooning. I wrapped an arm around her chest and she immediately wrapped her arms around my arm as if to cuddle it. I muzzled the back of her head and nibbled and kissed her neck and shoulder. I heard her sigh contentedly a couple of times and then she was quite still, her breathing shallow and slow. She'd drifted off into what I hoped would be yet another peaceful night's sleep. I tried to move my arm so that I could gently play with her boobs but, even in sleep, Amy's grip on my arm tightened. It was as if her subconscious was worried that I was trying to take away the comfort of my arm from her. It was a lovely moment for me and I just lay in utter contentment enjoying the warmth of her magnificent body next to my mine. The next thing I knew it was morning and light was streaming in through the thin blinds. I felt for Amy and she wasn't next to me. For a horrible moment, in my sub-conscious state, I thought the worst and that she'd left again but then I heard noises in the kitchen area. I sat up, looked over and saw Amy busying herself in the kitchen. She was dressed and obviously preparing breakfast. I smiled and thought to myself 'What a lovely lass!' She looked over at me and smiled. "Good afternoon. Nice sleep, Duncs?" 'Ah, facetious as ever' I thought. "Good morning sweetheart; couldn't you sleep?" "Dunno, just woke up early I guess." I got up and went to the bathroom to do the usual. I came out and got dressed just in time for Amy's breakfast. She'd put out a good spread as we had to use up all the fresh food we'd bought. "Wow! What a feast! Just like the motel restaurant!" I went over to her and put my arms around her and gave her a big kiss. "Thanks, poppet. You can come again!" We ate then I cleared away and asked Amy to pack our bags. We spent the rest of our time in the cabin going about the chores and preparing to leave in silence. It was clear that neither of us wanted to leave but the harsh real world was calling us back to reality and leave we must. I packed the car, secured the cabin and we got into the car with some sadness. I looked over at Amy and her eyes were moist. Sensing her sorrow I offered, "We'll come back here again. I promise." "Good ... Good," she very quietly said. I eased the car onto the country lane and saw Amy take a long look back at the cabin. This had been two days of a world that Amy could only have dreamt of up to now and I quite understood why she didn't want the spell to be broken. I said nothing to her; I didn't want to add to her angst. We said little driving through the Lakes; Amy was quite content to admire the scenery again. An hour later and we were back on the motorway and Amy's mood began to lighten. Perhaps the sight of the main road broke the spell of the Lakes and brought her back into the normal, harsh world. She looked at me and much to my relief smiled. "I loved the last two days; thanks so much for taking me. I shall treasure the memories for the rest of my life." "And as I said before, we'll return." Amy seemed content with my reply. She reclined her seat a little, slipped off her pumps and placed her bare feet on the dashboard. She looked over at me and gave me a cheeky smile. "Just for you!" "Thanks lass!" As I drove I thought about how much I still had to learn about my very mercurial companion. There were so many questions I wanted to ask but never seemed to find the right opportunity. Why did she never close the bathroom door? Why did she know for sure that she couldn't get pregnant or didn't have any STD's? Was she perhaps on the run from the police or in any trouble with the law? I concluded all would become apparent eventually. I looked over at Amy and she met my gaze. I had no idea how long she'd been looking at me. She smiled. "You were miles away again." "I know, poppet, I know, just things on my mind," I said as I reached over to stroke her cheek. We drove straight down to the construction site without stopping and arrived just in time for lunch. We signed in and made our way over to the canteen. Fred, George, Mike, Serge and some others blokes were already sitting at a long table. "Oh, nice of you two to pop in. Gonna do any work today then?" said Fred. I laughed and Amy looked a little sheepish but still grinned at the guys. "Oh, you're a sight for sore eyes, lass," said Fred. "Come and sit opposite me". Amy obliged and I went to get some food. "What do you want? Anything in particular?" I asked her. "Whatever," she said, but with a grin so that I knew she was winding me up. As I joined the queue for food it struck me as odd that the lads never questioned why Amy and I arrived and left work together. Either they were being extremely tactful, which was unlikely, or it hadn't occurred to them it was a little 'suspicious'. We ate, joined in with the banter and then left the canteen to go to my temporary office. Once the door was closed, Amy gave me a quick kiss, which I thought was cute. I wasn't intending to do too much that afternoon. I decided that Amy and I should check all the validation work we'd done the previous week to ensure everything was still OK. We soon fell into the routine and Amy proved to be as meticulous as ever. Before we knew it, it was half past six so we decided to call it a day and left site. At least the rush hour traffic had long gone so we were back at the motel in minutes. We unpacked the car and made our way to reception. "Hello again, sir. I managed to keep the same room for you, 122. Breakfast for two this time?" "Hello and thank you. Yes, breakfast for two please," I said looking at Amy with a smile. She smiled back, looking somewhat relieved. I could only guess that the fact I'd paid for breakfast for two somehow validated in her mind that I intended for her to stay with me. We headed down the corridor and once again I faced the door to room 122. Yes, I could still tell you where everything was, the colour of the curtains, where the restaurant menu would be placed, how many towels there would be. This time though I smiled as I put in the key and unlocked the door because this time there was a very welcome addition to my motel room: a beautiful, gorgeous, intelligent but troubled 17-year-old girl named Amy. ------- Part 2 ------- Chapter 12 'The second week in the company of my new charge; Amy' It was Wednesday morning. Amy and I were sitting in the restaurant enjoying our breakfast. The previous evening had been another marvellous night of both intimacy and recounting our whirlwind visit to the Lakes. Amy didn't stop talking about her experience and she longed to return. It was lovely to witness how content she was at the moment. Her face was animated and her eyes sparkled. In my heart I hoped it would last forever but, in reality, I knew it could take very little to tip the balance for the worse with respect to Amy's fragile mental state. I decided the best policy I could adopt would be to ride the highs with her and enjoy them whilst they lasted but be ready to support her when the bottom dropped out of her world. The only problem I faced was that her mood swings seemed to occur in a heartbeat and at anytime, anywhere. We finished breakfast and departed the restaurant. Amy gave the waiter who had the hots for her a big smile, which he seemed to appreciate, the poor lovelorn bloke. "Stop teasing him," I quipped. "I'm not. I'm just being friendly," Amy said defensively. "It wasn't a dig sweety; but to him, a great big smile from you might be construed as a come-on!" Amy said nothing. We left the motel, got in the car and I drove us to the construction site. The morning passed by relatively quickly and Amy and I made our way across to the canteen to get a bite to eat. A couple of my colleagues were already seated and, on seeing Amy, both gave her a broad smile. All my colleagues had clearly adopted Amy and obviously had a soft spot for her. I think what made Amy special to them was what appeared to be a very modest and unassuming girl. Of course, in reality, after many years of torment and both physical and mental abuse, Amy truly wasn't aware of her sex appeal and natural beauty and this is why she appeared to the outside world to be so modest. Even though I repeatedly told her how beautiful she was, I don't think she fully comprehended my sincerity and I was convinced she thought I was just complimenting her to try and please her and make her happy. More colleagues and acquaintances joined us at our table and the usual banter and bonhomie was very much in evidence. A works canteen is a great leveller of people and, as a manager like myself, it's a great way to find out if you're liked or not by those you are in charge of. If the lads are quite happy to share a table with you and include you in the general conversation, then you're generally doing OK and accepted by the pack. I am pleased to say I fall into that category. Amy had no idea about company hierarchy or camaraderie and because of that she was just herself and all the more natural for it. So far, the lads had only witnessed the 'normal' albeit shy Amy and I hoped it would last, for her sake more than anything. Amy excused herself, saying she needed to pee, much to the amusement of the lads. I don't think they expected this shy girl to use such a phrase and it tickled them. I thought nothing of it as Amy had been to the toilet block before. There was a separate, very small toilet facility for women but of course, as the vast majority of the construction workers were male, the male toilet block was huge in comparison. It had been some time and Amy still hadn't returned. I wasn't unduly concerned, because once before Amy hadn't returned as she'd simply returned to the site office knowing that the lunch break was nearly over. I assumed she'd done the same on this day. Suddenly Serge burst into the canteen looking very concerned. He headed straight for me and, gesturing for me to get up and follow him, he said in his broken English, "Dinken, pliz come; Aimzeee hurtz ... Aimzeee bad" I assumed the worst and thought when Serge said 'hurtz' that Amy had perhaps fallen badly. I followed Serge, as did Fred because he was responsible for the site health and safety. Serge took us to where he'd found Amy. She was by the side of the toilet block, sitting on the ground all hunched up with her arms wrapped tightly around her legs and she was rocking slowly, sobbing her heart out. I slowly crouched down in front of her, saying her name as I did, so that she knew it was me. She immediately put her arms around me and clung on to me like an upset toddler would to a parent. I just uttered 'Shshsh. It's OK sweetheart. It's OK," over and over to her. I quickly looked around and noticed that only Serge and Fred were witnesses to this so far. I caught Fred's attention and quietly asked him to thank Serge for alerting me and to take him away from the scene and that I'd explain all to him later. Speaking very softly to Amy, I told her I wanted her to stand up and let me help her walk over to our site office which luckily was over some waste ground so we didn't have to pass the canteen and any prying eyes. Even in her troubled state, Amy complied and allowed me to guide her towards the office. Once inside I sat her down in one of the office chairs and then wheeled another office chair over to her and sat down myself, facing her. I gently cupped her face in my hands and spoke softly to her "Are you going to tell me what happened sweetheart?" She looked at me and her face was pitiful; that of a frightened child again. Her lower lip was trembling and her eyes were filled with terror. I gently kissed her forehead and was relieved that even in her state of utter fear, she clearly recognised me as friend not foe. "In your own time poppet, tell me when you're ready," I said soothingly. "I ... I ... I w-w-went in the toilet block to pee ... an ... an ... and this woman followed me in..." Amy's voice trailed off as she started to cry again. I stroked her hair and cheek and waited patiently for her to calm down. "W-w-when I came out of the toilet, sh-sh-she pushed me against the wall w-w-w-with her hand against my neck..." Amy had another bout of sobbing. After she calmed down again she continued, only more coherently now,"She swore at me, telling me 'you're a fucking little cock-teasing slut' and 'showing off in you're fancy tight clothes' and to 'leave my fucking boyfriend alone'. I told her I didn't know her boyfriend, but she said 'well he talks about you to all his mates' and then she told me to 'fuck off and leave the site' and then she walked off." "OK Amy, you didn't do anything wrong. Understand that, poppet? You did absolutely nothing wrong," I said kissing her once again on the forehead. I imagined how different the scene could have been. What if the red mist had come down over Amy and she'd turned on the women? We could have been witnessing her, whoever she was, as the victim instead of Amy. But it would seem that Amy's 'frightened child' persona had surfaced instead and clearly she'd not defended herself in any way. "Did she hit you at all?" "No, just had her hand on my neck and pushed me a couple of times" "Would you recognise her or know who she was?" "Um, I ... I don't want any fuss Duncs," Amy said looking like she'd be in trouble. "Amy, it's not as simple as that. People are simply not allowed to be violent to others in the workplace; there are laws to protect you against this sort of thing. We need to know who she is so that she can be dealt with." "I'm not saying, S-s-sorry." "OK, OK, you don't have to say. Don't worry about it, sweetheart," I said to her. In reality, I wanted this woman's blood. She had probably undone in the space of a couple of minutes all of my efforts of the past nine days in one fell swoop. I was livid and wanted answers. There was a gentle tap at the door. "Hello?" I shouted. "It's me, Fred, can I come in?" "Amy, do you mind Fred coming in?" She shook her head to indicate no. "Yeah, come in, Fred." Fred walked in, looked at me with concern and then looked at Amy. "Hey Aims, where's that pretty face gone?" he said, very softly and quietly as he might address his grandchildren. Amy looked up at him and managed one of her imperceptible smiles. "That's better lass," he said, smiling back at her. "Duncs, I need to talk to you." "Amy, do you mind me popping outside for a minute to talk to Fred?" She again shook her head. "Ok then; look, I'll just be outside the door, OK?" "OK," she whispered back. Fred got straight to the point. "There's been a commotion in the canteen. One of the catering lasses had a bust-up with her boyfriend in front of everyone. She accused him of trying to go out with 'that skinny slut', by which I assumed she was referring to Amy. She also said 'I've sorted the little cow out so that's fucked-up your plans, hasn't it?' or words to that effect." "So what happened then?" I asked. "I walked over to sort things out and asked her if she'd attacked a girl near the toilets," Fred replied. "She said 'so what if I did, what's it got to do with you, you interfering old twat'. I told her it had everything to do with me and that she was to go home, pending a disciplinary hearing." "Then what?" "She stormed out and all the lads jeered at her," said Fred, with some satisfaction. "Look, the lads know something has happened; word travels fast, and they're all concerned about Amy." "Tell them Amy will be fine, she's just a little shaken at the moment." "OK then but I need to talk to you some more. I think there's more between you and Amy than just a professional relationship," said Fred in a kindly, fatherly way. "No probs Fred, but right now I need to help Amy." "I understand ... but perhaps you forget I'm not only a Dad and a Grandfather, I also used to be a foster father. I've seen enough troubled teens in my time." I smiled at Fred in a way of acknowledging the old dog's astuteness, perception and understanding. "Speak to you later and thanks mate," I said. I went back in the office, and Amy was sitting up straight, looking at the building management system PC. She turned to me. "That reading that was erratic this morning is stable now. How can that be?" she said with her normal, professional voice. "Err ... I don't know but that doesn't matter right now. You do," I said, rather perplexed at Amy's apparent recovery. "Are you OK? I asked almost in disbelief. "I think I'll be OK now, so long as I stay with you." She looked at me and smiled. "If you're worried about the woman that attacked you, she's gone. She had an argument with her boyfriend in the canteen and Fred realised it was her that attacked you and has told her to go," I said in a matter-of-fact way. "By the way, the guys have all asked it you're OK and I told them you were shaken but would be OK. Is that alright?" "Y-y-you mean they asked if I was OK?" Amy asked sounding surprised. "Well of course they did. They all like you; I've told you that before." "Um, why did that woman say the things she did? I've never even spoken to her boyfriend." "Probably because her boyfriend spoke about you. She then found out and was jealous. The problem is, you're a very pretty lass, and lads are going to talk about you; it's what happens sweety." Amy really had no idea how the real world worked. Her innocence in some things was unreal. I guess the lack of nurture from her mother was responsible for her genuine lack of understanding of the ways of the world. "Do you feel up to working this afternoon, or do you want me to take you back to the motel?" I asked. "I'll be OK ... Kiss me please," she said in a quiet voice. I bent down and kissed her gently on the mouth, then her cheeks and finally her forehead. She smiled at me and the sparkle was gradually returning to her eyes "If you feel unsafe, lock the door; only Fred and I have a key to this office. OK?" "OK." "Right, let's see why that reading is stable now, eh?" With that, I left the office and went back to the plant room. I phoned Amy up regularly to discuss measurements and controls and her voice sounded completely normal on each occasion. I marvelled at how quickly she had apparently recovered from her recent attack and wondered if it was because she was so used to being threatened and hurt in her past life that it was an everyday occurrence, as far as she was concerned. It was half past five and I felt we'd done enough that day. I collected Amy and we headed back to Fred's cabin. We signed out and just as we were about to leave Fred looked at Amy. Very slowly hereached out to her and gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. As he did he asked if she was feeling OK. Amy neither flinched or recoiled but instead smiled at Fred and told him she was fine. Then she moved closer to him and gave him a peck on the cheek. "You're a really nice bloke," she said to him. I winked at Fred, "Steady on, old man. Sit down before you fall down!" "Take care of her. She's something special that one," replied Fred, looking at me. "Oh I will, Fred. I will." We headed back to the car and then drove to the motel. Once in the room, Amy took off her work boots and then crashed out on the bed. "Cuddle me will you please?" she said speaking from the heart. Pausing only to take my boots off too, I joined Amy by her side and embraced her. She immediately put her arms round me and then broke into uncontrollable sobs. She was like this for at least half an hour. I said nothing to her and simply stroked her head and back. The poor girl had put on a brave face for the whole afternoon and now, once again, emotions had got the better of her and her barrier was lowered once again. I was just pleased that I could be there for her. She eventually calmed down and looked at me with huge, sad and tear-stained eyes. "Who found me?" she said softly. "Your big mate, Serge," I said. "He came and got me." "He's a nice guy, isn't he?" "Yes, Amy, he is. Whenever you feel sad or some horrible person like that women threaten or hurt you, try and think of people like Serge or Fred, or Mike, George or any of our guys. The vast majority of people in the world are like them, sweety." Suddenly Amy seemed frightened again. "You not going to involve the police over that woman are you?" she asked, her voice trembling. For a moment I went cold wondering why Amy feared the police. "I don't know Amy; the company may have to but I'm not sure of company law. I think thought that it's up to you to press charges against her. But why are you so worried about the police?" "I was homeless, remember? I'll probably be officially reported as a missing child. I'm not an adult until I'm 18 and my Mother could still make things awkward for me until then. I'm scared of anyone in authority because of that..." Her voice trailed off and her lip started to tremble once again. "Don't worry. We'll work something out, Amy," I offered, but in reality I didn't have a clue what we could do to protect her until she was 18. I doubted very much that her mother would be bothered and the school certainly wouldn't be as a child can leave school at 16, but she had a point all the same. I was also relieved that she didn't fear the police because she'd broken the law or something like that. "I'll speak to Fred tomorrow and explain your predicament. Please don't worry about it, poppet". That said I gave Amy another cuddle and stroked her hair. As I did, my thoughts turned to another problem we'd have to face, namely how to officially employ Amy. As soon as we offered her a job, her name would be flagged up with the Inland Revenue and Social Security and no doubt other organisations, as we'd have to register her national insurance number in order to be able to officially employ her, among other things. All these organisations no doubt share information and Amy would be flagged up as a person that existed, so to speak. Her name would be tied to our company address, making it easy for her to be traced. Realising how twisted a person her mother was, there was a possibility she could try and make things awkward for Amy and, although small, it was a risk too great to chance. I would have to discuss this with my boss too as I desperately wanted to make her job permanent; it would offer Amy much-needed stability and a purpose in her wretched life. "Now, are you hungry?" "Yes, but can we stay in the room tonight?" "Of course we can. I'll go and order some food. What would you like?" Expecting her to say 'whatever', because that's what she tended to say when she was in an anxious state, I was pleasantly surprised when she asked for something specific. "May I have a BLT and potato wedges, please?" "Now that sounds good; think I'll copy you!" I said. "Now who can't think for himself, eh?" Amy said, and giggled a little. I smiled at her, pleased her humour had returned. I went to the restaurant and ordered the food. I decided to wait as the order would only take five minutes. There was a lot of eye candy to occupy my time too; several very pretty girls were sitting at a large circular table and the jokes and laughter were flowing freely, like the wine on their table. I smiled to myself at the sight of these exuberant girls and wondered if Amy would ever recover sufficiently from her terrible past to be able to be the same as them... "Sir, your food," said the waiter, in a firm voice. I guess I'd zoned out yet again. This was becoming too much of a habit. "Thank you," I said, and walked off, taking one last glance at the partying girls. I got back in the room and Amy was in the shower. She hadn't closed the door, and steam was escaping into the room. "Amy, I'll have to close the door sweety, or else the fire alarm will go off!" "Oh, OK, sorry!" she said, sounding buoyant. I put the radio on and waited for Amy to finish. She came out with a towel wrapped round her hair. Why is it lasses can do that so perfectly? If a bloke tried to do it, the towel would fall off in seconds ... Anyway, she looked refreshed and was wearing her nightie. Amy sat next to me and we ate in silence. I looked at her several times and smiled; she smiled back and seemed to be relaxed. Eventually, she spoke "I'm OK, you don't have to look so worried" she said, astute as ever to my mood. "I was smiling at you!" "Yes, indeed you were, but your eyes weren't; you looked concerned." It would seem that Amy was learning how to read my face. In some ways I was pleased; she would know I was being genuine, but I also now knew that if I was concerned or worried about her, depending on her mood, she would probably pick up on it in varying degrees of anxiety. We finished eating and Amy went to the bathroom to finish drying her hair. Once she'd done that, she then sat at the desk. She opened the laptop and started it up. "What ya doing girl?" "Field notes Duncs, what d'ya think! You read your book and relax," she said in an authoritative tone. I liked being told what to do by her; it kind of put me in my place, but in a nice way. "OK miss, whatever you say boss," I replied in mock subservient tones. I heard a faint giggle from Amy. I started to read, but I was soon sidetracked by watching Amy. I loved the way she worked with ruthless efficiency; her delicate hands dancing over the laptop keys with speed. "Stop staring at me and read!" she said, a couple of minutes later, without even glancing at me. I laughed at her; she was getting to know me and knew what I liked. Amy finished and came and sat with me again. She picked up the book she'd started to read when we stayed in the cabin in the Lakes. She leant against my chest and I placed my arm over her, allowing it to fall onto her body, just below her boobs. I lazily circled my hand around her midriff and we stayed like that for an hour or so, both seemingly content and wrapped up in the imaginary worlds painted by our respective books. Later we seemed to simultaneously decide to go to bed. Once in bed we adopted the spoon position and drifted off to sleep. We didn't make love that night; it wasn't even discussed. It would seem that we both understood that it didn't seem appropriate, and that a close cuddle was all that was required. As I drifted off to sleep, I was intrigued how we could both reach that level of understanding using non-verbal communication after knowing each other for just over a week. The next morning we went about our morning ablutions and Amy seemed calm and collected. We went for breakfast and again she seemed fine. I was concerned about taking her to work, and desperately wanted to ask her opinion, but at the same time I didn't want to make an issue out of it; a bit of a dilemma. I couldn't be sure that Amy was putting on a 'brave face' and going to work to please me (her subservient role) or whether she was genuinely OK about it. We got in the car and made our way to the construction site. Amy said nothing for the entire journey and simply stared out the side window. I parked up and we made our way to the main site cabin. Still Amy seemed fine so I decided to simply keep an eye on her and say nothing. Fred was there as usual and beamed at us. "Morning; How are you two then?" he said, bright and cheerful as ever. "Fine until I saw your ugly face!" I quipped. "Duncs!" said Amy, like a school mistress, as she looked at me. "Ignore him Fred; I'm fine thanks," she said, smiling at him. Fred smiled back at her in his fatherly way. There was obviously a corner of his heart reserved just for Amy. "Well, at least someone's polite!" said Fred, looking at me. I chuckled at him. We made our way over to my site office and Amy sat down waiting to be told what tasks we would be doing that day. It was pretty much the same as always, except I was in a different location in the new building. The morning passed without incident and we headed for the canteen. For the first time, Amy looked anxious and her pace slowed as we approached the canteen. "You don't have to go in; I can get some food and drink and we can eat it back in the site office if you prefer?" "No, no, I want to go in, I have to do this," she said in a very determined voice. My, how I admired her. We entered, and I was half expecting there to be a lull in the conversation and for everyone to stare. Luckily, that didn't happen, and as we walked by people that knew us, we simply received greetings of "Hey Duncs; hey Aims" or similar. We headed over to the long table that the electricians and fitters tended to sit at. Fred, George, Mike and Serge were sitting there, along with several others. Serge looked at Amy and gave her a huge grin. "Aimzeee not now sadz?" he said, looking at her. "No, I'm not sad Serge," she said, giving him a big smile. Serge gave her an even bigger grin and seemed pleased. "Come on Aims, come and sit opposite me for a change!" said Mike. Amy sat opposite Mike and the lads then all carried on as usual. I would never have credited these lads to possess such intuition and subtlety in the way in which they dealt with Amy. They were great with her and instinctively seemed to know the best way to talk to her and put her at ease. I went over to the canteen counter to get some food and drink. When I got back, there was a lad who I didn't know, shuffling from foot to foot, looking awkward and standing near our table. I caught him looking at me "Can I help you son?" I said, and then noticed he was sporting a big shiny black eye. "Err, yeah, I want to speak to that girl and apologise to her," he said, pointing at Amy. I guessed this was the lad involved with the jealous woman the day before. "Well, do it then, you don't need to seek my permission son," I said, trying to be friendly. The lad slowly approached Amy, and my colleagues looked at him as if they'd lynch him in a heartbeat. Unlike me, my colleagues had witnessed the commotion in the canteen the day before, and must have recognised him. "Err, excuse me, can I speak to you?" he said, standing next to Amy. Amy shot a glance to Mike, who nodded back in a way to say, 'yes, let him, but we're watching him'. Amy nodded back to him. "I'm sorry for what happened to you yesterday; I hope you're OK now?" he said nervously. "My girlfriend was well out-of-order; I'm really sorry." Amy smiled at him and said "It's not your fault mate, but thanks anyway. What happened to your face?" "I got into a bust-up with her last night, and she started to slap me, then her brother came over and punched me in the face and threw me out the house", he said, looking down at the floor. "Sounds to me like you might be better off without her. Look, I appreciate you saying sorry; thanks," and she smiled at him again. The lad looked relieved and shuffled off back to his group. I was about to speak to Amy but Fred beat me to it. "Nice one Aims, you were lovely to that lad, you're an absolute star!" The rest of the lads murmured their praises too and winked and smiled at Amy. George went to 'high five' her, but Amy didn't know what to do, so another of the lads did it back to George to show her. Everyone laughed and the status quo had been resumed. I think the respect for Amy also went up another notch by all sitting at that table. I was sitting next to Amy and a little later she said she needed to pee, but I didn't react at first. I then realised she was hinting that she wanted me to go with her. Fred had heard her too, and noticing that I was still eating, he offered to escort her. "C'mon lass, I need to pee too," said Fred, and off they went. 'What a lovely bloke he is', I thought to myself. No wonder Fred had been a foster parent; I could just imagine how good he'd be at it. After lunch, Amy and I returned to the site office. "Are you OK poppit?" I enquired. "I'm fine thanks; everyone was so nice to me today and it was cool of that lad to apologise to me, even though he didn't have to. I felt sorry for him; that black eye looked painful." "Yeah, it was big of him to do that. I thought our lads were going to murder him!" There was a tap at the door; it was Fred. "Can you spare me ten mins Duncs?" "Anything for you Fred. Amy, why don't you type up the site notes you've completed so far while I go with Fred?" "No probs!" said a cheerful Amy. Fred and I left the office. I knew what he wanted and that it wasn't related to the site business. We walked slowly across the waste land. "So what's the score Duncs; I can see you're helping that kid out, and I know she's troubled by the way she was rocking and how she clung on to you yesterday; I've seen it all before with some of the teens Rose and I used to foster." Fred and I stopped in the middle of the waste ground and sat down on a couple of large wooden cable drums. I explained the whole story right from the beginning, including me taking her to the Lakes. All I left out was the fact we were 'making love'; I wasn't sure Fred would accept that, even though it was completely legal. "Fucking hell Duncs; you're the last person I would have expected to do that sort of thing; you're normally the cautious one who doesn't like risk!" "I know, I know ... I ask my self constantly what on earth I think I'm doing..." I then explained to Fred I hadn't a clue what to do at the weekend. I was due home for three or four days before returning to site for another one to two week stint. I said I didn't know whether to leave Amy at the motel we were in now or whether to take her with me and find a local motel or hotel for her. I told him I'd also toyed with the idea of taking her home; after all, we had a spare room she could use, but then I said I needed to introduce Amy to my family in a more casual way first. I finally explained to Fred about my plan to create a permanent job for Amy. I explained to him what a quick learner she was and how she'd worked a lot of things out for herself. "I knew she was special, but not in so many ways! Listen Duncs, I have an idea about how to solve one of your problems; give me five minutes." Fred wandered off, and I could see he was on his mobile, speaking to someone. I grinned at his animated actions as he spoke; why do people do that when the other person can't possibly see them? Fred came back with a big grin on his face. "Amy's accommodation is all sorted out for when you and she are local to the office." "Wow Fred, nice one; how much will it cost?" "Nowt! I phoned Rose and explained all about Amy and what you've done for her and she thinks it's marvellous. Rose and I want Amy to stay with us for as long as she needs to. She can have the room we used to put the foster kids in. Its en-suite and quite large. Besides, Rose spends a lot of her time without me, so Amy will be company for her too." "Fred, I don't know what to say, except a big thank you!" I looked at him and I felt my eyes well up. I shook his hand and Fred patted me in a fatherly way on my back. "Anything to help; what you've done for Amy is fantastic; it's one more kid off the street as far as we're concerned, so this is our contribution to the cause." I was truly grateful to Fred and Rose. I couldn't think of a better couple to offer a roof over Amy's head. They were salt-of-the-earth folk; kind, generous and loving and I knew Amy would be in good hands. Rose is one of those larger than life people in every sense of the word; a mother-figure to anyone or anything, she would take good care of Amy, of that I was in no doubt. "C'mon Fred, let's go and break the news to Amy!" We walked back to the office and entered. Amy was busy typing up notes on my laptop. She turned round and smiled at us. I pulled up a chair next to Amy and Fred sat against a table. "Amy, I need to talk to you poppit," I said gently. She spun round and looked at me anxiously. "It's nothing bad," I hastily added. Her face softened again. "I'm going home tomorrow for three or four days, and I've been wondering what to do with you for a while now. Next week, you can come back down to site with me, but that leaves the weekend..." "I can go back on the streets for a few days; I don't mind, I don't want to cause you any trouble..." Amy interrupted, looking anxious again. "Amy, Amy, shhhh ... that won't be necessary, and you're certainly not causing any trouble. Just listen to me sweetheart. Fred and his wife Rose used to be foster parents but they gave it up a couple of years ago, because, well, let's face it, they're old-farts now!" I looked at Fred and grinned. "Cheeky bugger!" said Fred. "Harsh!" said Amy, but she was giggling too. "Well, Fred and Rose have this large room with its own bathroom, and they have said, well, I let Fred tell you." "Amy, Rose and I would love you to come and live with us for as long as you want to, so that way, if Duncs isn't working away, or doesn't need your services for any reason, you'll always have somewhere to stay." Amy looked at Fred and tears welled-up in her eyes. She looked at me for reassurance and I slowly nodded back at her. "Um, I ... I ... I don't know what to say Fred," and with that she jumped out of her chair and flung her arms round Fred and buried her head in his chest and burst into tears. Fred put his arms round Amy and hugged her back. Both he and I were a bit tearful too; it was a very emotional moment for all of us. "I hope you don't mind pets; there's two dogs, a cat, rabbits and guinea pigs, oh, and a budgie too. Oh, and there'll be noisy grandchildren occasionally too!" "It sounds cool; I've never had a pet. B ... b ... but how can I pay you back?" "By getting yourself back on-track Aims; that will do for me." Amy released herself from Fred and gave him a huge smile which I could tell he appreciated. Then Amy gave me a big hug too. Amy's life and prospects had just got a lot better thanks to Fred and Rose's lovely offer. "OK, let's get back to work folks!" said Fred, who looked really happy. I think secretly he missed having youngsters in the house, and Amy had given him and Rose the opportunity again. Amy and I worked all afternoon with more proving and validation work. Every time I phoned her up to discuss a measurement she sounded so happy. Mind you, so was I as I now had a way of helping Amy on a more permanent basis. Before long it was six o clock and I decided to call it a day. I went to the office to get Amy. As soon as I walked in she jumped out of her chair and ran up to me, jumped up, wrapped her arms round my neck and her legs round my hips; then she planted her lips on mine and started to kiss me passionately. I was completely taken aback by her spontaneous passion, but I wasn't complaining. She pulled away from my mouth and gave me one of her most delicious smiles. "Do you welcome all the blokes that come in here in that way?" "Only the ones I fancy!" said Amy, giggling. "What ya like, eh?" I smiled, I couldn't help it; she was just so gorgeous. "C'mon girl, lets go back to that crappy motel before you molest me any more and get me sacked!" We walked to the main cabin to sign out. Amy thanked Fred once again for his kind offer and we bade him good evening. We walked back to the car park and got in the car. As soon as we were in, Amy leant over to me and once again kissed me passionately. She'd never been like this up till now; it was like her passion had gone up a gear and I found it very arousing. C'mon then, get us back to the motel!" said Amy, sounding quite urgent. The journey back was reasonably quick as the traffic had thankfully thinned out, as it was now half past six. Amy kept looking at me, which was unusual as she normally stared out of the side window. Her eyes had a new fiery, smouldering passion in them, and it was extremely erotic. I suspected I was in for an interesting evening. I turned into the motel car park, parked up and we headed for the motel entrance. Amy said a cheerful 'hello' to the receptionist, which was a first; she normally only smiled at them. She was riding a real high at the moment. We walked down the corridor and I put the key in and opened the door. I let Amy in first and I followed. No sooner was I inside and had just closed the door when Amy lunged at me again and started kissing me with more amazing passion. She had me pushed against the door and I was cornered by this amazingly horny girl, who was clearly not taking no for an answer. She broke off from kissing me and gave me the most amazing smile; the sort of smile I dreamed I would see on her face over a week ago. "I'm going to make love to you Duncs ... now!" "Do I have a choice in the matter?" "Nope!" and that said, Amy jumped up onto me, grabbed my neck and wrapped her legs around my hips again. I placed my hands on her buttocks and revelled in the firmness of them. She launched her lips back on to mine and forced her tongue straight into my mouth. I started to walk into the room with Amy attached to me like a limpet. She then released herself from me, ripped her T-shirt off, followed by her bra. She then ripped my T-shirt off and again wrapped her arms round my neck and kissed me again with urgency and great fervour, as if her life depended on it. "Play with my boobs," she demanded and I gladly did as I was told. Amy was now fumbling with my belt and then unbuttoned my jeans. She quickly pushed them to the floor, followed by my undies. Then she started lightly running her hand up and down my cock, which soon became fully hard with her exquisite touch. I broke away from her, crouched down and removed my boots and socks so that I could remove my jeans. I also took Amy's boots and socks off whilst I was down there. I found myself level with her crotch, so I slowly undid her jeans and slid them down, maintaining eye contact with Amy throughout. The delicious look of anticipation on Amy's face was wonderful. The crotch of her skimpy pink knickers was soaking wet already, making her glorious 'camel toe' all the more pronounced. I sank my nose into her wet patch and took a long sniff; I overdosed on the smell of her sex with the same fervour that a drug user would sniff a line of coke. Amy gasped as my nose made contact with her quim and she pulled firmly on the back of my head to increase the contact. I started licking her through her panties and I could feel Amy quivering with delight. She was so highly aroused and already seemed ready to explode. Her legs were actually trembling and I was concerned she might collapse. I slowly peeled her soaking wet panties down and sank my mouth onto her delicious and inviting quim, placing my hands on her buttocks as I did so. I lavishly licked the entrance to her sex and Amy responded with low moans, thrusting her pelvis forward to meet my greedy mouth. Shuffling on my knees, I guided Amy backwards towards the end of the bed and told her to lay back on it. Amy did so and realising my intentions immediately raised her legs and spread them wide to give me maximum exposure to her fanny. Still kneeling at the end of the bed and now facing Amy's spread legs, I placed my thumbs on her labia and gently spread them apart, revealing the glorious pink folds of flesh inside. I once again sank my mouth onto her fanny, probing her as deeply as I could with my tongue and then seeking out her clit, which I sucked and gently nibbled on, making Amy gasp and moan with each suck. I moved my hands up her body and sought out her wonderful pert boobs, one per hand and proceeded to knead and massage them whilst simultaneously feasting for all my worth on her exquisite quim. After a few minutes Amy spoke "Please join me on the bed, I want to kiss you" she said in a most sexy and husky voice. She had practically made love to me with her voice alone, so sexy did it sound. I got up onto the bed and lay by her side. She looked at me with passion, "I said I was going to make love to you and you took over!" "Oops, do you mind?" I said, smiling at her. "No, I'll let you off!" That said, she suckered back onto my mouth and kissed me with even more passion than before. I ran my fingers down her firm body and headed for her quim. Placing two fingers into her sex with ease, I proceeded to slowly finger fuck her. Amy responded by opening her legs wide and raised her pelvis to allow me maximum access. Next I was aware of a hand encircling the shaft of my cock; Amy proceeded to slowly stroke me with a feather-light touch, an indescribable sensation. Amy was highly charged, and was moaning almost constantly as she kissed me; I could feel the vibrations of her moans in my mouth, a most odd yet pleasant feeling. Suddenly, Amy broke off and pushed my on my back, then, with a wicked grin and mischievous eyes, she straddled me, grabbed my cock again and guided it into her waiting quim, which she did with the precision and speed of an experienced lover. "I'm gonna fuck you senseless!" she proudly proclaimed. Even in my distracted state, I momentarily wondered where she'd picked up this deliciously filthy language, and guessed she'd probably heard these phrases by the blokes that had raped her. Sure enough Amy carried out her 'threat', and rode my cock in the most amazing way imaginable. I was merely along for the ride but what a ride! She thrashed around on top of me, her lithe torso curved in the most erotic way possible, her hands were flexing on top of my chest, occasionally grabbing chunks of me in the process. It sort of hurt but in a pleasurable way. I watched Amy and was mesmerised, and dearly wished I could video her for future replay on nights when I might find myself alone and lonely. Her head was thrashing around, long blonde hair flying everywhere. Her eyes were tight shut and her mouth gaping wide. She was panting, moaning and gasping in quick succession. Amy had left this world and gone to visit planet Orgasmatron... Amy was getting increasingly more worked-up and I helped her along by playing with her boobs. Her nipples were rock hard and highly sensitised; the merest touch on them made her react. Her moans and pants were now interspersed with the odd 'fuck' and 'shit' uttered as she neared her orgasm. Amy's first orgasm came without much warning and I felt her quim rhythmically tighten around my cock. She let out a series of high-pitched screams, but continued to ride me for all her worth. The sight and sound of her had me extremely turned on and I felt my bollocks tingling like they were one fire. Amy briefly looked down at me and managed to give me a lovely smile between her moans. That was one sexy face that I just wanted to see again and again. She spoke to me breathlessly "are you near yet?" I nodded back at her. Seeing me nod, Amy went up a gear, and I felt my own imminent orgasm looming. I closed my eyes in anticipation and just listened to the wonderful symphony of Amy alternately grunting, moaning and panting. She was going for an action reply and I felt her body start to convulse once more. I felt the first shot of spunk leave my cock, the force of which made me shudder, then another shot and then, on the third shot, Amy let out the loudest, most guttural grunt she'd ever made so far in our time together. My spunk entering her sex had triggered the final wave of her second orgasm, and Amy started to slow down the pace of her frenetic rhythm. Still slowly riding me, her arms collapsed and she fell onto my chest, but with the ounce of energy she had left, she resumed kissing me with a gentle, slow and sensual French kiss. She gradually slowed down more and more until she was finally stationary on my semi-hard cock, the only movement now being her chest heaving, as she replaced much needed air. The 'sex machine' had stopped and was morphing back to a more normal Amy. Amy stopped kissing me and placed her head on my chest. She was still catching her breath. "Amy, that was amazing poppit; you make love to me in the most wonderful way possible." I said, suddenly feeling very emotional. "I have an amazing and wonderful teacher," she responded. Inexplicably, I then started to cry and couldn't stop. Amy got off me and pulled me to on my side, lay on her side and pulled my head onto her chest and held me tight. She stroked my head just like I would stroke hers when she was sad or upset. Eventually she spoke "What is it Duncs; whatever's the matter?" she said in a soothing and concerned voice. "Oh, just a lot of mixed emotions from a silly middle-aged fool," I replied. "I'm happy and sad at the same time, if that makes sense." "You're not a fool, but a kind, generous, thoughtful and great bloke to be with more like," Amy responded. "Thank you sweetheart; kind words indeed," I said, lifting my head to meet hers and kiss her wonderful mouth. I looked at her "Have I told you how insanely beautiful you are?" "Oh, let me think ... Yeah, once or twice maybe, I think..." she said, smiling at me in the most gorgeous way. Amy continued to hold me, and for once roles were reversed as Amy comforted me. I felt strangely vulnerable and couldn't explain it; and paradoxically, Amy seemed to be the strong one that evening... Suddenly Amy spoke and broke the spell "Duncs, I'm hungry; are you going to feed me or let me starve?" "Shit, sorry poppit; what time is it?" "Just gone eight o clock." "OK, let's get a quick shower and go to the restaurant." We were both ready in less than 15 minutes. We approached the restaurant and it was fairly quiet so we were seated straight away. Once the waiter had gone I looked at Amy and thanked her for her understanding earlier. "You comfort me all the time Duncs; it wouldn't be very nice if I couldn't return the gesture," she said. I once again puzzled at how on the one hand this girl could be mature beyond her years and yet on the other hand be incredibly child-like too. But I also marvelled at her incredible resolve and how she coped at all, given all that had happened to her. The waiter came back to take our order. I was pleased to see that Amy chose her own meal and drink and seemed completely happy, content and confident. This was her best personality by far and I hoped this was the real Amy, the Amy that I'd see more and more of as her mind slowly repaired itself after years of mental and physical abuse. As we ate, we chatted about all sorts of things and talking to Amy when she was like this was wonderful; she was so eloquent and her voice was lovely to listen too. I watched her intently as she spoke to me; I was mesmerised by her insane beauty and her animated face as she spoke. It never seemed to faze Amy when I stared at her like this; some people would be put off, I'm sure. She was so modest and unassuming and that made her all the more delightful to be with. After our meal, Amy suggested going for a walk, which I gladly agreed to. We popped back to the room for our fleeces. It was dark and chilly, but very still and no sign of rain. We walked hand-in-hand heading in no particular direction and stopped occasionally to gently kiss and cuddle. We again talked about the day's events and finally Fred and Rose's lovely offer. I told Amy all about Rose and what a lovely person she was. Amy was understandably a little anxious to meet a stranger, but also excited at the prospect of having a room to call 'hers'. We headed back to the motel and back to the privacy of our room. Amy switched on the radio and we settled on the settee to read our respective books. Like two lovers, we couldn't resist occasional kisses and mini cuddles and the whole evening was truly wonderful and intimate. It was about eleven o clock and we decided to go to bed. We had a morning's work to complete followed by a long drive home. I got ready first as Amy wanted to check something on the 'net first. I came out the bathroom wearing just shorts and got into bed. Amy smiled mischievously at me as she went into the bathroom herself. A few minutes later she emerged, without a stitch on and sporting a most wicked look on her beautiful face. 'Oh boy, ' I thought; 'so much for the early night... ' ------- Chapter 13 'Amy, the weekend, Jess and my wife... ' part 1 It was Friday and time to leave the motel again. Amy was in a jubilant mood, just as she had been the previous night. We had made passionate love that night and once again, for the most part Amy had taken the lead. I have to say I found it very enjoyable, and the fact she did lead meant she was happy with the proceedings, not that I needed convincing of that any more. Amy clearly enjoyed loving, consensual sex, and I did wonder if, in a strange way, it was actually a sort of therapy for her, being how it was the antithesis to being raped and molested. With her usual efficiency, Amy packed up and prepared for leaving the room, leaving little for me to do. I never asked her to do any of this; she just naturally helped me. We packed the car and then returned for breakfast. Amy's admirer was on duty again. "Good morning Sir, Miss; usual table? "Good morning mate; yeah, that'll be fine ta." I said, smiling at him. The waiter smiled back and then, looking at Amy, gave her an even bigger smile. Amy reciprocated with a proper smile so I can only imagine she made his day. We ate and then left. On the way out, we said goodbye to the waiter and told him we'd see him the following Tuesday. He looked awkward as if he wanted to say something. Eventually, half looking at Amy, he spoke, "C-c-can I just say I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life..." he trailed off, blushing and then looking at me anxiously to see if I was angry. Amy looked down at her feet, embarrassed by his compliment. I saved them both from their discomfort. "Son, you have great taste, except the word beautiful alone is not enough to describe her; try insanely beautiful!" I smiled at him to show no offense was taken and offered my hand to him. We shook and as we did I said "You're a good man and a great waiter; see you next week mate". He smiled back, looking relieved that his revelation hadn't upset me or Amy. Why would it upset me? I took it as a compliment. As we walked away, Amy took hold of my hand. Maybe that was her way of telling the waiter she was 'off limits'; I don't know. "Did you like getting that compliment?" "Um, I'm not sure. Two weeks ago I would have automatically assumed he just wanted to fuck me; but I guess now, I should just think that he fancies me; right?" "Spot on, Amy, exactly how you should think. He was totally sincere with his compliment; I could see that in his non-verbal communication." "I still find it hard to read people's faces." "You'll pick it up sweety; you're doing just fine as you are." As I said this, she squeezed my hand a little tighter and smiled at me. Man, how I loved that smile! We left the motel, got in the car and drove to the site. We signed in for the last time that week and, as to be expected, Fred was already in the office. "Hello, you two! Wow, you both look happy!" "Well, it's the weekend and three days with the family to look forward to Fred!" "And you, Aims?" "Oh, Um, I'm happy because I'm looking forward to meeting Rose and seeing my room." "Nice one, Aims, and Rose is dying to meet you too." "Duncs, I told Rose you'd be at our house for about six o'clock; is that about right?" "Yeah, give or take half an hour," I replied. "Are you on site this weekend or going home too?" "I'm staying to keep an eye on the skeleton crew, mate." "Shame! Still, no problem. Amy and Rose will get on just fine." Amy's exuberant mood changed in a heartbeat and she looked anxious. "What if Rose doesn't like me?" she asked the pair of us. "There is zero chance of that, sweet pea," said Fred in his fatherly way. Amy seemed content with this answer and her exuberant mood returned. She and I left the site office and once again returned to my temporary office. "Right, Amy, we're not doing any fresh validation work this morning as such, so, what I'd like you to do is check the live measurements against the readings we've taken over the last week and just see how they compare. Simply make a new column in our log book and record the live readings as you see them and make comments as required. I'm going to speak to the lads and tell them I need all the doors on the controlled environment rooms left closed as much as possible as I'm going to set-up a series of long-term tests whilst we're away." "OK, Duncs." Her reply told me everything I needed to know. With a lot of my colleagues, I would have said something like 'Sure you got all that?' Not with Amy; her professionalism and understanding was way beyond her years and I was truly in awe of her intellect. About two hours later I returned to my office. I'd done the rounds of the site and seen all the lads I needed to speak to. Not one of them failed to ask after Amy which I thought was lovely. I stuck notices on the various doors I needed to remain closed as much as possible. Part of the certification process in readiness for hand-over to the client meant we had to run certain special rooms at the design specification for a minimum of 48 hours to prove the stability of the controls and systems. A long weekend was a good time to do this; the skeleton staff on duty would mean there was little disruption and work taking place. If someone had to enter a room it didn't matter so long as they closed the door behind them. In fact, it is a good 'real world' test if someone enters and leaves the room as it checks the ability of the control system to respond to the disturbance and recover once again to a stable state. On my return, I could tell by looking at the operator's console when doors had been opened and closed and could then look at temperature, humidity and CO2 graphs to see what effect it had on the conditions as the door was opened and then closed again. I went into the office and Amy was busy looking at various screens and tabulating the information presented before her. She had once asked me why I liked a hand-written log when instead she could simply skip that step and type the results directly into a spreadsheet. I had told her I was 'old-school' and believed that hand-written notes were still 'king', as it was my (or her) handwriting which gave it an identity, thereby adding a certain gravitas whereas a spread sheet could be anyone's work. Some customers still like to see an engineer writing hand notes too; I think it gives them some sort of comfort factor. I have scores of Oxford 'Black 'n' Red' ring bound site books going back many years stashed in the archives room back at the office. "How's things then, Amy. Looking good and fit for purpose?" "It all looks fine except this reading; it seems a little higher than normal. Perhaps you need to adjust the PID loop for the servo controlling the refrigerant hot bypass valve for that particular cooling circuit," said my beautiful young assistant with authority and confidence but certainly with no arrogance. I chuckled to myself at this 17 year old girl, who had no formal technical training, talking my language like an old pro. She'd gone from being someone merely meticulously recording results to being someone able to see the error in a measurement, deduce the problem and devise the solution in less than two weeks. She had seen me enter the control programmes and make adjustments. Everything I did she studied with an unbelievable intensity and fascination. She constantly asked me questions which I gladly answered verbally or with hand drawings and worked examples. I would gladly help anyone that was interested but Amy's interest went way beyond any past trainee I had been a mentor to. "Well, don't tell me about it; do it then girl. You've obviously got it sussed. After my job are you?" "Not yet!" she giggled. I stood behind Amy and massaged her shoulders as she worked. She entered the PIN to gain access to the control system. I hadn't even told her the PIN but she'd obviously seen me type it in several times and had memorised it. 'Typical' I thought. 'Can't keep any secrets from her!' She quickly located the section of programme responsible for controlling the circuit with the high reading she'd previously noted and then made an intuitive adjustment. Then, without being prompted, she recorded the change in the site book. The new value she'd entered into the programme would have been exactly the value I would have chosen. "Nice one, Amy. That should do just fine. Seeing as you're in the programme mode now, would you like to enter this list of settings for me to set up the long-term validation tests?" I handed her a hand-written list of settings I'd compiled for the various special rooms. "You sure?" "Of course I am; wouldn't ask you if I wasn't, young-un!" Amy seemed pleased to be offered a new level of responsibility and set to the task of entering the revised settings and logging each step in the site book. I busied myself with some other paperwork, made a couple of calls and answered some emails. My BlackBerry vibrated and the sound it made told me it was a text message. It was from Jessie, my daughter: DADDY-POOS, HAVE U REMEMBERED U PROMISED TO TAKE ME SHOPPING ON SATURDAY? LUV N HUGS JESSIE XXXXX I had forgotten but it didn't matter. I never make plans for the weekend and simply 'go with the flow', so to speak. Suddenly, I had a 'light bulb switching on' moment. I had only bought Amy a limited selection of clothes, and I thought it would be nice for her to choose some of her own. I had already told my wife about Amy (well, not everything!), so no doubt my wife would have told Jess; they're more like sisters than mother-daughter and love 'girly talk'. I texted Jess back: HEY DAUGHTER! HAD FORGOTTEN BUT NO PROBLEM SWEETY. DO YOU MIND IF AMY JOINS US? – SHE NEEDS STUFF TOO! LOVE DADDY-O XXX N0 WORRIES DAD. I SO WANT TO MEET AMY! SO ALL'S COOL. KNEW YOU'D FORGET THO! LUV JESSSSSIIIIIEEEEE XXXXXXXXXXXX I laughed at her text. She was a cheeky bugger but I wouldn't have her any other way. She was cheeky but not precocious, a big difference. Jessie and I have always been close and, although only 13 at the time, I could talk to her like I would to an adult. "Amy, got an idea. On Saturday I'm taking Jess shopping; would you like to join us and get some more clothes and stuff?" "Um, guess so; I would like to meet Jess..." she said cautiously and a little anxiously too. "You don't sound so sure; what's bothering you?" "Well, I-I-I haven't got any money to buy anything but I'd love to come along though..." "Is that all? You silly lass, don't worry about the money, girl; my treat. Let's call it payment for all the hard work you've done for me. "B-b-but I thought doing work for you was my way of paying you back for taking me in and looking after me?" "Well, it was, but it's gone beyond that now, sweety. Don't question it; just accept it." With that said, I walked over to her, bent down and gave her a big kiss. "Thanks Duncs, I don't know what to say, but thank you. I would love to go!" Amy finished entering the new settings and asked me to check her work. I did, not because I didn't trust her, but because I thought she'd worry if I didn't. Of course, it was all 100% correct. It was eleven o'clock and we'd about done. As usual, with Amy's assistance, I'd completed all I needed to do before the weekend far quicker than normal. I told Amy to pack up and we left my temporary site office. "Let's get a quick bite-to-eat, Amy. We've got a long journey ahead of us and, if possible, I'd like to do it in one hop." We entered the canteen which was very quiet; most lads broke off between midday to one o'clock for lunch. We went to the counter and one of the canteen ladies spoke to us, "Ay, want some gossip?" She didn't wait for an answer, "That little slut that threatened Amy the other day got locked up last night; apparently started a fight in a club and glassed another girl!" She looked pleased with her revelation. "Well, I hope they throw away the key!" I said. "Thanks for the info; I don't think we'll be seeing her back here again." Amy seemed relieved to hear this too. We got our food and drink, sat down and chatted. Amy was completely relaxed and at ease. This was the Amy I wanted to see all the time. I wasn't kidding myself though; I knew she had a long road ahead of her to finally lock away her traumatic childhood. With my very limited layman's knowledge regarding 'survivors' of mental and physical abuse, I knew it would probably take many years for Amy to recover to a reasonable state of normality. I say that because I suspect 'survivors' never fully recover 100%. We left the canteen, headed over to Fred's office and signed out for the last time that week. I shook hands with Fred and Amy gave him a hug. We said our farewells and left. "I'll phone Rose to tell her you're setting off," said Fred, as we departed. "Cheers, Fred! 'Bye mate!" We got in the car. I proceeded out of the car park, headed onto the ring road, then the bypass and then once again joined the motorway. "Wish we were going to the Lakes again," said Amy longingly. "That would indeed be lovely but family calls, poppet." "Oh, I know. Sorry, that was rude of me. Anyway, I'm looking forward to meeting Jess and Rose." "It wasn't rude of you at all. Stop apologising all the time." "It's hard for me not to apologise all the time when I've been told for sixteen years that everything I did was wrong in some way..." she trailed off, sounding sad again. "I know, I know, sweetheart, but this is your new life now; time for you to start putting your past life behind you." "I know it is and, with your help, I already am," she said softly. I glanced over to her. Her eyes were moist but she was smiling too and she stroked my thigh which I found reassuring as well as pleasant. "Good, good," I whispered back. We then settled in for the long drive back home. Amy chose a radio station and settled back into her seat. A few miles further down the motorway she suddenly giggled, reached down to her boots, took them off and her thick woolly socks and then proceeded to put her feet on the dashboard. "Sorry, sir; forgot you like me to do this, sir," she said in mock subservient tones. "I should think so too" I said in stern voice, grinning at her. We made small talk interspersed with periods of silence where we'd simply listen to music. There had been one question that I'd wanted to ask Amy for some time: where she used to live. I had guessed that the school she'd been looking up on the 'net must have been her old school, so based on that, I knew the town but I wanted to ask her all the same. "Amy, if you don't mind me asking, where did you used to live?" "I don't mind you asking; it was Barnsley. Why d'ya ask though?" "Just curious ... Also, you'd probably be relieved to hear that we don't ever work in that area." "Yeah, that's cool; I'm in no hurry to return to Barnsley!" she said and laughed at herself. I was relieved my question had not apparently upset her. "One more question if I may? "Go ahead." "Did you leave school with any qualifications?" "Unfortunately, no. I missed too much school and running away before finishing year 11 didn't help either. Again, why d'ya ask though?" "I'd guessed you probably hadn't finished school properly and was thinking about getting you enrolled at college sometime in the future but a lack of secondary school qualifications may be a problem though." "I'd like to go to college." "Cool." I was happy she seemed positive about this. She'd do well academically; I had no doubt about that. "By the way, where are we actually going?" asked Amy. As soon as she said this I realised I hadn't told her where 'home' was. "Sorry poppet. It's a small town named Beverley in East Yorkshire. It's nothing like Barnsley by the way; a far prettier place." Amy laughed at this. "It that where you and Rose and Fred live?" "No, just Rose and Fred. I live in a village named Etton which is a few miles from Beverley. Fred and Rose's house is only about one mile from our main office." We carried on with the journey mostly listening to music and away with our own thoughts. We were about 200miles into our 350mile journey when Amy spoke, "I hate to be a pain but I could do with a pee" she said giggling. "No worries, poppet. There's a small bowl on the backseat of the car." She paused, not sure at first if I was serious, but then I cracked unable to hold my deadpan face any longer. "Sod you!" she said, giggling, "I'll pee on the seat then!" "Then I'd have to spank your bum, you dirty little girl!" "Ooh, is that a threat or a promise?" I loved her when she was like this. Her wicked sense of humour was fantastic and this was hopefully the 'real Amy' surfacing, and a lovely personality it was too. "That's up to you, but there's a service station in about five miles. Can you hold on till then?" "Oh I'll try my best, sir," she said in a mock little girl's voice, all subservient. As she said this she carried on the play-acting by grabbing her fanny with one hand like little children do when they're dying for the toilet. Even though she was only messing around, I found it quite a turn on to see her grab her fanny and I found myself wondering if she ever masturbated. Another avenue to explore in the future... Amy put her socks and boots back on in preparation for the visit to the services. After a few miles I pulled into the services and parked as close as I could to the building. I knew the layout of the services and made a beeline for the toilets, ignoring the official signage as I knew a shortcut. I told Amy I would stand outside but that obviously I couldn't enter an all-female toilet block. She seemed a little pensive but she had to pee. "Just sing loudly or whistle!" I helpfully suggested knowing it was pointless asking her to lock the door. Her visit to the toilet was uneventful and I then told her it was my turn and would she wait for me outside the entrance to the gents. "Why, are you worried about toilets too!" she said, in a way that mocked her own hang-up. "No, you daft lass; I just don't want you to get lost and wander off!" "Sorry, sir. Of course, sir," she said again in her mock little girl's voice. I laughed at her. When I came out, she was standing all girly-like, with her head cocked to one side. She looked sweet but very mischievous. "What's up with you?" I said, smiling at her. "You look like the cat that got the cream!" "I was just thinking of you with your cock in your hand having a pee!" "Were you now?" I said, amused at my young companion's increasingly active imagination with all matters sexual. "C'mon, let's get you out of here before we both get arrested! I'm getting a coffee; do want anything?" "Coke, please." I got the drinks and we left. We got to the car and I was about to get in when Amy asked me something. "Will you give me a cuddle before we set off?" I walked round to her side of the car and put my arms around her. Amy immediately put her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. Then she placed her hands around the back of my head, kissed me gently on the lips and then slowly pushed her tongue into my mouth. My loins stirred instantly at this unexpected stimulation. She kissed slowly and passionately for couple of minutes and then drew away. "Thanks!" she said simply. "For what?" I enquired. "Everything." I smiled at her and she kissed me once more. "C'mon girl, let's get in the car and hit the road before you strip me in public!" Amy giggled. "Spoil sport! No sense of adventure!" The last 150miles went by quickly; fortunately the motorway was reasonably quiet given that it was a Friday and before long we were on the home straight. "It's nice scenery here, not as pretty as the Lakes, but still nice." "Yep, it is, poppet; those hills over there are the Wolds. I spend a lot of time walking around there when I'm home." "Will you take me up there one day?" "Of course I will; I'd love to, sweety." "Cool." We reached Beverley and Amy was impressed with the Minster and its majestic towers. "Wow, what an amazing church!" she exclaimed. It pleased me that appreciated the kind of things I loved. "Couple of miles to go now," I told her. She started to look a little anxious. I could see her clenching and unclenching her fists like she did in the McDonalds that first night. I looked at her and smiled, "Everything will be fine, poppet." She gave me a weak smile in return. I headed for the pleasant suburb where Fred and Rose lived. The houses were all neat and tidy with beautifully manicured gardens. After driving down a couple of streets, I finally turned down a cul-de-sac and Fred and Rose's house was at the end. I drove straight up the drive. "Wow, what a nice house! said Amy. She leant over to me and gave me a quick kiss on the mouth. "Just in case I don't get the opportunity to do that later!" she said. I was touched. Rose must have heard us as the front door opened and out she bounded. She was very sprightly for her age and size. She had a big beaming smile on her face and waited on the drive for us to get out. We got out the car and I was nearest to her. Rose lunged at me and gave me a massive hug, nearly squeezing the life out of me. "It's been far too long since I last saw you, lad!" she exclaimed, telling me off like my mother would have done. I was amused at her calling a 47 year old man 'lad'. "Sorry Rose," I said in a mock childish voice. I heard Amy giggle. "And you must be Amy; why just look at you, you're a mere slip of a lass, we'll need to feed you up, love!" said Rose, launching herself at Amy but thankfully not squeezing her as tightly as she did me. "Hello Rose; um, it is alright to call you Rose is it? Oh, and thank you for taking me in; wow, what a nice house! said Amy who seemed immediately at ease but a little hyper with Rose, as I knew she would be. "You can call me whatever you like, love, so long as it's not rude! Rose, Rosy, even Mum if you like." Then, one of Rose's dogs came bounding out, a large black Labrador famous for licking people to death. I immediately fussed her; I love dogs even though we don't own one ourselves. Then the dog made a beeline for Amy to have another fresh scent to sample. Amy was a little unsure of her and the dog seemed to sense this as she didn't fuss around Amy as much as she did me. "Oh leave her alone, Bess. She doesn't want you fussing around her," said Rose to the dog who immediately and obediently stepped back, well for one second anyway, then she came bounding over to me for more fussing which I gladly gave back. "It's OK Rose; I'm just not used to dogs," said Amy, apologetically. For a couple of minutes, Rose and Amy watched me and Bess enjoy a mock fight with much petting on my part and much licking on Bess's part. "I don't know who's worse," said Rose looking at Bess and me. "Oh, no contest; its Duncs!" said Amy, and they both giggled. They were clearly going to get on with each other. "Come on, you daft bugger, help this young lady in with her things," said Rose addressing me. Amy and I unpacked the car and between us carried in all her stuff which wasn't much really. Her old, tattered rucksack, two carrier bags and a holdall with her new clothes in, which I'd recently bought for her at a petrol station one evening. I was also leaving the old laptop and phone with her, so that she could surf the net and contact me anytime she needed to. We followed Rose up the stairs and she led us to Amy's room. It was decorated in neutral colours as Fred and Rose had fostered children of both sexes. Rose had made the bed up with a nice girly duvet cover, which was probably a bit young for Amy but I'd doubt she'd care. There was a small two-seater settee, desk and chair, wardrobe, shelves, a stereo and TV/DVD. Amy stood in the middle of the room, looking round and I could see her eyes well-up and I knew she was going to cry. Rose saw it too and immediately hugged her. I was pleased Rose stepped in first as it would validate in Amy's mind the kind of person Rose was. Rose shot me a glance over Amy's shoulder and I smiled back at her and nodded my approval and mouthed 'thank you'. "Hey come on, love, don't get upset now; this is your home now for as long as you want it to be," said Rose, stroking the back of Amy's head. "The room's lovely Rose; I can't thank you enough," said a tearful but happy Amy. "Good, I'm glad. Right, I'll leave you two alone, as no doubt you have things you want to say to Duncs; come down when you're ready and I'll show you the rest of the house." I wasn't sure what to make of Rose giving us some privacy; either she was extremely perceptive of 'our' situation or she really did think Amy might simply want to talk to me in private. Either way, it was a nice gesture and I appreciated it. "Are you going to be OK?" "Rose is lovely, just as you said she would be, and this room is fantastic!" said Amy throwing her arms around me and giving me a huge hug. She again gave me a very sensual and passionate kiss and I had to break it off as she was making me incredibly horny. "Amy, you'll have to stop or else Rose will notice something different in my trousers!" Amy giggled and grabbed my at my crotch, "What do you mean?" she said giggling again. "You're terrible; d'ya know that?" I said, trying to be serious but failing miserably. "You're my teacher, my mentor, my lover; so it's all your fault!" she said dancing around me in circles. "C'mon, let's go down stairs and see Rose." "Awwww, just one more kiss?" "No!" I said trying to be firm. She still stole another kiss off me though. We went downstairs and Rose was busying herself in the kitchen. Luckily, my semi-erect cock had decided to behave itself and had gone flaccid again. Rose showed Amy around the house and introduced the various pets and where everything was. She told Amy to treat the house as her own and then gave her a house key. Amy gave Rose another cuddle and cried again but her emotional outburst was for all the right reasons, as it had been in her room. I knew she was happy and, more importantly, relieved to have a base; somewhere to call 'home'. I thanked Rose again, gave her another hug and then gave Amy a hug too and she thankfully gave me a restrained, polite kiss on the cheek realising that decorum had to be shown in front of Rose. I told Rose I'd have to make tracks as I'd not seen my family for two weeks. "Oh yes, and about your family," Rose started, "I haven't seen your little darlings for a long time so bring them over soon!" she said trying to tell me off but failing. "Well, as a matter of fact Rose, you'll see Jess tomorrow as I'm picking up Amy to take her shopping with us. We'll pick you up around one o clock, Amy. Is that OK? Oh and Rose, I'll take Amy and Jess out for tea tomorrow too so we'll be back about seven or so in the evening". "You do whatever you want to Duncs. Amy, you're free to come and go as you want; all I ask is you let me know if you'll be joining me for meals so I know whether to cook for one or two. OK?" "Of course, Rose, thank you. You're very kind and thoughtful," said Amy giving her a big smile. "Thanks, Duncs, one o clock sounds fine." "Right, come on you daft sod, bugger-off now and go and see that family of yours," said Rose in a matter-of fact way as she showed me the door. "OK, old girl," I said, giving Rose a peck on the cheek; then I reached over to Amy and gave her a peck on the cheek too. "Behave yourself, won't you!" "Of course she will!" said Rose. "I didn't mean Amy!" With that said, I left the house, got in my car and drove to Etton to the family home. I opened the front door and was met by Jessie who flung her arms round me and gave me a huge hug. I stroked her head and then after 30 seconds or so, pushed her back slightly, held her shoulders and planted a huge sloppy kiss on her forehead and blew a 'raspberry' on both her cheeks. "Dad!" she said trying to sound annoyed but failing and giggling, wiping her face with her hand. "Hello, sweet pea, missed my wallet did ya gorgeous?" I said with a deadpan face. "Nah, I used Mum's credit card!" she said not rising to the bait. I laughed; my daughter was always in-tune with my humour. I sometimes had to remind myself she was only 13 years old; she had a far older head on her young shoulders. "I want to know all about Amy!" she said barely letting me through the porch. "Whoa, whoa! Slow down girl; let me get in and say hello to the others. Jessie pranced off giggling. I realised at that moment just how much Amy was like Jessie when she was on a high. My son and wife were in the kitchen. I 'high-fived' my son and gave my missus a kiss on the cheek. I dumped my dirty clothes in the utility room, went upstairs to unpack my bag, had a quick wash and changed into T-shirt and jeans and returned to the kitchen. Our kitchen is the focal point of the house and is where we hang out to talk about our day before splitting off to respective rooms. The family living room is rarely used except by me. The kids have their own TV's and PC's in their bedrooms plus their own living room upstairs which used to be the playroom when they were younger. My wife asked me about my two weeks away and I asked her about the village and local gossip. I could tell though that my wife and Jessie were dying to talk about the main focus of their curiosity, namely Amy. My son made his excuses and went to his room not being interested in the gossip. I chuckled to myself that when he met Amy he might show far more interest in her. Being fifteen at the time, testosterone would be coursing though his body and Amy's stunning figure and beautiful face I'm sure would allure him to her. "C'mon then, Dad, tell us all about Amy," said Jess. So I told my wife and Jessie all about Amy, right from how I found her sitting on the grass, hunched up and rocking, looking a pitiful sight, up to taking her round to Rose's house that night. I told them about her near 16 years of hell and the abuse she'd suffered. I softened the details a little for Jessie's sake; she may well have been very mature for her age but she was after all only thirteen. My eyes moistened a little recounting this part of the story and I know my wife picked up on just how serious it was from my tone and facial expressions. Of course, I left out the small detail that I'd ravished her entire body several times in that two weeks; I didn't think that would go down too well. Nor did I mention the two day visit to the Lakes for the same reason. My wife expressed her surprise at my involvement, saying it seemed out-of-character for me to do such a thing, and I had to agree with her. Jessie was excited and saw it as a great adventure and a potential new friend. We then drifted apart, as often happens, and went to do our own thing. I went outside to see our one and only pet, a large floppy-eared rabbit. I picked some dandelion leaves out of the garden to feed to him and I stroked him as he ate. He doesn't do much really; eats, shits and sleeps about sums up his life. But he's a cuddly family pet, completely benign and has never once bitten any of us. I went back in the house and proceeded to walk about in a proprietorial way from room to room, attempting to restore my alpha male status again in the pecking order of the family but, in reality, just getting in everybody's way. I was often like this after being away from home for a couple of weeks; restless and at a loose end, but I now had an added concern, Amy. Although I knew she was in good hands I couldn't help thinking about her. For some reason I had a horrible vision of her in her room in the corner of her bed or on the settee hunched up with her arms tightly wrapped around herself and slowly rocking and I couldn't shake the image from my mind. In the end, and as I always do, I settled in the living room, turned on the stereo and fired up the laptop. Oh how nice to have super fast broadband again after the sluggish WIFI in the motel room. I logged-in to the several forums I frequent and checked my personal emails. I don't do Facebook or any of the other sites like that; I've never seen the point. I was reading a long email from a distant relative in America when my phone bleeped. It was a text from Amy. "HI DUNCS, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I'M FINE AND THAT ROSE IS REALLY GREAT! I MISS U :( AMY X Her text made me smile, happy, sad and brought a lump to my throat all at the same time. I sent her a text back: AMY, SO PLEASED ALL IS WELL TOLD YOU ROSE WAS LOVELY! I MISS YOU TOO. SEE YOU SAT 1PM. JESS IS EXCITED TO MEET YOU! DUNCS X I was relieved she was OK; that was more important to me than anything else. But I really wanted to be with her, and I was surprised by just how much I missed her company. I must have drifted off to sleep, because I was rudely awoken by my phone bleeping again. I looked at my watch; it was quarter past eleven. I opened the text. I'M IN BED, DISNEY NIGHTIE ON BUT SANS KNICKERS ;) I HAVE A NEW COMPANION NOW WARM, HAIRY, WITH A WET NOSE! AMY X I laughed when I read her text but my loins tingled when I read 'sans knickers'; she'd adopted my silly phrase already and, if she'd intended to surprise and titillate me, she'd certainly succeeded. I assumed the new friend was the lovable Bess. However, I didn't begrudge Bess being my substitute bedtime partner for Amy; dogs are great companions and never judge people. I imagined Amy talking to Bess about her problems and Bess simply lying there looking back at her with that gorgeous 'I love you' look that only a Lab can, wagging her tale or giving Amy the odd lick now and again. I texted her back: YOU'RE A NAUGHTY GIRL TELLING ME YOU'RE 'SANS KNICKERS' WHEN I'M NOT WITH YOU ... GIVE BESS A PET AND KISS FROM ME. NITE NITE GORGEOUS, DUNCS X Seconds later, my phone bleeped again LOL! BESS SENDS A BIG LICK? NITE NITE, U OLD BUGGER ;) AMY X I laughed at her text and shook my head. What a beautiful kid she was! If only she could be like that all the time. With time she would eventually heal but I knew it would be a long haul. I locked my phone just in case I fell asleep again and any further saucy texts came in; prying eyes and all that. Sure enough, I did fall asleep on and awoke about five thirty in the morning, aching from sleeping awkwardly on the settee. I went upstairs and had a shower and then went to our bedroom and pulled on fresh undies and a T-shirt, pulled my jeans on and went down stairs again. I had a quick breakfast and then got my walking boots on, grabbed my cagoule and a small bottle of water and left the house. I often went for early morning walks. There is something magical about the early morning air; the freshness of it, the smell, the mist hanging over fields and the sounds of nature waking up. Living in the country means as soon as I leave the house I'm only minutes away from miles of country paths and lanes. I've always been a 'country lad' and hate towns and cities; they feel so closed-in and claustrophobic. I walked a few miles that morning and attempted to collect my thoughts which were indubitably based around Amy. I felt a pang of guilt regarding my sexual relationship with her; not because she was only seventeen and I was forty-seven; no, it was because I was living a lie with my wife and family. Even though we'd been celibate for the best part of ten years, I was still breaking my marriage vows. I hadn't intentionally set out to have sex with Amy but initially had just wanted to help her; nor had I molested her or taken advantage of her. It had been a mutual, consensual decision and was intimate and beautiful for the pair of us. Her text the previous evening had confirmed she was comfortable with the intimate times we'd enjoyed together. I concluded I would just let life carry on and enjoy my time with Amy, even though I knew it would also be tough at times. By the time I got back to the house, everyone else was up but in various states of readiness. Jessie as always was wandering around the house in her PJ's with tousled hair. That was progress; in her younger years she was a real free-spirit and would often prance around the house without a stitch on. Puberty hit and she suddenly became aware of her body and the naturist in her ended abruptly. Dan was wandering around in just his jeans; mumbling that he couldn't find a particular T-shirt he wanted to wear. My other half was fully dressed and brewing a pot of tea. After much cajoling from me and my wife, Jessie finally got ready and I took her to the Saturday morning dance and drama class she attends. I told her to take the clothes she intended to wear that afternoon with her as I would pick her up from the class and then continue on to pick-up Amy. This made sense as it saved time and an unnecessary journey to and from our house. After dropping Jess off, I went back home and sat in the kitchen watching my missus busy herself. I won't pretend that watching my wife had the same attraction that watching Amy in the log cabin kitchen had but all the same it was a good opportunity to talk to her and sound her out. "Are you sure you know what you're getting into with this Amy; from the sounds of it, she comes with a huge amount of emotional baggage," she said in a very matter-of-fact way; no hidden agenda that I could detect anyway. "No, I don't know if I'm honest, pet, but I seem to have got myself into it now so I'll have to give it my best shot." "You know it could drain you emotionally too, don't you?" she said with genuine concern in her voice. "I've considered that, but I'm sharing the problem with Rose and to a lesser extent Fred. Plus, when she's working on site the lads are great with her. I also reckon that Jess will be great therapy for her too. I know Jess is four years younger but I don't think that will matter." My wife laughed at my last comment, "Jess will probably wear poor Amy down!" I laughed too, "Well, we'll see tomorrow, eh?" "How much are you going to spend on them?" "Oh, haven't thought about that." My wife shook her head in resignation. "You do know Jess will get Amy into the designer stuff, don't you? No more supermarket clothes for Amy after one retail therapy session with our Jess, you realise!" Dan came in and asked if I'd go to 'Game' and pick-up an Xbox game he'd reserved. "Of course, son, where's the money?" I said, holding out my hand with a deadpan expression on my face. "Err, I err ... haven't got it Dad; I was kind of hoping you'd..." My wife interrupted him. "Your Dad will buy it for you Dan, especially given the hundreds he's likely to spend on Jess and Amy." She looked at me, hands on hips daring me to cross her. "Son, I was only joking; I'll buy your game for you. Give me the reservation number." "Thanks, Dad. Nice one!" I had a coffee, a quick bite to eat and it was soon time to make tracks and go and collect Jessie from her drama class and then pick up Amy. I kissed my missus goodbye and walked towards the door. "Time to go and burn a hole in my wallet then!" "Yep, see you later." I set off towards Beverley quite excited. It was going to be interesting seeing how Amy would respond to my energetic, exuberant and extrovert daughter. I could only imagine in a positive way. Jess could always be relied on to cheer me up if I was down in the dumps. I picked Jess up from her school where the drama class was held. She was chatting to her friends and I'd swear that if I didn't know them they'd pass for sixteen. Modern girls dressed in their designer clothes look so much older now. She saw my car and hugged her friends goodbye. She opened the door and jumped in. "Hey, Dad!" she said leaning over to give me a kiss on my cheek. "Hey, Jessie; good drama class?" "Yeah, it was cool thanks!" she said, waving like mad to her friends as we drove off. I drove across Beverley to Rose's house. We were there in ten minutes or so; Beverley is a small town. I pulled into Rose's drive. Rose was at the door in seconds; I'd swear that woman was either psychic or was watching out for us! Jess jumped out and skipped towards Rose. "Hi, Rose!" said Jess in a really cheerful voice. Rose reached out for her and gave her a huge hug. "What happened to little Jess then?" she said. "Who went and grew up then?" Jess giggled. I saw Amy standing at the door, looking down at her feet and a little shy. I was about to beckon to Amy to come outside but Jess beat me to it and made a beeline for her. 