Christmas Angel

Gabriel:
I awoke in a hospital room to sunlight dancing on the sleeping form of my angel in the chair by my bed. Her long unbound hair shone like a heavenly halo as it caressed her neck and shoulders.

Peaceful and innocent in her slumber, Amy’s deep contented breathing was a comfort to me knowing that she was safe. Amy is my angel, my salivation, oh how I loved my beautiful brown eyed girl… how healing her presence is to me.

My heart swelled with pride as I remembered her bravery from the night before and how she remained calm; how she handled herself through the entire ordeal.

I assumed that it was the night before until I spotted the digital clock on the wall with the time and date. Had I been out for almost two days?

I felt fine otherwise; I wasn’t dizzy and my breathing was much better; perhaps a metal fragment had nicked a lung? Looking at the IV-tubes in my left arm and then at the IV-stand I noticed that the bags were full, recently changed. I got out of bed pulling the wheeled IV-stand behind me and stood by the window while looking out and just glad to be alive.

I felt small dainty hands reach around from behind and hug me. I felt her head on my shoulder and felt her soft thick hair tickling my neck and cheek, all was well and I was complete. I took those beautiful hands as I did on that day on the stairwell when I should have kissed her. I squeezed them gently before I turned to face my Christmas Angel………..

Amy: When he passed out bleeding on the kitchen floor I thought I going to lose my sweetheart forever. Thank the heavens that the storm let up when it did and the road was open because the Emergency Medical Technician on the scene told me that several metal fragments might have nicked his lungs. They stabilized him while Emma was talking to the Sheriff Investigator and then the BCI (Bureau of Central Investigation) from the New York State Police. After Gabriel was stabilized the Mercy Flight Helicopter flew him to the hospital.

God only knows how I knew where to look for the Jeep’s distributor wire. The thought just popped into my head; it was in the tree where my old tire swing used to be? The BCI Investigator advised Emma that we all would be interviewed by the FBI and then possibly Interpol in Miguel’s case. Rodney was taken by ambulance in handcuffs to a hospital that had a secure police lockup and Spike…Spike somehow managed to electrocute himself on a downed power line; may God have mercy on his wretched soul. I never expected Gabriel to be on his feet so soon but there he was standing by the window……………………

Gabriel: I turned to her and Amy was crying softly. “Let me kiss those tears away, brown eyes.” I gently took her face in my hands and kissed each and every tear ending up at her mouth. She returned my kisses and put her arms around my neck while I put my arms around her as best I could. From the moment that I first kissed her mouth and ever since then, if feels as if our souls touch when our lips meet.

“I thought I had lost you, Tarzan.” She said, smiling and mussing my hair teasingly. “I love you so much and that was the second time that you were there for me, Emma too. We have to call your Mary and Zeta to let them know that you are awake.”

“That can wait for now because we have to talk. I’m very proud of you Amy Susan Jones! Wow! What a kick, you sent Rodney’s you know what’s right up into his mouth? I bet that he can still taste them. A man couldn’t ask for a braver, smarter, prettier fianc?y soon to be wife…………….

Amy: His fianc?his soon to be wife? I thought this day would never come while knowing that it always would. Of course it would, that was confirmed the night of our first date underneath; it doesn’t matter he loves me! Since he calls me brown eyes I will call my sweetheart, Tarzan…to tease him. A church wedding and then a honeymoon and children, lots of children…my head is just spinning.

I kissed his mouth again, and again, and again…I had to tell him. “Gabriel, yes, yes and yes; I love you so, but there is something I have to tell you.”

“Does it have to do with Rodney? He asked.

“Yes, how did you know?” Rodney said that they were being mailed to you.” I answered.

“The papers were left in my mailbox with no stamps or a postmark. It doesn’t matter to me and it shouldn’t matter to you. Emma is your mother. The good news is that February 3rd. is not your birthday. You were born on Christmas day which makes you my Christmas Angel”

I knew it wouldn’t matter to him, I just knew it; no matter what it the documents said. I told Emma as much and she agreed; she is 100% in his corner now I never really knew when my birthday was, February 3rd. was an arbitrary date from my foster care days. Our birthdays are only two days apart! He was running his fingers through my hair as he was talking; he loves to do that, play with my hair. Even now I could feel his erection through his hospital gown.

I don’t know how he does it though, sleeping next to me night after night. I want him to make love to me right now in the hospital bed. I don’t want to wait anymore; just being near my sweetheart makes me so horny.

But it is easier for a woman then it is for a man. Nobody can possibly enjoy taking that many cold showers. I know that he wants my first time to be in our wedding bed. Gabriel can be so stubborn, but think of all those good erections going to waste. I’m so naughty but I have been peeking on his laptop and I know what he likes……………………………

Gabriel: “During dinner on Sunday I was going to ask Emma for permission to marry you.” I continued, playing with her beautiful almost waist length hair. “I know how much you want to be married in your church. Ben could be the ring bearer and Cindy could be the flower girl……………………………….

Amy: “Would you like me to help you clean up a bit, sweetheart? I will give you a sponge bath in your bathroom and there are fresh hospital gowns in your closet.”

I helped him remove the hospital gown and being careful not to get the bandages wet I gave him a thorough sponge bath. True to form while I was bathing him Gabriel had a massive hard on like the ones I saw on his laptop in the saved XXX Video files. I was so naughty…I wanted to suck on it just like the girls in the X-rated videos; suck on it just like the slave girls in the stories. It would be so wonderful to submit to my soon to be husband. ………………………

Gabriel: I was quietly standing there naked with a huge erection and with my eyes closed enjoying the sponge bath. I was wondering if Amy was going to wash my cock for me with her little hands. She had to rinse out the washcloth several times in the sink to remove the dried blood and was very careful and methodical in not getting my bandages wet.

I was daydreaming about her kneeling at my feet and sucking on my cock while I played with her hair. I opened my eyes to feel her soaping my manhood and stroking the entire shaft as if she was giving me a hand job. Amy couldn’t possibly be doing that intentionally, could she?

As she was rinsing my manhood the look on her face told me everything. She got down on her knees and licked my cock it and then kissed it while looking up at me and smiling.

“Is something wrong, Sir? I thought that you liked submissive women? Wouldn’t you like your own little slave girl to care for you while you recuperate?”

“But brown eyes, you are going to be my wife! I…”

“Do you love me Gabriel?”

“You are my life now, my Christmas Angel.”

“Well, now I’m going to be a naughty Angel, Master………………………..

Amy: Well there is a first time for everything. I started by licking and kissing the shaft of his cock from the base to the tip looking up at him. Looking up into the eyes of the man whose cock I was sucking and his surprised look turned to one of sheer pleasure. He gathered my hair into a ponytail and pulled my head back.

“Have you been peeking on my laptop?” He asked sternly.

“Yes, Sir.” I replied meekly looking up at him. Injured though he was my Gabriel radiated testosterone and vitality.

“How did you figure out my password? I never wrote it down.”

“I guessed it; Proverbs 31:25 31:26; it just seemed to fit.”

“I see and now you want to pretend that you are my slave girl?” He asked, letting go of my hair.

I started licking the tip in a circular motion with my tongue. “Does it feel like I am pretending?” I asked.

“No it feels incredible, please continue, brown eyes.”

Good, it is settled then. I will choose a safe word when we get home, Sir………………………….

Gabriel:
I had died and gone to heaven. I was with a woman that I truly loved and the only woman that I was and am willing to wait for. Nevertheless, Amy was going to indulge my fantasies, oral ones in any event and she would still remain a virgin for now. She started off by licking the shaft of my cock from the base to the tip………………………

Amy: My goodness his throbbing cock tasted delicious and I couldn’t wait to taste his creamy come for dessert. I licked and kissed his balls making him gasp; he was putty in my hands. I sucked on his balls and I playfully nibbled them feeling him shudder with delight; what power a woman has over a man if she cares to use it.

I loved him and it was the power for good to please him, my fianc?nd soon to be husband, to please a man as God always intended. When I started sucking on his cock and alternating sucking and licking I got my first taste of the clear pre-come; like the whip cream and cherry on top of the vanilla sundae; whip cream and a cherry, how scrumptious. I was so horny I could hardly stand it.

Gabriel had pulled back my hair into a ponytail and then twisted it up into a bun and was holding it in place to keep it out of my face. My pussy must have been dripping with desire for him and I am sure that my panties where soaked with the juices of my urgent desire, I wanted him to eat me out, goodness what naughty thoughts………

Gabriel: The hell with cold showers, those days were gone forever. The dam is about to burst and I didn’t want it to get semen in her beautiful soft hair that feels so good in my hands. I can smell her wholesome sex, her woman’s smell in the confines of this small bathroom. My sweet brown-eyed girl was dripping with estrogen and I wanted to taste her…. I would taste her. I could feel our shared blood, our mutual desire pumping through our veins and warming our shared heart. What a marvelous wife Amy will be.

What a privilege it is to nurture and explore her sexuality and to share every orgasm and to kiss every part of her glorious naked body. Her glorious naked body would have to wait for now; soon, Gabriel, soon. I would be truly blessed to have children with this woman…………….

Amy: Gabriel’s cock was pulsating in my mouth as I sucked on it. Because I read in the story files on his laptop, I remembered to back out slightly as not to choke and spoil it for him. He was moaning softly and his breathing increased as his long awaited orgasm washed over him, washed over me. I could see that he was gritting his teeth and grimacing knowing that he really wanted to let loose and vocalize his pleasure. What power I had over him…. what power he had over me.

Emma once told me that besides the little things like helping with the dishes, flowers or holding the door, a man shows his true love for his wife when he makes love to her; particularly when they have been married for a long time and he is faithful. Such a man will always see his wife as the young woman that he first married, no matter how long they have been married or whether or not she loses her looks.

She also told me that a woman who wears her hair long for her husband if that is what he prefers will always have that to entice him with, stating; “Forget what your friends think; the nonsense touted as conventional wisdom about long hair on older women that you read about in magazines, or even what your stylist wants; just please your husband and you will never regret it.”

He filled my mouth with thick clots of his hot white luscious cream and I and swallowed it hungrily as it caressed my throat and warmed my tummy. I was starting to orgasm and other then caressing my face and playing with my hair he hadn’t really touched me.

