CHAPTER 4

I knew Toni was right. I’d even agreed with her, but that didn’t make explaining to my two devoted kids any easier. They had been home a few hours—long enough to unload David’s van—when I walked in around 4:30. Of course, they asked about Lizzie, their mom, first. I tried to fill them in on everything, but what I had to say wasn’t nearly enough. After spending almost an hour filling in as many blanks as humanly possible I decided I had to get to the DVD’s.

“There’s something I have to show you. Lizzie made it for me, but there’s no way for me to explain what’s happened without your seeing it.” I turned on the TV and loaded the disc before sitting between my two kids. They sat silently as they watched their mom on the screen. The questions began even before I had a chance to turn the TV off.

“Was Mom lucid when she did that? I can’t believe it.”

“You didn’t do anything, did you?”

The questions came so fast I couldn’t answer so I waited for them to finish. “Yes, your mom was lucid and I’m sure she was sincere in what she said. You’ll see what she’s like when we visit her tonight. She can’t turn the lights on or off without help. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth. Lizzie knew what she was saying and doing.”

“But…Dad….”

“You heard her ask me to promise her. I did promise and I have followed through.” I continued once they had calmed down. “I didn’t look for someone. She actually found me. I was drowning my sorrow in scotch at Fred’s when she sat next to me. Next thing I knew she had me in a booth and I was spilling my guts to her. She listened carefully and patiently. She didn’t jump into bed with me and I didn’t jump in with her either. We saw each other for over a month before we slept together. You know I would never cheat on your mom. She asked me to do this. That’s the only reason I am.”

“Does this bitch even have a job? How do we know she isn’t trying to push Mom out of the picture?”

“I thought you knew me better. She has a job in the family court system. She hasn’t told me what, but she’s very intelligent. She knows I’ll only love your mother. I’ll never love her, but I need companionship and—yes—I do need sex, even at my advanced age. She met your mom on Saturday afternoon and she was very supportive. You’ll have a chance to meet her later in the week.”

“I don’t want to meet this fucking cunt,” David screamed. Truthfully, I could have smacked him across the face, but I restrained myself.

I was about to speak when my cell rang. Looking at the clock I couldn’t believe how late it was. Pulling it out of my jacket I realized immediately that it was Toni. “Hi.”

(“Oh…that bad, huh?”)

“You might say that.

(“Did you eat?)

“No…never got to it. We talked about Lizzie and then I showed the video.”

(“I guess it didn’t go over well.)

“No.”

(“Why don’t I get some pizza and come over? What do they like and where do you get it from?”

Do you really think this is a good idea?”

(“I thought that was my line. That worked out okay, didn’t it?”)

“Yeah…okay—two pies…sausage and everything, both with extra cheese—Fargiano’s or Angela’s. Know where they are?”

(“Yes…been to Fargiano’s plenty of times; give me about 45 minutes, okay?”)

“Thanks…see you then.” I ended the call then turned to speak to both kids—David first. “I’m sure you’ve already guessed that was Toni, the woman who’s helping me. She’ll be here in about 45 minutes and she’s bringing pizza. If she doesn’t we’ll go hungry tonight.”

“Well, I’m not sticking around to meet this whore.” This time I did strike David, slapping him in the face.

“You know that I’d never strike you under normal conditions, but your behavior is worse than deplorable. You will stay and you will be cordial. You don’t have to like her, but you will be polite. Understand?”

“Okay, Dad, but I’m only doing this for Mom.” We sat in silence for the next half hour. I was glad that Toni was early. I was about to open the door, but Beth beat me to it.

“Hi…you must be Toni.”

“Yes, thank you, Beth, and this must be David. Why don’t we eat and then we can talk, but not too long or we won’t be able to visit your mom. That’s the most important thing.” She carried the pies to the kitchen, placing them on the table. Beth got four glasses, some ice, and poured four Pepsi’s while I got paper plates, napkins, some forks and knives.

We ate in relative silence until Beth decided to break the ice. “I hope you realize that this has come as quite a shock to us.”

Toni gently placed her hand on Beth’s as she replied, “I’d be astonished if you felt otherwise. I know how I’d feel if I was in your shoes. I saw the DVD Lizzie made for your dad and then I saw the one she made for me. I had trouble believing that anyone could love another person as much as your mom loves your dad. I know he loves her just as much. It’s rare I see that in my courtroom.”

