Promises Kept
- 2 years ago
- 14
- 0
Thank you for all the praise you gave me on the first two chapters of this tale. It feels really good to be home again after being gone for so long. I have another story that I will submit after I’m finished with this last and final chapter. It is something that I wrote while I was out on this last book tour. I hope you like this one though. Last but most certainly not least, I wish all of God’s blessings on each and every one of you, and thank you,
MoogPlayer
P.S. Please keep in mind that all characters mentioned in this story are all PURELY and TOTALLY FICTIONAL characters, as are the events that happened in the story as well…oh, and don’t forget to vote.
~~~~~~
Chapter One
‘…she’s been in a real bad car accident.’
‘So, how is she? Is she…’ I stuttered, ‘Is she dead?’
‘I’m really sorry, Mike, but she didn’t make it,’ Dave sadly replied, ‘Is there anything we can do for you?’
‘Where’s her body,’ I sniffled, the pain in my heart literally killing me, my two friends standing beside to hold me up if needs be, ‘Will you take me to her?’
~~~~~~
‘I’m sorry for your loss, sir,’ the coroner quietly said, after I’d identified Jill’s lifeless body, laying on that cold slab, ‘Is there a particular funeral home that you’d like for me to contact for you?’
‘No,’ I quietly told him, ‘I’ll take care of it, thank you.’
~~~~~~
I waited until after I’d spoken to Jill’s parents over the telephone and informed them of her death, before I broke down and fell into the middle of the floor, crying like I’d never done before. Of course the Navy gave me ten days of emergency leave to attend to everything I needed to take care of.
Because she was born and raised in Culver City, California, that’s where her funeral was held. It was very painful for me, but I was grateful to see all of my team mates there, as well as Admiral and Mrs. White. I’d never before experienced the outpouring of love that I was shown that day, not only by Jill’s parents, but also my team mates, too. Every man that was there in uniform all wore Navy SEAL Tridents on their chest, letting me know that they were there to stand behind me in my time of need, leaving me feeling deeply touched, and very moved by their actions…
~~~~~~
My days were spent on base, training, even though we were all on stand down. We still wanted to be in shape, because every SEAL is taught from day one, that the more you sweat in Peacetime, the less you bleed during War. At night I dreamed of Jill though, and every morning I would wake up to her being gone, the pain of her loss only more deeply engraving itself into my heart, while carelessly ripping out my soul.
For me, I was placed on stand down until The Navy told me otherwise, and as I’d said earlier, it was because I wasn’t focused enough at that time to remain on the active list…and rightly so. My fiancée had just been killed, and the Navy thought I needed more than just ninety days to clear my head.
It was a good thing in the long run, because when the rest of my team heard about it, they all asked, Dave included, to be taken off of the active list themselves, for the simple reason of not only wanting to know about me, but also hoping to be able to be there for me, should something bad happen. However, the officers above me were a lot more lenient back then than they are now, and my team’s request was placed in the hands of Admiral White, which meant that it was almost immediately approved.
~~~~~~
That afternoon after work, I headed straight to the bar. I don’t know why I went there, I just did, and the moment I sat down, a cocktail glass, full of Jim Beam bourbon on the rocks, was placed in front of me.
‘Hey, you,’ Danny smiled, taking the seat next me at the bar, ‘What’re you doing in here?’
‘What does it look like I’m doing?’ I snarled, ‘I’m having a drink. Do you want one?’
‘Why not,’ Danny smiled, reaching over and patting me on the shoulder, ‘How’re ya holding up, L.B.?’
‘I just lost my fiancée,’ I sadly replied, ‘How do you think I’m doing?’
‘I know, brother,’ he quietly replied, ‘You know you really ought to be home instead of here, don’t you?’
‘And what am I supposed to be doing at home,’ I sniffled, ‘Staring at all the reminders that my Jill is dead?’ as the tears began to fall down my face.
‘Aw, what’s wrong, sweetie,’ some long haired asshole across the bar from me viciously laughed, ‘Did you lose your boyfriend, Squidly?’
‘Uh, oh,’ Danny quietly mumbled.
‘What did you say to me,’ I angrily growled at the guy, ‘How would you like me to rearrange your face, fuck head?’
‘Well, come on then,’ he laughed, dropping his pool stick, as he approached me from the other side of the bar, ‘The law requires me to tell you that I hold a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do, squid face.’
