HOMELESS–Part 4

Part 4—the rest of our NYC trip; two great new friends.

CHAPTER 11

It was almost 3:00 a.m. by the time the police and hospital were finished with us. I suggested that Charlie and Toni stay over at the Plaza as my guests. I thought it was the least I could do after all they had done to support Jennie and me. I knew my $3,000 suit, straight from a Hong Kong tailor, was ruined, but I almost cried when I saw the blood on Jennie’s jacket and dress. Once she had removed it I phoned for a bellman and asked if there was anything that could be done. My arm was bandaged and in a sling that I thought was unnecessary. Jennie insisted that I wear it.

I had been worried about Lady. She had simply done what she had been trained to do—protect Jennie and me. She was completely under control when the police arrived. One of the officers had wanted to take her to the animal shelter for rabies testing, but was overridden by a sergeant who was apparently a dog lover. Instead, we took Lady to a veterinarian the following morning. He withdrew blood, assuring us that he had done this in cooperation with the police probably dozens of times. He said the testing would be done in two days, but he could tell just by looking at Lady that she wasn’t rabid. Hell—I knew that. Trainer John had given us the record of her shots when we bought her.

We agreed with Charlie and Toni that we would meet for lunch in the Plaza’s lobby at eleven. I had thought originally that we’d all get enough sleep that way, but it didn’t work out that well for me. My arm ached and I had to be careful when I moved. It was the only night since our first together that Jennie and I didn’t make love. Jennie cried every time she thought that she had almost lost me and that was often that night so we were both all the worse for wear when we finally showed up around 11:20 from the vet’s office. I suggested we walk around the block to Quality Meats. We beat the lunch crowd so we had no trouble getting a table. This was a place where high ranking executives took clients they wanted to impress. It wasn’t a place where one would normally go for lunch unless one wanted to blow a hundred bucks for a relatively simple meal.

Our guests were appalled by the prices, but Jennie and I just laughed. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “Doug is buying and he can afford it, can’t you, darling?”

“Yes, I can so just enjoy and order whatever you like.” There was no more discussion of the prices as we ordered. We all had appetizers, salad, and steak. Toni and Jennie had the 10-ounce filet. Charlie and I had the 24-ounce rib steak. We agreed to split two orders of parmesan waffle fries. The meal was great and the service even better. We had a wonderful time, even when we talked about last night’s adventure. Toni, like Jennie, was startled by the man’s actions. Charlie said his daughters were amazed that they had been involved in some kind of crime. They were also curious about Jennie and me and how their parents were staying at one of New York’s premier hotels.

“Wait until they hear about our lunch,” Toni exclaimed. “I’m taking pictures of everything so they can look at them when we finally get home.” We said good-bye to them in front of the Plaza as I paid for their cab to Penn Station. We had exchanged email and phone numbers and promised to stay in touch. Jennie insisted that I go in and rest once they were gone. I didn’t argue, but on the way I stopped at reception to ask if we could extend our stay. At $5,000 a night the answer was a definitive yes.

Jennie walked me into the bedroom and began to undress me. I reached out for her, but—to my shock—she stopped me. “I’m putting you to bed. I know you had a difficult and miserable night. You desperately need a nap. C’mon…into the bed. We can make love later, but I’ll be doing all the doing. You’ll be lying as still as possible with your arm out to the side where it won’t be injured.”

I couldn’t stifle a chuckle. “You’ll be doing the doing? I think I should have that framed.”

“Be quiet and sleep a bit. I’m taking your phone, too.” She retreated to the window and drew the drapes, darkening the room, and kissed me briefly before closing the door.

I fell into a restless sleep because of the pain in my arm. Even the pain pills—Percocet–I’d received failed to knock me out. I was half in and half out when I heard my phone ring once. I guessed that Jennie had answered it or turned it off. She walked cautiously into the room a few minutes later with Lady. She saw my eyes were open so she sat on the bed—the left side away from my outstretched arm before leaning down to hold me.

It was several seconds before I realized that Jennie was crying. “Jennie, what’s wrong?”

“I saw all that blood and I was afraid I was going to lose you. After all the years I suffered I finally found you and then….”

I cradled her head with my hand and kissed her cheek. “He cut through my sleeve and nicked an artery. Arteries always spurt blood. The doctor told me I would have been in trouble if I’d bled for an hour, but the EMT’s were there in ten minutes and the cops put a heavy bandage on my arm as soon as they got that asshole under control. He was bleeding much worse than I was. I released Jennie’s head so I could use my hand to pet Lady. She had her head on the bed showing her concern for me in her own way.

“Who was on the phone?”

“That was Andrea…Charlie and Toni’s daughter. She wanted to thank us for being so nice to her mom and dad. Of course, I told her it was our pleasure.”

“It was. I really like them.”

“So do I and they stayed with us…with me the entire time you were in with the ER doctor. They didn’t have to do that. They could have gone home. I know they were concerned about their girls. Anyway, I invited them to come down and visit us after their school breaks in June. You don’t mind, do you?”

“No…I don’t mind at all. I think that’s a great idea.”

“I thought we could put the girls in the bonus room over the garage. We could buy some air beds. They’re kids so they wouldn’t have any problem getting in and out and they’d have more privacy up there, too.”

“That’s a good idea, especially since we’ll be changing one of the bedrooms for our baby.”

“Doug, we still have almost seven months to do that.”

“I know, but you know how I am. I’m a nerd. I plan ahead.”

She moved up to kiss me. It was like heaven on earth. I could always lose myself in her kisses. She spoke again when she broke it. “I wish I could phone Amber, my friend at home, and give her all the wonderful news.”

“Why can’t you?”

“In the past I would only call when I was due to travel the next morning. I don’t want my stepfather to find me. You don’t know him. He’d make up some phony charges—things he could prove like drugs in my room or even some burglary with a ‘witness’ who saw me do it. I can’t take the chance.”

I leaned up on my arm to look straight in her eyes. “Jennie, what do all communications rely on?”

“I don’t know.” I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head until she got it. “Oh…computers?”

“And do you know anyone who’s an expert with computers?”