'Time to find out how she's going to react to the little tornado heading for her', I thought to myself. "Hi, Amy! I'm Jess!" and with that said, Jessie embraced Amy. Amy gingerly put her arms around Jessie in return. I heard Amy softly say back to her "Hello Jess," but I think she was a little shell-shocked by my over-friendly daughter. "Jessie, let Amy breathe, will ya?" I shouted. "Sorry, Amy!" said Jess giggling. Amy smiled back at her but her face said, 'What the fuck just hit me?' Amy looked at me; I grinned at her and mouthed 'warned you' but I'm not sure if she read my lips or not. "Wow, you're an absolute babe!" Jessie said to Amy, "Dad, you never told me she was this pretty!" Amy looked down at her feet, slightly embarrassed; I don't think she expected how open-minded Jessie would be and to speak her mind the way she did. "Can't say I noticed, Jessie," I said winking at Amy. "Course you did, Dad; I know you like pretty women. You'd notice a mega-babe like Amy!" said my completely open daughter. She was right, of course. I made a mental note to never again tell Jessie something about myself I'd never want anyone else to know about. Rose was laughing at Jessie and her honesty. "She's got you sussed, that one has!" she said, winking at me. "Amy, why don't you take Jess inside and show her your room love?" Before Amy had time to consider her answer, Jessie took hold of Amy's hand and headed into the house. Amy shot a quick look back at me as if to say, 'help, do I have any choice?' I just grinned at her, shaking my head. "What's on your mind Rose?" I said, knowing she wanted to talk to me. "Duncs, that girl's an absolute angel; it really tugs at my heart strings to know what happened to during her childhood. Of all the foster kids that ever came into this house, none of them had ever suffered abuse to the extent that she has. Yet she's got the sweetest disposition going I've ever seen. I had to practically drag her out of the kitchen last night; she wants to do all the chores for me!" I told Rose about the way her mother used her as a personal slave. Rose's eyes welled-up. "She will want to help you, and within reason you must let her too. She sees it as a form or repayment for your kindness," I said. I went on to explain about the 'fuck for a favour' mentality she used to have and the subsequent deal I struck with her and how she could repay me by helping me with work. "Oh, the poor lamb, I understand now" said Rose. I could see Rose looking slightly pensive. "There's something else you wanted to tell me though, isn't there Rose?" "Yes, Duncs, yes there is. She doesn't shut her door at night. I have no problem with that; you explained it to me. But it means I can hear her. She had the radio on very quietly all night, again no problem, but about two in the morning I could hear her sobbing. I went into her room and said her name several times so that she knew I was there. She was hunched up in the corner of her bed with her legs drawn up to her chest. I very gently went to cuddle her but she recoiled from me and said firmly, 'Only Duncs can cuddle me. Go away'. So I just gently told her to come to me if she wanted to." "Rose, you did the right thing, sweetheart; when she's like that you can't really say much to her. I've witnessed it several times now, and yes, I just hold her and reassure her the best I can. Perhaps with time she'll let you do it too. I'm far from an expert but I believe she's reverted into a sort of frightened child-like state when she's like that. Rose, thanks for taking her on; I really do appreciate it, you know." However, I was slightly concerned that the previous day I'd had the very image of Amy in the situation Rose had just described. Not one for believing in premonitions or any sort of mumbo-jumbo like that, it still nonetheless spooked me a little "I'm just giving her a safe shelter, food and a shoulder to cry on if she needs it Duncs; you're the one doing the real work and I think you know it." "Kind words indeed Rose, but don't put yourself down; you and Fred are wonderful, lovely and kind-hearted people." "Oh shut up, you big softy. You'll set me off crying!" she said. "Come here," she gestured. I moved towards her and Rose gave me a big motherly hug. I might have been 47 years old but a hug from that larger than life woman was very reassuring and, for a few seconds, I felt safe and like a child once again. Suddenly World War Three erupted in the form of my daughter entering the room followed by the far more demure Amy. "Dad's snogging Rose and I'm telling Mum!" she stated, dancing around us. "You tell her then, my lovely; didn't you know your Dad was my toy boy?" retorted Rose. Jessie giggled and so did Amy. "You've told them our secret!" I said with a deadpan face. We all laughed and it was a lovely moment for all. "C'mon, Dad. Take Amy and me to Prinny Quay please! Pleeeeease!" "Yeah c'mon, Duncs. Take these two gorgeous girls out so that they can go and shop till they drop!" said Rose. We said goodbye to Rose and I told her we'd be back about seven that night. We got to the car and there was a slightly awkward moment when both Jessie and Amy headed for the front passenger seat. A sort of impasse ensued and neither seemed sure who should give way. I settled it for them. "Why don't you both sit in the back and chat to each other and then I'll get a bit of peace in the front." "OK dad!" said Jessie. Problem solved. I backed the car off Rose's drive and headed out the suburbs of Beverley and then headed for Hull. The place Jess had mentioned: 'Prinny Quay' or Princess Quay to give it its proper name is a large multi-storey shopping centre built in an old fishing dock in the city of Kingston-upon-Hull, or just Hull for short. I put some music on and settled in for the slow but short drive into Hull. I kept looking in the rear view mirror and noticed Amy getting drawn more and more into Jessie's web. Amy's resolve was no match for Jessie's exuberant personality and she didn't really stand a chance, the poor lass! I could see Jessie chatting away to Amy. Who only knows what she was telling her, but Amy seemed amused by Jessie and was giggling quite a lot. I often tell Jessie that she's giving me verbal diarrhoea when she witters on at me with endless verbiage but she usually carries on regardless. She has a terrible habit of trying to tell me several tales at the same time, and swaps seamlessly from one tale to the next and I'm supposed to keep up. I fail miserably most of the time but somehow my wife can always follow her threads. I suspected that Amy was suffering a similar fate too. We eventually got to the multi-story car park that's part of Prinny Quay and, as the kids always liked it when they were younger, I headed right for the top car deck which is open to the sky. We all got out and had a quick look at the view of the marina and the Humber estuary. Amy whispered to me, "Jess is lovely" and I smiled back at her. Bingo! Success! Jess was clearly getting impatient wanting to show her new-found friend the benefits of retail therapy and so we headed for the door leading to the lift. When we got to the main level I told the two of them to sit down. I got out my wallet and handed each of them £200 in cash. "Wow, two hundred quid! Thanks a lot Dad but why cash? You normally use your credit card." "Well, Jessie, I'm sure you don't want to drag your old man around with you; I'll just cramp your style. This is yours and Amy's day. I've only split the money in half so that you can both look after an equal amount; how you spend it is up to the pair of you to decide. Couple more things; if you want to go to St Stephens or Prospect Centre you can but please let me know first. Otherwise, I'll meet you back here in let's say four hours? Oh, and have you both got your mobiles?" "Cool Dad. Yep, my mobile's in my bag; what about you Amy?" asked Jessie looking at her new friend. "Yep, got mine, Jess!" said Amy in a really cheerful voice. "Go on then, go shopping; spend as much as you want and by the way, you both look gorgeous!" "Thanks Dad!" "Thanks Duncs!" they chimed together and then Jessie gave me a big hug. Amy did not but I suspect she wanted too. I winked at her and smiled. And then off they went side by side; Amy fully snared in less than an hour by my daughter's charm. I was convinced Jessie would be good therapy for Amy. I went to the shop, Game, and picked up my son's Xbox game. The lad behind the counter, who looked younger than my daughter, said "Can I help you, sir?" just like 'spotty youth' in the McDonald's. I handed him the piece of paper my son had written the reservation number on. The lad turned round and opened a draw and flicked through a few games then drew out a game, closed the draw and turned round to face me again. He looked at me as if to say, 'you look like an old-fart that couldn't possibly own an Xbox, ' and showed me the game, "Is this it sir?" "Err, yes mate," whereas in reality I did not have a bloody clue as my son had failed to tell me what game I was actually picking up! Then the lad twittered on about something or other and asked, "What's your gamer tag mate?" As far as I was concerned he might have well have been speaking in Chinese for all I knew. I'm not a gamer and never have been. I used to play 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids' in the early '80's, but that's where I left electronic games; they do nothing for me. I paid the lad, thanked him and walked out. Then I walked a little way down the arcade and phoned my son. He confirmed the game title and, thankfully, it was the right one. I still had three hours and forty minutes to kill so I left the shopping centre and headed for the marina. I love boats and ships of all kinds and sizes and it's always nice to visit the marina to see how the other half live, so to speak. The bad thing about October is there would be no crumpet sunbathing on boat decks but never mind. I wandered aimlessly up and down the lines of beautiful yachts and launches and got lost in my thoughts and fantasies. I imagined owning a beautiful yacht anchored in the Caribbean with Amy sunbathing on the deck without a stitch on, glistening with the copious amounts of sunscreen that I'd just applied to her beautiful body and long, lithe limbs for the umpteenth time that day. My beautiful fantasy was cut short when I heard my name being called. "Duncs?" It was Ken, our electrical contracts manager. Ken owned and lived in an apartment that overlooked the marina and must have been out on an errand as he walked past me. "Oh, Ken, now then mate how are you?" I said. I hadn't seen Ken for some weeks which was often the case as our company always had several contracts on the go at any one time in different parts of the country. "You were fucking miles away, mate, staring at that fuck-off cabin cruiser with a huge fucking grin on your face!" said Ken in his gruff and typical expletive-ridden reply. "Yeah, and you broke the fantasy!" "What brings you to Hull?" "Oh, I've brought Jess and her friend shopping but I've left them to it, thinking they wouldn't want me following them around." "Wanna pop up for a coffee and catch up?" "Don't mind if I do; thanks." That said, I followed Ken to his apartment block and went up. That killed another hour and a half. I spent the rest of the time moseying around the old town of Hull. I popped into the old covered market hall and walked among the butchers, grocers and trinket stores. Then I walked through the old arcade and paused at the traditional joke shop then out of there and along Whitefriargate, a pedestrian street. I paused outside the Ann Summers shop and wondered what sort of lingerie and sex toys I could maybe buy Amy. But then perhaps not; she was still new to exploring the delights of sex. Visits to an Ann Summers shop would come all in good time, I thought. I wandered further up Whitefriargate and eventually faced City Hall. I pondered whether I had time to visit Ferens Art gallery but decided not to. So instead, I wandered over to Queen's Gardens and walked among the various inner gardens and paths. Queen's Gardens used to be a dock many years ago but was filled in and turned into a park for the benefit of the good folk of Hull. I saw my old college at the end of the park and thought of the happy, simpler, care-free days of the early '80's when I attended there, a late teen lad with no dependents, no mortgage, 'no nothing' really, just work, parties, clubs and girls. I watched a young couple lying on the grass, entwined with each other and tickling each other's tonsils with their tongues. They would have been Amy's age and it made me smile to see them, lying on the grass in the middle of a cold October afternoon without a care in the world. I turned to walk back to Prinny Quay and made my way to the main floor. I had half an hour to spare so bought a coffee and sat down to wait for the girls. Twenty minutes or so later I looked up and saw a most beautiful sight. My girls were walking towards me, arm-in-arm, with their outer arms laden with bags of all shapes and sizes. They were both giggling uncontrollably over something. Amy's face was the absolute picture of happiness and I felt that huge damn lump in my throat rise yet again as I looked at her. The girls sat down, one each side of me, and both babbled on at supersonic speed and I was supposed to understand. I just smiled helplessly at the pair of them and nodded, pretending I understood every word. Amy had caught the 'Jessica bug' and now appeared to be her clone. Jess had done more for Amy in four hours of retail therapy than a room full of therapists could ever hope to achieve in weeks. I finally managed to break in. "OK girls, are you both hungry?" "Yes!" they both chimed and then giggled some more. "C'mon then, you pair of nutters. Let's get you back to the car." We got to the car. I placed the £400 worth of merchandise in the boot and we all got in. The girls were still chatting incessantly and simultaneously but both appeared to understand each other at the same time. It continued all the way from Prinny Quay to Frankie and Benny's where I had decided to take them for dinner. Ten minutes later and we had arrived at Frankie and Benny's. The girls were still in high spirits. We waited to be seated and eventually a waiter came over to the desk. "Table for three, sir?" "Yes please." I heard Jessie whisper to Amy that she thought the waiter was 'fit' and then she and Amy giggled. I was surprised but smiled at the thought of my 13 year old daughter describing a guy as fit. Girls grow up quickly, I suppose. The girls sat together on one bench seat and I sat on the other side opposite Amy. "Right, girls, you can have whatever you want," I informed them. Jessie started to look at her menu and true to form changed her mind at least ten times. Amy looked at her menu quietly and kept her choice to herself. I stared at her and eventually she looked back at me. Her eyes were absolutely electric, sparkling and full of life. She gave me a very sexy smile and I got a tingling in my bollocks from that smile alone. I don't think Amy put this look on; in some ways she was so innocent I don't she was capable of a seduction routine. So this was down to pure natural sexual signalling and she got to me every time I saw that particular face. I wanted her there and then across the table; I was that aroused. Suddenly I was aware of Jessie talking me. "Dad, stop staring at Amy; she's way too fit for you!" she giggled. 'Out of the mouths of babes', I thought. I couldn't believe I'd zoned out staring at Amy in the presence of my daughter; typical of her to notice too. Amy looked at me and just giggled. She thought it funny that I'd been caught in the act. The girls babbled on about their afternoon of intense shopping and had clearly had a great time. I was content to sit back and listen to the banter between the two of them. It was interesting to note that Amy changed her style and tone of voice when speaking to Jess compared with the voice she would use when talking to me. However, despite being mainly tuned-in to Jessie, Amy kept shooting little glances at me and giving me lovely smiles which I thought cute. Suddenly, I was aware of a foot rubbing against my leg. I looked at Amy and she had a mischievous look in her eyes and was now smirking at me. Her foot travelled up and down my shin. She moved her foot further and further up and was now rubbing my inner thigh. Fortunately, Jessie seemed to be totally unaware of what Amy was doing. I could have changed position, I could have slid over to sit opposite Jessie but I didn't; I was intrigued to see how far Amy would take her wandering foot. With her long legs she was able to reach me with ease without having to slouch in her seat. Her foot got closer and closer to my crotch and my cock was stirring in anticipation. Finally, she hit the bull's-eye and I could feel Amy wriggling her toes on my bollocks and cock; all the time she was doing this, she maintained her full focus on talking to Jessie. I put a hand under the table and caressed Amy's foot. It was clearly the only skin-to-skin contact I was going to enjoy with her that day so I made the most of it. Oh how I wanted to get under the table and suck her toes! The waiter came back and we ordered our food. Amy and Jessie went for pizza with a large bowl of fried and cubed potatoes to share and I went for the meat balls. I also ordered a large bowl of salad and some garlic bread with cheese to share. It was a great feast. At least whilst eating Amy forgot about rubbing my cock with her foot. I don't think I could have taken much more without my face making it obvious that something was going on; something my very perceptive daughter would notice. "Ooh, I need a waz!" said Jess, giggling. She was as obvious as Amy in that respect. "I could do to pee too!" piped up Amy and off the girls both went, giggling all the way to the toilets. I smiled as they walked off; they were acting like they'd known each other for years. I was surprised to see that my daughter was almost as tall as Amy. I hadn't realised how much she'd grown the last couple of years. Jessie had always towered over most of her friends though and my son, fifteen at the time, was six feet tall. Jess came back alone and I was a little concerned. "Was Amy OK?" I asked Jess trying to sound calm. "Oh yes, she said she wouldn't be much longer." "Well, I need to pee. Will you be OK by yourself sweet pea?" "Dad, I'm thirteen!" Of course she is; what was I thinking? Stupid fathers, eh? I walked over to the toilets and went through the communal door. Amy was standing there looking cheeky. "What took you so long?" she asked. I did not know whether to laugh or be annoyed with her. "I thought something might be wrong when you didn't come back with Jess," I said trying not to sound too annoyed. To her credit Amy sensed that I was a little upset. "I knew you'd be concerned and that's why I knew you'd come; I just wanted a minute to be alone with you but I'm sorry if I've upset you." As always, I could never get angry with this girl and I felt my whole demeanour towards her soften. Amy put her arms round the back of my neck and drew my face towards hers. She kissed me full on the lips and darted her tongue in and out of my mouth for just a minute or so. "I'd make love to you right now if I could; d'ya know that?" she said softly. "Yep, I guessed that and so could I, sweety but we'd better get back to Jessie, not fair to leave the kid by herself. You go back to her first and I'll follow a little later." "OK. Oh, by the way, I love Jess; she's funny and so friendly!" I patted Amy's bum as she turned to walk out and I got a little wiggle from her in response. I wanted to take her into the toilets and shag her there and then and if Jess hadn't been with us I probably would have done. I went for a pee and returned back to Jessie and Amy. The girls were engrossed in conversation and giggling when I returned. "The waiter came over and asked if we wanted dessert. I said I'd have to wait until you and Amy got back," said Jess. "OK sweet pea; do you girls want dessert?" "Yes please!" they chimed together. They were acting more like sisters than friends. Amy looked cute and girly when talking to Jess; what a contrast to the faces she'd been putting on for my benefit. The waiter came over and smiled at the girls. "So what can I get for the two of you? Mad up you minds yet" he asked. Amy and Jessie looked at one another and started giggling uncontrollably. The waiter glanced at me looking perplexed and I just smiled at him and shrugged my shoulders as if to say 'Search me, mate, I don't know either'. The girls calmed down sufficiently to order their dessert and I ordered a cappuccino. The waiter left laughing himself. I think 'my girls' had amused him. "Mind telling me what that was all about or don't I want to know?" I enquired. "You don't want to know, Duncs!" Jessie started giggling again at Amy's response. I let it go. I could hazard a guess what the giggling was about. The waiter was a nice-looking guy in his early twenties and I imagined Jess or Amy or the pair of them fancied him. It both amused and me and made me happy to see Amy being so 'girly'. She'd probably never had an opportunity to be like this before and Jessie was allowing her to be a slightly younger teen than her seventeen years at the moment which I thought it was wonderful. With everyone sated we got up to leave. I paid the waiter and, as I did, Amy and Jess stood behind me giggling and sniggering. The girls were still clearly on a high; as we left, both girls blew the waiter a kiss and, to his credit, he returned the gesture. The journey back to Rose's house was a noisy one. Jessie asked me to put on one of her CD's full of sing-a-long pop songs and she noisily joined in. Amy didn't know the songs, but it didn't seem to stop her enjoying it. I pulled into Rose's drive and the girls went a little sombre. I suspect they would have partied all night if they could. We all got out the car and on-cue Rose was at the front door with Bess by her side. Rose invited us all in. I opened the boot so that Amy could sort out her bags from Jessie's. "So girls; did you both shop till you dropped?" asked Rose "Yep" they chorused. We then all trooped into Rose's house. Jess and Amy went upstairs and I followed Rose into the living room. I told her about how close Jessie and Amy had become in a little over six hours together and the fun they'd had shopping and in the restaurant. Rose was pleased. She told me that Jess was welcome to come and sleepover anytime if she wanted to be with Amy. I said that would be great as Jessie was clearly a good tonic for Amy as she allowed her to be a proper teen girl for a while. I also told Rose to call me anytime if she thought Amy needed me, like the previous evening. We agreed that, between us, we should be able to help Amy a lot. Clattering and banging on the stairs told us that the girls were coming down and sure enough, Jess burst in. She announced that Amy wanted to show us one of her new outfits. "Come in, Amy!" Jess shouted into the hallway. "I've told them." Amy walked in looking a little embarrassed. When I looked at her, I'd swear my jaw hit the floor. She was wearing the most amazing and flattering outfit imaginable. I'd only seen her in tight jeans and tops up till now. But now Amy was wearing a stunning dress, simple in design but so elegant and formal, with very elegant dress shoes. She looked like a professional model and I was speechless. Rose spoke first. "Oh, Amy, my you look gorgeous love, absolutely beautiful." But Amy was looking at me; she was desperately seeking my approval but I couldn't find the right words for a few seconds. "Wow Amy ... I ... oh wow ... you look simply stunning, sweetheart," I couldn't find the superlatives I was looking for but I think my face said it all. Amy beamed at me so I knew she'd read my true approval. Jessie helped me out a little. "My Dad loves it, Amy. I can tell. Trust me!" She gave Amy a big smile but this time no giggles; this was Jess being serious and mature. I couldn't help myself; I walked over to Amy and gave her a big kiss on her forehead. With the shoes she was wearing, she was a little taller now which felt odd. I stood back to once again admire Amy in her beautiful dress. Then Amy spoke. "I've always wanted a proper dress, always, and now I've got one. Thanks, Duncs and I'm really glad you all like it." Once again, her eyes welled-up but this time it was Jessie that went to her rescue. She threw her arms round Amy and cuddled her for all her worth. I looked at Rose and she looked at me and we just smiled at each other. I think we both realised without saying anything that the two girls had already bonded and would be firm friends. It had been a worthwhile, successful and lovely day. We all sat down and made small talk about the day's events and the girls told Rose about the waiter they fancied which made her laugh but I noted Jessie kept looking at me with a face I knew so well. She was dying to ask me something but, being polite, she would always wait for the right moment. There was a lull in the banter so I seized the opportunity to put her out of her misery. "Jessie, I can tell you want to ask me something, girl. What is it sweet pea? "Well, you probably don't know this, Dad, but I'm having a sleep-over at our house tomorrow night ... and... ," she looked pensive, which was very unlike Jessie. "So c'mon, girl. Carry on. You know I don't bite!" "Well ... I ... I wondered if Amy could come over too," she said, looking at me like she'd asked for the world. "It's fine by me, Jessie, but we'll have to check with Mum too," I said wondering why she found it so difficult to ask me. "Oh, Um, I've already sent a text to Mum asking her and she said to ask you!" "Well that's settled then! What time are your other friends coming over?" "About six; we're going to have pizza and chips and stuff, and popcorn later!" replied my once again very excited daughter. My answer had clearly made her day. I looked at Amy. "You sure you want this? You know how Jess hasn't shut up all day? Well, I know her bezzies and they're all as bad as her; the noise will be deafening I tell ya!" "DAD!" said Jessie, admonishing me. Amy giggled. "I'm sure I'll cope. It sounds like fun." "Well, don't say I didn't warn you!" I stood up to get ready to go. "C'mon young lady; time to get you home and to let Rose and Amy have some time together and then get some sleep." Jessie got up and as always didn't argue with me or ask to stay a little longer; she was a good kid in that respect. Rose stood up and spoke to Jessie. "Jess before you go, I want to show you something. Amy's already seen them so just you and me will go; OK?" "OK, Rose. 0h, is that alright with you, dad?" "Of course it is, sweet pea." I knew what Rose was up to and I really appreciated it. Alone in the living room with Amy for just a few precious moments, I faced her and put my arms around her lovely slim waist, all the more accentuated by her gorgeous dress. "You look so, so beautiful Amy; you couldn't have picked a better dress. I absolutely love it and..." Amy placed a finger on my lips and stopped me talking. "I know you love it, I know; your face said everything, but don't talk, just kiss me please." Amy drew my head toward hers and we kissed so gently and swayed side-to-side ever so slightly to some imaginary music playing in our heads. I just didn't want to let her go but I wasn't sure how long we had so reluctantly I broke away from Amy's inviting lips. "Amy, you know you can call me anytime don't you? And I mean anytime. I've told Rose to call me too if she thinks you need me to come over to help you; OK? I didn't mention that Rose had told me about the previous evening but I assumed Amy would know what I was getting at. "Wish you could stay with me." "I wish I could too but at least you have Bess." "Bess is adorable but she fidgets, farts and keeps licking me and, well, she's not you..." she said, giving me a mischievous smile. "You naughty, naughty girl..." "Tell me you don't love it, you old bugger!" "OK, OK, you win!" "Oh, by the way, Duncs, thank you, thank you, thank you for paying for this dress and all the other lovely clothes I've bought and a really big thank you for introducing me to Jess; I love her to bits!" "Well, someone has to I s'pose!" I said, deadpan face again. "Yeah, like you don't love her to bits too eh? I can see how close you and Jess are; anybody could." "That obvious, eh?" I said. Amy gave me a big smile and nodded. She was about to give me another kiss when we heard a loud clattering in Rose's kitchen. I think Rose was making as much noise as possible to announce they were coming back in. "So, what's Rose been showing ya eh, girl?" "Baby guinea pigs Dad; they're soooo cute!" said Jess beaming. "NO; before you ask!" "Awwww, Dad!" We all laughed at Jessie putting on her best girly charm with me and failing miserably. In the end, Jessie laughed at herself too. "C'mon. Time to go, girl," I said. Jess gave Rose a cuddle and then Amy. I cuddled Rose too and then thought 'what the hell?' and cuddled Amy too. "Pick you up tomorrow around half past five then Amy, OK?" "OK, Duncs" Jessie and I got in the car and Rose and Amy were standing in the doorway waving to us. I stole one last look at Amy in her awesome dress and wished so much it was me slowly peeling it off her that night. We set off for home. "So Jessie, something tells me you like Amy?" "She's awesome, Dad, a really cool babe. I love her!" "Well, she loves you too; she told me." "She did? Nice one!" "Did you help her choose that awesome dress?" "We went through quite a few but in the end we both decided on that one." "Well, you both have excellent taste!" "Thanks, Dad! And thanks for buying us all the stuff!" "My pleasure, sweet pea. If you don't mind me asking, how did you split the money?" "I spent about £110 and let Amy have the rest as I have far more clothes then her." "Jessie, that was a lovely gesture; I'm so proud of you, girl." And I really was immensely proud of her. She could have insisted on half each but she hadn't. We drove in silence for a few minutes and then Jessie floored me with her next question. "Dad ... do you love Amy? It's ... Um ... you know ... the way you look at her; I never see you look at mum like that." Wow, my perceptive little thirteen year-old daughter strikes again. I had to think carefully how I answered her. "I'm not sure love is the right word but yes, I do care for her deeply. You know the things that have happened to her when she was a child; well I, along with your help and Rose and Fred's help want to help her try and get over that pain and be happy." "Mmmm ... OK ... well, she certainly 'cares' for you; I can tell that much," said Jessie and she emphasised the word 'care' as if she was using it as a euphemism for the word 'love'. 'A head way too old for those thirteen year old shoulders', I thought to myself. "Well, YOU love her!" I said, trying to shift the emphasis. "I know I do, and I don't care if you love her too; I know you won't leave us." I didn't answer Jess. I was no match for her advanced feminine intuition so I gave up. She got me thinking though ... Did I love Amy? I pulled into our drive and helped Jess with her stuff. I was quite shattered; it had been a long day. Dan was at the door and I knew it wasn't to welcome us; he just wanted his new Xbox game. "Hey Dan!" I said, "Nice of you to welcome us home!" I deliberately walked past him, knowing full well he wanted his game. "After something?" I said, grinning. He looked awkward, not knowing whether to ask me or not. "DAD!" said Jessie, sensing her big brother's dilemma. With that, Jess dug into one of her bags and fished out the game. "Here you go, Dan" she said handing it to him. "Thanks, Jess, and thanks for buying it, Dad!" With that said, he sprinted up the stairs to go and play the latest shoot 'em up or whatever it was. Jessie and I went upstairs to speak to my wife and recount the day's events. At the same time, Jessie showed her mum all the things she'd bought. Like me, my wife was proud of Jessie for only spending just over a quarter of the money I'd given to her and Amy. I told my wife how Jessie had fancied the waiter and got another "DAD!" off her. At that point, sensing that my wife and Jess wanted to indulge in 'girly talk', I left the room and went downstairs. I picked up my phone and there was a text message from Amy waiting to be opened. DUNCS, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I'VE HAD A GREAT DAY (AGAIN!) JESS IS REALLY LOVELY & CRAZY! ;) THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE CLOTHES I MISS YOU (AGAIN!) AMY X I texted her back: PLEASURES ALL MINE POPPET! JESS LOVELY? YOU SURE? ;) BTW, LOVE YOUR DRESS :) MISS YOU TOO :( DUNCS X I lay back on the settee and sighed at the memory of Amy in her sensational new dress and smart shoes. I saw her for the first time as a stunningly beautiful young woman; not a 17 year old teen girl and I wanted that image to last forever. I also contemplated on how astute my daughter had been regarding my relationship with Amy and wondered just how much she'd worked out. She'd got very close to the knuckle that night and her intuition was staggering. It concerned me just how much of her 'intuition' she was now sharing with her Mum during their girly session. I turned the radio on and tuned into Jazz FM. Then I opened my laptop and had a look at all the photos I'd taken of Amy so far; she looked so beautiful. I had to stop looking as it made me miss her all the more so I read a book instead. About eleven o clock, I got a text from Amy: GOING TO BED NOW – TIRED! WISH U WERE HERE TO CUDDLE ME! THANKS AGAIN & NITE NITE AMY X I texted back: THINK I'LL GO TO BED MYSELF. WOULD LOVE TO CUDDLE YOU! NITE NITE SWEETY, DUNCS X And so I went to bed. ------- Chapter 14 'Amy, the weekend, Jess and my wife... ' part 2 Sunday morning, I woke up at six thirty, got up, dressed, had breakfast and went for a long walk. I returned home and spent most of the day doing chores and household repairs. I'd been a little concerned about the potential choice of friends Jessie had invited over as some of her girlfriends are a little abrupt and might not have hit it off with Amy. She had not been one of 'the pack', so to speak. I asked Jess who she had invited and was relieved when she said it was Alicia and Hannah; I'd known both girls since they were very small and both were extremely pleasant, polite and very much like Jessie. Jessie also told me she had warned them about Amy's past and the things that had happened to her so that they did not inadvertently say anything inappropriate. 'Smart kid, ' I had thought. About three o clock I texted Amy to tell her I was picking her up early. She texted back to say that was OK. I wanted to take her for a little walk first before taking her back home so that I could spend some time with her and talk to her about a couple of things. I arrived at Rose's house at about quarter to four. Amy and Bess came to the door within five seconds of me pulling into the drive. They must be spying on me! As I came up to her, Amy gave me a brief hug and a kiss and we went inside. Bess followed by Amy's side and it would seem she had attached herself to Amy. "Hello, Duncs. You OK, love?" said Rose. "Oh I'm fine, Rose; all the better for seeing you, my lovely!" "Don't talk soft, lad; bet you'd much rather look at that sweet thing over there!" she said looking at Amy on the other side of the room. We all laughed and I gave Rose a cuddle. I love the old girl; there isn't a bad bone in her body. "So Amy, got your things packed? Ready to go? No second thoughts?" "Yep, all set, Duncs." I told Rose we wouldn't be back until early evening on Monday. Amy gave Rose a hug and a kiss and we went out the front door. Bess started to whine as Amy walked to the car. Amy went back to stroke her and Bess's tail wagged furiously. As soon as Amy stopped stroking and walked back to the car Bess's tail dropped between her back legs and she started whining again. It was quite touching how quickly Bess had latched on to her new friend. We waved to Rose and set off. "Why d'ya come early for me, Duncs?" "I wanted to see you for a while before I take you back home. Thought it would be nice to have a little walk first." "Cool!" I drove out of Beverley to an area known as Westwood. This is acres of so-called Common Land which was land that hundreds of years ago was set aside for use by the common folk of Beverley, hence its name. It is protected by charter and can never be changed, sold or developed. In theory, if you are born in Beverley and live there continuously for twenty five years, you are entitled to keep one cow and two sheep on the common land. I parked up and we got out. Amy was impressed and loved the wide open space and big skies. We walked hand in hand across the coarse grass and through the little woods that are dotted about the common land. The cows are very tame as they're so used to people and we managed to get very close to them. Amy had never seen a cow for real before so it was another experience for her. We stopped frequently to kiss and cuddle and I was very content with this. I realised it was her companionship I missed more than anything else; the wonderful sex we enjoyed was a bonus of course but just being with her was enough for me. I asked her if she was OK and she told me she was fine and that Rose was wonderful and mothered her. She admitted to being upset that first night at Rose's house but that she had no idea what had triggered it. I was glad she mentioned it first as I didn't want to broach the subject; otherwise Amy would know Rose had told me and might be annoyed with Rose for that. I also asked her if she was sure she wanted to go to the sleepover; I warned her that the girls would be awake until the early hours and it would be nonstop talking and giggles. Amy said that if Jess's friends were like her she'd be fine. I assured her that the girls who Jess had invited were both lovely lasses and just like Jess. We continued to walk for another half hour or so but it was getting very dark so we headed back to the car. Once back in the car Amy leant over to me and kissed me passionately. She told me she'd really missed me and felt lonely when in her room. I was touched but also a little concerned as I didn't want her to get too reliant on me being with her all the time. There would be times when it would be impossible for us to work together and she would have to get used to that. We kissed again and I then said we'd better head back to my house; I was a little nervous about this as it would be the first time my wife, Jane, would meet Amy. Surprisingly, Amy seemed to be very calm about the prospect. I reached the village of Etton and Amy remarked on how pretty it was. I pulled into our drive and Amy gasped a "wow". I had never thought of our house as particularly spectacular; there's nothing wrong with it at all per se but it's just typical early 1970's architecture, nothing special. If I had my way, I would love to own one of the very old cottages in the village but I simply don't have that sort of money. No sooner had we pulled in than Jessie was at the door. We got out the car and Jessie made a beeline for her new friend and embraced her. It was lovely that she had no inhibitions in this respect. Then realising she'd left me out, Jessie gave me a quick cuddle too. I tickled her just above her hips and she pulled away, squealing and giggling. Amy looked at me and smiled as I did this. I think she appreciated the closeness that Jessie and I enjoyed. Internally though, it must have made her sad that she'd never had a loving father figure in her life. Jessie dragged Amy into the house leaving me to bring her bags in. I chuckled. 'Father or taxi driver?' I thought to myself. By the time I'd gone into the kitchen, Jessie had already introduced Amy to her mum and was doing a far better job than I would have. I suspected I would have been a little awkward introducing her, given the relationship Amy and I enjoyed; whereas to Jessie Amy was simply a new friend. As usual, Jessie was babbling on to her mum and Amy at a rapid rate of knots; Amy seemed amused and my wife was simply resigned to listening. I decided to leave them to it for a while. I went to find my son, Dan, to let him know Amy was here and that he might like to say hello and I also warned him about the impending sleepover in case he wanted to make other plans. Dan was quite shy and a houseful of three or four thirteen year old girls was usually too much for him to endure. I say was shy; now he's seventeen and Jess is fifteen, I reckon he now enjoys seeing fifteen year old girls cavorting around the house in skimpy clothes or their nightshirts as he seems to be in no rush to leave the house. To his credit, Dan did come downstairs with me to say hello to Amy. We went into the kitchen and Dan's face was a picture. He almost froze when he first saw the delightful vision of Amy. Dan held his hand out and Amy shook it. As he did so he said, "H ... hi ... I ... I'm Dan." He was not usually one for stuttering but I think Amy's beauty had temporarily disengaged his brain and engaged his alternate brain instead; namely his cock. "Hello Dan, pleased to meet you," said Amy smiling demurely at him. I suspect Amy herself wouldn't be disappointed in Dan; he was a handsome lad and at six foot, he was tall for his age. Jess couldn't resist having a pop at her brother, "Don't even think about it bro; she's a mega-babe and wa-a-a-y-y-y above your league, pal!" she said, giggling at her own comment. "Oh you're so funny Jess; ha-bloody-ha," retorted Dan, " ... and you want Jess as a friend?" he said, turning to Amy. Amy just smiled at him. Dan shuffled around awkwardly for a few seconds and then left the room. We engaged in small talk for a few minutes and then I suggested to Jessie that she take Amy to her room. Jessie needed no further prompting and, grabbing Amy's hand, whisked her away at breakneck speed. 'Good job Amy's fit and agile, ' I thought to myself. "She's lovely and very bonny," said my wife, "she seems very polite and modest too." "She is indeed; it's hard to imagine her horrific past when you see her like this," I said. "Well, you seem to have done a remarkable job in just two weeks to turn her around from a street kid to looking like that," said my wife in a matter-of-fact way. However, I picked up a slight edge in the tone of her voice and was not sure what to make of it. Maybe I was being over-sensitive and guarded for any negativity by my wife. I don't know what but I felt she wanted to say more but had decided to bite her bottom lip. I didn't push it and hurriedly changed the subject. "So, what's Jess doing for tea for her friends? Are we expected to do it or are they sorting it out?" "She didn't say but I bought a selection of pizzas, salads, potato wedges and crisps as she asked me to," she said. "Well, we'll leave them to it then," I said, shrugging my shoulders. About half past six there was a knock at the door so I went to answer it. Jessie charged down the stairs followed by Amy. I opened the door and was greeted by two pretty, smiling faces. It was Alicia and Hannah. Alicia gave me a nice cheery and girly, "Hi-ya Duncs", but with Hannah I got a hug and a "Hi-ya Dad!" Amy's face was a picture at this scene and I could imagine the cogs turning in her mind trying to work out what she had just witnessed. A hug? Dad? Of course Alicia and Jessie remained unfazed by this scene, adding to Amy's bemusement. Like Amy, Hannah's Mum Tracy became pregnant with Hannah at a young age and the father, also young, did a disappearing act. But that's where the similarity ends. Hannah's Mum was the complete antithesis to Amy's mother. Tracy continued to study at school and passed all her exams. She took a break to have Hannah and then returned to college to continue her education whilst Hannah's grandma raised her. Unlike Amy, Hannah was surrounded by a loving, caring family who helped Tracy raise and nurture Hannah properly. So although Hannah never knew her father, she was a well-balanced, polite and untroubled girl. Jessie and Hannah became friends at kindergarten and have been joined at the hip ever since. Because I have known Hannah so long I became a sort of surrogate father to her, hence the reason she welcomed me the way she did. She will also quite happily hug me in front of her mother too, so there was nothing 'underhand', so to speak. However, I made a mental note to explain this to Amy later so that she understood the situation. Jessie welcomed her friends into the house and then introduced Amy to them. Both Alicia and Hannah embraced Amy and went out of their way to be friendly. Hannah said, "Any friend of Jess is a friend of mine too, so welcome to our circle, Amy!" "Thank you, Hannah, that's really nice of you," said Amy, a little taken aback by yet more very friendly people coming into her life. Alicia gave Amy a big beaming smile and said that Jess had explained to them all about her and that she agreed with Hannah's sentiments. My wife came through to say hello to the girls and, once the pleasantries were over with, the girls disappeared to the upstairs living room. I shouted to them as they thundered up the stairs, "Who's cooking tea? You, or do you expect us to do it?" "We'll do it ta!" shouted Jessie. Then I heard the door slam shut and seconds later music started. I wondered how Amy would fare among those three exuberant girls. My wife and I discussed Amy and the fact she was mixing with girls four years younger than her. I said I didn't see why it mattered; Jess, Alicia and Hannah were all very mature and Amy had never known a proper childhood nor had she enjoyed properly mixing with peers during her formative teen years. I felt it would do her good to mix with girls who were thirteen to fourteen years old as it would give her a taste of what she'd missed. Jane was also concerned that Amy might suffer a change in personality whilst with the girls. I told her that Jessie would be sensible enough to come and get me if that were the case and my wife seemed satisfied with my answer. She did also say what a lovely girl she thought Amy was and that pleased me. I must confess that I found it a little strange discussing Amy with my wife given the close relationship I was enjoying with Amy. I tried to not let it faze me though. Jane disappeared to the study and I stayed in the kitchen reading a magazine. An hour or so later, a tremendous din that sounded like a herd of elephants were in the house indicated to me that the girls were coming downstairs and heading for the kitchen. They came in and there was much giggling and laughter; their spirits were clearly high. Amy was fairly quiet but I could see that she was happy and that was all that mattered. "Hello girls!" I said cheerily. "Hi Duncs!" they all responded almost together. "Do you want me to go or shall I stay; and, more to the point, if I do stay, are any or all of you going to embarrass me?" I asked, quizzically. "Stay Dad and we'll behave and be polite; honest Dad," said Jessie, giggling at the same time. Amy smiled at her and then me, presumably loving the bonhomie between all of us. "So, are you being reasonably gentle with Amy then?" I asked. Before any of them had time to answer, Amy did. "They're all so lovely, Duncs; it's been great fun so far," she said smiling at her new friends one by one. Then she looked down at her feet, as if a little embarrassed by what she'd said for some reason. "Nice one, Amy!" said Hannah and she went over and leant against her in an affectionate way. "So, you girls gonna make ya tea then?" I said. "Yep!" said Jessie. She started to busy herself and got stuff out of the cupboards and fridge. Without being asked, Amy went over to Jessie and started helping. She prepared the salad items that Jessie had got out the fridge with the same precision as she had during that day in the cabin in the Lakes. Feeling that there would be too many cooks if they offered to help, Hannah and Alicia came and sat with me at the breakfast bar. I always think it's lovely that Jessie's friends feel they can sit with an old fart like me and talk with me. I have been told that both Jessie's and Dan's friends think my wife and I are 'cool' parents, which is satisfying to know. I found myself watching Amy again, my fascination with her graceful movements and slim arms at work just as strong as ever. I tried not to make it too obvious but I noticed Jessie look at me and give me a sort of knowing smile; she must have observed my gaze following Amy around the kitchen. Jessie was fairly competent in the kitchen for a thirteen year old but she was no match for Amy's superiority with domestic chores and I noticed that Amy seemed to be doing most of the work. If she was unhappy about it she wasn't showing it. Hannah and Alicia were both talking to me at the same time, rather like Jessie would; I cannot keep track of Jess most of the time, so having two exuberant girls chatting to me simultaneously was an impossible task for my male single-task brain to compute. I just smiled at them and enjoyed the beauty of their youth and extrovert personalities. Amy glanced over to me and also gave me a knowing smile. I think she knew I loved the company of the girls and her smile told me she approved and wasn't put out. Jessie asked everyone what they wanted to drink and went to the utility room to fulfil the orders, leaving Amy to look after the food. The atmosphere was lovely and, content that all was well, I made my excuses to leave and left the girls alone, suspecting that I had outstayed my welcome, although nothing was said or suggested to make me think that way. As I walked out the kitchen I asked, "Any chance of some pizza for me girls?" "Nah, doubt it Dad!" said Jess. "Thanks girl; I'll remember that!" I retorted; this was met with giggles and comments such as 'Awww diddums' and other such facetious remarks. I laughed at the lovable cheek of this bunch of delightful girls and left them to it. I decided to sit in the living room and switched the radio on and picked up a book to read. Within no time I was miles away, lost in my imagination stirred by the great book I was reading. Suddenly, I was aware of someone standing over me. It was Amy, smiling at me, with a plate in her hand. "Good book?" she enquired. "Brilliant; I was completely absorbed." "You don't say," she said facetiously and then giggled. "Here, two slices of pizza and some potato wedges; I took pity on your plight," she said smiling at me. "Very thoughtful; you're a lovely lass Amy, but then, I already knew that. Give us a kiss then, gorgeous!" Amy bent over and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Ooh, wish it could be longer," I said. "Are you OK, and I mean REALLY OK? Are you comfortable with the girls?" "They're all really lovely; honest, I'm having a great time. They're treating me like they've known me for years." "Good, good ... I'm pleased," I said, smiling at her, "and thanks for the food; you'd better get back to your new mates." Amy turned to go and I patted her bum as she did. I was treated to an exaggerated wiggle of her wonderful pert and firm buttocks for my effort. Half an hour later the girls trooped out of the kitchen and went noisily back upstairs to their living room. I sighed in resignation to myself and prepared to go to the inevitable Armageddon that was once our kitchen and restore order again. However, I smiled as I opened the kitchen door and surveyed the scene. Not a thing out of place. Everything washed up. Everything put away. All rubbish thrown out. This just had to be Amy's influence; I just hoped that she hadn't done all of the work and had received some help from the others too. I went back to the living room and continued to read my book. Even though Amy had told me she was OK with the girls, I couldn't help worrying about her. It was a new experience for her to be with that sort of company and I was bothered it might wear her down and change her mood. The one-to-one with Jess the previous day was one thing but now Amy would have to compete with three exuberant personalities. I went upstairs and hovered outside the door. I was going to knock and go in on the pretence of asking the girls if they wanted a drink or snack, just so that I could see Amy's face and judge her demeanour. Through the door I could hear music, giggles and laughter; however, I heard one particular and very familiar giggle and it was music to my ears, for it was Amy's; I stopped worrying. I turned round to walk away and suddenly was face-to-face with my wife; I had no idea how long she'd been there and I knew I was probably looking at her a little sheepishly. Sensing my reason for loitering outside the door and my obvious concern she said, "She'll be fine; stop worrying." I smiled at her "I know; just over-protective, I guess." As Jane and I walked away from that closed door, we heard the giggles turn to laughter and I wondered just what they were talking about; then again I thought perhaps I don't want to know! I went back downstairs to continue reading and then at some stage must have drifted off to sleep. In a sub-conscious state and what at first I thought was just a pleasant dream, I became aware of a hand caressing my chest. I opened my eyes and, as my focus restored, I saw the smiling face of Amy looking down on me. I was lying outstretched on the settee and she was perched on the edge, caressing my chest. She was wearing one of Jessie's cartoon character nighties and looked cute as hell. "Hi," she simply said. "Hello gorgeous; now that's what I call a lovely way to be woken up!" "I came down for a drink and noticed you here. You've told me before you often doze off on the settee and then get neck ache or something like that." "Too true sweety. Did you have a good time with the girls?" "Yep, they're all fantastic; just as nice as Jess and they all went out of their way to include me. It was good fun!" "Are they all asleep now?" "Yep, all crashed out in the upstairs living room on the air mattresses and sleeping bags Jess got out for them." "OK, any chance of a kiss then?" I said, pretending to look hurt. "Thought you'd never ask," said Amy, rapidly moving towards my head. I thought about the madness of intimately kissing my gorgeous young companion in my own home, my sleeping wife, son, daughter and her friends only metres away and it dawned on me how reckless I was being but I simply couldn't help myself. One look at Amy and my 'captain sensible' head got pushed aside with indecent haste; her insanely beautiful face melted me in a heartbeat. If Amy was that way inclined, she could get anything her heart desired out of me; she could really use me but, thankfully, that was not in her makeup. As I kissed her, I felt Amy's hand run down my stomach and then she pushed it down inside my jeans and grabbed my cock. I shuddered as the tip of her fingers touched my glans. I couldn't believe how forward and daring she was being but I felt powerless to stop her; nor did I want to stop her either. She broke off her kiss to purr, "I'm sans knickers you know." Then she resumed kissing me. I placed a hand on the inside of her firm thigh and slowly and gently slipped it upwards as Amy parted her legs to allow me easy access. Sure enough, as my hand reached the top of her thigh, I felt the familiar smooth, puffy flesh of her delightful quim, the entrance to her sex already moist. I gently massaged her labia and then slowly slipped in my index finger in feeling the tell-tale vibration in my mouth of Amy's first moan as I did so. Amy had now deftly undone my Jeans with one hand and was delicately stroking my cock as I finger fucked her with my index finger and gently rubbed her clit with my thumb. Amy was still sitting rather awkwardly on the edge of the settee, so I quickly pulled her onto the settee so that we were now lying side by side. We both resumed playing with each other's junk and remained locked in a passionate kiss. I daren't stop kissing her for it acted as a convenient mute. Amy could be very vocal in her appreciation of my 'handiwork', and I was terrified her moans and gasps would wake the neighbours never, mind my family! Moments later Amy pulled away from kissing me and made a request. "Can we do sixty nine please?" Well, that's the sort of question any bloke in his right mind wants to be asked by an extremely sexy and very pretty young women. "Wow, of course, sweety, but please, please, try and keep quiet!" I said. Amy giggled and adopted the new position at great speed. Once again I was presented with her wonderful quim against my eager mouth and I licked, sucked and chewed on her inviting fanny for all my worth. Amy continued to practise her delightful combination of feather-light stroking the shaft of my cock and kissing and 'lollipop' sucking on my glans. I was so highly charged by the combination of it being a few days since we'd last had sex and the inherent excitement and adrenalin-rush created by the risk of what we were doing in my home that I wasn't going to last long with Amy's exquisite manipulation of my manhood. I briefly stopped working on Amy's fanny to warn her but she was oblivious to my call. I shot my spunk; where I don't know but I had again buried my head between Amy's legs so my moan was fortunately stifled. Knowing that Amy still needed to be sated, I increased her stimulation by gently rubbing her anus whilst continuing to feast on her gloriously saturated quim. Using her own juices as a lubricant, I moistened the end of my index finger before gently inserting it into her anus. Amy was still gently working my cock in her mouth, apparently cleaning me up. It was probably a good job too as she moaned long and low as I gently inserted my finger but my cock acted as a silencer. I continued to work on Amy and could tell by her body that she was very close to exploding. To her credit, she did a wonderful job of being quiet, her moans lost in my abdomen, which she had buried her face into to use like a gag. Then, I felt her whole body go rigid, then shake, and then go rigid again while at the same time she gripped my thighs tightly with both hands in an attempt to stifle the inevitable screams and gasps that she would otherwise normally emit when cresting an orgasm. She allowed just one moan to escape, thankfully not too loud and then she went limp on top of me, breathing rapidly but quietly. It was all over in the space of ten minutes or so; our quickest union of making love so far but it gave much needed relief from sexual tension for the pair of us. Amy turned round to face me and gave me one of her deliciously dreamy smiles. "Wow, I needed that!" she stated, like someone might say after enjoying a much-needed cup of tea. "You don't say?" I answered amused by her utter openness and frank statement. I also noted with some surprise a distinct lack of spunk on her face or hair nor did I feel any on my stomach so I assumed that my little minx had swallowed the lot. "Right, are you going for that drink you came down for?" "Had one ta!" she said, giggling and smiling in a most mischievous way. "OK, OK, apart from that, if you're still going to get a drink, please bring one for me too," I said, sighing in despair but chuckling at her too. Whatever personalities I had inadvertently unlocked in this girl, this side of her was definitely going to be one of my favourites. "OK," she said, giving me a quick kiss and then quickly getting off me. She then wiggled her bum at me before departing for the kitchen. I buttoned up my jeans, checking first to see if there was any mess to clean up but, as I suspected, there was none and I sat up waiting for Amy to return. I contemplated what we'd just done and the risk taken and decided there and then that it had better be the first and last time we did such a thing on home turf. Amy came back with two cups of coffee and sat down next to me. She looked at me and giggled like a naughty school girl. "We shouldn't have really done that, should we?" she said, still giggling and looking completely unabashed. "No poppet, not really, but hey, well, what's done is done..." I drifted off, smiling to myself, thinking in all respects of the word, what a beautiful young lady Amy really was. Snapping out of my thoughts, I noticed it was early morning and dawn was breaking. "Amy, how about getting dressed and going for a walk with me? I'd love you to experience the countryside in the early hours; it's delightful." "OK!" she said, like an excited child. She disappeared upstairs and I heard her go in the bathroom; thankfully, she closed the door but I didn't hear the lock. That didn't matter though because in our household there's an unwritten rule that means a closed bathroom door means it's occupied. And all Dan and Jessie's friends know that too. Amy was down in minutes, her hair brushed beautifully. "I'll shower later" she stated. I left a note for the family explaining that Amy and I were going for a walk. Heading into the utility room, I dug out a pair of Jessie's walking boots, guessing they'd fit Amy as the pair of boots at the log cabin in the Lakes had been a perfect fit. I also dug out Jessie's cagoule. Suitably kitted for a walk in the late autumn, we then left the house, walked down the lane for a little while and then turned into a field, following a way-marked path. We held hands and chatted about all sorts of topics. Amy told me about the fun she'd had with the girls and how she liked my family and loved how we all interacted with each other. She got a little melancholic about that last subject realising what she'd missed herself all those years but I said she could treat my family as her own from now on and that seemed to make her happy and content again. Amy really loved the walk in the countryside and appreciated me telling her about the fauna and flora we came across. We watched hares darting across the open fields, saw rabbits and watched a pair of Red kites circling above us looking for prey. At one point I ran my hands through the grass to get them soaking wet with morning dew and then rubbed my hands all over her face, making her giggle like crazy. We kissed and cuddled too and it was all so wonderful and care-free. Like me, she really did seem to enjoy the simple pleasures in life and it was then that I realised what a true companion I'd found in Amy; and for the first time, the age difference between us didn't bother me at all. We got back to the house and it was still quiet save for Jessie pottering about in the kitchen. Bleary-eyed, slightly pale and with tousled hair, she looked a contrasting sight to Amy whose hair was neatly brushed, eyes bright and alert and cheeks rosy from the fresh morning air. "Read your note, Dad, and, well, all I can say is that's not fair. You used to take me for walks in the country all the time when I was younger!" she said, pouting. "Yes, well, back then you used to wake up early and were up and about around the same time that I was; now you're in the land-of-nod until mid-morning, you dirty little stop-in!" I said back at her. Amy looked worried and Jessie saw this and immediately jumped in to put her mind at ease, "Oh Amy, I'm not really upset; I'm glad you went with Dad. He's always going for walks by himself now and I know he likes company sometimes. "Oh, I thought you might be annoyed with me..." said Amy, still a little unsure. "Course not, silly!" said Jessie going to give Amy a cuddle. Jessie went a little too fast and, for the first time in a while, I noted that Amy retracted. "Oh, um, sorry, Amy, I didn't mean to frighten you" said Jess looking at her and then to me for help in what to do now. Amy jumped in this time, "No, Jess, it's not you. It's my fault. I sometimes forget where I am and my past gets in the way; please don't blame yourself." That said, Amy gestured to Jess to give her a hug, which she did. I smiled at the pair of them and Amy caught my gaze and smiled back; I knew she understood why I was smiling too. I could see in that lovely moment in time that Amy and Jess were going to be firm, close friends; and sure enough I can state that over the last two years their relationship has blossomed and they are now like inseparable sisters. A clattering down the stairs supplemented with giggles told me that Alicia and Hannah had woken up and were about to descend on us in the kitchen. Sure enough, two equally tousled-haired, bleary-eyed and slightly pale but smiling faces greeted us all. "Good afternoon, girls!" I said facetiously. "Hi-a Duncs!" said Alicia. "Hi Dad!" said Hannah, giving me a quick hug. It was lovely that these lasses were completely unfazed by being in the presence of a middle-aged man whilst standing there in nothing but cartoon character nighties. I loved the youthful exuberance that shone through even when they were clearly tired from staying-up until the early hours of the morning. I left the girls to chat and took a cup of tea up to my wife who would now no doubt have been awakened by all the noise. "Oh, thanks for the tea. Did I hear you go out early this morning?" she said. "Yep, you did. Amy came down for a drink and found me asleep on the settee so woke me up. It was dawn by then so I took her on a walk with me. She's never experienced stuff like that in her childhood". "Well, that was nice for the pair of you. I know you like company sometimes and it's lovely for Amy to experience new activities too," she said, smiling at me. It was lovely how understanding at times Jane could be. I contemplated how if she still joined me on more of those early morning walks like she used to and if we hadn't drifted apart from our sexual relationship just how different things would be now. I wouldn't have felt so lonely and I would have probably never stopped to help Amy that night either and therefore she wouldn't be in my life now; fate works in a strange way at times. I don't know how much Jane had read between the lines regarding my relationship with Amy but, to her credit, whatever she'd worked out she was tactfully keeping to herself. "What are the girls doing?" she asked. "Oh, I left them in the kitchen; I think they were getting breakfast. No doubt Amy will organise them though!" I said, and then explained to my wife how tidy the kitchen had been left after they had made their tea the previous evening. She exclaimed surprise at this and so I told her how neat and tidy Amy was at work and how she wouldn't stop helping Rose at her house. My wife joked that maybe some of Amy's attitude would rub-off on Jess. I joked back that I doubted it would. The day ran its course and the girls had a quick lunch together, messed around some more in the afternoon and then it was time for them to go. They all piled in my car and I dropped off Alicia and Hannah first, who lived at the other end of the village, and then drove to Beverley to drop off Amy at Rose's house. With her apparent telepathic ways Rose opened the front door of the house just as I switched off the engine. We all got out and Amy and Jessie ran to Rose to greet her. Rose hugged the pair of them together, beaming. Rose loved people of all ages but especially youngsters; that shone out a mile. Amy was on a high and so animated. Rose clearly loved to see the joy in her face and gave her an extra hug and squeeze. "So where's my hug then?" I asked pretending to sound hurt. "Come here then, you daft bugger!" said Rose extending her arms out to me. The girls both giggled as Rose hugged me like she would a lost child. "Better now?" she said, laughing. "Yes, suppose so," I replied grinning at her. C'mon then girl, let's get you home," I said to Jessie. "Aww, Dad ... a bit longer, pleeeeez?" pleaded Jessie, looking at me sideways and made worse by Amy copying her and looking appealingly at me too. How could I resist. We all trouped into Rose's house and stayed for an hour or so. I chatted to Rose about the sleepover and the events of the day whilst the girls disappeared to Amy's room. When I called Jessie down to her credit she came straight away and didn't complain. We headed for the front door and walked outside. Jessie and Amy hugged on the doorstep and kissed each other on the cheek. I overheard Jessie speak to Amy. "You're really cool Amy; I want us to be bezzies. I hope it's not too long before I see you again." "You're great too, Jess, and yes, I very much want to be bezzies with you." On hearing this Rose told Jessie she was welcome to come round whenever she wanted to and Jessie thanked her. I gave Amy a quick hug and kissed her on both cheeks whispering, "See ya later, sexy," which made her giggle. Then Jess and I gave Rose a quick cuddle and went to the car. Just as I was getting in the car I called back at Amy and told her I'd pick her up at eight o'clock in the morning to take her to the office. She smiled, waved and shouted "OK". I backed off the drive and both Amy and Rose waved us off. I felt very content and at peace with the world as I drove home. The weekend had been a complete success, far more than I could have hoped for. Amy now had new friends in her life; my wife had been more than friendly to her and very understanding. Dan had been courteous to her too and, I suspect, more than a little bowled over by her obvious charms and good looks. Jessie was clearly very happy too; looking at me she beamed and thanked me for introducing Amy to her. "She's like having a big sis," she explained, "I love her to bits already." She paused, "You love her too, don't ya, Dad?" she stated, typically frank and up front like she always is. I couldn't deny her statement; Jessie was far too astute and I wouldn't dare patronise the wise head attached to that thirteen year-old body. "Yes, I guess I do," I said, "but that doesn't stop me loving you, Dan and Mum any less." "I know, I'm cool with it Dad; and like I think it's really cool that you're helping Amy. She's told me stuff and like how you just happened to come along when she'd nearly given up and now she's really happy," said Jessie, looking at me and smiling broadly. I reached over and rubbed her cheek affectionately and smiled back at her. 'What a great daughter I have' I thought to myself. I also wondered how far the revelations 'she's told me stuff' had really gone but I didn't worry too much; I trusted both Amy and Jess to be tactful. Jess' mobile bleeped signifying a text message. "Ooh, it's from Amy!" she squealed with joy. 