‘Is that so?’ I laughed, ‘Well then, you’d better give your soul to Jesus, because your ass belongs to me.’
The moment he lifted his foot off of the floor to kick me, I grabbed him by the balls and by the hair, and then as politely as you please, I threw him through the big plate glass window next to the front door, where he landed in the parking lot, on his back and gasping for air.
‘Jesus, Mike,’ Danny gasped, ‘You could’ve killed that man.’
‘Oh really,’ I evilly laughed, ‘Well hang on to your hat, because I’m not finished yet.’
‘Oh, yes you are,’ Danny said, standing up, and then the next thing I knew, I felt a hard blow to the back of my head as the lights went out.
~~~~~~
When I opened my eyes again, I was at home on my couch, looking at Danny sitting in the chair across from me, while Dave sat in the other chair, both of them wearing stupid grins on their faces.
‘What the hell happened,’ I groggily asked, rubbing the back of my skull, ‘And why does my head hurt?’
‘Because,’ Danny spat, ‘You were about to lay waste to an unarmed civilian so, I knocked your ass out before you did any real damage.’
‘And we all know that you could’ve been court marshaled, ‘Dave added, ‘What the hell is the matter with you, huh? I had to pay the bar owner five hundred bucks to not only pay for the window, that was four hundred dollars, I had to give him another hundred so that he wouldn’t press charges on you.’
‘I’m sorry you guys,’ I sat, sitting up on the couch, as my eyes again began to fill with tears, ‘I’m just…’
‘A little messed up in the head right now, we know, little brother,’ Dave smiled, ‘I think that a little time off is just what the doctor ordered.’
‘I don’t want any time off,’ I told him, ‘That means that I’m just going to sit around feeling sorry for myself and I don’t want to do that, because Jill wouldn’t have liked it.’
‘She sure as hell wouldn’t have liked the little display you put on back at the bar either,’ Danny replied, ‘And you and I both know it, L.B.’
‘I know,’ I sniffled, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me, fellas, I’m sorry.’
‘You just lost your fiancée, brother,’ Dave said, ‘It’s quite understandable really.’
‘I guess,’ I said, ‘So, what’s next…I mean, where do I go from here?’
‘I’ve got something for you, L.B.,’ he knowingly smiled, ‘You and Danny are going to Proctor the up coming BUD/S class that convenes in two days.’
‘What about the rest of the team?’ I asked, ‘What’re they going to do?’
‘Nobody wants to operate without you, L.B.’ Dave smiled, ‘That’s why we’ve all asked to be put on stand down until you’re well enough to be an operator again.’
‘Come on, Dave,’ I chuckled, ‘That’s not very fair to the rest of the men. They shouldn’t have to pay for my shortcomings, skipper.’
‘Who said anything about paying for your shortcomings, or for that matter, what shortcomings are you talking about? None of this was your fault in any way, shape, or form,’ Danny compassionately
replied, ‘We’re doing this because we care…Do you hear me? We care about you, and everything that happens to you.’
‘Besides,’ Dave chuckled, ‘If you’re going to be an instructor, then you’re also going to need the rank to go with it…okay, Masterchief?’
~~~~~~
TWO DAYS LATER
At 0700 hours that morning, Danny and I stood together on the podium at the quad at BUD/S, while Danny gave the speech, I remained silent, listening, learning and following his lead.
‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ he began, introducing himself to the SEAL candidates/students of Class 109, as their Class Proctor for the first time, ‘Welcome to BUD/S. My name is Lieutenant Reed, and you are about to go through the toughest training in the world. Some of you will make it, however, most of you won’t. This type of training is not for everyone so, there is no shame in dropping out. According to my roster, there are ninety-four of you, and I estimate that well over ninety percent of you will ring my bell three times (called ringing out) before graduation day, twenty-nine weeks from now…
…In order for you to be able to wear the SEAL Trident, you’re going to have to make it through not only me, but also Masterchief Walker standing here next to me, and I assure you, gentlemen, it won’t be an easy task. To make sure that you all start off on the right foot, there are two things that need to stay present in your minds. Number one, there are no individuals in a team, nor is there a letter ‘I’ in the word team, and last but certainly not least, the only easy day here, was yesterday. Are we clear on this?
‘YES, SIR,’ the students yelled.
‘Alright then,’ I said, ‘Let’s start the morning off with a nice ten mile run to stretch our legs, gentlemen,’ I said, ‘Shall we?’
‘HOO-YAH,’ the students yelled, and then followed me to the surf.