“You, of course.”

“The only question is—where do you want the call to originate from? California? Texas? How about Hawaii? You can make the call on my computer, but first I’ll rout it through a server somewhere else.”

“Can we do it before we go out for dinner? Please!” I pulled her down to me, holding the one I loved
more than anything. Jennie helped me up from the bed a minute later. My injured arm was throbbing and almost useless. Once we were in the suite’s living room I pulled my laptop from the safe and connected it to the internet using the Ethernet cable and connection. The hotel had wi-fi, but as everyone knows Ethernet is both faster and more secure.

“I’ve done a lot of consulting work in addition to writing all those ‘Idiot’ programs and I still do. Because of that I have access to servers all over the world. For this, though, I think we should stay within our borders.” I pulled up a database and scrolled through several locations before stopping at Alamogordo National Laboratory. My first message was a text to my contact there that I needed to use the server for a personal text and phone call. I had an affirmative response less than a minute later.

“What’s Amber’s phone number? Is it a cell or a land line?” It was a cell and Jennie gave it to me a second later. I typed out a brief text—“Amber, you will receive a phone call from Doug in a few minutes. It is really from me. Using his computer for call. Jessie”—then I pushed “SEND.”

I was pleased when my laptop pinged in response to an incoming message—“K.”

“Okay Jennie, sit here and speak normally. The microphone is in the base and it will pick up everything you say.”

“I never knew you could use a computer as a phone.”

“You can if you have the proper software installed. Ready for your call?” She nodded and I typed in the number, pressing “SEND,” when I was done. We could hear the phone ring. It was answered on the second tone.

(Hello?)

“Amber, I can’t believe it. How are you? It’s me Jennie, I mean Jessie.”

(I see you’re in New Mexico. How’s the weather there?)

“Actually, I’m thousands of miles away. My husband is a computer whiz. That’s one of the things I wanted to tell you. I’m married to the most wonderful man.”

(Damn, Jess—that’s incredible. I have news for you, too.)

“Amber, I’ve changed my name in order to keep my whereabouts from you-know-who.”

(That’s my news, Jess. I don’t think you’ll have to run any more. Shithead’s been arrested. The State Police ran a big sting on him. Some of his deputies were involved in setting it up. They caught a man who was really an undercover state cop posing as a drug dealer. He offered the Sheriff $50,000 to screw up something about the evidence and let him go free. He turned that down, but did accept $100,000. One of the deputies was wearing a wire and they got the whole thing on tape. He was arrested the next day by the State Police and was forced to resign. They have him on a bunch of other stuff, too.)

“Like what, Amber?”

(He had a bunch of deputies working on his reelection campaign while they were on duty and he required all of them to donate $200 each to his campaign. Both of them are felonies involving election law. The story has been all over the news for the past week. He’s out on $500,000 bail and word is he’s hoping for a plea bargain.)

“Any idea when? I’d love to be there when he goes down.”

(Hold on…let me check the paper.)

Jennie asked me if we could go, knowing that I couldn’t deny her. A few seconds later her friend Amber was back on the phone.

(Okay, Jess I knew I saw it earlier today. He’s scheduled to appear before Judge Pepper on June 13th.)

“That’s great, Amber—Pepper hates that bastard. I have other news. I’m pregnant. Doug and I are going to have a baby! Doug says we can go to Iowa so I’ll be there when he goes down. I just hope he goes to prison. It would serve him right after everything he’s done.”

(The paper says he’s looking at ten years, minimum. Isn’t that great?”)

“It is. I can’t wait to see the expression on his face when I show up. I guess I can tell you where I am now…New York City in a beautiful suite at the Plaza Hotel. Doug brought me here on a charter flight to buy me engagement and wedding rings and a whole new wardrobe.”

(Wow!)

“’Wow’ is right! Doug is thirty-four and—catch this—he’s retired. He gave me two million dollars for pocket money—two million! Can you believe that? He’s the most wonderful man alive, but he’s sitting right here so I have to be careful so he doesn’t get a swelled head.” All of a sudden Jennie shrieked.

(What the hell was that, Jess?)

“That was my husband squeezing my tit. It’s a good thing his arm is injured or he would have gotten both of them. Doesn’t matter, though—he’ll get them both tonight.” She was still talking when I left the room to take a leak. I was struggling to dress when Jennie walked up to me and gave me the sweetest kiss. “I love you so much, Doug. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ll be so happy to see Amber again. She’s been such a good friend—the only one I’ve had for the past five years.”

“Let’s get ready to go out for dinner. Can you help me? My arm is really bothering me.” Jennie was a big help—pulling my shirt up my arm without touching the bandage and tying my shoes. I took Lady across to the park and we grabbed a cab south to Chinatown.

I loved Chinese food, but it was the only kind of restaurant lacking in our area at home. There were any number of Chinese restaurants, but most of them were just terrible. I couldn’t come to New York without splurging on a good Chinese meal.

Our cab stopped in front of Oriental Garden, my favorite place in Chinatown. To keep things simple for Jennie I ordered only three dishes—General Chow’s Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Roast Pork Fried Rice. Knowing that we’d had a huge lunch I skipped another favorite—their barbequed spare ribs. Instead, I asked for crispy noodles and several sauces—spicy mustard, sweet and sour, and soy. We nibbled on them and drank our Cokes—no Tsingtao beer for Jennie–until our entrée’s arrived. I picked up each noodle with chop sticks. Jennie tried three times before laughing and giving up, using her fingers instead.

We loved the food. It was delicious, so much so that we both had seconds and Jennie even had thirds of the pork. Oriental Garden will never be recognized for its décor or for its service, but the food makes up for the negatives. It was also, by far, the cheapest meal we’d had in the city so far.

Our cab dropped us off around 11:30 and I was more than ready to turn in. Jennie insisted on washing me, my arm straight up in the air above the shower head so it would remain dry. Once dry and in bed she reminded me of her earlier proclamation—“I’ll be doing the doing; you’re going to lie still.” I followed her orders to a degree. I couldn’t help but drive into her as she rode me like a woman possessed. Her earlier prediction came true. I did get both of her tits—one with my left hand and the other with my mouth. I fell asleep shortly after, making it through to the morning without once waking even though my arm ached the entire time.