“Your courtroom?” Rather than reply, Toni dug into her purse, retrieving a photo ID in a black leather case and handing it to Beth. Beth read it then handed it to David. I saw it in passing. “You’re a judge?”

“Yes, Beth…I’m a Family Court judge. I don’t spread it around much because about ninety percent of what I do involves juvenile abuse or neglect or juvenile crime. I hope you understand that’s all confidential. Some people try to pry information out of me once they’ve learned I’m a judge so I don’t advertise. I doubt Chuck would do that; he’s handled confidential information probably thousands of times.”

“I guess you’re not some skank after Dad’s money after all.”

“No, David—I have plenty of money and I’m not after your dad either. I work in the County Courthouse in Hauppauge and I live in Brightwaters. I’m lucky in that regard that I drive against traffic both ways. I always drive west on Vet’s Highway to Northern Parkway and south on Sagtikos to Sunrise Highway. I never go down to Montauk Highway. It’s much too long that way.

“Also, I never go into a bar for a drink after work…never! On the night I met your dad I did drive past Sunrise to Montauk and I did stop at Fred’s, walking into the bar where I saw the most forlorn person I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen plenty of misery in court, but your dad was an all-time low, even for me. I led him to a table and encouraged him to tell his story. That was the day he put your mom into the home. Speaking of which, I think we should get going.” She and I cleaned up while the kids washed up and got ready. Ten minutes later we were in the car where Toni continued to tell our story.

I remained quiet, allowing Toni to tell everything. And that’s exactly what she did—she admitted that we had been intimate, but we had agreed never to use Lizzie’s and my bedroom. I felt she had pretty much won them over by the time she pulled into the home’s parking lot. She held my left elbow as I held Beth’s hand with my right. I signed us in and a minute later we were in Lizzie’s room. I had warned them to be upbeat and try to hold off on any crying until we had gone.

“Hi, Lizzie—I brought our kids to see you. You remember David and Beth. You saw Toni and me yesterday, remember?”

“Uh…who are you, again?”

“I’m Chuck, your husband.”

“Oh…okay.” I felt Beth gasp so I went to grip her tightly, but Toni had beaten me to it. I had each of the kids hug and kiss their mom then tell her all about their experiences in college. They were both at Duke—David a junior and Beth a freshman this past year. I was pleased to learn that they had both done very well—David with a 3.6 GPA out of four and Beth a 3.4. I hardly found that surprising. They were both intelligent and hard workers with maturity that belied their youth.

We stayed for more than an hour before we could see Lizzie tiring. Beth helped her in the bathroom and we all tucked her into bed, Beth and David telling her they’d see her tomorrow morning. We left after giving hugs and kisses to my wonderful wife.

Toni was just about to open her car door when David stopped her. He had tears in his eyes when he spoke. “I said some very unkind things about you earlier…when I first heard about you and dad. I want to apologize. I jumped to some unfair conclusions. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, David. I’m sure I would have reacted the same way. I love your dad, but I’m not in love with him. I love him for the kind of person he is and for his dedication to your mom, but I hope you understand that I have no desire to steal him from her. I’ve been praying every day that she’ll recover.”

David moved forward to hug her, whispering just loud enough for all of us to hear, “I believe you, Toni.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek then opened the door, holding it until she was safely seated. We were back home five minutes later. I was about to go into the house until Beth told me, “Why don’t you stay out here for a while so you can kiss Toni good-night?”

“Yeah, Dad,” David chimed in, “Take your time.” They both hugged Toni and walked in, leaving us alone in the dark.

“I must say—I am shocked by their reactions—not their initial responses, but you won them over so easily.”

“We still have a long way to go. Our relationship isn’t important. They need to see how much you love Lizzie, especially because she can’t show how much she loves you. C’mon, kiss me and let me go. Why don’t you call me when you leave for the home tomorrow and I’ll join you there? Oh, I almost forgot; here’s some bread. Why not give it to Beth and have them take Lizzie to feed the ducks again.”

“You’re a very special person; you know that? Thank you for everything.” I pulled her into my arms as we kissed. It was long and sweet, but lacked the emotion our kisses over the weekend had shown. I stood silently in the dark as her taillights faded into the distance. Only then did I enter the house and lock the door. David and Beth were waiting for me in the living room.