~~~~~~
‘Before we begin our run,’ I said, ‘I want everyone of you to hit the surf, NOW,’ and the moment I went silent, ninety-four men scrambled into the ocean, getting wet from head to toe, and then I had them roll around in the sand, making sure that each and very man was covered, head to foot, in sand. After that, I made them go back into their barracks and change into dry uniforms, making them repeat the same exercise be they’d just done. And after ordering them to do it enough times, I was sure that every uniform they owned was soaking wet…
~~~~~~
‘Ready, begin,’ I commanded, and the entire class took of running beside Danny and I who were keeping pace. We ran a total of five miles up the beach, in tidal surge water, before turning around and running the five miles back to the SEAL quarterdeck. As I ran, I remembered running down this same stretch of beach, only I was wearing an eighty pound dive pack, hence the reason the run seemed like nothing after that.
~~~~~~
After we finished our run, we moved the students to the obstacle course to begin their training. Hell, the run on the beach was just something that we did every morning to get the heart up and pumping. Still though, I was excited to be teaching these men what I was taught, but I wasn’t going to be easy on them one bit, because the more you sweat during peace time, the less you bleed during war.
‘And just in case you’re wondering,’ Danny told the class, ‘Masterchief Walker holds the record for the obstacle course, and he invites all of you to try and break it.’
~~~~~~
As I said before, there were ninety four men that started this class, and now knowing Danny as well as I did, he wasn’t going to end the class until at least one person rang out. However, after the second time through the obstacle course, one person rang out, bringing the class ranks down to ninety-three people.
‘Damn…and it’s not even noon yet,’ Danny laughed, ‘I’ve got a feeling that this particular class is going to be one of the smaller ones, come graduation day.’
‘I don’t know,’ I chuckled, watching these guys going over the same ‘Obstacle Course’ that I had to go over, and I knew, from having experienced it firsthand, that it sure as hell wasn’t child’s play, that much was certain, ‘I think there might be two, maybe three frogs in the bunch, what do you think?’
‘I’m not real sure yet,’ he quietly told me, ‘I think there might be at least four, or maybe even five…we’ll just have to wait until after hell week is over, and then we’ll know.’
---"I'm fighting the war against prostate cancer!!"I can remember hollering that to a family member in an attempt to get them to leave me in peace once, and that's all I'd say to the prostate's credit. My doctor claimed it would be both good for me and feel good, but I never bought it. I'll admit to being a skeptic freely--hell, I still am today in a way. I wasn't sure it was even all that big a deal for sex; I never got off when I got fucked and I never got off on dildos or butt plugs either....
MasturbationThe Skeptic - by: Mary Beth Sanford Synopsis: Mark is a skeptic. He's always been and it's most likely why he'll someday make an excellent scientist. Helen, on the other hand, is a spiritualist but as firm in her beliefs as Mark is in his. The argument is months old when it comes to a head and all Mark has to do now is put his money where his mouth is or better still put his bottom where the diaper is. Fact From Fiction: What I remember most when I was hypnotized to quit...
I woke up with a hangover the size of Texas . The good part was that I was still a little drunk, the bad part was, and I hadno idea where I was. Not that it mattered, I wouldn't be going anywherewith this ice-pick in my head. God I hate being hung-over, but I can'thelp it once I start drinking, especially when the bar is full of pretty undergrads. Ohsure, they're all under age, but who can say no to hotties that flash a fakeID and an unbelievable (and completely unattainable) body. After my...
I woke up with a hangover the size of Texas. The good part was that I was still a little drunk, the bad part was, and I had no idea where I was. Not that it mattered, I wouldn't be going anywhere with this ice-pick in my head. God I hate being hung-over, but I can't help it once I start drinking, especially when the bar is full of pretty undergrads. Oh sure, they're all under age, but who can say no to hotties that flash a fake ID and an unbelievable (and completely unattainable) body. After...
PROMISES PROMISES A STORY BY JOHNATHAN It was a cold, grey, February, Sunday afternoon.Lesley, my wife pulled slowly into the car park and stopped the car a short walk from the ice-cream kiosk. The ice-cream kiosk was always open on Sundays, no matter what the weather or the time of year, it would be in this sea-front car park, available for ice-creams, ice lollies and other confectionary. Inside I could see the ice-cream vendor, a young female of around 18 years of...