“What’s on tap for today, my wonderful husband?”

“I’d like to visit my mother, but I’ll have to call first because I refuse to have anything to do with her husband. I’ll make arrangements to meet her in Port Jefferson.” A minute later I had spoken to Mom. It was brief, just like all of our communications when my father was nearby.

We caught a cab to Penn Station where I bought round-trip tickets to Port Jefferson. Unfortunately, all trains require a change at Huntington which wastes a lot of time. I even bought a ticket for Lady even though I knew it wasn’t necessary. This way we were assured we’d have plenty of room. “Be ready for a long day,” I told Jennie. “We’ll spend two hours just getting there and another two getting back. That will leave us about three hours with my mother.”

“What should I call her?”

“I’d start with Mrs. Preston and let her react. I’m sure she’ll tell you if she wants to be called ‘Mom’ or ‘Mother,’ or whatever.”

We had no trouble finding a seat. The first train eastbound leaves Penn Station at 10:38, getting into Port Jefferson Station around 1:00 then a short cab ride down the hill into Port Jefferson. I’d told Mom I would meet her at the Elk. No such place existed now, but in years past there was an Elk Hotel and Restaurant just one block from the harbor.

It was a long and boring ride for me. I’d done it many times, but Jennie was like a kid in a candy shop. She must have asked me a hundred questions about my childhood and what it was like growing up way out in the suburbs. I told her about what I called my “nerdhood”—growing up a nerd.

I was always described as a “brain” who spent much more time studying than playing, even as a kid in the primary grades. I was Valedictorian of my high school class and—as far as I knew—I’d had the highest academic average in the history of the school, taking enough advanced placement classes to cover an entire year of college. Finally, we slowed and reached the end of the line—Port Jefferson Station.

“There was a time when the train ran all the way out to Orient Point,” I told Jennie. “In fact, I think I recall that they loaded the trains onto barges that took them across the Sound to New London and from there to Boston. I’ve seen and even walked on the old unused train trestle out in Shoreham less than a mile from where Nicola Tesla built a huge hundred-foot high tower in an effort to transmit electrical energy through the air. Even though Marconi transmitted a radio wave first, Tesla was later credited with the invention and awarded the patents,” I told Jennie as part of my explanation.

“Tesla? Isn’t that an electrical car?”

“Yeah, the car is named for him, but he’s the person who invented AC—alternating current. There was a huge battle between him and Thomas Edison who was a champion for DC. Good thing Tesla won that battle. If not, we’d have so many electrical transmitting stations you wouldn’t be able to walk without tripping over one of them. There would have to be one every mile or so wherever you wanted to have transmission lines. We have transformers on some poles, but they’re much smaller and much fewer. Tesla’s life story is quite interesting.”

“I’ll bet he was a lot like you.”

“No…he was a true genius. I’m just lucky.” I stood and pulled Jennie with me, taking the time for a quick kiss before we stepped down from the train. Actually, Jennie stepped off first with Lady and she helped me. I held the railing with my good arm as my injured arm, still in the sling, was virtually useless.

We grabbed a cab and five minutes later we stood in front of what was once the Original Elk Hotel. It wasn’t long before I spied my mother walking from the parking lot behind the old building. I greeted her with a hug even as she asked about my arm. “That’s not really important, Mom, but this is. I want you to meet Jennifer…Jennie, my wife.”

If Mom was shocked she hid it well. “Why don’t we grab a bite and you can tell me all about everything. I’d suggest Village Way, but it closed last October.” Too bad—Village Way was one of my favorites. Then Mom suggested La Parilla, a Spanish restaurant just down the block.

Jennie agreed for both of us, saying how pleased she was at last to meet my mother. We had missed the noon rush so we were able to get a table easily. We had just ordered drinks—iced teas all around—when Mom asked me to explain about everything, including since when did I need a service dog.

Jennie took the lead, explaining about our meeting, how I had taken care of her and how we had fallen in love. She even told Mom about her head lice. “He’d noticed that I had head lice so he bought shampoo to treat them and after the shower he had me sit on a stool while he combed my hair with a special comb.”

“Yes, I had to do that to him when he was in fourth grade. One of the other kids brought them to school. They can go through an entire school in no time.”

“That’s when I realized what a wonderful man Doug was. He took me to dinner and that night I slept in his guest room. I convinced him the following day that the real reason he was being so nice was that he wanted to…that he wanted sex with me. I’d obviously had sex with other men, but that was the first time I’d ever made love. I knew a week later that I was hopelessly in love with Doug. Unfortunately, it was months later before I could get him to admit it.”

“That sounds like Douglas. He can be obtuse at times.”

Jennie and I laughed. “That’s exactly what I said. Anyway, he asked me to marry him and I did the following day. We had lived together pretty much as man and wife for more than four months so why wait? We flew into LaGuardia last Friday and checked into the Plaza Hotel. Doug took me to Harry Winston’s for an engagement ring and wedding rings. Then he went a little overboard, spending a fortune on me.” She held out her diamond bracelet and earrings for Mom’s inspection. “I think I should also tell you, Mrs. Preston that you’re going to be a grandmother sometime around Christmas.” Jennie was beaming when I leaned over to kiss her.

The waitress returned with our drinks and Mom suggested we get an order of paella and split it. I knew it was big enough for two and I also knew that Mom wouldn’t eat much. Once the waitress had gone I explained about shooting at some burglars and how I felt a dog was a better solution then I talked about my encounter outside the club.

“Oh my God—that was you? I saw something on News 12, but I thought you were in North Carolina. Are you okay?”

“My arm’s a bit of a mess, but as the saying goes—you should see the other guy. Lady was on him in a flash. She bit him with such force that I could actually hear his arm break. That’s when I called her back.” I had been petting Lady ever since we’d been seated. “Her trainer gave me this ‘service dog’ vest when we bought her. This way she can go everywhere we go and my money is in the safest place possible.” I unzipped the top of her vest and pulled an envelope full of bills from an inside pocket.