“Damn IV-tubes.” He growled as he disconnected them from the hand.

“Stand slave.” He ordered, smiling.

Gabriel reached underneath my dress, pulled my panties down to my ankles for me to step out of and then picked me up and put me the sink. I could tell the exertion compounded by his injuries must have hurt him…he is so stubborn and so thoughtful. “Your turn my girl.” He then pulled up my dress; he loves me in dresses, and then went down on me licking and sucking. My little orgasm turned into nirvana.

I had to put a towel in my mouth to muffle my screams and I was squirming all over the place. I managed to send the IV-stand crashing to the floor as my multiple orgasms washed over me and when I was finally sated, Gabriel was hard all over again……………………….

Gabriel: My lady tasted so wholesome and natural. How she squirmed as her orgasm washed over her; she is absolutely precious and delightful. We risked being discovered though after all this was a hospital and then there was a knock on the bathroom door………….

“Gabe, its Zeta! Are you two going to be in there all day? What if a nurse walks in? Or Amy’s mother walks for that matter?”

“Amy is helping me get cleaned up.” I replied, as Amy was blushing and her beautiful face was deep red as she helped me into a clean gown.

I was kissing her and she was laughing softly and whispering. “Stand still so that I can comb your hair, Tarzan.” Amy teased as she wet it down and combed it back.

We came out of the bathroom and Zee-Zee was sitting in the chair, holding a flower arrangement and was smiling with that knowing look on her face, the same look as when I was a little boy and did something…ah, naughty.

She put the flowers down and hugged me and started to cry but caught herself. Zeta is a tough disciplined woman with a kind loving heart despite her hard exterior.

She held my face gently in hands and said. “My dear sweet boy, I am so happy that you are safe and well and that you are settling down with a wonderful girl who has not left your side since you got here. But if you pull another stunt like that I will kill you myself.” She then cuffed the back of my head and not gently………………………..

Gabriel is in the shower on a Saturday morning and Amy is sipping her coffee and waiting her turn to shower after an intense exercise session with her lover. She is thinking and planning their day; this day when they will purchase their first Christmas tree together:

My goodness, I can’t believe that it is the 1st. of December; everything happened so fast with us, Gabriel and me; Our wedding will be held in my church on June 15th. Emma doesn’t have a problem with us living together any longer because in her mind after all that has happened…well… I guess she already considers us married.

She had a long talk with Gabriel, and Gabriel being Gabriel laid his cards on the table for all to see. Emma had a longer talk with Zeta, bless their hearts. And our honeymoon, our honeymoon will be two weeks in Hawaii, can you imagine that, Hawaii?

I heard him holler from the bathroom. “Come here little slave girl, your Master has a surprise for you!”

When I entered the bathroom he said.

“Turn around and put your hands behind your back and then close your eyes.”

I did so immediately anticipating what would happen next and I wasn’t disappointed.

“I haven’t showered yet but I’ve decided that you and I should shower together on occasion, and this being one of them.” He explained while tying my wrists together with some soft braided Dacron rope. When he finished tying me he placed a blindfold over my eyes and then picked me up and put me on the vanity top.

“Do you trust me my love?” He asked, kissing my mouth.

“Yes, Master.” I replied, giving myself goose bumps whenever I call Gabriel that and we play this game; which he takes quite seriously I may add. Of course I trusted him, I trust him with my life.

“Good now spread your legs for me…just like that because I going to shave your pussy with a razor. But first I am going to use the electric clippers to get the bulk of your bush off.”

I was getting horny just thinking about it and Gabriel has never tied me up before.

He turned the clippers on and slowly pushed them through my hairy pussy further exciting me. The vibrating clippers were stimulating my clitoris and with each pass he paused reversing the blade and holding the vibrating handle in place while he kissed my mouth.

I was so naughty and I teased his tongue with mine, seeking my Master with my tongue since my hands were tied and I was helpless to resist. “My God that feels so good…mm.

I can’t wait to suck on your big cock…your big cock.” I could feel myself blushing as I said this to him.

“Not yet little girl.” He said kissing my mouth.

He massaged my vagina with Mineral oil to help soften the remaining stubble and my hips were gyrating while I was squeezing his hand between my legs as he lubed and massaged my partially denuded Mons pubis.

Gabriel was driving me crazy and he knew it. He was probing my clitoris, my flower with his mineral oil slick fingers and then he surprised me again. Just as my orgasm started to peak he shoved finger into my oil drenched anus as he massaged clitoris.

I was screaming for him to fuck my cunt I wanted his cock in my cunt so bad that my orgasms were unbelievable. I closed my eyes and imagined that it was his big cock in my ass as he was making me come with his fingers. All that we are allowed is oral sex for now, discipline. Vaginal sex is for our wedding night, damn it…oops. Gabriel has absolute power over me when I surrender to him. Because of this when am about to orgasm I lose all inhibition.

He finds this endearing and I loved him for it because he always treats me as a Lady. I can forgive myself these harmless transgressions he explains because in a carnal sense they were not profane at all and for me as natural as breathing. The rest of the time I never use such language……………………………………

Gabriel:
Besides loving Amy with a passion that I never dreamed that I processed just 11 short months ago, I was fascinated with her sexuality and how she moaned, panted, squirmed and swore when she was aroused and particularly during her orgasms.

Actually I am somewhat humbled because she trusts me enough to share this part of her and this facet of her carnal jewel with me. I find it endearing because she is somewhat embarrassed about it afterwards even though intellectually she realizes that there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

I assured her that the contrasts between Amy my employee and her ability to think outside of the box and improve our business; Amy my fianc?nd companion; Amy my submissive lover, and finally my sweet, kind and wholesome Lady is why I love her so.

I took off her blindfold and helped her into the shower…actually the tub. I installed an antique cast iron tub with a blue & white speckled porcelain finish that was salvaged from an estate in Niagara Falls, N.Y. and it was in mint condition. The mansion originally belonged to a wealthy banker who was an unusually tall man for his time and it was obviously custom made.

It was seven feet long, three feet wide and thirty inches deep with the traditional claw-footed long oval shape of the time but on a grander scale. I am fascinated with the porcelain finish; it reminded me of a huge turkey-roasting pan.

I had the shower curtain rod fabricated from extra heavy gauge copper and brass pipe and it curves around the oval of the tube. The water pipes are made from the same heavy copper and brass and are free standing, reinforced and intertwined in a shape pleasing to the eye; a standing ibis (crane).

The fixtures are cast in solid copper and brass as is the showerhead ending at the tip of the beak is shaped like the sunflower head that is found on an old fashion watering can.

My only concession to modern is the over-engineered commercial tank less water heater that gives me an endless supply of hot water and one of the few luxuries that I allow myself; as for Amy, I can deny her nothing………………..

Amy: I was not permitted to speak and for the first time Gabriel washed my hair and then conditioned it starting at the tips while letting the conditioner work while he washed himself. He then had me stand under the showerhead while he rinsed the conditioner out.

Goodness, how wonderful it was to have an endless supply of hot water. I loved just soaking in this huge comfortable tub by myself while listening to Classical Music and sipping hot mint green tea.

He twisted my hair up on the top of my head and then put my blindfold back on while tucking the bulk of my hair underneath to keep it from coming down.

I could feel his rock hard cock pressing against as he started soaping me down with his strong hands. He started with my neck and shoulders and working his way down and paid particular attention to my breasts.

“You have beautiful nipples my love so pink and sensitive and your areolas are twin pink moons. I was aroused all over again as my nipples hardened at his familiar touch, now as familiar as my own……………………..
Gabriel:
After I rinsed my helpless and horny Lady who was still bound and blindfolded, I toweled her off and put her back the vanity top. I spread her legs and said. “You will remain perfectly still while I shave you and then I shall blow dry your hair.”

I lathered her little pussy and then carefully shaved it with a five-blade razor repeating the process a second time until her Mons pubis was hairless and smooth.

I took off the blindfold and Amy’s wet hair dropped down to the middle of her back.

I finished by gently rubbing her sensitive pussy with a soothing moisturizing balm making her squirm helplessly while I caressed her sweet flower bringing her the peak of orgasm and then I backed off.

Now it was time to play with her beautiful long hair. I blotted most of the water out with a towel and then I blow-dried it damp using her hair dryer and a wide toothed comb to prevent tangles.

She sat quietly as I parted it down the middle and fixed it into two loose pigtails that I then braided into a simple three-strand braid. “Now my cute little slave girl, tell me what you want…………………………………

Amy: “I want to suck on your cock, Master. Will you please untie me so that I may touch you?”
“Kiss your Master.” He replied.

I leaned forward and he bent over to kiss my mouth and he sighed. “Very well, turn around.” Gabriel said smiling, and then he untied me.

“Now my sweet Lady, tell me what you want?” He asked, tugging on a braid.

I turned and put my arms around his neck and he put his arms around my waist. “I want to suck on your manhood.” I answered licking and then lightly biting his ear and playfully mussing his hair.

“And my manhood is…?” He asked, rubbing my bum.

“You know what I mean, I not your little slave girl at this moment, I’m your fianc?nd I have a choice. I answered him teasing. I was also stroking my bald pussy and was thinking, “mm, this is so nice and when I done sucking his big cock maybe he will do me.”

“Then you aren’t going to tell me what you meant by you know what, brown eyes?”

“I don’t think that I shall, sweetheart, let me show you instead……………………

Gabriel: Amy knelt on the bathmat and kissed my stomach and then me a raspberry and then looked up at me smiling.

“Are you going to let me shave you?” she asked “then we can be twins.”

“Perhaps when we get back shopping and keep in mind perhaps is contingent on how well you show me, brown eyes.”

Amy started by licking my testicles and then the inside of my legs where they hang down. Then she licked my cock from the base to the tip, base from the tip and then reversed the process. She loves looking at me when she is doing this and I looking into her beautiful brown eyes. She fluttered the tip with her little tongue caressing and teasing my glans until she tasted my pre-cum.

She paused as she always does and licked her lips, smiling and started sucking taking my entire cock into to her mouth. Amy was driving me crazy and she knew it.

I can honestly say that she is the first women that I have been with who doesn’t pretend to enjoy sucking cock. Some of my girlfriends sucked my cock only as a means for me to return the favor with oral sex and rightfully so.