'So, they've obviously swapped numbers. How nice', I thought. Jessie read it and told me Amy was saying what a great weekend she'd had and hoped they could all get together again soon. Jessie texted back at lightning speed; she was an expert at texting and I wondered if Amy knew what she'd let herself in for by giving Jessie her mobile number. Jessie and her friends used texting like personal tweets and she was forever sending texts to friends. I heard my phone bleep too and assumed it would be a text from Amy. I would have to wait to read mine though as I was driving; I couldn't risk Jessie reading it either in case it was saucy. We got home and the rest of the evening panned out the way most of my evenings at home do. Sure enough, the text that Amy had sent me was definitely for my eyes only and I received one more that evening that was equally saucy. Jessie received and sent several to Amy that night, so clearly they were now joined at the hip. I was very content that evening, far more than I had been for a long time when in my own company. The only slight negative was that I found myself dwelling on how the next day at work would pan out, introducing Amy to everyone; I was nervous so goodness only knows how nervous Amy would be. ------- Chapter 15 'Amy meets my colleagues at the office and factory' I was at Rose's house to the second for eight o clock. True to form, Rose was opening the front door of the house just as I'd got out of the car. "Good morning Rose!" I said cheerily, giving her a peck on the cheek "Mornin' son!" said Rose back in an equally cheery voice. "My, you're in for a treat!" Intrigued, I followed Rose into the house. Waiting in the living room was an extremely smartly dressed young woman. It was Amy and I was bowled over by the vision in front of me. Amy was dressed in a fantastic business suit; the skirt was just above her knees, complimented by a smart contemporary cut and fitted jacket, beautiful understated blouse and sensible but stylish shoes. Amy looked at me nervously; ever so gently biting on her bottom lip like a child would when wishing to please an adult. "Wow, errr ... wow Amy ... you look stunning!" I said, struggling to find superlatives to describe the transformation of a jean and T-shirt-clad Amy to business executive. "When did you buy the clothes?" "With Jess last Saturday; I didn't just want to waste your money on casual clothes ... d ... do ... do you really like my outfit?" she said nervously. "Like it? Like it? I LOVE it girl?" "See, said you were worrying about nothing love," said Rose in her motherly way to Amy. "C'mon ma'am, lets get you to work; your chariot awaits," I said, still shaking my head in disbelief at this beautiful, stunning girl, who only two weeks ago had been walking the streets in ragged clothes, homeless and destitute. We left Rose's house, pausing only for Amy to give Rose a cuddle and a kiss. I opened the passenger door for Amy, pretending to be a chauffeur and bowing at her as she approached the car and doffing an imaginary peaked cap as she entered the car. "Knock-em dead girl!" Rose shouted to Amy. Amy smiled and waved at Rose as I backed off the drive. I could swear I saw a tear or two in Rose's eyes... "Amy, what can I say? You look bloody fantastic girl!" I said, beaming like a Cheshire cat. "I wanted to make a good first impression and not let you down," said Amy, looking at her lap. "You could never let me down girl and don't ever forget that," I said, sincerely to her. I can't believe Jess didn't squeal about this though; she's normally crap at keeping secrets!" Amy giggled at my revelation "yeah, Jess is certainly very open! By the way, I got a lovely text off her this morning wishing me good luck; that was really nice of her." I smiled at this; I was so proud of my kids; well, most of the time that is... We were at the office in less than two minutes; it's only one mile from Rose's house. During rush hour, it would be quicker to walk, but today the main road was quiet; strange for a Monday morning. We approached the office car park and I was aware of Amy clenching and unclenching her fists. Seeing this I said "you'll be OK sweety," trying to reassure her. "There's only one person who is a misery in our place and that's Karen, but you won't have much to do with her as she's in accounts. She's a miserable old spinster and battle-axe; very good at her job mind, but almost non-human and never smiles." As we got out the car, several other colleagues were sauntering over to the main office entrance too. Zoe was one of them. Zoe was an assistant accountant, a couple of years older than Amy and very pretty. She is the kind of girl that all blokes mentally undress on seeing her... "Hey Duncs, haven't seen-ya around for yonks!" she said, giving me a cheery smile. "No, been on site a lot Zo. So how's my fave office girl been then; ya miss me?" I said flirting with her like I always do. "Oh yes, I've been in tears most days!" she said, putting on a big pretend pout and flashing her eyes at me. We laughed, and then turning to Amy I said "Zoe, sorry, really ignorant of me; this is Amy; Amy this is Zoe." They shook hands and Zoe gave Amy a lovely big smile, just as I hoped she would. 'One successful welcome over with; 40-odd more to go' I thought. "Amy's been assisting me on site and we're looking at forming a permanent job for her on the engineering team," I said, to explain her presence with me. "Cool, it will be nice to have someone in the company who's in my own age group for a change instead of all the old-farts like yourself!" said Zoe, giggling. Amy giggled too, which was nice, "Harsh!" I said to her, as Zoe walked off, laughing. "She seems nice and she's very pretty," said Amy in a very matter-of-fact way. "She's a lovely lass and very sweet, but not half as pretty as you poppet" Amy said nothing; she still sometimes didn't know how to react to compliments, and most of the time chose not to say anything. Other colleagues acknowledged me and I quickly introduced them to Amy, but we really needed to head into the office. The engineers and design team share a large communal office; there are no dividers or partitions between desks, so we can all see each other. That office sometimes witnesses some incredibly childish behaviour such as paper aeroplanes being thrown to and fro and rolled up, chewed balls of paper being flicked off plastic rulers between each other, but on the whole an awful lot of productive work comes out of that office. My desk was at the far end from the entrance to the office, meaning I always had to walk past everyone to get to my desk; usually to be greeted with various calls ranging from reasonably polite to downright rude. The office was half-full already. Colleagues looked up at me and I could see they were about to utter their usual abusive welcomes, but after the "hello Duncs..." most seemed to trail off when they focussed on Amy, who was following closely behind me. "Mornin' Tim." "Mornin' John" "Mornin' Cliff" I said, as I walked passed colleagues who suddenly seemed to have lost the power of speech. I was heading in the direction of my desk, but more specifically, to the small corner office next to my desk occupied by the technical director of the company. I had known Dave for more years than I care to remember. He was my boss by title only; in reality he always treated me as his equal. Never a 'yes' man to him, he valued my candour when he shared ideas with me, knowing that my answers were based on years of experience and I was never afraid to question him or disagree if I felt he was wrong. It was he that had emailed me, quizzing me about the 'bit of totty' working at the project site, and it was he that would be instrumental in creating a job for Amy. We entered his office as the door was open. In our company, an open door implies that the occupant of that office doesn't expect a formal knock before entering. "Dave; long time no see mate," I said, as it had been several weeks since I'd last seen him. "And you are, mmm, let me think now!" he said, looking at me, pretending not to recognise me. Then his face cracked "Duncs, good to see you mate," he said, standing up and shaking my hand vigorously. Then he turned towards Amy. "And you must be Amy; I've heard great things about you ma'am," he said, offering his hand. Amy shook it but looked slightly nervous. "H ... hello Mister, um, sorry, I don't know your surname, or ... or should I call you sir?" she said, being very formal. Dave laughed "Sir? Mister? No other bugger here addresses me like that so there's certainly no need for you to start dear girl!" Amy now looked more relaxed "Then hello Dave," she said, smiling at him. "Oh, and by the way, you don't need to call me ma'am; well, at least not in the privacy of your own office!" and with that, Amy had broken the ice, not that any existed, and she'd homed in on Dave's humour button straight away. "Wow, you've found a right one here!" he said, looking at me, "no wonder you like her; your kind of acerbic humour I see." "She certainly can be cutting, and the lads on site love her for it," I said, smiling and winking at her. "If she can cut it with the site lads, she'll have no problem in the office then," said Dave. "Look, Duncs, why don't you take Amy on an introductory tour, then come back to my office; by that time, I'll have cleared a backlog of emails and other clutter." "OK Dave, no probs." I said. As we turned to leave, I saw Dave copping a look at Amy's pert bum; I can't say I blame him... So I took Amy around the communal office first and introduced her to all my immediate colleagues, who had by now regained the power of speech after their first sighting of Amy, then I moved to the main fabrication shop. This would be the test of Amy's resolve because the lads in the fab shop would make the site guys seem like polite pillars of society by comparison. I told Amy she'd have to put on a yellow tabard before we entered the fab shop and I did the same. We wandered slowly through the factory and I explained what the machinery was for and what the operators were doing. There were one or two wolf-whistles and 'ello gorgeous' comments, but on the whole, the lads were pretty well restrained. Amy took it in her stride, oozing a professional no-nonsense presence in front of this pretty much uncouth bunch of blokes. She spoke to most of them and showed an interest in what they were doing, asking many questions which I could see surprised them. We then moved on to the electrical panel fab shop; the blokes in here are a step-up from the mechanical fabricators and don't possess anywhere like the Neanderthal knuckle-dragging tendencies of the latter. Chris greeted me with a slap on the back as a welcome. "Now then Duncs, still butchering our beautifully-crafted control panels with your so-called commissioning work then?" "Nope; however, being busy putting right all the crap you guys turn out would be nearer to the truth!" I said, raising the ante for a more colourful response, but Chris chose to ignore me, refusing to take the bait; however, he was smirking. Chris is a seasoned old-dog at building control panels and had worked all over the World, commissioning equipment himself in his younger years. Now, he was happy to be factory-based and be in charge of the electrical fab shop. I had huge respect for him and his fund of knowledge. Chris turned to Amy, "and you must be Amy; I've heard a lot about you young lady and all good too I might add; especially the bit about how you're trying to correct the error of Duncs ways. But that's a lost cause love; you ain't got a chance sweetheart!" he said, laughing and offering his large, calloused hand for her to shake. Amy smiled and shook Chris' hand "Oh you know, Duncs isn't so bad; but I've at least started to make his paperwork a lot neater!" "Well, that's a start!" said Chris, turning to me. I nodded to him, acknowledging that what Amy had said was in fact true. "And anyway, the site lads all like you, so if you've impressed them, then you're OK by me!" added Chris. "Come and meet the other guys here. And with that, Chris took Amy to meet the other panel builders. It looked like Amy had another instant admirer. She had this effect on people, especially older men. I can only assume that because she was so natural and so unaware of her beauty and sensuality, it made her all the more appealing. She was also no threat to anyone; with no airs or graces; plenty of humility and completely modest and unassuming. Wow, how I loved and respected her for that. Amy was talking to the control panel builders and demonstrating the knowledge she'd already picked up from me. She was pointing to items in control panels that were in various states of construction and relating them to her own site experience and explaining how she'd seen the equipment working. The lads were hanging off every word this beautiful girl was saying to them. I think it was hard for them to compute that all this technical knowledge was being spouted with ease by such a young person. Chris walked over to me, leaving the younger lads awestruck in the company of Amy. "She's one amazing young woman Duncs. Brains and beauty eh? A powerful combination. Fred told me I was in for a surprise when I spoke to him the other week. Where did ya find her, eh?" "Oh, it's a long story Chris, and I'll tell-ya one day, but not now mate." "Amy, hate to break the party, but time to move on lass," I shouted. "OK!" She walked over to me, her every move being tracked by four pairs of eyes. Four pairs of eyes belonging to four panel builders who seemed to be temporarily incapacitated. "C'mon you lazy buggers; these panels won't build themselves!" said Chris, attempting to motivate his awestruck team. We walked outside and I briefly showed Amy two large buildings; one where we stored raw materials and the other for fabricated products ready to ship to our various construction sites. This latter building also had an inner building where we held all our archives. I showed her inside the dimly lit room. Opening the door we were met with the slightly musty aroma of old paper. There are shelves and shelves of old accounts, engineering drawings, client specifications, copies of O and M manuals and site log books. I showed her my stash of old site books, just to prove to her that I really did keep all my field notes. Whilst in there, Amy faced me and placing her hands round the back of my neck, drew my face to hers and gave me a long, sensual and passionate kiss. "Wow; that was unexpected!" I said. "I needed it," she simply stated, sounding a little nervous. "You're doing fine lass," I said, picking up on her vibe. We moved on to the final area of the company; the accounts office. The dreaded Karen would be here. We entered the office and Zoe was the first person to see us. "Oh, hia Amy!" she said cheerfully. "Hello again Zoe." Peter, the financial director, who fancied himself as the office Romeo made a beeline for us. "Hello Duncs and well, hello Amy; I'm Peter, or Pete; I've heard a lot about you!" he said, addressing her boobs. "Hello Peter," she said, in a formal way; I guess she was not impressed with his obvious sexism, but to her credit she did smile at him. Then we approached Karen's desk. She was the main accountant and as I stated before, an old battle axe. She looked Amy up and down with obvious disdain and said "I've heard from others that the site men like you; I can see why." She said it condescendingly and with obvious jealously at Amy's youth and beauty of which, she possessed neither. Well, I don't expect you'll last long here; you look too young and timid to survive working with all my uncouth colleagues." With that, Karen got up and walked towards the door to run some errand. As soon as her back was turned, I faced her departing form, clicked my heels and gave a Nazi salute, much to the delight of Amy, Zoe, the recpetionist and Pete. "Just ignore her," I said, "there's always one bad apple in a company." We left accounts, and Zoe was still giggling at my retort to Karen. As we walked out, Zoe shouted after Amy "wanna join me for lunch if you're not doing anything already?" Amy looked at me, seeking permission. "Amy, you don't have to ask me; I don't own you poppet. Go for lunch with her, she's OK, you'll be fine." I whispered. "Yes please, I'd like that Zoe!" Amy said, smiling at her. "Thanks Duncs, I thought you'd want me to be with you at lunchtime and might be offended if I said yes to her." "I do want to be with you, but it's also important that you mix with new people too, and Zoe is a lovely lass." I said, smiling at her. Amy smiled back at me, and if she could have got away with it, I knew she'd have kissed me too, but we were standing in the main corridor that connected all the offices together, so it was a little too public. We then headed back to Dave's office to work out the intricacies of how we were going to 'employ' Amy until she was 18 and free of her mothers potential clutches. "Hello again mate," I said, walking in to Dave's office. "Ready for us?" "Yep, sure, but shall we get coffee before we start?" "Sounds good; I'll go and make it." "I'll do it Duncs; you catch up with Dave," said Amy. "How d'ya like your coffee, SIR?" she said, looking at Dave with a totally deadpan face. "Strong and black; ma'am," said Dave, with an equally deadpan face. "D'ya know where the kitchen is? I didn't show you," I said. "Yep, I saw it; we walked past it," and with that said, she walked off. "She's a beautiful, intelligent and witty young lady that Amy," Dave said to me, shaking his head slowly. "C'mon, you didn't find her at an agency, did'ya? Wanna to tell me the story or tell me to bugger off and mind my own business?" As I stated before, I've known Dave many years; we were each others 'best man' at our respective weddings and our kids are of similar ages too. He also knew that the relationship with my wife was purely platonic too; I'd confided that revelation to him some years ago when we were both staying at the same motel one evening. "OK, we haven't much time, so here's the potted version," I started to say. I then proceeded to tell him about my evening stroll and my first encountering of Amy; the Mc Donalds incident; the surprise she demonstrated to me with the Excel and AutoCAD documents; her key help and intuitive abilities on the construction site and told him a little about her horrific childhood. I also hinted at our personal relationship without going into detail. I mentioned the quick visit to the Lakes and the positive impact it had on Amy. I also explained the kind and generous offer Fred and Rose had made in offering a roof over her head and finally, I told him how I'd involved my family, especially Jess. Dave listened intently to my précis, not interrupting once; rare for him; and few seconds after I'd finished, he finally spoke "Fucking hell Duncs!" was his thoughtful and intellectual response. However, given the story just told, I think the Pope himself would reply in a similar fashion. Dave stood up and shook my hand. Finally, a little more composed he spoke again "we're going to help this young lady in any and every way possible," he proclaimed, smiling at me, "I'm behind you all the way Duncs! Oh, by the way, I did already know about Fred and Rose's kind offer." "Thanks, I appreciate that Dave, I really do mate." Just then, the topic of our discussion entered the room with a tray of drinks and some biscuits. "You got biscuits; I never get biscuits! Where'd ya find biscuits Amy?" said Dave. Amy smiled at him "Ah, that's for me to know and you to find out," she said, in a cheeky voice. "You've been with Duncs and those damn site lads far too long already, showing that sort of cheek girl!" said Dave, obviously loving her charming wit. I chuckled. "So, sit down the pair of you and let's talk," said Dave. "Now, I hear you're after Duncs job. When d'ya want to start? I know I'm s'posed to be politically correct and non-sexist, but I'd sooner look at your pretty face than his ugly mug any day!" "Harsh!" I exclaimed. Amy giggled in her beautiful, girly way and I could see that Dave was bowled over with her already. "Well, joking aside, we're going to create a role for you within the company; that's assuming, of course, that you still want to work for us after seeing the whole place and the bunch of misfits that are euphemistically named the employees!" Amy giggled again "I'd love to work here and on site projects and thank you very much for the opportunity of a job here; I really do appreciate it, but..." and Amy's face now took on a slightly sad and concerned look, "um, I ... I ... I'm not sure how it can possibly happen because..." Dave interrupted her at this point "Amy, I think I know where this is leading, so let me explain something before you get too dejected. I know a little about your past and I know you ran away from home. I also know that you're terrified to register your name for anything official until you're 18, so here's what we're going to do. Firstly, you are going to be on a recurring 'week's trial' until you're 18. That way, should any problem arise with officialdom and they want to know why you're not on the company payroll, we simply say that your official employment isn't due to start until the end of the week, and that's why we haven't registered your details yet. There's some personal risk for you in that should an event like that happen, then we would have to release your details and 'the cat is then out of the bag', so to speak. Secondly, we can't pay you officially and legally without registering your details, so what we're going to do is increase Fred's salary to cover the cost of them housing you plus some extra on top so that they can give you a weekly cash payment. We're also going to pay Duncs extra on his salary so that he can give you some cash too. There's also some creative accounting that Pete can do to get you certain things without raising suspicions. Of course, once you're 18, the problems over and you will receive a proper salary like anyone else. Making sense so far? "Yes, yes it is; b ... b ... but why are you prepared to do all this for me; you don't even know me." "I've known Duncs for too many years Amy, and I know that he wants to help you and so that's all I need to know poppet. Oh and continuing on the scheme we've dreamt up, we're also going to get you a decent laptop so that you don't have to use that piece of crap Duncs has palmed off on you! Oh, and a BlackBerry too and finally, if you need to travel somewhere, you call the local taxi firm in Beverley and quote our account with them. We can also arrange rail fares if necessary too. How's that sound so far?" Amy looked at me and then back at Dave and I saw a single tear trickle down her cheek. "It sounds fantastic; I don't know what to say Dave ... I ... I ... I'm incredibly grateful for the chance you're giving me..." she trailed off and her bottom lip started to quiver a little. "Everyone deserves a second chance, and in your case, more so than ever," said Dave softly. He held out his hand to her "Deal?" "Deal!" said a broadly-smiling but still slightly tearful Amy as she shook his hand. "Ok, let's drink our coffee and I'll explain a little more about your potential roles in the organisation. "Cool!" said Amy. "Well, our man Duncs ain't gonna readily give you up as his assistant, so firstly, you'll continue in that role, unless you tell me that you can't stand working with him, and I'd quite understand that too (giggle from Amy at this point) and secondly, based on Duncs telling us how meticulous you are, your second role will be to help Richard, who collates all the site documentation, validation certs, 'as fitted' drawings etc. and produces what's known as 'O and M manuals to give to our clients. Of course, as your time with us progresses, your role may change, but we'll cross those bridges as necessary ... Sound good so far?" "Sounds great ... errr ... I didn't meet Richard, did I Duncs?" "No, he's got a day off today, but you'll meet him tomorrow," I said. Richard is a lovely bloke and like Fred, is nearing retirement. He is the 'general factotum' of the engineering office; well-read and a fountain of knowledge but with much practical experience under his belt too. Richard is one of those people that can always be relied upon to give a considered and insightful opinion on any matter that crops up in our engineering meetings and it will be delivered without arrogance or affectation. With Brian's retirement only four years off (at the time; it's now only two), we needed to find somebody to fill his important role; a role that by necessity would mean that Amy would inevitably spend more and more time in the office and less time with me on site as the years rolled on, but I was primarily out to help her; not myself. Richard is also a very kind, patient person; a father and a grandfather and I couldn't think of anyone better in our office than him to be a mentor to Amy. "OK, I look forward to meeting him. What shall I do for the rest of today?" "Good question Amy; Duncs?" said Dave, looking at me for inspiration. "How about I familiarise Amy with our systems, procedures and practices in the engineering office, oh, and we have some documentation to tidy up for the current project anyway, plus we need to make plans for returning to site this Thursday, so that will pretty much wrap up the rest of the day." "Go for it Duncs," said Dave. Then Dave stood up and offered his hand once again to Amy. Amy stood up and shook hands with him. "Welcome to the company Amy" said Dave, smiling broadly. Amy smiled back at him like the cat that had just got the cream. "Oh, come here lass; bugger political correctness!" he said, holding his arms out in a gesture offering to embrace Amy. She briefly looked at me and I nodded to her. Amy allowed Dave to give her a quick cuddle. I felt a slight tear welling up in my eye... It was lunchtime and a cheerful Zoe came into the engineering office to retrieve Amy. "Ready for lunch Amy?" Amy looked at me, "sure you don't mind?" "Go girl, go!" I said, gently pushing her towards Zoe. Amy and Zoe giggled. I felt they would become good friends. Zoe doesn't have Amy's intellect, but she has everything else going for her; most importantly a lovely, genuine personality with no side to her whatsoever. Amy needed to be surrounded by truly genuine people with no hidden agenda. "Bring her back in one piece Zo; don't go to any of your usual dives eh?" "Aww, spoil sport!" said Zoe, as she whisked Amy away. I smiled to myself. Whilst they were gone, I moseyed down to the electrical fab shop to catch up on gossip. There were inevitable questions regarding Amy, but I fended them off pretty well. I picked up a couple of things I needed to take back to site with me and went back to the office. A short while later, Amy and Zoe returned. "Here ya go Duncs, your assistant returned in one piece," said Zoe. "Thanks Zo; had a good time the pair of you?" "Yep, I did; you too?" said Zoe, looking at Amy. "Yep, I did too; let's go for lunch again Zoe!" "Cool, nice one girls," I said. Then in a loud voice I said "C'mon then Amy, I'll show you how this office just about functions with the bunch of reprobates supposedly running it," This was met with jeers and various abusive terms thrown back in my direction. Amy giggled again. It was going to be a good first day for her. Five o clock arrived, and most people started to drift out the door. Amy and I hung back a bit and engaged in some small talk with Dave and a couple of others and I thought that Amy joined in with the banter very well. I was pleasantly surprised that not only did she cope well, she also injected humour at all the right times. We left the office and got in my car. Amy slumped in the passenger seat and for the first time that day, looked exhausted and a little pensive; it had clearly been a mental strain for her to get through the first day in the office; new faces, new surroundings, new procedures. "You OK?" I said, patting her thigh. "Yeah, but it took some effort for me at times; I hope I didn't let you down did I? "Amy, you were perfect sweetheart. I know it must have been tough at times." Amy smiled but said nothing. "Fancy going to Westwood for a quick stroll and some fresh air before I take you to back to Rose's house?" "Please, that would be lovely, but um, it's dark!" "So?" So I drove to Westwood. Amy's shoes were not ideal for Westwood, but luckily, she had left a pair of her trainers in the boot of my car. They looked at odds with her business suit, but we didn't care; it was dark anyway. We wondered across the common ground and discussed the day. Amy started to relax and wind down and we inevitably kissed and cuddled as we ambled along. During one cuddle Amy was tearful, but it was tears of joy. "I can't ever thank you enough for all you've done and arranged for me you know." "Yes you can; just be yourself and make a success of your life. That will be my thank you," I said. And that said, we embraced and kissed passionately for some time, under a clear, starlit sky. ------- Chapter 16 'Amy starts work in the office' Next day, I picked Amy up at seven thirty so that we could arrive at the office a little earlier than my colleagues. I often go in the office for around seven to get what I call my 'golden hour'; it's an hour I use for whatever I choose to do, be it surfing a news website or reading a couple of trade magazines or just getting on with some work in peace and quiet. Amy and I arrived at seven forty and I showed her the entry procedure to the building, just in case she ever wanted to turn up early. We headed for the kitchen, grabbed coffee and headed over to my desk. Amy surveyed the haphazard array of paperwork and plans scattered on my desk and the various sensors and control modules scattered around the floor. She shook her head and tutted and then gave me a look that a school mistress might give to a naughty schoolboy. I picked up on her vibe and offered a sheepish grin in return. "Come here ma'am," I said, patting my thighs inviting her to sit on my lap. "I know it's a mess, but it's an organised mess!" She sat down on my lap and draped her arms around my neck. She smiled at me. "It's your desk; I don't care really," she said, and then she planted her lips on my willing mouth and gave me a wonderful, gentle kiss. What a way to start the day. "Do you always invite young women to sit on your lap at work then?" she quizzed. "Only if I fancy them!" Amy gave me playful slap on the chest and a giggled. "So we need to sort out your desk. I agreed with Dave to let you sit in that corner," I said, pointing to an unused desk next to mine. It was facing a window meaning that Amy's back would be against the rest of the office. Most of the perimeter desks faced the wall and everybody, except me didn't seem to mind. I'd spun mine round so that my back faced the wall. I could see in Amy's face that she wasn't happy with the arrangement of her desk. One thing I'd learnt about her is that even in her 'normal' state, she hated being approached from behind. I'd turned my own desk around not for that reason, but simply because I liked to keep an eye on what was happening; being at the far end of the office meant I could see who was coming and going. Yes, guess I'm a nosey bugger... "Amy, I'm sure I know what you're thinking sweety; we can spin your desk round like mine is, then no one can approach you from behind and you'll get to see what's happening too." So that said, between us we rearranged her desk, drawer cabinet and all the other paraphernalia. Amy got out my decrepit old laptop and switched it on. The 'old girl' spluttered into life and eventually found the company WIFI hotspot and automatically logged-in to the company intranet. "You won't have to suffer that 'old girl' much longer; Jay in IT has ordered you a spanking brand new laptop and BlackBerry; should hopefully be here today so you'll be able to take them with you to the construction site tomorrow". "Cool! So, I'm going back to site with you tomorrow? I wasn't sure." "Of course girl; you're my personal slave and concubine now; didn't I tell you that? You're at my beck and call, for whatever and whenever I want!" "Twat!" she said, giggling. I laughed too; somehow, even the word 'twat' rolling off my beautiful Amy's lips seemed inoffensive. Our brief time together ended as colleagues started to arrive in dribs and drabs. Zoe popped her head round the engineering office door and shouted a cheery 'hi' to us. She's is such a sweet girl... Richard came into the office and Amy and I ambled over to his desk. "Hello Rich; mornin', long time, no see mate!" I said. "Yes, it has been a while; no doubt you have returned with armfuls of documentation for me to try and decipher and make presentable then?" "Harsh! And good morning to you, too!" I said facetiously. "Go straight for the jugular eh?" Rich gave me a wry smile. He had a point; us field blokes didn't usually offer him beautifully presented documents, yet by the time he'd worked his magic on them, beautifully laid out and logical O and M manuals were the result for our clients. "Well, let me present you with the answer to your prayers. Rich, this is Amy; Amy this is Rich." "Hello Amy; I've heard all about you; spoke to Fred last week. Says you're sorting out Duncs errant ways; well, not before time either!" Rich offered his hand, which Amy shook whilst giggling at his comment; she clearly enjoyed seeing me put down by my colleagues. "I don't have to take this crap from you desk-jocks; I get more than enough of that sort of shite from the site lads," I said, feigning offense. More giggles from Amy and a chuckle or two from Rich. "Well my extremely talented and meticulous assistant here takes my site notes and turns them into beautiful spread sheets. She even annotates the 'for construction' issue drawings and turns them into 'as fitted' drawings; now how's that for starters?" "Well, you did at least do that as well, I'll admit that much," said Rich. "Yeah, but Amy does them even better than me, and checks for typos too!" "Sounds good so far. But Amy, why on earth do you want to work on construction sites with a bunch of ragged-arsed blokes and especially with this awkward, cantankerous old bugger," said Rich, looking at me. "Oh, its fun actually; the lads on site are great, and Duncs is a big softy underneath that jaded and grumpy exterior!" "Shall I go so that you two can talk about me totally uninhibited?" I offered. More giggles and chuckles from the other two. I smiled at them. I think Rich and Amy would get along fine. "Anyway, seriously people, I'll leave you two together so that you can get to know each other and explain to Amy the tasks and procedures. "OK Duncs, will do," said Rich. Amy smiled at me and I winked back at her. I'd had a conference call the previous week with Dave, Rich and Tim to discuss how we would introduce Amy into a mix of site work and office work; the ultimate goal being for her to stand in 'Richards shoes' when he retired. Our idea was for Amy to initially add more to the documentation than we would normally present Rich with from site. This would reduce Rich's work load and at the same time give Amy an insight into the procedures both on and off site. We had just less than four years to get her up to speed. I had no doubt that with careful mentoring by Rich, Dave and myself, plus help from the site lads, plus her healthy curiosity, intellect and willingness to learn to add to the mix, she would achieve the objectives we'd planned for her well before that four year time frame was up. I went back to my own desk and answered emails and took calls from various site lads, sub-contractors and clients. I periodically glanced over to Rich's desk and smiled. I could see Rich explaining things to Amy and even though I couldn't hear him, I knew it would be in his clear and measured tones. Amy's face was a delight to watch; her intensity and concentration very evident; sponging-up all the facts and details Rich was offering. She would be a great student, and Rich a fantastic mentor. I could see that as soon as Rich stopped talking, Amy started speaking immediately; obviously firing back at Rich with a barrage of questions in response. I chuckled, wondering who would be the more drained mentally by lunchtime. I knew from experience on the construction site that Amy would be firing one question after another like a demented machine gun. Her thirst for knowledge knew no bounds. Dave called me in his office for a chat. "Heard about the incident with that canteen women and Amy; does she want to press charges?" "No Dave, definitely not. That would draw attention to her and she doesn't want to risk it. Can you let it go, or does there have to be a legal proceeding here?" "Only if the woman claims unfair dismissal, which so far she hasn't. From what I gather, she wouldn't exactly be welcome back on that site anyway; I hear on the grape vine that our blokes have all adopted Amy and wouldn't see a single hair on her head harmed." "Yeah, you could say that; she's certainly won them over with her natural charm and she loves them back too, though goodness only knows why!" Dave chuckled, knowing what I meant. "Well, she'll definitely add some much-needed glamour to a project site; she's certainly a beautiful lass with a personality to match." said Dave, shaking his head slowly and smiling. "So, do you think Rich is boring poor Amy to death already?" he said, looking out of his open office door and nodding in the direction of Rich's desk. "Oh, I doubt it; more likely Amy will be bombarding poor Rich with question after question and tiring the poor guy out. A Q and A session with Amy would make a Gestapo interrogation seem like a casual chat!" "Look, tell me to mind my own business, but what's the situation between your family, in particular Jane and Amy?" "Well, Amy's been round to our house as Jess invited her to a sleepover, which was a great success; I see Amy and Jess becoming firm friends. You know what Jess is like; she's a great tonic for Amy and will hopefully give Amy a taste of her much needed younger teen years. As for my wife? Well, I've explained the full story to her, and she was very friendly towards Amy. Whatever she's read into 'us', if you know what I mean, she's keeping to herself..." I trailed off, feeling a little awkward, even though I was talking to someone I'd known for 27 years. "You don't have to say any more Duncs; I would just hate for Amy to consume all your personal time at the expense of your family life; I do remember that your relationship with your missus is purely platonic, but I know it would break your heart if you were parted from the kids." "That won't happen; it was one of the reasons I introduced Amy to my family; that way, they know who she is and there's nothing underhand. Well not..." "Leave it there Duncs; I understand what it is you don't want to say." "Nice one Dave; you know, despite the roller coaster ride I've been through with her already, she makes me feel alive again." "You don't say; like I really didn't notice at all the adoration in your eyes every time you look at her you know; nor did I notice that certain way you smile at her!" I smiled sheepishly at Dave, "that obvious then? Well, s'pose I'd better go and do some work and earn my crust for the day." "It'd make a change..." said Dave, grinning. I returned to my desk, and saw that Amy and Rich were still deep in conversation, poring over sample O and M manuals and other reference books and documentation. In fact, by now, Rich had abandoned his desk and the pair of them had moved to the large oval meeting table in the centre of the office, so that they could spread out manuals and books more easily. I smiled at the sight of Amy engrossed in her new world of office work. Midday approached and Zoe came over to see me, shouting 'hi' as she walked past Amy. "The she-devil wants to know if you've done your monthly expenses yet," she said, totally straight faced. As the technical manager of our company, by rights I should have chastised Zoe, the office junior and my subordinate, for being so rude about her line manager, but I chose instead to chuckle. "You can tell the wizened old hag that no, I haven't yet, but will do so before the end of the day." "Thanks, I'll inform her royal ugliness; oh, by the way, can I take ya girlfriend out for lunch again?" "Well, ask her yourself Zo, and, whadya mean, girlfriend?" I said quizzically. "Well, yesterday, all I heard was 'Duncs this' and 'Duncs that' and "Duncs showed me this' and 'I did that with Duncs'. She seems really taken by you, though for the life of me, I can't understand why." "Thanks Zo; love you too sweety!" "Pleasure!" she said, prancing off like a little school girl. I have to say I'm glad I'm not Zoe's line manager, because I would never, ever be able to tell her off... I heard Zoe ask Amy if she wanted to go to lunch, and on cue, Amy shot a glance over in my direction. I would have to get her out of the habit of always seeking my permission for things. I nodded to her and then saw her look at Zoe and just heard her say "yes, I'd love to.'' Then she looked at Rich, said something, he looked at his watch, smiled at her, said something back and then Amy and Zoe left the office. I moseyed over to Rich' desk. He actually looked exhausted. "So, how's your protégé?" I enquired. He looked at me quite solemnly and for a moment I thought he was going to be negative, but then he delivered an appraisal in his famous measured tones. "She has a fierce intensity of concentration that shows in her eyes, an inquisitive, searching and probing mind, is eloquent, exhibits a high intellect, yet lacks any arrogance and she has the sweetest disposition ever; in short, she's a delight and a breath of fresh air. Where on earth did you find her?" "It's a long story Rich and in the fullness of time, I'll tell you; but from what you've said I'm presuming you see potential in her?" "In abundance, but I don't think I could take a full day of mentoring her; she'll kill me with her mental dexterity and relentless questions!" I chuckled, thinking of her physical 'dexterity' too. "I've had her shadowing me for nearly two weeks on the construction site; I too have had question after question fired at me. By the end of the second week, I let her loose in programme mode on the BMS and that girl was tuning PID loops and was even suggesting what was wrong with sensor readings!" "No shit!" said Rich, not known for swearing. "And take a look at her hand-written site notes," I said, handing him my site notebook. Rich studied the beautiful handwriting with the proper ruled lines; her detailed notes and observations and the neat columns of recorded readings and measurements, with not one crossing out or any sign of correction fluid. Rich looked lovingly at my site book like a Latin scholar might study the 'Book of Kells'. "She's written this up again after initially writing rough notes, I take it?" "No, no, I relayed the measurements I was observing from various test gauges in the plantroom to her via our mobile phones and that's her actual 'on-the-fly' notes that she wrote down at the time. Rich shook his head, "this is wonderful; it's almost too perfect. You know, I'd love to photocopy these notes and include them in the O and M manual as real proof of commissioning by a human!" "It comes at a price though..." I trailed off, realising that I was thinking aloud. "Excuse me? What do you mean?" said Rich. "Oh, nothing Rich, nothing mate," I said, in a dismissive tone. "Look Rich, I'll give you a bit of a breather after lunch and ask Zo to show Amy a little about the accounts structure, purchasing and the quotation process. Although she doesn't really need to know it, it will still be useful to give her some insight." Half an hour later, Amy and Zoe came bounding in to the engineers office, full of life and exuberance and they certainly added some much-needed sparkle and 'colour' to the office. "So girls, had a nice lunch?" I said. "Yep!" said Zoe. "Do you really have to take her with you tomorrow?" "'fraid so pumpkin; she's my right-hand girl on site now; 'sides, the blokes on site would never forgive me if I didn't take her back; they need their fix of 'Aims'." "Aww, OK, so back to lunch by myself again ... Still, I suggested to Amy she might want to go clubbing with me next Saturday, haven't I Amy?" she said, looking at her new friend. "Yeah, you have, but I'm not sure what I'm doing yet," said Amy, looking at me directly, hers eyes pleading me to help her out of her predicament. I knew 'going clubbing' would not be on Amy's agenda just yet. "Well, problem is Zo, we may not get back next weekend; it all depends on how well the final commissioning goes. It's a 700mile round trip from home to the site and back. We may as well stay down until we're finished. "Oh well, OK, the offer still stands Amy." "Thanks Zoe." "Now Zo, will you please spend an hour or so explaining the basics of the accounts system, purchasing and quotations etc. to Amy? I've cleared it with pervy Pete." "Yeah, no worries Duncs." With Zoe and Amy in the accounts office and safely out of earshot, I waited for everyone who worked in the engineer's office to return from lunch. Then, standing in the centre of the office, I asked for everyone's attention. Even Dave popped out of his office to hear what I had to say. "Thanks everyone, I won't be long. Now, you've all met and spoken to Amy, and I'm sure you'll all agree with me when I say she's an extremely polite, intelligent and charming individual." My statement prompted favourable murmurs and much head nodding by all. "However, without going into the sordid details, let's just say that Amy's childhood was pretty horrendous, the stuff of nightmares. For the most part, Amy will be pretty much like she is today; confident, efficient and courteous, oh, and a little bit cheeky too. But let's just say that away from the work arena, I've witnessed another side to her; a quiet, frightened child-like Amy and it breaks my heart each time I have to pick up the pieces. She has other states too, but she never gets like this at work, apart from you may sometimes see her a little distant, reflective and quiet at times. But, there are a couple of things you can do to help her. One, don't make sudden movements towards her as it will startle her and she may recoil from you and two, please don't approach her from behind; if you have to, just call her name first so that she knows you're there. I'll leave it to your imagination what's made her so jumpy like this and all I'll say is it's a wonder she functions at all given her past circumstances and I'm personally in total awe of her resolve. But with help from all of us, she'll get stronger; her job here is fundamental in helping her gain confidence and will give her a purpose in life. Just so that you know, Fred, our site manager and his wife Rose are letting Amy stay with them when she's working locally and I have to say I can't think of a better couple than those two to offer Amy a stable home base. Finally, to scotch any rumours now; yes, I do have a close friendship and bond with Amy, but my whole family are aware of it too; in fact, I took Amy and Jess shopping last Saturday, cost me a bloody fortune too! Oh, and then Amy stayed at our house to join a sleepover Jess had arranged for her mates. In the fullness of time, I'm sure you'll all find out the whole story, but for now, that's not important; all I want to know is that Amy can count on your help and support too." At this point, Dave stepped in, "and just so that you all know, Duncs has my full backing in helping this delightful lass. I do know a little more of her past circumstances, and believe me, she certainly does deserve a break in life." There were cries of "Nice one Duncs" and "hear hear" and "I'll look out for her" etc. I noticed a few moist eyes too. Guess someone was cutting onions somewhere... "Oh, one more thing; she refuses to lock the toilet door; one of her hangups, so we'll have to think of something for that little problem folks." "Can she whistle?" said Tim. That raised a general chuckle and wiped the somewhat sombre atmosphere my little speech had created, which was probably a good thing. I headed back to my desk, but on the way, Lisa, our materials buyer stood up as I passed her desk and she reached for my hand with both of hers. I offered my hand, thinking she wanted to shake it but she clasped it firmly with both her hands, her eyes welling up with tears. "I think I can guess Amy's past. I was abused as a child by my father and uncle; bet I'm on the right lines, aren't I? OK, rhetorical that, you don't have to answer. My husband cared and nurtured me in the early years of our relationship and helped me pull through, but even now, thirty years on, I still have flashbacks and wakeup screaming and crying, hunched up in bed in the middle of the night. I think what you're doing for Amy is admirable and please tell her if she ever wants to speak to someone that has been through a similar experience, she's more than welcome to come and talk to me. I only live half a mile from Fred and Rose. Please tell her that, won't you? "Lisa, I would never have guessed, I ... I never knew ... you're ... you're..." "What? I'm so normal? Yes, I am, just like you said Amy will be at work; it's when I'm alone, when hubby's still at work, when I have too much time to think – that's when the horrible thoughts come back – I know exactly what you mean when you described that in Amy. You're a good man to help her Duncs, seriously." "I certainly will tell her about your kind offer and thanks Lisa," I smiled at her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Bugger political correctness, as my boss had opined the day before and bugger my peers who were no doubt rubber necking over our tête-à-tête. "You don't have to thank me Duncs," she said releasing my hand. I walked back to my desk quite thoughtful. Dave popped out of his office and leant over my desk "you handled your peers well with that speech mate; nice one." "Thanks Dave." I answered more emails and had a long-winded call from Mike, our electrician, who was trying to programme a device called a 'VSD' (variable speed drive); this is a device that is used to control the speed of an electric motor. He was trying to help me out by getting some equipment running before my return, which to be fair to him wasn't his remit, but that's the sort of camaraderie we have on site. There might well be all the name-calling, leg-pulling and barracking, but deep down, we're all one big team pulling together. As an old mentor used to always tell me when I was a 'wet behind the ears' apprentice, "there's no 'I' in 'team' lad"; he also had another pearl of wisdom too, and one I've never forgotten and that is: 'measure twice, cut once'. A little while later, I saw the beautiful vision of Amy wander into the office. It was nice to note everyone smile at her as she glanced at them. Amy headed over to my desk. "Karen said to remind you to do your monthly receipts" "Did she now?" "Yes, she did and you don't want to make her angry, do you now?" she said, totally straight faced. "Whose side are you on, eh?" Amy smirked. "Shall I resume my lesson with Rich?" "Yes, assuming he doesn't run away when he sees's you approach him!" 'Got one back', I thought. Amy smirked again and walked off. Straight away, Rich abandoned his desk and Amy and he once again occupied the large oval table (big enough to seat ten) which was still completely covered in manuals, books and drawings from the previous session. I think deep down Rich was going to very much enjoy being mentor to his insanely pretty understudy. Around four o clock, I headed over to accounts and presented Karen with my reconciled receipts for the previous month's expenses. I didn't get the slightest smile but she did manage a cold 'thanks'. The women had zero bonhomie and personality; quite tragic really. I took advantage of being in the accounts office to repeat my 'Amy' speech and I was surprised to note that even Karen's face softened slightly. As I passed Zoe's desk, I asked her to pop out to the corridor. "Zo, I guess you like Amy; yes?" "She's lovely Duncs, really lovely; and now I think I understand better why she talks about you in the way she does. I think it's really cool what you've done for her." "Thanks Zo, I appreciate your kind words. Look, I understand why you want to take her clubbing; any normal 17 year old teen would want to do that, but Amy isn't a normal 17 year old teen. Would it surprise you to learn she's never been on holiday? She's never had a birthday party or a proper Christmas? She wasn't allowed to have friends? She's doing OK Zo, but one step at a time; taking her to a club right now would freak her out; she wouldn't be able to handle it Zo. But one day she'll will, and when that time comes I really hope it's you that takes her. Maybe for now you could do something old-fashioned like invite her round to your house or take her shopping in Beverley. You don't live far from Fred and Rose, do you?" "No, I don't, about a mile or so. OK Duncs, I'll do that; I'd like to help her. I like her; she's not bitchy or mean spirited like most of me mates." With that, Zoe reached up to me and kissed me on the cheek. "Ooh, what was that for?" I said, chuckling "Any more where that came from Zo?" "For being a pretty cool guy ... for an old-fart that is!" she said, prancing off, giggling. The soft spot I had for that lass just grew a little larger. Before long it was five o clock, and uncharacteristically, I decided to leave at that time, knowing I'd be up at five the next morning. I said goodbye to Dave, who responded by asking me to try and remember to bob into the office again at least once before Christmas and then I headed over to Rich and Amy. Poor Rich looked like he was flagging by now; I think Amy had drained him of all his energy. "D'ya want me to take this 'human sponge for all knowledge' off your hands, or are you good for a couple more hours?" I asked. Rich looked at me with some relief, "well, I do really have to leave soon, so yes, please do; but Amy; it's been a real pleasure working with you today." "But Rich, we haven't finished talking about..." I interrupted, "Amy, your enthusiasm is admirable, but there's oodles of time to learn. Give poor old Rich a break; he's 62 years old ya know; you're 17!" Amy giggled and Rich laughed. "Thanks for everything so far Rich," she said. As we walked out of the office, Tim shouted after us "take care of him Amy; he's getting a bit senile now; he might wander off site and get lost!" "Love you too Tim!" I shouted back. Amy giggled. As we walked along the main corridor, Jay, our IT guru was coming towards us. He had a black laptop bag in one hand and a small dark box in the other. "Oh, looks like I caught you guys just in time. Amy, I've got your laptop and BlackBerry for you." "Cool!" said my excited gal. "Can you spare some time to let me show you through the basics of the laptop?" Amy looked at me, and I sensed the 'I'm a 17 year old kid ya know' speech coming on, so I said it for her. "Jay, lovely thought, but if I tell ya that Amy here twiddled with that old laptop of mine..." "Yeah, the one you feed with coal!" he interrupted. "As I was saying; she twiddled with that laptop one afternoon and mastered the basics of AutoCAD. She doesn't need a lesson in the basics." "Amy, I apologise, but some of the dinosaurs that work here don't even know where the power button is!" (He looked at me as he said this!) Amy giggled; "that's OK Jay, no offense taken. What have I got then, something decent? Plenty of RAM? Fast processor? I need to run AutoCAD ya know and that's a memory and processor hog!" Jay looked at her and smiled. I think he liked a 17 year old pretty girl talking geeky. "It's a great spec. machine Amy; it's got all the bells and whistles and loads of apps preloaded for ya. I guess I don't need to tell you anything about the mobile either ... no, no, of course not, silly me!" Amy giggled again, "Cool, thanks for getting me something decent to play with Jay!" Jay shook his head. Usually when he shook his head at someone, it was in pure frustration trying to explain something simple, like how to print a document. This time he was shaking his head in both disbelief and relief; here was a new colleague who would probably never call on his services unless it was something really serious. "Told ya Jay," I said, chuckling. We bade him goodbye and continued to leave the office. It had been a good and productive day for many reasons. On the way out to the car, we popped in to the factory stores. I found Gordon, our store man, who was about 105 years old, but nobody really knew for sure how old he was. He treated all the gear in the stores as if it was his own, personal property that he'd paid for. You had to have a damn good reason and a requisition note signed with one of the director's blood to gain so much as a one penny screw from him. I asked him if he had any company polo shirts, a yellow winter jacket and 'Dickies' (work trousers) that would fit Amy. Not normally known to smile much let alone crack a joke, he looked Amy up and down a couple of times and let out a cackling laugh. "She's only a slip of a lass Duncs; our work clothing is sized for beer-bellied, saggy-arsed workmen, not waifs like her! I think the smallest Dickies we have are waist 34 inches." That was my waist size, and Amy had tried on my shorts that first night back in my motel room, and we know what happened to those... "I'll see what we've got. He shuffled off. I looked at the hundreds of little bins filled with various sizes and types of bolts, screw, nuts washers and rivets, and was impressed at how organised it all was. A few minutes later he came back with an assortment of clothes. "Right, young lady. This is the smallest yellow winter jacket I have, so's this fleece and so are the polo shirts. I've found a pair of Dickies that have a 30inch waist, don't know why we had those; maybe they'll fit you. You may as well take them anyway, as none of the buggers here will be able to fit into them!" he said, cackling again. "And, I've also found two white blouses with the company logo on them. We had these made for the lasses to wear on show stands at the various trade fairs we attend. You may as well have them for when you want to look smart. They're small too." "Wow, thanks Gordon," said Amy. "Yeah, thanks Gordon; appreciate it mate." We left quickly before he'd realised I didn't have a requisition note... We left the factory and headed over to the car. A few minutes later and I dropped Amy off at Rose's house and told her I'd pick her up at six o clock, which didn't seem to faze her at all. I told her to pack enough stuff for a two week trip. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before getting out the car. "It will be good to get away again, just the two of us; wonder if it will be room 122 again?" she said, with a mischievous smile on her face and a wicked glint in her eyes. I read her face like an open book and it was a smutty, top shelf book at that. ------- Chapter 17 'Amy returns to site... ' The next morning, I left the house at five forty. It was one of those cold, crispy mornings where the first inhalation of air outside feels like breathing in powdered glass. It was bright though; just the kind of morning where I would love to go for a decent walk up on the Wolds. Not today though, as I had to face a 350mile trek down the creaking arterial network of temporary car parks that were otherwise known as motorways. Still, at least I would have Amy for company. Just before six, I pulled into Rose's driveway. The front door opened and a cheerful Rose and sleepy-looking Amy greeted me. It didn't surprise me that Rose was up; a lifetime of seeing off Fred to yet another job and endless foster kids waking up at all hours meant that Rose was always destined to be an 'early bird'. "Hello girls!" I said getting out the car. I looked at Amy's stuff. "I said pack for two weeks; not two month's girl! What'cha got there anyway?" Amy smiled sheepishly, "oh, you know, this and that..." "Rose, mind if I dump some tools and test gear in your garage to make way for Amy's clobber?" "Oh, leave her alone you sarky bugger!" said Rose, thumping me in the ribs. Amy giggled. I found room for Amy's stuff. I was perplexed to see among her stuff the old rucksack and two Asda carrier bags. I said nothing and packed them along with her new holdall, a smaller bag that I assumed Rose must have lent to her and two laptops; my 'old girl' and her brand-new shiny machine. Amy was fussing Bess, who was her usual barmy self. "C'mon then girl, let's hit the road," I said, holding the door open for Amy. Bess clearly thought I meant her, and four stone of black Labrador jumped into the passenger seat, tail thumping and whining expectantly. She loved car journeys apparently. "Bess, I'd love to take you, but I doubt you can help me like Amy does." Bess stayed where she was, her head cocked to one side, tongue lopped out to one side of her mouth, still looking at me. In the end, Rose had to drag Bess out so that Amy could get in. Before she did, Rose gave her a huge cuddle like she might if she was seeing her own daughter off for a two year trip, let alone two weeks. I smiled at the sight of the two of them and appreciated the close bond that already clearly existed. Rose gave me a cuddle too. "Look after her Duncs; she's precious that one." "Oh, don't I know Rose, don't I know," I said to her, giving her a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks again for taking her in Rose." "The pleasures all mine love; as I said before, she's an absolute angel." Rose waved us off as I backed out of her driveway. She looked quite sad and Bess still had her head cocked to one side, looking perplexed as to why she wasn't in the car too. "You like Rose, don't-cha?" I said, as we drove away from Beverley. "She's like a Mum to me; yes, I like her very much," she said, smiling at me. "But I'll never be as close to anyone as I am to you," she added. I smiled back at her and gently squeezed her cheek. Half an hour later and we were on the M62, the first motorway of our journey south to the construction site. True to form, Amy reclined her seat a little more, kicked off her trainers and socks and then placed her feet on the dashboard, looked at me and grinned. "Amy, as much as I love to see your beautifully formed feet, especially peeping out of the end of a pair of jeans and resting on my dash; don't feel you always have to do it; especially as it might not be comfortable for you." "Well, two things; one, it actually is comfortable and two, I know you love it and its one of the few things I can do for you to repay for the many things you do for me. OK?" "Yes ma'am," I responded in a mock humbled tone. She giggled. I loved that giggle and anything I could do or say to make her giggle was worth the effort just to hear that wonderful sound. I would love to have a jar of preserved 'Amy giggles' to open whenever I'm lonely or depressed and need cheering up. It was sad to think her infectious giggle had been bottled up in her mind for the first 17 years of her life, waiting to find someone to help her release it; well, at least I had managed to do that for her... I had 'Radio 1' selected on the car stereo, playing the contemporary pop of the day. Amy tolerated it for the first hour or so of our journey but then turned to me. "Do we have to have this crap on for the whole journey?" she opined. I found myself yet again grinning at the irony of a 17 year old girl complaining to a 47 year old bloke about the music aimed at her generation, not mine. "Sweetheart, you put on whatever you like. I do actually have wide musical tastes you know; everything from early Baroque upwards. Flick through the radio stations or that wallet of CD's there. Or, you can plug in my MP3 player to that jack socket there." I said pointing to the items mentioned. "When you're in this car, it's as much yours as mine. OK?" "Yes SIR!" she responded, in mock humbled tones just like I'd done earlier to her. I chuckled. Long, boring journeys would be far more tolerable with my beautiful young companion by my side. She flipped through my CD wallets. "Will I like the 'Eagles'?" "Slip the disc in and find out girl!" 'Good choice' I thought; the 'Eagles' are a great band to listen to whilst driving. We listened to music, chatted and listened to more music. Amy was very relaxed, just the way I loved her to be. We'd been driving for some hours and I decided to stop for 'wee's and teas' as my Dad used to say. "Fancy a bite to eat lass?" "Yep; I need a pee too!" she said, giggling. I loved her straightforwardness. We stopped at 'Michael Wood Services' on the M5 and went in. I stood by the female toilets waiting for Amy to come out, trying not to look like too much of a perv in the process. She came out, and then waited for me to go for my pee. We moseyed over to the serving counter to get breakfast. Once there, we encountered the usual type of person serving the food; totally uninterested in their job and dragged from the shallow end of the gene pool. As an aside, I'll just have to tell you that throughout the '90's, I did an awful lot of work in America; I made several trips a year there. It didn't matter what eating establishment I would find myself in; it could be a 'greasy spoon' at the side of some dusty road out in the sticks or a decent restaurant in a smart area of a city; the one thing that was consistent and could be relied upon would be pleasant, cheerful service, and a feeling that your custom was actually valued. In the UK, in chain establishments at least, it's usually the opposite. We could learn a lot from the Americans regarding good service... "What you 'aving" said the lifeless droid serving me. "What d'ya want Amy?" "Bacon, sausage, mushroom and egg sandwich and a mug of coffee for me please Duncs." "What she said twice please," I said to the human robot serving me. There was no 'thanks' or 'OK sir' or anything; she just proceeded to fulfil our request and unceremoniously place the plates and mugs on the counter. Didn't even look at us as she did so and had moved on to the next customer by the time I'd placed our items on a tray. The cashier was no better. I honestly feel sorry for any foreign visitor in the UK having to endure such unfriendly and robotic 'service', if it can be called that. We ate quickly; motorway service stations are not the sort of places one wants to stay in too long. Feeling more alive after our filling sandwich and coffee, we headed for the car. I opened the door for Amy, but instead of getting in the car, she instead flung her arms around my neck and gave me a long and very pleasant kiss. I wasn't objecting. I savoured the feel of her slim, firm body in my arms and the silkiness of her long blonde hair. I could have hugged her for a long, long time, but we had to press on with our journey. I reluctantly pulled away from her beautiful face, pausing only to kiss her pert nose and forehead before releasing her all together. "C'mon gorgeous, time to press on," I said. The rest of the journey was uneventful. Amy told me how welcome she'd been made to feel in the office and admitted to being very nervous the first day. If she'd been nervous, she certainly hadn't made it obvious to anyone. She also showed me a little purse that Rose had given her. Inside there was some change and about fifty pounds in various notes; Amy's first 'unofficial' payment from the company. She said Rose had given her a small bottle of perfume too, so that, in Rose's words, 'you can smell nice for Duncs when he takes you out to restaurants.' I did wonder if Rose had another motive for wanting Amy to 'smell nice', not that she needed it for me; Amy had her own natural scent secreted by that lovely little play area nestled between her legs; that's all the 'perfume' I needed her to 'wear'. Eventually, the exit for the town where the project was located was in sight; I left the motorway and slipped onto the bypass, then the inner ring road and finally turned down the road that led to the construction site and I then pulled in to the temporary car park. We headed for Fred's office to sign in. "Hello you two; glad to be back?" "Hello Fred!" said Amy, giving him a hug like he was her long, lost father. "Well, now that's what I call a welcome sweetheart!" said Fred, smiling at her. "Don't you be doing the same now, will ya Duncs." "Aww, spoil sport Fred," I said, shaking his hand. "Rose tells me you and her get on very well Aims." "Rose is wonderful; like a Mum to me Fred; and I love my room thanks," said a beaming Amy. "Yeah, she's a good old girl, my better half," he said, chuckling. "Well, glad you like her and have a place to call home. Now, are you two going to do any work today or just chat?" "Oh, we might do an hour or two; we'll see mate," I said, grinning. "Oh, and by the way, welcome to the company Aims; and I see you have the official company polo shirt on already," Yep, it's a bit baggy, but it's the smallest Gordon could find for me. I have Dickies too, but they're too big. Rose is modifying the waist band for me; she refuses to chuck 'em!" "Now why does that not surprise me; my old girl will always make do and mend!" said Fred chuckling, which then made him rasp, then cough, then chuckle again. We walked over to my, no, 'our' temporary office and let ourselves in. No sooner had I closed door, I received another long and very pleasant kiss. I drew away and gazed at the pretty face staring back at me and saw two eyes that were full of what I can only describe as adoration. There is only one other girl/woman that has looked at me with that same intensity and no, it isn't my wife; it was my childhood sweetheart, whom I was to meet again ten years ago. I'll say no more on that, as it will be my next story to write. It was hard to believe this was the same pair or eyes that just over two weeks ago were dead and lifeless. For the brief moment I looked at her, I was completely drawn-in by the sheer power of her look and I felt a huge outpouring of love for this beautiful 'slip of a lass'. Engaging professional head again I said "C'mon Amy, let's see how the processes you set up last Friday have performed, eh?" Amy engaged 'professional mode' too, and headed over the BMS operator console. Skipping the fancy but simple user graphical display, she entered 'technician mode' and headed straight for the raw data. I smiled at her proficiency and had to remind myself she'd been at this console for less than two weeks. I couldn't wait to get her enrolled on the BMS vendor's engineer's course; she'd have them tied up in knots by the end of the first day with her enthusiasm and intense questioning. She opened up my site book to her last set of notes and started to compare measurements. She pulled up historical graphs to check for 'droop', 'peaks' 'hysteresis' 'overshoot' 'lazy response' et al; all terms she'd heard me mutter and use and had readily picked up and understood once explained to her. She spotted one closed environment room that had dropped several degrees in temperature from the desired process value for a certain period of time, but had otherwise behaved flawlessly. "See what state the door sensor for that room was in during that low temp period," I suggested. She superimposed the door switch status on top of the measured temperature graph, and sure enough, the door was recorded as 'open' at the same time the room temperature had dropped. "Some bugger's left the door open, the useless twat," said my beautiful, 'butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth' assistant. "Spoken like a true site engineer" I said to her, bending down to kiss her on the head, "though I'd rather you chose slightly different words for the official comment in the site log." "OK," she said, giggling. It was quite a useful 'accident' in some ways, because we could then determine how quickly the control system recovered the room back to the desired process value, once the door had been shut again, presumably done by a vigilant person who had noticed it left open. Amy declared that apart from that one error, and that was nothing to do with 'our' BMS, the tests were a complete success. I quickly scanned the temperature graphs she brought up on the screen and agreed with her conclusion. "C'mon, let's go for coffee and catch up with the site lads. We walked over to the canteen and entered. I was greeted with the usual barrage of insulting names that are part and parcel of site banter whereas Amy was greeted like a long lost friend with not one rude comment. 'Typical', I thought, but I grinned too; I was so glad the lads treated her like this; Open, honest friendship with no hidden agenda was just what 'Aims' needed in her life. George 'high fived' her and this time, Amy knew what to do. Serge grinned at her from ear-to-ear; he clearly liked his 'tiny' friend 'Aimzee'. It was very convivial in that rough and ready canteen, and spirits were high. We both caught up on the gossip and as I was at the counter getting two coffees and a sandwich for Amy (that slim, lithe girl can EAT!), I asked the lass serving me if she'd heard any more about the woman that we'd sacked for attacking Amy and fighting in the canteen. "No, she hasn't been back here and won't either. My mate Bethel over there has had words with her; lives down the same street you see. Nah, she won't be back here, so your friend is safe." I looked over to where she'd pointed and spotted 'Bethel' who would have probably given Serge a run for his money in a prize fight. Bethel must have heard what her colleague had said to me, because as our gaze met, she gave me a big toothless smile and started to cackle. I'm sure that deep down, she had a heart of gold really... I walked back to our table and Amy was among the lads, laughing and giggling and seemed to have the lads in stitches. Mike filled me in with a synopsis of some of Amy's more recent comments. "Seems that pervy Pete talks to her boobs; she nearly killed poor old Rich grilling him for information; the mech fab guys were reasonably polite and she's just told us about the incident with Karen and your Nazi salute to her". "Yep, that pretty much sums up some of the moments of two days in the office," I said. We all left the canteen together, laughing, joking, pushing and jostling just like a bunch of boisterous school lads in a playground and Amy was in the middle of the mellee and totally happy. Now that was a 'Kodak' moment. The rest of the afternoon, we set up further tests to push the various processes beyond the so-called 'design envelope', to ensure that all the equipment would work correctly within that envelope during normal usage and still have a margin each side so that it didn't have to ever be run 'flat out' to meet the client's specification of requirements. It was nearing the end of the working day, and I noticed Amy getting increasingly anxious, but not in a way I'd noticed before. She wasn't jumpy, or scared, but was definitely hyper alert. When I said anything to her, she looked at me with an intensity beyond that required for normal conversation. It wasn't a frightened look as such, but almost like someone high on adrenalin. I found it, in a very weird way, very arousing. By the time we came to leave, she was doing that thing with her fists again. During signing out, she barely said a word to Fred, and stared out of the open door towards the car park. I looked at Fred, he looked at me and we both just shrugged. "Bye Amy," said Fred, as she departed. "Yeah, bye Fred," she said, barely looking back at him. I like to walk fast, but Amy beat an unusually fast pace to the car, almost jogging to it. I found it all quite bizarre but chose not to question her; sometimes it was best just to leave her alone. We got in the car, drove out the site and filtered onto the road. Traffic was slow as it was only half past five and I noticed Amy clenching and unclenching her fists and tutting at the slow pace. She kept looking at me and staring intently, fire in her eyes but not the dreaded 'Red Mist', this was something else, a new persona and it was driving me crazy seeing her like this. "You OK sweetheart?" "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, just wanna get to the motel, that's all Duncs." We finally arrived at the motel entrance and I pulled in to the car park. We collected all our stuff and headed for reception. "Oh, hello again Sir; good trip down?" 'How pleasant to be asked', I thought, "Yes, it was as a matter of fact. Sooo, are we in 122 again?" "No, sorry sir, it's occupied, but I have a nicer room for you anyway; it looks over the recreational park behind the motel, not the ugly car park in front like 122." 