Jennie laughed like crazy. “I wondered where all that money came from. Has Lady had it the entire time?”

“Yeah, except when I need some extra cash.” Then I turned serious. “How’s everything at home, Mom? My offer still stands. I’ll be happy to support you if you decide to leave.”

“Oh no, Doug—I’m enjoying my revenge too much. Jennie, Doug’s father is much shorter than he is and not only in height. I doubt if he’s even four inches fully erect and that’s led him to be sexually insecure. He has at least one new lab assistant every semester and they’re always relatively unattractive girls. He’s been fucking them for more than thirty years. That’s when I stopped having sex with him.

“Now he’s sixty-three and he’s totally impotent. Even Viagra doesn’t do it for him so he’s absolutely miserable.”

“But Mrs. Preston, you’re kind of young to give up sex.”

“Jennie, I never said that I gave up sex. I only gave it up with him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s had several diseases over the years. I got involved with one of the English professors more than twenty years ago. We were at a faculty party and Stephen was so busy tooting his own horn that he totally ignored me. I found myself talking to another professor. He was charming and closer to my age than Stephen and much better looking. We flirted and that’s all I thought it was at the time, but two days later he invited me to lunch. I accepted and a month later we spent an entire afternoon in his bed. He’s asked me to leave your father many times, and I’ve been documenting his affairs while moving much of our money into other accounts. I’m almost ready so don’t be surprised if I show up to visit with Paul. You know I’d never bring your father even if I could get him out of his laboratory.”

I was struck dumb. I’d never thought that my mother could be…or would be….Damn, I couldn’t even think of the words to describe her, but I was really happy for her. My father had put her through hell. “I guess he’ll be really embarrassed when he sees you with someone else, especially another professor.”

“I’m arranging for him to be served at next week’s faculty senate meeting. He’ll be there with the other department heads and the deans. I’ve begun moving my stuff out into an apartment. I can’t go to Paul until everything is final. All the shoe boxes in my closet are empty and most of the clothes there were in a bag for Goodwill. Your visit couldn’t have come at a better time.” Mom finished then as a huge platter of paella was placed into the center of the table. The waitress refilled our drinks while I served first Jennie then my mother and finally my plate. There was still plenty left.

After lunch we walked together along the waterfront, watching the ferry to Bridgeport dock, disgorge its cargo of cars and trucks then fill its decks with those waiting to cross the Sound. The ferry was a great alternative to driving into and through New York City before heading north. I had always used the ferry when going to Boston or Cambridge, saving two or more hours and a boatload of hassle every time.

Mom gave us a ride back to the station at 3:40 for the 4:06 train back to Penn Station. I was pleased to see Mom and Jennie hug before we climbed the ladder onto the train. We waved to Mom as the train pulled out.

“Did Mom say something to you while you were hugging?”

“Yes, she gave me some advice.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, she told me you were nothing like your father. I already knew that. I can’t see you ever cheating and I know I would never cheat on you so I guess we’re stuck with each other…forever.”

I leaned in for a kiss that lasted longer than it should considering where we were then I whispered in Jennie’s ear, “I certainly hope so.” Jennie didn’t have to answer. Her eyes said all I needed to know.

We had just changed trains in Huntington when I mentioned to Jennie that I thought we should get her a car. She seemed to think about it for a minute then chimed in, “Okay, but not a Honda. Your car is okay…better than okay, but after spending so many years barely getting by I’d like to splurge…get something a little extravagant. Is that okay?”

“Of course; we can go out and look as soon as we’re back home.” Jennie kissed me then whispered in my ear and I knew I was the luckiest man on the planet. She planned to prove it as soon as we were in our room.

I stopped at reception to ask if they had a doctor on staff. Luckily, they did and I asked for an appointment tomorrow morning. I received a phone call fifteen minutes later telling me that Dr. St. Claire would come to my room at 11:30 tomorrow morning and that he wanted to know what the problem was so he could be prepared. “Tell him my arm is in a sling because of a knife wound I received last Saturday night. I want to make sure there’s no infection and have the bandages changed.” I was assured that he would receive the message.

Jennie had a smile on her face as she led me to the bedroom. She had just removed my shoes and socks when my cell rang. I looked at the screen and wondered–who the hell is Frank Garcia? I answered thinking it might be the doctor. I hadn’t been paying much attention to his name. My caller was a detective for the NYPD who wanted to meet with me tomorrow morning, saying he had news regarding my assault and battery case. I suggested he meet us at reception at 8:30 and we’d treat him to breakfast. He nixed the breakfast, but did say he’d accept a cup of coffee. I had just ended the call in time. I could see that Jennie was getting impatient.

“You were right, Doug—it was a long day. I enjoyed being with your mother, but the ride back was really boring.”

“The Long Island Railroad is strictly a commuter line. There are people who do that very trip five days a week—the price of living in that area, I guess.”

“Where did you live when you were working?”

“Closer in…much closer in—I lived and worked in Hicksville which is on another line. There are three—North, Central, and South.”

“Interesting, but not now; I have my mind on something else.” She almost tore the clothes from my body and a minute later hers followed. “Now, don’t forget who’s doing the doing.” I just laughed as she gently lowered me to the bed. I lay in the center of the big king bed with my right arm out to the side, exactly as instructed while Jenny showed me just how much she loved me. She rubbed her swimsuit model’s body over mine, her nipples moving into my mouth and hand as we kissed and kissed and groped each other unashamedly.

I had two fingers in her, my thumb on her hard swollen clit as she stroked me furiously. There was a time in the not so distant past when that was my only means of relief. A lot had changed since Jennie had come into my life. I’d hoped to marry, but never imagined it would be to a goddess like Jennie. It was all I could do to resist pulling her onto my rod, that’s how hot I was for her. She must have been clairvoyant because just seconds later she moved up onto my body and rubbed me into her dripping slit. I had closed my eyes, but heard her moan as she slid down until our bodies met.