My beautiful Lady truly enjoys sucking cock and will accommodate me anytime that I am in the mood, like now.

Amy will often squeeze her legs together when she is sucking my cock, teasing and prolonging my orgasm in order to achieve hers; she is incredible. I can’t wait to have intercourse with her to see what happens!

It’s going to be marvelous feeling my Amy squirming underneath and on top of me during intercourse, particularly when she has her multiple orgasms.
Amy is also a first for me in this venue, having a woman for a lover who has multiple orgasms, and she shares them with me………………..

Amy: Gabriel had his hands wrapped around my braids as I licked and sucked, taking his entire delicious big cock into my mouth. I couldn’t wait to taste his rich hot semen and then swallow all of it. It is a scientific fact that cum contains zinc, potassium, citric acid, and free-amino acids among things.

Intellectually I don’t know whether is it psychological, physiological or both, those would be the logical explanations why I orgasm sucking cock.
In my heart I know the truth…he kissed me under the stars one night, our souls melded…but most importantly he loves me. I get incredibly horny and aroused just sucking on his cock and if
I prolong the blowjob long enough I will orgasm when my love comes in my mouth. He was groaning loudly when he came.

His orgasm was so uninhibited and wild as he controlled my cadence with my braided hair filling my mouth with his sweet rich cum which I swallowed greedily, coveting every drop.

I can’t wait until we have intercourse because I am sure that he will pound and ravish me just like the characters in the erotic stories that we both love to read; rare spices to enhance and flavor our sex life.
I was never like this before I met him; I am still a virgin aside from masturbation; I received little pleasure it and I eventually stopped masturbating together.

Then he held my hands in the stairwell I knew that he was the one and I could feel a stirring and my body changing as if awakening inside a weighty cocoon.

With Gabriel’s help and on the night of the storm I emerged from my chrysalis a new woman………………………….

Gabriel:
We were on getting out getting out of the jeep after a long day of shopping. Aside from our tree with was tied to my utility trailer, the backseat was full of Christmas decorations that we bought together; the only thing missing was the tree topper.
Since I was a bachelor, Mary inherited all of the family Christmas ornaments and that was only proper, along with our parent’s house while I got the family business.

As we were carrying the tree inside and Amy noticed a white cardboard gift box on the kitchen table. I am sure that I locked the doors and the only other people besides Amy and I that have a key for emergencies are Zeta and Mary.

There was a card from Zeta underneath the string that was addressed to the both of us:

“Dearest Children: I can’t express in words how happy that I am that you found one another.
As you know Gabe my true love died during the war and I never married. I always thought of you as my son, particularly after your mother died so long ago.

And you Amy; I knew in my heart of hearts that you were the one for my little boy the moment I laid eyes on you. Gabriel calls you an angel from a reason, as do I: the resemblance is uncanny and when I held your hand for the first time I felt it, I knew for sure.

My soul mate died for love of country just as Gabriel almost died for love of you. It is God’s will Christmas Angel that you should be together now and then together in heaven. Just as it is God’s will that I will someday be with my love, Arthur when my time comes; for now I cherish the both of you, my son and my daughter; my family.

There is an item in the box, perfect for the top of your first Christmas tree. It was my Grandmother’s, then my mothers and finally mine and I am the last of my line to my parent’s great disappointment.

It has never graced my Christmas tree and nobody living has ever laid eyes on it. When you see it you shall understand I humbly as that it graces yours.
All my Love Zee-Zee
We opened the package and together and Amy removed a porcelain doll that was about 12 inches tall. This doll had a long sky blue gown and the white feathery wings of a dove.

As was available at the time the dolls hair real human hair and was the exact same shade of dark brown as Amy’s, the same length and style, everything, except in miniature. But the porcelain Angel’s face, the mouth the eyes and the nose and ears…. it was my Amy, my

Christmas Angel the same beautifully stunning face with the kissable cherub lips; I kissed the doll in Zeta’s absence. The likeness to my beautiful Lady left me breathless………………….

Amy: This angel doll was over 100 years old and it was I; was that how Zeta knew that I was the one for Gabriel? Of course it was and we would have children to pass on Zeta’s family tradition. It was Zeta’s most prized possession and now she was giving it to us…what a lovely special gift that this was.

The fire in the fireplaces threw it warm glow in the dark room enhancing our ornaments and the soft white twinkle lights of our tree; twinkling stars. The angel at the top branch looked down upon us, blessing us.

That evening we snuggled together on the couch admiring our first Christmas tree together; remembering how we met and we shared our thoughts and perceptions…how our story began…………………….

Gabriel: I am pharmacist by profession and once thought myself a bachelor by fate of temperament. Add a laptop with the complex compounds available on the internet to the elements to my intense psyche and then heat everything molten hot with the flame of erotica literature in a crucible of testosterone.

Shape it with the hammer of pugnacious self-reliance on the heavy anvil of carnal desire. Then quench it in a bath of patience and kindness; finally temper it with stubborn…. you have me.
Admittedly I am somewhat of a loner by necessity except with my family and our loyalty to one another is absolute. And although publicly I am private person I have had many lovers and sadly I have never really loved a woman.

Until Amy… she was the final ingredient and the catalyst welding our psyches together in a spiritual compound stronger then the nucleus of an atom.
Some of the women whom I have dated have described me as intense or downright rigid at times although never cheap. I have never been accused of that; I will spend money freely on them but I reserve frugal for myself.

I seldom express my sexual preferences or opinions of male domination or about a woman’s submission; that being the natural order of things…and then I met her, my salvation, my love.

A few of my adventurous lovers tried the D/s in the bedroom, however to them it was merely a dalliance, a taste on the wild side with no real commitment.

On my birthday, December twenty-third, I had just worked up a healthy sweat after exercising for an hour with my 75 lb. kettle bells; not bad for a man of thirty-five. I like to think of my previously owned kettle bells as a poor man’s Nautilus Machine.

I had been eating two meatless meals a day for the past two weeks and I planned on rewarding myself with a steak dinner and then going to my sister Mary’s home for cake and coffee.

Then I would be babysitting the twins while she and her husband Charlie did some last minute Christmas shopping. After I showered and dressed I decided to first stop at the Salvation Army Thrift Store to check for recently stocked used books. I frequent this particular Salvation Army thrift shop in search of such bargains.

As I said, I am a frugal man when it comes to me, foregoing many unnecessary luxuries as a means of self-discipline and to save money. I have found many archival quality books there to add to my library shelves and I may find some children’s books for the twins. They are both reading on a 3rd Grade Level because of the Hooked-On-Phonics I bought for them, and no it was not used.

Nevertheless they still delight in pop-up books and simple story picture books; after all they are only 4-years old.

I have little faith in the current justice system and particularly with the courts although not so much the police. Our current system is infested with wealthy, politically appointed liberal/socialist judges with an agenda and contempt for the Constitution.

These mentioned judges live safely in crime free gated communities and seem to delight in releasing repeat offenders; thugs and deviants to pray on the rest of us…. their idea of fairness and justice; I will be damned if I will kiss their ring.

God help anyone who hurt or molested my niece and nephew because the police will never find the body…. but I digress.

It was snowing lightly when I left the house and the wind was biting cold multiplied by a wind chill of twenty-five below zero. Welcome to Western New York.
The windswept streets were bare and abandoned. The side streets and potholed parking lots in this poorer section of town were slippery with ice.

The plows had been through the night before and the snow banks that lined the curbs and sidewalks always remind me of jagged white teeth; a thought that has stuck with me since I was a small child.
As I approached the Thrift Shop there were two people standing outside by the red collection kettle.

One of them was a tall male in his early twenties; his long, lank, greasy thinning hair was plastered against his hatless head.

Unshaved and dirty he was thin almost to the point of emaciation and the smell of marijuana mixed with his fetid body order hung about him like a noxious cloud despite the clean west wind. The smile on his acne covered, acne scarred face was disingenuous; actually more of a leer.

He was standing there bootless and gloveless in a filthy denim jacket with his hands shoved in his jacket pockets and when not in his pocket he was wiping the snot from his nose with his right hand and then on the seat of his pants before returning it to his pocket.

He shivering and hunched over with cold and no doubt thought himself quite the Ladies man. He was actually trying to make time with her, attempting to charm her.

As I walked up I heard him ask her what time she was getting out of work and that perhaps they could have coffee together…she didn’t answer and looked uncomfortable.

She on the other hand was dressed sensibly in a much too large for her man’s brown wool toggle coat that came down to the top of her felt lined pack boots. Amy’s pink hand- knitted wool hat was pulled down over her ears and her hood was up…. sensible. She was wearing hand-knitted wool mittens, mismatched, one pink and the other red as she stood there ringing her bell.

As I got closer all that I could see in that bundle of clothing was her brown eyes, intelligent eyes, timid eyes below the hat and above the scarf that was wrapped around her face. Those same eyes looked frightened and disgusted and they were pleading with me for help as she continued ringing the bell.

There was another bell on the metal folding chair next to them so I picked it up and pushed in front of him to stand beside her. I started ringing the bell and said. “Merry Christmas” to which he replied with a mean feral look on his face “Hey! What the fuck!”

“Merry Christmas, now take a hike!” I ordered ringing the bell and returning the stare and smiling. We stood there facing one another and I ringing the bell smiling and challenging him to start something.

I knew his species of bottom feeder. He was a pothead on the verge of turning into a full-blown addict with a habit to support.

They pollute my Drug Store on occasion. Which is why I carry my Kahr Model PM9 nine-millimeter pistol in an inside the pants holster at all times?

I keep it stoked with Corbon 125 grain plus-p-plus hollow points that will cure what ails these cowardly bottom feeders should they choose to get violent. This bottom feeder chose to retreat with the usual false bravado of his species announcing.

“Fuck it, the fat pig whore isn’t worth it!’ Followed by “Fuck you too, asshole!” And then he swaggered away with his snot-covered right hand up above his head with the middle finger extended into the air. I had half a mind to chase him down and pound him but he really wasn’t worth it.

I turned to see the hurt look in Amy’s brown eyes and I said. “I’m sorry you had to hear that, Miss. Why don’t you go inside and warm up. I can ring the bell for awhile.”