Hi everyone! This is raunak from bangalore. Mai 22 saal ka hu aur mera lund 6 inch 2 cm bada aur 2.3 inch mota hai jo meri gf ne hi measure kia apne hatho se. Yea kahani promise day ki hai jab maine apni gf ko chhoda.Jaisa ki aap logo ko pta hi hoga ki ye valentine week chal raha hai.To mai aur meri gf nikita (name changed) aksar outing kar rahe the.Wo dikhne me ek dum maal hai.Uski books balloon ki tarah hai aur uski chut to maano kisi ka bhi lund garam ho jaaye aur chhodne ko majbur ho...
It all started with my best friend DJ crying in my room telling me how much he hated life and how he would never find a girl to date him. I was really uncomfortable with him sitting there sobbing. My dad was military and hated crybabies, but this was my best friend. All I could do was sit there and tell him it was gonna be ok. "Look DJ, its gonna happen man, the girls at our school are just lame. Just relax, you'll get through it." He turned to look up at me through his tear streaked...
Promises, Promises By Marc Lane Marc and Kara had become close friends. Late one evening about six months ago, Marc and Kara struck up a conversation in the laundry room at their apartment complex, while each was up late catching up on their laundry. Both were part- time students at the local college and both worked part-time. Marc, 19, was in his first year of college and worked part-time as a clerk at a drug store while Kara, 21, was finishing her third year and was working...
Compromised I was caught coming out of a room at a cheap motel on my lunch hour. Oh fuck! It was my husband’s best friend Jeff and he was coming out the room next to mine. We both stood there staring silently at one another. A moment later my companion emerged to find me standing there. I was supposed to be gone by the time he came out. Then he noticed my husband’s friend standing there too. At that very moment his companion emerged from her room to find us all standing...
Introduction This story does not challenge man’s faith in God. It does not challenge the Christian faith in Jesus Christ. It does however, challenge some organisations among those that call themselves a ‘Church of God’. It does challenge man’s abuse of Scripture for profit, in particular it challenges that section of the Christian church, the so-called ‘Prosperity Doctrine’ churches, which prey on their members’ greed and hopes of financial reward to be gained, not from hard toil, but from...
Author's Note... This is my first attempt at a Cross-dressing story. So please forgive me if it seems a little disjointed. Above all I hope you enjoyed it. Comments are welcome. Promises and Secrets By Maria Ski Dedication For Samantha, thank you for the encouragement to actually finish this story. And to the usual suspects, they know who they are... And then of course there is You, the person who is reading this...
Promises and Secrets 3: Tina's Prom Date By Maria Ski Authors note: This story takes place before the events in 'Promises and Secrets'. Tina Grant, to know her is a pleasure; to look at her is to admire her, to fall in love with her... Because Tina Grant has a secret, a secret that she has kept from a very early age. Few people know, but those who do are sworn to not share the secret. Lest it harm Tina in any way. Who am I? I hear you ask, my name is Michael and I had the...
Pulling back, breathless and flushed, from the kiss, Laura couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. ‘What’s the matter?’ Paul’s voice was concerned, but tinged with a sardonic amusement. ‘I can’t do this – I can’t believe you want to… it’s just, I don’t know – this is just the last thing I expected.’ ‘I don’t know why, I thought we’d connected. I thought you wanted this. I wouldn’t have kissed you if you hadn’t wanted me to.’ Blushing with silly pleasure she turned away, smiling. ‘I...
Monsieur M WAS WAITING when the ambassador arrived. The girl sat beside him, small, perhaps scared, but there was something else in her eyes that might have been defiance. The ambassador smiled when he saw her. “Age?” Monsieur M looked at the ambassador but did not respond. The question was rude. It was an unspoken agreement between them there would be no embarrassing questions, nothing to cast doubt on any part of their transaction. “She’s old enough, Mr. Ambassador.” He stroked her...
MY TRANSFER ORDERS came through in late December. A summer departure date. Home leave, then Sweden. I’d need cold weather gear. I read somewhere, can’t remember where exactly, that what sustains us are friends who love us and who show us their love, who share our pain when we are in pain. By that measure Sofía and Javier and I were friends, no matter how recently we’d met. It’s true our friendship was a temporary one, it had always been certain I would leave some day, but we’d made the most...
After a really good night of sex the last thing I remember before I went to sleep was that my cock was hard from thinking about my wife and what we did all last night. Now it's morning and my cock is still hard. I wonder if it has it been that way all night?My wife is lying next to me, her naked body pressed to mine as we lay there with the early morning sunshine coming through the window. I listen to her breathing, feeling her warm breath in the back of my neck, very aware of her warm body...