CHAPTER 5

The rest of the week was predictable—I went to work while Beth and David visited their beloved mom. Most days they ate in the home with Lizzie before returning home to help with dinner. We ate together, usually something light like burgers or chicken cutlets or steak with baked potato and salad before rushing to visit Lizzie. Toni joined us every night. They came to know her almost as well as I did…almost, but not quite.

I wasn’t sure how to tell them that I planned to spend the night at Toni’s, but I needn’t have worried. We were in Lizzie’s room when Toni and Beth excused themselves to use the ladies’ room. I was a bit surprised as we had all used the toilet before leaving home. I should have known that something was up by the grin on Beth’s face when they returned.

I had just kissed Toni good-night in the parking lot and slid into the driver’s seat of my Toyota Camry when Beth ambushed me. “Tomorrow night David and I think we should come in his car. Then you can go straight back with Toni.”

“Don’t argue, Dad. We know how often you and Mom used to make love. We’re not deaf, you know. You tend to make a lot of noise. We understand now that it’s just sex and we know that everyone needs sex, even old geezers like you—only kidding, Dad. We’ve seen how much stress visiting Mom can cause. If you don’t do something about it you’re going to blow.”

“Really, Dad,” Beth interrupted, “we’re okay with it…honest. Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine. Maybe we can all go out for dinner on Sunday night. Is it possible we could take Mom?”

“I’ll speak with the director tomorrow or Saturday. I’ll have to thank Toni for your little chat earlier tonight, too. Now, what say we head on home? I do have to work tomorrow, you know. June—what a month—I could use another three sets of hands. Okay, you have a deal. Thanks.” Ten minutes later I was closing the garage door and we walked into the house. Five minutes later I was in the shower en route to bed. I was sleeping better now, but not much. I missed feeling Lizzie in bed next to me just as I missed her loving smile. Damn this fucking disease!

The following day was a blur beginning as soon as I walked into the high school. Several parents wanted to see me, complaining that a test had been given without warning or review. I always promised a full and impartial inquiry, but never that the test results would be changed. I spent the next hour interviewing other kids in the class. I didn’t even bother the teacher until she had a free period then I told her just so she’d know what was being said. She was young and relatively inexperienced, but with tremendous potential. “Do I need a union rep for this, Dr. Spangler?”

“No…the mere fact that someone complains doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. I knew when these parents complained that they were way off base. Part of it comes from knowing you and part comes from knowing them. They like to complain…like I have nothing else to do. They’ll probably call Dr. Parker to complain about me after I give them the bad news—their kids just did poorly on the test. What they won’t know until they call him is that I already did.
“I just want you to know that they complained and that I’ve found absolutely nothing wrong in what you did. More importantly, the students I spoke to are extremely supportive of you. That tells me a lot even though I wasn’t at all surprised. Thanks for coming in. I’m sure you have other things to do.”

“Thanks for being so supportive. I’ve learned a lot from you this year. Thank you for everything.” She left and I finally got into the huge pile of work on my desk. First was the draft of the final exam schedule. I had to deal with two separate schedules—one for school level exams and a second for the state “Regents” exams.

That was actually easier than in past years since some idiots in the state education department decided that all students in the key courses would take the exams. They’d been watered down so much to enable the lesser capable students to pass; the whole thing was just a joke. I prepared a cover memo that I added to the eleven-page document and put it into my out box for duplication. The teachers would check for any scheduling problems and I would have the final document to them a week in advance of the testing period.

Next I had to sign the diplomas for graduation. I had always believed that the students deserved a personal signature and I knew that Carl agreed with me. He always signed them individually, too. The problem here was that I had more than four hundred seniors and I couldn’t do all of them in one session. My signature would be a mess before I even reached the hundredth. Because of that I always did no more than thirty at a time taking the greatest care possible.
All told I managed to get 120 diplomas signed that morning, mixing other work between signings. I was deep into paperwork when my cell rang. I knew it would be Toni. “Hi, how’s your morning been?”

(Dreadful…just like every other morning. How about yours?)

“It would have been better if some parents hadn’t come in with some baseless complaint. I had to spend an hour just wasting time. Oh, I guess it’s no surprise that I’ll be staying over the weekend…assuming I have your okay.”