“But….” She started to say.

“No buts, I insist.”

“Thank you, Sir. My time is up in 30 minutes and then I will be work in the store for the rest of my shift…and I am so cold.” She sighed glancing at the warm store. “I just started working here today but if someone is watching the kettle I guess it is ok.”

To which I replied, smiling. “Good it is settled then, Merry Christmas.” After Amy went inside I could see her watching me through the plate glass window for a minute while she removed her outer garments.

Approximately 35 minutes later a woman in her early sixties, the supervisor came out and thanked me for volunteering and wished me a Merry Christmas. I returned her greeting and then went inside to get my first good look at Amy without all the heavy winter clothing.

As I said Amy has beautiful eyes…. perhaps I didn’t say beautiful. I said intelligent eyes; timid eyes and I stand by that. However I’m singing it now “beautiful, beautiful brown eyes, I’ll never love blue eyes again.” As in the Country Western Song made famous by Jack Elliott. Country & folk music is my favorite genre followed by rock & roll.

I stood in line at her checkout having found nothing that I really wanted. I was holding an eight-track cassette tape, somebody something accordion classics; it was marked down to ten cents. I let a group of seasoned citizen ladies shopping together for bargains go ahead of me. It was the right thing to do and an excuse to study her…. her nametag said Amy.

Amy was very patient with them. She helped them count out their money and make change. She double wrapped one of the lady’s dishes and made a fuss over the lady’s eye for antiques, which obviously from the woman’s face made the woman’s day. She even helped one of the three ladies button her coat and adjust her scarf.

Yes, Amy is the genuine article. What you see is what you get.

I estimated Amy to be five-feet five inches tall and close to 200 pounds in weight which was much too heavy for her small frame. Amy’s hands and feet were a dead giveaway to her frame size, small dainty hands and tiny feet. I would say that Amy feet were size six at the most judging by the sneakers that she was now wearing in place of the pack boots. Ideally she should weigh no more than 130 lbs.

She was also wearing red sweatpants with a baggy green sweatshirt embroidered with fine needlework. The needlework was a Christmas kitten playing with tinsel and ornaments and it was very well executed.

Despite the weight and adding those beautiful, intelligent, kind and timid eyes, Amy had one of the most magnificently beautiful and stunning faces that I have ever seen on a woman anywhere and with a flawless complexion that was makeup free.

Yes those were the words describing her plus more, wholesome and youthful and innocent. When we were outside the hat and hood and scarf hid her stunningly beautiful face. When Amy looked up and recognized me, she smiled and I was bathed in wholesome.

I could not help but return that sweet smile. In retrospect I should have pounded that pothead into ground for what he said to her. Amy had dark brown hair that was fixed in a single thick braid down her back. What beautiful silky hair she must imprisoned in that braid.

Not to mention a small perfectly shaped nose and tiny ears, plus she had lips. Of course she had lips, the full lips sensuous of a heavenly angel. So perfectly formed and waiting to be…then the woman behind me burst my daydream.

“If you’re not ready to check out accordion boy then step aside and let someone else go, jerk!” She exclaimed nastily.

I ignored this rude woman and stepped up to the counter close enough to see Amy’s long eye lashes and her angel wing eyebrows and I was thinking; “I just turned thirty-five and she was nineteen or twenty at the most.

God in heaven if she lost the weight imagine how much better she would look and feel. Amy would be Aphrodite/Venus incarnate; however Aphrodite/Venus incarnate pure and wholesome.”

“What she needed was the right trainer…the right mindset and self discipline.

Why not, the training could start right away and she would be an asset to my business. Besides, I wasn’t seeing anyone now; no distractions and I could bring her along, slowly…”

“That will be 12 cents with the tax. Will there be anything else, Sir?” Amy asked. I was daydreaming again. I handed Amy a dollar for my purchase putting the change in a collection jar and then handed her my business card.

“Yes, two things beautiful brown eyes…you blush wonderfully.” Amy did blush wonderfully when I called her beautiful brown eyes.

“I need a cashier with open availability. If you like we will hold your interview tomorrow. I will pay you double what they pay you here………………………..

I met Amy Jones as she got off the dial-a bus taking her hand and helping her to step down. I then put my hand in the small of her back and guided her into my office.

I helped her off with her long wool coat. It was close in color to her dress and came down almost to her ankles. I hung it on the coat rack and then helped her to her chair.

During her job interview I observed some very interesting things about Amy. For one she had other clothing other than sweat pants and sweatshirts.

Amy was wearing a navy blue dress with a white lace collar. It had ¾ length sleeves and came down to her knees. She was also wearing stockings or pantyhose and had on sensible black shoes; pumps. From what I could see of them her legs were quite nice.

I liked very much what Amy had done with her hair although I had the urge to take it down and run my hands through it. It was put up in an elegant French Twist and her stunningly beautiful, wholesome face was makeup free. Her only jewelry was a small but intricate in detail gold angel pin affixed to the collar and from the looks of it the pin was quality gold.

What was most interesting to me was that Amy grew up in foster care. She was moved from family to family from the time that she was three years old. Amy was older than I estimated, she was twenty- five and that was the best news yet.

“Do you have any hobbies, Miss Jones? Keep in mind that question is optional.”

“I like to read and I’m pretty good at crossword puzzles. I knit; crochet, tat and I can sew.” She answered.

“My sister Mary knits and crochets, plus sews out of her home providing a nice little income for herself. You and she have much in common and I am sure that you would like her.” I was rewarded with a sweet wholesome smile.

“I took piano lessons all throughout school and I am told that I play well” she offered. “Do you or your sister play?”

I was thinking what a delightful woman she is and I still wanted to take her hair down. I have done hundreds of job interviews and I generally ask the questions not answer them. But there was just something about her, something that felt right to me.

“I am more into sports; particularly weight training, wrestling and gymnastics and I competed during high school and college. Mary is the one with musical talent; she plays the violin and the cello. Every Sunday morning during the nine o’clock mass she plays the cello in a string quartet.”

Amy’s face lit at the mention of my sister and church and she continued. “The piano and organ are similar you know and sometimes I am called to play for weddings. Emma has a piano and when I visit her she loves to hear me play; I so love classical music, don’t you?”

“Some, although my tastes run more towards Country Western & Rock & Roll. Was Emma a foster parent?”

“Emma is more than a foster parent; she is my mother and is the only real family that I ever had. When Rodney… I’m sorry you really don’t want to hear all of this.”

“It’s all right.” I said gently putting my hand on hers. “We are like family here. Take Mrs. Mueller for example, the lady you are replacing; the one with the blue hair. You must have seen her when you walked in. She is still as sharp as a tack at eighty-three.”

“She has been working here 45 years which is longer than I have been alive; my Dad hired her. She is moving to Florida to live with her sister and already has a job lined up and”… There was a knock on the door and we were interrupted.

“Come in Mrs. Mueller” I answered as she was walking in, I was already standing.

“I’m leaving now, Gabe. Don’t forget that inventory must be done by Friday.”

“Yes, Mrs. Mueller.”

“Remember heat rises, turn the thermostat in my apartment down to forty; there is no need to heat empty rooms.”

“I’ll remember, Mrs. Mueller.”

“I’m going to see the children and have lunch with Mary before I meet my plane. Is this the girl that is replacing me? I didn’t like the girl you interviewed last week.” She said, frowning. “I’m Zeta Mueller young lady” Zeta said holding her hand out for Amy to shake.

Amy stood and they shook hands. “I’m Amy Jones and I’m pleased to meet you Mrs. Mueller.”

Zeta did not let go immediately.

“I like this one, Gabe. She has good manners and is wholesome besides being very pretty. Are you married, honey?”

“No, ma’am.” Amy answered, blushing.

“And she blushes, yes I definitely like this one.” Zeta added which caused Amy to blush even more.

“Gabe is quite the catch and is a good man. I’ve known him all of his life. He owns his own business and has a house and a barn, two barns actually. He converted the largest into a house.

He also owns more acres of land that any sensible person needs who isn’t a farmer of course. It’s just him alone in that empty house most of the time except when the twins are there for overnights. Zee-Zee used to change your diapers, didn’t I Gabriel?”

“Zeta!” I exclaimed.

“Do the elephant thing for her, Gabriel.” She said winking at Amy.

“Zeta” I said sternly.

“I was only teasing; can’t an old lady have her fun.” She said letting go of Amy’s hand and then we hugged and I kissed Zeta’s cheek.

“Your luggage is already loaded in my Jeep, Zee-Zee. Have a good time and kiss Ben and Cindy for me. Call my cell phone when you are ready to go the airport and I will come and get you.” I then took my Zee-Zee’s arm and escorted her out.

We stopped at the front door and I adjusted her scarf. I checked to see that her hat and gloves were on and then made sure that her coat was zipped before we walked out to the warm pickup truck where my brother-in-law Charlie was waiting.

When I returned Amy had just sprayed breath freshener into her mouth and was returning the small aerosol bottle to her purse. I pretended not to notice the breath freshener.

I also pretended not to notice the folded fast food breakfast wrappers in there. She probably ate breakfast on the bus on the way here. I noticed that the wrappers were in her purse to be disposed of properly and were not thrown the floor of the bus…………..

Amy: My goodness, Fifteen dollars and hour! I’ve never made that kind of money before. Thank God Gabriel came along when he did. He rented that vacant three-bedroom apartment above the store to me for a song and without a security deposit. We sealed the deal with a handshake and my promise to have the first month’s rent in two weeks.

I don’t care if I lose the security deposit on my studio apartment even though I just painted the place. Dear sweet Emma I can’t wait to tell you about my apartment and new job. You always treated me like a daughter instead of a monthly paycheck to supplement your income.

You paid for my braces and for my piano lessons out of your own pocket when you couldn’t afford it and you often did without. I lived with six different families from the time that I was three until I was nine. You took me in on a temporary basis and then finally for good.

Most of the families kept my hair bobbed just below my ears or shorter and I always had short bangs. I hated my short hair but I knew better to complain. You gave me a choice and let me grow it long just like yours. When I was a little girl you would brush my hair and braid it for me. And when I was older you taught me many ways how to pin it up.

I remember that I got head lice from one of the foster sons living with the Winslow’s. The other nine foster children got head lice as well. We were nothing more than free labor and a monthly income to them.