The emails between Cheryl and me had dropped to a bare minimum in the last couple of weeks. We had established a pattern. When she could, Cheryl would appear in our apartment around ten in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The only emails we exchanged came when there was some reason when she was unable to keep our arrangement. The ping I heard announced something in my inbox. I started to feel dejected. Cheryl couldn’t join me this particular Monday. “Family obligations,” the...
Straight Sex"And breakfast!" he replied, holding up a fast food bag. He looked at her as she reached out for the drink and bag. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun and not one bit of makeup, but all he could think was, "Beautiful!" Her eyes didn't hide her happiness at seeing him. Those eyes! Like no color he'd ever seen before. Her smile lit up the room as much as his soul as he looked at her. Full, sensuous lips, the corners turned up in a perpetual half-smile, half-smirk. As she turned to...
Leaning back in the taxi, Olive tried to relax as the lazy spring evening sped past the windows. Magnolias, cherry blossoms, camellias. She was passing through the quiet side of the city now, houses with gardens and garages, the kind of upper class pristine suburbia that only seemed to exist in lifestyle magazines. The sky was deepening and traffic was quiet. His house was half a mile away. She’d never been there before. He didn’t even know she knew the address, let alone that she was on her...
MasturbationALEJANDRA’S VOICE WAS STEADY when she telephoned on a Friday about a month after that evening when she discovered me with her mother. “Michael, will you meet me for coffee?” “Sure.” It was a hesitant Alejandra who waited for me at the sidewalk bar near the plaza. She rose when I arrived and leaned forward for a hug. I kissed her cheek and held her face in my hands for a moment. “Thanks for coming, Michael.” I smiled. “My pleasure, Alex.” I ordered coffee for both of us. After it came I...
Promises and Secrets: A Teenage Transsexual By Maria Ski Things changed for me after I was discovered trying on my sisters clothes. My mother had caught me. But there was no anger, no disgust, just a warm understanding smile and the love of a mother. From that day of being discovered, and after telling my sisters things seemed to change. Every weekend I became Maria. With a wardrobe of girls clothes of my own which I either bought myself or had bought for me. One thing led to...
Paul awoke with a jolt. He was naked, he was naked! The last thing he remembered was buying the girl at the bar a drink. She had been a beautiful raven haired girl with deep blue eyes. And so four women now surrounded him. Paul struggled in the restraints as they locked his wrists and ankles into the chair. He was naked and totally unaware he was being watched through a one way mirror. The technicians behind the glass gently typed commands on their keyboards. As they did the chair gently...
Promises and Secrets: Reunion Part 1: An Unexpected Surprise. A Cross-dressing tale by Maria Ski *Ten years earlier* "I really would like..." my forefinger gently touched her cheek I lifted her chin and our lips touched... I held Tina in my embrace it felt right. She rested her head against mine. "What would you really like to do?" she whispered. "To kiss you again Tina," I replied. She stepped back holding my hands leading me to her bed. "You can kiss me again my...
THE TENNIS MATCH and the evening with Aída and Alejandra apparently was my last major test before being admitted to the family circle, albeit as a very probationary member. Tonight I was stuffed after a full Sunday dinner at the main house. We’d left Monsieur M and his wife in the front room with a fire and their after-dinner drinks and headed for Alejandra’s little cottage in the far corner of the compound. “It was a dark and stormy night.” I couldn’t contain my laughter. “Seriously,...
Denise looked in on Sylvie while she was sleeping. Walking into the room, she brushed open the drapes, letting the sunshine flow over her uncovered body. Knowing that Sylvie would wake from the light, she turned and looked out onto the ocean. Sylvie spoke, "Good morning. God, I slept well. The sound of the ocean always does this to me." Denise looked at Sylvie stretching. "You are just as beautiful as ever. I was surprised when you called and said you were at the airport. You haven't...
Jim sat in the little club thinking. Why did Sylvie wish to speak to him after nearly nineteen years? She said when she called it was about a promise she had made to herself a long time ago. -- Older, much more mature and still attractive, she came up to the booth behind him. He stood and greeted her and when they sat down she said, "It has been a long time, Jim. I asked you to meet me here to give you some information. You know when I left that time so long ago I was falling in love with...