'Nice gesture' I thought, but academic as it was dark when we left in the morning and arrived at night; therefore the view was irrelevant. I signed the motel guest form, paid and noticed Amy was still quite agitated, but every time I looked at her, she smiled and it wasn't forced, so that was at least reassuring. We got the keys and headed for the lift; we were on the third floor this time, room 312. I put the key in the door and opened it. None of my usual motel 'ground hog day' moments came to mind this time. We entered the room and unusually for her, Amy simply slung her stuff down in the middle of the room and then, without warning, she immediately launched herself onto me, arms wrapped tightly round me and suckering straight onto my lips, straight into a 'tongues on tonsils' deep French kiss. I still had my bags in my hands and had no option but to let go of them there and then. After a long, firm and passionate kiss, Amy then pulled away from me and ripped off her top, then her bra was off in no time and I once again saw her perfect pert boobs; first time in a few days. She then ripped off my own polo top, looking at me with that same intense fiery look she'd given me in the car. She then launched herself back on me, for another round of intense kissing, this time with a hand around the back of my neck, pulling me hard to her mouth. She drew away, panting already. It was totally amazing; she was on fire with passion. She bent down and quickly undid and removed her work boots, then loosened my laces too so that I could kick off my own boots. As I was doing that, she quickly removed her jeans, but left her small, pink knickers on. I could see a large damp patch had already formed and she had a glorious 'camel toe'; viewing that immediately made my cock go from semi-hard to rigid. I was mesmerised by her actions and just stood there whilst she ripped my own 'Dickies' and undies down in one swift move. I stepped out of them whilst she ran a delicate hand over the shaft of my cock, giving me a gentle kiss on the glans at the same time. That simple action sent a shockwave all the way up my body and made me gasp. Then she stood up and pressed her firm, slim body tightly against my own and proceeded to kiss me again. I ran my hands up and down her back, enjoying the smoothness of her skin and the ripples of her spine. She drew away from kissing and looking at me intensely with that same fiery passion, said "Make love to me now; and fuck me hard." We fell back onto the bed and Amy spread her legs wide. Her knickers were saturated with her nectar and I didn't go for the tease routine, I simply headed straight for her delightful quim and ran first my nose, then my tongue up and down her soaking wet knickers. I chewed and nibbled her through the material, making her squirm and moan. Then I ran a finger around the hem of her knickers and slowly worked it in, my probing finger finding a well lubricated slit to play with. My finger slipped in to find her quim on fire; the moment my finger touched her fanny, she gasped and bucked her hips. She begged me to eat her and started to frantically peel off her knickers. I finished the job for her and then sank my head between her legs and dutifully carried out her wishes. She moaned low and loud as I licked and sucked on her labia, then I sought out her clit and took her to another level of pleasure. My beautiful young lover had left this world again and I gladly assisted her to leave it further and further behind. Amy didn't forget me either and quickly spun round so that I was faced with her beautiful quim from a different perspective. I felt slim, delicate hands close around the shaft of my cock and warm lips and a tongue gently suck and kiss my glans. I shut my eyes and left the world myself. This wasn't going to be a long session of making love; this was going to be a quick release of pent-up sexual tension; a 'power shag', fuelled by a few days of abstinence from each other. I felt I wouldn't last too long with the exquisite handiwork and mouth action Amy was exercising on my cock, so I gently grabbed her and started to twist her around. She sensed what I was doing, and quickly completed the manoeuvre herself; but instead of staying on top, she slipped off my side and lay on her back, her legs now wide apart. She looked at me with intense, fiery eyes with a determined expression on her face. "I said 'fuck me hard'; that means you fuck me, not the other way round!" I quickly got on top of her, and felt a slim hand grab my cock and guide me into her warm and well-lubricated sex. She moaned on the first full push as I let my cock slide into its welcoming 'home'. She immediately drew up her legs and gripped the side of my body. Her hands also grabbed my buttocks, but I didn't fear it this time. There was no 'Red Mist'; her eyes instead showed fiery passion; she wanted a hard fuck to release sexual tension and so did I; we could make gentle sweet, exploratory love later on that evening if we so desired. I stroked her fast like I knew she wanted and she responded by moving her pelvis to meet my thrusts. She gasped, grunted, moaned and even cursed on each full and deep stroke of my cock; occasionally we kissed, but not too much as we were being so physical in our movements it was almost impossible to maintain a lingering kiss. I felt my bollocks tighten and seconds later I came, the first shot of spunk fired hard into her and I knew she felt it; as she reacted. A second spurt and then a third. I kept thrusting hard into my little sex kitten for all my worth, desperately wanting to give her what she so desired. Then I felt her body go rigid and then convulse; her breathing, moaning and gasping increasing in intensity. About half a minute or so after my own orgasm, Amy's orgasm erupted with great ferocity; her legs gripped the side of my body even more and she continued to pull me into her using her hands on my bum. But no pain for me this time, no hint of violence or rage on her part; just pure hot passion. I started to slow down and Amy's vice-like leg-grip on my torso lessened. She was breathing fast; her head was on one side and her eyes were still tight shut, mouth open; blonde hair everywhere. I slowly got off her and lay by her side. Amy twisted her own body so that we could embrace and wind down. It had been all of 15 minutes or so of the most intense passion we had ever enjoyed together. I stroked the hair away from her face and stared at her perfect features. Slowly she opened her eyes and smiled at me. The fiery look was now replaced with a soft, glowing look of someone content. Finally she spoke "Fuck, I really needed that!" she said, grinning. "You don't say," I uttered back, chuckling at her. "I'm sorry if I took you by surprise; hope you didn't get worried or think... I interrupted her by putting a finger on her lips, "your eyes spoke volumes poppet; I saw passion, not 'Red Mist', I knew you were OK, but yes, I was surprised at your incredible passion, but you can surprise me like that again, so long as it's not in public or at work or my house!" I sat up and surveyed the room. Clothes everywhere, bags, laptops and other stuff just strewn on the floor; it looked like we'd been turned over. Amy sat up too and giggled at the scene. "Come on then my little slave, my concubine, tidy this bloody mess up and then put the kettle on." Going along with it she said "Anything for you sir." As she moved to get off the bed, I gently spanked her beautiful firm bum making her squeal. She then stayed on all fours on the bed, wiggling her bum at me, inviting more spanks, so I playfully and gently spanked her bum a couple more times, then she got off the bed to tidy up. Of course, I helped her tidy up; I didn't really want her to think she was supposed to do it all in case she felt I really meant it and that it wasn't just a game. I was very mindful of not wanting to inadvertently connect her past with anything we did together; I surmised this was a fine line too easily crossed if I wasn't careful. We then went in the bathroom and had a very long, enjoyable shower together. Amy's beautiful boobs and quim were extremely clean by the time I'd finished with them; as was my cock and bollocks after Amy's cleaning skills. We kissed, cuddled and played, such as letting the shower fill the gap between her boobs and my chest pressed against her with water, did it several times actually; a simple pleasure but satisfying. The only reason we stopped showering was because my beautiful lover was hungry again. I really don't know where she put all that food; her body was so slim. We dried each other off, but that inevitably led to more caresses and exploratory feels, but eventually, we did get manage to get dressed and looking presentable. Amy disappeared into the bathroom for a minute and then came back out. "Kiss me" she had commanded. I did as I was told and was met with the aroma of a beautiful fragrance; Amy had clearly put some of Rose's perfume on and it smelled divine. Perhaps I was wrong; Amy's natural 'scent' below and some perfume at the top were a nice combination after all. We finally headed for the restaurant. Amy was on top form; no nervousness, no hang-ups and she chose what she wanted to eat and drink and we enjoyed great conversation. It was a really pleasant evening and she looked absolutely radiant. I looked at her and still had to kick myself that I wasn't imagining all this; that I really was lucky enough to have her as a companion and make love to the perfection sitting opposite me. "Penny for your thoughts?" she said. "Simple, sweety; just looking at you and thinking how insanely gorgeous you are and how lucky I am." "That's a nice thought Duncs, except it should be 'how lucky you are'; as in, it's me that's the lucky one to have been helped by you." "Well, how about we compromise and turn the ending of my thought into 'how lucky we are'; we're both lucky for different reasons" "That's cool; I'll go with that," she said, "wanna go for a walk?" "It's cold sweety, but yeah, why not, good idea." I fetched our fleeces whilst Amy waited in reception. As I was picking them up, I noticed the old rucksack and two carrier bags and wondered about asking her why she still had them. I came out of the lift and found Amy talking to the girl on reception. She probably wasn't much older than Amy so they would have some common ground. As soon as we left the outer sliding door of the entrance, the cold air hit our lungs and shocked the senses. We would need to walk briskly to stave off the cold; not a problem for either of us, as we both walked quickly. We chatted about work and my family. Amy told me again how much she loved Jess and her friends and liked the atmosphere in our house. She also broached on the subject of why things weren't perfect between my wife and me, and for once, it was I that pulled a barrier down. Amy apologised for being insensitive, and I told she wasn't being, it was a perfectly natural question, but that I just couldn't really answer it; mainly because I didn't really know the answers myself. Sensing she might feel she owed me one, I now asked her a question. "Amy, tell me to mind my own business, but why have you brought your old rucksack and two carrier bags? "Just in case..." "Just in case what sweety?" "Well ... you know ... um ... just in case this wonderful dream I've lived for two weeks goes tits-up and I'm back on the street again," she said, looking at me as a single tear rolled down her cheek. I turned and held her face in my hands, "Amy, sweet Amy; that isn't going to happen. Why would it happen?" "Cos I might go wild again; you know, 'Red Mist' time? And run off and ruin it all again. I doubt very much you'd chase after me for a second time." I held her head to my chest, "Amy, it won't happen again. I'm learning how to read your moods; I pick up little signs ya know? So if I ever see 'Red Mist' descend on you, I'll help. Just like you're learning to adapt to working and socialising and realising that most people are friendly and don't want to hurt you. It's a symbiotic process poppet; we're in this together. You tune my PID loop and I'll tune yours!" That made Amy giggle. "See, I make you laugh and giggle; you didn't do that the first night I met you, did you?" "That first night I met you I didn't know what a PID loop was either! Just for the record Duncs, don't try that chat up line on any other woman; think she'd run a mile mate!" "Amy, keep your rucksack and two carrier bags with my blessing, but look at them as being a reminder of a past life you don't ever want to return too; not one that you may have to go back too; deal?" "Deal." We hugged, kissed and walked on, arms around each others waists. We got back to the motel and Amy waved and said a girly 'hi' to the lass she'd been speaking to earlier. We went to our room and set it to our mood of the moment; just the lights each side of the bed, and 'Smooth radio' playing on the TV. We decided to get ready for bed early rather than sit in our clothes, so that meant me in my baggy shorts and Amy sporting another Disney nightie that I thought looked familiar. "When did'ya get that nightie poppet? "Oh, I didn't; Jess gave it to me, along with this." Amy reached into her holdall and drew out a cuddly bear. "Jess gave you that?" I said, very surprised, "that's one of her favourite cuddlies; she'd run through hell and high water to retrieve that if she thought it would get damaged or lost; you're honoured girl!" "I know; she explained she'd had it ages and I really didn't want to take it but she insisted. Said it was to show me how deeply she cared for me and how close she wanted our friendship to become." I was pretty choked up that my sweet daughter had done that. Amy sensed my mood swing and came over to cuddle me. "Jess is something special Duncs." "She sure is Amy, just like you are." Just then, Amy's phone bleeped. "Unbelievable, it's a text from Jess!" said Amy. She read it and giggled, but didn't share the contents with me. Did I want to know? Probably best I didn't know ... Amy then texted back to Jess, so then several texts bounced back and forth. I didn't mind a bit; it was all part of bringing Amy into what was for her, a brave new world; for the rest of us? Just normal day-to-day living. Minutes later, I got a text from my wife WHERE'S THE MOUSE TRAPS? THE BUGGERS ARE BACK AGAIN JANE X Amy heard my phone. "Anything exciting?" "Oh, just a dirty comment from my wife, she sends them all the time you know, just to tease." "Oh, but ... I..." Whoops, that fine line thing again "Amy, I'm joking poppet," and held the phone up to her to read the text. I saw her lips move as she silently spoke the words as she read them. Then a small smile grew on her face and that turned into a giggle. "Yep, that's about the extent of the texts I get from my wife; mundane, everyday domestic stuff!" "I could text you dirty comments and tease you," said Amy, with a mischievous grin. "That would be lovely, but perhaps you'd better not sweetheart. You never know who might look at my phone. Just keep 'em clean and simple eh?" "OK then; no sense of adventure you old bugger..." "Old bugger eh? Old bugger? Come 'ere you cheeky young-un; I'll show you old bugger!" With that said, I chased Amy round the room, and even given her athletic agility, the confines of the room gave me a fighting chance to catch her. Amy squealed with delight at our childish game. I grabbed her, gently flung her on the bed and tickled her relentlessly, making her giggle, squeal and laugh loud. Tickling gave way to light cuddles, light cuddles gave way to passionate cuddles, passionate cuddles gave way to full-on exploration of each others bodies and then that gave way to making sweet love; gently, slowly and passionately. And that first day pretty much set the tone for the rest of our time together on site and in private. Amy and I worked ten hour days on site, but I got so much more done with her superb assistance than I would have working by myself or with part-time help using one of the site guys. Rich got his validation results, certs, record drawings etc. emailed back to him almost daily thanks to Amy's meticulous attention to detail and organisation, and I might add, Rich would be able to place her work directly in the O & M manual for the client, it was so good. And in the evenings, after tidying up the days work on our respective laptops, we got to enjoy each others company whether it be eating, listening to music, walking, talking or making sweet love. And on that trip, Amy didn't have one 'dark moment'; at least, not one that I witnessed or knew about. We were back in Beverley by the following Thursday; I'd planned to be on site for two weeks. Rich for the first time had all the information he needed to pull the O & M manual together, and I had gained an even more able assistant who could now do a lot of the work I used to do myself. ------- Chapter 18 Late November, 2009: 'College beckons – time to get her some qualifications!' It was time to try and get her some paper qualifications to prove to the rest of the World that she knew her stuff; how, I wasn't sure, because that would mean enrolling her at college and that would mean revealing her name and flagging up her existence to the authorities. But I had an idea... I contacted my old College: Queens Garden College in Hull to see if by any chance my old lecturer was still working there. I left college in '83, so I thought it unlikely he would still be there 26 years later. The college receptionist had put me 'on hold' for what seemed like eternity; then "Duncan?" she said, I think half expecting me to have hung up. "Yes, I'm still here." "Your old lecturer most certainly is still here and is now head of the engineering department." "Is there any chance I can speak to him please?" "Let me try for you." Another long pause... "Professor Roberstson speaking." "Professor Roberstson, my name is Duncan, and 27 years ago you had the misfortunate of trying to instil some electrical and electronics knowledge into my unwilling brain; now, I doubt you remember me but..." "Remember you?" he said, interrupting me, "Let me see; would this be the Duncan that placed the probes of a Megger insulation tester onto the arm of the poor soul sitting next to you and giving him a short shock of 500Volts? Or the Duncan that charged up a large electrolytic capacitor so that he could then short a piece of metal across the terminals, thus making a large crack as it discharged and frightening the hapless person in front of you with the noise? Or might it be the Duncan that tried to make the labs Van de Graaff-generator generate an even higher voltage by modifying the motor and nearly blowing himself and a friend up? Need I go on? "Err ... yes, that could very well be me. Professor, you have a great long-term memory." "You made a impression on me that would be hard to forget. So, may I ask what you are doing now?" "I'm the technical manager of an electrical and mechanical engineering firm just outside Beverley." "Ah, so you did finally settle down then and presumably some of what I taught you did actually sink in?" "Yes Professor; been married 20 years and I have two children, a daughter aged 13 and a son aged 15." "Well, I'm pleased to hear that even the more rumbustious students that filter through our college come well in the end. But let me see, you didn't telephone me 27 years after graduating here to make small talk; there must be a very good reason why you've called an old duffer like me." "Yes, yes there is Professor..." "Please, drop the title; call me Ron." "Thank you Ron. Yes there is. Despite what you may recall about me, I actually had a huge amount of respect for you Ron; you relentlessly battled to educate myself and some of the other more exuberant students despite the odds against you and I did learn a lot from you. I still to this day quote a lot of your expressions and pearls of wisdom. But the reason for calling; well, I don't really know where to start with this problem, but here goes..." ... And so I went on to explain the potted history of how I discovered Amy and then her talents, her horrendous childhood, her amazing ability to learn and educate herself. I finished by telling him that I now wanted to help her get and education. I left out the sex we enjoyed, because as titillating as it may have been for the old dog, it didn't seem relevant. "That is a pretty amazing story on several counts Duncan. Not least of which because it shows that you are now at least a humane person; something I very much doubted 27 years ago, given all the pranks you forced on your hapless fellow students. So, where do I fit in with your plans to further educate this remarkable young lady?" "Well, because of reasons I've already explained to you she cannot officially register for college until she's 18, so I was wondering if there is any way to help her in the mean time. She has no GCSE's or A-levels, so cannot even enter college on a foundation course. It could take her years to get qualified if she has to follow official routes. I want to try and get her on some sort of fast track programme. I think she may get disillusioned if she has to start from base level." "One of the advantages of being one of the top dogs at this college is I get to pull strings. Let me have a think about this and call you back. Would you be able to come and see me, and bring Amy too, sometime this week?" "We are both working locally this week Ron, so yes we can; and thank you for your time." "No, thank you; you have presented a very interesting case here. I've been gathering personal cobwebs the last couple of years; I need a new challenge. All the young hot-shot lecturers below me get the best lectures. They just wheel me out as a trophy professor now and again!" "Ron, I'm sure you're selling yourself short there, but funny all the same! Speak to you soon Prof ... I mean Ron." "Cheery-bye Duncan. The next day I get a call from Ron. "Hello Duncan; when can you come and see me?" "Whenever suits you Ron." "How about three o clock this afternoon?" "We'll be there; thank you very much Ron." I went to find Amy. She was in the panel workshop, talking to Chris and showing him some revisions she made to a panel drawing, and she wanted to make sure she'd done it correctly. "She'll have your job within six months this one!" said Chris, as I walked into the panel shop. "And she's a pleasure to deal with too, unlike you!" I decided not to bite. "Amy, may I have a quick word?" She looked up and smiled at me and walked over. "What is it Duncs?" "We're going to see my old college lecturer this afternoon, three o clock. Up for it?" "Cool!" Amy and I left the office after lunch. We didn't need to go that early, but I thought a walk round Queens Gardens would be nice and I wanted to wander through the college and recall ghosts from the past. I parked as near to the college as I could. We wandered hand-in-hand through Queens gardens and kissed and cuddled a little. I hadn't seen Amy 'privately' for a few days, and we both felt that a good-old 'release the sexual tension power shag' was long overdue. I told her I'd try and arrange somewhere where we could be private. We had both decided a few weeks ago that her bedroom at Fred and Rose's house was out-of-bounds for such activity; we agreed it was simply disrespectful to Fred and Rose's hospitality. So when we were both working locally, it could be a little frustrating at times. Working away and staying in motels gave us endless freedom. It was quarter past two and we strolled in to the college building. It hadn't changed much, apart from the huge flats screen displays everywhere, vending machines and Internet access booths. I took Amy to where my practical classes used to be and we looked through the windows of the workshops and labs. I smiled as I played mental videos of some of the pranks we used to get up to. Why some of us didn't get kicked out I shall never know. Amy saw me smiling and asked what was amusing me, so I recounted some of the incidents. That had her giggling. Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "Can I help you?" We turned round and were faced with a slightly portly gentlemen, sporting a massive silvery beard and moustache, wavy silvery hair and a kind, smiling, ruddy face. I recognised him straightaway, despite the 27 years that had elapsed. "Professor Ron Roberston; so pleased to meet you again," I said offering my hand. "Pleased to meet you too Duncan." "Professor, this is my protégé, Amy," "I've heard a lot about you young lady; you've certainly impressed Duncan." "I try my best Professor." "OK you two; stop the professor nonsense, it's Ron, OK?" "OK Ron", we both chimed. "By the way, I overheard you explaining that last prank to Amy; I must confess, that was one of your more ingenious tricks," he said, chuckling. "Oh, and the reason you and a couple of the others didn't get thrown off the course was because I saw potential in you all. There were colleagues that wanted you out, but I stuck to my guns. It would seem you've done well for your self lad, so it would seem I must have been right. Do you want to wander into the lab before we go to my office?" "Yes, I'd like that, thanks." Ron unlocked the door and we all went in. The familiar aroma of 'hot electrics' was still present and the lab hadn't really changed much in 27 years. OK, there were PC's now and more modern test gear, but the furniture was the same and I could 'see' my fellow students and it felt very strange to be there again after such a long time. I actually felt quite emotional. Amy, being slightly nervous as she was in a new environment was hyper-sensitive and homed in on my emotions immediately. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "You OK Duncs?" "Yes poppet, just reminiscing sweety." She squeezed my hand again and gave me a lovely smile. I think she liked it that she could be 'there for me' as well as me 'being there for her' so to speak. I went and sat on one of the stools and looked at all the graffiti and scratched names on the bench top. It was not something I would have done myself, but all the same, seeing the names of others engraved for posterity in the thick wood was quite interesting and triggered flashbacks. We looked up at Ron, and saw that he was standing at the front lecturer's bench, looking quite contemplative himself. I wondered how many years back in his mind he was going. He caught my glance and smiled. "Not sure it always does one good to reminisce Duncan; makes one realise how old one is. Shall we go to my office? I feel a need for strong coffee coming on." "You're speaking my language Ron!" We wandered through the corridors, looking through windows, in trophy cases and at notices on pin boards, and finally made it to Ron's office. It was quite spacious and full of part-assembled electronic projects and dismantled apparatus. Ron waved his arms at the general junk and told us he still 'dabbled' to keep his hand in. It was one of the attributes I liked about him; he was a practical man and would always back up the theory he taught us with practical demonstrations, some not always going to plan and causing much hilarity in the process. Amy and I sat down on an aging but very comfy settee whilst Ron sat opposite us on an old leather swivel chair. His coffee machine was bubbling away in the background and the smell soon wafted through the air. "So, young lady; I'm not going to dwell on your past and I'm sure neither do you want me to. Duncan has told me why you left school with no qualifications, and under the circumstances, it is quite understandable. He has also told me about the work you've been doing so far. Adjusting PID loops in your second week of work eh? I had students in final years that still struggled with that concept. Duncan also tells me you want to study building controls and energy management. OK, first the bad news. You can't take any form of test, even GCSE or O-levels without officially registering your name, otherwise you don't technically exist. Also, you can't enter college without at least some O-levels, and even then, you would need to do a foundation course first. So, there's little we can do until you're 18; officially that is. Followed me so far? "Yes Ron." "Now the good news. I spoken to fellow lecturers and we've devised a plan. We will give you suitable subjects to study at home or wherever you choose to study and guide you remotely using this new fangled technology; so-called distant learning. I'll give you my MSN contact address so that if you need help, you can contact me that way. You can even look at my crusty old face if you allow my webcam on. Also, if you're local, you're welcome to come in and sit-in on lectures and classes that are relevant to your needs. I'll send you a timetable. The subjects you will be studying will bring you up to a standard to sit the foundation course exam when you're 18. That way, you skip O-Level and A-levels and at 18, you would naturally enter college at that age anyway, so you won't feel out of place. If you pass the foundation course exam then you can enter college and choose to study a BTEC higher national certificate or diploma, which is only one step down from a degree. The beauty of the BTEC programme is that it is work-related and you can, within reason take as long as you need to complete the modules. As you are working and sometimes will be working away from base, we think this will suit you well. How does that sound dear girl?" "Wow, I don't know what to say; yet more people wanting to help me. I've gone from seven weeks ago being a homeless street kid to someone who now has a job, a very close friend and companion in Duncan, plus many other new friends; a roof over my head, a future and now here I am sitting in a Professors office discussing unofficial ways to gain entry to college. It's all rather over-whelming sometimes but I'm so grateful for the opportunity. "For someone that didn't know what to say, I think you said plenty young lady, you demonstrate humility in your response and I like that; your charm and eloquence are lovely qualities too. I really hope you take me up on this offer. It is going to be interesting to help someone that really wants to learn." "I certainly want to do this, thank you so very much," said Amy, beaming at Ron. "Right let's have some coffee and discuss details. Duncs, you haven't said much!" "I don't think I need to; you and Amy seemed to have it all under control! But, Ron, thank you from me too; I appreciate you devising this cunning plan." Then we drank coffee, reminisced and discussed families. It was all very pleasant and every time I glanced at Amy, she was beaming. The girl was on a high, and rightly so. Another box ticked; another rung up on the ladder to helping her get along in life. All was good. After leaving the college, we were back in the car and I was weaving through the slow traffic heading for Beverley high road to eventually head back to the office. Amy was talking excitedly about college and what she was going to do. The buzz I got off her was amazing. All I could do was smile at her and let her talk. Then she stopped talking for a while and looked thoughtful. "You know, I really wish we could make love today. I want you close to me, as close at it's possible to be; I really wish we could have that; it would make my day complete." I smiled at her, "I'd love that too poppet, I really would." Just as we approached the Freetown way junction where we would join Beverley Road, I instead pulled the car into a motel car park on the corner of the junction. "What ya doing Duncs?" she said, looking puzzled. "We're going to see if they have a room, and if they do, I'm going to book it and then we're going to go to that room and make sweet love poppet." "You're bloody crazy! But, I love the idea!" With that decided we walked into the motel, did indeed manage to get a room, had lots of sexy fun and then, both sexually sated, left the room four hours later. ------- Chapter 19 Early December, 2009: 'The first wrench - I'm working away without Amy by my side... ' The weeks passed by, with a mix of Amy and me working away together or both working at the office, or with me perhaps going on the odd day trip here and there without her; sometimes she accompanied me if I thought the experience would be beneficial. Amy was settling in nicely at work; my colleagues had all been wonderful to her and had remembered the rules about avoiding sudden movement near her or approaching her from behind. There were a couple of occasions where Amy had been very quiet and troubled by something, but she told me she had sensibly gone outside to collect her thoughts before coming back into the office; so that peers didn't see her like this. I thought it remarkable that she had the resolve to do this when not feeling 'herself'. We had even resolved the issue of how to overcome Amy's reluctance to lock the toilet door. It was Zoe that came up with the solution. She printed and laminated a sign that simply said 'occupied' on one side and 'not occupied' on the reverse. Zoe threaded a loop of string through holes in the top corners of the sign and then pinned it to the door. All Amy had to do was spin the sign to 'occupied' when she was using the toilet; simple and elegant! Rose confided in me that on more than a few occasions she had heard Amy crying, and once or twice had looked in on her and had found her hunched up and rocking. There had been other occasions where Rose said Amy had called out my name, and Rose had considered phoning me to see if I could come round, but she hadn't done; I again told Rose she must call me if she was ever concerned. So up until now, Amy had either been with me or never more than a few miles away from me. That was about to change though, as I had to go on a business trip to Holland; a long-overdue visit to several associated companies and suppliers. I would have dearly loved to take Amy with me, both for the companionship and the experience. However, she didn't have a passport, nor would she apply for one until she was 18. I decided to break the news to Amy when I was giving her a lift home from the office back to Rose's house. The moment I told her she went from being buoyant to very quiet and I saw her start to clench and unclench her fists. I quickly told her it was only a few days, but she still remained anxious. Not wishing to take her back to Rose's house in a state, I instead drove to Westwood to spend some time with her and see if I could coax out of her why she was so anxious about my impending trip, although I was pretty sure I already knew the answer. We arrived at Beverley Westwood. The car radio was playing quietly in the background, and it had started to rain, putting paid to strolling on Westwood as neither of us had waterproofs. Amy was looking at her lap, her left leg was trembling and she was still clenching and unclenching her fists. I hadn't seen her this bad since that first week she stayed with me in the motel. Gently reaching over to her, I stoked her cheek and stroked her hair. "Amy, why are you so anxious about me going away for a few days sweety?" I said in a soft voice. She didn't answer me. "C'mon. please tell me poppet," I gently coaxed. "I ... I'm ... I'm terrified at the thought you not being nearby to me. I ... I've got used to you being there for me now ... Even if it's just to say 'good morning' to each day, you're there, near to me; I still know you're near ... even when your at home, I ... I ... I know you're only a few miles from Rose's house and I ... I ... I'm happy with that fact. B ... b ... but if I need you and you're in Holland, y ... you can't back quickly." She said, her voice shaky with emotion. Her lip was trembling and she started to cry. She was clearly feeling very vulnerable and rapidly going into a child-like state. It ripped me apart to see her like this. The paternal instinct came to the fore and I wanted to hug her and hold her tightly, but modern cars don't make it too easy with wide centre consoles; and damn that rain. "But Amy, you have Rose at home and at work you can speak to Zo or confide with Lisa if you're feeling low or sad (Amy now knew about Lisa's own past). You could talk, go on MSN or text Jess too," I said, trying to reassure her. "B ... but as much as I love those people, and especially Jess, they're still not you; you're closer to me than anyone." she said, looking at me with a child-like, frightened look in her face. "But in all the time you've stayed at Rose's house, you've never felt the need to call me, have you; nor has Rose called me, has she?" "N ... no, b ... but I'm always safe in the knowledge that I could call if I wanted to, I just choose not to..." she trailed off, crying harder. "Just a minute Amy," I said, getting out of the car and quickly going round to her side. I opened the rear door and her door too. "Quickly poppet, get into the back of the car." She did, and after she was out of the way, I pushed the front passenger seat and the driver seat all the way forward to make more legroom in the back, Then I joined Amy in the back of the car. "Come hear poppet, let me hold you," she nestled her head onto my chest immediately and I simply held her for ten or fifteen minutes or so in silence apart from the sound of the rain and the radio playing quietly in the background. Eventually, Amy spoke. "Betcha think I'm really silly, don't ya; I must be a right pain in the arse for you to put up with sometimes." "Don't ever say that Amy; you're certainly not silly and never a 'pain in the arse'," I said, stroking her hair and gently rocking her. "I just want you to realise there are other people you can turn to now; it's not like the early days when we first met and it was just us." "I know, I know, but I trust you to know how to help me..." she trailed off again, more sobs and trembling. "Look, tell you what, we can sign in to MSN each night and talk, type and see each other. It's better that nothing eh?" I offered, realising it wasn't exactly what she was after. 'Roll on next September when she turns 18', I thought to myself. I felt Amy's head nodding against my chest at this suggestion, but I knew it wasn't really a solution. "You will phone me anytime of the day, won't ya? You know I have a different ringtone for you, so I'll know it's you straight away," I offered as a further paltry solution. I felt a further movement of Amy's head against my chest. Amy lifted her head of my chest and looked at me; the sight of her tear-stained face, sad eyes and trembling lip made me sad to the core. "Kiss me," she said in a quiet voice. I obliged immediately, and kissed her tenderly on the mouth, cheeks, eyes forehead and again, back to her mouth. This seemed to calm and reassure her and she contentedly buried her head into the side of my neck. I held her like this for some time, simply stroking her hair and the side of her face. "I'm sorry to cause you to worry so much and make you sad; I know you have to go on business trips; it's just this is the first time you'll be a long way apart from me since we first met," she said, her eloquent tones and delivery nearly restored. "You don't cause me to worry Amy, I worry about you anyway, because I care for you; and any decent person would be sad seeing someone in distress, no matter how old or young they are," I said softly. "Besides, if it's any consolation, I shall miss you too. I'll miss your cheery greetings, beautiful face, smiles and giggles, but I think I can just about get through three days without any of that," I said, smiling at her. Amy managed a smile and a giggle at this statement. "Amy, question for you: how did you manage to cope for a year as a 'street kid'; you had no one to turn to then; what did you do if you felt frightened or worried?" "I had no time to think about being worried or being frightened; I was living on my nerves and my wit, constantly alert all the time, almost inhuman in a way; I trusted no one and hardly spoke to anyone. The only time I would let myself worry was at night once I'd found shelter somewhere. Then I'd hunch up and rock and sometimes cry myself to sleep. Some mornings, I would wake up and not remember how I'd got to where I was, so maybe those were the times that I'd 'zoned out' as you say. A lot of my time as a runaway is vague and fuzzy to me; I've blotted a lot of it out." The times I did worry or become frightened I had to snap myself out of it as no one else was going to; I would find myself talking to myself and sometimes even answering my own questions. I was probably starting to go crazy in all honesty." I thought about telling her that she sometimes does that when she's asleep. Some nights, I've woken up and she'd be sitting up in bed with her eyes open and talking, yet she didn't appear to be fully awake. All I do when she's like this is cuddle her and gently lower her back down on the bed; she closes her eyes again and then I just hold her for a while until she's sound asleep again. I decided not to tell her as I thought it would give her something else to be concerned about. Amy continued, "Remember the first night you bumped into me and how unfriendly I was to ya? Well, believe me, that was polite for me, up until then, people would either get a two-word response from me or I'd ignore them completely. Maybe I saw something different in you, I don't know; anyway, whatever, it turned out to be the right decision to follow you to Mc Donald's that night. But the point is, up until I met you, I had to fend for myself. Then I met you and I've been able to slowly lower my defences and trust you and to a certain extent others too. So that's why it bothers me that you won't be nearby if I find I can't resort to fending for myself again. Besides, I don't ever want to return to that cold-hearted person I used to be. Does any of that make sense?" "All of it makes perfect sense Amy. I'm no expert, but I think you're doing remarkably well in coping with your new environment. You're bound to still have bouts of anxiety and mood swings. Look at Lisa; 30 years on and she still admits to having occasional nightmares and flashbacks. All told you're doing great poppet and I'm proud of ya!" "See, that why I need you; I need to hear you tell me things like that and reassure me, not just to be there. That's what I'm talking about," she said, planting a huge kiss on my lips. "I can talk to you on the phone or via MSN poppet." "OK, OK, I know, I'm probably worrying about nothing. Thanks for taking time to talk to me and comfort me; I know you have family to go home to. Besides, I'd better get back to see Rose; she'll be worried as I said I wouldn't be late tonight." "First, you don't have to thank me, but I appreciate it all the same. Secondly, you're not 'worrying about nothing'; your points are all valid and I like comforting you; holding and kissing you is hardly a burden to me sweetheart! Thirdly, my family are used to me being late, but I appreciate your concern. And yes, you're right, better get back to Rose. Do you want me to come in and tell her I made you work late?" "Have I told ya before what a kind and caring bloke you are Duncs? No, you don't have to explain to Rose for me. I'm a big girl now; I can explain to her," she said, giggling and giving me another big kiss. We got out of the back of the car and tried to quickly get back in the front, hampered by the fact I had pushed the seats all the way forward. It was raining cats and dogs now, and for the brief time it took us to transfer from the back to the front of the car, we were quite soaked. When we eventually got in, we looked at each other and burst out laughing; it was a lovely moment. The car was steamed up and it took a minute or two for the heater to demist all the windows. I used that time to good effect by kissing Amy. The next day at the office was just another case of 'same shit, different day'. I'd picked Amy up from Rose's at seven thirty and she was calm and collected and we made pleasant small talk for the couple of minutes it took to drive to the office. At five o clock, I took Amy home. I went in with her to see Rose as I hadn't spoken to her for a while. Whilst Amy went upstairs to get changed into something more casual, I quickly explained about the previous evening's events and Amy's concern about me being away for a few days. Rose said that Amy had confided to her about it and that she'd told Amy she could come to her anytime and that Amy had thanked her for the offer. But Rose also told me she was in no doubt that ultimately, I was the only one she would fully yield to in times of trouble. I remember thinking to myself how nice it was that Amy had told Rose the truth about her reason for being late home, and had not simply lied by saying she had been working late. But I shouldn't have been surprised; I had realised very early on that Amy was a very honest person with no devious side to her; partly the reason why everybody she comes into contact with immediately likes her. Rose assured me that she'd look out for her; but I knew that. Rose gave me a big motherly hug, nearly crushing me in the process. Just at that point, Amy came into the living room. "Rose, I'm telling Fred," she quipped, giggling. "You do love, you do that; and Fred will say t'ya: tell Rose good luck," that said, Rose burst out laughing. "Right, listen girls, I've got to go and catch my ferry now, so I'll leave you both to have a girly talk." I gave Amy a big cuddle and she buried her head against my chest. I thought showing affection like this didn't seem inappropriate any more in front of Rose. Rose was far from stupid and would have worked out there was a close bond between Amy and I; how close she thought it was I don't know, but that was irrelevant. I kissed Amy on the forehead and both cheeks and she gave me a big, reassuring smile. "I'll be OK Duncs, but I'll miss you and wish I was going with you; the ferry looks exciting and fun; Holland does too." I had taken Amy to the docks once to show her one of the sister ferries that cross from Hull to Europort in Holland. Her face was a picture when we walked up close to it; she was wide eyed and her mouth dropped. 'Pride of Hull' and 'Pride of Rotterdam' are truly awe-inspiring though. I'd also shown her photos of Holland, in particular the beautiful college town of Delft where I tend to base myself during trips over there. "And you will as soon as you're 18 and we get you a passport; I've promised you that," I reassured her. "Take care of Rose, Amy; she's not getting any younger ya know!" "Cheeky bugger!" Rose said, as I turned to leave. I didn't prolong saying goodbye and walked straight to the car. I didn't want to give Amy a chance to get sad again; but also, neither did I, because deep down, I realised I was going to miss my beautiful young companion too. I backed off Rose's drive, waving to both Rose and Amy, who were standing with arms around each other, which looked sweet. I drove to the ferry terminal and arrived at about six thirty. I've been on this ferry crossing many times, but never tire of travelling the route. There's plenty to do; there's a small cinema; then there's the moonlight lounge on the top deck which is quiet and features a live pianist and quiet recorded music. Then there's the main focal point; a large bar and stage which features a resident band and disco. There's a small casino to the side too. Several shops a large all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant, and an A la Carte restaurant complete the main facilities. I pulled up to the check-in kiosk, checked in, drove on and then went straight to my cabin and dropped off my stuff, then headed for the buffet restaurant. Then I went out on deck for half an hour or so to watch the remaining vehicles driving on to the ferry. I thought about Amy, and how I'd have loved her to be next to me, with my arm around her as I pointed out landmarks in Hull, breaking off to kiss her occasionally. I was going to miss her more than I thought... I went back inside and headed for the main entertainment area. There were two hen parties. I smiled to myself, thinking 'there's my entertainment for the night'. Girls on hen trips to Holland are always guaranteed to get more daring as the night progresses and more alcohol is consumed. I sent a text to Amy along with a couple of photos taken inside the ferry like she asked me to. She texted back her thanks and an 'I miss you already' comment which made me smile. The night progressed and the band played three times, the hen party girls didn't fail to amuse and I finally turned-in about midnight. Rudely awoken by the ships Tannoy system at six in the morning, I got up, dressed and headed for the all-you-can-eat breakfast. Eight o clock, and I was sitting in my car ready to disembark. Once away from Europort, I joined the frenetic Dutch motorway system and headed for Vlaardingen, my first call. Two hours later, and my second visit of the day was to De Lier for a lunch appointment with an old friend and associate and then an afternoon at his facility to discuss future projects. Around lunchtime I got a text from Amy. She said she was fine and having lunch with Zoe. I was pleased to read that; I'd feared Amy might retract a little and keep herself to herself. The afternoon passed by smoothly and it was soon time to leave; the Dutch people are far more civilised than us and never work more than 48hours weeks, the European norm. So I headed for Delft, my base for the next two days; famous home town of the painter Vermeer, Delft Blue pottery and the Dutch Royal family. I always stay in a small, family-run hotel in the centre of Deflt; far removed from the faceless, corporate motels that I normally stay in. It's named the 'Hotel de Kok', which always makes me smile each time I see the sign. I checked-in, and the receptionist recognised me immediately and welcomed me in perfect English, laced with her Dutch accent making her sound all the more sexy. Greetings and formalities over, I headed up to my room and settled in. I switched on my laptop and logged in to MSN. Jess was online, so was Dan, so I sent them a couple of messages with 'nudges' and we briefly 'chatted' But no Amy yet. I sent her a text to say I was online for the next half hour or so, but then I'd be going out for a walk and a bite to eat. Five minutes later, I noticed that she'd signed into her MSN account. I sent her a message and invited her to allow my webcam and she did and switched hers on to. And there we were, 'seeing and talking' to each other via laptops, but it was better than nothing. The broadband speeds seemed OK and the webcam and sound worked well. We chatted about our respective days and to my relief Amy was smiling and looked happy and relaxed. I bade her goodbye and told her I'd login again in three hours or so time. Then I blew her a kiss and to my delight, saw her hand loom towards her webcam as she grabbed my 'kiss' and then placed her fingers on her lips to 'receive' it. It took me back to that first week in the motel when I'd blown her kiss as I was about to leave, and she didn't have a clue how to respond, but now she did. She blew me a kiss in return and I reciprocated and caught hers. I wandered through the delightful streets of Delft, drinking in the atmosphere. Being a college and tourist town, Delft is very lively, friendly and full of street-side bars, cafes and restaurants. I headed for the large square where there is a restaurant I always frequent as it serves very typical, local dishes. After enjoying a delicious meal, I strolled along the cobbled streets in the old town some more, enjoying the many sights. But the pull of knowing Amy was in her room, waiting for a further MSN exchange made me head back to the hotel earlier than I would normally. Back in my room, I signed in to MSN again and sent Amy a nudge. A few seconds later, she answered. "That was quick," I said. "Oh, I was working on my laptop anyway; starting some of my assignments that Prof Ron (as we now referred to him) sent through the other day; its tough going!" "Ha! That'll keep you out of mischief!" I joked. She giggled. "So how are you really?" I said, slightly concerned. "I'm fine, honestly I am. Zoe told me at lunchtime I could go to her place and see her in the evening if I wanted to; so did Lisa and Rose has been her usual lovely self too." "Good, good, I'm pleased for you sweety," I said. Suddenly, on my laptop screen, Amy's face was obscured and replaced instead with a black head, dark sparkling eyes and a long pink tongue hanging out to one side. It was Bess, who had obviously decided to jump up onto Amy's lap and see what was going on. I could hear Amy giggling in the background and in the foreground, heavy panting from Bess. I called her name, and she looked at Amy's laptop screen cocking her head sideways, quizzically, trying to compute why she could hear me, see me but not smell me. She started to whine, obviously not happy with the situation. I heard Amy firmly say "Bess, mind your paws!" Bess jumped off Amy, and I once again saw Amy. "So, how's college work then geeky? I said, chuckling. "Twat! Its fine thanks, but tough. Prof Ron has sent me loads of notes for me to read that the lecturers use in tutorials, along with an assignment or two and I showed some of the stuff to Rich. He spent an hour with me this afternoon helping and explaining the jargon to me. Dave knew about it and was fine about it." "Well, that's a good start. There's no better person in the company than Rich to explain stuff to you Amy," I said, pleased she was off to a positive start. Rich was very well qualified to help Amy. He had two degrees; one in Mechanical engineering and the other in Electrical. He'd done the latter, in his words, 'purely for fun'. Amy changed tact, "I wish I could cuddle you. I can see you and speak to you, but can't touch you and that's frustrating. I want to feel your arms around me; it makes me feel safe and wanted," she said, with a slight sad tone in her voice. "Hey, don't you go maudlin over me now; I too would love to cuddle you and feel your body against mine, but we'll have to wait poppet, and all the better it will be too when we finally get together again. "Guess you're right Duncs ," she said, laughing now. "What's so funny?" "Oh Bess' wagging her tail really hard against my leg, and now she's started licking me!" "Now that's not fair! I should be licking your legs; not Bess!" "Well, you'd better hurry back then, eh Duncs?" Then the connection dropped to a really slow rate and we had to revert to good old fashioned typing without video or sound. We typed a few sweet phrases to each other and 'small talk'. Decent connection restored, and I could once again see Amy. "Hello again gorgeous!" "Hello again Duncs!" "Stuck for something to say?" "Yep" "Yeah, me too poppet. It's not the same on MSN is it? When I'm actually with you, a long period of silence doesn't matter, as we're usually in each others arms and listening to music or reading or both, but staring at each other on two laptops is a bit weird, isn't it?" "Yeah, know what you mean Duncs, but I'd still rather see and talk to you than just talk on the phone or text. And you're right in what you said in the car the other night; this is still better than nothing." "OK poppet. I'm going to answer some emails now; guess you're going to get on with college work eh?" "Yeah, s'pose I'd better!" "I'll leave my MSN open, then if you think of anything to say, you can nudge; OK?" "OK; see ya for now." "Yeah, bye sweety." And then we switched to our respective tasks on our laptops. We did occasionally 'nudge' each other, sometimes just to be completely silly. One nudge from Amy had me in fits of laughter. I'd accepted her invite to accept her webcam, to be faced with a screen full of Bess, tongue hanging out, wearing a baseball cap and scarf! 'What you like?' I said to her. I heard her giggling over my speakers; even on tinny laptop speakers it sounded good. She was in high spirits, and that made me feel good. It was about eleven o clock when I got the final nudge from Amy. It was to say goodnight as she was tired. It was sweet and she blew me a kiss, which I reciprocated. I could see her wearing one of her Disney nighties and I thought of the gems hidden behind it... Next day was fairly mundane for me with three visits to suppliers. I received a couple of sweet text messages from Amy midday and all was well with her. After the third meeting was over, it was back to the 'Hotel de Kok' for about six o clock. I showered and changed, then sent a text to Amy to say I was going for a walk and something to eat, and that I'd contact her around nine o clock. I went for a walk, something to eat then noted it was nearly nine o clock so headed back to the hotel. I didn't want to be late in case it upset or worried Amy. Back in my room, I switched on the laptop and logged in to MSN. Amy was already 'available', so I sent message 'Hey geeky college girl; ya there sweety?' 'Yes, I'm here you old bugger' she replied. 'Good', I thought, 'she's in a humorous mood'. I got an invite to view her webcam and turn on audio, which I accepted. Amy was sitting in her Disney nightie. "Ready for bed already?" "Yeah, more comfortable Duncs." "So, you OK?" "Fine thanks, busy day at work; I was helping Rich pull together a final submission O & M manual for the project you and I worked on. We had hundreds of pages to sort and it ended up being three volumes." "A tough, thankless task, but someone's gotta do it sweety. You and Rich are the best to do that tedious task though; needs meticulous people." "Thanks, I take it that was a compliment?" "Of course!" "Sometimes I don't always know with you; you can be such a facetious bugger." "Moi?" I said, in mock surprise. Amy giggled. Good, she was giggling. "So how are you sweety, I mean deep down; you really OK?" "Yeah really OK ... but ... well..." she trailed off, but I could see she was still smiling, so it wasn't a bad 'but'. Her webcam wasn't good enough for me to pick out every nuance of her face, but I was almost certain she was looking mischievous. My validation came when she cocked her head to one side. She only ever did that when she was either being cheeky or mischievous. "So what do you mean by: 'but and well'? I asked, smiling back at her. "Well, you know..." she said, still smiling at me. Then I saw her turn her head to look behind then back to the face the webcam. "What ya checking behind for?" "Making sure the doors shut." "Oh, OK, why?" "Before I talk to you some more." "OK, so again, what's the 'but and well and the 'well, you know'?" I said, intrigued. "Do I have to spell it out?" "Apparently; someone very recently told me I'm an old bugger ya know; senior moment time it would seem." "OK, I'm feeling randy ... there, I've said it. And you're in Holland in a nice hotel and I'm stuck here," she said, and even with the slightly pixelated image, I could see that she was looking sheepish after having revealed her predicament. "OK then poppet, I see. Well, that is a bit of a problem. MSN is good, but not that good; no virtual cocks or hands yet!" I smiled at her and she smiled back. "I was looking at some of the photos of us, at the Lakes and then I was thinking of our nights in the cabin and the fun we had by log fire and well, I started to feel strange, but in a good way. I'm sort of tingling 'down there' like I do when you start to really kiss me passionately," she explained. I was fascinated; this was a first for me. Talking to a randy girl on MSN. And I loved how Amy would always say 'down there' instead of fanny, or my favourite word 'quim' or any other of the many other slang terms such as pussy, fadge, gash, vagoo when referring to her vagina. It was a cute reference; almost childlike. I began to feel really aroused at the situation of Amy feeling very randy in her room, in front of her laptop and hearing and seeing her talking and looking at me on my laptop. "Well Amy ... there's things you and I could do to ourselves ya know..." "Like what?" she asked. "Well, the kind of things we do for each other, only instead we do them to ourselves; you know; mutual masturbation poppet." "I've never done anything like that to myself," she said, in a matter of fact voice. Well, that answered another of the many questions I was always going to ask her but never found the right way of broaching the subject. "I'll talk you through it, but are you sure you won't be disturbed by anyone?" "Rose has gone to bed already and Bess is downstairs in her basket," she said with a certain excitement in her voice. "OK Amy, take your nightie off sweety," I watched as she hesitated, then slowly she started to peel her nightie off. I actually sighed when I saw her beautiful boobs come into view. She must have heard me. "Guess you like that view, eh?" she said in a lower, huskier voice. "You know I worship your body poppet and even on your crappy webcam, I can still see those perfect boobs. Now, I want you to place a hand on each boob, and start to gently knead them, like I would do to you." "OK, like this?" "Yeah, just like that sweety, and gently press your nipples between your thumb and forefinger and lightly brush your hand over the top of your nipples too." "OK, yeah, OK, mmmm ... it feels nice..." "It looks nice too sweety." And it did, I was getting very aroused watching her rub her boobs. This was a first for me; not just with Amy, but in my whole life. I once had a colleague tell me how he and his wife enjoyed 'phone sex' when he worked away and I never really got it, but here I was with not just her voice, but a grainy image too. I saw that Amy had already closed her eyes, and the self-manipulation of her boobs was getting more and more vigorous. "OK Amy, I can see you're enjoying that, so now I want you to move one hand down to your quim and gently run your middle finger up and down it; just think of me doing it to you and how would I start off at first ... Just initially rub the outside" "OK, OK..." she said, slightly breathlessly. I watched as she slowly slipped a hand down her body, then I saw it disappear out or view. Damn! Could only see her upper body! I could tell Amy had done as I'd instructed though, as she had thrown her head back a little and the remaining hand on her boob was working it even more vigorously. "Amy, have you still got your knickers on? "Yes" "OK, stand up in front of your webcam and show me you peeling them off." She stood up and I could now see upper, firm thighs, powder blue, skimpy knickers and firm, slim lower torso; it made me sigh again. She slowly peeled her knickers off, pausing when just the top of her quim was revealed; I guess a little tease for my benefit. She pulled them so far down, then she did a little wiggle, to make them drop all the way down. "Nice one Amy, that's a lovely sight too. Now place your hand back on your quim and show me you sliding your finger up and down that moist slit." She complied and the sight of her touching her own quim nearly made me shoot my spunk there and then. I was now totally aroused and ripped off my own clothes. "OK Amy, sit down again and show me your face and boobs." She did and still had her other hand on her boob, massaging it for all it's worth. I pushed my chair back a little, so that my webcam would show more of me. "Amy, open your eyes poppet." She did, the almost shouting, said "wow! You've taken your clothes off too, and it looks like something's woken up!" "Certainly has sweety, it's no wonder seeing your fantastic body and watching your hands doing what mine are supposed to be doing to you. "I'm feeling really tingly now; all over my body..." she gasped. "Do you want to see more of me too?" "Love to poppet; why don't you take your laptop over to your bed and lie down?" "OK." I saw her room from various odd angles as she picked up the laptop and moved over to her bed. She then positioned herself and tried various angles of laptop screen and positions until she got most of herself visible, all for my benefit. She was propped up against he pillows, with her legs apart and the laptop in front of them. I could see her quim in good detail, her boobs quite well, and her face was a little grainy, but still visible. By this time I'd also moved over to my bed and had positioned my self in a similar fashion. "OK Amy, that looks great. Now play with your boobs again with one hand and put your other hand back down to your quim." She complied and I watched, mesmerised as she stroked between her labia with her middle finger. "OK Amy, go a little deeper now and seek out your clit too. Make yourself feel really good." I could see her nodding her head in agreement. Her middle finger slipped more and more into her sex, and I could see her lips were already very moist. "OK Amy, just raise that finger to your nose and have a good sniff for me; in fact, lick your finger too, like you like to lick mine." She did, and I heard her sigh as she smelt her own juices, then she slowly sucked on her middle finger, savouring the taste of her nectar. "OK sweety, now place your hand back down to your quim and I want you to gently push you finger into your quim, maybe even two." Amy nodded again, and as she placed her hand back on her quim, she parted her legs even more, giving me an even better view of her handiwork. She was stroking her self nicely, giving herself a good finger-fucking. I started to stroke my own rock hard cock, but gently; I didn't want to come too quickly. "Amy, open your eyes and look at your screen; I'm joining in too ya know!" She looked and I saw her eyes open wide as she watched me stroking my own cock; something she'd never seen me do before either. "Cool, you're doing my job!" "Yep, I am poppet! OK, now, with one hand why don't you rub your clit and with the other continue to finger-fuck yourself." "OK", she said breathlessly. I watched as she fumbled at first to get her hands to cooperate with each other and share her beautiful quim. I saw to my delight three of her long, slim fingers disappear into her fanny and I could make out her other hand working above, presumably on her clit; although the view was obscured slightly. She was starting to moan and gasp. Mindful of Rose I said "poppet, try not to make too much noise; don't forget Rose is asleep." "mmmm..." was her reply. She now had her legs raised up and wide apart and she was working feverishly on her quim; it was mesmerising to see her; those lovely slender arms and hands working her own body was almost too much for me, I stopped stroking my cock as I was so near to coming and I didn't want to just yet; I wanted to try and come with her. "Amy, sniff and taste one of your hands again; enjoy the taste of your nectar for me and tell me how good it tastes." She did, and sucked all three fingers that had just been buried deep into her quim. "Yeah, it tastes good ... it tastes..." she trailed off and moaned instead, then quickly moved her hand back down to her quim. She didn't really need my instructions now and was discovering her own body very quickly. "And don't forget those delightful boobies too; they need some attention sweety." Amy complied and alternated one hand between her clit and her boobs. Meanwhile, her other hand was penetrating and stroking her fanny for all its worth and with far more vigour than I would have done to her. Even through tinny laptop speakers, I could tell her breathing was fast and I could hear her gasping; for Rose's sake, I just hoped it wasn't too loud. "Amy, look at me too poppet, I'm loving it too," I said, returning to stroking myself. Amy looked and managed a quick smile, but I could just make out her expression of beautiful agony and I think my gorgeous young lover was finding it hard to keep her eyes on the screen to look at me stroking my cock. But now that she was aware of what I was doing, I did see her occasionally look at her screen. Amy was starting to buck her pelvis now and I suspected she was near to taking herself to nirvana. I could tell she was trying to keep her mouth closed to minimise her gasps and moans, so she was still aware enough to think of Rose. I truly loved the sight of Amy pleasuring herself and hoped we could relive this moment again when actually side by side. "I ... I'm ... gonna ... c ... come ... s ... soon," she said looking directly at the webcam. I started to stroke my cock quicker at her very utterance; even that stuttered sentence of hers was music to my ears and her face was a delight to see, grainy as it was. I felt my bollocks tighten and tingle and knew I was mere seconds away from shooting my spunk... Watching the screen intently, I saw Amy's body convulsing and her bum actually lift off the bed at one point. She was riding her orgasm and had one hand clamped over her mouth, desperate not to shout the house down. The sight of her was too much for me and I shot my load of spunk and moaned myself, closing my eyes as I shot two more loads. When I finally looked back at the screen, Amy was lying prone on the bed, motionless, her head to one side. I knew that body position so well now; she would be panting, her hair would be damp and tousled; her cheeks and chest would be crimson and there would be a thin film of perspiration on her. Damn! I wanted to be there to smell her, to touch her to hear her properly and not just through crappy laptop speakers. "Amy, can you hear me sweetheart?" "Yes" she said breathlessly. "You OK? Did that feel good poppet?" "Not as good as when you do it to me, but good enough!" she said, looking back at the webcam again. I could make out her smile and guessed her eyes would have a look of contentment; however, the image was just too grainy to see any subtle detail in her face, which was a shame. "OK, that's good and a great show; not so randy now?" "Not quite as randy; but if you were here right now, I'd shag you senseless!" said my wonderful sweeter than sweet Amy. Such a delightful turn of phrase! I chuckled at her honesty. "And I'd gladly be shagged senseless by you sweety; it would be a pleasure. So what ya gonna do now; have a quick shower?" "Yeah, then I'll go to bed. Will you stay on MSN till I get back from my shower?" "Of course poppet; just send a nudge if I don't respond; I have some work to do." "OK, back soon." Five minutes later, and my laptop speakers pinged; it was a nudge from Amy. I accepted her webcam request. And there she was, wearing her bathrobe and her hair wrapped in a towel. "Feeling better now?" "Yeah, very relaxed; hey, you've put shorts on!" "Well, I feel kind of strange working in the nude!" "Oh, OK then. Well, Duncs, that was certainly new for me; I've never played with myself down there or touched my boobs in that way. Is it normal to do those things or weird?" she said in a matter-of-fact way. I loved her candour and total innocence on some things, "Amy, it's perfectly normal to masturbate. What you do in privacy is your business. It you feel sexual tension, do something about it girl! Don't wait to see me on a crappy webcam, though I'll gladly share the experience with you again and again sweety!" She giggled, "So it's perfectly normal?" "Perfectly normal." "Cool!" she exclaimed, sounding satisfied at learning something else about the pleasures of sex. I presumed that her genuine lack of awareness of self-pleasure, or even discovering it by accident like most teens would, was probably a consequence of the abuse and trauma she had suffered. I concluded that Amy would associate her vagina with pain and a part of her body purely for a 'mans pleasure'; therefore to her, it was not for her own pleasure and was 'off limits' to her. But, I'm not a therapist; I'm just applying engineer's logic... "Now, get that gorgeous body and beautiful face to bed and get some shut-eye girl; you have work tomorrow. Also, remember I'm on the ferry tomorrow night, so no webcam I'm afraid. Oh, and my phone will lose its signal at around midnight, as the ferry is too far out to sea by then. But I'll call you when I'm on the ferry before we leave Europort; OK? "OK, speak to ya tomorrow then. By the way; here's a treat for ya!" she said, dropping her robe to the floor. She then gave me several full-body poses and several close-ups of her quim, pert bum and boobs. Finally, she gave me a close-up of her face and she was grinning from ear-to-ear and I could just make out the glint of mischievousness in her eyes. "Nice images for ya Duncs? Sweet dreams!" "Very, very nice images poppet and all capped and being uploaded to Redtube tonight sweety!" I said, chuckling. "Likewise Duncs, I've capped you playing with yourself and I'm posting that as a site-wide email to all your colleagues!" She said, giggling like crazy. We laughed at each other, blew kisses and 'caught them', said several goodnights and then signed off. It had been quite a night for me and I suspect Amy too, whom I was satisfied was in a buoyant mood and now going to bed a happy young lady... The next day I had two calls to make, with time to kill in between, so I stopped by in Delft again to pay a visit to my favourite cheese shop. I also popped in to the 'C1000' supermarket to stock up on 'Senseo' coffee pods, as there is a far greater range in Holland than back in the UK. After visiting my second call of the day, I headed back to the ferry terminal, checked in and drove on. As promised, I called Amy. We chatted for half an hour or so and she was in high spirits. I asked her how she'd felt about the previous night and she told me it had been exciting and had felt really good, but when she'd thought about it later she said, and I quote "I couldn't ever do it by myself though; I'd have to know you were watching me", which I found both cute and intriguing. The crossing was uneventful and quiet. Feeling bored I went out on deck for some fresh air. Being outside, my phone picked up a very weak signal; just enough to receive a text message. It was from Amy: BON VOYAGE! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN! AMY X I sent a short text back to her: THANKS! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU TOO SWEETY DUNCS X Then I went to my cabin and turned in for the night. The Tannoy crackled to life at six o clock to announce breakfast was being served. I had a quick shower and got dressed then went out on deck. It was miserable and overcast, but it was December after all. Lungs now full of fresh air; I went for breakfast, drank far too much coffee to kill time and checked my phone for emails and texts. There was another text from Amy and I noted she'd sent it at quarter past five in the morning HELLO DUNCS! I KNOW YOU WON'T GET THIS TILL LATER... I CAN'T SLEEP!!! (BUT I'M OK) :) WISH YOU WERE HERE WITH ME! :( AMY X It made me smile that she wanted me and missed me, but I also felt a pang of guilt that I would never be hers permanently and I feared she'd begin to resent me for that. It was something I would have to address again, but how to tackle a subject like that without upsetting her I really wasn't sure. That 'fine line' thing again... The ferry docked at quarter past eight, and I eventually arrived at the office at nine thirty. I wandered into the office to be greeted with the usual insults, but didn't see Amy so I headed for Dave's office to de-brief myself regarding the last three days in Holland. Half an hour later, I came out and saw Amy sitting with Richard. Our eyes met and she gave me such a lovely smile that she melted my heart in an instant. "Hi Duncs!" she shouted across the office, causing everybody to look up. Tim shouted, "Well, at least somebody loves you!" which was met with general chuckles all round. "Hello Amy and thank you for such a lovely welcome; ignore Tim, he's just jealous that pretty young ladies like you don't pay him any attention," I said, and my comment raised even more chuckles. It was going to be another typical day in the office of hurling insults to and fro and general barracking all around. I headed for the kitchen for a much-needed coffee. I felt a hand pinch my bum and turned round to see a smiling Amy. "I could have you for sexual harassment you know," I said, straight-faced. "See you in court then Duncs," she said, equally straight-faced. Her humour was spot on, always a good indicator that she was OK. In a more hushed voice, she said, "I missed you, but not in a bad way; no dark moments. I felt OK by myself too, especially the other night!" she said, giggling at the thought of the events of that night. "Yeah, that night was fun, and a new experience for me too! And I missed you too sweety." "Can we go for lunch later?" "I'd love to Amy; twelve thirty?" "Yep, OK." I went back to my desk and answered emails and took a couple of phone calls. About twelve o clock I saw Amy wander back into the main office and she headed purposefully over my way. As she got nearer, I could see a mischievous smile and a wicked look in her eyes; but I simply had no idea what she was up to. Standing right next to me and looking around to see if anyone was close (there wasn't), she held out her clenched hand to me. "Got something in here for you," she said, in a low, sexy voice. I held my open hand under her fist, wondering what on earth she was going to drop into it. She very slowly opened her fist, and out dropped a skimpy pair of powder-blue knickers into my hand. I actually let out a small gasp and quickly lowered my hand below the desk in case anyone saw. "There, I've taken the wrapper off your lunch ... hope you're going to be able to enjoy it!" she said, walking away, giggling, looking back over her shoulder at me to revel in the slack-jawed, stunned look I was no doubt showing on my face. I actually felt my cock starting to get hard. I had never, ever before in my life had a girlfriend do something as erotic as that simple act Amy just did; she had completely floored me with her outlandish and wicked behaviour. I loved it and found it enthralling, but at the same time I was perplexed at how a girl who could be so innocent to the point of being child-like could dream up such a sexy prank. I could hardly wait for twelve thirty to come around. All I could now think about was that Amy was 'sans knickers' under her business skirt. I knew where I could take her for some privacy; there was woodland a few miles drive out of Beverley where we could get some peace and quiet. If I had read her correctly (and a girl taking off her knickers and handing them to you is giving a pretty strong hint), Amy's idea of 'lunch' wasn't going to be going to a café or restaurant... It was quarter past twelve, and Amy came back into the office, giving me the wickedest smile ever as she passed by my desk heading for her own. A minute later and a 'ping' on my laptop announced a new email. I clicked and it was from Amy. It read: YOUR LUNCH IS NICE AND WARM AND SO JUICY AND TASTY. I glanced over to her desk, but she stared intently at her own laptop, pretending to be engrossed in her work. I couldn't stand it any longer. "C'mom Amy, let's go for lunch now." "But Duncs, you said twelve thirty; it's only twenty past..." "So, what's ten minutes; c'mon girl." She rose from her chair, giving me the faintest of smiles, "hungry, are we?" We left the office and quickly headed straight for the car, Amy following closely behind me, giggling like a kid. "I guess VERY hungry!" she quipped, positively laughing now. We got in the car and I drove out and joined the road, heading out to the countryside. "What ya like, eh? You disgusting, depraved lass!" I said, smiling broadly at her. "Tell me ya don't like it; you old perv!" She'd got me there. "You never cease to amaze me Amy. You certainly make my life far more exciting ya know," I said, chuckling at her. More giggles from Amy. I headed for a woodland area I knew of, that was little known, even by locals, and certainly rarely visited on week days. I drove in as far as a normal car could go before the road turned into a track suitable only for off-road vehicles and pulled in to a convenient parking area, surrounded by trees. "So, where's this warm, ready and tasty lunch you have waiting for me then?" "Oh, that's the main course Duncs. Starters first," she said, getting out of the car. She pushed her seat as far forward as it would go and then looked back in to the car at me. "Well, c'mon then, do the same to your seat!" she said, slightly impatiently. I obeyed, and did the same to my car seat. We both got into the back of the car. Apart from the cuddle I'd given Amy four nights previously, I hadn't 'entertained' a girl in the back seat of my car for some thirty-odd years; it was like being a teen again. As soon as we were both seated in the back, Amy was all over me like a rash. "Here comes starters," she said, as she plunged her mouth on to mine and immediately started to kiss me with great passion. She was on fire, highly charged and I was going to be taken on the ride whether I liked it or not. It was extremely arousing to me when she took the lead like this; I absolutely loved it. I felt a hand caress my crotch, making me harder in an instant. I unbuttoned her blouse and raised her bra above her boobs just so I could caress those two mounds of perfection. Amy was fumbling with my trousers, but soon had them undone, and wasted no time slipping her hand down my undies. The first delicate touch of her slender hand on my cock made me shiver with delight. I caressed her boobs a little while longer and then moved my hand down to caress her flat and firm stomach. Amy briefly broke off from kissing me to speak "Your lunch may need stirring; why don't you check?" Needing no further encouragement, I raised the hem of her skirt and reached in to find my lunch. My fingers soon sought out 'lunch', and I was once again in contact with her deliciously soft, rounded, warm and moist quim. As I ran my middle finger gently up and down her slit, Amy moaned long and low into my mouth. This time I broke off from kissing her "Well, lunch is certainly warm and moist, but you're right, I think I need to stir it a little!" "Go ahead, we don't want it ruined, do we?" she said, giggling. So I proceed to 'stir' my 'lunch', gently and slowly, with two fingers in and out of her sex. Every gentle stroke of my fingers made Amy gasp, moan or sigh. She pulled her skirt further up her body so that she could open her legs wider to accommodate my hand. Amy was increasingly turned-on by my actions; her breathing, no, make that panting increasing rapidly as she tried to maintain kissing me with a passion. She broke off again to speak "Please eat your lunch now before it's ruined," she said in a raspy and husky voice. With that said, I awkwardly knelt down in the foot well, whilst Amy lay across the back seat, one leg resting against the back of the rear seat and the other flopped over the side, in the remaining space of the rear foot well. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but that was of little concern to me. I briefly stared at her beautiful quim, all exposed, moist and inviting, waiting for me to feast on it. Just to add a little tease, I first kissed and licked along her thighs, savouring the firm, warm flesh that met my tongue and mouth. As I worked my way towards my target, Amy moaned in anticipation. As I got nearer to her fanny, my nostrils were filled with the smell of her sex and that trigger on my senses ended my tease. I plunged my mouth onto her quim; that initial contact causing Amy to gasp out loud. She immediately placed her hands on the back of my head, lest I should try to pull away. I ran my tongue deep into her slit, lapping and tasting her nectar, savouring every bit of it. As I licked, my nose was brushing her clit, making her pelvis gyrate in unison with me. I stopped licking and moved my mouth onto her clit, gently nibbling, pulling and sucking on that little button of nerves for all my worth. As I did that, I simultaneously placed two fingers in her, and proceeded to finger-fuck her. Taking them out seconds later, I looked up at her, grinning. "Want a taste of my lunch sweety?" She nodded, her eyes reaming shut. I placed the two fingers, soaking wet with her juices, into Amy's mouth and she greedily sucked on them. She released my fingers from her mouth, and I once again placed them in her quim, working her up another notch to her nirvana. Again, I offered those same fingers to her mouth, and Amy once again greedily sucked on them. I repeated this action several times; only stopping because I sensed Amy changing into top gear as she approached her orgasmic destiny. By now, she was panting, gasping and moaning in quick succession, with the odd expletive mixed in for good measure. Then her body tensed and her back arched, she shuddered and then let out a loud, guttural groan as her orgasm peaked. I continued to finger fuck and lick for all my worth, feeling her fanny contracting around my fingers and causing her two or three mini orgasms in quick succession. Then she gently pulled my head away from her quim; an indication that she was now simply too sensitive to any further stimulation. I gently kissed around her quim and her inner thighs whilst she came back down to earth. Breathlessly she announced "time for my lunch now," and she started to lower herself to the footwall, indicating that I should change position to sitting in the seat. I quickly changed position realising it was now my turn. I lowered my trousers and undies, to give Amy unfettered access to my cock and bollocks. Amy gave me a beautiful dreamy look and then bobbed down to attend to my aching cock. I felt a delicate hand encompass the shaft of my cock and warm moist lips sucker down on my glans simultaneously and sighed at the combined heavenly sensation. Ever so gently, she stroked my cock and sucked, licked and kissed my glans. I've said this before, but her delicate, feather-light touch was sensational; so much better than a firm grip or the habit some women have of biting. Amy treated me to looking at me as she worked her magic. There's something totally erotic about a girl maintaining eye contact as she works on your cock ... She slowly increased her stroke, but never gripped tighter than the lightest touch. I started to breathe heavily and gasped a couple of times. Amy took this as a cue to suck and lick with more zeal, and her technique remained superb. Then, I felt a new sensation; something Amy hadn't done before. With her other hand, she gently cupped my bollock sack, and, very gently she squeezed and kneaded my bollocks. I was now receiving three sets of stimuli and I couldn't hold out any longer. A combination of the memories of the night I was in Holland and our 'MSN sex session', the wickedness of her earlier in the day and just minutes before, my deed of bringing my beautiful young companion to yet another wonderful orgasm meant I was highly aroused and was going to come in a matter minutes. I thrust my pelvis slightly as I felt my bollocks tighten, gasped and then came, hard. Amy maintained her mouth over my glans; not a drop of spunk lost. I shot two more blasts straight into her sweet mouth and still her lips maintained their seal over the end of my cock. After a few more seconds, I had to ask her to stop; I was simply too sensitive. Amy pulled away from my cock, looking satisfied with herself. She rose up and our faces met. She looked mischievous, her eyes positively sparkling. She hadn't finished yet; there was one more trick up her sleeve. "Now your dessert," she said, and then she moved towards my face and our mouths locked in a kiss. As we did, I tasted my spunk on her tongue and felt the sensation of Amy transferring juices from her mouth to mine; she was feeding me my spunk. I had heard of this act and read about it, thinking I wouldn't particularly like it; how wrong I was, I loved it. We continued to kiss like this for some minutes. I reached down to her quim, got two fingers nice and wet and offered them to Amy mouth. She duly licked them and then we continued to kiss, now savouring the taste of her too. Well, all good things have to come to an end and I said to Amy we'd better head back to the office. We straightened up and looked reasonably presentable again. Reaching into my trouser pocket, I pulled out a pair of powder blue knickers. "Here, you'd better put these back on poppet," I said, grinning. "Nah, I'm gonna leave them off, then, I'll have fun in the knowledge that every time you look at me this afternoon, you'll remember I'm 'sans knickers!" she said, giggling. I looked at her, smiling and shaking my head slowly, "What ya like, eh? You're something else Amy, you really are; whatever will you dream up next?" "Ha! Wouldn't you like to know!" We reorganised the car, got in and I backed out of the wood, and headed back to Beverley and the office. Sure enough, Amy's refusal to don her knickers had the desired effect she wished, for every time I looked at her the rest of that day, I smirked, knowing her delicious quim was 'free' under her skirt. "Can we have 'lunch' like that again?" I enquired. "Definitely; it should be a regular Friday appointment," came her immediate reply. Towards the end of the day, there was only Amy and I left in the main office, plus one or two others elsewhere in the building. Amy came over to my desk with a genuine purpose to show me a document. She was standing next to me whilst I remained seated. As she was pointing at the document and telling me about it, I couldn't resist sliding my hand up her inner thigh; up and up I continued until I felt her quim. I gently fondled it and then played with her bum cheeks. All the time, Amy remained completely professional and continued to discuss the document with me. What amazing self-control! Half an hour later we left the office and I took her back to Rose's. She asked me to stop just before we pulled up the cul-de-sac to Rose's house as she wanted to give me one last passionate kiss before I dropped her off. It would be two days before we saw each other again; I knew I was certainly wishing it could be otherwise and I was sure Amy felt the same. Still, family beckoned, and after I'd dropped her at Rose's house, I headed for home, contemplating the events of the day with a big smile on my face. ------- Chapter 20 December, 2009: 'Amy's first proper Christmas' It was the week leading up to Christmas, and the sense of occasion was much in evidence in the office. Everybody was discussing their festive plans; what they were doing, who they were visiting, who was visiting them. I looked over to Amy's desk and could tell she was absorbed in the banter, and I wondered what she thought of it all as this sort of conversation would be alien to her. The previous week, Amy and I had been in the car visiting a client for the day. I'd taken her with me for the experience; I was running a software upgrade on a series of controllers and I knew she'd be interested in seeing the procedure. In the car, she revealed some more of her past, in particular what happened in her household around Christmas, or in her case, the lack of it. One Christmas when she was eleven, her mother had gone out on Christmas Eve to celebrate, and hadn't returned until late on Boxing Day, leaving Amy to fend for herself. There had been little food in the house and Amy had to do the best she could. She said despite how gloomy it all sounded, it was one of her better Christmases, because at least she hadn't been hurt or molested. Another Christmas Amy told me about, this time when she was 13, her mother had been invited to spend Christmas day with the family of one of her boyfriends. She said her mother took great delight in telling her that her boyfriend had invited her too, just to get her hopes up, but then added 'but I'm going to tell them you didn't want to come and were being horrible so I took you to relatives instead.' Amy also told me that she couldn't remember receiving one Christmas present ever. My stomach turned as Amy reeled off one bad story or event after another; I found myself thinking of my own childhood and the wonderful times we had at Christmas. My parents had not been wealthy, but the love and fun that went into every Christmas (and other events) eclipsed that lack of wealth by a long shot. Then I thought of my own family and how Christmas is a big event. We enjoy wealth that my parents didn't have; but nonetheless, the money is just a bonus; the spirit of Christmas in our house is the same as that enjoyed by me as a child. Amy, on the other hand, had seen Christmas come and go sixteen times, but never once had she enjoyed it like a child is entitled to. After hearing Amy's tales of woe (which, by the way, she had delivered in a very matter-of-fact way with little or no emotion), I was determined that her 17th Christmas was going to be her first, proper Christmas. That evening when I got home, I recounted Amy's revelations that day to Jane. By now, my wife had known Amy for about ten weeks, and was fully aware of her horrific past as I'd told her everything I knew. Apart from the obvious omission of telling Jane about my sexual relationship with Amy, everything else was open book. "I wondered how you'd feel about me inviting Amy to spend Christmas with us. After all, Hannah and her Mum are coming over Christmas day, so one more mouth to feed won't make much difference. What'd'ya think?" "Given what you've just told me, I think it will be wonderful for both her and us. However, be prepared that she may be overwhelmed by what for her will be a new experience and that she may get upset." I thought that very perceptive of my wife. She'd obviously remembered me telling her how Amy could be unsure, perplexed or confused by certain events or situations. "Well, that's true, but I'll keep an eye on her, and I'm sure her buddy Jess will too. So, shall I tell her she can come over Christmas Eve evening and I'll take her back home, say after tea Boxing Day?" "Whatever Duncan; I really don't mind – there'll be a steady stream of Dan and Jess' friends in and out, like there always is; we'll probably hardly notice the poor girl!" "Great, that's settled then. Oh, and thanks." "For what?" "Your support of Amy's plight" "She's a lovely girl; she needs all the breaks she can get Duncan." I smiled at my wife and the thought flashed through my mind that I actually wished that things could have been different between us. Still, at least we were friends, and to the outside World, we were a perfectly 'normal' couple. The next day at work, I waited for an opportunity to speak to Amy in private. I used to get a couple of minutes to talk to her in the car as I'd been giving her a lift each morning and evening to and from Rose's house to the office. However, Amy had decided to start walking the mile from Rose's house to the office as she wanted the exercise. Amy got up from her desk and told me she was going to make a coffee for herself and asked if I wanted one. I said I would love one, but I'd come with her and we could sit in the little coffee lounge next to the kitchen rather than bringing them back to our desks. Amy made the coffee and I stood by her side, making small talk and gently squeezing her bum, making her giggle. We went to the lounge with our coffee and a couple of biscuits. When she was settled, I began. "Amy, don't freak at what I'm about to say, but, my wife and I would like to invite you over to our home to spend Christmas with us. How does that sound?" She looked at me, slowly taking in what I said and a tear or two rolled down her cheek. She was instantly overcome with emotion as her bottom lip was trembling ever so slightly. "I ... I ... I don't know what to say ... I ... I ... I'm extremely grateful, b ... but I would feel like I'm intruding on your family at a special time." I reached out to hold her hand, "you're a close family friend now Amy; why, you're practically Jess' sister for goodness sake! We would love you to come; I want you to enjoy the trappings of a family Christmas with all the noise, fun, food, laughter and all that goes with it. Besides, Hannah and her Mum are joining us for Christmas lunch too. Please consider it sweety." "I don't have to consider it Duncs, I'd love to come; it's just I feel once again you're being too kind and generous, oh, and Jane too." It was the first time I'd heard Amy refer to my wife by her name. "Do I take it that's a yes then?" "Definitely, and thanks so much!" Amy stood up and leant over to me and gave me a quick kiss in the cheek. "I'll pick you up late afternoon Christmas Eve, then you can settle in, enjoy waking up Christmas day with your 'sister', have a blast all day and night, and I'll take ya back home sometime Boxing Day. "Wow! You mean stay a couple of nights too! I thought you meant just Christmas lunch!" said Amy, now as excited as a small child. "Well, yes; we want you to enjoy the full experience. Oh, by the way, Jess and Dan usually have friends over Christmas Eve; that won't bother you will it?" "No, not at all, it'll be fun!" " ... and noisy," I added. "Thanks Duncs, thanks yet again; all I ever seem to say to you is thanks for yet another thing you've arranged for me; I can't ever thank you enough for all you've done for me in what, ten weeks? Yet there's so little I can give back to you." "Oh how wrong you are sweetheart. Every time I see you smile or hear you giggle or laugh, or see you learn something new at work, or when I witness your happiness or see you make new friends; all those little things mean the world to me; they're all paybacks. Seeing you blossom into the true Amy is the biggest pay back of all. Oh, and let's not forget your wicked, mischievous side that has me so astounded at times; that's a payback to me too because you're fun to be with and you make me feel so alive. So in a nutshell Amy, you give me plenty back." "Kind words again Duncs; you make me feel so important; you don't know how much that means to me." "Oh I think I do poppit, I think I do..." "Well, let's drink our coffee and hey, only a few days to Christmas! By the way, I'm taking Dan and Jess late-night Christmas shopping tomorrow; would you like to come too?" "Definitely; thanks!" "OK then; straight after work we'll head back to my place and pick up Dan and Jess and then go on to Hull. We'll eat out somewhere for tea." And so after work the next day, we did exactly that and had a lot of fun. Amy and Jess paired-off for some of the time, whilst Dan and I did our own shopping. I'd told Amy not to tell Dan or Jess that we'd invited her over for Christmas as I thought it would be a nice surprise for them, especially Jess. Wednesday dragged on and even I became a 'clock watcher'; as soon as it was five o clock, everybody became 'Road Runner' for a few seconds and the main office cleared in a heartbeat, for Thursday was Christmas Eve and the start of the company Christmas break. I took Amy back to Rose's house and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, told her I'd pick her up around four o clock the next day. I was pleased to note Fred's car on the drive; at least he'd made it back in good time. I didn't go in; Fred hadn't seen Rose for a few weeks and besides, I'd see them the next day. "Say 'hello' to Fred for me poppit!" I shouted to Amy, as I started to back off the drive. When I got home, the excitement in the household was already starting to rise. Both Jess and Dan had a couple of mates round and there was healthy competition between the lads and lasses; competing music too. Jane looked a little stressed, which I suppose was understandable. As always, most of the Christmas arrangements had been left to her. My job is not exactly what you'd call 'nine to five' most days, so I find it hard to commit to domestic duties too. I woke up early the next day, so got dressed and went for a walk. The fresh air cleared the fug in my brain, and an hour later, I felt ready to face the madness in my house. I went in the kitchen to brew some fresh coffee and was met by a bleary-eyed daughter. "Dare I ask what time you finally went to bed last night young lady?" "Errr ... dunno Dad," she said sheepishly. "Well, early night tonight, or else Santa won't come!" "Yeah, right, whatever Dad; just like the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy eh?" she said in that way teen girls do when despairing with their Dad. "Hey, what's Amy doing this Christmas?" she said, changing the subject. "Oh, just spending time with Rose and Fred and their relatives." "Oh, I have a present for her; can we pop it round to her sometime?" "Of course sweet pea." Jane and Dan came down, and the banter continued. The rest of the day I helped my wife with the preparations for the next couple of days. There always seems to be endless jobs to do preparing for Christmas. At half past three, I winked at my wife and told her "Just going to run that errand Jane," as Jess was in the kitchen and I didn't want to give the game away. I pulled into Rose's drive and for once, the front door didn't open on my arrival. I pushed the door bell button and immediately heard two dogs barking. Seconds later, there were sounds of the door being scratched from the inside; no doubt it was Bess waiting to attack me with a bout of tail bashing and sloppy, wet licks. The door opened and it was Fred. "Fred, you old bugger, how the devil?" I greeted him, shaking his hand. "All the better for getting home Duncs; thought I'd never get away from that damn project. Still, only trivial problems and snags since handover I'm pleased to say." Handover had been just over a week ago, and I'd taken Amy with me for the event so that she could see the procedure. It was the time that Dave got his moment of glory as he signed over the project to the client, gave him a set of symbolic keys and one of the O and M manuals. Of course, the 'real' handover had been taking place for a number of weeks prior to that as we worked with the client's own technical staff and demonstrated equipment and operational procedures. "Good, good, nice to hear Fred." As Fred beckoned me in to the house, sure enough, I got attacked by Bess, so I knelt down and made a fuss of her. Fred disappeared to announce my arrival. Still fussing Bess, I was suddenly aware of a pair of cute feet and slim, jean-clad legs next to me. I looked up, pausing to admire superb curvy hips turning into an oh-so-slim waist and to then see a pair of pert boobs and finally the owner of those superb body parts; namely the heavenly image of a smiling Amy. She looked as gorgeous as ever, radiant and full of life; the Amy I loved to see. "Hello gorgeous; ready to face the madness of our house?" "Oh, I think so. It's been absolutely hectic here; I've been helping Rose get ready for the next two days." "Nice one Amy; she must really appreciate that. Talking of Rose, I'd better go and see her." Realising that playtime was over as I stood up, Bess started whining and running in circles in front of me. The three of us headed for the kitchen. Rose and Fred were both there. As soon as Rose saw me, she came over and gave me a big motherly hug, making Fred chuckle; he knew all too well that Rose had strong arms. We talked for a good ten minutes and I caught up with both local and company gossip 'from the coal face' from Rose and Fred respectively. Amy couldn't resist helping Rose with yet another task. "She's truly wonderful around the house, this one, Duncs," said Rose, glancing over at Amy. "I never ask her to do a single thing; in fact, I have to tell her to stop some nights. I know she has her college work and that's far more important to me." "Rose, it doesn't surprise me; she's just the same at work; ever helpful to everyone." " ... and on site too," added Fred. "Um ... excuse me; 'she's a human; not a piece of machinery!" quipped Amy at the three of us. We all laughed at her and Amy couldn't hold her straight-face any longer and broke into a fit of giggles. "So, are you ready lass; all packed? I said to Amy. "Yep!" Rose and Fred both cuddled Amy and goodbyes and Christmas wishes exchanged; I helped Amy gather her things. "Err ... its two night's sweety; not two weeks," I said, as I surveyed the various bags. "Well, you know us girls," said Amy. We packed and got into the car and Rose and Fred waved at us as I backed off the drive. Rose looked a little sad, and for a moment I felt slightly guilty for taking Amy away from them; I think they would have liked her to be part of their Christmas. But I knew the house would be full of their extended family, so Rose and Fred would certainly be fully occupied. As we drove out of Beverley, I headed for Westwood before going to Etton; I wanted ten minutes with Amy, not knowing what, if any, opportunities would be afforded to us to be private over the next couple of days. We held and caressed each other; kissing tenderly and passionately. For a moment I wished I could whisk her off to the cabin in the Lakes for a romantic Christmas just for the two of us, but realising that was an incredibly selfish thought, I snapped out of my dream and with some reluctance told Amy we better head 'home'. I pulled into the drive, and Amy remarked how nice our house looked. Jane had gone to town with the decorations and I'd added sets of lights around all the windows. Mind you, our house was nothing compared with some of the neighbours, whose electricity bills must double during the month of December! We entered the porch and I motioned to Amy to keep quiet and stay in the porch. "Hello folks!" I shouted as I entered the living room. "Hi Dad, what kept ya?" said Jess. "Oh, this and that, plus I've brought you an early Christmas present; wanna see it?" Um ... yes please; where is it?" said Jess, looking both excited and puzzled. "In the porch." Jess got up and headed towards me. I stepped aside from the door leading to the porch. As Jess opened the door and saw her 'present', she squealed with delight and flung her arms around Amy. The two of them hugged, kissed cheeks and both had moist eyes. They really were like sisters and the love they had for each other was so obvious. Jane came over to greet Amy. They briefly embraced and Amy immediately thanked my wife for inviting her over for Christmas. "How long's Amy over for Dad? Just tonight?" "Well ... actually ... mmmm ... let me see now..." Amy giggled at me teasing Jess; however, Jess wasn't quite so amused. "'Daa-errr-add', please, tell me!" "Oh, OK then sweet pea; she's staying with us over Christmas. Said I'd take her back to Rose's house late Boxing Day." "DAD! WOW! Awesome!" said Jess, now flinging her arms round me. I glanced at Amy and smiled. I could tell she loved the scene she was witnessing; but I wondered how she felt deep down seeing how happy and content Jess was; a state of being far removed from her own life when she was 13. Jess then cuddled her Mum, and then cuddled Amy again. "C'mon Jess, let poor Amy get into the house!" "Oh, yeah, um, OK Dad; um, sorry Amy!" Jess took Amy's hand and headed upstairs with her, babbling on at a rapid rate of knots. I shook my head and smiled as two happy and content teen girls disappeared upstairs. I then looked at all the bags in the porch and realised that once again it was down to me to bring everything in. I tutted, but in all honesty, I couldn't be annoyed with them. Jess was an amazing tonic for Amy; she was allowed to enjoy being a teenager when with Jess, salvaging back a small fraction of a childhood snatched away by her cruel and twisted mother. "Well, I think I can safely say that was a true success," I said to my wife. She smiled and nodded in agreement. A while later, Hannah arrived and Jess and Amy bounded down stairs to greet her. Hannah was equally pleased and pleasantly surprised as Jess to see Amy and greeted her accordingly. Other friends of Jess came and went, and the general conviviality was fantastic. Dan's friends also popped in, and Amy's presence was clearly noted by his horny 15 year old friends. At times the noise was deafening as various strains of competing music, laughter, banging and thumping emanated from upstairs. Jane and I confined ourselves to the kitchen, which was still a relate haven of peace. A snack style tea was the order of the day, as nobody in particular wanted to sit down formerly at the table, so we simply put a couple of pizzas, garlic bread, sausage rolls and some potato wedges in the oven and placed some snacks in bowls and told everyone to come and help themselves. As the evening progressed, everyone except me migrated upstairs to various rooms. True to Christmas tradition for the last couple of years, the PC in the study had NORAD's 'track Santa' webpage on display, to see what part of the World he was in. I stayed downstairs listening to 'Radio 2' and surfing the web on my laptop. This is quite the norm for me; during the evening I often have the whole of the ground floor of the house to myself; Christmas Eve being no exception. Amy came downstairs to see me, "all alone mister?" she said in a wonderful girly voice; offering an equally girly smile and fluttering of her eyelids. "Well, looks like it sweety; fallen out with Jess and Hannah?" "Oh no, far from it; I just guessed you were down here all by your self, and it didn't seem right." "I'm OK; I'm used to it ... But thanks for coming down to see me; I appreciate it." "Wish we could be private, I'd love a kiss and a cuddle," said a now slightly sad-looking Amy. "Follow me." I walked through the kitchen, into the utility room and then into the garage, Amy following closely behind me. For just one glorious minute, I held her tightly and kissed her passionately. "Right, as much as I don't want to let you go, we'd better go back in the house." Amy couldn't resist giving me one more lingering kiss. We went back in; still nobody downstairs, we hadn't been missed. Amy sat down again and listened to the radio with me for 20 minutes or so. The peace was shattered by Jess and Hannah charging downstairs. "Hey sis, wondered where you'd got to!" said Jess, "Nice of you to keep my 'old man' company!" "Hey cheeky; I take it you do want Christmas presents tomorrow, eh?" I said to Jess, chuckling. Amy giggled; I suspect more at the 'old man' reference than my reply to Jess. Amy then looked at me, almost apologetically; torn between her loyalty to me and to Jess, deciding who she should join. I put her out of her agony. "Go on girl; your fan club is calling ya!" Amy smiled and joined Jess and Hannah, who then went to the kitchen to get more snacks and drink. Dan and his friend Jack came downstairs too, and headed into the kitchen, presumably to also get snacks. And so the evening continued pretty much like that until the early hours; the noise gradually subsided and the house once again became peaceful. Because of the general peace and quiet, I had time to reflect and I became quite melancholic and began to take a long, hard look at my life; something I find myself doing more and more of late. I've done some pretty good things in my life; I guess helping Amy ranks as a pretty high achievement. But I have also cheated on my wife, twice now; once eight years prior to meeting Amy when I found myself once again reunited with my childhood sweetheart, and then with Amy herself. I'm not proud of breaking my marriage vows, but being celibate for many years takes its toll, and the pull of Amy as a lover was just too great to resist. I hadn't even heard Amy come down the stairs and wasn't even aware she was standing next to me until she spoke. "Penny for your thoughts mister?" she said, in a sweet, caring voice. I looked up to see her gorgeous face looking down at me; her beautiful deep brown eyes showing an expression of concern and love, her mouth displaying a serene smile. She added "oh, they're all asleep upstairs," as if to pre-empt any concerns on my part. I held my arms out to her, inviting her to sit on my lap. She did and I placed my head on her chest and held her tightly and she stroked my hair. I felt strangely vulnerable and this time, it was Amy who was there for me. We said nothing and did nothing, apart from hold and caress each other; sometimes just that is more than enough... After an hour or so I said "C'mon, sweetheart; we'd better go to bed." "Oh, I thought you'd never ask," she said, giggling. "You know what I meant, you wicked girl!" With that said, we stood up, embraced and kissed for a while and then quietly went upstairs; Amy to the kids living room to join a slumbering Hannah and me to my room to join a slumbering Jane, but I may as well have been going to bed solo... Six thirty in the morning and the house erupted to the sounds of Jess shouting 'Merry Christmas' at the top of her voice. She bounded into our room and dive-bombed onto our bed, giving me and Jane a huge cuddle. Jess may well have been a sophisticated 13 year old teen girl, but she was still a big kid on Christmas day. Any thoughts of further sleep were now quickly dashed. I could hear Amy and Hannah talking and Dan mumbling something incomprehensible too. I dashed to the bathroom to get first shout, had a quick shower and shave and returned to my room to get dressed. I popped my head round the door to wish Amy and Hannah a merry Christmas; my son Dan too. Then I went downstairs to prepare the turkey and get it in the oven; traditionally always my job as my wife hates handling a fresh bird. The din upstairs was worse than the night before. I was actually pleased, as this was yet another new experience for Amy; waking up to a typical 'normal' family day on Christmas. I was busying myself in the kitchen, and Amy came down to see me; in a Disney nightie. I loved her like this and the temptation to raise the hem of that nightie and take a quick look at the goodies beneath was so very tempting, but I resisted. She was beaming and looked extremely happy. "Merry Christmas gorgeous," I said, giving her a quick cuddle and kiss on the mouth. "Merry Christmas Duncs," she said back. "You know that's the first time I've said that to someone who actually wanted to hear it said by me. Used to say it to my mother, but she'd just say something rude back." "I know sweety, I know, but don't dwell on it; enjoy your first proper Christmas." "Oh I'm OK, not dwelling on any thoughts for that bitch," she said, with great venom. Could have fooled me, but I didn't say anything. "Go on, go and join your sis and Hannah; you don't have to stay with me, much as I appreciate it." "OK!" she said, pausing only to give me a peck on the cheek before she dashed off. I patted her bum as she left, making her squeal and giggle. I sensed it was going to be great day. I heard more commotion upstairs as small gifts were exchanged and opened. I brewed a pot of tea and took steaming mugs upstairs for everyone. The girls were all still in their nighties and ever exuberant. Dan was wandering around in a slight daze, bleary eyed but happy and my wife was dressed, tidying our room. Gradually, everyone migrated downstairs, and my wife headed to the kitchen, to prepare the Christmas meal. Normally I would help her, but an insistent Amy offered to help Jane instead and told me to go and spend time with Jess, Dan and Hannah. I wandered between rooms, enjoying the atmosphere. Jess and Hannah were amusing themselves with 'Wee fit', which I found highly amusing to watch; Dan disappeared to the kid's living room to play his latest Xbox acquisition. I wandered into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar. I watched two 'old hands' preparing vegetables in silent harmony. To the outside world, it would appear that Jane and Amy had worked alongside each other for years. I again marvelled at Amy's slim, sinewy arms at work, enjoying seeing the tendons in her forearms twitch as she chopped and cut vegetables. "So, is your new assistant better or worse than me, eh?" I said to my wife. "Do you need to ask?" she replied, winking at Amy. Amy giggled and gave me a smug look. I smiled; it was great to see Jane and Amy on the same side. In a strange way, it somehow reduced the guilt I felt regarding my close relationship with Amy. The door bell rang, announcing that Hannah's mum had arrived. Having nothing better to do, I answered the door and greeted Tracy with a hug and kisses. She was a very attractive woman; quite a lot younger than my wife as she was a teen mum when she had Hannah. The girls came to greet Tracy, Hannah giving her mum a huge hug, followed by Jess. Greetings over, Tracy made her way to the kitchen to see Jane and Amy. My wife embraced Tracy and then Tracy introduced herself to Amy, and reached out to offer a hug to her, but didn't assume it was a given; Tracy was well aware of Amy's past and respected her space. However, Amy gladly accepted the invitation and hugged Tracy like she'd known her for years. It was a pleasure to see how Amy accepted an offering of friendship so readily now. The three of them started talking simultaneously, in the way that women do and I suddenly felt like a bit of a spare part. I drifted from room to room, but everyone was engrossed in various activities. I decided to go for a walk for an hour or so. I told Jane my plans, and Amy looked longingly at me like she wanted to join me, but reading her thoughts, I gently shook my head, indicating she was 'better' staying where she was. I think she understood, because she didn't look hurt. Walking on the open fields of the Wolds and breathing in the cold, crisp air started to clear my brain and I resumed my thoughts regarding the last few weeks. Amy had gone from being my private 'little project', tucked away in a motel room; at times a confused girl, at times afraid, at times street-wise, even on one occasion violent, to now being a person coming out of her shell, starting to shine as a new person, making friends with people of all ages and gender and becoming mentally stronger with each passing day. I truly loved it; I even congratulated myself for my amateur efforts in being instrumental in her rehabilitation; and yet, I also realised I was now slightly jealous; Amy was no longer exclusively mine, she didn't need me so much for support and I now had to 'share' her with others. It was an irrational and mean-spirited thought and I started to consider if I had hang-ups of my own to contend with. However, I snapped out of my melancholy as my circular walk was nearly at an end. Entering the backdoor of the house, I was greeted with the wonderful aroma of Christmas lunch. My timing was perfect as the first course was about to be served. Jess ran up to me and gave me a hug. "Where'd'ya go Dad?" "Just for a walk sweet pea; I wasn't wanted here," I said, pushing my lip out like a small kid would do. Everyone laughed at me, and I chuckled, unable to keep the facade of pretending to be hurt for more than a few seconds. My wife gave me a kiss on the cheek and asked if I was OK in a genuinely caring way. I was slightly taken back; she hadn't really been in tune with me for some time. I told her I was fine, and kissed her back. I caught Amy looking at this unusually close moment between my wife and me; but she simply smiled back at me, no hurt or jealousy showing whatsoever. It made me realise that perhaps Amy didn't see the two of us in a relationship as such; rather we had simply become close companions who also happened to be lovers. We all sat down to a table groaning under the weight of too much food and Christmas day proper started. I popped open a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne, poured it and wished everybody a Merry Christmas, to which we all sipped from our glasses. I sat down and we were all about to start eating when Amy slowly stood up, looking shy and anxious. "Um, sorry ... um ... j ... just before we start, I ... I'd like to say something," she began; the dining room was now deadly quiet as we all focussed on Amy to hear what she had to say. "Eleven weeks ago, I was walking the streets; no future, no hope, nowhere to go. Then Duncs happened to come along, offered me food, help and then friendship. Now with his continued help I have a job, a place to call home, with the wonderful Rose and Fred, a chance to get qualified, friends and last but not least, to be welcomed into your family too, especially by my little sis Jess. Oh, and this, my first true Christmas too! Duncs, thank you so much from the very bottom of my heart." That said, she raised her glass at me and silently mouthed another 'thank you', her eyes welling up with tears. Everybody followed suit and raised their glasses to both me and Amy. There wasn't a dry eye at that table; even stoic Dan seemed moved. Amy was flanked by Jess and Hannah, who both took it in turns to hug Amy. My wife shot me a glance and gave me a genuinely warm smile. At that point in time, whatever she had sussed about how 'close' I was to Amy, it didn't seem to bother her. I walked over to the stereo, put on some happy Christmas music and offered my cracker to pull with Hannah, who was the person nearest to me. Crackers pulled, party hats on, Christmas party music in the background and the laughter, jokes, and over-indulgence in food began in earnest. At the end of the feast, I thanked my wife for a wonderful meal. She accepted my thanks, but gave a large 'stage cough', nodding towards Amy. "Oh, err, thank you too Amy, who could forget your help!" "No worries Duncs; you're forgiven!" Everybody except Amy and I retired to the living room. I always make a point of clearing up the kitchen as my contribution, but Amy hung back to help me. I pretended to object and told her to join the rest of the group, but deep down, I was glad of the chance to have a little 'me time' with her. "That was a lovely gesture you made at the dining room table; I'm proud of ya lass! A few weeks ago, you wouldn't have been capable of doing that!" "I meant every word." "I know you did, I know sweety." "Why did you want to walk alone? I would have joined you." "I know you wanted to, but it was nice to see you getting on so well with Jane; it's much better you two are friends than enemies. Besides, I needed to clear my head." "Ya know, I'm getting to know you quite well. Are you having second thoughts about your whole involvement with me?" she said in her typical non-emotive matter-of-fact way. "Then you don't know me quite as well as you think you do. No, of course I'm not having second thoughts. If you must know, there is a small part of me that's jealous that you don't need me so much as you did at first. You're now coping far more by yourself, and don't get me wrong, that's truly wonderful, but I think I kind of liked it when you relied on me so much; but that's just my hang-up; it's certainly not your fault or problem." She looked at me and laughed, shaking her head at the same time. "You've simply no idea how far from the truth that is Duncs. I need you now more than ever, but I'm trying hard NOT to rely on you; I can't constantly burden you; it wouldn't be fair on you. You've perhaps no idea how relieved I am some days to get back to the sanctity of my room after a day at the office, where I always try to be professional, but some days it' a real strain. When I'm working on site, it is you I return with to a motel room; I can fall into your arms and be hugged and I feel safe and reassured. Back in my own room all by myself, I sometimes feel so lonely, even with lovely Rose to talk to and Bess to cuddle." "Amy, you're doing brilliantly sweety, and don't say I try to be professional at work; you ARE professional." "See, there you go again with your kind, reassuring words. That's' what makes me carry on; your constant, quiet encouragement is always there. I DO need you; you daft old bugger!" I leant over and kissed her cheek. Then, detecting things were getting a little sombre; I grabbed a handful of soap suds and threw them at Amy's face. She squealed and giggled, then did the same back to me. Jess and Hannah came through to see what all the commotion was and laughed as they saw the state of Amy and me. "Mum, mum; Dad and Amy are having a suds fight!" "Typical of your Dad, bet he started it!" was the shout from the living room. I grinned evilly at Jess and Hannah and then slowly and deliberately approached the pair of them with another huge handful of suds. They ran from the kitchen, giggling and squealing just like Amy did. Cornered in the living room, they met their inevitable fate and both got a face full of suds. I did a horror film style laugh and slowly returned to the kitchen, dragging one leg like Igor from Frankenstein. After what seemed like hours of washing up, Amy and I joined the rest of the group in the living room, where we opened more presents. I presented Amy with her main gift from the family. She took it from me like I'd handed her a gold bar. "Thank you," she said in a humble and surprised voice. "You don't even know what it is yet girl!" She slowly unwrapped it and I noted her hands trembling. She seemed nervous, but I put it down to the fact she was the focus of everyone's attention and not used to receiving and opening gifts. A black box was revealed once the paper was off. She looked at me, almost like she didn't know what to do next. I smiled and nodded at her, encouraging her to continue. She slowly opened the box and her mouth dropped and she gasped as she saw what was inside. We had bought her a gold watch, extremely finely detailed, elegant and small to go with her slim arms. The poor girl burst into tears and flung her arms round me, the box still in one hand. Then she went over to Jane and gave her a huge hug too. "Thank you, thank you thank you ..." Then she hugged Jess and finally Dan, who seemed a bit taken aback but rather awkwardly hugged Amy back, making me chuckle in the process. "I take it you like it then?" I said. "I ... I ... I love it." Here, let me help you put it on. I've adjusted the links to suit Jess' wrist; her arms are a similar size to yours." I put the watch on Amy's left arm, as she was right-handed and it was a perfect fit. She then walked round to everyone, holding her arm out for approval of her gift. I think it was fair to say that everyone in that room was truly humbled by Amy's appreciation of her gift. Amy went over to the corner of the room to retrieve a couple of carrier bags. She had gifts for everyone, including Hannah and Tracy as she knew they were coming. For me, she had bought volume 1 and 2 of 'The sound of Jazz FM 2009'; which I thought was a truly great and poignant gift considering how much we played that station in motel rooms. Jess got clothes; in particular a top that she'd fallen in love with on our last shopping trip but couldn't afford. I knew about it because Amy had asked me to keep Jess occupied whilst she bought it. Dan got an Xbox game he was very much after and said "cool Amy, I'm well impressed"; a high accolade indeed from a 15 year old lad. For Jane, on my recommendation, she'd bought her favourite perfume. Tracy felt guilty that she had nothing to give Amy; but as Amy reminded her, she had no idea Amy would be there. Hannah had a gift for her, but she'd assumed that Jess would have to give it to her by proxy. She was more that happy to be able to give it to Amy in person. The afternoon progressed, and gradually people dispersed to do their own thing, leaving me, Jane and Tracy in the living room. "You know, I think this is one of the best Christmas days I can remember," I said. Both Jane and Tracy agreed with my sentiment. "So tell me Duncs, what it was really like when you first encountered her?" asked Tracy. I paused and took a deep breath as I relived that first night. "If you could place the pitiful, undernourished, scruffy girl I saw that night next to the Amy you see today, you would never guess they were the same person." I explained. "Tell me to mind my own, but why did you feel compelled to help her?" Tracy continued. "I still don't know all the answers to that myself," I said, only partially lying, "but one thing that came into my mind was the thought that what if that pitiful sight had been Jess? Would I want someone to help her if she found herself in that predicament and of course, the answer was yes I would." "But you could have just given her some money and walked on," pressed Tracy. Sensing my unease at my motives for helping Amy being brought into question by Tracy, my wife butted in "Tracy, c'mon, not a conversation for Christmas day, eh? 'Sides, I've told you all the details," she said, admonishing Tracy like an older sister might. "Yeah, but this is the stuff of magazine articles and..." she trailed off, seeing the look of increasing angst on my wife's face and finally realising it was time to shut up. "It's OK Tracy, I can understand your curiosity; it is a quite fantastic story," I said, trying to restore the bonhomie, "but Jane's right, today is not the day to discuss it." It was five o clock and time to brew tea and cut the Christmas cake. Everybody gathered around the cake. Traditionally, I always made the first cut in the cake but instead, I handed the knife to Amy. "Your first proper Christmas girl; I would be honoured if you would make the first cut in the cake." "We'd be honoured," my wife corrected me. "We'd be honoured," I said smiling at Amy, then Jane, "and you must make a wish too." Amy slowly made the first cut, closing her eyes for part of the cut, presumably as she did indeed make a wish. We all clapped once the first cut was made and I then proceeded to cut slices of cake for everyone. We drank tea and ate cake, although everyone struggled, still full from lunch. A little while later I took Tracy and Hannah home. Tracy apologised to me for interrogating me about Amy. "Look, I'm really sorry for putting you on the spot about Amy, I..." "Nothing to apologise for" I told her, butting in. "For what it's worth, I truly admire what you've done. She's a lovely lass. Made an impression on Hannah ya know." "Hey, I'm in the back guys; I can hear ya know!" said Hannah. We all laughed. We arrived a little while later at Tracy's house. I saw them safely into their house before driving off. On the way back, I thought about Tracy's line of questioning and realised how it was possibly going in a negative direction, and I made a mental note to thank my wife for putting a stop to it. I surmised that Tracy was on to me and probably (rightly) saw a personal agenda in my quest to help Amy. Quite why Tracy felt she had to question my motives when my wife was happy to accept the situation was beyond me. Tittle-tattle I guess; as Tracy had stated, the stuff of magazines. I arrived back at my house and went in. It was unusually calm and quiet. Everyone except Amy was upstairs. She was in the kitchen, washing up the tea things. I walked up behind her and gently squeezed and fondled her bum. She murmured her approval and turned and gave me a quick kiss on the mouth. I saw her watch placed on the kitchen work top. "It's waterproof to 50 metres ya know lass; its not cheap rubbish; at least that's what the bloke on the corner of the street told me when I bought it off him!" "Yeah, but, you know ... I just..." I butted in "I know you want to look after it; just joking with ya sweety. You really like it?" "Like it? I love it Duncs!" The evening wore on and I found myself once again sitting alone in the living room. I put one of my new Jazz FM CD's in the stereo and started to read a new book my wife had bought me for Christmas. A long day combined with eating far too much food had made me lethargic, and before long I'd drifted off to sleep on the settee. I awoke to the sensation of a hand gently stroking my cheek. I opened my eyes and the beautiful sight of Amy's face came into focus, smiling at me. "Hey, old man, you fell asleep on the settee again!" "Oh, did I young-un, so why'd ya wake me then?" "Cos you'd be all grumpy in the morning complaining about neck and back ache; told ya I knew you a bit better now!" She was of course right; I would have indeed been grumpy in the morning... "Are they all asleep?" "Yep" "Come an' give us a cuddle then," Needing no further encouragement, Amy fell into my lap and wrapped her arms around me and then sank her lips on mine and gently kissed me. And so we kissed and cuddled for a further half hour or so. I was then aware of a wet shoulder and neck, and gently lifting Amy's head away from my body, saw that she was crying softly to herself. "Hey, why the tears sweetheart?" "Oh, I'm not really sad; it's just that I keep expecting this to all be one big dream and I'm suddenly going to wake up and find myself on some street corner," said a tearful Amy. I gently pinched her bum, "feel that?" I said. "Of course!" she said, giggling. "Then you're not dreaming girl!" "Would it sound weird if I said I think of all of you as my family now?" "Not weird at all; in fact, I take that as a lovely compliment lass," I said, kissing her forehead. We listened to my Jazz FM CD and cuddled and caressed some more before finally going upstairs and going to our respective beds. There had been no sex; we both seemed to sense that didn't seem the right thing to do, and without even saying anything to each other. It was Boxing Day morning and everybody slept in a little longer than on Christmas day. Later that morning and Amy immediately offered to help Jane with preparing the meal again and it was much appreciated by her. That morning I spent some time with Jess and Dan and left Jane and Amy in each others company. It did cross my mind that Jane may put Amy on the spot with some awkward questions and I did wonder how Amy would cope with that, but I quickly dismissed the thought. After Lunch, Amy and I washed up and had a chance to chat again. "Didn't you say that traditionally you all go for a walk on Boxing Day?" said Amy. "Yeah, we do, though nobody has mentioned it today." "If you do go, may I come too?" "Why wouldn't you, daft-head!" I said, smiling at her and tickling her ribs. She giggled, as I hoped she would. "Go and ask 'em sweety." Amy went upstairs, and a few minutes later chaos ensued as Jess and Dan ran downstairs, followed by a more sedate Jane who then went into the garage to retrieve walking boots and socks. Jess even dug out her old walking boots to lend to Amy. Jess phoned Hannah to see is she wanted to join us too. She did, and surprisingly so did Tracy. They lived at the other end of the village, so we decided to meet in the middle and peel half-way along the village down a farmer's lane that led to a public footpath. We all walked as a group at first, just chatting generally. Gradually, the group split up. Jane ended up chatting to Tracy, the pair of them lagging behind slightly; I ended up with Jess and Hannah, each holding one of my hands which I thought was cute. '13 year old girls didn't do that sort of thing' I thought to myself. The big surprise was seeing Amy and Dan walking together, deep in conversation. I smiled at the situation, pleased that Amy was breaking ground with the fourth member of her 'new family'. We walked about four miles, and as we returned to the village it was almost dark. We split off, saying goodbye to Tracy and Hannah. When we got back home, it was time to take Amy back to Fred and Rose's house. Amy disappeared to pack and came back downstairs, heavy-hearted. Jess too, who also looked unhappy. "Dad, does Amy have to go? Can't she stay another night?" "Sweet-pea, we have to see other relatives tomorrow, relatives that don't know Amy so therefore haven't invited her. We can't just turn up with her like she's some sort of trophy!" "Awwww ... OK then," she said, begrudgingly accepting the situation. I packed Amy's stuff into the car and came back to the house. Amy was giving hugs to everyone, including Dan. Jess got the longest hug, along with a few tears. I couldn't believe how close the two of them had become, that said, I was really pleased that was the case. Amy thanked Jane profusely for a wonderful time and her presents and Jane thanked her back with equal enthusiasm for all Amy's help in the house. As Amy and I started to walk to the car, Jane spoke "Don't rush back Duncs, nothing here will spoil without you; make sure Amy's OK before you leave. Oh, and send my regards to Fred and Rose and tell them they're welcome to pop in for a cuppa." "OK pet," I said to my wife. What was she implying by telling me not to rush back? Was 'make sure Amy's OK' a euphemism for something else? I backed the car off the drive and started to head for Beverley. "So, what did you and Dan find to talk about so intensely then; Xbox games, music, World politics?" I asked, intrigued. "Oh, I was talking about my college work and Dan told me about his love of physics and maths; we were discussing our respective assignments and stuff." "Wow, he certainly never discusses school work with me!" I said, surprised at their connection being something so serious. Changing the subject as Beverley neared I asked "fancy a detour to Westwood before I take ya back to Rose's house?" "Yep, I'd like that; I need a good cuddle and to play a bit." "What kind of play?" I enquired. She turned to face me, and in the dim glow of the dashboard lighting, I could see a wicked grin and sparkling eyes staring back at me. Oh, that kind of play... ------- Part 3 ------- Chapter 21 'A traumatic time for Amy... ' February 2010 "Duncs, c ... come now, come quickly ... I ... its ... its Fred ... come quickly," said Amy, hysterical and sobbing. It was a little after three o clock in the morning when my mobile rang. It woke Jane up too. "Amy, AMY, slow down poppet, tell me what's wrong?" "It's Fred Duncs; please, just come quickly..." she blurted out, and then the phone went dead. "What is it Duncan?" said Jane, sounding concerned. "I really don't know; it was Amy; she blurted out 'its Fred, come quickly' repeatedly, sobbing and then the phone went dead. I'd better go." I quickly got dressed and dashed to the car, and was at Rose's house in no time. There was an ambulance outside the house, blue lights flashing and several neighbours outside. As the ambulance was blocking Rose and Fred's drive, I pulled my car into one of the neighbour's drives, not wising to block the path of the ambulance. I dashed over to the house; the front door was already open. I let myself in and Amy dashed up to me; she looked frightened and bewildered, her face streaked with tears. She flung her arms round me and I felt her legs collapse from under her. She tried to speak but was unintelligible. I still hadn't seen Rose or Fred, or for that matter the paramedics, so surmised they must be upstairs. "Amy, Amy, shhhh ... I need to find out what's wrong poppet; just sit on the stairs and wait for me." I said quietly but firmly. I dashed up stairs and could hear noise coming from a room, and guessed it must be Fred and Rose's bedroom. The door was open but I paused at it, not sure whether to go in or not. I saw Rose, facing away from me. "Rose? ROSE?" I called. She turned round to face me, her face ashen and tearful, "Oh Duncs, you made it here so quickly, thanks lad". "You don't need to thank me Rose; what on earths happened sweetheart?" "Fred's collapsed; possible heart attack, not sure yet..." she trailed off; I went forward to embrace her. Bess and Bruno (their other dog) were both on the landing, lying down and whining, clearly aware all was not well. Amy had now come upstairs, still sobbing. "Duncs, comfort Amy, not me; she's very distressed," said Rose, ever thoughtful even in her own time of need. I did as she requested and held Amy in my arms on the landing whilst Rose went back into the bedroom. Minutes later and the paramedics manoeuvred Fred carefully out of the room. He had a portable monitor hooked up to him, a drip of some sort, and a mask, presumably feeding him oxygen. He looked dreadful; his skin was pale and sweaty but he at least appeared to be conscious. Our eyes met and he even managed to acknowledge the two of us, the old dog. I patted his shoulder, "You're in good hands Fred, these blokes will take good care of you." Rose, Amy and I followed the paramedics carrying Fred downstairs. We watched them transfer Fred into the ambulance; Amy was clinging on to me, sobbing and shaking. "Rose, you go with Fred, we'll secure the house and be right behind." She nodded and went into the back of the ambulance. "Where're you taking him?" I asked one of the paramedics. "Hull Royal mate." "Thanks." As we watched the ambulance leave, Amy looked up at me with big, sad eyes, looking so pitiful and so very child-like, "will Fred be OK Duncs?" she said in a quiet, trembling voice. "He's in very good hands sweety," I said, not wishing to lie to her by saying 'of course he will', "c'mon, lets secure the dogs; you'll need to pull some clothes on and get your house key so that we can lock the house." We did just that and pausing briefly to speak to Fred and Rose's neighbours to pass on what little information I knew, Amy and I then headed for my car and set off for Hull Royal. Amy had almost stopped crying now but was extremely anxious; her legs were shaking violently, she was clenching and unclenching her fists and she was muttering to herself, only I couldn't make out what she was saying. I was tempted to drive fast, but it was now quarter to four in the morning; I'd be like a red rag to a bull to any bored-stiff police officers, looking for any excuse for a 'nick', so I took it nice and steady. Still, traffic was practically non-existent and we were at Hull Royal in good time. I parked as closely as I could to the entrance of the hospital and looked around the car for loose change for the damned parking ticket machine; a 'cash cow' installed some years ago to generate income from hapless relatives and friends visiting patients in the hospital. I found enough change to last us a few hours and paid up. Amy and I walked towards the main entrance of Hull Royal, a tall, skyscraper style hospital that is typical sixties architecture; bland and uninspiring. She tightly gripped my hand and said nothing. We approached the reception desk. "We're here to see Fred Hobbart, very recently admitted with a suspected heart attack," I said to the receptionist. "Are you family?" she said, rather coldly. "No, but I'm his colleague and very close friend, plus this young lady lives in Fred's house, plus, Fred's wife, Rose, is expecting us and I'd rather imagine needs our support right now," I replied, equally coldly. I glanced over at Amy, who was still gripping my hand like her life depended on it. She was staring at the receptionist with a look that could kill; with a hint of 'Red Mist'. I squeezed her hand to make her look at me and smiled at her, as if to say, 'back off girl, don't do or say anything rash'. The receptionist said nothing to my response as she tapped at her PC keyboard. A minute later she told us where to go and that we should make ourselves known to someone. We walked down endless corridors and as we did I felt uncomfortable; I hate hospitals, the smell, the noise, the general hustle and bustle and ambience. I'm not sure why this is; it's not as if I've ever been seriously ill or had to stay in a hospital to make me feel this way, so my hatred is really quite irrational. We eventually found the ER area. A friendly looking nurse approached us and asked who we were looking for. I explained and this time there were no formal questions asking if we were related and her manner was welcoming. I think the nurse took one look at Amy and noted her distress and didn't want to add to it. If any confirmation of our reason for being there was needed, it came in the form of Rose approaching us, who must have heard my voice. She flung her arms round me and Amy and started sobbing. I glanced at the nurse and she smiled at me and pointed to a door. The sign indicated it was a relative's waiting room. I gently ushered Rose and Amy into the room, at the same time trying to keep my own composure for the sake of Rose and Amy. "Amy, take care of Rose for a few minutes will you sweety?" Although I suspect they would be taking care of each other, I just wanted to give Amy a 'purpose' to try and take her mind off things a little. I left the room and found the nurse who had greeted us. "Look, I know you're only supposed to talk to relatives, but Fred is a colleague and close friend and..." She stopped me, "I saw how Fred's wife hugged you; that tells me enough to know that you're close to Fred," she said, "I guess you want to know how Fred's doing?" "That would be good," I said, "and thanks for being human and not following strict protocol." She smiled at that comment, "Well, he's stable and being assessed for the most appropriate treatment. It's too early to state yet what that may be, but I can tell you there seems to be no immediate panic to operate, which is normally a good sign. Go and look after Rose and, err..." My turn to butt in, "she's called Amy; she's also a colleague and has a room at Fred and Rose's house; you could say she's almost their adopted daughter." "I see, I could tell she's very distressed." "Well, there's a lot more to it than her being upset about Fred's current state; let's just say a lot of emotional baggage from her childhood. It would take up far too much of your time for me to explain now." "Well, seems like they both need you all the more; I'll pop in and see you as soon as I have any news." "Thank you, you've been more than helpful," I said, smiling at her. I went back in to the visitors lounge. Rose and Amy were sitting next to each other, in each others arms and in silence. They both looked up at me, and for the first time ever, I saw a look of total vulnerability in Rose's face. Rose, that wonderful, stoic, woman who was 'there' for everyone else was now in need of support herself; the ground beneath her feet having just opened up. I would need to be her rock until her own relatives arrived to comfort her. I crouched down in front of them and reached out to them; they both offered me a hand to hold. I explained what the nurse had told me and said all we could do was sit tight and await further news. Making sure they were as OK as they could be, I told them I would go and get some drinks for all of us. I saw the nurse again and asked her where the vending machines were. I followed her directions and found them. A sign near the vending machines informed that it was OK to use mobile phones, so I switched it on and sent a quick text to Jane so that she knew what was going on. I also sent one to Dave at work, explaining the situation and that I wasn't sure what time Amy and I would be in for work. It was around four thirty when I sent the messages, but I knew Dave would want to know and that Jane would probably still be awake too. I took drinks back for the three of us; coffee for me, hot chocolate for Amy and tea for Rose. We drank in silence. As I approached the bench seat to sit down, without saying anything, the two of them parted, indicating to me that they wanted me to sit between them; I did and they both cuddled up to me seeking comfort which I gladly gave. An hour or so later, the nurse came in to tell us that Fred was still stable and that they were still running tests. With my very limited medical knowledge, I guessed that as we'd passed the so-called 'golden hour' and that no emergency operation had yet been carried out, the prognosis was probably not as bad as it could have been. Rose eventually spoke, "Thanks Duncs, I'm so glad you're here; it will take my son and daughter a while to get here." "Rose, sweetheart, stop thanking me. You know I care for you and that old bugger like you're my own parents." Amy remained silent, save for the odd sniffle. I was really concerned for her; her volatile mental state could be severely affected by something like this; Fred was now one of her close and trusted friends and I feared this could be a major setback for her. She had her head resting on my chest, and I simply kept my arm around her, my hand resting on her face, gently rubbing my thumb up and down her exposed cheek. Rose simply held my other hand. There was little to be said to each other and small talk seemed inappropriate. Half an hour or so later, the nurse cam back in. "Mrs Hobbart, you can see your husband for a few minutes; he's sedated but conscious." "Thank you dear, but call me Rose, and I would like my Amy and Duncs to see him too." "Well ... it's only supposed to be one visitor but ... oh what the hell, just don't excite him to much!" We all followed the nurse to a curtained-off area. I held Amy back, to indicate to her that Rose should go in first, but I'm sure she knew this. Fred was hooked up to monitors, drips and had various lines inserted in him. Not a pleasant sight and I feared Amy would be frightened by what she saw. I glanced at her and she was expressionless, almost like that first day I'd met her. I gently squeezed her hand a couple of times, just so that she knew I was 'there' and we both watched as Rose approached the side of Fred's bed and gently lent over him and kissed him on the face. Fred slowly lifted an arm and Rose took hold of his hand. It was a moving moment and I felt tears well up in my eyes. This time, Amy squeezed my hand a couple of times letting me know she was 'there' for me too. She was an amazing girl in so many ways; on the one hand as vulnerable as a small child and on the other a very strong-willed and determined person. Rose stood up and looked at us and beckoned us over. I told Amy to go first. She also approached the side of Fred's bed and gently lent over him, kissed him and then rested her head against his for a while. Again, he slowly raised his arm and Amy took hold of his hand. He muttered something to her, but I couldn't hear what he said. Finally, it was my turn. I also lent over and kissed him on the forehead; no 'manning it up' for me, I loved the old guy and it broke my heart to see him lying in that hospital bed. I held his hand and smiled at him. "You'll do anything to get out of returning to that project, won't ya!" I said, chuckling at him. Fred smiled back and gave me a weak chuckle in return. He motioned to me to go closer to him, which I did. He whispered "Look out for my old girl should the worst happen, won't you son." "Fred, you know I would, but don't talk like that; there's years left in you yet, you daft bugger; you're gonna pull through this Fred." I stepped aside to let Rose take her rightful place next to Fred, and saying our goodbyes, I gently led Amy away. We went out of the room and I saw two familiar faces. It was Fred and Rose's son and daughter. They also recognised me, as I'd known them for years; and of course, they also knew Amy as they'd met her when visiting Rose and Fred with family. 'Our' nurse approached them at the same time as we did, and was clearly about to explain to them the current status of their Dad, but I knew she was rushed off her feet (aren't all nurses?), so I offered to act as informant, knowing as much as her at that time. "Thank you; is that OK with you guys?" she said, addressing Adi and Kim, Fred's son and daughter. "Yeah, its fine, Duncs is a close family friend," said Adi, speaking for both of them. Adi them embraced Amy and I did the same to Kim, and then we exchanged, me quite happily hugging Adi, who was like the younger brother I'd never had. I ushered them into the family room and explained all that I knew so far. Amy remained silent but calm; Kim and Adi were fully aware of Amy's history and Kim in particular now looked at her with a concern. Kim was a younger version of Rose, her caring side always thinking of others instead of herself. "Amy, you OK love?" Kim simply said. "I wasn't, but better for just seeing Fred," she said, managing a weak smile. We chatted a while and I fetched more drinks for everyone; after that Kim and Adi made their way to see Fred. As the door opened, I heard another familiar voice. It was Dave and he was explaining to the nurse who he was. Sensing the nurse may be getting a little flustered with all these people, I went out the room to speak to Dave. The nurse once again looked relieved when I stepped in and took over. I shook Dave's hand. It was now seven thirty. "Nice of you to come mate, and so early." "Hardly early, but more to the point how's things with Fred? How are Rose and Amy bearing up?" "Rose is with Fred now. He's stable but I don't exactly know what they intend to do. They haven't operated, so presumably he's not in any immediate danger. Amy and I have seen him and he spoke to us, so he's conscious. Amy's in the family room at the moment." That said, I thought we should go in there rather than leaving Amy alone to dwell on things. I went in, followed by Dave. Amy stood up to greet Dave and he gave her a hug. She looked weepy again, so as we sat down to talk, I sat next to her and held her hand. "Right you two, here's the deal. Duncs, don't rush in today; in fact don't come in at all. I know you're a close family friend, so help Rose and her family as much as possible. Amy, same applies to you, only I want you to help Rose for as long as it takes, you hear me?" he said, in a gentle manner. "B ... bu ... but what about my work? I've gotta help Rich with stuff and I don't want to let anyone down..." "Amy, love, I admire your dedication, but nothing will spoil without you. Rich will manage, you can still check your emails if you really must and we're between major projects so there's nothing pressing at the moment. I know you help Rose anyway; Fred's told me as much, but right now, she'll need your help more than ever. Rose came into the room, informing us that she was giving Kim and Adi time alone with Fred. Dave stood up to greet her. "Come here Rose," he said, arms outstretched. They hugged and Rose started to cry a little. "Thanks for coming Dave ... He's my World Dave ... What if..." she trailed off, her emotions getting the better of her. Amy stood up to take over comforting Rose. Dave broke away from Rose and let Amy take over and asked, "Do you think I can say a quick hello to Fred Duncs?" "I'm sure if the nurse won't mind if we go and ask her." "Rose, do you want me to go and take care of the pets; and Amy, are you staying here or coming with me?" "Please Duncs, I'd appreciate that," said Rose "I'll stay here, if that's OK Rose?" said Amy, with pleading eyes. "Of course it is love; you're as good as family." I gave them both a hug and left the family room and waited for Dave to come out of Fred's room. We left the ward together, an opportunity to chat. "Dave, I appreciate you letting Amy take time off to help Rose." "Well, we're not flat-out at the moment, and I suspect even the consummate professional in Amy may find it hard to concentrate at work. She's better placed helping Rose." "What about Fred? He's only a couple of years to go before retirement, but I'm guessing his days of running sites are now over." "Already thought about that; we wouldn't let Fred down, he's been a damn loyal employee so its now time for us to return that loyalty." "What's your idea?" "Well, it just so happens that Gordon has finally realised there's more to life than being a store man and is 'thinking' of retiring at long last. With a little persuasion and a golden handshake, I'm sure the old bugger will go and Fred could take his place. A nine to five job that's only a mile from his home and with very little stress; it would seem ideal to me." "Sounds like a plan and won't affect his pension; nice one Dave." We were at the car park now, shook hands and parted company. I drove to Fred and Rose's house and I let myself in. I went to the kitchen and was greeted by Bess, but she was subdued, unusual for her; it was almost as if she still sensed something was wrong. Bruno just stayed in his basket, but he was never one for making a fuss; he was strictly Rose's dog and tended to ignore everyone else. I fed the pair of them and then let them out into the back garden to run around, sniff and pee. I also fed the cat and checked the rabbits and guinea pigs. Calling the dogs inside, I secured them in the rear end of the house and then I went to Amy's room to get her phone for her, as she'd requested. It felt strange going into her room; almost like I was intruding and shouldn't be there. Unlike Jess' room, it was extremely neat and tidy, but that didn't surprise me; everything had a place and was neatly arranged. Her college work was still opened up on her desk. I glanced at it and marvelled at her beautiful handwriting, so precise it was almost like a printed font. There was a diary on her desk, something I didn't even know she kept. I was sorely tempted to have a look, but didn't; despite how close I was to her, I reminded myself that a person's diary is sacrosanct. In the corner of the room were her worn-out rucksack and two carrier bags; I shook my head and smiled at the sight of them. She had come so far since our first encounter; that old rucksack was a poignant reminder of sadder times, but then this day was sad too but for other reasons. I picked up her phone, pocketed it, but instead of leaving, I sat down on her bed. Seeing her neatly folded nightie I picked it up and held it to my nose; I could smell her and revelled in the scent; but then, emotions getting the better of me started to cry like a baby. Minutes later, I pulled myself together and left the house. Fred's next door neighbour was outside, having seen my car on the drive. I updated him on Fred's condition, and he said he would pass the news on to the other neighbours. Then I drove home to get showered, shaved and a change of clothes. I told Jane all I knew and after a much-needed cup of coffee, left to return to Hull Royal. The receptionist informed me that Fred was now on an intensive care ward. I made my way there and as the various smells and noises invaded my senses, I tried not to dwell on my hatred of hospitals. Arriving at the ward, I introduced myself to the nurse and fortunately, somebody had already thought to inform her of my name, so there were no explanations necessary. "May I ask how Fred's doing?" "He's comfortable and out of immediate risk. He's suffered a minor heart attack and the doctors are confident that drugs alone will help him recover; there's no talk of surgery just yet." "Thank you; can I see him?" "Yes, but please don't excite him. There's presently a young lady with him; the other relatives have gone for something to eat." "That must be Amy. Err, thank you. Which room?" I headed to the door the nurse had pointed to and went in. Fred looked peaceful and Amy had pulled a chair up close to his bed. She was leaning forward in the chair, holding his hand and had her head resting on his huge forearm and she looked to be asleep. The only noise was the quiet beep on the monitor hooked-up to Fred. I quietly moved round to the other side of the bed and looked at Fred. He must have sensed I was there as his eyes opened. He smiled, which was reassuring and I beamed back at him. "Stupid question, but how ya feeling mate?" "I've had better days Duncs," he said in a hoarse voice. Then he glanced over at Amy by his side, "but it looks like I've got a personal angel though Duncs; she's hardly left me you know. Refused to go and get something to eat when the others asked her to." I smiled and shook my head at the sleeping form of Amy, "doesn't surprise me Fred; I think she'll be your personal nurse too, once you get out of here." I explained to Fred the conversation I'd had with Dave and that he wanted Amy to look after Rose and himself once he was out of hospital for as long as it took. I didn't tell him about the change in job we had in mind for him; thought that might be a bit tactless at this stage. "He's a good gaffer is Dave. Please tell him I appreciate his kind offer. My old girl will need some help and company." Amy stirred and raised her head; she was bleary-eyed and looked rough. She smiled at Fred and then looked and smiled at me too. "Hello Duncs; um, sorry I fell asleep Fred." "It's OK love, it's hardly surprising," said Fred. At that point, Rose came back in. "Hello Duncs; oh, you're awake then you old bugger!" she said, looking at Fred. Fred chuckled, clearly enjoying his wife's blunt but loving greeting. "Yeah, you won't get rid of me that easily old girl!" "Duncs, why don't you take Amy for something to eat?" said Rose "I don't want anything thanks Rose; I want to stay with Fred," she said, quietly but firmly. "Amy, love, please go, go for me, even if not for yourself," said Fred, squeezing her hand. Reluctantly, Amy got up, kissed Fred and then moved over so that Rose could take her place in the chair. "C'mon sweety, lets go," I said. Amy slowly walked out of the room, looking back at Fred a couple of times in the process. Outside the room, we saw Adi and Kim. We chatted briefly about Fred's condition and then Amy and I made our way to the cafeteria. I had my arm around Amy's shoulder and she rested her tired head against me as we walked uncharacteristically slowly along the corridors. We said nothing on that seemingly long walk. We entered the cafeteria and found a table in a quiet corner. Amy slumped into a chair. "What'd'ya want to eat and drink poppet?" "You choose." "Well, coffee, hot chocolate, tea?" "Whatever." Alarm bells rang in my head as I wandered over to the counter. I hadn't heard those phrases for a LONG time and it concerned me. I choose a selection of pastries, some fruit, got me a coffee and hot chocolate for Amy as it always seems to be a 'comforting' drink for her. I glanced over to Amy as the cashier rang in the items. She'd raised her legs up to her chest, the heels of her trainers resting on the edge of the seat, her arms were wrapped round her legs and she was staring out of the window; it was the exact same pose I'd seen her adopt in the McDonald's on that very first night. My heart sank. I headed over to our table and sat down opposite Amy. She didn't even acknowledge my presence. "C'mon Amy, please eat." "I'm not hungry, but thanks for the drink." "Amy, you're no good to anyone if you get unwell; Rose and Fred need you fighting fit, so please eat something." She sighed and looked exasperated, "You always think you know best, don't-cha? Well, I'm 17 Duncs, I think I can decide if I want to eat or not; OK?" she said tersely. "You certainly can Amy; and I'm sorry to be so presumptuous," I said, completely without emotion, but inside I was hurting seeing her like this; in fact, terrified. I munched on a croissant and sipped my coffee, but I couldn't take my eyes off Amy. She was staring at some fixed point beyond me and was miles away; clearly totally consumed and devastated by what had happened to Fred. We finished our drinks and I put the uneaten food back into the little paper carrier bag the cashier had given to me. As we left the cafeteria, Amy told me she was stepping outside to get some fresh air. I joined her; it was a good idea. I stood next to her and took in several lungfuls of air in an attempt to clear the 'hospital' smell away from my nostrils. Suddenly Amy turned to face me and flung her arms tightly around me, pressing her head against my chest. "Duncs, I'm so sorry, I was rude to you; you didn't deserve that." "It's OK poppet; no apology required sweety," I said as I stroked her head. I was relieved in some ways she was hugging me. Seconds before I thought I'd 'lost' her, but now she was back to me for reassurance. She started to cry, sobbing her heart out and trying to talk. "W ... w ... why Fred Duncs? W ... w ... what's h ... he ever d ... done to deserve this? "Absolutely nothing Amy; that's why life's such a bitch sometimes." We walked back to the ward, hand-in-hand. Rose, Adi and Kim were in the family room, leaving Fred to sleep. Amy said she was going to sit with Fred. Nobody made any attempt to stop her; she clearly wanted to be with him. Once she was gone, I spoke to the others. "Apart from obviously being very concerned about Fred, I'm also worried about Amy folks; she's taken Fred's condition very badly; she's very distressed. Think we've got two people to worry about. "Give her time Duncs; there's that strong-willed Amy too, and I think she'll surface soon and take over," said Rose. "I've seen that determined side of her so many times before." "Yeah, I know Rose, I know. But all the same, in the cafeteria I saw the Amy I'd met that first day I discovered her and it shocked me to see her like that again. She wouldn't eat either." "She's a truly lovely lass Duncs, but I don't need to tell you that. Fred's really touched at the vigil she's keeping up; calls her 'his personal angel'." "I know, he said," I said, chuckling. "Look folks, I'm going to go for a walk and clear my head. What are we going to do later, you know, arrangements for visits etc.? Jane said if any more of your folks are coming to visit, they're welcome to stay at our house if you run out of room at your place." "Please tell Jane many thanks, that's a lovely gesture. Adi and Kim are staying at our house and well, I guess I'll have to pop home sometime too. Not sure about Amy though..." "OK, we'll make it up as we go along," I said. "Right, I'm going for a stroll." "Mind if I come?" said Adi. "Not at all mate; be my guest." On the way out I popped into Fred's room and found Amy sitting just as she was before; head resting on Fred's arm and holding his hand. I went up to her, kissed her gently on the cheek and told her I was going for a walk with Adi. "You will come back and see me before you go, won't you?" she said, in a quiet, slightly trembling voice. "You can count on it sweetheart." I kissed her again and left. I said nothing to Fred as he was asleep. Adi and I walked out the hospital and started to stroll down Anlaby Road, heading towards the busy city centre. Not my idea of 'walking' but at least it got me out of the hospital. We chatted amiably, obviously discussing Fred and Amy was the main topic of conversation. Adi is a quiet, unassuming guy with a high intellect but certainly no arrogance and very easy to talk too. I enjoyed and was glad of his company. I spent the rest of the day in and out of the hospital, feeling pretty useless. I sat in the cafeteria, drinking far too much coffee and valiantly making detailed replies to emails on my BlackBerry; far from ideal with my clumsy thumbs. Amy never left the ward, spending all her time by Fred's side apart from when the staff had to carry-out some tests, or when Rose wanted some personal time with him. I discussed with Rose, Adi and Kim the new job proposal that Dave had come up with, and we all felt it was a great idea. Rose was particularly keen, realising that Fred would be home every night and would only be working eight hour days. It was nearly six o clock and I decided I should go home. Adi and Kim were going to stay at Rose's house and each of them having a car meant that Rose, who didn't drive, would be OK for lifts. The big problem was Amy; she refused to go home. Rose and I discussed the situation with the nurse, and she had no problem with Amy staying per se, but was concerned; Amy hadn't eaten all day. We struck a compromise with Amy; we said she could stay if she ate something and so she agreed. I took her down to the cafeteria. She left the choice of food up to me, so I got her a sandwich, crisps and a drink. I sat with her as she ate. "Amy, you're going to have to go home sometime sweetheart; you'll need to shower and a change of clothes. You can alternate visiting with Rose, sort of like a shift if you like." "Duncs, I know you're trying to do what's best for me, like you always do, and I do appreciate it, but I'd rather you left me alone to deal with this in my own way." she said quietly but firmly. "OK, sweety; as you wish, but call me if you need anything. Oh, and don't use your mobile in the ward!" That said, I kissed her and gave her a quick cuddle and we parted company; Amy returning to the ward and me leaving the hospital. I reasoned there was no point arguing with her; she was clearly determined to do things her own way. I was restless at home and drifted from room to room. I got a text off Adi around nine o clock to tell me Fred was still stable and comfortable. I did my usual trick of falling asleep on the settee and woke up with a stiff neck. It was around five in the morning, so I decided to go to work early; I'd rather be restless in the office than restless at home. The day dragged on and I got several messages from Adi and Kim, one from Rose but none from Amy, which disappointed me. That evening, we (my family) all went to visit Fred. Fred was sitting up in bed and had colour back in his face and looked a lot better. Unsurprisingly, Amy was by his side, but now looking much more like a personal guard rather than a 'cute angel'. To be honest, she looked dreadful, but I didn't say anything, mindful of respecting her wishes to deal with things her own way. After giving Fred a big kiss, Jess obviously then made a beeline for her 'sister'; but although Amy was reasonably friendly towards her, she was distant and didn't really embrace her. Their body language was different too. Jess sensed she wasn't really welcome and turned to speak to Rose instead. Amy simply went back to Fred's side and ignored Jess the rest of the time. It was too much for me to bear, so I briefly spoke to Fred and made my excuses to leave the room; there were probably too many people in the room anyway to be honest; Fred wasn't supposed to get too excited. I waited outside and spoke to one of the nurses. She told me that Fred would be fine and the treatment with drugs was so far a success. She told me there would have to be inevitable changes in Fred's life style though. He'd have to stop smoking completely, reduce his drinking to practically nothing and change his diet; reduce stress too. I told the nurse about my boss' plan to change Fred's role in the company to a local-based job that would be 'nine to five' with little stress. She obviously agreed that this was a sensible plan. Twenty minutes later, the family came out and the four of us left the hospital. I didn't bother going back in to say goodbye; I'd already said that to Fred and Rose, and to be honest, I was a little annoyed with Amy for the way she treated Jess; I couldn't care less about myself, but I sensed Jess' feelings would be hurt. I talked to Jane as we walked to the car; Dan and Jess walked behind and said nothing at all. Once in the car, Jess still said nothing. "Jess, you OK? You know Fred's going to be OK, don't ya?" "Yeah, I know Dad; he joked with me and pulled my nose and stuff!" "So why ya so quiet then? It's not like you, eh, Miss motor-mouth!" "Oh it's nowt Dad..." she trailed off " ... well, apart from Amy, I know she's really sad about Fred, but she didn't seem pleased to see us, did she?" "She's taken it badly sweet pea; don't take it personally. She had a go at me earlier too." Jess said nothing and I left the subject. Once home, we all went our separate ways and into the usual evening routine. Next day I fell back into the office routine and received regular updates throughout the day from Rose, which I passed on to the rest of the company. Rose told me after the third day of Amy's vigil over Fred, she practically forced Amy to go back home with her to shower, get changed and have a proper meal instead of just snacks, but at around eleven o clock that night, Amy had begged Kim to take her back to the hospital. A week later, Fred was allowed home. He had various drugs he had to take and plenty of 'do's and don'ts' to observe. Rose told me that Amy had listened intently to all the advice and instructions given to her and Rose by the