They also had twin daughters of their own who were about around my age my age if I remember correctly. I never played with them and they never let me forget that they had a real Mommy & Daddy and I didn’t.

The boy’s were from seven to sixteen and they all were made to work on the farm. We foster children were all treated equally during our lice infestation. We all had our hair clipped down to the scalp by Mr. Winslow. Then Mrs. Winslow applied a paste made from cornstarch, Crisco, kerosene with a few drops cattle insecticide to kill the lice.

Their daughters didn’t have their long curls off. They got the proper store bought head lice treatments that didn’t irritate their scalps or sting their eyes from the fumes.

John the eldest foster boy threatened to report them to the authorities. John received a terrible beating with a horse cane plus a broken arm. Mr. Winslow told him to say that it was an accident and then offered him money to keep quiet.

When that didn’t work he threatened him with God knows what and then locked him in the barn. We broke him out and John reported them. John had to spend a night in jail because the
Winslow’s lied and got to the Sheriff first. Thank goodness the truth got out. Because of John’s courage a new social worker was assigned to my case. He brought me to Emma’s home to spend the night.

I got to a shower with hot water followed by a hot bath and I could soak in the tub for as long as I wanted. Emma sat outside the open bathroom door and knitted.

I had my own room with a full size bed that had clean white sheets and a beautiful handmade quilt to keep me warm. This was the first time in my whole life that I actually had bed of my own.

Can you imagine that a whole bed all to me and with four pillows nonetheless. I was living with her for a month when Emma gently brought up the subject of church. I didn’t know that people sang in church.

I loved to sing and Emma would play her piano and we would sing songs together, silly happy songs mostly mixed in with hymns. We bought some blue material and thread. Emma made me my first Choir robe and I got to help. It had a beautiful lace collar just like hers.

Two days before Christmas Emma took me shopping for a new dress. I had never owned a dress before or even new clothes, just hand- me- downs. I never dreamed that she would buy me new shoes, plus a little white hat to cover my poor shorn head.

I even had a pair of little white gloves, just like Emma’s and a black beaded purse with a whole dollar in it to put in the collection plate.

My first time in church was Christmas morning. Emma introduced me to the congregation as her little angel from heaven. I stood next to Emma with my new robe over my new dress and sang hymns. I sang my heart out. I was overwhelmed with the beautiful stained glass windows, the fresh flowers, with the incense and the beautiful organ music.

When we got home from church that afternoon there was a brown cardboard box wrapped in gold paper underneath the tree with my name on it. There was a kitten in the box. A tiny male tabby with green eyes and he was wearing a red bow. He was not a feral cat likes the ones on the Winslow’s farm. They ran away, or bit or scratched you when you tried to pick them up. Gabriel was a sweet little kitty.

I named my kitten after Gabriel the archangel. Emma told me that the name Gabriel means “Man of God”. Well my Gabriel was a sort of a man; he was a male even though he was just a cat. Gabriel became my friend, my companion and protector.

There was another box for me underneath the tree, a very small box. Inside was a gold pin…a small but intricate angel cast in solid 18-karat gold. The pin was originally a gift from her mother when Emma sang in her first Christmas Choir.

Emma is a woman of principal and taught me to be a lady. She taught me that I was a good person and that she was blessed to have me as a daughter. Emma loves me like her own daughter and she made me promise her that I should never to settle. Not that she is perfect; Emma can be difficult at best when she wants to be.

Emma even took my side against her stepson, Rodney when he tried to force himself on me and to rape me. I was just thirteen and he was twenty-seven.

Rodney’s mother died when he was fifteen and he always resented the fact that his father remarried He left home when he was sixteen coming back from time to time when he needed money.

Rodney was drunk and was groping me. My blouse was ripped off and he had me pinned to the floor. Gabriel jumped on Rodney’s back and clawed and bit him allowing me to break free and then I ran and locked myself in the bathroom.

Emma found me curled up in a ball and crying in the bathtub when she came home. Rodney was gone; but so were Gabriel; I never saw him again after that day. Emma was enraged and confronted Rodney when he returned sober the next morning.

He denied everything calling me a whore and a liar but the evidence was there; the bite and scratch marks on his neck and face were turning red and starting to get infected. There were bruises on my back and shoulders where he slammed me against my bedroom doorframe.

Emma told him to leave or she would call the authorities. He laughed at her saying that it was his father’s house even though his father was dead and by rights it should be his. He then took a beer out of the fridge and then sat down the kitchen table.

He wasn’t laughing when Emma returned and pushed the barrel of a .410 gauge Mossberg Pump Shotgun loaded with double aught buckshot into his crotch and racked the action…he left in a hurry. If he had succeeded in raping me Emma would have shot his… well, shot his you know what off.

Then a week later he sent his best friend Sam, another bum just like him over with a pickup truck to get his things. I started gaining weight soon after that despite the counseling and loving support from Emma. I never saw Rodney again, until………………………..

Gabriel: “Well, Miss Jones, everything seems to be in order. It seems that you have the job. Do you have any questions?”

“Yes, is the apartment above the store for rent? I don’t go out much and even though I drive I don’t own a car. If I lived here with my open availability I could be downstairs working at a moment’s notice.”

Marvelous, everything was falling into place but I didn’t want to appear too eager. I knew where she lived, it was a dump and besides she would be so much safer living here.

“It really needs to be cleaned or at least painted first although you will find that Zeta kept it spotless.”

“I’ll clean it’, she said hopefully “And I can paint.” she said confidently. “May I at least look at it?

“I suppose it won’t hurt.” I said smiling and she rewarded me with her beautiful wholesome smile…

Amy: Gabriel stood up smiling and offered me his hand helping me to my feet. He then put his hand flat at the small of my back. “This way please.” My goodness he is such a gentleman. Emma would love him if I brought him to meet her but those were just wishful thoughts.

We then walked to the back of the store and he opened the heavy steel fire door leading to the back stairs that lead to the second floor apartment. The stairway was doublewide and we walked up side by side with his hand in the small of my back to keep me from falling.

“This building once housed a bank that went belly up during the depression, although the vault is still in fine working order. The elevator works but of course walking is better for the heart, don’t you agree.

If there is a fire you may access the fire escape from the roof through the roof’s fire door or a bedroom window. The ladder will drop down to ground level when you pull the orange lever Zeta had a little patio on the roof and would sit outside when the weather permitted.”

Then he stopped and gently took my hands in his strong Gabriel gave me goose bumps and I was sure that I was blushing.

“Can you keep a secret, Miss Jones?” He whispered, leaning close while looking into my eyes.

I just nodded, I was flustered and my face was hot. I wanted to kiss him or for Gabriel to kiss me.

“I know that I can trust you, Miss Jones. The safe is hidden behind the false wall of my office. Nobody but Zeta or Mary knows about the safe or the combination. You are taking her place…. If I were to accidentally lock myself in somebody needs to know how to get me out.”

“Yes, yes, tell me, tell me the combination,” I was thinking.

He leaned closer still and I could feel his breath on my face and I could smell his maleness. I could feel my toes curling in my shoes.

“It shall be our secret, Amy. I will give you the codes for the combination…do you promise?”

“Yes” I whispered closing my eyes…. waiting for him to kiss me….

“Look to your Bible.” He whispered. “Proverbs 31:25 31:26.

This was so wonderful, the Bible and my favorite proverb, the good wife. Would I ever be married? Would I ever find my true love? Gabriel is so mysterious, a secret hidden vault and he came out of nowhere and chased that dirty vagrant away.

He is so tall, so handsome and so fit with blond hair, green eyes and a dimple in his chin. And he smells like, smells like…. I wonder what testosterone smells like because he seems so masculine so intense…mm what naughty thoughts, bless me.

I would love for him to hold me; to feel those muscles and for him to kiss me…. make love to me. For all of that he is a gentleman. He just made me feel so special, our secret.

And Mrs. Mueller; I saw how Gabriel treated her and his love and affection was genuine. I peeked and watched him button her coat and fix her scarf. Emma always said you could tell how a man will treat his wife by how he treats his mother and this lady wasn’t even his mother.

For goodness sakes I need to compose myself and not let my imagination run wild…. he let go of my hands and we walked together to the apartment’s heavy steel security door.

This building was like a fortress, burglar alarms, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors plus fire sprinklers and a working fire escape. I would definitely be safe here.

Gabriel punched a sequence of numbers on the keyboard to deactivate the burglar alarm and then he opened the deadbolt lock with a key before handing it to me…was the apartment mine?

Gabriel: “I was showing Amy the bathroom and explaining. “As you can see it the bathtub shower enclosure is handicapped accessible These sliding shower doors are polycarbonate and will never break….

“It is just like being in a four star hotel bathroom!” Amy interrupted, beaming. “Heat lamps in the ceiling and my goodness, two shower heads. Plus lighted mirrors and here is the fan switch and look block glass privacy windows and what beautiful sea green tile on the floor…We went from room to room and as Amy explored the apartment the more excited that she became.

I was thinking; “I haven’t heard that expression in years (“my goodness”) how delightfully refreshing to hear a young woman speak this way.” I was delighted by her enthusiasm and overwhelmed with her joyful wholesome smile and manner of speaking. Perhaps I should have kissed her in the stairwell……………………………………………

Amy: I’ll take it!”

“But you haven’t seen the rest of the apartment.” He said, smiling. “There are three bedrooms and a large kitchen….

“I’m sure that they will be fine.” I interrupted again and then I remembered that I had no money for a security deposit or rent.

When I told him he proposed a compromise. “I would like to use one of the bedrooms as an exercise room during the day and to take a nap on occasion. I have a regular exercise routine that I follow, an hour of calisthenics and weights before breakfast.

If I could use one room during the day an extra ½ hour or hour of exercise would do me some good, make me feel revitalized. In consideration I would waive the security deposit.”

Of course I agreed and I vowed to myself that I would save to pay the security deposit no matter what. And besides that could lead to other things, maybe? Before we shook on it he asked. “Amy may I ask one other small favor? Do you suppose that I could shower afterwards?

Gabriel: I waited five months to make my next move and I would be making it this morning to surprise her. I made it a point to exercise on Amy’s days off and no doubt she was aware of it and she made excuses to walk by the open door to watch me.