I couldn’t help myself—I began to move with her, driving my cock as deeply into her as humanly possible. Jennie was right—it was a very long day and my arm didn’t make it any easier. It felt as though I was being stabbed over and over as the day progressed. However, what I was feeling now with my wonderful wife was worth everything I had endured.

Let’s face it—there are only so many variations for sex. Sure there’re oral and anal, although I didn’t find the thought of that terribly appealing, and there’s genital sex. I’d had plenty of manual sex over the twenty-plus years before meeting Jennie. In spite of the obvious limitations, sex with Jennie was never dull. She had such energy and so much love to share that I was never bored. Tonight was as exciting as ever even though I was exhausted. The pain in my arm had given me a miserable night’s sleep. I’d slept through the night, but Jennie had told me I was tossing and turning the entire time.

Jennie tried something new on me tonight, flexing her vaginal muscles and squeezing my cock like never before. “Oh God!” I was practically screaming as I came and came again until Jennie covered my mouth with hers. She covered my face with kisses once I had settled down. I could barely speak, but somehow I managed to croak, “You didn’t.”

“That’s not important. You’ll get me tomorrow. I know how tired you are. Why don’t we get room service? That’s something I always wanted to do.”

“What about Lady? She has to eat and we have to put her out.”

“I can do both. I know it’s dark, but I won’t go into the park and I’ll have Lady with me.” I thought about it for a minute before struggling to get out of bed. “I’ll come with you then a quick shower and we can call down for food. How does that sound?” Jennie gave me a sour look, but helped me to get up and dress. I fed Lady and ten minutes later we stood together in the park. Several young toughs walked nearby, but continued past us when Lady growled. One group even recognized Lady from the TV news as they shouted, “Nice going, man,” and other congratulatory remarks. All the same I was pleased when we were safely inside the Plaza’s lobby.

We ordered steaks, probably the best choice for room service, baked potatoes, and a pitcher of iced tea. It was served on our coffee table as I signed the bill, but gave the server his tip in cash. Jennie and I ate quietly, but a few minutes later she asked, “What do you think the police want?”

“Not sure, but I don’t think they want to arrest me. If they did the detective wouldn’t have phoned. He would have been here waiting for me. He said he has some info on the case so I guess we’ll find out in the morning.” Room service sounds romantic, but the food is often cold by the time it’s delivered. Tonight it was okay, but it was better than going out. We ate, showered together as we did every night, and climbed into bed, Jennie, as always, on my left side with her head on my chest. I lay back on the pillow and was gone in seconds.

CHAPTER 12

There were two men in cheap suits standing in front of reception as we walked up. “Detective Garcia,” I asked.

“Dr. Preston, good of you to see us. This is my partner, Tim Rooney.” I shook hands lefty and introduced Jennie. We walked together into the Plaza’s food court where we were seated in a booth. Jennie and I ordered breakfast and they ordered coffee even though I invited them to join us.

“At these prices I’d be broke in less than a week. What kind of work do you do, Dr. Preston?”

“Actually, Det. Rooney—I’m officially retired although I did get an assignment to write a short program last week. That’s what I do—write computer programs. I wrote all the programs in the ‘Idiot’ series.”

“Those are really good. I used one to learn Spanish.”

“Yeah, but you still speak with an Irish accent. I can barely understand you.”

“What would you know? You were born in Brooklyn; talk about an accent!”

Jennie and I laughed. “I suspect life with you two is never dull.”

“We have to make jokes when we can,” Det. Garcia explained. “Sometimes our work can be really morbid. Why don’t we get to business?” He stopped for a moment to stir some real cream into his coffee. “Mmmm…that’s good. Okay…we got the report from the vet on your dog. I’m sure you know it came back clean. We learned that your assailant was high on meth—methamphetamine. He’s still in Bellevue in the prison ward and his arm is a mess. The doctors put several screws in it, but they still think he’ll have trouble for the rest of his life. Of course, the whole thing was entirely his fault so I doubt that any of us have even a tiny bit of sympathy.

“We’ve spoken to the DA in charge of the case and he’ll go to the Grand Jury next week. There’s no reason for you to attend or testify, but I can tell you that he’s going for attempted murder in addition to assault with a deadly weapon. There’ll be some other charges thrown in; there always are. I have your cell number so I can contact you, if necessary.”

“Do you think I’ll have to testify? And Jennie?”

“It’s hard to say. It might go to a plea bargain because he has no criminal record. This guy had a great job on Wall Street so he has plenty of money—maybe too much. I assume your suit was ruined. Any idea how much it cost? We’ll ask the judge for you to be compensated for your loss.”

“Actually, I do know. I had just bought that suit from a tailor in Hong Kong. It cost me $3,000 and the shirt was $250, both of them custom made for me. I’m more concerned with Jennie’s dress. She tried to stop the bleeding and it was covered with blood. I gave it to the hotel for cleaning so I expect to get it back today. It was brand new…just bought that day. Do you remember what you paid, Jen?”

“Yes, just over $2,000 with tax, unfortunately. I loved that dress.”

“Well, if it’s ruined we can see about getting a replacement. We can go to the store and ask them to order one just like it.” Jennie responded by leaning over to kiss my cheek. The detectives left a few minutes later, but not before Det. Rooney said, “I wouldn’t mind getting a dog like this for my family. Mind telling me what you paid for her.”

“I think a shelter pet is more in your future. Lady cost me $65,000.”

Garcia laughed like hell as he slid out of the booth. “Tim, get a goldfish and I’ll spring for a bowl.”
They shook hands with me and left, still laughing.

“They seem like good guys, Doug.”

“Yeah, they probably are, but I don’t envy them their jobs. They see the worst of humanity every single day. We had a neighbor who was a cop when I was growing up. His wife couldn’t stand the uncertainty of his going to work and never knowing for sure if he was coming home alive or in a box. She left him and took his three kids. A few months later he took his own life. I can still remember the sound of the shotgun in the middle of the night.” Jennie’s eyes showed the shock she was experiencing.