doctors and nurses. One doctor had apparently commented to Rose how intense and intelligent Amy was and he was impressed at her level of understanding; a fact that came as no surprise to me of course. Of course I'd offered to help Rose and family in any way required, but Kim and Adi provided the back-up for Rose, and inevitably, 'Nurse Amy' would be taking good care of Fred, so my services were not really called upon. A couple of days after Fred had returned home, the family and I went to visit. Amy looked better for being 'home', where at least she was now getting proper sleep, food and a change of clothes every day, but she was very subdued and distant. I made polite conversation with her, but it was very much like talking to a business associate rather than my lover and close companion. Amy was only a little better with Jess, and that DID annoy me. Jess eventually gave up trying to be close to Amy and moved on, asking Rose if she could go and see the guinea pigs and rabbits instead. I looked out the window and watched Rose and Jess cuddling and stroking the animals and smiled at Jess being a 'kid' as opposed to a sophisticated 13 year old teenager. But my smile turned to sadness when I saw Rose embrace Jess, as I could tell she was comforting her rather than just giving her a friendly cuddle. I could only guess that Jess must have confided in Rose that she was upset by the way Amy had treated her. We stayed and hour or so and then headed back home. "I guess Amy is dedicating herself to Fred now," said Jess, in a very matter-of-fact way. I was proud of the adult way in which she was accepting the situation, but it hurt me to hear her say it though. Jess was clearly putting on a brave front; deep down I think she felt Amy had grown apart from her; something I'd felt myself too. "She'll be OK once Fred is fully recovered sweet pea." Jane looked at me and whispered "I hope so Duncan, for both her own sake and Jess'." We got home and again fell into our normal routine, and that's how it was for the next couple of weeks for the family. The following week, I had to go away for a few days. It felt odd being in a motel by myself again; but even worse was the lack of any form of communication from Amy. Eventually, getting sick of letting her 'deal with it in her own way' I gave-in and sent her a text. HOW'S THINGS, NURSE AMY? :) I KNOW FRED'S DOING OK, BUT RU OK? DO YOU NEED ANYTHING? I MISS YOU GORGEOUS ;) REGARDS, DUNCS XXX Five minutes later I received a text back. I'M OK THANKS. And that was it; cold and business like. The 'shining light' in my life had apparently extinguished. I felt alone again; my jaded life had returned. A few minutes later, my phone beeped. Hoping it was another text from Amy, I picked it up quickly. It wasn't. It was an email from Dave GORDAN FINALLY HANDED HIS NOTICE IN TODAY!!!! WE CAN OFFICIALLY OFFER FRED HIS NEW JOB. DO YOU WANT TO TELL HIM OR SHALL I? I emailed back suggesting that he should tell him as I was away for the next couple of days. That trip came and went uneventfully. I arrived home from the trip to be greeted by Jess, who gave me a big cuddle as she always did when I returned from a trip. I blew 'raspberries' on her face as always and as usual she pretended to be annoyed but then giggled and squealed. "So how's my fave daughter?" "She's fine; how's my fave Dad?" "Tired and feeling lonely poppet." "Awww, well, you're home now," she said, giving me an extra cuddle. "Oh, by the way Dad, I'm having a sleepover tomorrow night; Hannah and Alicia are coming." "Oh, OK, I'll warn the neighbours and inform the police then..." She giggled at that and added "I invited Amy too, but she texted back 'thanks, but I'm too busy'." "Oh well, never mind poppet; at least you asked her," I said, light heartedly, but in reality, I was damn annoyed with Amy now. It was one thing for her to be distant with me, but to be aloof with Jess was quite another; Jess had been a rock for Amy the last few months, and now Amy was hurting her feelings. What could Amy be so busy with on a Saturday night to turn down Jess' offer? She never went out and Fred was well on the road to recovery, so the services of 'Nurse Amy' were no longer really required. If truth be told I felt like calling Amy and giving her a piece of my mind, but decided against it; regardless of my feelings, I didn't ever want Amy to hear me speak to her in angry tones. I knew that despite everything, there was always that chance Amy may need me to be her rock again, so I let it be. Jess had her sleepover and it was a success, although like Jess, Alicia and Hannah were both disappointed that Amy didn't make it too; Jess played it down though. It cheered me up having the three girls together in the house. It was impossible not to be amused and entertained by their exuberance and cheeky charm. Sunday morning breakfast had me and the three of them laughing and joking, and it was like old times. I even forgot Amy that day... Monday morning and it was now five weeks since Fred had been rushed to hospital. Fred was due in to discuss his future and Amy was returning to work too, although she had been in part-time the previous week whilst I'd been working away. Fred came in mid-morning and looked fantastic. He'd lost weight, his rasping cough seemed to have all but gone and his complexion was fully restored. Fred made his way through the communal office, receiving handshakes and hugs. It took him some time to migrate his way down to our end of the huge room; his ultimate destination being Dave's office. Amy followed closely behind him, wearing a serious, business-like face. I noted that she greeted colleagues in a business-like way too with hardly a smile, so clearly this cold, aloof Amy wasn't just aimed at Jess and me. Eventually, Fred made it to my desk and Dave was already waiting for him alongside me. I shook his hand and hugged the old guy; it was great to see him back at work. Dave embraced him too. Someone was definitely cutting onions in our office again... I said hello to Amy and she responded back, very formally, but wouldn't make eye contact with me. After some small talk, between Dave, Fred and me, Dave eventually invited Fred into his office to discuss his new role. Dave's door now closed, Amy seemed confused and stared at the door for a few seconds, like a loyal dog would do, wondering where its owner had gone. She turned and made her way over to her desk and unpacked her laptop. After a few minutes I looked over her way. "How are ya then Amy?" "Fine thanks. And you?" "Oh fine, really fine, just like my old self again," I said, with a slight hint of sarcasm; it was either lost on her or ignored by her. "Your sister keeps asking after you," I said in a friendly voice. She didn't respond and continued to stare at her laptop screen. "She's only a 13 year old kid Amy; don't forget that eh?" I added, now in a slightly terse tone. She still ignored me. I gave up. Best to leave her alone before I fell out with her I thought. Half an hour later, Fred and Dave emerged from Dave's office. Amy stood up, as if she felt she had to jump to Fred's side, but she stayed put as Dave began to address the office. "Can I have everyone's attention please? OK everyone, as you all know, Gordon has decided to retire, leaving a vacancy open for the store-person's job. Well, please meet our new store-man" he said, pointing to Fred. Everyone clapped and cheered. "Gordon is going to show his considerably younger replacement the ropes for a week or so, and then Fred will take over full time." That said, Dave then shook Fred's hand in front of everyone. Fred said a few words to Dave and then started to walk off towards the door that led to the factory. Amy got up and started to follow him. I saw Fred and Amy exchange words and then Amy returned to her desk, slightly red in the face and looking down at her feet. I don't know what was said, but I suspect Fred had obviously told her he wished to go alone. "Duncs, can I have a word," Dave said, beckoning me into his office. I followed him in. "Close the door mate," he said. "It wasn't me, honest gov, it was the others!" I said, in mock subservient and sorrowful tones. Dave laughed. "It's not about you, you silly sod; it's about Amy." "Oh, I see; how can I help?" "People are saying she's doing her work 100% perfectly, but that she's unfriendly and almost robotic; some have even likened her to Karen for goodness sake!" "Ah, that doesn't surprise me Dave." "Explain?" So I told him how Amy had been with me and the family and how she'd apparently made it her personal mission to take care of Fred at the cost of everything else. "Ahhh, that explains what Fred meant now." "And what was that?" "He said and I quote: 'she's starting to get on my tits; she never leaves me alone and constantly fusses over me'; he also told me she seems to have lost her sparkle in life too." "Well, unfortunately, there's little I can do; she'll just snap at me if I speak to her," I said, "I've almost given up to be honest." "That's a real shame, especially after all the time you've invested in her. I would normally say what a selfish person she's being, but I do realise in her case she has complex issues to deal with. So long as she's doing her job properly, she has a future here; I cannot sack her for being unfriendly!" I changed the subject "Is Fred happy with his demotion to store man?" "He's a practical man Duncs, he realises he's had a brush with death and he also realises he can't continue with a life on the road, so yes, he's just happy to be alive, well and still employed." "Nice one; well, if that's all Dave, I'd better go and prepare for my couple of days away." "Yeah, you can go mate! Taking Amy with you?" "Nah, no need; she's seen what I'll be doing many times before and knows the task I'm doing as well as I do; she's better off continuing her work in the office." "I didn't really mean that Duncs; I mean are you taking her with you just for the companionship; the change of scene may do her some good?" I chuckled, "put like that, I may as well take Karen with me!" I then left his office, leaving Dave chuckling at the thought. I sat down at my desk and fired off a few emails. It was nearly midday. Zoe came bounding in, beaming at everyone as she always does. "Hey Duncs, you OK?" "Better for seeing you Zo!" She giggled as she dashed past my desk. "Hey Amy, nice to see you again; fancy going for lunch?" "Err, no thanks Zoe," said Amy in a business-like way. "Oh, OK then, perhaps another time," said Zoe, slightly deflated. Zoe walked past my desk again and looked at me as if searching for an answer to Amy's lack of enthusiasm. I just smiled and shrugged back at her in an apologetic way. I felt sorry for Zoe, she certainly didn't deserve a blunt response like that from Amy. Later, I approached Amy's desk. "Amy, I need the project file for the Pearson contract please; I'm going over there for a couple of days for a post-commissioning check. Have you archived it or is it still in the office?" "It's still in the office. Do we need to take anything else?" "Oh, there's no 'we'; I'm going by myself. It's a one-person job and you've seen it all before; you hardly need the experience." I really wasn't being awkward for the sake of it just to get back at her. It really was a one-person job and Amy really didn't need the experience now, so the only reason for taking her would be for her companionship, which would be apparently lacking, so despite Dave's offer, I decided I'd rather go alone. "Oh OK then, I just assumed you'd need my assistance," she said, with no emotion. She stood up and fetched the file for me, placing it on my desk. She didn't make eye contact with me either and simply returned to her desk and continued with her work. I didn't speak to her again that day; it was a sad time for me. Later that afternoon, I went down to the electrical workshop to pick up some test gear I needed. The usual crowd were down there and so was Fred, catching up on gossip. "Hello mister store man!" I said, chuckling and patting Fred on the back. "Are you going to be as strict as old Gordon then?" "Worse lad!" he said, chuckling back. "Fred, it's great to see you back at work, but take it easy, won't ya mate; you gave us all a scare you know." "Thanks Duncs, I will and thank you for all you did for me 'n' Rose; it's much appreciated son." "Fred, you and Rose are like family to me, you know that; 'sides, Amy did more for you than me from what I gather." "Mmmmm ... she certainly did Duncs. She's a very helpful lass; too helpful ... Err, look Duncs, she's changed, she's not a happy bunny anymore and me 'n' Rose, well, we're concerned." I took Fred to one side not wishing the others to hang on every word we said. I explained how I'd seen her change over the weeks; how she'd been with me, with Jess and her colleagues. I also told Fred I was at a loss as to what to do with her. "Maybe I need to talk to her Duncs." "Maybe so Fred, maybe she needs to hear some home truths from you mate; you're her focus in life at the moment." I went back up to the office and finished preparations for my trip. At half past four I decided to leave the office early; quite justified to my mind as I had an early start the next morning. I said goodbye to Amy and received a formal goodbye back and as I walked across the office saying my goodbyes to everyone else, I received various sarcastic and rude responses back from all my 'lovely' colleagues. I smiled to myself; I wouldn't have it any other way, it was just a shame that one particular 'colleague' had changed so much. After an uneventful, lonely and dreary trip, I was back home Thursday evening and Friday I went to the office as usual. Amy was already at her desk, so must have come in early. I placed the Pearson project folder on her desk, knowing she'd have to update the folder with my post-commissioning data. I'd been generous and already typed-up the results rather than simply presenting her with hand-written field notes. I told Amy where I'd saved the files on the server and she thanked me. It was a completely business-like and efficient conversation; no banter, no jokes, no humour, no affection. I returned to my desk and I don't think I said another word to her all day. I was now resigned to the fact that Amy had for some reason turned into a ruthless automaton and that my former close companion and lover were no more. Still, she was at least working, studying and had a home, so I begrudgingly accepted the fact that apparently my job was done and Amy had moved on, preferring her new, cold personality as a way to cope with life. I guessed she was protecting her fragile world; the first-hand experience of witnessing Fred's near-death being wholly responsible for triggering this new state of being. Perhaps she now feared being close to people in case something were to happen to them; detaching herself from all around her meant she wouldn't have to deal with her emotions again like she'd had to with Fred. It was Saturday and somewhere around midday my mobile rang. Looking at the screen it displayed 'Fred and Rose'. I answered the call fearing the worst. "What is it; what's the matter?" I said in a blind panic. "Calm down you daft bugger!" came the reassuring tone of Rose's friendly voice in response to my panic, "nowts wrong lad!" "Oh thank goodness for that Rose; so what can I do for you old girl?" "Well, Jane's always telling us to come over for a cuppa, and we wondered if we could do just that this afternoon; we fancy a little drive out into the countryside. Will everyone be in?" "You're welcome anytime Rose, you know that, and yes, everyone is in today. When d'ya want to come over?" "Is two o clock OK?" "Yep, that's fine, see ya then." I went upstairs to tell everyone that Fred and Rose were due over at two o clock. I asked Dan and Jess to stay in long enough to at least greet them, then they could go and do their own thing if they so desired. Jane fretted that she didn't have 'much in' and I told her not to worry herself over trivial things; Fred and Rose wouldn't care less and would be simply pleased to see all of us. At five minutes past two and I heard a car pull into our driveway. I looked out the window and saw Fred's car. What I didn't expect to see was Amy getting out of the car too. I assumed it would just be Fred and Rose. 'Interesting' I thought. I shouted upstairs "They're here!" I opened the front door and a very cheery Rose and Fred walked in, followed by a subdued Amy, who was looking down at her feet, allowing her long hair to fall forwards to mask her face. I hugged Rose and shook Fred's hand, but ended up hugging him too. I simply said 'hello' to Amy, who shifted around uneasily and quietly said hello back to me. Just then Jess came charging down the stairs. "Hiya Rose, hiya Fred!" she said with her usual enthusiasm; then, on seeing Amy behind them, "oh, hello Amy," with surprise in her voice. "Hello sweety-pie, come here love and give me a big hug!" said Rose. Needing no further encouragement, Jess leached onto Rose and gave her a massive hug; then she hugged Fred too. As if rehearsed, Rose and Fred then parted so that Jess and Amy were now facing each other. I could hear Amy snuffling, a sound I'd heard many times before so I knew she was on the verge of crying. Jess picked up on it too and slowly approached Amy with her arms outstretched. Amy lifted her head ever so slightly and on seeing Jess' gesture of friendship, flung herself onto her 'sister' and then immediately broke down and cried her heart out, her sobs interspersed with phrases like 'I'm so sorry Jess' and 'I've been really horrible to you'. Jess started crying too, probably more in relief that her adopted 'sister' was apparently back in her life. By this time, Jane and Dan had come down stairs. They embraced Fred and Rose leaving me to look on at Amy and Jess, now tightly embracing each other. I walked over to the pair of them and put my arms around both of them. Fred, Rose, Jane and Dan discreetly retired to the kitchen, giving the three of us some space. Amy now added me into the mix with her profuse apologies, and my eyes welled-up; but I was simply relieved that Amy seemed to be back in 'our world' again; pleased that Amy and Jess were once again reunited and thankful that I was included too. I kissed both of 'my girls' on their foreheads and gently told Jess to take Amy up to her room for some privacy; they had some long-overdue catching-up to do. They released each other and started to head for the stairs, but then Amy turned back to face me and hugged me, whispering "Duncs, I'm really, really sorry, I've been especially horrible to you, and despite what you may think, I've really missed being close with you." Her whisper wasn't quite discreet enough though, because I just knew Jess had heard what she'd said to me; however, Jess was smiling sweetly at me. That old head on young shoulders again... "Amy, sweet Amy, don't say any more poppet; we're just glad to have you back," I said, looking across to Jess, winking at her. I then cupped Amy's sad, pitiful, tear-stained face in my hands, smiled at her, then kissed her on the forehead and nose. "Go on girl, go off with your sister and catch up on all the gossip. I'll bring you both a cup of tea." As she turned to go off with Jess upstairs, I gently patted her bum, making both Amy AND Jess giggle. She was 'back'; my beautiful runaway girl was back in my life. Whatever that old dog Fred had said to her had obviously done the trick. I headed for the kitchen, smiling and happy again, to join the others. Then I heard the strains of music coming from upstairs and smiled even more; that signified two happy teen girls together again... Authors note: For many reasons, this was one of the hardest chapters for me to write down, which should need no explanation, unless you have a heart of stone... ------- Chapter 22 May 2010 - 'A promise remembered - Amy and I return to the Lakes... ' part 1 Nearly four months has passed since Fred's illness and he was now fully recovered and settling into his new role as factory store man very well. He missed the camaraderie of site life, but confessed to me on more than one occasion that it was lovely to be home each night and be with his 'old girl'. I envy his relationship with Rose very much, and only wish my own marriage was like his. Jane should be both my wife and lover and Amy just a close companion; but that is how it should be in an ideal world. However, I don't live in an ideal world, and I'm a full-blooded male with sexual needs; the fact that Amy is happy to be my lover and the need is mutual is fantastic; the other undeniable fact that she's only 17, insanely beautiful and sexy as hell it the exotic icing on the cake... Amy was now fully returned to her former, cheerful and friendly self. After that Saturday when Fred and Rose came over to our house for a cup of tea, Amy and Jess had reunited their close friendship and I once again had my 'old Amy' back; the status quo had been restored. I didn't ever question Amy as to why she'd changed so dramatically; I think I'd worked out the reasons for myself and felt it best to let sleeping dogs lie. Neither did I ever ask Fred what he'd said to Amy to convince her to change her ways. I'd simply thanked him for having the conversation with her and snapping her out of her robotic state; which was no good for anyone, especially Amy. Amy continued to do well at work and excelled at whatever challenge we set her. We gave her varying tasks to try-out or study, and along with the course work that 'Prof Ron' sent to her at regular intervals, she was gaining a well-rounded knowledge of mechanical and electrical systems. Dave and I made sure she spent time with various colleagues within our organisation, even if the discipline only had a vague link to the core subject that she really seemed to love; namely controls and instrumentation. Although I hadn't deliberately biased her in any way to major on my own core profession, I think the fact that Amy's first exposure to work had been helping me commission controls and instrumentation naturally led her to focus on this subject. I was getting very favourable and positive comments back from 'Prof Ron', who told me that the assignments that Amy submitted to him were always to a very high standard both in technical accuracy and presentation; 'a delight to read and mark' he once said. He felt she was more than on target to meet the requirements of the foundation course final exam. Naturally, I was extremely proud of my protégé. Sadly, due to our respective roles in the company, Amy and I were finding it increasingly difficult to be truly alone together for any length of time. Amy's work meant that she was more office based and my work meant I was more field based. I couldn't keep making excuses to whisk Amy off on away trips on the pretence that she was going with me to gain more experience, as colleagues would eventually smell a rat. "Just how much more experience does she need on that one subject?" I could imagine them asking. New projects that needed extensive commissioning and hence collection of data were the only opportunities where I could justify taking Amy as my assistant, but these were not weekly events. So we resigned ourselves to occasional 'alternative style' lunch breaks in the secluded wood, long walks on Westwood to canoodle and chat and MSN-based mutual masturbation in the comfort of our respective rooms. However, third week in May an ideal opportunity came up where I could kill two birds with one stone; I could both justify taking Amy away with me for work and we could return to the cabin in the Lakes. I had taken a call from a long-term customer who had a facility just outside of Carlisle; it transpired that they required an extensive re-calibration and certification of all the sensors, valves and servos associated with the equipment used in their various processes. This was a job that could be done by one person, but one that was infinitely better with two, as it was practically re-commissioning the entire plant but without the teething problems associated with new plant. We wouldn't need a motel either, as the facility is only approximately 25 miles from the log cabin in Bassenthwaite. I wandered over to Amy's desk to tell her. Her excitement was immediate and obvious; she could hardly contain herself and much to my amusement let out a little squeal of delight. "I take it that's a yes then?" I said, after asking if she wanted to go. "I'll think about Duncs'; hav'ta check my diary ya know!" She said, smirking with a wonderful, mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Don't leave it too long young-un, 'else I might ask Karen if she wants to have a change of scene from being a bean-counter..." I walked of, chuckling at the thought of my joke idea. I would rather be celibate for the rest of my life than entertain the idea of a sexual encounter with Karen... Ten minutes later, I received an email from Amy HOPE YOU'RE FEELING UP TO THIS TRIP; I'LL BE MAKING US WORK WELL INTO THE SMALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT YOU REALISE. I NEED TO GO OVER OLD GROUND TO MAKE SURE I STILL UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU'VE TAUGHT ME BEFORE. I smiled at this email. To anyone else reading it, it was a perfectly innocent, work-related email from a keen student to her mentor. But I knew Amy well; I knew exactly what my mischievous girl really meant. I looked over to her and she pretended to be deep in concentration, staring intently at her laptop screen. I knew she'd seen me from her peripheral vision though; she was desperately trying not to smirk. "Fighting fit," I simply said, still looking towards her. I saw her mouth twitch even more, but she still didn't completely crack up. 'Oh boy', I surmised; looked like I was in for some interesting evenings with my gorgeous lover. I planned the trip for the latter part of the week, my intention being to spend the weekend in the cabin too; then I could introduce Amy to more delights the Lake District has to offer. May is a magical time to visit the region; the weather is kind and the rhododendrons are in full flower and at their best. I told Jane about my plans. I felt I had to, as there would potentially be people we know staying in the other cabins located near to ours who would see Amy and me coming and going; the first time Amy and I had visited had been far less of a risk as it had been during October, when most owners don't visit. I didn't want Jane to be told 'saw your husband and a young women stay here a few weeks ago' by some small-minded, nosey and snitching neighbour and be caught out surprised. Far better for Jane to be told that snippet and for her to be able to respond 'Oh yes, that's his colleague, student and lover, didn't you know?' Well, she perhaps wouldn't say student, much less lover ... I explained to Jane it was useful on several counts; I could service the log cabin before the family used it in summer, it was conveniently close to the facility that Amy and I were working at and it would be nice for Amy to see the Lakes. There are three bedrooms, so us sleeping in separate rooms was plausible. Jane was actually very positive about my idea and said so without a merest hint of sarcasm, facetiousness or suspicion. To her credit, whatever she'd surmised about my relationship with Amy, she still wasn't letting on or apparently upset or jealous. Wednesday afternoon was spent preparing for the trip. Amy gathered all the relevant customer files from the archive room and I gathered all the test equipment we would need. Amy also prepared a set of pre-typed test sheets to reduce written work on site; all she'd need to do then was 'fill in the blanks'. She is far more organised in this respect than I ever am, something I much admire about her. After work, Amy came home with me. We intended to make a very early start Thursday morning, so rather than disturb Fred and Rose, I felt it better if she stayed with us. Besides, her 'sister' didn't object; she hadn't seen Amy for some time. Five o clock Thursday morning and I was faced with a bleary-eyed Amy at the breakfast bar, sipping her tea. She was not good early in the morning, and took some waking up. We ate a light breakfast and then quietly left the house. The journey to Carlisle was uneventful but pleasant. I was treated to 'bare feet on dash' by my ever-thoughtful companion and the conversation flowed easily and was varied too. We approached the facility, a hotchpotch of old and new buildings of varying styles of architecture, so typical of facilities that have been developed, modified and expanded over scores of years. Parked up, we then headed for the main reception and I introduced myself and Amy. The receptionist wasn't particularly friendly and seemed totally uninterested in her job. She called our contact and then robotically told us to complete the visitor slips. Once done, she tore the slips out of the book and inserted them into plastic visitor badges for us. A few minutes later, the plant engineer came to greet us. I hadn't seen Brian for a number of years, but recognised him straightway. I introduced him to Amy and noted his obvious joy that my assistant was a beautiful, young, blonde woman as opposed to some middle-aged bloke such as myself. I warned Brian to expect an interrogation from Amy regarding the process at his facility, explaining to him that she was very interested in all matters technical. Brian responded that he'd be more than happy to explain anything that Amy was interested in. I thought to myself, 'yeah, bet you will, you dirty old bugger... ' Our task was to verify the systems in one of the older plants. The facility was going to be used to manufacture a new product, and the buyers of the product wanted to be sure of upmost quality, and had therefore insisted on the re-calibration of all equipment used in the process. Brian told me that our services would be called upon several more times over the coming months, as it was the intention to re-calibrate the entire facility stage-by-stage. I made a mental note of this with joy, realising the potential for further chances to be away with Amy. I glanced at Amy as Brian had stated this, and I'm pretty certain she was thinking along the same lines too. Brian took us to the facility, and I was pleased to note it was not in use. This would make our job far easier, as we didn't have to consider down time of plant when calibrating each device; it also meant the place was a reasonably peaceful environment to work in too. We set up 'home' in the production manager's office and this is where the main operators console was located. Amy sat down at the console and immediately entered the technician's mode using our 'back door' user name and PIN. Brian's face was a picture when he saw Amy do this; he looked at me in disbelief and I simply smiled and shrugged my shoulders back at him. "She's after my job Brian; you mark my words!" I said. Amy giggled. A couple of minutes later, we had Amy's verdict. "Duncs, the process and controller logs don't show any major potential problems, but the software and firmware isn't current; shall I backup and run an update before we start the calibration?" she said with total authority but no arrogance. "May as well Amy; it's all part of the service. Tell you what, whilst you do that, I'll walk the facility with Brian and decide the best place to start our work. "OK Duncs." "Err, Amy, there's a coff ... err its OK if I call you Amy is it?" said Brian. "Yep, so long as I can call you Brian!" said Amy, smiling at him. "Of course, of course it is Amy. Yeah, Amy, there's a coffee machine in the corner of the office; please feel free to help yourself, won't ya? "Thanks Brian, I will." Brian and I left the office and started to walk along the production line. "Duncs, tell me to mind my own, but where on earth did you find such a wonderful assistant? I mean, just being blokeish, I can't help but notice she's a beautiful young women, that's obvious, but she's so confident with the equipment! She just delved straight into the technician's mode in seconds and then pulled up the logs, checked the history, checked software and firmware versions; all without batting an eye, with ruthless efficiency, and, I'll be darned, with a smile and lovely charm too. I'm gobsmacked!" I chuckled, "you're preaching to the converted Brian; old news to me, I'm used to it. She has an incredible intellect and grasps concepts and ideas quickly and usually first time." "But where did you find such a star? She can't be more than 18, so therefore CAN'T have even attended college yet; yet she seems to have the knowledge of a post-graduate student?" I gave Brian a potted history of Amy, from my chance meeting of her that first day to the present; missing out certain facts of course. All the time he just shook his head and muttered 'intellectual' phrases such as 'no shit', 'bloody hell' and 'fuck me'. "Well, all I can say is, it's a fantastic story Duncs. Still, back to the boring things in life; we're at the end of the process line, so I guess you want to start here?" "Seems as good a place as any mate; I'll fetch my gear and get set up." "Tell you what; I'll get a factory lad to help you. And if you need any help other than what your able assistant can offer, don't hesitate to call me, will ya?" Then Brian handed me a two-way radio, so that I could call him directly if required. "Thanks Brian. Can we use the facility canteen too?" "Yeah, be our guest. Quote my name and department and you'll get staff rates too." "Nice one Brian, see ya later mate." Brian then called over one of the factory lads and the lad took me on an electric buggy to the car park so that I could get my test gear. By the time we got back and unloaded, Amy had finished the necessary updates and we were ready to start the calibration. We went for lunch at half past twelve and I saw Brian sitting with colleagues. We couldn't join him as their table was full, but he did wave at us. I then saw him talk to a colleague, and then all at that table suddenly turned and looked in our direction. Clearly Brian had just told them about Amy, and I can only guess at the probable sexist reference he would have made about her... After lunch, we returned to the task of calibration. Amy stayed in the office, making necessary adjustments and recording our findings and results, whilst I moved from device to device, applying the appropriate calibration equipment to validate the sensor, valve or servo. Some replacements were required too, as I wasn't happy with the condition of some of the devices. As always, Amy and I worked well as a team with little discussion and interaction required. Amy instinctively knew what was required of her and it was now rare for me to have to explain a particular process or method. She was still a 'breath of fresh air' to work with and made my job far more pleasurable and easy to carry-out. At six o clock, we decided to call it a day, and had completed about half of the work required; considering we hadn't had a full day on site, that was a good result. We headed for reception, signed out and then went to the car park. Leaving the facility, I drove for a couple of miles and then stopped at a supermarket to buy provisions. That done, we were back on the road and forty minutes later, Lake Bassenthwaite came into view; Amy actually sighed at the sight of it. I looked over at her and her gaze met mine, her beaming at me but with moist eyes; simply a wonderful and beautiful emotion to witness in this gorgeous girl. There was no need to ask her if she was glad to be back... I turned up the narrow lane and the log cabin came into view. I parked up and Amy was out of the car in an instant and headed straight down to the lakeside, skipping and running just like a young kid again. Her enthusiasm was infectious and I simply had to join her. We stood together at the waterside for a few seconds, sniffing the pure, clean air, drinking in the vista; I then got the urge to embrace her, lift her of the ground and spin her round and round, making her giggle like crazy. Then I put her down and gave her a long, gentle kiss, she wrapping her arms around my neck; we then parted a little, stared into each others eyes, smiling, but saying nothing. We were free spirits again, away from the hustle and bustle, away from colleagues and family and quite simply, I was going to selfishly enjoy every damn second of my time with this insanely beautiful and sexy lass. We quickly unpacked the car, entered the cabin and put away the provisions and put our bags in the master bedroom. Amy then opened the patio doors and standing to face the view, again took a long, deep lungful of fresh Lake District air. I walked over to her, remembering to say her name first, then, standing behind her, wrapped my arms around her midriff and rested my chin on the top of her head. "So, my one and only stunningly beautiful student, according to your email a couple of day's ago, and I quote: 'I need to go over old ground to make sure I still understand everything you've taught me before'. Is that right Amy and at what point do you wish to start from?" She spun round to face me. "Word perfect SIR, and I wish to start from the very beginning, like this..." and as soon as she finished talking, she locked her lips on mine and proceeded to kiss me passionately, darting her tongue into my willing mouth, pulling my face hard against her own. After a couple of minutes, she parted "How was that Sir? Up-to-scratch?" "Hmmm ... not sure; I need to assess further. Please, try again." Amy did, with even more passion, simultaneously grinding her pubic bone against my stiffening cock. She parted, staring at me intently with bright sparkling eyes. "That gets an A-star Amy, 100% perfect. Now, I need to see if you've been taking good care of your body." That said, and quickly looking at the patio doors to make sure there was no one in front of our cabin, I slowly peeled off her polo shirt. Amy raised her arms to assist me. She was wearing a delicate, black lacy bra, tantalisingly revealing the top of her wonderful pert breasts. I reached round and undid the strap and slowly pulled off her bra. I sighed as I saw her perfect boobs revealed in all their glory. Amy cocked her head to one side. "All in order sir?" she said in a cute, girly voice. "Beautiful, young-un, absolutely beautiful, ten out of ten ... Let me check them though." I then proceeded to gently knead them and brush and caress her nipples, making them hard and stand out proud in seconds. Amy sighed and quietly gasped as I did so. I felt a hand grab my crotch and caress my swollen cock. I smiled at her "Does that feel in order then young-un?" "Mmmm ... I think so sir; certainly awake, but I need a better feel" Another hand now started to assist the first to undo my belt, unfasten my 'Dickies', pull down the zipper; then a hand slowly slipped into my undies and enveloped the shaft of my cock. Heaven. I sighed as Amy gently stroked the shaft of my cock, all the time staring at me intently, her lips provocatively parted. "Feels fine sir, and ready for action," she purred. I stopped caressing her boobs, and moved my own hands down to her 'Dickies', and proceeded to follow suit and undo her trousers. I gently pushed my hand down between the hem of her knickers and her warm, flat abdomen. I first encountered her soft pubes, atop her prominent pubic bone. Amy sighed in anticipation of where my fingers would stray next. Moving further downwards, my middle finger felt her warm and moist slit, whilst my other fingers and thumbs enveloped her puffy labia. Amy closed her eyes and let out a gasp as soon as that middle finger touched her quim. I moved my hand further down and gently pushed my finger into her already soaking wet hole and proceeded to gently stroke my finger up and down, pressing the palm of my hand against her clit. "Does it all feel good down there sir?" she barely managed to say. "It feels lovely young-un. Warm, wet and wonderful." Looking at her parted lips, I couldn't resist them any longer, and planted my own lips on them, my mouth being met instantly by her probing tongue. We stood for some minutes; kissing passionately and caressing each others junk. I then walked her backwards towards the back of the settee. Releasing her, I crouched down so that my head was level with her crotch. I then pulled her trousers down and let her step out of them. This left her standing there in just her black lacy panties and ankle socks. I pushed her gently backwards so that her bum was now resting against the back of the settee and then moved my face up to her knicker-clad quim. I breathed in hard to absorb the scent of her sex and then rubbed my nose against her knickers. Amy squirmed as I did, pushing her pelvis forward to make her quim stand out more prominently for me. For a couple of minutes, I placed my hands on her firm thighs and ran them up and down her firm, lithe legs at the same time licking her quim through her knickers. "Please take my knickers off and check me down there properly sir," she whispered. I gladly obliged and peeled her skimpy knickers off, to reveal her beautiful quim. She stepped out of her knickers, and parted her legs for me. I immediately ran my tongue up and down her moist slit, making Amy moan quietly. She placed her hands on the back of my head and pulled me tighter against her sex, encouraging me to probe her inner labia all the more with my willing tongue, which was now overdosing on the taste of her nectar. My tongue sought out her clit and I felt an instant reaction as soon as I licked it. Gently nibbling on it and sucking it brought on another bout of moans and gasps. Uncharacteristically, Amy then pushed my head away from her fanny. "Sir, I need to show you if I've remembered other stuff you've taught me," she said, giggling. "Stand up sir." I stood up and Amy took her turn to crouch down in front of me. I closed my eyes in anticipation of what delight was about to come my way. I felt two hands grab the waist band of my trousers and undies and peel them down together. With Amy's encouragement, I stepped out of them. Amy then placed her hands on my thighs, and pushing, I realised she wanted me to spin round and rest against the back of the settee as I had done with her. I did so and as soon as I was in position, I felt a slim, delicate hand once again close around the shaft of my cock, but now adding to that stimulus, warm, wet lips encased the glans of my cock too, her tongue gently licking the top. I groaned and sighed at the sensational pleasure this gave me. I glanced down to watch the beautiful girl giving me this wonderful attention and was met with the gaze of a beautiful pair of eyes staring back up at me. Can there be anything more delightful than the vision of a beautiful girl sucking and stroking your cock as she stares up at you? She briefly stopped, "How am I doing sir? Did I remember well?" "Perfect young-un, in fact better than before; another A-star for my perfect, gorgeous and sexy pupil." "I'd like to show you more things you've taught me sir, but you'll need to lie down for that," she said, in a most sexy voice. Oh boy, I knew what that meant... "OK sweetheart, but' we'd better shut the patio doors and close the blind, 'else we don't know who's walking by." Amy giggled, "let 'em stare then!" But she got up and walked over to the doors, wearing nothing more than a smile and her bright orange ankle socks. The cheeky bugger briefly pranced right out onto the patio, pirouetted, did a couple of bows and curtsies to an imaginary audience and then came in, giggling as she closed the doors and drew the blinds. I smiled and shook my head. Her mischievous side seemed to know no bounds, but it was wonderful all the same. She pranced lightly back over to me, giggling. "My pupil was well out of order just then, I think she needs her bum spanking," Amy turned round and stuck her bum out at me in an exaggerated way. "Then you'd better punish me sir!" more giggles. I lightly tapped her bum. "Was that it sir, that didn't hurt; only tickled sir!" She turned round to face me, head cocked to one side, wearing a big cheeky grin on her face. For a moment I looked at her seriously. "I could never hurt you Amy, never, not even in fun." For a moment she looked back at me seriously too, "You're not capable of hurting me Duncs; I've known that since the first week I met you..." Then, cheeky grin restored, Amy first grabbed the hem of my polo shirt and ripped it off. Then, grabbing my cock, she proceeded to lead me round to the other side of the settee using my cock as a handle. "C'mon sir, lie down on the rug and I'll show you what else you taught me!" I did as I was 'told', delighting in the lead Amy was taking and the role play she was apparently enjoying. Standing astride my body, she looked down, grinning and giggling profusely, the sound I so wanted to bottle and keep for posterity. "Ready sir?" "Ready and waiting, my dear student." Amy then turned round, lay on my chest and I was presented with her delightful quim in front of my mouth. A wiggle of her hips was the only encouragement I needed to accept her invitation for me to feast on her warm, wet and tasty fanny. I sank my mouth onto her quim and gently sucked. I heard a low moan and an "Oh sirrrrr..." coming from my nether regions. Next I was aware of warm moist lips, tongue and a slim hand once again working their magic on my cock. Oral sex with my willing 'student' was as delightful an experience as ever, the role play adding extra spice to an already sublime act. I proceeded to stimulate my lover's quim in every which way I could think off, adding a couple of fingers into the mix, a bit of anal stimulation, but mainly plenty of nibbling, gentle sucking and licking of her clit; for I knew this alone simply drove her wild, the other stimulation simply the icing on the cake for her. Amy was soon leaking her nectar profusely, and I gladly lapped it all up. She was writhing and gyrating around on top of me for all her worth, highly turned on. But highly turned on myself, I came first, selfishly stopping my work on her quim to enjoy my orgasm. Amy's mouth did not leave my cock as I spurted spunk three times, and she apparently swallowed or at least kept the lot in her mouth. I was about to resume my own duties, but Amy got up and spun round, and now she sat astride my upper chest, and again wiggled her hips, indicating she wanted me to finish her off this way. I placed my hands on her bum cheeks and drew her towards my mouth and once again sank my mouth on her soaking wet fanny and proceeded to work her for all my worth. Amy looked down on me, smiling and giving me a mischievous look between her expressions of beautiful agony. I watched her as she placed two fingers in her mouth, take them out and then place them on my own mouth. I realised at once that her fingers were covered in a mixture of her saliva and my spunk. I eagerly licked her fingers and this action seemed to really turn her on. So, I pulled my mouth away from her quim, and gently taking hold of her wrist, I placed her fingers on her quim and encouraged her to rub them against her soaking fanny. She did. Then, taking her hand away, I moved it up to her mouth, offering Amy her own fingers to suck; this she also did, and closed her eyes as she savoured her own nectar. It was incredibly erotic, and added another facet to our love making. I continued to lick, suck and chew her quim and minutes later I felt her body tense and then noted her back arch backwards. She thrust her pelvis forwards, forcing her fanny harder against my mouth. I sensed she was on the brink of her orgasm so added to her stimulation by placing a finger gently on her anus; pushing gently against it and as I did, my finger slipped in. She gasped and moaned loudly now, threw her head back, shuddered and then shouted "oh fuck, fuck, FUCK!" and then convulsed all over, her quim having its own mini convulsions which I felt against my probing tongue. She grabbed my hair as she rode her orgasm, now fully burying my face with her quim and bum. I was almost suffocating, but was too mesmerised and enjoying the moment to care. This had to be one of Amy's most powerful orgasms yet and I kept working relentlessly on her clit, releasing two more mini 'aftershock' orgasms before Amy finally pulled away, the stimulation apparently too much for her to endure. When she did pull away, she simply slipped down my body and crashed-out on top of me, now limp, hot and perspiring; panting as she replaced much needed oxygen. As she came back down to earth, the feel of her eight stone, slim frame lying on top of me like this was simply amazing. I stroked her head with one hand and her back with the other as she gradually regained her composure. Finally, she spoke. "So, how did I do sir; did I pass?" she said in a most sexy, husky voice. "My dear girl, I would have to say that your whole performance deserves an overall A-star grade. An absolute 100% score. Plus, I'm giving you an added commendation for your imaginative use of fingers and bodily fluids. "Oh thank you sir, so I remembered everything well?" "A perfect student Amy, as always!" "Oh thank you sir, I do try my best and aim to please." "If I was writing a report for you, it would say: this student is, both inwardly and outwardly, a most beautiful person; the most insanely gorgeous and sexiest being to ever grace this planet. She's intelligent, funny, loving, caring and sensitive; a diligent student and a dedicated and totally professional colleague'. Amy dropped the role play now, "Beautiful words again from you Duncs," she said, tears welling up in her eyes, but it is you I have to thank for bringing out those qualities in me." "I merely helped you discover and release your trapped, inner qualities and potential sweetheart; you alone had to make it happen; only you could actually do that. You should take most of the credit for how you've turned out. Most of all, you had to first trust me to allow me to help you; that must have been one huge hurdle for you to overcome and you have my upmost respect for that." "Listen Duncs, don't you EVER play down your role; YOU made it easy for me to trust you. Why d'ya think I came back to your motel room that first night? I'd had that sort of offer before ya know, but turned the blokes down, sensing what their true intent was and I ran a mile from them. I saw something different in you; at the time I don't know what, but I did." Tears were running down both of our faces, and we both seemed to decide without saying anything more to just remain silent and simply cuddle. After some time had passed, I don't know how long, but it was dark and a little cold. I also realised that Amy had drifted off to sleep, something she sometimes does after a particularly earth-shattering orgasm. She was at my side, so I gently pulled away from her, pulled the blanket off the settee and placed it over her and then gently placed a settee cushion under her head. I switched on the wall lights and then proceeded to light the fire. The firelighters lit easily and started the kindling; that being bone-dry it took quickly and then the logs started to catch too. I loved the log fire, no doubt the primeval instinct in me coming to the fore; however, I did resist the urge to beat my chest in front of the fire... Realising we hadn't yet eaten; I switched the oven on and threw in a large pizza and some potato wedges. It felt strange doing the domestic duties in the nude, but what the hell. Then I switched the stereo on and tuned to Jazz FM, a station that Amy particularly likes. Then I sat down on the settee and stared lovingly at Amy's beautiful sleeping form, long blonde hair everywhere; her face, illuminated by the glow of the log fire, looking serene. This was one of those lovely moments; quiet, soothing music, the crackling, spitting log fire and a beautiful girl lying on the floor in front of me, covered by a blanket, but gloriously nude underneath. It doesn't get much better than that. When I think back to moments like this, I still find it hard to believe that I get to make love to this beautiful young women; a person so unaware of her natural beauty that she has no vanity whatsoever. It's that quality that makes her so special and liked by all who come into contact with her. She has no concept of conceit, does not show-off or try to impress and is totally unassuming. The fact that she does impress people is because of her natural charm and high but arrogant-free intellect. The oven pinging signified the pizza was ready. I cut it up, placed in on a large plate and put the potato wedges in a large bowl. Finally, I made hot chocolate for Amy and coffee for myself and put everything on a large tray. I walked over to the settee and saw that Amy was now awake, staring at the fire that was by now well alight. She looked very peaceful and calm; a wonderful sight indeed. She turned on hearing me approach and giggled. I guess I must have looked a little strange standing in the nude, holding a large tray of food. "One minute we were cuddling; next minute the fires well alight, I'm covered by a snug blanket and if I'm not mistaken, I smell pizza; how'd that happen?" "Ahhh ... magic young-un; that's what happens in the Lakes!" She giggled, "You daft old bugger! I guess I fell asleep did I?" "Yep, you certainly did sweety." "Well, I'm starving, so thanks for making tea!" Then Amy jumped up, in all her nude glory, save for those luminous orange ankle socks and she joined me on the settee. And we ate pizza, potato wedges and sipped our drinks in the nude and all was well. Afterwards, we cuddled, chatted, listened to music and simply stared at the fire; that was all the 'TV' we needed. We finished the evening off with a lovely, long, mutual shower and then went to bed, quite exhausted after what had been a very long day but we were so very happy and content; that night we hit the pillows and simply drifted of to sleep, entwined in each others limbs. Friday morning, half past six and the alarm on my mobile rudely interrupted my pleasure of fondling and caressing the semi-awake form of a nubile, slim, sexy, blonde girl otherwise known as Amy. She was murmuring her approval of my wandering hands and nibbling her neck and ears. On hearing the alarm, my sweet-as-honey lover and companion uttered the immortal words: "fuck getting up", but from her lips it hardly sounded offensive. "Depends what kind of 'getting up' you're referring to sweety," I said, chuckling. Amy giggled and grabbed at my 'morning wood' that had been conveniently parked in the crack of her bum. "Looks like something wants some action Duncs," she said, turning round to face me. "Do we have to go to work? Can't we phone in sick?" "Now that's not the sort of talk I expect from a consummate professional like you young-un!" "I know, but I want a quick shag!" she said, giggling. How could I refuse... So, one quick shag, followed by showering, shaving, then breakfast a little later than I intended; we left the cabin, got in the car and returned to the facility. We worked consistently and efficiently through each section of the process plant. Amy, as usual, was 'on the ball', spotting a couple of measurements she thought odd; the sort of engineer's gut feeling that usually only comes after years of experience learning through the 'university of life', rather than text book theory. In one case it was an intermittent connection, an easy fix. The other turned out to be a sensor that read correctly 95% of the time, but would then 'glitch'. Not enough of a fault to necessarily cause problems in the process immediately, but potentially this was an early indication of a sensor about to fail, so we decided to change it. Amy spotted it because she was looking at the raw, unfiltered data coming into the controller; not the sanitised and averaged-out readings that the operator would normally be presented with. This was one of the aspects I so loved about working with her; she'd seen me look at raw data (which is just an ugly screen full of text as opposed to pretty Windows graphics) during that first project we worked on together and had asked me why I chose to use the raw data. I explained my reasons to her, thinking that would be that, but instead it had led to a two hour intense discussion, with question after question by Amy. She always has to know every detail and certainly won't accept a terse answer; her thirst for knowledge is insatiable. So here she was, remembering that discussion and the many others we'd had since and she was applying her knowledge to a real world situation. Brian had been in the production office and had overheard Amy when she'd reported her suspicions to me via our mobiles. Later that day when I was talking to him, he commented on how impressed he was with my assistant and her knowledge and intuition. "If she ever wants a job here, the door will always be open," he'd quipped. "No chance Brian; not a bloody chance!" I'd answered back, chuckling. We had a quick lunch and then resumed our work. We were keen to finish the task on Friday if we could; otherwise it would mean returning on Monday, and we both had other work to do back at the office. At one point, I asked Amy to join me on the process line, as I was about to calibrate a couple of pH sensors; something she hadn't seen done before. pH probes can be notoriously hard to calibrate, especially when old, so it was a useful experience for her. We use what's known as a 'buffer solution', which is effectively a liquid of a known pH value, normally pH4 and pH7. I calibrated one probe, and Amy watched the procedure with her usual intensity (a vision I love to see on her face, as her forehead crunches up and she looks cute as hell). "OK lass, your turn; you do the other probe." "OK; cool!" She calibrated it and followed the procedure perfectly. Was I surprised? No. We worked to nearly seven o clock but we'd finished the task. I walked into the production office, and Amy had just finished burning a CD on her laptop. "What's that for sweety? "Oh, I've not only filled in the test sheets by hand, just the way you like, but I've also typed them up too. I've made a copy on a CD for Brian to peruse before we send him the official documentation." I shook my head, smiling at her, "What'ya like, eh? What would I do without you?" I went over to her, bent down and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at me, beaming, eyes sparkling. She loved it when I appreciated her hard work. We left the production office and Amy and I had one final walk down the process line to make sure we hadn't left any test gear lying around and check all equipment was as it should be. Amy spotted a sensor that I hadn't applied a new calibration sticker to and she admonished me. I chuckled, then apologised to her in a mock, humbled tone of voice. She giggled; she could tell me off any day, I didn't mind a jot. We gathered our stuff together and I commandeered a factory lad to help us load an electric buggy with our gear an take us to the car park. Then we headed for the main office to see Brian and sign out. "Duncs, Amy; thanks for the speedy and efficient service. I didn't expect you both to finish today." "I've got a hard task master," I said, nodding towards Amy. She giggled. "When can I expect the documentation?" "Amy?" I said, looking at her. Amy smiled and handed Brian the CD she'd made. "Here's all the data in Excel format. I'll send you a set of official documentation in the post end of play Monday. Oh, also on the CD are scans of the calibration certificates for all the test gear we used too." "Err ... wow, err ... thanks Amy" said Brian, shaking his head in disbelief. "Told ya Brian! She's good; very good!" Brian would no doubt recount this little scene to colleagues for several days. We shook hands with Brian, went to reception, handed our badges in and signed out. We walked to the car park smiling; the weekend beckoned and I had Amy all to myself with the picturesque Lakes as a wonderful bonus. ------- Chapter 23 May 2010 - 'A promise remembered - Amy and I return to the Lakes... ' part 2 I'd been driving about ten minutes when Amy spoke "I've really enjoyed the last two days; I miss regular site work. But does it ... oh, never mind, forget it." "But what sweetheart?" "Well ... does it bother you or annoy you when I do things you haven't asked me to do?" she said, in a tone of voice I hadn't heard for some time; that timid, 'did I do wrong' voice. "What on earth would make you think that poppet? I love it when you show initiative!" "Well, it's just that because you're always so nice to me, you might say you don't mind, or smile at me or whatever, but deep down you might be annoyed." I glanced over to her and noticed her eyes were moist and her lower lip was ever so slightly trembling. "Amy, you sweet lass; whatever has brought this on? I could never be annoyed with you. Happy a lot of the time; amazed a lot of the time, occasionally shocked, but in a nice way and OK, worried some of the time but never annoyed." Well, a slight lie to her on the latter point; I'd been annoyed with her when she'd cold-shouldered Jess after Fred's illness, but I never let it show. "I just worry sometimes. I don't want people to think I'm showing off. I'm just keen to learn and do well in my job and not let down all the kind people who've helped me so much, especially you." "Sweetheart, you don't know the concept of conceit or arrogance; it's simply not in your psyche. Everybody who meets and gets to know you realises that; that's why they like you and warm to you. And don't ever worry about going the extra mile and doing work you haven't been asked to do; I wish others working for me would show initiative like you do. Now, are you going to stop being silly, or do I have to stop the car and spank your bum?" "Ooh, stop the car!" Then she giggled. I started to brake, chuckling at her, but then sped up again. "That's better, I much prefer a smiling, giggling Amy." Amy's timid, anxious side could surface at any time and I always had to be ready to catch her before she fell too hard. It had been some time since she'd last been anxious like this, so it had somewhat taken me by surprise. Amy spent the rest of the journey listening to music and looked content and relaxed. 'Anxious time nipped in the bud very nicely' I thought to myself. It was dusk by the time we arrived at the cabin, but that didn't stop Amy walking down to the waters edge. I followed her, and standing behind her, wrapped my arms around her midriff. She lent back against me and clasped her hands around mine. We stood for some minutes; enjoying the peaceful serenity of the lake, save for the gentle sound of tiny, lapping waves and owls hooting to break the silence. "I love it here Duncs." "So do I sweety; and I love it all the more with you by my side to share it with." "That makes me feel so wanted Duncs. D'ya know that?" "I do poppet, and you ARE wanted; not just by me, but others too." Amy sighed contentedly and then spun round to face me, "kiss me," she said in the sweetest voice. "With pleasure." And we kissed and embraced each other by the side of the lake as darkness fell, and I for one felt at peace with the world. "C'mon sweetheart, lets get inside; it's getting chilly. I feel a warm log fire coming on! "Cool! I love the log fire. You do the fire and I'll make dinner." "Sounds like a plan girl!" "Gimme a piggyback to the cabin please!" "OK young-un, hop up then." She leapt up behind me and I placed my hands behind me and grabbed on to her firm bum cheeks to support her and then walked towards the cabin, carrying all eight stone of my beautiful lover. We made it to the door, Amy giggling and squealing with delight at the simple pleasure of a piggyback and I somehow managed to unlock the door and enter the cabin without dropping her. I walked over to the settee and unceremoniously dumped her onto it, making her giggle even more. Then I tickled her but she looked so adorable lying there I just had to hug and kiss her instead. "C'mon Duncs, dinner and log fire first; naughty, fun stuff afterwards." "Awww, OK then boss..." Amy jumped up and walked towards the bedroom, stripping her top off as she went. I watched through the open door as she removed her bra. Then she slipped her Dickies and knickers off in one go, revealing her gorgeous firm bum for a few seconds before slipping on cotton shorts and one of her Disney nighties. She turned to come out of the bedroom and caught me staring. "Enjoy the show did'ya? Then she giggled, "FIRE, Duncs, remember?" "Yes I did and OK, fire remembered, but come here first." She did and I hugged her, moving my hands up and down her back, then I caressed her bum through those delightfully thin cotton shorts. "Have you ANY idea what you do to me when I see you strip off and get changed? Have you ANY idea just how damn sexy you are girl?" "Only because you tell me these things Duncs." "Well, you're amazingly gorgeous and very sexy poppet and you make feel like a teen again." She smiled at me and her eyes sparkled, but she made no comment; she still didn't really know how to respond to compliments. But I relentlessly piled them on in the hope that eventually they'd sink-in and lay to rest all those horrible comments that had been said to her for the first 16 years of her life. At least, that was my amateur theory. "OK, now I'll go and light the fire now." With that said she turned to go to the kitchen and I gently tapped her bum; it had the desired effect in that it made her squeal and giggle. I lit the fire, and then got changed myself. Just T-shirt and shorts; similar to Amy. Stereo on and coffee brewing, there was little more for me to do other than to watch Amy prepare tea, one of those simple pastimes that gave me so much pleasure. Amy never seemed bothered when I stared at her working; I personally hate it when people watch me like that. But Amy would just quietly get on with her tasks, occasionally glancing at me and smiling, bright sparkly eyes confirming the genuine warmth of that smile; she can melt my heart by simply doing that. "Dinner smells and looks gorgeous sweetheart. Anything I can do for you?" "You've done enough for me already Duncs." "I appreciate the sentiment Amy, but you know what I meant silly!" "OK, carry the salad over to the table and set the table then ta." I did as she asked, then walked back to the kitchen and hugged her from behind as she continued to work. I nibbled and kissed her slender neck and made her sigh with the sensation it created. "Duncs, you bugger, I need to finish preparing dinner and what you're doing is counter-productive!" "Sorry poppet, but you're just too irresistible; 'sides, I find it such a turn on watching you doing domestic chores. Good job you're not bent down at the washing machine or dishwasher." "What'ya like Duncs!" "Oh, just a middle-aged man who feels like a horny teen lad, because of the insanely beautiful and sexy girl he's caressing right now." "Well, 'horny teen', dinner's ready, so let's eat; then you can have your evil way with me afterwards; OK?" "Sounds like another plan, sweety." Amy had prepared another delicious meal out of what were to start with, fairly ordinary ingredients. A tasty, tossed salad, pasta mixed with chopped bacon, chicken and cheese sauce and garlic bread with cheese. As we ate I kept staring at Amy; for some reason that night I couldn't take my eyes off her at all. After catching me several times looking at her, she finally had a fit of giggles. "What is it with you tonight Duncs? You look like you'd rather be eating me than the food!" "Many a true word spoken in jest sweetheart; methinks I'll have you for my dessert." "OK, you do that, 'horny teen', but first I'm having one of those little cheesecakes we bought for my dessert." So Amy had her cheesecake whilst I sipped fresh-brewed coffee. I watched her as she took small spoonfuls from her pudding, such a contrast to that first night in the Mc Donald's when she had wolfed her food down. She was now graceful, had poise and almost perfect etiquette in all situations; no longer did she make social faux pas or come across as the 'awkward kid'. She had achieved this in eight months; really quite remarkable. She can still be shy, but only in a way that's endearing, quite charming and cute. Dinner finished, I cleared the table and started to wash up. I was half way through this task when I felt small hands and slender arms wrap around my midriff from behind. I smiled as I felt a hand then wander downwards and then slip between the hem of my shorts and body. That hand then fondled my junk and made me gasp with the sensation. "Amy, sweetheart, to coin your phrase, that's counter-productive to me completing the washing up!" She giggled, "just getting my own back Duncs." "You get your own back all you want sweety, but I may just lose concentration and drop one or two dishes in the process." "OK, I'll leave ya alone then," She then turned, wiggled her bum at me and went back to the living room area. I finished the washing up, tidied the kitchen and now it was time for the main focus of my attention that evening: Amy. She was stretched out on the settee, her long, lithe legs looking more superb than ever; due not in any small part to something I hadn't really noted till now; namely that most of her scars had faded significantly. Her eyes were closed, but I knew she was awake because her foot was tapping in time with the music. I knelt down next to the settee and gently placed my head on her chest, enjoying the rhythmic rise and fall as she breathed. Amy immediately put her arms around my back. I reached up to her face and gently stroked her hair and face. We stayed like that for some time, simply enjoying being close. "You're really beautiful you know." "So you keep telling me Duncs," she whispered. "I repeat it frequently because you never quite sound convinced when I tell you that." "I had 16 years of hearing everything BUT nice things said to me; makes me kind of cynical ya know?" "Yeah, I realise that sweety, but you do believe ME don't you?" "Yes, I do; and I love hearing you say it, but I'm STILL getting used to it, that's all. Anyway Duncs; stop talking and ravish me instead!" "With pleasure my little sex pot!" I started by moving up to her head and gently kissing her, nibbling her ears and kissing her neck, always guaranteed to get her murmuring with the pleasure she gained from it. At the same time, my hand raised the hem of her nightie and caressed her stomach, then moving further and further upwards until I found her beautiful boobs. I caressed, stroked, kneaded and tweaked her boobs, making her squirm and gasp quietly. I was in no rush that night, and wanted to enjoy a gradual, sensual build up to our ultimate sexual union. Amy had raised one leg and had it resting against the back of the settee. This subconscious shift in position always indicated she sought my attention on her quim, so I dutifully moved my hand down the hem of her shorts and let my fingers creep down her abdomen until I felt silky-soft pubes. I momentarily stroked her pubic hair, making Amy moan in anticipation of the further advances of my fingers. Not wishing to disappoint, I continued south and felt the familiar soft, round flesh of her quim, already moist. I was still kneeling on the floor and Amy encouraged me to move by her side on the settee. So I did, and was immediately rewarded for this as her hand headed straight for my shorts, shot inside them and started to fondle my manhood. She was 'wearing' one of her mischievous expressions; eyes sparkling with a cute grin. "Can we get our clothes off? I want to feel YOU, not material." She purred. I stopped stroking her quim and pushed the hem of her shorts down. Amy raised her bum off the settee to aid me, and then bent her legs to further aid the swift removal of them. I then raised the hem of her nightie and again, Amy aided me in removing the offending item. I spent a few seconds admiring her nude form, something I never tire of doing. "Well?" she said, still wearing that mischievous face. She was referring to the fact that I was still clothed. "Well, your call, girl!" So Amy reciprocated and lowered my shorts, giggling as the elastic momentarily caught on my erect cock, making it spring against my abdomen when it broke free. Shorts off then my T-shirt, and we were now both gloriously nude, and embraced, enjoying the feeling of flesh on flesh. I resumed working her quim and Amy resumed stroking my cock. We kissed, gently but passionately and I was pleased that Amy, like me, seemed to be in no rush to hurry proceedings. We both alternated between playing with each other's junk and caressing bodies. Amy's moans, murmurs and sighs increased in volume and her breathing became faster and deeper, indicating increased arousal. She grabbed my hand and removed it from her quim, broke away from kissing me and then gave me such a beautiful smile, her dreamy eyes staring right into mine. "Make love to me, very slowly." She raised her leg and pushed her hips forward, then guided my cock in her well-lubricated fanny. We lay side-by side, and as she had requested, I stroked in and out of her very slowly and kissed her, caressing her boobs whilst she caressed my back. It was beautiful, unrushed love making and I felt so close to her that night. I felt her fingers clench into the flesh on my back and sensed she was near to her first orgasm, but I still continued to pump in and out of her slowly. Amy had a way of making me know if she wanted to increase speed, but I wasn't picking up this signal. I think she too wanted our love making to last as long as possible. Still she grabbed at my flesh and pulled me tighter towards her and much as I didn't want to, I came first, shooting spunk hard into her quim. I groaned with the pleasure and sensation I felt in my cock and bollocks and the surge of spunk hitting Amy's cervix seemed to spur her on too, as her hand suddenly moved down from my back down to my bum, and she pulled me tight towards her quim, grabbing my bum cheek hard. I thrust harder into her but still maintained that nice slow rhythm, and seconds later I was rewarded with her gasping and moaning loudly, accompanied by her body shuddering as her own orgasm erupted. It wasn't one of her most powerful orgasms, but that didn't matter. That night, we had made love slowly and passionately, both enjoying the very special closeness the Lakes and the Log cabin seemed to evoke. We stayed locked together, my softening cock remaining in her quim as Amy had closed her legs, trapping me there; but I was in no rush to pull away from her anyway and just willingly explored her body with my hands and kissed her face, whispering repeatedly to her how beautiful, gorgeous and sexy she was. I don't know how long we remained locked together; I lost track of time, but Amy broke the spell announcing with a giggle that she needed to pee. Her needing to pee made me realise I needed to pee too, so as she came out the bathroom, I headed in. Surprisingly, Amy followed me back in too, telling me she wanted to watch. I'd seen her pee plenty of times; she often peed as I shaved and seemed totally at ease to do so, so I thought 'what the hell'; it would hardly be fair of me to be prudish. She watched, fascinated, with the big-eyed look of a kid seeing something interesting for the first time, then she giggled as I shook my cock to persuade the last few drops out. I turned to leave the bathroom, but before I could leave, Amy put her arms round my neck, kissed and hugged me and asked me to make love to her again. I really didn't need to think about this request... The next morning I awoke to find myself alone in the bed. I didn't worry this time like I would have done months before. I knew Amy wouldn't have 'done a runner'; she was beyond that sort of thing now. The previous evening, we had indeed made love for a second time, a little more vigorously than the first time, had then showered and elected to go to bed rather than sleep in the living room as the fire had all but gone out. The pull of the ultimate comfort of the bed seemed more enticing, no matter how romantic sleeping on the rug was. Familiar sounds coming from the kitchen indicated to me that my delightful lover was making breakfast and that made me smile. I never asked her to do anything for me, but she seemed happy to do her share of domestic chores whenever we were together. I pulled some shorts on, not knowing whether or not Amy had the blinds open and headed out of the bedroom and into the kitchen to see her. Sure enough, Amy had the patio doors open and a gentle breeze of fresh, Lakes air met my nostrils. It was a beautiful morning and the sun was out. Amy turned as she heard me and gave me one of her beautiful smiles that always melted my heart instantly. "Mornin' Duncs!" was her bright and chirpy greeting. "Mornin' gorgeous!" I said, as I moved towards her and embraced her from behind, looking over her shoulder. "Wow, I get to make love to the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life, TWICE in one evening, then wake up the following morning to find she's making me breakfast too; what more could a man ask for!" She turned to face me and kissed me. "I like doing things for you Duncs; you've done plenty for me," she beamed, "now let me finish making breakfast!" I did as I was told and sat down at the breakfast bar, enjoying that favourite pastime of mine watching Amy at work. She was wearing just her nightie, bare footed and her hair was still tousled; now that looks sexy. Minutes later I was presented with a plate of bacon, scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, served with juice and fresh coffee. It was delicious and a great way to start the day. "So, what ya gonna do with me today Duncs?" "I'm simply going to keep you in this cabin, ravish you and make love to you all day my little sweetheart!" "Oh, OK then, but can we fit in a little walk too?" And do you know, had I been serious, she was such a lovely lass she would have quite happily gone along with this plan, even though I knew she really wanted to explore the Lakes. Had I really wanted to ravish her all day (and been capable of such a feat!), she would have gone along with it without argument. "Nah, I'm kidding lass. I'm going to take you to Ullswater. We're going to go for a trip on the steamer from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding at the other end of the lake and then walk back to Pooley Bridge. "Cool, sounds good to me Duncs." This is another thing I loved about her. Total enthusiasm, no questioning my choice, total trust in my ideas and no negativity. She had never apparently been disappointed with anything I'd chosen to do on our behalf and always seemed content to let me make up the itinerary. Regarding my choice of Ullswater; most people who have a little knowledge of the Lakes tend to think of Lake Windermere as 'The Lake' to visit in Cumbria, and although it is indeed lovely there, it is far too touristy for my liking, especially April onwards through to autumn. Ullswater has an understated beauty all of its own, offering magnificent views and scenery; but it is more off the beaten track than Windermere and therefore not so busy and more popular with the 'serious', hardcore visitors. "Of course Amy, if there's anything else you'd rather do, please speak up. I know you've studied maps and guide books of the area," I offered, not wanting her to think she had no say in what we did. "Duncs, this is your second home; you know the Lakes very well and I don't at all. I'm happy to do whatever you choose to do; I'm just grateful to be here and be with you." "OK, nice one Amy, but..." "Shhh, no buts; you've chosen and I'm happy with that choice; go and get dressed whilst I wash-up!" "Yes ma'am!" I said is a subservient way. That made her giggle; that lovely, infectious giggle. So I got shaved, washed and dressed and just as I'd finished, Amy came into the bedroom to get dressed too. I couldn't resist giving her a cuddle and fondling her gorgeous body before leaving her alone. "Wear shorts sweety; it's going to be warm I think, but we'll pack extra clothes into the rucksack just in case. D'ya want a picnic lunch or to eat out in a cafe?" "Picnic silly; far more fun!" So as Amy got dressed I prepared a packed lunch and sorted out the rucksack. Amy joined me ten minutes later in T-shirt, shorts, thick woolly socks and beautifully brushed hair pulled back into a single ponytail, looking ever so gorgeous. She wandered off to get Jess' walking boots and my eyes followed her, admiring her beautifully shaped bum moving seductively within her tight shorts; I made a mental note to make sure she was always in front of me when the footpath dictated single-file walking... Fifteen minutes later and we were in the car, heading for Pooley Bridge. Arriving, I parked up and Amy was clearly excited with the prospect of yet another adventure. "Now, we can tackle this two ways; either catch the next steamer and then walk back, or walk first and catch the steamer back to here; your choice." I said this, knowing that the response could be anything from a 'whatever' to a well-reasoned reply. On this occasion, it was the latter. "We should do the walk first, then, if one or both of us feels tired, we can enjoy relaxing on the steamer on the way back." "Good thinking lass; we'll do just that then." I picked up a timetable for the steamers, so that we had an idea of timings for our return trip. The walk from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding is approximately seven miles, which at the rate Amy and I walked would see us comfortably in Glenridding for lunchtime. I thought we'd have a leisurely picnic by the waterside, spend some time in Glenridding then get a mid-afternoon steamer back to Pooley Bridge. During the hike we saw very few people and so felt Ulswater was 'ours' for the day. It was tranquil and beautiful; we held hands and chatted, taking-in the scenery as we progressed. Where we could, we stayed