I observed that Amy was slowly losing weight on her own. I also observed that she was fixing her long hair in different styles for me hoping that I would notice. Of course I noticed, although often times the changes were quite subtle. I was always careful with her during work hours, careful to be professional and not show favoritism.

The more time that I spend with her the more delightful I find her to be. As well as intelligent, insightful and thoughtful, plus she blushes so nicely.

Amy’s idea on how to streamline inventory actually cut the time in half. It was so obvious that it could have bit me on the…let’s just say nose. Plus the new line of organic vitamins and herbal supplements has taken off like gangbusters. As have the reusable shopping bags made from recyclable materials.

I have decided that Amy’s weight loss should be for her and not for me. Even though I want to hold my beautiful brown eyes in my arms and taste those cherub lips. More than anything I wanted to make love to her.

But how do you make love to a woman, a lady, who uses such wholesome expressions such as “oh my goodness or thank goodness; “bless my soul or for goodness sake” for example? And then there is my favorite…. when she as angry with a rude or difficult customer and needs to vent afterwards. Amy will look up to the ceiling and say “Lord, bless their souls and mine twice, because………………………….

Amy: When I woke up that morning I marked the calendar on the fridge. I was thinking that I have been here five months and already I have lost thirty pounds. I really want him to be proud of me.

Gabriel notices everything, what I am wearing or how I fix my hair for him. We talk about everything and he really listens and remembers what I tell him. He has already implemented several of my ideas. I don’t just work for Gabriel; I work beside him because that’s how he makes me feel.

Sure he is all business when we are on the clock and he addresses me as Miss Jones. But during break time if we are alone he will tease me and call me brown eyes and I love it when he calls me that.

I know that he schedules his breaks to be with me, just like he always manages to exercise in my apartment on my days off. I had just finished braiding hair when there was a knock on the door. “Miss Jones its me and I want to talk to you……….

Gabriel: Brown eyes answered the door in her robe and I finally saw her tiny little bare feet and she said somewhat flustered. “I can be ready and dressed in 10 minutes. Is everything all right? Did somebody call in sick?”

“Yes and no beautiful; everyone is well and I took the day off. Your shift is covered so that you can have the day off and we have so much to do.”

“I don’t understand. If we are not working what are we going to do?” Amy asked smiling and catching on.

“We are going to fly kites! It’s the perfect day for and then we are going to have snacks; orange juice, apple juice and ants—on- a-log.”

“What are ants on a log?” She asked.

I made the motions with my hands while narrating; “First you take a whole celery stalk and cut it like this; chop, chop, chop to about four inches long. And then you spread it; spread, spread; spread the middle with peanut butter or cream cheese.

“Ours will have Brie with almonds; the children’s will have peanut butter or cream cheese. Then finally you add the raisins or nuts to the filling; poke, poke, poke; and there you have it, ants on a log. After that we are going to rent a rowboat on Godfrey’s pond, the four of us. That will be followed by lunch; do you like sushi?”

Amy: Gabriel took my hands like he did on the stairwell and then he whispered. “There is one other thing that we are going to do today my beautiful, beautiful brown eyes, the most important thing of all.”

He put his arms around my now smaller waist and pulled me close and held me firmly but gently. Not that I could have stopped him because at six foot/ 160 lbs, Gabriel is all muscle. I did not want him to let go of me; I waited so long for this moment. Then he kissed my mouth and sighed and said, “I have just kissed my angel.”

An angel! He called me his angel and he kissed me again; I wanted that kiss to last forever.

I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back and my heart was pounding in my chest. I had butterflies in my stomach and….

“And now I have been kissed by my angel and she is sweet and wholesome and smart. Today we are going out on our first date; chaperoned of course and you have an hour to get dressed, Amy.”

As I was dressing I thought; “From the moment that he smiled at me in my checkout line I was infatuated with him. Gabriel can be so intense, so focused when he wants to be. He chased that dirty vagrant away and was in complete control.”

“Was I in love with the concept of being in love with Gabriel Bond? He is so strong…. and oh so handsome; he is polite and kind, although at times so intense and unyielding in many of his opinions. I wanted his body so there was definitely a physical attraction. “Goodness what a marvelously naught thought.”

That was before his niece and nephew; those two precious little blond haired children came to visit their Uncle Gabe at the store. They came running in shouting. “Uncle Gabe, Uncle Gabe do the elephant, do the elephant Uncle Gabe.”

I’ll never forget the look that came over Gabriel’s face or his smile at seeing them. It was like the warm sunshine coming through the stained glass windows standing next to Emma on my first Christmas in church.

He scooped them both up in his strong arms and hugged them and kissed them. They returned his affection in the way that only small innocent children could. His love for them was as pure and bright as to be almost tangible; as sunlight turned to warm liquid gold I could feel the warmth of his love enveloping me from across the room. How could a woman not love such a man; of course I loved this man for more than his looks.

He put them down and then pulled the collar of his lab coat over his head. He pulled his hand into his sleeve extended it like and elephant’s trunk while putting his other arm behind his back. Gabriel stamped his feet and waved his arm like and elephant’s trunk tickling them and bellowing and trumpeting like a real elephant and making them laugh and squeal with delight.

He is generally so serious and professional. I had never seen this wonderfully silly and spontaneous part of him. If I was ever to be his woman I owed it to him to finally do something about my weight and to discipline myself just like him……….

Gabriel: Amy met me downstairs behind the store and I helped her into my Jeep Wrangler 4 X 4. She was wearing blue jeans with a red blouse under a yellow hooded sweatshirt and I brought nylon parka shell for her just in case because I took the canvas top off of the jeep.

Amy was absolutely beaming when we pulled into my sister’s driveway where Mary was waiting with the children. I helped my beautiful brown eyes out and made the introductions. Ben was a little shy and just nodded however Cindy came right to the point. “Are you Uncle Gabe’s girlfriend?

Amy: I can’t remember when I had such a wonderful time or when I was with such well-behaved children. They were five-year-old children with large vocabularies who could eat sushi with chopsticks and knew how to order in Japanese. Cindy wouldn’t let me sit next to Gabriel in the boat or the restaurant.

When Gabriel took Ben to bathroom she told me matter of factually that she was going to marry Uncle Gabriel when she grew up. Although when I took her to the bathroom Cindy asked me to French braid her hair like mine. When I finished I said “Goodness my dear. You look so pretty and so much older and sophisticated with your hair like that. Why you could pass for seven. Perhaps we could go shopping together sometime.”

I was rewarded with the most wonderful smile I then picked Cindy up and let her sit on the vanity so that she could see herself. As she looked she lifted her chin and smiled. Cindy then looked at me and earnestly said

“You can be his girlfriend for now, Amy but I’m still going to marry him………………..” After we brought the children home we visited with Mary and Charlie for a while. Then Gabriel took me to one of his fields to watch the deer and then watch the sunset and finally the stars.

We parked on seasonal dirt road and parked near a stand of mature and stately Sugar Maple trees. I was getting the blankets and binoculars out of the back seat. When I turned to hand them to him, Gabriel was nowhere to be seen; it was like he disappeared into thin air. I started walking slowly and calling for him “Gabriel are you playing hide and go seek? Where are you?”

“Quiet brown eyes you are scaring the deer.” I turned to the sound his voice and he was not there. I turned back looking to see if he was hiding behind the tree in front of me. “You’re looking for love in all the wrong places, Amy Jones…but I’m not.”

I turned again to find Gabriel handing upside down with the back of his knees wrapped around the branch of the tree. He reached out and took my face in his hands and kissed my mouth and said, “I’m looking at love.”

Then he reached up bending at the waist and grabbing the branch with his hands to swing himself upwards and then gracefully dropped to the ground like a cat………..

Gabriel: We spread the blanket on grass, neither of us caring to watch for deer and lay down to touch and kiss quite intimately. I wanted so much to make love to her. However I wanted the first time with her to be special and memorable; I owed her that. I could tell she was aroused. I could smell her and feel Amy’s wetness through her jeans. It was driving me crazy and I had to keep reminding myself; discipline Gabriel discipline………..

Amy: I was so horny I could hardly stand it. I wanted him to make love to me and I was so wet…. he must have known. And his kisses and his touches and his manhood pressed up against were so wonderful, why was he waiting?

We lay there for a long time afterwards, wrapped in the blankets and not talking. We just snuggled and watched the stars, my God how I loved him. I could deny him nothing, even if he wanted to make love to me her and now, but I had to tell him. “Gabriel, there is something I have to tell you.”

“I know what you are going to say.” He replied kissing me.

“You do.” I replied hopefully.

“Yes, but first let me say that I am very proud of you and the weight that you have lost.”

“I did for you.” I replied reaching up and touching his face.

“I know you have, my love, my beautiful brown eyes.” I felt myself melting into him as our eyes met; his green and mine brown. I saw a look of pure love on his face. I experienced the intense heat of our souls as they merge as one. I could feel our twin hearts beating as one. I could feel our shared blood coursing through our veins… Gabriel then whispered.

“Can you feel it, Amy?” God in heaven with all his stars and his angels are looking down on us. They are blessing us and welding our psyches together in a bond stronger then the nucleus of an atom. Can you just feel it brown eyes, my Amy…my love?”

He made me promise that I would lose the weight not for him but for my health and me. I found a well of strength that night; a discipline that would change my life forever, for me but mostly for him………………..

Gabriel: “I noticed a marked change in Amy after that night, a new confidence to go with her wholesome goodness and sweetness. She completely changed her eating habits and we started taking most of our meals together. We were inseparable and did and went everywhere together. I couldn’t imagine living without her now; I knew that she felt the same about me.

I noticed that she was eating several very small meals a day and always measured portions. Fast foods or high calories convenience foods were all but eliminated; she ate what I ate.

We started exercising together, calisthenics and aerobics. Eventually I started her on some small weights when I worked out with the kettle bells. I bought us a new heavy bag and taught her some basic kick boxing techniques, specifically maintaining her balance when kicking. I was taught her the way I was taught; with my hands held behind my back. I also taught her some simple judo throws.

By September Amy was down to a healthy and fit 130 lbs and was turning heads on a regular basis. While in public Amy was a true Lady. However in private I received many intimate hugs and kisses. My family adored her especially Zeta.