Compromise by Bleedingheartz Joseph Hart had just arrived at the luggage pickup area of the Port Orion airport. It wasn't that late, but he always got tired when he traveled by plane. He was anxious to get a rental car, check into his hotel room, and lie down to rest for awhile. He was planning a leisurely dinner and possibly some lounging outside the hotel restaurant that supposedly had an excellent view of the ocean. He was in Port Orion on business. Tomorrow, he would be meeting...
Chapter 8 Trial Day 6 These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain, their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ Isaiah 29:13, Mark 7:6-7 Cynthia Mayotte’s death dominated the news media. Speculation was rife that there was a connection between her death and the case in progress. Much was made of the fact that Mayotte and Janine had been alone in his office, and several attempts were made to contact him, before the police were dispatched...
There was supposed to be a wedding. A baby. Sex. Love. Ida McNown was supposed to trade her life, her name for fields full of deer, clouds, and a man who did not love her. But Ida’s mother was talking about lace and babies and uniting two clans. It was a dream. But it was not her dream. No, she dreamed of something else. XXX She pulled on his uniform, tugging the jacket off his shoulders. She untied his belt, pushed his shirt to the side. She watched his chest strain, as if his heart were...
Every time it happened, I was ashamed. I thought that he would be the first and the last of my unprofessional encounters but it seemed that more and more attractive and lonely men found their way into my studio and I was somehow always ready. I fucked two in the first week after Maxwell. One was built like a Greek god, his abs showed through his shirt. I knew what to do with him the moment he walked in. I didn't even charge him for the massage. What was happening to me? Was the stereotype...
FetishThey sit, one in each corner of the double closet, like two, squat, white, abstract pieces of art, open to whatever interpretation the viewer chooses to make of them. Only the sculptor can validate the interpretation of any observer. Even though I own them I have no intention of even confirming what they represent or why they stand, alone and abandoned, in the corner of my clothes closet. They are both my cross and my salvation, all in the same breath; my sole remaining link to the past and the...
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one of a series of papers the Journal presents for scholars of pre-Conquest indigenous cultures and ceremonies in the Americas. Every effort has been made to verify the authenticity of alleged contemporary accounts. While the authenticity of the document itself presented here is not in doubt, i.e., that it was written at or around the date of the activities it describes, the events chronicled therein are at significant variance from other sources and contemporary...
IF THE MEASURE of a successful Rain Festival is a pouring rain that drives everyone off the streets this year’s Festival was a total success. Saturday morning had dawned bright and sunny, but it was that kind of brittle sunshine that doesn’t last. In fact, the red sky at dawn had given its traditional warning, and the signal did not fail. By noon it was pouring and continued through the afternoon and into the evening. Sofía was buoyant for some reason. She said it was because she liked the...
ALEJANDRA’S MOTHER seduced me a week later. I’d put two and two together a long time ago. It was only a matter of time as she circled about closer, then further, not unlike the waves of a calm sea but in front of an incoming tide, one that inexorably washes higher and higher. For the record, I was not the doughty sand castle determined to resist her onslaught. Not on your life. I had her husband’s green light, at least that’s the way I interpreted his remarks about treating her right and...
“THERE’S NO RAIN FESTIVAL this time, Michael, sorry,” Sofía said with a smile. “But there are other things to do.” I turned to Mme Bertha, seated with a cup of tea at the kitchen table. Her expression was as bland as could be. After a moment, she nodded. “So what’s up this weekend, Sofía?” “Javier is getting an award for best librarian or something like that. We’ll help him celebrate.” I had a thought about the Rain Festival. Sofía and Javier and I had certainly celebrated then. “You’re...
SATURDAY PROMISED TO BE HOT. Daytime temperatures that were unpleasant but as compensation the evenings were mild until midnight, sometimes later. I found Aída in the stands and sat down beside her. “Why aren’t you out there today, Aída?” She made a face. “I twisted my ankle a couple of weeks ago, Michael. I’ve got to take it easy for another ten days at least.” She laughed. “Otherwise I’d cream her, and Alex knows it.” My lizard brain immediately wondered exactly what kind of creaming...
Chapter 7 Trial Day 5 Your ideology is not how you can use your church to serve God, but how you can use God to serve your church. Janine emerged from the bedroom, bleary eyed and still half asleep to be greeted by freshly brewed coffee, toast and a choice of cereals. ‘Hmmm, this is nice. Thank you for last night, I just needed company, I’d almost forgotten what company without any sexual involvement was like, it was nice.’ ‘It’s I who should thank you, I’d forgotten what it is like to be...