side-by-side but sure enough, on cue Amy went ahead of me when the path narrowed and dictated single-file walking. At one point I somehow found myself in front of her on a narrow stretch and so encouraged her to take the lead. She giggled and gave me a knowing look; she knew full well my ulterior motive and that I was staring at her bum, because she deliberately wiggled it for my added pleasure. That simply encouraged me to catch her up and fondle her bum, making her squeal and giggle all the more. We stopped several times to take in the beautiful and stunning views, content to say little to each other but simply enjoy and embrace. Of course, these impromptu stops also encouraged cuddles and kisses too, adding to the pleasure of the walk. We arrived at Glenridding around one o clock, and found a delightful picnic bench near the edge of the lake. Our picnic finished we then took a leisurely stroll around the village of Glenridding, browsing in a couple of gift shops; Amy spotted a little trinket that she then bought for Jess. That done all we had to do was kill time near to the jetty to wait for the next steamer. The trip on the steamer was very pleasant and a leisurely way to kill another hour and simply enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains and Amy absolutely loved it. I was taking some photos of Amy on the steamer when an elderly gent spotted me doing so. The friendly old bloke offered to take a photo of 'you and your daughter' using my camera, causing Amy to burst into a fit of giggles; I didn't have the heart to correct the old timer! Back at Pooley Bridge for around half past four, we decided to head back to the cabin. However, on arriving back at the cabin, Amy was still full of energy so we chose to walk alongside Bassenthwaite Lake. Only this time it wasn't a serious walk; we messed around far more, just strolling along, chasing each other (well not that I had a chance of catching her!), played at skimming pebbles across the water, all interspersed with much cuddling and kissing. We finally got back to the cabin as dusk fell; tired but deliriously happy. Boots off and now inside the cabin, we crashed for a little while on the settee and simply cuddled. "C'mon Duncs, let's shower before we make tea." "Together?" "Well of course silly!" We undressed each other, got in the shower and enjoyed making sure each others junk was thoroughly clean. At one point, Amy crouched down and cleaned my cock in her own special way, so I just had to reciprocate and lick her quim clean too. All I can say is it's a good job the log cabin is fitted with an instantaneous combi-boiler that can provide endless hot water... Thoroughly clean and now even more relaxed, we both simply threw on T-shirts and shorts and then headed to the kitchen to get something to eat. Neither of us could be bothered to prepare a proper meal, so we simply threw a pizza in the oven and Amy prepared a simple mixed salad to go with it. As the pizza baked, a song came on the stereo that made us look at each other, smile and spontaneously stand up and smooch. It was Omar and 'There's nothing like this'; the song we had listened and danced to in the motel that very first week. The song was poignant that first week but even more so now. As we smooched, Amy had her arms draped around my neck, head slightly back, looking at me with those beautiful, dreamy, sparkling, wide-open brown eyes and for some strange reason and for the briefest moment, I had a horrible flash back to that first night when I'd seen her eyes so lifeless and lacking in expression; something I truly hoped I would never see again. She smiled at me too and right there and then I so desperately wanted to tell her I loved her, but I couldn't; I felt it would spoil things, possibly confuse her. We hadn't discussed 'love' at all. "Are you happy Amy; I mean, truly happy with your life now, happy with 'us', and everything else?" "I'm very happy Duncs. More than happy. I'm content; I have a life now and a future. But I'm not sure you mean just that, eh? What d'ya mean exactly by the 'us' part?" "Well, where do you see 'us' heading? Staying just as we are as close companions and lovers? Or d'ya want more in the future; you know, hope to settle down with me or perhaps even someone else?" "Look Duncs, I know your situation with Jane. I also know just how much you love your family. After all, I'm even part of your family now and I'd NEVER want to harm that bond you have or split you away from them. I'm happy just with the way things are, but if you ever wanted to try again with Jane and back away from me as my lover and just be a close friend, I would understand, honestly I would. As for settling down, well, if you were single I would gladly settle down with you, but not anyone else; I wouldn't have the confidence to go out with a bloke or be able to trust another like I trust you." "Well, OK poppet, it just seems that I'm getting the best of both worlds and you're not; on the one hand I have a family to go home to and on the other a beautiful girl to have as my companion and lover; where by your own admission, you seem to know and realise that our relationship can't ever progress to anything other than what it is already." "Duncs, it doesn't bother me, really, I'm content; I know it isn't to some people moral what we do, but your life at home has not changed in any way since you met me and therefore I don't feel guilty; nor I think do you either. Also, you tell me I make you happy and feel alive; I guess I have to believe you when you tell me that, so in some ways if you're happy, that's also better for your family too." "You've thought about this, haven't you?" "Yes, many times when I'm alone. I decided a long time ago that if, for whatever reason, we had to stop being lovers, that reluctantly I could cope with that." Then she paused, looking both thoughtful and slightly frightened. " ... but, I REALLY don't know what I'd do without your support and close friendship; that's something I value above anything else and truly don't want to contemplate losing. My friendship and bond with you and Jess is my world Duncs." "Amy, you'll only lose me as a lover if that was your choice or wish; so don't ever worry about that. And I, too, greatly value our close friendship above all else; us as lovers is simply a beautiful and incredible bonus to me. I just don't want you to ever think you're trapped forever in this somewhat strange relationship with me and my family. If you ever felt the desire to find a partner, I would understand and would still remain your very close friend and support you; I just want you to know that sweetheart." She looked at me intently, her eyes slightly moist now. "Who knows what will happen in the future; I don't even want to consider that. Right now, I'm happy and content and maybe you don't realise just how happy it makes me to hear you say how greatly you value our friendship." Then she kissed me, clasping the sides of my head in her hands. How long that would have continued I don't know, but the pinger on the oven rudely interrupted our very intense conversation and intimate closeness. On hearing it, Amy stopped kissing me and giggled. I chuckled with her too, but deep down I was somewhat relieved the pinger had gone off when it did; the conversation could have continued to a deeper level and resulted in one or both of us becoming melancholic. I decided that perhaps it wasn't wise to analyse our relationship any further, and made a mental note to only ever discuss it again if Amy raised the subject. So we ate pizza, salad and drank fresh orange juice. Amy sat across the table from me, eating but hardly taking her gaze off me; looking at me with a certain glint in her eye and giving me that mischievous smile that always made me so horny and cause my loins to stir. "Although I think I can read you pretty clearly young-un, penny for your thoughts anyway?" That question simply caused a fit of giggles from the insanely beautiful girl sitting opposite me. I smiled and shook my head, knowing she was scheming, but in a nice way. "Just wondering how to spend the rest of the evening Duncs." "Knowing you as I do, I suspect you already have a plan sweety." More giggles from her... We finished tea, then enjoyed a cup of fresh-brewed coffee and I then washed up whilst Amy retired to the living room area. She announced she was going to attempt to light the fire; she'd watched me do it, so no doubt she'd manage it I reasoned to myself. As I washed up, I glanced round a couple of times and saw her tending the fire and noted that it was already taking, so surmised she had indeed got it right. As I finished off cleaning up the kitchen and tidying away some things, I looked again towards the living room area and noticed it was almost dark; the only illumination being the glow of the fire. I couldn't see Amy, so guessed she was lying down on the settee. As I walked over, I anticipated cuddling up, caressing and making love to her. So imagine that as I walked around to the front of the settee, I was more than pleasantly surprised to see Amy stretched out on the settee without a stitch on, only wearing a broad smile. "Wow, now that's simply a beautiful sight lass." "Thought you'd be pleased Duncs. Take your clothes off and sit at the opposite end of the settee to me." She still had that glint in her eyes as she told me what to do; I was intrigued but gladly complied with her request. I had my clothes off in no time (well, shorts and a T-shirt?) and I sat at the opposite end of the settee, stretching out my legs, one each side of her. She raised her legs and rested them on me, her cute feet landing on my chest. She stared at me intently, still with that mischievous glint but I detected a hint of shyness too. I knew every one of Amy's facial expressions by now, and could read her non-verbal communications to about 99% accuracy. Now she was 'saying' to me 'I want to try something, but I'm a little unsure about it.' I took a foot in each hand and gently massaged the soles of her feet with my thumbs. I knew she loved this. For a few seconds she closed her eyes as she enjoyed the sensation of this simple act. Eventually I put her out of her agony, "I'm all yours sweetheart. I'm guessing there's something you want to try but you're not sure how to take the lead? We've certainly never sat like this before, not that I'm objecting; from where I'm sitting, the view is fantastic poppet." And it was. Her long, lithe legs were resting along my torso, her feet at the top of my chest and now in my hands; her beautiful plump quim directly in my line-of-sight, already with a hint of moisture glistening along its slit. Then those prominent hip bones and that firm, flat stomach leading up to firm, pert boobs, topped off with her insanely pretty face and acres of long blonde hair. Yep, she was perfection from my point-of-view. "Wellll..." she started to say, but then broke into a fit of giggles. This made me smile and then chuckle too. I loved that giggle, and her giggling AND being in the nude was a beautiful combination. "Well what young-un?" I said, trying to coax out of her what she wanted to do. I then found myself raising one of her feet to my mouth and sucking on her big toe. I'm not really a fetish person, but I so love her dainty, perfect feet. "Well, you know when we go on MSN when you're in a motel and I'm stuck at home?" "Err ... how can I forget sweety; we use MSN in a way never intended by Microsoft!" "Well, I want to do the same things we do via MSN, only now, with you opposite me, if that's not too weird for you to consider." "Weird? Sweety, there's no such thing as weird when it comes to sex; anything goes. What's considered weird or boundaries is only limited by the extent of your imagination or what you don't feel comfortable with. Mutual self-masturbation is something I consider exciting, whether via MSN or actually next to each other!" "Oh, um ... good, I thought you might think I'm weird wanting to do it next to you." "Not at all sweety; it adds to the spice of our love making." That said, I put her foot back in my mouth and continued to suck on her toes." A thought crossed my mind, "see, sucking on your toes may seem a bit weird to some, but I love it, and you seem to like it too." "Yeah, I do, but I don't know why!" We remained like this for minute or so; me sucking her toes and she looking intently at me. "So, are you going to start talking to me?" she purred. "Oh, you're waiting for me sweety; sorry, I thought you were taking the lead?" "Well, yes, I am sort of, but I need you to tell me what to do like you would on MSN; that's part of the enjoyment for me. I KNOW what to do, just I like you telling me where to place my hands. It's one of the things that turns me on." This was the first time Amy had used the term 'turns me on'. I certainly knew what things 'ticked boxes' for her and which buttons to press to float her boat, but she'd never used the term 'turns me on'. I was excited by this small revelation and new insight into her sexuality. So I began my instruction... "OK sweety, start by closing your eyes ... OK, now I want you to place one hand on each boob and gently knead and caress them." I watched as her slim, long fingers clasped her boobs and felt an instant tingling sensation course through my body at the sight of it. As she began to gently squeeze her boobs, her eyes remained closed but her lips parted a little and I saw her chest heave more as her breathing changed rate and depth. "OK sweety, feel nice?" "Mmmmm..." I took that to mean 'yes', "OK, now gently squeeze your nipples between your thumb and index finger, and alternate that by rubbing them too." Amy sighed as soon as she carried out this command, then gasped as she rubbed her nipples. At the same time, I alternated between massaging her feet as I spoke to her and sucking her toes when I wasn't. I let her play with her boobs for a couple of minutes. "OK Amy, move one hand down towards your fanny. OK, now gently run your middle finger up and down your slit. That's it, nice one! How's that feel sweety?" "Mmmmm... g ... good Duncs ." Amy pulled back one of her legs to give herself better access to her quim. It just so happened that her foot came to a stop against my cock. Just the light touch of that foot on my cock set another tingling sensation coursing through my body. It gave me an idea. "OK Amy, push that finger in a little deeper now. Explore your quim, but don't forget your boobs too." I was actually very gently rubbing one of her boobs with my foot, whilst she caressed and kneaded the other with her hand. Amy was now starting to thrash around a little and her head was slowly turning from side to side as her brain processed several delicious sensations simultaneously. Her foot was still resting on my cock, so I stopped sucking the toes on her other foot and lowered it down to my cock so that I had one of Amy's feet on each side on my shaft. My doing that moved her leg and gave Amy even better access to her quim and me an even better view of it. And now, I had the new, wonderful sensation of Amy's feet wresting against my hard-as-steel cock. Despite going off to some pleasure zone, Amy was in touch with reality enough to realise where her feet actually were, as she lightly pressed her feet against my cock. She briefly opened her eyes, looked down at my crotch, looked at me and smiled; then she closed her eyes again. "OK Amy, find your clit and gently rub it; get yourself nicely aroused poppet." She didn't answer but simply nodded her head. I watched as her finger sought out her clit and then rub it. I knew when she was on target because her hips rose up and simultaneously she gasped too. My sexy lover had changed up another gear towards her ultimate nirvana. I was getting very turned on myself by the visual and aural feast in front of me. I started to put my idea into practice. Grabbing her feet with my hands, I pressed them gently against my cock and moved them slowly up and down the shaft of my cock. Even though I was doing the work, it felt exquisite; so different to a 'normal' wank, because it was her feet I felt against my cock, not my hands. Amy again briefly looked down to see what I was doing and once again smiled at me, signalling her approval of my 'ingenuity'. "OK Amy, let's see you work that beautiful quim with both your hands now. I want you to slowly finger-fuck yourself with one hand and rub your clit with the other, OK?" "OK," she rasped. Amy was working herself into quite a frenzy by now; her hands both vigorously working away on her quim. My direct view was incredible with the added bonus of hearing her fanny squelch on each thrust of her fingers. I was totally mesmerised by the sight of Amy as a whole; head moving from side-to-side, hearing her moan, sigh and panting; her body was squirming and shuddering, pelvis rising and falling. It was a sexual symphony and ballet rolled into one; a complete visual and aural feast for my mind to process and enjoy. My own arousal was at its high point and I was near to orgasm; I simply wasn't going to last. "Amy, let me see you lick your fingers; you know how you love the taste of your own juices." She took her fingers out of her quim and raised them to her mouth, licking off the juice on each finger in turn. I badly wanted to taste her too, so leant forward and placed my own fingers into her gaping sex. This made her gasp as she wasn't expecting it. I finger fucked her myself for a few seconds and then Amy replaced my hand with her own; giving me the chance to lick her nectar off my own fingers. That done, I returned to pleasuring myself using her feet as an aid. Amy was in a total frenzy now, and miles away; the sight of her was too much, and I felt my bollocks swirling and knew I was about to shoot a load of spunk. "Amy, I'm coming sweety", I managed to blurt out, guessing she may want to look. She briefly slowed her own pace and watched as I shot spunk all over her feet and my stomach. She smiled at me, then closed her eyes and resumed frigging herself at a more frenetic pace. Now sated myself, I wanted to help Amy achieve her own nirvana, so started to suck on her toes again and gently played with one of her boobs with my foot. It wasn't easy; she was thrashing around quite a lot, and it was hard to maintain contact with her. "C'mon Amy, c'mon sweetheart, come for me poppet," I encouraged. "Lick your fingers again; taste yourself sweety." She did, several times, including reaching down to the foot I wasn't sucking to scoop up some of my spunk, which she then licked too. She started to swear, something she only did when near to orgasm. She rarely swore at all otherwise. "Oh fuck, fuck, FUCK..." was one of several guttural remarks she made. Then "I'm..." and that's all she managed to say before the lights went out for her. Her back arched, she raised her bum off the settee, her feet now resting on my chest, and I was staring right at her quim, three of her fingers stuffed up it as she exploded in to one of her power orgasms. She was moaning and grunting, her body stiff then quivering, legs trembling. It was an awesome sight. I couldn't sit back any longer and simply had to join in. I raised myself up into a kneeling position and grabbing her by the hips, I raised her crotch to my mouth, letting her legs flop over my shoulders. Amy instantly removed her hands from her quim, knowing what I was about to do. I sank my mouth on her saturated fanny and pushed my tongue straight onto her clit. This brought on a fresh round of moans, grunts and a couple more statements of "oh fuck, FUCK," as I licked and nibbled her in quick succession to a second orgasm. "Please ... stop ... too ... much..." she finally said, rasping for breath. I released her quim from my mouth, gently lowered her down then scooped her into my arms and embraced her, stroking her head, kissing her, letting her come back down to earth in her own time. We stayed like that for quite a while, not a word said, simply locked together as one. I noted the fire was dying out, so reluctantly got up to throw on a couple more logs. When I turned round to face the settee, Amy was once again stretched out on it, grinning at me, eyes sparkling with life. She patted the edge of the settee, indicating she wanted me back there, as if I needed encouraging! "That was unreal Duncs... hey, you got spunk on my feet! Now, please, make love to me!" "My pleasure poppet," and it was, a nice long, sensual and slow session, just like the night before. We then showered and hit the sack, falling to sleep 'spooned' together. The next morning, I woke up first was pleased to note the sleeping form of Amy still next to me. As much as I loved her making me breakfast, it was far nicer to be able to gently wake her up with my caresses. So I explored every inch of her body with my hands, revelling in the feel of her firm, smooth skin, tracing the curves of her hips and the ripples of her ribs and spine. Soon I heard her murmuring and sighing in response to my touch. Next, I felt a hand reach out for my cock, signifying an Amy fully-awake and ready to play. She turned round to face me, bleary eyed, tousled hair but beaming. "Mornin' old man; want something d'ya?" "Mornin' young-un; yeah, YOU!" "OK, but I need to pee first!" That's what I love about her; direct, straight to the point! She bounded out of the bed and for a couple of seconds I was treated to the rear end of a departing Amy as she headed for the toilet. I heard her peeing and actually felt excited by it. Then she came back in the room and this time I was treated to the front view of her; sweet. She got to the side of the bed and pulled back the duvet, revealing me in all my nude glory, cock standing to attention. She got on the bed and straddled my chest, head cocked to one side, grinning at me. She said nothing; she was leaving the choice of how we should proceed up to me. Knowing that she really loved me going down on her, I clasped her bum with my hands and drew her towards my mouth. I hadn't even touched her fanny yet but she was already sighing in anticipation. And so we made love again, then cuddled, chatted and cuddled some more. Mid-morning, we showered together and enjoyed more fun. Then a late breakfast and sadly, it was time to pack up and leave the cabin for the final time that weekend. We packed the car and were ready to depart, but instead of getting in, Amy walked down to the lakeside. I followed her, and embraced her from behind. She leant back against me. She was shaking slightly and I knew she was crying. "It's been magical spending the last few days with you poppet," I began, "don't be sad sweety; we'll return, I promise." She spun round and hugged me; tightly. And I mean so tight it almost hurt. "I don't want to go Duncs," she blurted out, "I love it here, just you and me; I can forget everything when I'm here." I stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. I agreed with her sentiment entirely, but reality had reared its ugly head and go we must. "C'mon sweetheart, don't be maudlin on me; I'm taking you to one more place then we'll drive back home. She looked up at me with moist eyes, tears on her cheeks, but at least she was smiling again. "I must seem like a really silly, emotional kid to you sometimes eh?" "Emotional yes, but certainly not silly or like a kid. Nothing wrong with emotions poppet; it touches me that you open up to me like this and don't' bottle-up your feelings." She drew my head down to hers and kissed me full on the lips. "Thank you Duncs." "For what sweety?" "For just being you." I kissed her back then led her back to the car. She took one last, longing look at the log cabin, then scanned the surrounding scenery and then with obvious reluctance, got into the car. I must confess I felt the same, but did my best not to show it. I decided to take her to Brockhole. This is a lovely old country house with extensive gardens, full of rhododendrons and other delightful flora. It was very tranquil and quiet; we almost had the place to ourselves. As I suspected, Amy loved wandering among the gardens, and we quite happily sauntered along, hand-in-hand, with us stealing the occasional kisses off each other. Mid-afternoon, and we found ourselves heading for the car park; our time was up once again in the tranquil and delightful Lake District. Before I pulled away from the car park, I leant over and kissed Amy, stroked her cheek and then set off. I tried not to look at her until we were well away from the Lakes. I felt emotional and I knew she was very emotional; gazing at her would have made it worse. We were on the A66, and heading back to 'reality'. Amy and I had not said a word up until that point. She reached for the radio controls and selected 'Radio 1'; an unusual choice for her. Next, she reached down to her feet, took off her trainers and socks and placed her feet on the dash, only this time I had bare legs to admire too, as she was wearing shorts. She turned to look at me, beaming and the sparkle was back in her eyes. "I'm OK now Duncs; ready to face the world again." "Nice one Amy; you do know I appreciate why you were sad; it gets to me too poppet." "You will stop at Westwood before you take me back to Rose's house, won't you?" "Already thought of it young-un." She grinned at me and placed a hand on my thigh. Back to reality indeed, but at least I had this wonderful eight stone package of beauty, intelligence and fun to make it far more bearable. ------- Chapter 24 'Amy turns 18! – Yay!' October, 2010 Since returning from that wonderful time in the lakes, Amy pretty much continued to settle into her new life very well. There had been no major problems and only a couple of occasions where I had to step in to help her overcome a couple of 'dark periods'. Sadly though, over the last few months since the Lakes, the opportunity to be together in a truly intimate way such as our time enjoyed in the log cabin had been few and far between. We had to make do with whatever precious moments to snatch some time together came our way and make the most of it. One occasion that did cause Amy some concern was our looming annual family two-week holiday in August. Amy got quite anxious during the last couple of weeks leading up to this, and I had to tread carefully with her. We would be a long way from home too, as we were going to Florida. However, Fred and Rose stepped in and saved the day (they are truly wonderful people!). Fred not only booked his holidays to coincide with mine, but they also offered to take Amy on holiday with them. There was lot of discussion between all parties over this matter; mainly because Amy felt very guilty at the thought of intruding on Fred and Rose's holiday, but they insisted and she eventually relented. It couldn't have turned out better in the end. We went to Florida and had an absolute blast (Jess and Dan said I was the 'biggest kid' most of the time... ) and Amy had a wonderful holiday in Cornwall, a part of the UK much loved by Fred and Rose. We were also in regular contact, as our apartment in Florida and the hotel that Amy stayed in both had free WIFI. Decorum was observed by Amy and me, and we naturally restrained ourselves from our usual use of MSN! That said I didn't get much of a look-in as far as contact with Amy was concerned, because she spent most of the time online with Jess. But it was all wonderful both sides 'of the pond' and most importantly, Amy was happy, had a good time and wasn't anxious. When we all returned, we invited Fred, Rose and Amy over to our house for lunch and swapped holiday stories and looking at photos. I particularly liked the photos of Amy on the beach in her VERY skimpy bikini... Early September saw Jess turn 14. Teenagers 'don't do' traditional birthday parties any more and certainly don't want one at home; they always have to be 'themed'. For hers, Jess chose ice skating, followed by bowling then a meal at 'Frankie and Benny's'. Naturally, Amy was her top guest, along with Alicia and Hannah then several other close friends from school. So Jane and I packed eight giggling and exuberant girls into our cars and drove to the first venue. I had Amy, Jess, Alicia and Hannah with me and Jane the other four girls. The noise in my car was deafening, but I loved it; four beautiful teen girls who are all close to each other is a wonderful experience for a middle aged man to witness and if that sounds perverted, I make no apologies; whether a girl is 14 or 18, she's an object of beauty to be admired and youthful exuberance something to be enjoyed. We delivered the girls to the ice arena and Jane shot off to busy herself with some shopping and other chores whilst I stayed at the ice arena in case of any emergencies. The girls really enjoyed themselves; from a discreet distance, I watched them ice skating and wasn't surprised to see Amy pick up the basics in no time. Her lithe, muscular legs and agility coming into play once again. Jess and her mates had been several times before, so could already skate. I watched Jess coach Amy, and the bond between them was so apparent. The thing that made me smile the most though was the giggles, squeals and howls of laughter between all of them. Jess' other friends had clearly taken to Amy too and I just loved to see this happy bunch of exuberant girls enjoying each others company; especially Amy, who for that evening, also became a '14-year-old' too. We then ferried them to the bowling alley, where once again Jess and the others taught Amy what to do. Again, the camaraderie was very much in evidence, along with the constant laughter. This simply had to be great therapy for Amy I thought to myself. Jane and I sat well away from the action, in a corner of the adjoining bar, not wishing to cramp Jess' style. At one point, Amy went to the toilet then briefly came over to see us, beaming, eyes sparkling. "Having a good time, girl?" I asked. "You bet Duncs! Jess' other friends are lovely too; I feel like I've known all of them for years." "Yeah, we did hear you giggle one or twice. Go on, go back to them and have more fun. The old-farts will be OK without you!" Amy giggled at my self-deprecating reference to Jane and me and then she returned to the group. I sorely wanted to pat her pert bum as she turned to walk away, but didn't think that would be very tactful or wise with Jane sitting next to me. Bowling finished, we then took the girls to Frankie and Benny's. It was a pre-arranged party, and a long table had been set up for Jess and her friends in the middle of the restaurant. Jane and I took a table in the far corner, again not wanting to intrude on Jess's 'space'. The place was pretty full, but I noted with some amusement that most of the noise was coming from the birthday girls' table. Frankie and Benny's did their usual for the birthday girl and played 'Congratulations' as they brought out the birthday cake. I allowed myself to intrude for that moment to take some photos of the girls. I got various spontaneous poses off them, so clearly none of them objected. Then Jess stood up, came over to me and gave me a cuddle, thanking me for the party. I thought it both cute and lovely of her that she wasn't afraid to show affection and gratitude towards her 'old man' in front of her friends. I hear so many tales of woe from other parents regarding how their offspring treat them like lepers; it makes me glad that my kids don't seem to be afflicted by this 'condition'. Amy caught my gaze too and she was beaming at me; her face was an absolute picture of happiness and contentment and I 'read' a look of thanks in her eyes too (does that make sense?). I knew all her facial expressions so well by now, and it was as if she were telling me 'I'm glad to be here, I'm loving it, I'm so happy and it's all down to you'. I smiled back at her and slowly nodded my head, confirming to her I'd read her thoughts. It was time to leave, and this time Jess went in Jane's car to sit with her other friends, leaving Amy, Alicia, Hannah and Beth in my car. It made no difference to the noise level. Amy knew Alicia and Hannah very well from sleepovers anyway, and she seemed equally relaxed with her new-found friend Beth too. We all arrived back at our house, and the partying continued well into the small hours. One 17-year-old and seven 14-year-old teenage girls, exuberant and intoxicated on fun and laughter adds-up to a lot of noise in one house. Dan had wisely decided to go to a mate's house that night; Jane and I had no choice. I went into the conservatory, the furthest point in the house I could go to get away from the mêlée in the main part of the house, switched on the radio and surfed the 'net. An hour or so later, aware somebody was present, I looked up and was pleased to see Amy standing over me, smiling, eyes sparkling, still a picture of happiness. "Hey 'old-fart', wondered where you were hiding; you OK?" "I'm fine young-un; you OK?" "Absolutely! Jess has such lovely friends; I've never been to a birthday party before and they all made me feel a part of their group." "You don't say; I'd would never have guessed you were enjoying yourself..." She giggled. "I'd love a cuddle Duncs, but I know it's not really possible." I stood up and embraced her and kissed her on the mouth. It wasn't too risky; the other girls were making so much noise we'd certainly know if they were heading towards the conservatory. "I loved watching you having fun and being happy ya know; I'm so glad you and Jess are so close and almost like sisters." "I love her to bits Duncs; she IS like a sister to me." "Well, go back to her then lass; tonight your place is with her, not me, though I do appreciate you coming to see me. Oh, and don't forget, you're the birthday girl in four weeks time; then you'll be free, an adult!" "I've been free for almost a year thanks to you." "Yeah, but you'll be totally free sweety; you'll be a person that exists as a number, who can go to college, can apply for a passport, can receive a salary, have a bank account, legally free from your past." "Yep, I know what you meant Duncs, but YOU set me free from my crap existence last October and I'll never, ever forget that." Her eyes were moist, but she was smiling. She clasped my cheeks in her hands, gave me the sweetest kiss then turned to leave. I patted her bum and as always, the result of that action was the same: she squealed and giggled. The noise finally died down at around two in the morning and I suspect the girls went to sleep through sheer exhaustion. The next day, eight girls made their way down to the kitchen for breakfast; all bleary eyed, all with tousled hair, some wearing pyjamas, others sporting cartoon character nighties. Jane and I were already in the kitchen. "OK girls, who wants what for breakfast!" I said in a loud, cheery voice, rubbing my hands together. "Daa-er-add; pleeeese, not so loud," groaned Jess. "Oh, sorry girls; tired are we?" I said, chuckling. They clearly were, but still smiling. In the end, all the girls settled on a choice of juice, tea and bacon sandwiches. Early afternoon and parents came to collect their offspring and that left just Amy. She was staying another night to have time with Jess, as they hadn't seen each other much and with it being Sunday, I could take her straight to the office with me the following Monday morning. It had been a very successful birthday party for Jess and a lovely time for Amy; another box ticked for a positive experience in her life, and another nail in the coffin against her traumatic past. Amy's birthday was approaching rapidly and we wanted to arrange something special for her. We agonised over what to do. Should it be themed or sophisticated or even something formal; it was a tough choice for somebody that had never had any sort of birthday party before and who could still be painfully shy. I was concerned that if we did something too special, it may backfire on us if Amy felt out of her comfort zone. Amy had come on in leaps and bounds in so many ways in just less than a year, but there were still times when something could shock her or have a negative impact on her. It was Jess that eventually came up with the best idea. She suggested having a good old-fashioned birthday party at our house, inviting people that Amy was close to or knew very well. That way, she was in familiar, private surroundings and would have no strangers to contend with. We agreed as a family that Jess' idea was best, so I ran it past Fred and Rose, and they agreed too. We decided to invite Dave and his family (Amy having met his kids and wife a couple of times), Zoe (who was by now a very good friend of Amy's) and Zoe's boyfriend, Fred and Rose (of course!) Jess invited her best friends and Dan invited Alex, his best mate and who also knew Amy. Finally, we also invited her main office mentor, Rich and his wife. We managed to keep it a secret from Amy. Even Jess, who couldn't keep quiet to save her life, managed to refrain from blurting it out to her; now that DID surprise me! The official story Fred and Rose presented to Amy was that they were taking her out to a restaurant for her birthday and then they were dropping her off at our house for a sleepover with Jess. Amy's birthday fell on the first Saturday of October, so Friday in the office was going to be her 'unofficial' birthday. On Thursday evening, we decked out the communal office with banners and balloons, plus we hung a huge banner on the main entrance to the premises. There was a massive card signed by all of us and Zoe had arranged a collection, the amount raised was quite staggering; Amy had clearly touched the hearts of everyone in the company. There were also personal gifts too, so Amy's desk was pretty full. Most of us got in early on Friday morning, so that we could be there to greet her. The window behind my desk looks out onto the entrance, so I was able to see when Amy arrived. I saw her approach the gate and look at the banner. Even from some distance, I could see she was surprised and pleased. "Everyone, she's coming!" I said, like an excited school kid. Amy walked in and her jaw dropped as she saw the decorated office. We all burst into the 'happy birthday' song and then clapped her. Amy looked pleased, shocked and bewildered all at the same time. "I ... I ... I don't know what to say guys," she blurted out, then started crying. Even after a year of leading her new life, it was still so easy to overwhelm this charming, unassuming girl with surprises that others would take in their stride. I walked over to her and gave her a hug. I didn't care; by now it was no real secret to anyone that knew us that we were more than just close friends. Besides, the onion cutter was back again, because everyone in the office at that time seemed to have moist eyes too... I guided Amy over to her desk, where she saw the pile of presents and the huge card. She had regained her composure by now. She opened the card and took a moment to read all the comments; some loving, some cheeky, one or two mildly rude but in a nice way. She smiled as she read it. Then she saw the cheque for the money raised during the collection and her jaw dropped once more. "Guys, you're all so kind. Thank you all for the card and the money; I'm so grateful, really." She beamed this time, no tears. Tim, the office joker, this time took things seriously "Three cheers for Amy! Hip, HIP!" And of course we all responded 'hooray', repeated twice; then we clapped again. Later in the morning, Amy and I had to visit the electrical fab shop, and by necessity, we had to walk though the main factory to get to it. As we did, she received good-natured wolf whistles, cheers and calls from the lads. Amy smiled at them, waved and shouted out "thanks guys!" above the noise of the machinery. She got the same response in the electrical fab shop too. Chris approached her, arms outstretched, but he didn't grab her allowing Amy to decide her response; tactful, I thought. Amy gladly accepted the embrace which made me smile. If Amy had any doubts about her acceptance by all in the company, they would have been firmly squashed that day. At lunchtime, all the office staff took the pre-birthday girl out for lunch at the local pub. It was pre-arranged by Dave and paid for by the company; even I didn't know about that part. The pub had laid-on a buffet style lunch with a great selection of food. Again, Amy was overwhelmed and there were more moist eyes in the room. Several hugs and kisses were given out to. Even Karen managed to smile at Amy and say something pleasant to her and damn it, I didn't get a photo of that for posterity! We're a pretty close bunch in the office, but I think it's fair to say that day brought us all a little closer. The effect of my 'runaway', my Amy, has that power over people, but she doesn't even realise it... Dave proposed a toast to Amy which again raised more cheers and applause. Dave also announced to all that Amy would be officially joining the company in fulltime employment the following Monday, if she so wished; her perpetual 'one week' trial now finally coming to an end. "I'll think about it Dave," said Amy, totally straight faced. This brought howls of laughter from all. "Thank you for your consideration ma'am," said Dave in response, with equally dead pan delivery, also met with more laughter by all. Amy them tapped a table, hushing everybody. "I wish to propose a toast too," she started. You could have heard a pin drop in the room. "My toast is to Duncs; without whom, I certainly wouldn't be having this party and I'd still be walking the streets, or may be even dead by now. Duncs, I'll never, ever forget what you've done for me; YOU, in the first instance, made all this possible, so thank you." There were calls of "hear hear" and "to Duncs" and it was my time to feel a little embarrassed and overwhelmed. I addressed her back, "Amy, you had to make it happen too sweetheart, I just guided you, but thank you." I raised my glass to her and smiled. She silently mouthed 'thank you' back at me, but she didn't need to; her look alone told me everything. Back in the office that afternoon, well, little work was done; Amy spending much of her time talking to colleagues. I spent some time with Dave, discussing various projects, and of course, Amy. He told me that Amy was already effectively employed full-time by the company as 'Pervy Pete' had already set her up on the payroll in September, the risk of doing this a month before her 18th birthday being minimal to Amy personally; the chance of her mother 'finding' her in that time frame would be infinitesimal. All Amy had to do to make things formal was sign her contract of employment, but that could wait till the following Monday. Saturday morning, and I was up early, so was Jess; followed fairly soon after by Jane and Dan. There was a general air of excitement in our household. Everyone was genuinely looking forward to Amy's 18th birthday, including Jane, which really pleased me. At half past seven, Jess couldn't contain herself any more and phoned her 'sister'. Amy must have answered, because Jess broke into 'Happy Birthday to you..." in her sweetest singing voice; followed by giggles and laughter. I stood by Jess' side and shouted down her phone "happy birthday sweetheart!" Jess said back to me "Amy says 'thanks Duncs'." We spent the whole morning preparing for the party. Of course, there were plenty of banners and balloons, some banners home-made by Jess, Hannah and Alicia. I rearranged the furniture in the living room to make a huge space. We also brought the electric piano down from the study and into the living room too for a bit of 'live music'. For food, we decided to go traditional rather than sophisticated. Plenty of 'finger foods', sandwiches, mini pizzas, jellies, little cakes etc. I knew from past conversations with Amy that she'd never had or been to a birthday party, so although it was her 18th, we wanted to try and give her a taste (quite literally!) of something she'd missed out on during her childhood. Early afternoon, people arrived. Tracy, then Dave and family, Zoe and her boyfriend, then Rich and his wife, followed by Jess's other friends and finally Dan's friend Alex. Hannah and Alicia had already turned-up midmorning to help, which was nice of the girls. So we were all gathered, ready, awaiting Fred, Rose and the birthday girl. Around half past one, a car pulled into our drive; it was Fred's. We all gathered in the living room, me sitting at the piano, primed to all sing 'happy birthday' as soon as Amy entered. Jess went to greet Fred, Rose and Amy. The porch door opened and Fred and Rose walked in. We all grinned at them. Fred was wearing a suit(!) and Rose looked lovely in a smart frock. Jess had deliberately kept Amy back, probably by talking to her. We wanted Amy to enter the living room last. Jess then walked in and quickly ran over to take her place with the rest of us. Then Amy walked in and faced us. I started playing 'happy birthday' on the piano and everybody started singing and LOUDLY! Amy's face was an absolute picture. Her jaw dropped, then she placed both hands on her mouth in shock and amazement and all caught on video by Jane. Then she smiled, no, she positively beamed at us; eyes moist again with emotion, but clearly elated at the surprise we'd thrown for her. "Wow, are you guys going to surprise me any more?" Amy looked absolutely stunning; she wore the dress she'd bought on that very first shopping trip I'd taken her and Jess on. I actually got very emotional when I saw her, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Jane, but to be fair to her she simply said "She looks beautiful and absolutely stunning; you're very proud of her, aren't you Duncan?" "Yes, yes I am Jane; she's come on such a long way in just one year." "So go and give her a hug then, silly!" So, given official permission to hug Amy, I walked over to her and embraced the birthday girl. I whispered "Amy, you look so beautiful lass; really, really beautiful. Happy birthday sweety; many happy returns!" "Duncs, thanks again for all this. Will I ever stop thanking you?" "Ah, well, thank your sister for the party; it was her idea." Amy headed over to Jess, giving her a hug and thanking her, then spent the next five minutes hugging everyone else. There was a lot of love in the air in our living room during that time. We wasted no time getting the party started. We played party music, and told people to eat whenever they felt like it; we wanted no formality whatsoever. It was a reasonable day weather-wise given that it was October, so some people spilled out onto the patio area too. The party food went down a treat, and I grilled burgers, sausages, mini-steaks and chicken on the barbecue to add to the party food. Whilst I was tending the barbecue, our neighbour beckoned me from the other side of the garden fence to come over. "We have a gift for Amy," he said, handing me a wrapped package. "How on earth did you know?" "Err, Jess said something to my wife." I smiled at Brian, shaking my head at the thought of Jess, who had probably told the entire village; "look thanks for this, but please, come over and grab some food and drink and give your gift to her in person." "Well, if you're sure ... thanks, we will!" Brian and his wife came over, and I introduced then to Amy, who had met them only once before. Brian handed Amy their gift, and she was genuinely surprised and grateful that people she hardly knew would do such a thing. I went back to the barbecue, to enjoy that 'primitive man act', you know, flames, raw meat etc. when Amy came over to see me. "Hey birthday girl, enjoying the party lass?" "It's fantastic Duncs, really great. Tell me it's not a dream again!" "Good, I'm pleased; and no, it ain't a dream girl. So, now you're 18, are you going to have a proper drink? There's wine, beers and cider if you want to try them?" "No Duncs, that's one thing I'm never going to do, I don't want to ever touch alcohol. Look what it did to my Mother." "Doesn't have to be that way sweetheart; in moderation, there's nothing wrong with a little alcohol." "Well, you don't drink." "My choice poppet. 'sides, most alcohol gives me a blinding headache, even just one glass of wine. Anyway, it's no biggie to me if you don't want to drink, just offering you the choice sweety." "Oh, and by the way, when were you going to tell me you played the piano, eh?" she said, smirking and changing the subject. "Well, a man's gotta keep a few secrets ya know!" "Anything else I should know about you?" "Ah, that's for me to know and you to find out lass," I said, tapping my nose with a finger. "Twat," she said smiling, "anyway, I'd better go and mingle with the others, seein's how they're here for my benefit. Thanks again Duncs." "My pleasure Amy." And the party progressed with much laughter and fun. After people had finished eating, we played some traditional games. 'Musical chairs' had to be the highlight, me on the piano whilst the teens played. Alicia won that, but the sight of Amy and Jess fighting over a chair was hilarious. We ended games by playing charades with varying degrees of success and finally, had a karaoke session with either me on the piano or using Jess' karaoke player. Jane brought out a huge cake she'd baked, complete with 18 candles. Amy blew them out and made the first cut, being prompted by me to make a wish as she did so. We then had a non-alcoholic champagne substitute and once everyone had a glass in hand, I proposed a toast to Amy. That's when her emotions got the better of her and the poor lass burst into tears. Jess went to her rescue though. With Jess standing by her side, arms across each others waists, Amy was once again smiling. "Thank you everyone, for everything you've done for me. I won't ever forget this day, my first-ever birthday party and I'd like to propose a toast to all of you!" That said, Amy raised her glass to everyone and we all cheered back. I must confess, I was crying a little myself by now. Nearly a year before this great day I would never have imagined I'd be celebrating Amy's 18th birthday. Back then I simply thought I was helping-out a homeless kid for a couple of days... Amy then sat down to open a mountain of gifts. Again she was overwhelmed at the generosity shown by all. I was particularly intrigued by one of the presents that Dave handed to her. "Aims, this is a gift from the company." Dave said. "Wow, thanks Dave," said Aims taking it from him. She opened it and there was a box containing several envelopes. The first one contained her contract of employment to sign. The second contained a passport application form, complete with a cheque made out for the passport fee and five one pound coins to use in a photo booth for her passport photos. The third envelope contained a driver license application form, again with a cheque to cover the cost. The fourth envelope had a letter in it, on official company paper signed by Dave and one other director. The letter explained that the company would meet all her college fees, the only stipulation being that she should give a minimum of two years service after graduating. The final envelope was the one that really made Amy's jaw drop. It contained her first pay slip, for September, along with a cheque as she didn't yet have a bank account to pay her salary by bank transfer. I watched as Amy scanned the pay slip and then looked at the amount on the cheque. Her expression was priceless. Salary hadn't been discussed with her; after all, she was simply happy to be working and up until then she'd been receiving 'pay' by other cunning means. I knew what her starting salary was going to be; it was certainly an awful lot higher than mine had been at 18! She looked at Dave in disbelief, "You're paying me this much?" "Yes, it's higher than normal for someone of your age and lack of qualifications; BUT, you've already surpassed all our expectations in the work you're already doing, so yes, that's what you're worth to us." "Wow, I never ... wow! ... and thanks so much for the offer to pay my college fees and the cheques for the passport and drivers license. Err ... why the drivers license application by the way?" "Well, you'll need to pass your driving test if you want to drive the company car that goes with your job Amy," said Dave, in a matter-of-fact way. "WHAT! A company car? I d ... di ... didn't know about that either." I think Jess must have sensed another emotional outburst was imminent, as she bounded over to Amy and hugged her to prevent it. "Nice one sis; hurry up and pass your driving test, then you can come and see me a lot more and take me shopping!" That had everyone laughing. "Duncs, can you get me a pen please?" "Of course sweety." I went to the sideboard and got a pen for her. Amy unfolded her contract of employment, signed both copies and handed one to Dave. "Dave, thank you so much for the opportunity for a permanent job. I gladly accept the offer." Dave stood up and shook hands with Amy, then thought better of being formal and hugged her. That was met with more cheers and a round of applause. Amy sat down again, quite subdued now but still smiling. She was clearly overwhelmed, enthralled and a little shocked too. I sat next to her, "you OK poppet?" "OK? Oh yes, I'm OK Duncs, but I just can't believe how today has turned out. It's amazing. Duncs; that salary, a company car. Really?" "Yes, really sweety. You're a valued member of the company. I've tried to tell you that several times already." "Yeah, but I thought that was just you being nice and encouraging me." "Well, you'd better believe it now lass. You have a great future sweety." Time passed on and people started to leave. In the end it was just the girls, us as a family and Tracy, who was by now a little tipsy, to say the least. She liked to let her hair down occasionally. She too got up to leave, and intended to walk home, about a mile to the other end of the village. "Mum, you're too tipsy to walk!" said Hannah, giggling. "Don't worry Hannah, I'll take your Mum home." I said. We somehow managed to get Tracy into the car, her in a fit of giggles in the process. During the short journey, she apologised to me again for questioning me about Amy the previous Christmas. I was amazed she'd remembered that grilling, especially given her current state. "No worries Tracy, as I said back then, it really doesn't matter." "What you and others have done for Amy is amazing Duncs," she slurred. "Thanks Tracy, but remember Amy had to make it happen too. She's the real star." Tracy looked at me, a big silly drink-fuelled grin on her face. "You're a nice bloke Duncs, you know that?" Somehow I got Tracy into her house, causing her to giggle yet again. Happy she was at least safe, I left her to giggle to herself. When I returned to my house, music was playing again, and the girls were dancing in the living room, all that is except Amy. I went through to the kitchen and found Jane and Amy clearing up the mess. "Amy, get yourself out of here now girl!" I said, in mock anger. She giggled. "She insisted on helping me Duncan," said Jane. "Well, Amy, please go and join your sis and friends. I'll take over. C'mon, NOW!" She giggled again but relented and joined the others in the living room. "Wow, what a day!" I said to Jane. "Indeed. She's a truly genuine and lovely young lady. She's so humbled by and grateful for everything that's done for her. Not many like her." "True, but you know she finds it hard to accept its all happening; still thinks she's in a dream sometimes." "Yeah, I saw you talking to her after Dave had hugged her. I guessed you were convincing her about something." "Yeah, I was. I'll speak to Jess and ask her to keep an eye on her tonight, just in case she suddenly gets bewildered by all of it." We continued in silence to clear up the mess and return the kitchen to some semblance of order. I smiled listening to the girls giggling and laughing, probably at each others attempts to dance to some pop tune. Jane and I had just finished when the girls came bounding into the kitchen, wanting a snack. There were plenty of leftovers to devour, so we let them loose on those. The girls then went upstairs to continue the party. I then returned the living room to its normal state and then slumped in the settee, quite exhausted. Jane actually sat with me for a while too, an unusual event. A little later, Amy came downstairs. "Oh, I'm glad you two are together, I only have to say this once now! I just want you to both know I'm really grateful for everything you've done for me; not just today, but throughout the year. I really feel like part of this family. Oh, and thank you so much for the gifts and a super party too!" She beamed at us, eyes sparkling; she was on an absolute high. "Amy, the pleasure is all ours and yes, you are part of this family; you're welcome here anytime love," said Jane, taking the very words out of my mouth. Given the clandestine activities between Amy and me, I still felt some guilt over how Jane had taken Amy into her heart too; I still didn't have a clue what conclusions Jane had come to regarding us; it was hardly something I was ever going to discuss with her either. After Jane's statement, we both stood up and hugged Amy in turn. "Oh, may I also add that you look absolutely gorgeous today; that dress is stunning. Wish I had your figure to be able to wear such a dress!" "Wow, thanks Jane, that's a lovely compliment." Now that was first, Amy accepting and recognising a compliment. What a day! Amy went back upstairs to join her 'sis' and teen friends. A few minutes later, Jane announced she was going to the study to go on her Facebook account. I stood up as she did and then hugged her, something we rarely did. "Thanks for everything Jane, and your understanding; I do appreciate it you know." "I know you do Duncan, but thanks all the same for saying it." She pulled gently away, gave me a serene smile and left to go to the study. I wasn't really sure what had happened during that moment; what Jane actually thought I was 'thanking' her for, or what her smile meant, but decided not to analyse it. The fact that we were at least amicable in our relationship was all that mattered, for the sake of the family as a whole. I had colleagues tell me how they were always arguing intensely with their wives AND were still making love with each other, yet here we were, NEVER making love and very rarely arguing. Strange... The night progressed, and gradually, the noise started to subside as the girls one by one fell asleep. Finally it was quiet. I was listening to the radio and contemplating all that had happened in my life and not just the last year. I was miles away, deep in thought. "Hey Duncs, you look sad and it's my birthday; that's not allowed!" I looked up, slightly startled; I hadn't heard Amy come downstairs. I looked at my watch. "Sorry lass, but it IS allowed, it's quarter past one; you're 18 years and one day old now. Birthday's over poppet." "Well, I still don't want to see you sad; what's the matter?" "Oh, I just need to hold and cuddle a pretty, young and slim blonde lass; know where I might find a willing subject?" "No, 'fraid I don't ... maybe Alicia, but she's too young and is asleep. Will I do?" "Yeah, guess so; beggars can't be choosers." Amy flung herself into my lap and draped her arms round my neck. "Yes, they're all asleep before you ask." Then she closed in on me and kissed me with passion. "Wow, I needed that!" I said, when she finally pulled away. She giggled. "Well, I don't want you, err, what's that word you say? Err, to go maudlin on me, now do I Duncs? By the way, I still can't believe everything that's happened today." "Well, believe it sweetheart; it's all true. Oh, and changing the subject, what did your sophisticated teen friends think about the non-themed and traditional birthday party then?" "Actually, we did talk about it, and they all thought it was pretty cool; they all enjoyed it and had a good time. And I loved it too; I really appreciate you all going to such effort for me; much more personal than Frankie and Benny's, bowling and ice skating; not that there's anything wrong with those places. Oh, and I thanked Jess for it being her idea too." "Nice one Amy, I'm pleased you liked it. Now, young-un, are you going to kiss me again and make an old-fart feel alive?" She didn't answer and simply suckered back onto my mouth, and kissed me again with much passion. We cuddled for another half hour or so and during that time I thought about Amy's genuine awe at how her day had panned out. But to be honest I was still in awe regarding the fact that one year on, this amazingly beautiful and sexy girl was happy to have me and me alone as her lover; for that I was truly thankful... Concerned that we may fall asleep in each others arms, I reluctantly told Amy we'd better part company and go to our respective beds. We stood at the foot of the stairs and hugged again. "Wish we could make love Duncs; that would be a perfect end to the day for me." "Sweety, did you have to say that; I'm now going to bed with that as my last thought, you bugger!" She giggled, "sorry Duncs, sweet dreams," said as she grabbed my cock, giving it a gentle squeeze. She turned to go upstairs and I patted her bum. More subdued giggles. I checked the house was secure and then went upstairs myself. It had been a truly wonderful day. ------- Chapter 25 'Amy visits Holland' April 2011 It had been an exciting six months since Amy's 18th birthday. There was a definite change in her confidence since she'd became an adult, now an independent person free of any interference her mother may have attempted on her life. She was now in college, having walked through her foundation course exam and was going into college for one day a week, plus studying at home. Initially, she is studying for a BTEC HNC in 'Operations Engineering (Instrumentation and control)'. Once she's graduated from this, with another years study she can take her qualification to degree level. (I write this in present tense because at the time of writing, she's still studying) 'Prof Ron' reports he's extremely pleased with her work so far. Amy now had a passport, a bank account and her provisional driving license, and according to her driving instructor, was now doing well after an initial shaky start (Amy's first couple of driving lessons had been quite traumatic for her; on the third lesson, I went with them and she found that reassuring; then on the fourth and subsequent lessons she was happy to just be with the instructor). Since her birthday, Amy had only suffered one very minor 'dark period'; an incident I helped her recover from in less than a day. She rarely talked about her childhood now and neither did I raise the subject; I'd made a pact with her to never talk about her past unless she actually wanted to; her idea. However, there had been one day when Amy and I were returning from a day trip to see a client. We were travelling north up the M1 motorway and the sign for the M18 exit came into view, our normal exit to head back home. "Duncs, don't turn off here please; continue on; take me to Barnsley." "WHAT?" I said, totally surprised, as I knew this was her old home town. "She turned to me, smiling, "Please, I really need to do this." "OK then poppet, if you're sure." "I am." We approached the outskirts of Barnsley, a town I'd never been to before. Once a bustling and prosperous industrial town known for coal mines, steel works and heavy industry, it was now a sad reflection of its former proud industrial heritage, like so many industrial towns in the UK. My father-in-law spent many years working in the area, and refers to Barnsley as 'the boil on the bum of England'. "Ya gonna have to guide me sweety; I haven't a clue where I'm going." "Keep going down this road, I know where we are Duncs," she said in a very calm voice, then, suddenly she was excited, "Oh wow, slow down, there's the library, the only place I have fond memories of!" I smiled at her, in a strange way finding it fascinating getting an insight into a murky world I only knew as her traumatic past. We continued on, Amy telling me to turn here and there as she sought out places she wanted to see again. We saw her old school, and briefly stopped outside the gates. Amy said nothing, and simply stared at the rather ugly building. "OK, thanks, let's move on", she said in a rather quiet voice. "You OK sweetheart?" "Yeah, fine thanks ... drive down here then turn left at the end." I did, and followed several more directions Amy gave me. We were now in one of those typical 60's urban developments, where all the houses look the same; bland boxes with zero character. Finally, we turned down a street where the houses were particularly run down, with unkempt gardens and litter in the street. "Please stop here Duncs." I stopped, and watched as Amy stared at one particular house. I noted her left leg slightly trembling. I reached out for her hand and took hold of it. "Your old house I take it?" I said, almost whispering. Amy simply nodded, maintaining her fixed stare on the house. "Yep Duncs, that's my old house; wonder if the BITCH is still living there?" She said 'bitch' with much emphasise and hatred, almost spitting venom; hardly surprising really... Then Amy started laughing; hard, coarse laughing, but had tears streaming down her cheeks too. "Hah! If only you could see me now, you fucking twisted cow," she shouted towards the house. "Do you want to see her? I'll go with you." I said in a very matter-of-fact way. She turned to face me, "No Duncs, not wise, I don't know what I might do; 'Red Mist' ya know?" For a moment I saw fire in her eyes, total hatred even, but not aimed at me, for after a second or two, her face softened as she continued to look at me; she was smiling too. "I'm not going to ask why you wanted to come back here, but all I want to know is; was it worth it for you, did you achieve whatever you hoped to by coming back here?" "Yeah Duncs, I did ta, I had to see this godforsaken place just one more time to remind myself how lucky I am now. And no, I don't ever want to see that pathetic excuse for a mother ever again; and if I found out she were dead and buried, I'd spit on her grave." It was almost surreal listening to Amy deliver that last sentiment, for she said it in a sweet voice, smiling at me. I was surmising at the time that Amy was going through what I think therapists refer to as 'closure'. She was facing up to her past and confronting her demons and emotions. I was immensely proud of her. I leant over to her and kissed her on the cheek. She kissed me back. "Thanks Duncs. C'mon, get me outta here please. I've seen enough." I picked my way through the side streets and made it back to the main drag and headed out of Barnsley for the first and probably last time in my life. As we approached Beverley that day, Amy asked me to stop at Westwood before taking her back to Rose's house. She needed a cuddle, and I was only too willing to oblige... One of my several annual trips to Holland was looming, and I now had an opportunity to tick another box for Amy. I'd always promised I'd take her there, and she was dying to go on the ferry too. By now she was dealing with several people in Holland as part of her daily work, but she'd never met any of them, apart from one guy, Pep, who had paid us a visit at our office. I called into Dave's office. "Dave, a favour mate," "Fire away Duncs." "I'd like to take Amy with me on my next trip to Holland. I can't justify it on any real technical grounds, but I think it would be good for her to visit our associates and suppliers, plus it's a good opportunity for her to meet the people she deals with and..." Dave interpreted, "Duncs, just do it, great idea." "Oh, um, OK then, thanks Dave." He chuckled, "and don't make it all business eh? Show her the sights too. I know you love Delft. Add a free day to your itinerary with my blessing. You've both clocked up some hours the last few months." "Thanks Dave, I appreciate it mate." I went over to Amy's desk to tell her the news. She was having a bad day at the time; one of those days when nothing seems to go right. I broke the news to her and her face was a picture; her face immediately became animated and lit up. In fact, she squealed with delight. The trip was still a few days off, as I had to plan visits to make good use of our time there. The next few days, all Amy talked about was her impending trip to Holland. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and colleagues couldn't help but smile with her and join in with her excitement. I realised that as well as 'professional Amy', I was also going to have a 'teen Amy' with me on this trip. To be honest, I was looking forward to it. I'd felt a little jaded at the time; work had been relentless, and I'd had little opportunity to spend personal time with Amy, something that was getting to her too. It would be good to unwind with 'teen Amy' in Holland. I booked the ferry for a Sunday sailing. This would dock at Europort for around eight o clock Monday morning, giving us the whole day for business. I also booked us into the 'Hotel de Kok', and yes, I smiled as I thought of the name... Sunday afternoon, around three o clock, I picked up a very excited and happy Amy from Rose's house; I think she was standing in the hall, waiting for me to pick her up, because she was out in seconds, with bags in hand! Fred and Rose waved us off as I backed off their drive. I must have asked Amy five times to make sure she had her passport, but of course she did! The drive to the ferry terminal was uneventful. I pulled into one of the lanes for check-in and waited our turn. Amy was excited to be showing her passport to an official for the first time and beamed at the officer. He smiled warmly back at her, obviously amused by this picture of happiness looking at him. Waved through, I drove up the spiral road that led up to the side loading door for cars. As I drove into the ferry, Amy let out a "cool!" as we entered the car bay. We parked up, gathered our things and made our way to the lift. Once on deck nine, we made our way to the cabin. I'd paid a little extra to get an 'outside family cabin'. These have a fixed double bed, hidden bunks and a porthole, so you can see out. Amy was immediately impressed; I don't know what she was expecting, maybe hammocks tightly packed next to each other in some grimy hold with buckets to slop out, or something similar! "Wow! It's like a mini motel room. We've got our own bathroom Duncs!" "Err, Amy, this is the 21st century poppet. What did you expect?" She flung herself on the bed and bounced on it, giggling and laughing. "C'mon, giv'us a cuddle Duncs." How could I resist... Ten minutes of cuddling later and a still giggling Amy bounded off the bed. "C'mon Duncs, show me round the ferry then!" So I took her to all the bars, showed her the restaurants, shops, information point, cinema and the kids play area. When she saw the giant ball pit she actually wanted to go in it; I had to tell her it was for small kids only! She loved the large entertainment area and then finally, I took her out onto the deck. She was fascinated watching the lorries, container trailers and coaches driving on to the rear ramp. The passenger decks are pretty high up, so the vehicles below look pretty small. Then she wanted to see the main loading area. You're not really supposed to go back down to the cargo decks once you've left your vehicle, but I thought 'what the hell'. We got in the lift and went right down to the lowest cargo deck. It is a pretty amazing sight to see just how huge this loading area is, and I wasn't surprised to see Amy's jaw drop. Not wishing to risk trouble, I coaxed her back to the lift and we went back up. We browsed the shops and walked around some more, then, pausing near the main stairwell, she turned to face me. She had that familiar glint in her eye and a mischievous grin. She put her arms around my neck. "Ya know it's still quite early and I'm not really all that hungry yet. How about we christen that lovely bed before we eat dinner?" I kissed her forehead, "that sounds like a wonderful plan poppet!" So we went back to our cabin and had what we affectionately referred to as a 'power shag'; the sort of animalistic sex necessary to relieve pent-up sexual tension as opposed to slow lovemaking; that could come later. We then showered, with much giggling as we lathered each other up and washed each others junk, then we got dressed and left the cabin. Amy's appetite had now returned, so I took her to the buffet restaurant, a fixed price all-you-can-eat place. The choice of food is vast and Amy was once again in awe. We ate far too much, so feeling a little full, went back on deck for some fresh air and to watch the remaining late comers load on to the ferry. It was around seven by now, so I asked Amy if she wanted loud music or quiet music. She wasn't bothered, so we checked out both. We ended up in the sky lounge bar, which is on the very top deck and we enjoyed listening to the soloist on the piano as we each sipped a cappuccino. Around half past eight, I was suddenly aware of a distant, deep rumble and faint vibration on the floor, signifying the main engines had been started. "C'mon Amy, lets go out on deck and watch the ferry leave the port." "Cool!" That's easy from the sky lounge bar as there is direct access to the upper stern deck from it. Amy stood against the railing and I stood behind her, arms wrapped around her midriff. We watched the deckhands release the mooring ropes and without fuss, the ferry drifted slowly away sideways and then started to make headway down the Humber estuary to join the North Sea. "This is a real adventure for you, ain't it sweety?" "Absolutely! Never been on a ferry and never been to another country, well, apart from when I went to Wales with you!" She turned to hug and kiss me. I saw the joy on her face, and actually felt a little saddened that at 18, Amy was experiencing something for the first time that Jess had experienced at the tender age of seven; which had been the first time I'd taken the family to Holland and on that same ferry. I recalled Jess' joyful face and total excitement on that first ferry journey and realised that Amy's face looked just the same; Amy was indeed enjoying the adventure just like a kid would. I felt quite humbled again. Only difference was that Jess had been allowed to go in the ball pit... We had been travelling half an hour or so, and were now close to the south side of the estuary. I pointed out all the petrochemical works and large oil tankers docked alongside them. They're quite a sight at dusk with all the lights ablaze. We saw huge cranes unloading cargo ships too. Once passed that, there is little to see, so we ventured back inside. "C'mon lass; let's go and see if the resident band is any good. We made our way to the main entertainment area and the band was about to start their first set. It wasn't too full, so we managed to get good seats and a table right next to the dance floor, which is in front of the stage. The band was actually pretty good and played a good selection of contemporary and 'golden oldie' songs. Amy was curious to look at the casino, so I took her over there and we watched the croupiers at work. Amy was fascinated seeing their nimble hands shuffle and deal out cards with speed and precision. The band finished their first set and the disco took over for half an hour. I went up to the booth and asked for a request; namely 'There's Nothing Like This' by Omar, which had become 'our' song. The DJ simply said "Yeah, whatever mate", which I took to mean he wasn't really interested in fulfilling my request. But to his credit, two songs later and 'our' song came on. I looked at Amy and smiled at her. "Hey, it's our Omar song ... wait ... did you request it?" I nodded. She leant over and kissed me. I stood up and took her hand, beckoning her to stand up. Now, I'm shy and have two left feet, but I didn't know anyone on board that night other than Amy, and I really wanted to smooch with her. She reluctantly followed me to the dance floor and we simply embraced, she laying her head on my chest as we swayed and moved gently around to the song. Two other couples joined us, and smooched just the same, so we weren't the only ones 'feeling the love' that night! The DJ played a couple more songs in a similar tempo and genre, so we remained on the dance floor. A little later, Amy lifted her head of my chest and draped her arms around my neck, pulling back so that she could look at me. She radiated happiness as she smiled at me; she looked so beautiful I could have cried. I put one hand behind her neck and drew her face towards mine and kissed her; I simply couldn't resist it. That got me a cheer from a bunch of lads sitting near to the edge of the dance floor, making Amy blush. I didn't realise until then, but I suspect the lads had been admiring Amy's figure, as she was wearing her signature tight jeans and fitted T-shirt. I must admit to feeling quite smug; me, a middle-aged bloke dancing with a beautiful, sexy lass of similar age to the lads admiring her, all of them probably wishing they were me! The music became less appropriate for dancing the way we liked to, so we sat down for the rest of the night and enjoyed the band playing their second set. Around eleven thirty, Amy leant over to me and whispered she wanted to go back to the cabin for 'some more private dancing' as she put it. I gladly accepted the invitation. But just before we retired for the night, I took Amy outside again, just to spend a few minutes on deck. We watched the wake created by the ships propellers, which even though it was generally pitch black, could be seen quite easily due to the flood lighting on the ferry. We stood along the side and could see lights in the distance, marking the East coast of England. We also saw other ships too. Amy was interested, but after five minutes, took my hand and tugged me towards the door; she wanted me back in our cabin and I suspected she was going to take the lead again. We took time making love, with plenty of passion and kisses and exploring each others bodies intimately and Amy lead all the way. We'd taken care of the sexual tension earlier that evening; there was no need to rush now. The gentle swell of the North Sea added a subtle difference to our love making too, as the ferry gently rolled from side-to-side and pitched up and down. The cabin was very cosy with just a single wall light switched on, making for a lovely, intimate night together. I don't remember who fell asleep first, but we were suddenly and rudely awakened by the ships Tannoy announcing it was six thirty and that breakfast was being served. Amy looked wonderfully sexy with her tousled blonde hair everywhere. But I resisted temptation to make love to her and got up. "Awww, come back to bed Duncs, pleeeeese!" Now that takes some strong willpower to resist... "No, no, c'mon girl, quick walk to the deck, then breakfast! "Awww spoil sport." She looked at me, big pouty lip stuck out and then giggled. I walked over to her, pulled the duvet off her and tickled her. "Duncs, stop, you bugger, or I'll pee on the bed!" I laughed, that got her up! We carried out our ablutions, got dressed and left the cabin. I took her on deck and we could just see the faint outline of the Dutch coastline. Amy was excited again, her first real view of mainland Europe other than what she'd seen on TV and in books. Amy was amazed at the number of ships of all sizes coming and going from Europort. The size of some of the container ships was truly staggering. We had a hearty breakfast and then returned to the deck. Our timing was good, as we were just approaching the outer reaches of Europort. We stayed on deck for as long as we could, but then an officer announced that all car drivers and passengers should return to their vehicles. We went back to the cabin, retrieved our bags and then made our way down to the car deck. Half an hour later, we were driving off to border control. The officer looked into Amy's side of the car, gave Amy a huge grin and waved us through, barely glancing at our passports, and we drove off. "Is that it?" said Amy. "Pretty much like that most of the time. Sometimes they get a little picky and ask questions." I joined the A15, the main road leading out of Europort. "Doesn't it bother you driving on the wrong side of the road?" "Never thought about it sweety, but no, I guess it doesn't." Amy was of course still learning to drive, so driving back home was bad enough for her let alone the thought of driving on the right! Europort is not exactly the most pretty of places, full of petrochemical works and huge storage tanks, but Amy was still fascinated all the same. We entered the 'Benelux tunnel' and emerging on the other side, I got a "that was cool" from her. The exit for 'Vlaardingen' soon appeared, and we were only ten minutes from our first call of the day. Driving through the town, Amy loved the immediate difference in the architecture compared with back home. "If you like this lass, wait until you see Delft!" I said to her. I turned into the car park of the first company we were due to visit. The receptionist recognised me immediately, which is always a nice welcome. "Hey Duncan, hi!" she said in her Americanised English with a lovely Dutch lilt. "Hello Astrid, how are you?" I said shaking her hand. Oh, this is Amy; I think you've spoken to her before?" "Yes, we have and wow, the lovely voice has an even prettier face!" said Astrid. Amy blushed a little at this direct compliment, "Hello Astrid, nice to meet you," she said, in a slightly timid voice. "Hey, I'll call Carlo, tell him you're here." A couple of minutes later, Carlo appeared, a larger than life bloke, probably six foot six and very broad, "Hey, Duncs, how are you my friend? And I guess you must be Amy?" he said beaming at her. "I'm fine Carlo, thanks, and yes this is Amy." We all shook hands. "Coffee guys?" "You're speaking my language Carlo!" I said. "Yes please Carlo, I'd love a coffee," said Amy. "Cool, let's go to my office." And we spent a pleasant morning with Carlo, plus a couple more of his colleagues and discussed new products and the technical aspects of them. I'd seen the factory many times before, so Carlo suggested his assistant should give Amy a tour. Carlo's assistant, Maurice, was a bloke in his early twenties, tall and handsome and I chuckled to myself when he first clapped eyes on Amy; his eyes lit up. Mind you, I guess Amy probably didn't mind being shown round by Maurice either, but I didn't want to think about that too much... An hour later and Maurice brought Amy back to Carlo's office. "You guys OK?" said Carlo. "Yah, but wow, this chick asks a lot of questions! Can I have a rest now?" said Maurice chuckling. Amy giggled, "It was very interesting Carlo, and um ... sorry Maurice, but I like to know and understand things!" "Hey, no problem Amy, really, you're very nice, I didn't mind." "Carlo, Maurice, she wants my job; I'm telling you!" I said. "Well, it's nice to meet someone young who is keen and it's always nice to have a girl working in engineering too," said Carlo. "OK guys, you wanna do lunch?" "Sounds good Carlo," I said. So Amy and I, Carlo and Maurice went to a quaint local restaurant for lunch. I suggested a local dish that I knew Amy would like and she went for it. Amy carried herself beautifully; no timidity or nerves whatsoever, and I could tell her natural charm and intellect impressed the two Dutch guys just as much as it did the folk back home. That afternoon, we had an appointment in Pijnacker, which was ideal as this town is only a few miles from Delft, our base town for the trip. The visit to that company went along pretty much the same lines as the first visit, with Amy impressing the people there too. Around five o clock and it was time to leave for the hotel. As we drove along, I pointed out various landmarks to Amy, such as the Delft technical college and the famous Delft Royal Blue pottery premises. Finally, we pulled into the car park of the 'Hotel de Kok' and got out the car. Amy giggled as she saw the sign, "does it live up to its name then? 