We were spending a great deal of time at my place and by the end of October Amy had moved in with me. She was sharing my home but not my bed. We slept in separate bedrooms at night after cuddling on the couch at night, watching, movies or listening to music…. whatever.

I had to ratchet up my exercise routine to vent my frustrations and I was taking cold showers. Showers, now that’s a thought…showering with Amy. Damn, another 200 hundred additional sit-ups for me, discipline, Gabriel.

It’s funny how things work out for the best. Zeta moved back from Florida and was living in her old apartment again.

When she found out I was seeing Amy she did everything but cartwheels. It didn’t bother her a bit that we were living together although she hinted marriage and babies, lots of babies.

As I said, I wanted everything to be special and it was time to meet Emma. Amy warned me that Emma could be confrontational and difficult at best and she didn’t like the fact that Amy was living with me, innocent though it was. The day that I met her was interesting to say the least…………………….

Amy: Emma could be difficult at times but she did promise to give Gabriel a chance and to keep an open mind. She also agreed to cook Sunday dinner if I would spend the Saturday night before and then attend church with her Sunday morning. Emma was very proud of my weight loss having kept her figure and she was now well into her sixties. She wanted to show me off.

Gabriel let me use his Jeep and Emma and I went grocery shopping for Sunday dinner and then we took in a movie. The plans were that I was going to take Emma home first. Return the Jeep to my sweetheart who would bring me back for me to spend the night. He would meet us at Emma’s after church Sunday afternoon.

The weather report predicted severe thunderstorms after midnight but they hit early around 9:00 PM. We were getting out of the movies when the storm started. I telephone Gabriel to tell him that we were leaving for Emma’s and that I would see him in 45 minutes or so.

I took my time driving slowly. We had to detour because a downed tree hit a main transformer and knocked the power out to Emma’s road. Once we arrived Emma unlocked the door and we entered with our arms full of groceries. We were laughing and still talking about the movie we had just seen, a comedy.

Goodness gracious what a funny movie it was. We planned to light some candles and when Gabriel brought me back we would make popcorn and just talk. Thank goodness Emma has a gas stove. Electricity or not the hand pump for the well still worked therefore Sunday dinner was still on.

The house was pitch-black and as we made our way to the kitchen. I thought I heard a car pull into the driveway but I could not see reflections from headlights so it must have been a car driving by. As we entered the kitchen there was a dark hulk of a shape sitting at the kitchen table……………………..

Gabriel: My beautiful Lady was an hour late and I had not heard from her. That is not like Amy because she would call to tell me that she would be late. Particularly with the weather being so bad plus she was not answering her cell phone.

I had a very uneasy feeling about it; almost a feeling of dread and it was getting worse by the minute. I was going to ask Emma permission to marry Amy on Sunday. As I said I wanted the first time with her to be special. I could wait until we were married.

If Emma said yes, great! If the answer was no I would marry Amy regardless. Yes or no it would be a surprise to both of them. I would marry Amy in her Methodist church, Catholic though I am. My love for Amy is stronger than any ceremony and I know how much it would please my love for us to marry in her church.

Amy: “Well hello, Mommy what I nice surprise.” The hulk said, pleasantly. “I didn’t expect your whore to be here but it will save me the trouble. Now I won’t have to track her down,” Rodney then said as he shined the flashlight in our faces.

“Get out of my house!” Emma exclaimed, squinting and backing up while reaching behind her.

“Is this what you are looking for?” He laughed, slamming Emma’s shotgun on the table and making us jump. “We are going to have a little party and your little angel is going to be passed around while you watch. The orgy will start just as soon as my partner and an old friend of Amy’s arrive. They are in the driveway and I just sent them a text.” He held up his cell phone as evidence.

“Leave her alone!” Emma exclaimed. “Is it money you want?” You can have it. I’ll sign over the house to you!”

“I don’t need your money, mommy dearest, it’s a matter of principle. You went against family! You went against me, your own son.”

“I’m a businessman down in Mexico now and my business it’s very profitable. I am going to introduce dear Amy to the joys of heroin and give her a job turning tricks for rich businessmen. When she is no longer pretty or no longer of use to me there all plenty of dives in Tijuana that will buy her.

I closed my eyes and my thoughts went out to him “Our twin hearts beating as one; our shared blood coursing through our veins. Our love stronger then the nucleus of an atom; Gabriel……………………….

Gabriel: My heart was beating wildly in my chest as I thought of her and what she said to me that night, “our twin hearts beating as one.” I could feel my blood rushing through my veins our veins as our souls merged; our psyches touched. God help anyone who tried to hurt her, harm her…if it was Rodney then the devil would sort things out.

I grabbed the keys to the Toyota Camry, another of Amy’s suggestions. It was the company vehicle I bought to deliver prescriptions to shut-ins or elderly customers. I didn’t have time to put my holster on but I grabbed a spare magazine and shoved the gun in my jacket pocket…good enough or so I thought at the time.

As I raced through the storm I called Emma’s home phone on my cell…. please my love answer if you can……….

Amy: I knew it; I did hear a vehicle pull into the driveway and the headlights must have been turned off.

“Hail, hail the gangs all here, and were going to have a gang bang folks staring Amy Jones.” Rodney said laughing.

One man entered the house stamping his feet and shaking the water from his clothes while carrying two bottles of tequila. He was a Hispanic man with a pock marked face and he asked.

“Is there any way to turn the lights on so I can get a good look at our new puta?” The Mexican asked.

“No, we’re the last house on the road and always the last to get our power back on. With the transformer out it can take days; use your flashlight mi amigo.” But pardon my manners, meet my man, Miguel; he kills people.”

Rodney made the introductions as the thug was shinning the light in my face and then the second man walked in carrying a duffle bag. I had to squint from the blinding light and I could smell the marijuana on him and his reeking body odor…. dear God in heaven it was him…. I was thinking, “please call Gabriel” and then the telephone in the kitchen started ringing…

Gabriel: I’m almost there…what are those red flashing lights up ahead? I had to stop and the Sheriff deputy turned me back advising me that the road was closed off on both ends because of the storm and power lines were down all over the place. I drove away and stopped when I was out of his sight. I then got out and ran with my cell phone to my ear; ringing, ringing and then finally she answered “hello……………….

Amy: Rodney got the candles and holders out of the cupboards and lit them as the other two were passing a bottle back and forth. They tied Emma to a kitchen chair with the rope from the duffle and then they duct taped her mouth. They were arguing who would have me first and how.

I was surprisingly calm and was thinking “discipline, Amy; Gabriel was on his way”…. and then the telephone started ringing and they stopped and looked at one another. Rodney pointed the shotgun at me and then at the telephone. “Answer it and make it short and sweet.”

I answered it “Hello?”

“Amy, are you alright?”

“Oh, Hello, Mrs. Landers… No, Emma can’t come to the phone right now.”

“Are you in danger? Is Rodney there?”

“Yes, it’s good to hear from you too… Yes, of course we can pick you up on the way to church tomorrow morning You know how much we enjoy your company.

“How many are there, Amy?”

“No just the three of us…I think the sermon will be Proverbs 31:25 31:26.”

“I’m in the driveway now out of sight. Don’t be surprised by anything that happens; I love you brown eyes.”

I was ready to save goodbye when Spike; can you believe it that was the dirty pothead’s name. Spike snatched the telephone and put it to his ear. Rodney shook his head and was frowning. He put his finger to his lips and held his hand out for the telephone. Spike gave him the phone and then Rodney covered the mouthpiece with his hand.

“Relax its just Susan Landers, our new whore’s old Sunday school teacher. Let her finish the call or the old biddy will get suspicious.” Rodney then handed me the phone while giving me a mean look and then took a swig of tequila…………

Gabriel: There was a momentary silence on the phone and it seemed like an eternity…. did they suspect?

“Do they know I’m here?” I asked.

“No, everything is fine” My clever lady said “It must be the storm………..I love you too Mrs. Landers see you soon.”

I slowly made my way to the house and then glanced quickly into to the kitchen window; all accounted for. And then I quietly walked around the house looking for a way in. I climbed a large elm tree and swung myself onto the roof of the second story porch.

I entered through a bedroom window leaving it open for a quick getaway…………….

Amy:
They decided that Spike would go first. Rodney held my arms and cruelly twisted them while Spike pulled a large knife out of his pocket and grabbed my long ponytail.

“It seems that you are not a fat pig anymore but you are still a whore. You know you want me so why fight it. Be a good little slut and stand still while I cut all of your clothing off and then cut off most of your hair.

“I was going to have it cut short regardless, slut.” Rodney explained, twisting my arms. “Short haired blonds are all the rage now.”

Miguel was taking a swig of tequila when suddenly he started choking and coughing and everybody jumped including me. Gabriel got in the house somehow and let loose, bellowing and trumpeting like an elephant while stomping his feet and it was much louder than I ever heard him do so before. When they recovered Rodney said to Spike “Check it out.”

“Why me, man; you guys both have guns?” Spiked replied.

“Miguel is taking her out to the van…”

Gabriel let loose again but this time even louder and they all jumped again except for Miguel.

“Hey man, that motherfucker is crazy…” Spike started to say.

Rodney interrupted him, sneering. “Listen you asshole if you want to work for me you had better grow a set of balls! Think of the fringe benefits, the warm climate, all the pot you ever dreamed of and the free whores.”

“What if he has a gun?” Spike asked.

“Take the shotgun you pussy.” Rodney said, letting go of my arms and picking it up from the table. He shoved the shotgun into Spike’s chest and forced a laugh. “I can’t believe you are afraid of a pharmacist……….

Gabriel:
I heard Spike coming up the stairs stamping his feet shouting and howling like a coyote on estrogen. “I’m going to kill you motherfucker.”
I slipped out the window and closed it quietly before climbing back down the tree.

The wind had picked up now and the torrential rain was coming down in sheets accompanied by deafening thunder and blinding lightning. Depending on your point of view it was either frightening or exhilarating…. I chose exhilarating.

I could see Rodney looking out the kitchen window. Miguel was tying Amy’s arms behind her back with the remaining rope left in the duffle bag.

It was time to dial 911 while they were distracted looking for me. I removed the wet cell phone from my pants pocket; great, the screen was blank.