When I posted the first part of this story I fully expected a barrage of indignant comments about my religious viewpoint. But none appeared. Could it be that those who would normally emerge from wherever to criticise me did not read beyond the opening statement, choosing instead to write it off as blasphemy? Or could it be that they could find no answer other than the Bible is the truth and should not be questioned? CM. Chapter 5 Trial Day 3 ‘But you wouldn’t be questioning God, would you...
It had been a trip six years in the making. Between juggling school and work, the three friends were excited to be in the place that had held all of their fascinations for the past decade. Now at twenty-four, Beth’s heart gave a small patter as she looked out the plane and saw the infamous skyline of London as they approached. Upon landing, the long process of getting off the plane began and on more than once occasion, Beth had her heels hit by luggage and knocked her not-so-funny funny...
Introduction: Seven years after her last dream of the fairy prince Conlan, Elizabeth travels with friends to England to visit the fables site of Avalon, Glastonbury Tor. What happens when she passes beneath the Tor changes her life for the better. A small bell dinged and the televisions in the cabin dimmed and muted as the flight attendants voice came over the speakers announcing their descent into London. Tuning out the noise, Elizabeth and her two friends, Amber and Greg, gathered their trash...
The September heat had been oppressive all afternoon, even along the PCH. They'd met at Beau Rivage. Met for the first time, as they had become acquainted online, and living a good distance from one another, it had taken awhile before they could arrange a meeting. Then too, both had reason to take precautions; discretion was important. They each had no desire to change their life substantively, just to spice it up a bit. While it had been full daylight when they arrived, twilight had come and...
This is a completely made up story ... or is it? Standing in the Human Sexuality section at Barnes & Nobles paging through some books I was mostly oblivious to everyone else around me. "What are YOU reading?" I heard some one exclaim. Looking up I saw a petite milky skin brunette with dark brown eyes glaring at me. "This is a book about sex." I said matter of factually as I met her stare. Putting her hand on her hip and tilting her head she licked her front teeth making her upper...
Jim toured the offices where he would be working. It looked to be a well run business. He knew he would fit in with little trouble. At least he would if he could keep his mind off Bobbi. That night he slept in a bed that had no memory or association with her. God he was lonely. When he got up in the morning he was more tired than when he went to bed. Haggard and worn, he went for a walk, finally stopping at a little diner a block from Cindy's. As he came in, a man motioned him over to a...
Chapter one BeepBeepBeep BeepBeepBeep BeepBe- BAM! Got damn freaking alarm clock, why do you have to be so loud in the mornings? I groaned softly as I looked at the clock which read 5:00 am. Who in the hell set my alarm clock to such and early time set? If I find out who did it I'm going to murder them without hesitation. I groaned and turned over, maybe if I can get some more sleep then the person who set...
Introduction: Something new. Since i am new to this sight please, please, please be nice! i do take criticism very harshly ^^ oh this is not my full story just a prologue till the real thing. ^__^, Authors note!: Hi Umm be easy on the criticism, Im not that strong enough for it. ^-^lll um nothing sexual yet. Im just trying to get use to the sight yakno? anyways. i hope i didnt make a lot of mistakes. if i did please feel free to message me or comment. Ill be on here every other night to review...
She took another look in the rearview mirror and freshened her lipstick. She wanted to look nice for this first meeting. The headlights from passing cars shone just enough for a quick glimpse of herself. She decided she looked presentable. She wore a causal, summer dress. Her friends teased her that she dressed too conservatively, but she felt comfortable and a little sexy. She had discovered through this online relationship that she had a very passionate nature. He had the chance to discover...
IT WAS THE CUSTOM to play tennis during the siesta, even if here in the capital there wasn’t much of a siesta for anyone. But for those who were in charge of their own schedules, and Monsieur M was certainly one of those, except in the hottest months the siesta was a good time for tennis during the week as well as on the weekends. When I rolled up to the Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, step aside, that was really its name, on that Saturday afternoon a valet took charge of my vehicle and I...
I SHOWED UP for the charity tennis tournament right on time. Every seat was filled, but with Alejandra’s invitation I was in one of the VIP boxes high in the stands. Groundskeepers were finishing their grooming of the scuffed red clay as I found the party. “Michael!” Alejandra waved when I entered a “box” the size of my apartment living room, and rose to greet me with a hug and kisses on both cheeks. I held her at arms length afterwards and looked her up and down. “You look fantastic,...