We finished breakfast and returned to the suite just in time to see the bellman walking down the hall with her dress. Jennie took it out of the plastic bag, but even I could see that they were unable to remove the bloodstain completely. Jennie was almost in tears when I asked her for the receipt. A minute later I was on the phone with the store. I explained what had happened and, like everyone else in the city, the manager had seen the report on the news. She said she would have to contact the supplier, but would get back to me as soon as possible, probably sometime this afternoon.

After ending the call I sat in the easy chair and gazed out the window. “What would you like to do this afternoon? I think we should do some sightseeing. Most of the people who live here have never been to the top of the Empire State Building or taken a cruise around Manhattan. There’s also the American Museum of Natural History only a few blocks away or the Central Park Zoo. It’s one of the world’s best.”

“Let’s wait until the doctor has examined you. I’m not taking any chances with your health.” And then in what I was sure was her sternest voice, “And neither are you. I’m planning on growing very old with you, having lots of kids and even more grandkids. We’ll have other opportunities to sightsee.” Then to show me how serious she was she leaned down to kiss me.

It was almost eleven when the maid knocked. Jennie answered the door and the maid said she would return later. “No, come in…please; just take care of the bedroom and bathroom today.” I rose and gave her a ten dollar tip. This was a big suite and I always tipped the maid every day. I didn’t think that ten bucks was too much when the suite was running me $5,000 a night.

Jennie and I relaxed as we waited for the doctor to arrive. Fortunately, he was a few minutes early. He handed Jennie a card that gave his name as Henri St. Claire, M.D., Internal Medicine, with a Park Avenue address. He explained that he was technically retired, but kept his hand in by working when needed for the hotel. Taking note of my sling he asked me to remove it so he could examine the wound.

“Ah, I see the doctor inserted a drain,” he said once he had peeled the bandage away from my skin. “That was an excellent idea. These days these kids who think they’re practicing medicine don’t take the time or effort to do things right. It will take only a few minutes to remove it.” Digging into his bag he removed several paper towels and dropped a long thin flexible tube that he pulled from the wound into them, dropping the mess into a waste basket. Then, using his nose, he sniffed all around the stitches before nodding with satisfaction.

“Had there been an infection there would be an odor of mortification…of the decaying pus created by the body fighting off the bacteria. That’s the biggest concern with a knife wound. I’ll bandage it again for you and all you’ll have to do is see your own physician in another week to remove the stitches. Do you need any additional pain medication?”

“No, I still have some and I prefer not to use them. They make me woozy and I can’t stand it. What about this sling? Do I have to use it?”

“I think you might wear it for another few days until you get home again. The city is crowded and you could be jostled.” I was dejected by that, but Jennie was elated. She was going to take care of me even if it killed me. Dr. St. Claire was with me about twenty minutes and left, telling me that his charges of $250 would be added to my hotel bill. I thanked him as he strode out the door.

“See—I told you to wear that sling.”

“I give up; you win.” I was a bit dejected until Jennie carefully replaced my arm into the sling then wrapped her hands around my head and kissed me deeply. The kiss went on and on until she broke it, asking if we could still make it to the zoo. I got my backpack from the closet and put Lady’s bowl into it even though I knew there were places for dogs to drink where we were going.

It was still morning so I suggested we go up to the Bronx. “We have plenty of time so why don’t we go to the Bronx Zoo. It’s bigger and—I think—better than the one in Central Park.” Jennie agreed, saying that she would defer to me since I had much more experience here than she did.

Once out on the street we crossed over Central Park South so Lady could take care of business then we walked a few blocks east until we reached the subway station for the 5 train. Using my credit card I bought a Metro Card with six trips on it, paying for Lady even though I knew she would be entitled to a free passage. The trip north took less than thirty minutes. We walked up onto East Tremont Avenue very close to the Asia Gate of the Bronx Zoo. I knew this area well; it was where my father had often brought me years ago before I learned that he was a serial cheater.

Jennie and I had a ball. She loved the zoo and many of the children asked if they could pet Lady. The highlight of the day came when we accidentally stumbled onto feeding time for the tigers. The trainer dropped a huge slab of what I assumed was horsemeat into an empty cage. It was on the left of three in a row. He lifted and dropped a door that led outside from the center cage. About three minutes later a tiger—a BIG tiger walked in and turned toward the meat. Once he was in a door we hadn’t noticed before dropped between the two cages, sealing that one away. Next the trainer dropped another slab into the cage on the far right. The door outside dropped a few more times and an even bigger tiger walked in, moving immediately toward the meat. Soon that cage was isolated, leaving only the center cage empty. The process was repeated, but everyone present gasped when this tiger walked through the door. It looked to be twice the size of the first.

“Excuse me, sir,” I asked as I approached him while we exited. “Do you know how much that tiger weighs? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cat that big before.”

“You’re probably right. He’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen, too. He was weighed a few months ago…619 pounds. Did you know that the tiger is the largest cat, followed by the lion and the jaguar third? They’re all capable of being man eaters, but the tiger is the worst, by far.” Jennie and I thanked him and went on our way, eager to see what was next in line down the path.

We finished around five and left through the same Asia Gate to the subway. Jennie was confused when we walked onto the platform for the number 2 train. “Doug, didn’t we take the 5 train this morning?”

“Yeah, we did, but this one will bring us closer to our restaurant. We’re going to the Carnegie Deli for dinner. I think you’ll like it.” Walking up to the street level at 59th West meant that we were about four blocks from the deli. Blocks in Manhattan were about three times as long going east and west as they were going north and south. Even at this hour with the sidewalks crowded with workers on their way home, the trip only took us twenty minutes.

We were given a table by the window. I ordered without even looking at the menu. “We’ll split a Zorba and a hot pastrami sandwich…two cream sodas, and can we get some water for my dog?”

The waitress had just left when Jennie whispered, “Doug…splitting a salad and a sandwich? Are you sure?”

I leaned across the table to kiss her. “Trust me. You’ll have more than enough to eat and we’ll definitely want to save room for dessert.” I had just placed Lady’s bowl on the floor by the edge of the table when the waitress returned with two tall glasses filled with ice and the light amber cream soda along with two with water that she told me were at room temperature. Those she poured into Lady’s bowl. Lady looked to Jennie for permission to drink, receiving it just as the waitress returned with a huge Greek salad and two bowls.