Damn it, it must be the rain and to make matters worse my pistol had fallen out of my pocket and could be anywhere. I had to stop them from leaving but how? Where was John Wayne when you needed him?

Amy: “He’s not up here.” Spike called from the top of the stairs.

“What do you mean he’s not up there, we all heard him?” Rodney called back. “Did you search every room?”

“Yes, under the beds, everywhere.” Spike answered.

“Then come on back down.” Rodney ordered. Then turning to me he grabbed my face squeezing cheeks together while shaking my head from side to side.

“It appears your boyfriend turned tail and ran. He abandoned you just like your real mother did. “Did your case worker ever tell you that your biological mother was a heroin addict and a whore who sold you for a fix? I had to grease a lot of palms and pay some hefty bribes to get the records unsealed but it was worth it.

Do you think that he will still want you when he finds that out? Or when he finds out that you were gang banged and raped. I promise we are going to made good use of your mouth, your asshole and your cunt and not necessarily in that order. Like mother like daughter, Amy.”

When Rodney let go of my face I looked up meeting his eyes and defiantly smiled at him. I didn’t know and I didn’t care now. I was Emma’s daughter and she was my mother.

Rodney brought his hand back over his head and said, “I’m going to slap that smile off… A brick came crashing through the window, and then another brick, and then another. They were the bricks that bordered Emma’s bushes and flower garden.

Gabriel trumpeted and bellowed like an elephant for a third time; mocking their ability to find or stop him. Good, the police should be here any moment now…

Gabriel:
I managed to flatten all the tires on their van and puncture the radiator with the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife that Zeta gave me for Christmas one year. God bless her! I also removed one of the distributor wires on the Jeep to keep it from starting.

And it is not like they can call for a taxi on a night like this with the road closed and the nearest house is almost a mile away. Damn I sure botched things though.

What will Amy think of me now? Fortunately neither she nor Emma is hurt. I hope one of the bottom feeders come outside. At least I will have the advantage of the dark and the weather; focus, Gabriel, focus…

Amy: Spike came running down the stairs and into the kitchen and even with the shotgun in his hands looked scared.

“You idiot, you let him get away? Give me that damn shotgun.” Rodney snatched it away from him. “Now give Miguel your knife.” He ordered.

Like a whipped puppy Spike did as he was told.

“Miguel! Kill that brick throwing son of a bitch and cut off his balls. Then bring them to me. Then we will see if this puta is still laughing at us.”

“Si with pleasure” Miguel said laughing and he was not the least bit shaken. “Se?Elephant has the big balls but not for long”

Miguel opened the second bottle of tequila and took a long swig and then handed it to Rodney who took a swig as well. They did not offer it to the disgraced Spike. Miguel then went to his duffle bag and removed a 12 Gauge double barrel shotgun.

The barrels cut back to twelve inches and the stock sawed off at the pistol grip. I noticed that it had double triggers, one in front of the other.

Taking his time…. he pushed the side lever to one side… opened it and looked down the barrels… He carefully inserted two shotgun shells…. closed it gently until the barrels locked in place…. he then sighed and kissed it.

Turning to me he said “I’m going to cut off his balls and make a necklace for you to wear around your neck, puta.” Picking up a flashlight from the kitchen table Miguel walked out the back door…………………

Gabriel: Miguel’s flashlight wasn’t of much use in the pouring sheets of rain as the beam was reflected and dispersed in all directions. He did a very thorough search of the grounds however, noticing the flat tires and leaking radiator and I could hear him cursing in Spanish underneath his breath as I tried to remain hidden.

If I could just keep from getting shot and get the shotgun away from him…. yes that’s it…. almost there…just a little closer…. I then leaped from the tree The best-case scenario was landing squarely on both his shoulders with my feet and driving him to ground and breaking his back.

As luck was not mine that night it I only caught his left shoulder from behind knocking him to his knees. I heard his collarbone snap and I may have possibly dislocated his arm as he went down with a grunt.

I rolled to one side and was jarred myself from the impact and I was thinking. “Damn I am too old for this. I think that I may have sprained my ankle…well so much for that idea.”

Miguel came up on his knees with a look of surprise on his face. Then he smiled through the obvious pain and tried to stand but couldn’t.

His left arm was handing to one side, useless and obviously dislocated. He picked up his shotgun that was stuck in the dirt with his right hand. He then brought the trigger guard it up to his temple with the barrels pointed up into the air as if saluting me.

I looked him straight in the eyes and asked for no quarter. Both of us were in pain and Miguel was hurt far more then I. We stared and then came to a final silent understanding.

“I think that I shall let you keep your balls, Se?flying elephant.” He said quietly. “I will take your pretty Lady as my own and I promise you no one will ever abuse her.”

Sighing, Miguel brought the shotgun up in front of him like a pistol, aimed and touched off both barrels………

Amy: I noticed that Rodney was good at giving orders and not good for much else…perhaps he was afraid for all his bluster. He certainly was a tough guy when it came to women and cowards like Spike. I noticed the deference that he showed Miguel even though he employed him and gave the orders. Rodney was afraid of him; I certainly was.

I know this sounds simplistic. Miguel is a very bad man. The opposite of Gabriel who is a very good man yet they both smell like testosterone. That being the case I would never take up with a killer like him. They have a way about them because they are both men’s men with one good, one not.

Many women are attracted to men of Miguel’s type and primarily for the sex and certainly not for love because they end up in poverty as addicts, as whores or worse. Dead at an early age with very few finding redemption.

Spike simply reeks. And Rodney…well Rodney has no smell to speak of…. he just a big blank hulk.

He was now was looking out the kitchen window with a death grip on Emma’s shotgun. Spike was trying to drink himself into a stupor.

When Rodney noticed Spike drinking he walked over and then snatched the bottle from him.

“Go outside and help him look. Maybe the cold rain will sober you up.”

“But what if he has a gun?” Spike asked a second time.

“If he had a gun he wouldn’t be throwing bricks, stupid. Obviously he doesn’t have a gun or can’t call the police for some reason because they would have been here by now.”

Spike was just walking out the door with the flashlight and a large kitchen knife when we heard the explosion………

Gabriel: The concussion from the backpressure of the shotgun as the barrels exploded from the mud obstructed bores was deafening. The bulk of the metal hot fragments, wood splinters and deformed lead shot were directed back at Miguel.

I was peppered with the smaller metal fragments and a smattering of #4 lead shot or so I thought. I felt myself and then assured myself that none of the pellets or metal fragments penetrated more than a 1/8 of an inch deep. Thank God the blast missed my eyes.

I must have looked like a bloody mess being sprayed with the blood from Miguel’s neck and lower face now a bloody ruin. When I opened my eyes he was lying on his side, dead. I wanted to throw up but could not afford that luxury and I choked back my bile.

Amy was safe for now. I could feel it and I meant to keep it that way because that was all that mattered.

My heart was pounding with the adrenaline racing through my veins. I stood up impervious to the pain; my love for Amy and the joy of still being alive to marry her was all that I needed to sustain me.

The rain had started letting up when Spike came running up and shined the flashlight on us. We must have looked like ghoulish and nightmarish figures in the diffused and reflected light. I was covered in gore and blood, mine and Miguel’s.

I unconsciously had wiped my mouth and face a few times smearing things around a bit. And with Miguel’s lower face missing. It may have looked to Spike as if I just ate it. Spike was frozen in place with his mouth wide open.

I watched the large chef’s knife drop to the ground from his nerveless fingers. He looked up at me and I smiled and said to him matter of factually “You’re next.”

Spike, what a joke he is; he screamed like a little girl and bolted in the opposite direction of the house. I could hear Rodney calling out from the house to them and I could vaguely make out his shape in the open doorway holding the shotgun. I let loose for the last time bellowing and trumpeting and damn that hurt. I watched as Rodney slammed the door shut and lock it…………..

Amy: Rodney turned to look at us and I just smiled and said. “It appears that Gabriel just took out Miguel, your ace-in-the-hole and I bet Spike ran away, again. And don’t even think about laying a hand on either of us or there is no telling what Gabriel will do to you. Rodney ignored me and walked over to his stepmother and then removed the tape from Emma’s mouth.

“Where to you keep the extra shells for the shotgun, Mother?”

“What do you mean extra shells? “Didn’t you bring any?” She asked.

“No why would I? Where are the extra shells?” He asked again.

I saw a smile spread across Emma’s face. “And I take it you didn’t check to see if it was loaded? She then asked.

Rodney stared at her for a few seconds with a look of confused anger on his face. He then frantically cycled the slide action of the shotgun; empty.

Emma started laughing while Rodney stood there staring at the shotgun. “It’s not funny, Mom.” I said to Emma………….

Gabriel: I entered the house a second time through the upstairs window. I quietly limped downstairs and watched the scenario unfold from around the corner. Rodney was cycling the action of the empty shotgun. I was waiting for my opportunity; I was a little dizzy and it was hard to breath from my exertions and blood loss. Perhaps I was possibly in shock.

It’s not every day that a man has the gun that was pointed at him blowup in his adversary’s face. All right I was a mess but damn it; I was resolved to see this to the end even if it killed me. My brave girl beat me to it. The hell with John Wayne I had my Amy.

Despite having her hands tied behind her back Amy kicked him squarely between his legs. She did it gracefully, precisely and with perfect balance. I was so proud of her. All that exercising, weight training and rudimentary kick boxing lessons had paid off.

The shotgun clattered to the floor as the Rodney sank to his knees holding onto his crushed testicles.
Amy then said. “It’s not funny Mom, it’s pathetic.”

When Rodney looked up at her from the floor, Amy kicked him square in the face knocking him unconscious

“That’s for the first time that you tried to rape me you bastard!”

“And this is for good measure” She kicked him again between the legs.

“And this is for what you were going to do to me.

May God forgive you because I sure as hell can’t.”?
She kicked his gonads a third time.

“For goodness sake, I think that he gets the point, brown eyes.” I limped into the room thinking, “Thank God, they are safe” and that was the last thing that I remembered……………..

I always said that I wanted the first time for my beautiful brown eyes to be special before I made love to her. What could possibly be more special than the gift of family and being in love this night to make love together under our first Christmas Tree?