“HEY, TOOTSIE, what’s up?” She smiled. I always got a smile from her, not sure why. It wasn’t an instant friendship but I think I showed her I had no particular agenda, none at all, with respect to the ambassador. She’d been with him for years, including his term as governor of an important state that had voted for the incumbent president. The president, shortly after taking office, named him ambassador to our host country. Career diplomats, many of them, hated political appointees....
MME BERTHA and Sofía and her mother and her younger brothers and sisters never missed the annual Rain Festival in their village on the coast, a full day’s journey by bus. It was a half-day at most for me by car. They’d invited me last year but I was too new in country then and not yet sure enough of Mme Bertha to accept. Sofía and her aunt and the others left on Thursday. I’d negotiated Friday off so I drove down after the morning rush cleared, although given the traffic patterns in the city...
WE’D BEEN DOZING TOGETHER that afternoon, exhausted after our prolonged session earlier. When I opened my eyes she was still asleep, the brown curve of her hip solid against me, against my growing erection. I heard her breathing, and below us in the courtyard the cries of kids and the slap of a soccer ball hitting the wall at the end of the garden. Our sweat had dried in the high desert heat. When I put my nose against her hip her aroma, pungent and yet sweet, filled my nostrils. Sweat...
SOFíA POURED A FRESH GLASS of wine for all of us. She held up an eye dropper. “Are you feeling lucky, Michael?” Are you feeling lucky, punk? Clint’s old line ran through my head, but Sofía’s smile and the sparkle renewed in her eyes made me think otherwise. “What’ve you got, Sofía?” Her smile got bigger. “Just a little surprise. It’s from Gladys. Javier and I have played with it before, in fact, but don’t you ever tell my aunt, OK?” She didn’t really have to explain. I knew what she...
I WAS LAST IN LINE for the shower. Afterwards, I snagged one of the remaining clean towels and walked out of the steamy bathroom to dry off. My companions were standing hand-in-hand in the doorway to the patio watching a pair of small fat birds forage in the ivy at the top of the patio wall. “Good morning, Sofía. Good morning, Javier.” At that moment there was a knock on the door. “Will you have breakfast this morning, don Miguel?” Suddenly I was starving even though I was...
I HEARD ABOUT IT a couple of weeks after it happened from Bill Fernandez, one of the political officers. His wife, a gifted amateur tennis player in her other life, worked part-time for the cultural attaché. Two or three times a week she played tennis before work with the ambassador on his courts. “Pissed off” would be a very mild way of describing Rachel, his wife, to hear Bill tell it. She’d walked through their front door that morning with steam coming out of her ears. “That fucking...
THE THING WITH the minister’s grandson Victor blew up in my face the following week. The minister didn’t tell me himself, of course. Instead the ambassador got a call from the minister’s senior aide. That the call didn’t come from the minister put the ambassador in an extra-sour mood when he summoned me through Tootsie. She gave me what I interpreted to be a sympathetic look as I entered the anteroom. “Go on in, Michael, he’s expecting you.” The ambassador put down the phone when I entered...
“DON MIGUEL, I need your help.” That there was no “please” attached to the request was significant. He had a little leverage at this point, true, but he was cagey enough and experienced enough not to overplay his hand. His years of close observation of Monsieur M, hundreds if not thousands of kilometers of driving him everywhere as well as the time he spent with Alejandra and her mother, gave him a pretty good idea of what leverage was useful and what was a waste of time. I wonder how many...
MME BERTHA’S SMILE when I returned to the capital was a knowing one, and I was pretty sure if she didn’t have all the details yet she’d soon get a full briefing from Sofía. A very slight stiffness in her walk for a couple of days seemed to be the only lasting physical result of our weekend. If Mme Bertha had any doubts, Sofía’s Cheshire cat grin answered the question her aunt had not asked aloud. Without saying anything Mme Bertha somehow communicated that she would not interrupt or complain...
I HAD THE VISA APPLICATION on my desk. It sat there in the middle of the blotter like a fly on a hamburger. I turned it over. She’d signed the application, at least I hoped she’d been the one to sign. I turned the paper back over to read the name again. “María Fernanda Dolores Vasquez,” born March 23rd, never mind the year. Old enough to travel alone, at any rate. The whole thing smelled. Even if she was of age, or said she was, girls her age rarely had a good reason to travel alone to the...