'de' is Dutch for 'of' isn't it?" "Amy, you're a disgusting and depraved girl for having such a thought. I just might have to spank your bum once we get in our room"! "Ooh, threat or promise Duncs?" she said, head cocked to once side, twisting her body from side-to-side in a girly fashion. I loved it when she went into this playful mode. We entered the hotel, and as I approached the reception desk, I was met with a cheery welcome. "Hey, Duncan, how are you? Nice to see you back again." How pleasant, and something that sets a family-run hotel apart from a corporate chain; namely, personable service where regular guests are remembered and made to feel welcome. "I'm fine thanks and how are you Natasha?" "Yah, I'm good thank you Duncan," On seeing Amy, she checked the booking I'd made, "you have only asked for one room with a double bed; is that correct?" "Yes, err, sorry, how rude of me, this is Amy, my colleague and very close friend. One room is fine thanks," I said, looking and winking at Amy. Amy smiled and blushed a little. The receptionist gave Amy a broad smile, "Hello Amy, and welcome to our hotel." Amy smiled and said hello back. The receptionist didn't even bat an eye at the obvious fact we were more than just close friends. Very liberal, the Dutch! The receptionist completed our booking with efficiency and handed me two room keys. I noted with some amusement we had the same room I'd had on my last trip. In the lift, Amy put her arms round my neck and kissed me, then trying to look serious but failing said, "So, you assumed I didn't want my own room did ya? What if I had? What if I want to invite a hunky Dutch guy back for some fun!" "Then I'll invite a hunky Dutch girl back too and we'll have a foursome!" I replied, also trying to keep a straight face. We'd arrived at our floor and made our way to the room. "Wow, what a lovely room," said Amy, on first seeing it. This was new for Amy; up until then, she was only used to seeing almost identical motel rooms. "Yep, it is and guess what, it's the same room I had last time I was here." Amy giggled at the significance of this, "so, you were sitting on THAT bed, wanking, as you looked at me via MSN in the nude!" "Oh, and I seem to recall that under my instruction you were frigging yourself into oblivion at the same time, weren't you lass!" She giggled at the memory and again draped her arms around me, pulling my face to hers and kissed me, "yeah, that was fun, but I'd so much rather be with you in person any day Duncs." Every time she said something like that, I had to give myself a little internal kick to make sure I was really hearing it; that this beautiful and sexy young woman was really all mine to be so intimate with and the fact that she genuinely wanted to be with me. My little thought was abruptly concluded at the very real sight of Amy stripping off her clothes; and seconds later, there she was, wearing nothing but a grin. She spun round and pushed her bum out at me. "You were going to punish me for being disgusting and depraved; remember Duncs?" I smiled at her and gently tapped her bum several times. She giggled and squealed at her 'punishment'. "Soooo ... are you stripping off your clothes to simply get showered and changed, or is it an invitation for some fun and frolics first sweety?" "Entirely up to you Duncs!" I scooped all eight stone of her up in my arms and then dumped her on the bed, making her squeal and giggle again. Then, I ripped my own clothes off as quickly as I could and joined her on the bed. "Think we have time for some fun first, don't you lass?" "Suits me Duncs; c'mon, ravish me then, you old bugger!" "Certainly young-un, one ravish coming up." And we had a lot of fun, hitting a happy medium of somewhere between a 'power shag' and making love slowly. Then we showered together and got changed ready to hit the town. It was a lovely, balmy evening as we left the hotel and warm enough to simply go out in jeans and T-shirts. From the hotel, we crossed the main road to hit the old town of delft. Amy was taken by the trams, something else she'd never seen before. She also liked the bright yellow double-decker trains, something not seen back in the UK. Another aspect that made Amy a great companion for me was that she didn't mind me being 'nerdy' and joined in with my enthusiasm for all things technical. So when SHE enthused about something like a double-decker train, I encouraged it! Once on the other side of the road, we headed down a snicket between two buildings and then Amy got her first taste of 'old Deflt'. A typical scene: a central canal flanked each side by a cobbled road and pavement, and along each side were old buildings of all different architectural designs and sizes, mostly joined together. "Wow, this is beautiful," she gasped. "Isn't it just." I took her hand in mine and we sauntered along the street; we were in no hurry. I took her first to see the famous leaning church tower, the 'Oude Kerk' (Old church), a 75metre tower that leans some two metres from the vertical. Then I took her along various quaint streets, showing her my favourite shops, buildings and places to sit and chill. In one of the town squares, there was a band playing, so we sat for half an hour or so and listened to the music, enjoying and soaking up the pleasant ambience in the process. Then I took her to the main square where she marvelled at the beautiful 17th century town hall and the imposing 'Nieuwe Kerk', both remarkable buildings. "On our day off, I'm taking you up that church tower." "What, all the way to the top? Cool!" "Yep, all the way poppet. Now, are you hungry?" "Starving!" "Right, then I'll take you to my favourite restaurant." As it was a pleasant evening, we sat outside, under a large umbrella. A very friendly waitress, probably a student, served us, bringing menus in English before she'd even spoken to us; I guess the English have 'UK' stamped on their foreheads, only visible to foreigners! We had a great meal, washed down with a large cup of cappuccino each. We had taken our time, enjoying pleasant conversation between not only ourselves but also with a young American couple sitting at an adjacent table. Leaving the restaurant, we again strolled along the streets, hand-in-hand, in no particular hurry to go any where and no particular place to go. "So, what'd'ya thinking of Holland so far sweety?" "I love it Duncs. It's so different to back home and the people seem so friendly here." "Yeah, they are until you do business with them, then they're ruthless!" Down one street, we were drawn to the sounds of live music coming from a bar-cum-café. Both of us were thirsty, so we went in. Amy had a coke and I had a coffee. We stayed for about an hour, enjoying first a jazz ensemble than a skiffle band. Each of us only had two drinks, but the proprietor didn't seem at all bothered that we weren't big spenders. We left the bar and decided to head back to the hotel. Back in our room, Amy flung herself at me, legs around my hips, arms around my neck. She planted a huge kiss on my lips, then she drew back. "I've had a really great evening Duncs; thanks for showing me the sights of Delft. Now, my turn to do something for you..." She had 'that' grin on her face and a wicked, mischievous glint in her eyes again. "Sounds interesting poppet." She giggled, then started to strip me, fondled my junk and kissed it. Then she told me to sit on the bed whilst she slowly and seductively stripped herself, just leaving her pink, silky French knickers on for me to remove at my leisure (I love silky French Knickers... ). Then she came over and sat in my lap and took the lead. We made love, slowly, passionately, until the small hours and then fell into a blissful sleep, entangled in each others limbs. Next day, after a typical Dutch breakfast of cold meats, cheese and boiled eggs and fresh coffee, we left the hotel and made our may to the first appointment of the day. Once again, Amy was impressed with what she saw and associates in turn were impressed with her. Amy was particularly interested with this company because it manufacturers some of the control systems we install. Their building is in itself interesting in that it is 'carbon neutral', and Amy asked if she could see the plant room and control system behind it, much to the surprise and delight of our host. He looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at him. "What can I say Hans, she loves this sort of stuff; and I'll warn you now, be prepared for serious questions!" An hour later, we left the plant room and returned to the offices. Amy walked on ahead, looking in the windows of various rooms as we walked along the corridors. "Yah, I think she a much clever person", said Hans, an older generation Dutch bloke whose English wasn't quite as perfect as the younger generation. "But still she at college? And know so much already?" I explained in plain English to Hans some of the things that Amy had already accomplished in her eighteen months of work with us. "Hey, so, she must attend our product training; soon!" said Hans, clearly taken by Amy. (I am used to this by now; everyone that meets her, whether professionally or privately takes to her.) "Oh, she wants to Hans, but we've been so busy. You'd better warn your trainers to be prepared for the challenge of Amy." "Yah, she meet Herman now; he is free today." I called Amy, who was miles away in thought, "Amy, d'ya want to meet one of the product trainers whilst I discuss boring stuff with Hans?" "Cool!" she said, with a huge smile and a giggle. Hans and I took that as a 'yes' and we all went to the technical office. Hans introduced Amy to Herman, a bloke in his early thirties, whose English was perfect (as usual in Holland). We left them together and Hans and I went to his office in the corner of the technical room, to discuss new products the company had in the pipeline. The walls of Hans' office were glazed from floor to ceiling, allowing us to see everything happening in the main office. I glanced over to where Amy and Herman were sitting, and could tell by body language that Amy and Herman were in deep conversation and the scene reminded me of Amy's first meeting with Rich back at our own office. I glanced up for a second time and Herman had been joined by a colleague who I didn't know; Amy now sitting between them. Even from a distance, I saw her forehead crunched up, so I knew she was concentrating. I must have zoned out, because I was suddenly aware of Hans chuckling. "You like Amy like a daughter, I think?" I looked at Hans, a bloke in his early sixties; I knew he was a grandfather, so appreciated what it is to be a parent twice over. I'd never thought of Amy in terms of being 'my daughter', but I understood Hans' sentiment. He could clearly see I cared for her, just not HOW much I cared for her! "Hans, it is a long story, and yes, I do like her very much; she is not just a colleague, but a very close friend too." He smiled at me in a fatherly way, "I see she likes you too, also like a daughter. But, yah, it is late, we have lunch now?" "OK Hans, sounds good." Hans and I went over to pick up Amy, and asked Herman to join us too. As we walked to the staff cafeteria, I heard Herman talking excitedly to Hans, and could only imagine the conversation revolved around my Amy. So, how'd'ya find Herman sweety? Have you bombarded the poor bloke with questions?" "She giggled, "not too many Duncs, least I don't think I did. He called a colleague over to meet me. His name was Paul; how English is that? I've learnt a few things off them already." "Good, make sure you tell Dave when you get back!" "Also, Herman's wants me to have a demo case to take back home. He says it's a big case full of the controllers we use, complete with knobs to simulate sensors and switches and lamps to simulate inputs and outputs. He says I can use it to practice programming and stuff!" I knew of these demo cases but had never bothered with one myself. They were usually issued to technical sales representatives, so that controllers could be demonstrated to prospective clients. I worried how much this might cost, but didn't want to curb Amy's enthusiasm, so said nothing at the time. We approached the cafeteria; this was is in a location known as 'the village' which is a huge atrium joining two halves of the building; technical one side, administration on the other. Under this huge glazed roof are trees and shrubs, comfy seats and settees, even a games area; pool tables, table tennis, dart boards and a couple of basket ball hoops, where staff are encouraged to chill, at any time of the working day. The atrium has a practical purpose too, in that it's instrumental in helping to both cool and ventilate the building using rising convection air flow to draw fresh air into the two buildings. Amy was clearly impressed by this part of the building, looking up at the stunning single-span atrium roof. "Duncs, I just love those roof beams made out of laminated wood; don't you?" "Yes Amy, I do sweety," I answered, smiling and thinking to myself how many 18-year-olds would appreciate the roof beams in the first place, let alone know the method of construction? Man, did I love this girl! Herman had overheard Amy's comment to me and took her to one side and spoke to her about the atrium in more detail pointing at parts of the roof as he explained things. Amy pointed at other things, clearly firing back questions at him. Hans and I looked at each other and laughed. I think we both had the same thought; that Herman liked his new student! Hans called out to Herman in Dutch; he looked first at Herman, then Amy and then back to Herman, who then laughed, made a comment back to Hans and headed our way, towards the cafeteria. I've no idea what Hans had said, nor Herman's reply, but it had clearly amused Herman and had indubitably involved Amy. We had a great lunch, and discussed not just work, but other things too. Herman and Hans were keen to hear how Amy was enjoying her first visit to Holland, and Amy's enthusiasm for Delft clearly pleased and delighted them. I raised the subject of the demo case, and thanked Herman for the offer, but said he'd have to tell me how much it cost so that I could raise a purchase order with our accounts office. Herman then spoke briefly to Hans in Dutch, occasionally looking at me and then Amy, then he addressed me in English "Yah, err, Duncan, there is no charge for the demo case; we want Amy to have it as a gift." Amy's face lit up, "Wow, thanks Herman, thanks Hans," she beamed. They both smiled back at her, her face alone gave them all the thanks they needed. "And please Duncan, send Amy over for the training course as soon as you can. She can skip the primer and the level one course. She can start at level two; in this way, it saves three days of her time," said Herman. "We'll arrange it as soon as we're back in the office Herman. How's that sound to you Amy, d'ya want come back here?" "Cool! You bet!" After lunch, it was time to go to our next appointment. The four of us walked over to reception. Herman shook Amy's hand and said he was looking forward to meeting her again. Herman then shook my hand and tutted at me, saying "Yah, and I see you have already taught Amy some bad habits, showing her shortcuts in the programme that we don't encourage; yah?" I chuckled back, "I didn't so much deliberately show her Herman; she just watched me and remembered, honestly my friend!" Then a young guy came out of a side door in the reception area carrying a large black case and handed it to Hans. "Amy, this is your demo case," said Hans, handing it to her. "Wow, thanks Hans, that's great; wow, it's heavy too!" "And all you need is your laptop too; I guess you already have our programming software?" said Herman. "Yes Herman, I do, Duncs installed that a long time ago for me." "Yah, figures I guess," said Herman, chuckling again. We bade farewell to each other, and as we left the building, I contemplated on how Amy had impressed Hans and Herman; just how far could she really go in her career I wondered? Our second visit that day was not so interesting for Amy, or me for that matter; I was visiting this particular company on behalf of Dave. To Amy's credit, although the equipment this company produced was nothing to do with controls or electrical work (they were mechanical fabricators), she still showed an interest and asked question as we toured the facility. Whilst I talked to the technical director to glean the information that Dave had requested, Amy took the opportunity to fire-up her laptop and answer some emails. Our last call that day should have been brief; I was merely dropping off some faulty circuit boards and picking up some repaired items from a company that produces controls for combined heat and power plant. The visit would have been very quick, other than for the fact 'nerdy Amy' started talking to one of the technicians, showing an interest in the diagnostic equipment he was using. I could tell that the bloke, probably only two or three years older than Amy, was more than happy to kill time talking to a very pretty girl! So I killed time talking to the boss of the company, Klauss, a person I've known for fifteen or so years. He asked me what Amy did in our company and one question led to another, and I soon found myself reeling off a sanitised version of how I discovered Amy and then gave him a potted history of her progress so far. Like everybody else told the story, he was amazed. A little while later, Amy then asked if she could see the rest of the facility and Klauss was more than happy to give her a guided tour. I merely tagged along, both amused and proud of Amy's enthusiasm. Then it was back to the hotel, our business was done and Wednesday would be our 'free' day. The ferry didn't leave until eight o clock in the evening, so we would have all day to spend sightseeing. However, we had Tuesday evening to kill first. Back in the hotel room I kissed and cuddled Amy, then gave her a broad smile. "What's up with you, beaming like a Cheshire cat?" "YOU, that's what! You have everyone's attention wherever we go and everyone loves ya girl and d'ya know what the great thing is? You don't even realise it. You don't flirt, you're not conceited, you're not arrogant nor do you show off. In a nutshell, you're a great ambassador for our company. Promise me you'll never change lass!" "I just like to learn, show an interest and try to be friendly with everyone Duncs. From what you say, sounds like I'm doing OK," she said in her matter-of-fact way. "You are, perfectly. Anyway, what'd'ya want to do tonight lass? I'm all yours." "Well, you could start by kissing me again; that's always nice." I fulfilled her request and more, followed by an enjoyable mutual shower and our attempts to get dressed to go out were aborted two or three times as wandering hands stopped proceedings. We eventually left the hotel giggling, hand-in-hand, much to the amusement of the receptionist, who gave me a wonderful 'knowing' look. "Where d'ya want to go then sweety? Back to the old town?" "Yeah, that would be cool; I love the atmosphere there." So, once again, we wandered around the old town with no particular plan. I took Amy to another restaurant that I like and again we had a superb meal. After that, we ended up in a small pub named the 'Jazz Café Bebop' and listened to live Jazz whilst sipping freshly-brewed strong coffee. Some time later, I asked Amy if she wanted to go to a more 'lively' place (we'd passed a disco-cum-bar earlier in the evening), but she didn't seem keen on that, happy to stay where we were despite the clientele being more my age group than hers. However, it was only about ten o clock when Amy leant over to say something to me (the live music was quite loud at the time). "Duncs, d'ya mind if we go back to the hotel?" "Of course we can poppet, but what's the matter, you are OK aren't you?" "Yeah I'm fine, in fact, more than fine, just feeling um ... randy." As she said this, she blushed slightly, which I found so cute. "Well then, we'll have to do something about that, won't we?" She giggled at that. We got up to leave. I took our coffee cups back to the bar, and thanked the proprietor, promising to return next time I was in Delft. The atmosphere and music had been really good there. Back in the hotel room, Amy wasted no time taking her clothes off, then lay down on the bed, one leg raised, grinning at me. "C'mon slow coach, get your kit off then!" I did a slow strip, humming the classic strippers song as I did so, swinging my clothes above my head then throwing them across the room. Amy giggled, then laughed, then was in hysterics by the time I got to my undies. I pranced around the room like some cheap tart, then finally ripped off my undies and threw them at Amy. She looked beautiful, laughing her head off and in all her nude glory. I joined her on the bed and sidled up to her. "So, who's leading tonight then, you or me?" "I led last night, so your turn Duncs." "OK, slow, medium or fast?" "Very, very slow," she purred. So I did as my lover requested, and slowly brought her up to a couple of wonderful orgasms, and she gave back equal pleasure to me. Her second orgasm had been particularly powerful and true to form, she drifted off to sleep soon afterwards. I took the opportunity to simply admire her beautiful, sleeping form, and explored her every contour with my finger tips and mouth. She occasionally murmured; either a subconscious reaction or perhaps she was drifting in and out of sleep. It didn't matter to me; I was content to selfishly continue caressing my beautiful companion. Next thing I knew it was morning; I was laying on my back and Amy was draped over me, her head resting on my chest and one leg wedged between mine, resting on top of my 'morning wood'. I caressed her back and bum for a while and this slowly woke her up. As she became more conscious, she hoisted herself fully on top of me and planting her lips on mine, she kissed me. At the same time, she slid her quim up and down my erect cock, 'hot-dogging' me, teasing me. A couple of minutes later, she stopped kissing then grinned at me. I felt a hand grab my cock and guide it into her fanny. "Can't waste that morning wood, can we Duncs?" "No, certainly not lass," Now that's what I call a great way to start off the day... We had a leisurely breakfast and then I paid the hotel bill. I asked the receptionist if she'd mind if we left the car in their car park all day. It wasn't a problem to her, which was good, as parking in Delft is a nightmare. Amy and I packed our things and left the room. Amy looked a little sad, but there again she always did when we left a room or place where we'd had 'fun'. We walked into old Delft and headed for the main square. "Ready to climb that church tower then sweety?" "You bet Duncs!" We approached the church and entered through the tower door. I paid the entrance fee to the tower and Amy and I started the long climb to the top. I'd been up here twice before with Dan and Jess. It's not something for the faint-hearted and it really helps to be fit. The spiral staircase is very narrow, but Amy with her agility and fit body took it in her stride. We stopped halfway up and entered a large room that houses the original clock mechanism, still working. Amy looked at the mechanism from all angles, her brow furrowed as she does when concentrating. After her inspection, she uttered a single "cool", looked at me, smiled and we left the room. Then we continued our ascent. We arrived at the top and went through an extremely narrow door and then we were outside. Amy was clearly nervous at first; the parapet walls are quite low and there are no safety fences. In fact, there's no CCTV or officials even; in this day and age of health and safety madness, it's a surprise they allow the public to go up unaccompanied at all! Amy kept her body pressed against the wall of the tower, but seeing me lean over to look down, her curiosity soon won over her nerves, and she joined me. The view is stunning from the tower, and Rotterdam and Den Haag can be seen easily on a clear day. We stayed at the top for a good half hour, had a kiss and a cuddle then made our way down. Amy then wanted to pop into a couple of souvenir shops; she bought gifts for Fred and Rose; Jess, Dan and Jane and something for Zoe too. We then took a boat tour around the canals of Delft. After that, I paid a visit to my favourite cheese shop and bought a varied selection, then a quick visit to the supermarket to stock up on Senseo coffee pods and our shopping was complete. We headed back to the hotel to get the car. Next visit on my agenda was to take Amy to Scheveningen, a modern seaside resort near to Den Haag. Along the beach are numerous grills and cafe-bars; my intention being to have lunch at one of them. As we drove along the busy streets to get there, Amy busied herself looking around at the mix of old and new buildings, clearly enjoying the experience. I parked at the far end of Scheveningen, so that we could enjoy a walk on the beach first. We did just that, taking off our trainers and socks to enjoy the feel of the sand on our feet. Of course, Amy had already been to a beach before in Cornwall whilst on holiday with Fred and Rose. But it was the first time I'd been with Amy to a beach, so a new experience for me to witness her enjoy. We walked down to the sea and Amy rolled up her jeans so that she could paddle about, another child-like pastime for my fun-loving 18-year-old to enjoy. As she giggled and laughed, I took photos and smiled at the delightful scene; another innocent pleasure enjoyed, another box ticked. We strolled over to the beachside grill and café bars; they all look similar and offer similar facilities and food, so we picked the liveliest and most populated one, based on the assumption that if it was busy, it was probably good. Indeed we did enjoy a good lunch and great coffee, with great background music too. Leaving Scheveningen, I stopped at Madurodam model village, on the outskirts of Den Haag. This fantastic open-air exhibit of many Dutch landmark buildings in miniature is a delight for anyone from six to sixty. It needs a whole day to give it proper justice, but we only had a couple of hours, as I wanted to show Amy as much as possible in one day. She loved the village and the working vehicles and I too loved returning there (I'd been twice before with my family). Then, for the last couple of hours or so, I took Amy to a large open park and lake known as 'Delftse Hout' on the outskirts of Delft. We had time to enjoy a circular walk, but all good things have to come to an end and I decided we'd better head for the ferry terminal, as congestion on the Dutch motorways can be unpredictable. Back on the ferry and settled into our allotted cabin, we showered and changed, and pretty much did the same things as on our outward-bound journey. Amy was curious to know how the huge ferry actually leaves the berth in Europort and to the uninitiated, it does seem impossible for this huge vessel to manoeuvre given the space in the dock. I suggested she should watch. The ferry is effectively 'pointing the wrong way' when it comes into the berth and has to swing through 180 degrees to point the right way in order to leave the dock. It does this by using bow thrusters and utilising one single (and very strong!) steel hawser as a fulcrum located at the stern which effectively prevents the stern from moving away from the berth as the bow swings round. When the ferry is about three-quarters all the way round, and just at the right time, the hawser is released by a deckhand and it does so with an almighty 'crack' as it is under such incredible tension. We watched (and I watch without fail every time, even though I've seen it so many times before!) and Amy loved it (see, her nerdy side again!). After a visit to the shops and then a quick bite-to-eat in the 'bistro' (neither of us were particularly hungry), we settled-in to a cosy bench seat in the entertainment area to listen to the band and observe the returning hen and stag parties. Amy enjoyed this 'entertainment' as much as I do. Around midnight we left the entertainment area to return to the cabin. We passed the huge kids ball pit on the way. There was no one around at all (certainly no kids!), so I looked at the ball pit, looked around again and then looked at Amy, winked at her and said "Go on, quickly, have a go in the ball pit young-un!" She squealed and giggled at the suggestion and quickly went into the ball pit. I now had the delightful vision of an 18-year-old lass diving into hundreds of multi coloured balls, laughing hysterically as she did. A ships officer happened to walk by, looked, smiled and shook his head as he walked on... We got back to the cabin and I busied myself with a couple of things whilst Amy was in the bathroom. As she came out, gloriously nude, I gave her a quick cuddle before going into the bathroom myself. "Don't be long Duncs, I want to have some fun before going to sleep!" I was barely five minutes in the bathroom, but when I came out, Amy was curled up on the bed, almost foetal and fast asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake her up, so I simply cuddled up to her... The ships Tannoy woke us up at six thirty in the morning and a sleepy Amy turned to face me and leached on to me. "Did we make love last night? I don't remember Duncs." "No poppet, when I came out of the bathroom you were fast asleep and I didn't want to wake you up." "Oops, sorry Duncs, I must have been knackered! Let's make up for it now!" Without waiting for an answer, she got up and sat astride me, mid chest, grinning. The choice was all mine what to do with her next. Oh decisions, decisions... We made love, got showered and dressed and went out on deck to watch our progress through the mouth of the Humber Estuary. After that much needed fresh air, we then went for breakfast, again ate far too much and then returned to the deck and stayed there until called to return to our vehicle. Once docked, we left, passed straight through passport control without even being checked then joined the rush hour traffic of Hull to head back to Beverley and the office. Reality strikes again... "So, did you enjoy your three days in Holland lass?" "Absolutely Duncs! Loved both the business and the pleasure; it was all really great. And thanks for persuading Dave to let me go with you and thanks for showing me lots of things too." "He practically insisted you went with me poppet. I'm glad you liked it and we must go again; I had fun too. But you may have to go by yourself for the training; you OK with that?" She glanced at me, giving me that timid look I hadn't seen for some time. "Um ... not sure about that Duncs. I assumed you'd be with me, but I guess I'll be OK..." Well, maybe that was too big a step for her, I thought. "Well, let's see what can be arranged. Perhaps we can go together; you can go on the training course whilst I attend to other business and then we'll meet up in the evening. Let me think about it poppet, but don't worry about it." She seemed relived at this suggestion. I realised there and then that despite all the things she'd achieved so far and how much confidence she had gained, there was still a part of her that was unsure and afraid of the unknown. We arrived at the office and went straight to Dave's office for a debriefing. Amy recounted all she'd done in the last three days and Dave hardly got a word in. Finally, she proudly showed Dave her demo case packed with controllers and simulators. He looked at her, smiled, then looked at me and shook his head. "What have you done to this poor kid, eh Duncs?" I looked slightly hurt. Amy simply giggled. "Nothing Dave, nothing at all; just encouraged and guided her. SHE has done this to herself; I never coerced her at all." "Well, all I can say is, you two are a pair well-matched!" I looked at Amy and winked. I don't think Dave realised just how well 'matched' we could be. ------- Chapter 26 'Amy's gets a place to call her own home' July 2011 Amy talked about her trip to Holland for several days after returning; she thoroughly enjoyed her first taste of going abroad. A couple of weeks after that trip, I took her to Southern Ireland with me, where she experienced the fast seacat ferries; that impressed her too, as did Ireland itself and the very friendly people there. In early June, another key moment was when she passed her driving test. I was both elated and relieved for her, because she had been very nervous right before the test. I'd accompanied her to the test centre, constantly reassuring her all the way. After a nail-biting hour or so, she arrived back at the test centre and I knew she'd passed, because she came bounding over to me, squealing with joy and had leapt up at me, legs around my body and arms around my neck, kissing me! After passing her test, Amy then had the pleasant task of choosing her company car and was given a range of makes and models with a ceiling price limit; but this was like taking a kid to a sweetshop and making them choose just one item from many. In the end I stepped in to help her and she chose wisely in the end; nothing too sporty but still great-looking. For her first couple of long journeys, I went with her to offer guidance on motorway driving as this isn't included when learning to drive and does call for a different style of driving. I also felt it wise to go with her, firstly to gauge how well she coped and secondly, just in case she panicked; at least I'd be with her to help. One evening after work Amy had a serious talk with me and said she felt she wanted more independence. At first I selfishly thought she meant between us, that she wanted to cool it a little; she didn't, I needn't have worried. She actually wanted a place of her own, but was concerned that Fred and Rose may be hurt by her decision. I told her that if anything they'd be delighted for her and far from hurt. Anyway, she didn't want to tell them alone, and asked me to call in to Fred and Rose's house one evening. It was very cute in a way that she still needed my support like this. So I called round, and Amy broke her news to Fred and Rose, and as I predicted, they were over the moon that she felt confident enough to leave the security of their home. Of course, they were sad too; Fred and Rose treated Amy like their own daughter and I knew both of them would miss her delightful company. Amy began to search for a suitable home. She really wanted to buy her own place, but after approaching several banks and building societies, none were prepared to offer her a mortgage because she had no credit rating to speak of or parents to act as guarantor. Jane and I went with her to a couple of banks and building societies and offered to back her, but even then they weren't interested because we hadn't been official guardians of Amy prior to her turning 18. Dave even stepped in to try and help, but it would seem Amy's age, term of service at work (her unofficial time at work didn't count) and past life were going against her. So she had no choice but to look for something to rent until she could build-up a credit rating. She soon had a shortlist of several apartments and houses in and around the Beverley area to view, and I offered to go with her, which she gladly accepted. It had been a very long time since I'd rented a property and I was amazed at the high rents commanded for what in my opinion were very average properties. It seemed such a shame that Amy would be paying out dead money as rent when she should be paying a similar amount for a mortgage and getting a foot on the property ladder. Not impressed with the choice of property available for a sensible rent, I came up with a 'plan B'; I discussed the idea with my wife and amazingly she agreed to it. My plan was to enter into a joint mortgage arrangement with Amy, whereby she would be seen to pay her half of the mortgage and therefore start to gain a credit rating and 'unofficially' she'd pay my share of the mortgage back to me as a private payment. We approached the building society Jane and I use to discuss the idea. With me now on board with an excellent credit rating for 32 years and able to easily meet the total repayment of the mortgage should Amy default; they were more than happy to offer 'us' a 90% mortgage for the amount 'we' wanted to borrow. As for the 10% deposit, Amy had already saved a substantial amount of her earnings (she lives a very frugal existence!) and I offered to lend her the balance of the deposit as an interest-free loan on no fixed terms from my own savings. As you can imagine, Amy was more than delighted with this outcome and was so grateful to Jane and I for our help. From a legal perspective, Jane and I would effectively own half of Amy's house and legal documents had to reflect that; but from a personal perspective, we only ever saw it as Amy's house; we were merely helping her and never wanted to profit from the deal. So with the security of knowing a mortgage was now available, all we had to do now was find a suitable house for Amy. After a lot of searching and viewing, we eventually found a small, lovely house just on the outskirts of Beverley. It was in good condition but did require some modernisation. However, one of the advantages of working for company involved with multiple engineering disciplines is that Amy had a large fund of knowledge and expert help to draw on, all for free. Once she had decided for sure that this house was 'the one', she called the vendor to ask if she could visit again with 'a couple of friends' to check the house over before making a final decision and making an offer. The vendor readily agreed to this; however, Amy's 'couple of friends' turned out to be Mike (one of our electricians), Tim (our surveyor), Ken (our heating engineer), Bill (one of our civil engineers), Fred, Rich and myself. The expression on the vendors face was priceless when she opened the door to be met by Amy and her posse of experts! To the vendor's credit, she was very accommodating and made us all a drink whilst we pored over the house and checked for any serious problems. After a couple of hours, we were all in principle happy with the property; any defects we found we collectively decided to put right ourselves. With our guidance, Amy made an official offer to the vendor and it was accepted. The mortgage company then had to send in their official surveyor, who agreed with our own findings and the valuation of the house and then, once the legal formalities were completed (which took several weeks); Amy and I were joint owners of a house. We wasted no time in renovating the house for Amy. Almost as soon as she had the keys, we started work. What Amy hadn't reckoned on was the willingness of colleagues coming forward and giving up their own time to work on the house. The first weekend after she'd completed the purchase saw several of our tradesmen turn up to start work. The bonhomie and camaraderie was fantastic, and Amy was quite overwhelmed by it all. Not having much practical experience, there was little she could do other than stand back and watch as we ripped her house apart and renovated it. Amy's role became that of chief coffee, tea and bacon sandwich provider and general scout for ordering and chasing-up delivery of materials. We rewired, re-plumbed, fitted a new kitchen, a new bathroom suite and knocked two small downstairs rooms into one large open-plan living room. Nobody would take any money for their time; in fact, even a couple of our specialist sub-contractors gave up their time for free. We completed the major work in just four long weekends. That just left the decoration. For that, my whole family and Dave turned up. Dave and I painted the outside of the house, painted doors and fitted carpets whilst Jane, Dan, Jess and Amy decorated the inside. But that wasn't the end of the help Amy received. Items started to turn up at work. A complete set of crockery, still boxed, never been opened. Pots and pans, furniture, bed linen, curtains, appliances, even a lawnmower! Amy was again totally overwhelmed and so grateful to everyone. After some 18 months of being surrounded by genuinely friendly and kind people, Amy would be forgiven for becoming blasé with the friendship and generosity handed to her, but not a bit of it; even now, she could still be quite bewildered by the altruistic actions of those she'd befriended. During the first 15 years of her horrendous, bleak world, she'd only ever known sick and twisted people on the take; the people that had abused and raped her; I suppose it was hardly surprising that 18 months was not nearly long enough for her to fully come to terms with her new, and very pleasant way of life. Amy finally moved into her own home. Understandably, there were mixed emotions and lots of tears when she finally left the security of Fred and Rose's home, but her new home was only a mile away from Fred and Rose and it was a given that they would still be seeing their 'adopted daughter' on a regular basis. Within days of moving in, Amy threw a house warming party for everyone at work, us and her close friends Alicia, Hannah and Tracy. We had a job to all squeeze into her small house, so we inevitably spilled out into the back garden too, but the weather was favourable and a lot of fun was had by all. At one point, Amy made a tearful but happy and heartfelt general thank you to everyone gathered and that damned onion cutter appeared yet again... After the epic house warming party, the following week Amy invited Jess, Alicia and Hannah for a sleepover at her house to take place the following weekend; she loved the opportunity to be able do this, and Jess and the girls couldn't wait either. I offered to take the girls to Amy's house. Jess and I picked up Alicia and Hannah and I had the 'pleasure' of three noisy, exuberant and giggling girls in the car for the short journey to Beverley. We arrived at Amy's house and the girls jumped out to be met by Amy waiting at the door to welcome them. Plenty of hugs ensued and the girls then entered the house. That left just Amy and I outside. She gave me a huge hug, and with tear-filled eyes; she once again thanked me profusely for my help. Then she said something to me that made my loins stir in anticipation... "Oh and Duncs ... I'm having an extra-special party at my home and I want it soon." "Oh, OK, who's invited poppet?" She grinned, giggled and had that mischievous glint in her eyes, "Oh, there's only one guest; it's you..." ------- Chapter 27 'Amy continues to blossom and turns 19' October 2011 Well, Amy and I did indeed have our 'private party', and took great delight in 'christening' nearly every room in her new home too. But to me, the more important aspect of her new home was that it was simply lovely to see her living there and coping so well. Of course, it was immaculately kept by her; everything had a place and nothing was out of place. She was almost fanatical about it; maybe an obsession born from her traumatic past, I don't know. One little sad reminder of her past; in the spare bedroom, I noted she STILL had her worn out rucksack and two carrier bags; she saw me spot them and looked at me sheepishly. I hugged her and told her I'd remembered the significance and that she had nothing to be embarrassed about. But, that aside, she was truly content in her personal haven; finally, a place she could truly call her own home. There was a bonus to her having her own place; our regular lunchtime excursions to the secluded wood were no longer necessary; now we simply headed back to Amy's house when our lust for each other got the better of us! And as predicted, Amy makes time for regular visits to Fred and Rose's house, usually stopping by after work before going back to her own home. Jess is also a regular visitor to Amy's house. Amy often drives round to our house at the weekend, collects Jess and then the pair of them go shopping in Hull or Beverley, then back to Amy's place for the night. When Amy returns Jess the next day, she'll often join us for Sunday lunch and then spend the rest of the day with us, perhaps going for a walk in the countryside with me. Amy was generally very settled now and much more mentally stable. She did confess to me that on several occasions when alone in her home, she still panicked when her past came back to haunt her, but she generally coped with it very well, and has only called on me once so far to go round and comfort her. Amy did return to Holland to have her official training on the primary building control system that our company installs and commissions. On returning to the office, she proudly hung on the wall behind her desk her framed certificate presented to her for successfully completing the course and officially becoming an 'accredited programmer'. Herman later told me that she was one of the best students he'd ever trained on the system; said she was not only a natural, but also such a pleasant person to work with too. She didn't go to Holland by herself; she didn't feel confident enough to do that, so as promised, I went with her and arranged to visit other companies whilst Amy attended her course. It was no hardship for me; I got to be with Amy during the evening and we had a lot of fun in the process. One evening, Herman and his wife Tineka joined us for a Dinner at a lovely restaurant they'd recommended we should try in Pijnacker (a small town near Delft). It was a very pleasant evening too. One thing I noted during occasions such as this were how Amy's social skills had developed over the months; she was now such a confident young women, but importantly, still retained her lovely, natural charm and humility. At work, Amy continued to do extremely well, surpassing all the goals set for her. Rich continued to willingly impart his vast knowledge to Amy, and she gladly sponged it up. Amy began to do more and more of Rich's legwork; attending sites on her own and gathering important information and data for documentation. She also put into practice her knowledge of the building control systems; I often sent her to clients to install software and firmware updates. Amy also took on secondary roles in the company too; for instance, she attended a first-aid course and passed as a qualified first-aider. She also started to study to become an accredited NEBOSH in-house health and safety officer (a role presently undertaken by Rich, so it was essential for someone else to take on the role before Rich retired). Amy also continued to also excel at college, despite only attending one day a week. 'Prof Ron' fully expects her to pass with flying colours. He told me that her course work and dissertations 'are works of exquisite quality'; what a beautiful accolade. On hearing this, Dave was more than happy with his decision to fund her college fees. Amy and I still enjoyed working away together. Whenever a new project required me to commission it, Amy would gladly be my assistant and of course, we still greatly valued our personal time together back at the motel. I still thanked my lucky stars that I got to make love to this beautiful young lady. So, it was hard to believe that yet another year had passed by and that Amy was now 19. She was still as beautiful as ever, still slim, very fit and oh so sexy. A little more curvy now (in all the right places!) and her boobs were a little fuller than when I first met her, but above all else, she was still that beautiful and unassuming person on the inside; the girl that everybody simply loved. Jess, Alicia, Hannah and Beth arranged a birthday bash for Amy (and involved Zoe too). This was to be no innocent, old fashioned style birthday party at our house like her 18th had been; oh no, this time the girls had arranged a themed party for Amy. Zoe even arranged a people carrier taxi to collect them and ferry them around so that Jane and I didn't have to act as 'taxis'. I felt quite redundant, as for once I wasn't involved with any of the arrangements, but I didn't mind at all. At 15 years old, Jess was more than capable and very mature, so I didn't interfere and only helped where I had to, such as paying the deposit for the restaurant booking Jess had made. Amy was completely unaware of what was being arranged for her. Two days prior to her birthday, Zoe simply told Amy that she was taking her out on the night before her birthday to celebrate (this being a Saturday as Amy's birthday fell on the Sunday). Of course, on the actual night, when the people carrier turned up at Amy's house complete with Zoe, Jess, Alicia, Hannah and Beth in it, Amy was very surprised and absolutely delighted (she later told me). I only have hearsay to go on regarding how the partying went, as of course I wasn't present, but Amy, Zoe and Jess all recounted tales of the evening, and it would seem the girls all had a blast. The girls partied until the early hours, and at midnight were able to truly wish her a happy birthday. The venue they were at had been forewarned, and played 'happy birthday' over the club speakers for her. As an aside, I also made a point of thanking Zoe for not objecting to mixing with girls way younger than herself. But Zoe countered that by telling me that far from objecting she actually loved being in the company of Jess and co. because they were all such lovely girls; not at all bitchy like her own friends. She also added that they were more mature than most of her twenty-something friends too. The next day, we'd invited Amy over to our house to celebrate her birthday. We actually took her out for a meal at a local pub known for its great food and indeed we did have a lovely meal. Afterwards back at our house, we gave her our gifts and as always, Amy was genuinely grateful and humbled to receive them. As it was Sunday and Jess had school the next day, a sleepover wasn't really appropriate, besides, Amy was due at Fred and Rose's house for a birthday tea; she was much in demand! One other milestone passed by Amy was that Zoe finally persuaded her to go to a nightclub. Amy wasn't entirely convinced about it, but as Zoe was now such a close friend and not wishing to disappoint her, she finally relented. Zoe promised she'd take her to one of the more genteel clubs; a club where there was little trouble and where one of the bouncers happened to be a good friend of Zoe's, so he would therefore look out for the pair of them. Amy admitted to being surprised that she did actually have a good time, and would go again, but also added she still much preferred a quiet evening in with me with relaxing music playing on the stereo, or on a sleepover with Jess and her friends. One thing she didn't appreciate at the club was the constant queue of lads persistently 'hitting on her' but apparently Zoe stepped in and saw them off! I told Amy I wasn't surprised by this; with her obvious beauty she'd clearly stand out in the crowd and was bound to attract male attention. Finally, the one mystery I'd never found the right way to bring into a conversation was cleared up. Back in August, one day Amy was extremely excited at work. She asked me to go outside with her as she had something very personal to tell me. We went outside to the far corner of the staff car park and Amy was smiling but had tears in her eyes too. I held her, sensing she needed some reassurance. She was shaking a little too, but then finally spoke. "Duncs, I ... I've started; I ... I ... think I'm having my first period." I was dumfounded; in all the time I'd known her, she'd never been 'off limits', so I'd assumed, but never dared to ask, that she'd suffered some terrible damage as a child that had effected her reproductive organs in some way. "Wow, err ... Amy, I don't know how to respond to this; you've completely thrown me off kilter, other than that's fantastic news. So, you mean you've NEVER had a period before? "No, never. When I was nearly 16, I went to one of those clinics that doesn't ask questions or speak to your parents, to find out why my periods hadn't started. We'd done sex ed. in class and it seemed all the other girls except me had started. I was worried that something was wrong with me, but obviously, didn't want to ask my bitch of a Mother." "So that's why you told me that first week 'I can't get pregnant'? "Yes, and it's also why I knew I didn't have any STD's, because the clinic ran a series of tests; they all came back negative." "So, what was wrong with you; did they say?" "They couldn't tell me, but wanted to continue tests that would have involved going to hospital, and I chickened out and never went. I was simply happy to know that I didn't have any disease of any kind." "So, were you never going to find out why you never had periods?" She looked slightly embarrassed now, plus she looked at me as if I'd be angry with her next statement. "Look, Duncs, after I turned 18, you know I signed up as a patient at the general medical practice in Beverley, because you recommended your family doctor to me?" "Yes, I remember; go on." "Well, I finally plucked up courage to make an appointment to find out what was wrong with me. Don't be angry, but I asked Jess to go with me too." Why would I be angry poppet? Jess is your best mate and practically your sister; I can understand why you'd want her to go with you for support, silly!" "Yeah, but Jess heard personal details Duncs. The doctor asked me if I had an active sex life and if it hurt during intercourse. I had to tell the doctor that 'yes, I did have sex and no, it didn't hurt'; Jess will have worked out that would be with you; she knows I don't have a boyfriend or that I sleep around..." I cuddled her and kissed her forehead, "Amy, Jess is no fool; she probably worked out there was something more between us than just friendship the first time you met her; I'm not bothered about that, I'm more interested to know what the doctor said." "The doctor arranged for me to have an examination which I went for and truly hated. I took Jess with me to that too; she was great Duncs, really cool and supportive, but you'd know that. I also had an ultrasound too. The result of that was there was nothing physically wrong with me. My hormones are OK too, but I guessed that anyway, so did the doctor, otherwise I wouldn't enjoy sex the way I do!" Amy blushed at this and giggled nervously. "Yeah, you certainly enjoy sex sweety..." I chuckled. "The specialist said I was suffering from a condition known as 'primary amenorrhea', which basically describes a girl that goes through a normal puberty but never menstruates. There are many things that can cause this and doctors still don't know all the answers." "So what did the doctor decide had caused the condition in your case then sweetheart?" "Well ... they ruled out lots of diseases and other physical problems as all the tests I had and the physical examinations came back with negative results and my 'plumbing' is all OK. The doctor then started to ask me about my childhood history to try and determine other causes. And that's the problem Duncs, Jess heard a lot of things that you probably didn't want her to know, please don't be annoyed..." Then Amy started to cry. "Amy, Amy, don't get upset sweety. Jess is old enough to hear your story and I'm pleased you didn't face this ordeal alone; I'm not annoyed; please tell me more." "Well, you know I didn't eat properly all the time and I did all that manic exercise on the exercise machine? Well, the doctor said my very low body fat and all that exercise must have caused the condition, then add all the trauma I suffered too, then I became a runaway and didn't eat properly at all for a whole year so..." she trailed off. She started to cry again, and I had to comfort her for a couple of minutes before she calmed down. "So what did the doctor prescribe for you?" "Nothing. She said there was nothing that could be done and time would be the best healer. She urged me to go to a therapist to talk about my childhood but I told her I didn't need one. I explained how you, Jess and a couple of other close friends were helping me to get through everything. To be fair to her, she didn't insist and dropped the subject." "So when was all this poppet and why on earth didn't you feel you could tell me?" "It was about four months ago Duncs, just before we started looking for a house for me ... An ... and I didn't tell you because I thought you'd be upset." "But why on earth would I be upset?" "Because if you thought I was bothered about not having periods, you'd probably assume I was thinking about having children and I KNOW that can't happen between us. Therefore you might think I was going to leave you and find a boyfriend or something..." she trailed off yet again, crying again. "Amy, first of all I wouldn't have thought that; in fact, your lack of periods is something I've always wanted to ask you about, but never dared too; I felt it a far too personal matter to discuss. But I knew there was something wrong; you gave it away that first week when you told me you couldn't get pregnant. Secondly, I have no hold over you girl; I'm realistic enough to know that one day, you may want to settle down with someone and start a family. I'm glad your menstruation has finally started, honestly I am." "Honestly? You're not just saying that because you're being kind to me, as always?" "Honestly poppet; I'm pleased for you. Only, just one thing..." "What Duncs?" she looked apprehensive. "I guess this means you're going to get all moody and tearful for a few days every month, and that means I'll have to give you extra cuddles girl; but, I'll also have to mind what I say too, in case you bite my head off!" "Twat!" she said, giggling and now brightening up, "Duncs, the reason it's important to me that I've 'started' is nothing to do with the fact I can now technically have children. It's important to me because I now feel complete as a woman; the last part of the jigsaw in me growing up is now in place; does that make sense?" I kissed her and held her, "Amy, it makes perfect sense, honestly sweetheart. But I wish you'd told me about all of this; I'd have given you moral support too." "Duncs, I've burdened you more than enough as it is. I know you'd have helped me; sorry if you're upset." "Not upset at all. Now, most importantly, have you told Jess?" "Yep, I sent her a text; she texted back within seconds! Said welcome to the 'rag week' club; turns out Jess is having her period same time as me!" "And of course, you've remembered that I've had a vasectomy, so there's still no risk of you getting pregnant, at least, not with me young-un! "I know, I've remembered!" We hugged and kissed and went back into the office smiling. So now I knew the answer to the question that had gnawed away at the back of my mind the most ... And that first period in August wasn't a one-off or a fluke, because with almost perfect timing she had her second period in September and a third in October. I discovered she doesn't get really moody or angry, just tearful; BUT, horny as hell a few days before she's due ... Sex with even greater passion than normal; I wasn't complaining! ------- Epilogues (original Epilogue) 'Our story concludes... ' (For the time being!) January 2012 I'm writing this epilogue the day after New Years Day. Amy had spent Christmas Day with us and stayed the night, returning to Beverley to spend Boxing Day with Fred and Rose. Amy also spent New Years Eve with us, staying the night so that we could all celebrate New Years Day together as midnight struck on 'Big Ben'. She is very much part of our family now, and in some ways I treat her like she is my adopted daughter. Of course, she is first and foremost my close companion and lover. But whenever she achieves a goal or 'ticks another box', I'm proud of her in the same way that I'd be proud of Jess. It's a strange set of emotions and it does bother me in some ways, but that said, I don't want anything to change. Jane still hasn't so much as said one word about just how close my relationship with Amy really is; however, Amy and I don't flaunt it and always show upmost decorum whenever my family or colleagues are in the vicinity, but she MUST know there's more to Amy and me than what shows on the surface. I truly admire Jane's understanding of 'our' situation; I seriously can't imagine many wives allowing a husband to have such a close relationship with an insanely beautiful girl who's only four years older than his own daughter. But I seem to be that lucky husband. I also can't imagine there are many 19-year-old, insanely beautiful girls out there who want to enjoy an intimate relationship with a man 30 years their senior, but again, I seem to be that lucky bloke. I won't pretend that I'm some sort of super stud; in fact, in the great scheme of things, I'm probably pretty much a 'Joe average' when it comes to sex. I suppose that in my favour, Amy has only known me as her lover; as the person who showed her what it is to 'make love' and I certainly seem to give her pleasure and 'spin her propeller'; and she's hardly going to compare me with the sick bastards that raped and molested her through her childhood. So I continue to thank my very good fortune that not only do I have a great family; two well-adjusted, polite, happy and intelligent kids and a wife who is a good friend and who I love for what she is; but I also have a very close companion and great lover in Amy. I suppose it's a bizarre setup in most people's eyes, but I for one wish it to continue and by all accounts, so does Amy. As for Amy, well who knows what destiny has in store for her. With the continued support of those close to her, she will achieve all her goals and more. I note her becoming more and more independent and confident, which is really fantastic, but from a selfish point-of-view, that also makes me a little sad too; a small part of me wants her to remain 'my Amy'. I may also have to face the fact that someday she may want to find a partner more her own age; someone to permanently settle down with. That will be a personal wrench for me, but if that should ever happen, I just hope we will still remain close companions. I would also like to think that if she ever gets married, it'll be me that will 'give her away'; I'd be so proud to do that. That said, I do feel sorry for any future partner she chooses, because that poor bloke will be under very close scrutiny by several people close to Amy's heart. He will need to be made of tough stuff and be very kind and loving towards her; otherwise he'll be relentlessly intimidated by the Amy fan club! My final word? I'd say that Amy is still a 'runaway'; a runaway success that is... ------- New Epilogue 'Our story concludes... ' (For the time being!) December 2012 I'm writing this epilogue on the 2nd December and it is hard to believe that nearly another year has gone by since I posted the last chapter of 'Runaway'. A lot has happened this year. However, I missed some of the main events as I have been away for five months, working on a very remote project, so remote there wasn't even Internet access, only a sat phone to be used only for urgent or emergency business calls. Around early June this year, I very reluctantly decided that Amy should no longer be my lover. Oh, don't misunderstand for one minute – this took an awful lot of will-power on my part and wasn't a decision I came to light-heartedly. I mean, can you imagine it? A 50 year-old bloke giving up a wonderful relationship with a very beautiful, loving and sexy 19year old girl? Yeah, I must be mad. But I had to think what was best long-term for Amy. She had made it clear to me that she was quite happy to be my lover for ever and a day, even though she knew I would never leave Jane. But think about it. Let's say I live to 75 – that would make Amy 44 years old and by then she would probably be so emotionally attached to me she'd find it almost impossible to have the confidence to find a new partner. So I made the decision to release Amy from my clutches as my lover and substitute being a father figure for her instead, which long-term is by far the healthier and morally correct option for the pair of us. I love the girl dearly, absolutely, unconditionally; in fact, I love her as much as I do Jess, so she is my second daughter as far as I'm concerned. Now, as I write, I'm pleased to say that Amy does indeed see me as her father-figure and even calls me Dad. We now enjoy a wonderful new 'father-daughter' relationship, that I can flaunt in front of others, even my wife Jane. But back in June, it took much convincing on my part and many tears on her part to make Amy see that long-term I was only thinking of her. At first Amy thought I was rejecting her entirely by not wishing to be her lover – I had to tread very carefully for a number of weeks and gently convince and make her see the way forward and that I did still very much love her. The problem I faced now was convincing Amy to find a partner for herself. She said she just didn't want to make the effort (read: she was terrified of these 'uncharted waters'; but wouldn't admit it to herself or me). However, fate works in strange ways and a solution for Amy's future relationship predicament appeared a coupled of weeks later, thought at the time I would have never suspected it. Towards the end of June I happened to be outside the factory getting a breath of fresh air when a lad of similar age to Amy tentatively approached me. He explained his situation to me: he'd been made redundant the day before and instead of feeling sorry for himself and signing on for social security benefits, he'd taken to cycling around all the local businesses seeking for work. Just for that attitude alone I liked him straight away. He was quite shy but nevertheless still confident and very presentable; quite simply there was just something about him that I liked – call it a gut feeling. He told me he'd do anything, said he wasn't proud and just wanted to work. I asksed him what he was doing in his previous job and he told me apprentice electrician. My eyes lit up. "You've come to the right place then son!" I offered him a job in our electrical fab shop on a one month trial. I asked him when he could start. "How about right now sir?" "That will do for me son, but don't ever call me sir again; it's Duncs or Duncan, OK?" I replied, grinning and I shook his hand. So later that day I introduced James, our new workshop electrical apprentice, to Amy, explaining to him that she would go through the company health and safety procedures, show him the welfare facilities and get him kitted-up with PPE. At first they were quite shy towards each other, which was so cute to witness but I certainly detected an instant rapport between the pair of them too. Anyway, long story short, Amy and James soon became firm friends which in turn blossomed into them dating. However, during my five months out of circulation, unknown to me, Amy and James became 'an item' and are now very much in-love and planning for their future. James is now a regular visitor to our house, in tow with Amy. And work-wise my gut feeling was correct too; James has turned out to be a superb addition to the company, is eager to learn, is flexible, a team player albeit a little shy and he has expressed a wish to attend college to further his knowledge. He asked if he could go on day release each Friday. Now Amy happens to go to college on Friday too – isn't that a coincidence? During my time away, I also missed Jessie's 16th birthday and my son Dan starting university – two events I deeply regret being absent for, but unfortunately, work does take me away from my family a lot of the time and it does pay the bills. On my return home a few days ago, I learnt that Amy and Zoe both arranged a great birthday party for Jess, which was lovely to hear. Amy and James also helped Jane to get Dan safely moved into university, again, I'm so very grateful for Amy and James doing that. It should have been me helping Jane of course, but how nice to know Amy was helping her adopted family in any way she can. I had plenty of time to reflect on my entire life during those five months away and some of it wasn't pleasant; there are things I have done in my past that I'm not proud about then there are the postives, such as helping Amy find her way in life. Of course, being absent for so long also helped me get over my physical relationship with Amy – had I been seeing her everyday after giving her up as my lover would have been tough for me and I suspect for Amy too. With me being absent, it at least allowed Amy to develop her relationship with James, unhindered and without any potential for her suffering guilt trips on seeing me around. On my return, Amy was still initially worried about how I would react to their news. I was of course delighted and overjoyed for the pair of them. To see Amy so in-love with a guy her own age is proof of just how much she had progressed and I wouldn't wish it any other way. I did take James to one side and gave him a gentle pep talk about Amy. I had him promise me that he would do his upmost to not let her down. He already knew some of Amy's past – he told me she had explained to him about her childhood abuse and that she can change mood rapidly and hoped he'd be able to cope with that. James told me that he is deeply in-love with Amy and will do anything he can to keep her happy. That was all I needed to hear. I told James that if ever things got too much for him, he could always come and chat to me. I explained that I knew Amy better than anybody (without revealing just how well I 'knew' her!) and he thanked me for the offer. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get the occasional pang of regret for my actions back in June, or the occasional lustful thought when I see Amy, but that's for me to deal with. Right from the start, I always wanted what was best for Amy, not what was best for me. Of course I have now gained a beautiful, intelligent, caring and fun-loving older 'daughter' and my blood daughter now has an older sister, and the love they have for each other is absolute and unconditional; that said, Jess and Amy had decided they were sisters after, oh let's see, about an hour after first meeting each other, so I suppose that was always the case anyway... I also discovered on my return that Jess now has a boyfriend who's 20 years old and is a student at York University. I had to take several deep breaths when I discovered that nugget of information, I mean Jess is only 16 and has never dated seriously any lad her own age, claiming they are all too immature, let alone an older lad. I was told this news by Jess in the living room in the presence of Amy, James, Jane, and Jess' boyfriend, Steve. Jess explained she met Steve when she'd attended a three-day music workshop (related to a school project) at York University. Steve had apparently been one of the students given the task of helping out at the workshop. Jess and James had chatted during breaks and found they had a lot in common. As he lived nearby, he had even given Jess a couple of lifts home and having been invited in by Jane had stayed for tea on two occasions. It also turned out that Jess has being seeing Steve for two months, so I began to realise it was too late for me to really object without seriously upsetting Jess. I listened to all of this and other snippets of information with a stony face. I noted Amy watching me intently. When Jess finally felt she'd told me enough, I felt it my turn to speak; I felt I had to say something just to make my presence known as the supposed 'alpha male' in the household; you know, puff up my chest and roar etc ... The conversation that ensued went something like this: "So, you're 20 years-old Steve. Don't you think you're a little too old to be dating a 16 year-old schoolgirl?" I said, glowering a little, hackles rising, fists mildly clenching and unclenching – this was, after all, my 'little girl' I was talking about. "Well, I suppose in a way, yes, I am sir, but your daughter does not act like a 16 year-old. She is way more mature than most of my peers. She's the first girl I ever met who can talk about any number of subjects in-depth and she doesn't resort to discussing banal subjects such as who's dating who or what some trashy celeb is up to. I really, really like her. She's a breath of..." At which point Steve's rising soliloquy on the merits of my daughter and why he felt he was justified in dating her was cut short by Jess herself interjecting, "Dad, how old was Mum when you started dating her, eh?" she said, eyes twinkling, eyebrows raised, the 'challenge Dad' game had stared and she'd made her first powerful serve, and my guard was down. I coughed a little, "well err, s ... she had just turned 18 years old Jess." I feebly replied barely returning my statement 'back over the virtual net' "And how old were you?" returned Jess, gaining the upper hand already. "Err, well, I was 27." I returned weakly, trying to maintain my hold on the 'challenge Dad' game. "So, Mum was only two years older than me. You are nine years older than Mum and yet Steve is only four years older than me. So what gives Dad? What's the issue Dad? Eh?" Jess returned with her most powerful shot, leaving me reeling to return with something equally as good, but I was failing fast. "It was different circumstances for Mum and I – we were both working; you're at school and Steve is at college." My reply didn't even make it over the 'net'. "Is that the best you can come up with Duncan?" said 'umpire' Jane, before Jess had any chance to retort. I looked at the sea of faces staring back at me. Jess was standing defiantly, one hand on her hip, head cocked to one side, waiting for a better reason than the one I'd just offered. Steve stood there looking a little awkward and pensive. Amy just looked at me with a huge smirk on her face – yeah, I could read her like an open book, she was clearly thinking about the 31 year age gap between her and me when we'd been lovers, so no support there then! James was wearing a non-committal face – wise as I am, after all, his boss! Jane was giving me her 'are you going to argue with me, because I'm ready whenever you are' sort of face, arms folded, her laser eyes already burning holes in my skull. I looked again at each person in turn. "I'm wasting my breath; I'm not going to win this argument, am I." To which everyone in unison chorused "NO!" And then giggled and laughed. Game, set and match to Jess. "OK then Steve, if you wish to continue seeing my daughter there are three conditions. One, you call me Duncs or Duncan and not sir." "Ooohh-kay, and the second condition?" "Secondly, you hurt so much as a single hair on my daughters head and you'll wish you'd never been born," then with a wry smile on my face, I added, "of course, that's assuming I get to you first. If Jane gets to you first, you will wish even less that you'd ever been born. However, if Amy get's to you first, your torture will be a slow, drawn-out extremely painful process and she will enjoy administering it too, and you will beg for either me or Jane to quickly finish you off. Do I make myself perfectly clear Steve?" "Err, yes, perfectly sir ... I mean Duncan. Um, during your absence I've already had the riot act read to me by both Jane and Amy. Jane was polite; um, Amy less so, but afterwards she was very friendly towards me!" I shot a glance at Amy and smiled at her. I could only imagine the scene as Amy explained to Steve in no uncertain terms what she would do to him should he harm Jess – the lad must have been positively squirming. Amy smiled back in recognition of my understanding of her thoughts on the matter. "Duncan, you said there were three conditions?" "Yes, thirdly, I recommend you see a shrink." "Err, why d'ya say that?" "Cos you must be completely mad to want go out with Jess!" "DAAA-EERRRR-ADD!" Everyone giggled, the ice was broken and I sadly accepted that my 'little girl' was now grown up, a young woman beginning to tentatively make her way in the world. I must confess that in some ways I'm pleased she's not going out with some spotty Herbert from her school that would be constantly trying to get his hands down her knickers. Steve being 20 hopefully mean that his testosterone levels shouldn't be as sky-high as some snotty 16 year-old and he does seem to be a very nice, decent, intelligent lad. So I shook his hand and gave Jess a hug whispering in her ear "just be careful pet" to which she replied "you know I will Dad". And yes, I do know she will – she's a very sensible and highly intelligent girl, despite me making out to the contrary. But hey, that's what Dads do to their daughters, right? Well, that exchange took place Wednesday last week, just a couple of days after I'd got home from my extended trip. This weekend, Amy, James, Jess and Steve all took off on a short break to the lakes. They were intending to stay in a hotel, but Friday afternoon I took pity on them and I gave them the keys to the cabin so that they could save some money. I caught a look Amy gave me as I made that gesture – I saw a brief look of regret and longing flash across her face – I understood exactly what she was thinking and I smiled ruefully, imperceptibly nodding at her as I picked up on her non-verbal communications as memories of our own happy times spent in that same cabin swept through our minds. I had to look away. Before they set off for the Lakes, Amy handed me a huge bound document. She explained it was a major dissertation she's been working on for some weeks as part of her college course and would I please cast an eye over it. Well, I told her I'd be delighted to do that. I started reading it Saturday and finished it today. I have to say I was in total awe of Amy's work. She has produced a thoroughly researched, technically accurate and beautifully written dissertation on the given subject matter. I can only assume that Prof Ron will be more than impressed with her efforts. But what really got to me and the reason why Jane found me crying when she came into the living room was something Amy had written right at the end of her dissertation; a most beautiful comment at end of her list of references. After six references to technical publications she had used in her dissertation, for her seventh reference she had typed: [7] Duncan G: my saviour, my mentor, my best friend, my companion, my confidant, the person who believed in me, the person who made me believe in myself, my father figure, but most of all, the person without whom I would not be writing this dissertation in the first place. For you Duncan, my thanks can never, ever be enough. As I stated, Jane found me crying and sat down next to me, concerned. Too choked to speak, I simply handed her Amy's work and pointed to the beautiful comment. Jane read it and said "oh that's so beautiful and heartfelt." Then she carefully put down Amy's dissertation and cradled me like I was one of the children. I buried my head into her shoulder and cried over what seemed like suddenly years of pent-up frustration all pouring out at once. But then the crying gradually subsided and I found myself kissing and nuzzling Jane's neck, enjoying the renewed physical contact with my wife. I lifted away and cupped her face in my hands. I gently kissed her on the lips and pulled away, looking directly into her eyes. I gently kissed her again, and again, and then again only a more lingering, deeper kiss. I pulled away again, still cupping her head in my hands and looking into her eyes I said, "Do you think there's a chance we can pick-up where we left off all those years ago pet?" I continued to look directly into her eyes and saw the beginnings of a mischievous glint, a twinkle I haven't seem for some years, then she bit her lower lip – how cute was that? "We'll have to find out, won't we?" she replied, with a little impish grin. I stood up and offered my hand to Jane. She grabbed it and I gently pulled her up off the settee, then silently, hand-in-hand, we went upstairs, and headed towards our bedroom. ------- The End ------- Posted: 2012-12-02 ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------