I made an attempt to toss the salad and spooned a healthy portion into Jennie’s bowl. There was still some left over when I had filled mine. We had just finished when our sandwich appeared. “Thought I’d better bring another plate for you. Good luck,” she said with a chuckle. Jennie looked at the sandwich with her mouth open. It was easily eight inches tall with lean pastrami piled high between two thin slices of rye bread.

Using two hands I removed one half and passed the other to Jennie. “Try it with some of this mustard. It’s the best.” I scooped a big dollop onto the top on my pastrami and passed it to Jennie.

“I don’t know how to pick it up, let alone eat it,” Jennie said with a smile. She did finally grab it with two hands, following my lead, and managed to somehow get some of it into her mouth. She must have liked it because it was gone as soon as mine was.

When the waitress returned she cleared the table and asked if we wanted dessert. “Of course, we’ll split a piece of cheesecake.” I knew that one piece would be more than enough for us. I spoke again once the waitress had gone. “This place is famous for its over-stuffed sandwiches, but it’s even more famous for its cheesecake. We have some restaurants down our way who advertise that they fly their cheesecake in from Carnegie Deli every day. Boundary House is one. Remember that? It’s great, but it’s so filling that half a piece is plenty.” A few seconds later a six-inch high slab of cold white calories was placed between us. I went first, but Jennie wasn’t far behind me.

We walked slowly back to the Plaza. Several groups of young guys approached us on the way, but shied away as soon as Lady growled. She’s a big dog—well over a hundred pounds—and as we both knew, capable of breaking a man’s arm in two. Once back in the Plaza I scooped six cups of Dog Chow into lady’s bowl. Think she was eager? Only the discipline she’d been taught stopped her from knocking the bowl from my hands. I gave her permission even before I had water in her other bowl. I left her alone to eat while I found my beautiful bride.

Jennie was sitting in the living room, looking out the window at the park. The pathways were lit by street lamps as far into the park as we could see until they were blocked out by the trees. I remembered almost this same view in the winter from the Empire State Building looking north. I’d been there with my parents. I was fifteen and so badly looking forward to my sixteenth birthday. It was just about the last pleasant memory I’d had with my family. Two days later it was New Year’s Day and a week after that was my birthday. Then, less than a week later, I’d walked into my father’s lab and my world came crashing down.

I sat next to Jennie and we waited together in silence. “Is this our honeymoon?”

I almost laughed, but turned her head and leaned forward until our lips almost touched. “No, I hope not,” I whispered. “I had to come here on business and our personal situation made the trip even better. Where would you like to go? We could plan for some time in July after Charlie and Toni come to visit. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

“You know I’ve traveled all over the country, but I really haven’t seen much other than interstates and most of them are kind of similar. I’ve always wanted to go two places, even as a little girl when I read about them in books—Europe and Hawaii.”

“Both are wonderful, but they offer entirely different opportunities. Hawaii is the beach, swimming and snorkeling, whale watching in the winter. Europe is history, magnificent architecture and cathedrals and a better assortment of souveniers. Hawaii has its own style of clothing, some of which goes well at home and there’s island jewelry like pearls, shell necklaces and earrings, and pendants. In Europe we could find sweaters, woolens, handcrafts and jewelry, not to mention fantastic beer.”

“Doug…duh…I’m pregnant, remember.”

“Well…I could tell you about it and we could always go when the child is a bit older. Then you could join in. I have two ideas—European river cruise or a multi-island vacation–your choice.”

“Why don’t you tell me about the river cruise after we’re done?” She rose and pulled me up with her as she fixed Lady’s leash to her collar. The law required she be on a leash, but it was really unnecessary. Lady would stay in position at “heel” until either Jennie or I released her. Most of the time we held her leash with only the slightest pressure. Sometimes I just put the handle in my pocket.

We were back in the suite twenty minutes later, walking directly into the bedroom. Jennie came into my arms, carefully removed my sling then wrapped my arms around her waist. “You can kiss me now, darling. In fact, you can kiss me anytime…anytime you want.” I wanted to then and I did and it was as wonderful as always. Jennie’s lips were full and soft–her tongue ever inquisitive as it danced and dueled with mine.

It was mid-kiss when Jennie began to push me back toward the bed—at least that’s where I hoped I was headed. We had our eyes closed and I knew Jennie couldn’t see through my body. Luckily, I felt the bed behind my knees just before Jennie eased me down onto the blanket. Breaking the kiss, she whispered, “You don’t really think I’d let you fall, do you?” I would have answered had she not resumed the kiss. She moved my arm out of the way and proceeded to “do the doing.” And that’s exactly what she did, rubbing that luscious body over mine and pushing her nipples into my mouth. I suckled eagerly as Jennie worked her magic on me. No matter how often we made love she always made me as hard as stone and as hot as any lover has ever been.

Tonight was no exception. We were filled with lust and love for each other. I thought she would push me back and mount me, but she rose instead and pulled me up with her. “I’ve never done it like this,” she said as she knelt on the side of the bed, presenting her sweet ass in my direction.

My hands on her hips, she reminded me to watch out for my arm. I leaned down to kiss each of her glorious cheeks as I inserted a finger into her love tunnel. A few seconds later I was rubbing the head of my cock into her slit, oozing nectar. My first thrust drove me two inches in and my next all the way until I could feel her cervix, something I knew could hurt my love and something I could never do to her.

I stood up straighter and that must have been right because Jennie groaned with pleasure. I knew the lower side of my cock was rubbing her G-spot with every thrust. Jennie pushed back and soon we were at it like crazy—twisting and turning as I drove deep into her. She almost lost it when I leaned forward to rub and pinch her nipples.

Jennie’s movements showed she was out of control so I wasn’t at all surprised when I moved my right hand to her clit. My hands are big so I could easily tease each nipple with but a single hand while my other squeezed and twisted her clit. Looking down I could see Jennie’s knuckles were white as she held the blanket in a death grip. A second later her back arched and she lost it completely. A low guttural growl oozed from her mouth, growing in intensity as her orgasm claimed reign over her body.

I continued to thrust and rub and twist until I felt she could take no more. By then I had also lost control. I came—hard—as I fell forward, my body covering her back. I had just moved my arm out of the way when my lips found Jennie’s ear. I knew it was her only ticklish spot and she claimed that she hated being kissed there. However, she never once complained. Pulling back, I whispered, “I love you and I always will.”

Jennie was still out of it when she responded, “That’s nice.” Tonight I put Jennie to bed, climbing in once she was settled. Wrapping my left arm around her I pulled her onto my body until she found her usual spot—head on my shoulder and leg draped lazily over my thigh.

We always went to bed early, sometimes even to sleep, so we were always up early, too. We dressed in golf shirts and shorts for today’s sightseeing. I stopped off to see the concierge on our way to breakfast. He had done very well by me with tickets and reservations and I’d done well by him, too. I had tipped him $100 so far and I’d give him another $100 today, our last day in New York. He’d done everything I had requested.

We hopped into a cab for the trip down Fifth Avenue to 34th where we took the tour of the Empire State Building. The displays on the way up told us all about the construction and history of the building, but the highlight was the observation deck on the 86th floor. You can go higher—all the way to the top on the 102nd, but the view isn’t any better and the entire area is enclosed in glass and very cramped. By getting here early and purchasing our tickets in advance we were able to skip the line and most of the crowd. The views here were incredible, almost as good as those from the World Trade Center had been. I lost several friends and even more business acquaintances that fateful day in 2001.

Jennie was excited when she saw Central Park and our hotel. “There’s Macy’s,” she exclaimed when she saw it. “Wow, you can see how big the store really is from here. Oh, Doug, thank you so much for bringing me here.” She punctuated her remarks with a big hug and kiss, much to the amusement of those nearby. We stayed there for more than an hour, buying cheesy tee-shirts with King Kong climbing the side of the building.

Out on the street we stopped at a food truck for hot dogs before hailing a cab to pier 83 at 42nd and 12th for the Circle Line cruise around Manhattan. Down the Hudson we traveled around the Statue of Liberty and up the East River past Wall Street and the South Street Seaport. On our way north we saw the Chrysler Building and the old Brooklyn Navy Yard as we passed under the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. Jennie was spellbound when we entered the ship canal at Spuyten Duyvil—Dutch for Devil’s whirlpool–where the currents are extremely treacherous. We finished the tour at two and returned to the hotel for a brief rest.

“Where to next, Darling?”

“We’re going to the Bronx again to one of my favorite places. Actually, that’s not quite true since I’ve never been there. I went to the old one plenty of times though.”

“Doug! Please don’t tease me.”

“Sorry, sweetheart—we’re going to Yankee Stadium for the game tonight. Maybe we should take a cab, although the subway from here is a breeze. I’ll have to think about getting back to the hotel because the subway is always jammed. We’d have to wait for maybe four or five trains just to get on the platform.”

“Are we taking Lady?”

“Yes, we definitely are. I even bought a ticket for her. We’ll be right behind the Yankees’ dugout. Maybe we can get a souvenir ball. Oh Hell, let’s go now so we’ll have plenty of time.” Once out the door I decided we should take a cab. It was safer and we had plenty of time. Cabbies always know all the best routes. We had just piled in when I told the driver, “Yankee Stadium…and step on it.” The driver was a foreigner like most so I prayed he knew English.

While in the cab I asked Jennie if she’d like to stay another day and maybe go to a spa. “I’m sure the concierge could arrange it.”

She smiled and leaned over to kiss me. “Thank you, Doug, but I think I’d like to go home. I need to see my doctor and I’d like some time to plan our trip to Iowa.”

“That’s a good idea. We also have to decide whether or not you should confront your mother or stepfather. It might not be a good idea because of your name change. Damn, I never gave a thought at the time that you could go home.”

“I am going home, Doug—to our house…to our home. Going to Iowa is just so I can smirk at that asshole.” I grinned in response then sat back to watch where we were going. Cab drivers have been known to take extra long routes, even driving in circles, to jack up the tab. Fortunately, we were taking a fairly direct route.

We were early so we walked directly through security, enjoying a laugh when the admissions agent saw that Lady had her own ticket. “You don’t need a ticket for a service dog, especially for tickets like these.”

“I know, but I wouldn’t want the other patrons to be squeezed in because I need my dog. This way she’ll have her own space and so will everyone else.”

“I guess…anyway, Section 14B is that way.” He pointed left. We went right—straight to the Yankees Team Store where we bought tee shirts and caps. The shirts we had worn went into the bag. Next we walked up to the Food Court where we bought two hand-cut prime steak sandwiches and Cokes from Lobel’s. I’d read online that these sandwiches were really good and they were—delicious, in fact. Once we had used the rest room we walked down to our seats in Section 14B right behind the dugout. Jennie took our souvenir program down to the fence and got autographs from A Rod, Brett Gardner, Chase Headley, and Mark Teixeira. Amazing what batting one’s eyelashes will do, especially when they’re attached to someone who looks like and is built like Jennie.

The game was fun, especially since the Yanks won, beating the Bosox 5-3. We had a blast, even catching a foul ball. Okay, we didn’t actually catch it—it looked like it went a mile high–but when Jennie went to grab it off the floor two guys tried to push her away. They might have succeeded if Lady hadn’t growled in their faces. Interest in a possible souvenir suddenly vanished. Jennie was all grins as she rejoined me. “This is going on my dresser,” she told me as she dropped it into her purse.

We took our time after the game and found a cab easily. Thirty minutes later we were in our suite where we began packing. Even after expanding our bags to the max Jennie still had plenty that wouldn’t fit. She put the remaining clothes in one of the large bags from Macy’s and we ambled slowly, but contentedly, to bed. The boutique manager had indeed phoned, telling me that we were in luck. There had been a very limited number of dresses produced, but the designer, after hearing our story, agreed to make just one more for Jennie. I had to pay, of course, but once done it would be sent directly to us by Fed Ex.

NEXT: Jennie confronts her stepfather then we take a long honeymoon.

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