(You probably won’t believe me, but Beth actually brought it up. I’m sure she can see the stress you’re under.)

“Yeah, you’re really good at dealing with that. Did she say anything about going out to dinner together Sunday night? I have to call the director to see if Lizzie can join us.”

(Oh, I hope she can. Between Beth and me I’m sure we could handle anything in the bathroom plus I think it will help her to be with those who love her.)

“I hope you’re right. I’m planning to leave early this afternoon, if possible.”

(Oh…looking for some afternoon delight? I think I could handle it with my schedule.)

“I think we’ll get plenty of that tonight and tomorrow morning. No, I have to visit the district attorney about a child abuse case I’m involved with. I think it’s going to hearing next week. I won’t get you as the judge will I?”

(I’ll have to check with the head judge, but I doubt it. I’ll probably have to recuse myself because we know each other. Don’t tell me anything about the case. There’s a chance I could wind up with it.)

“Okay, shall we get together for dinner tonight?”

(What about the kids? I think you need to spend more time with them. They may not show it, but they’re finding everything extremely traumatic. Let them have you this afternoon. I’ll have you tonight—okay, Chuck?)

“I guess so, but I think we might have to work out some mid-week activity if you’re willing.”

(Let’s see what we can work out tonight. I need to get back to work. Bye, Chuck; I’m getting to enjoy these little talks of ours.)

“Me, too…I’d better get back to it, too. See you tonight.” We ended the call and I went back to signing diplomas and clearing paper from my desk. My secretary, Ruth, brought in the day’s memos for my signature and I finally remembered to phone the home’s director. We spoke for about fifteen minutes until–against his best judgment–he agreed to allow Lizzie to accompany us to dinner Sunday evening. He did make several suggestions—go early, shelter her from crowds and confusion, seat her near a window, and keep her between her loved ones. I thanked him for his advice. Now all I had to do was find a suitable restaurant.

I left school at 3:15 for my 4:00 appointment with the assistant district attorney. My mind often wanders while driving and today was no exception. There are good days and bad as a principal. It’s great to learn that one of your students has been accepted at the U.S. Naval Academy or that three of them have become National Merit Scholarship winners. Then there are the bad like the one in my mind today.

It had all begun in early March. I always find the time to greet the students when they enter the building in the morning. I probably know more than half of my 1700 students by name. On this day I noticed Jackie McMullen with a horrific bruise on her face. “Jackie, what happened? Did you get that at home?”
She hemmed and hawed–face down and red with embarrassment. I’ve worked with too many teenagers not to recognize the signs of possible abuse. I took her arm and walked her to the nurse’s office. Once there I cleared the other students out and brought Jackie in to see Doris Ridley, R.N., our school nurse. Doris has been around like forever and she’s seen it all. I just showed her the bruise. She led Jackie into a curtained area with a bed and lamp. I excused myself and returned to my office just up the hall. I wasn’t there more than two minutes when Doris rushed in, pulling me back to her office.

“You have to see this, Chuck. It’s horrible and poor Jackie is terrified.” She pulled the curtain aside and I was shocked to see Jackie sitting on the bed clad only in her bra and panties.

I turned away instantly. “Excuse me, Jackie; I didn’t realize you were undressed.”

“It’s okay, Dr. S—I trust you and Mrs. Ridley says you should see what happened.” I returned reluctantly behind the curtain. Jackie rose and, as she did, I could see roughly a dozen round red marks on her chest, breasts, and stomach.

“Are those…burns…cigarette burns?” She turned around to show me more on her back and thighs.

“Yeah, my mom did this when I got home from school yesterday.”

“Why? What could you possibly have done to deserve anything like this?”

“I didn’t really do anything. She found a note in my jeans from a boy—Bobby Turner—saying how much he loves me. He gave it to me after math Monday. I was in a hurry to get to my locker and the bus so I didn’t even read it. She found it in the laundry and called me a slut and a whore. I’m not, Dr. S. I’ve never even been out on a real date and I’m still a virgin. I don’t understand. I’m afraid to go home this afternoon.”

“There’s no reason to be concerned. You’re not going home. I have to report this to Children’s Protective Services. I’m required by law. I’ll arrange for you to spend the day with Miss Moffet, the social worker. Don’t worry about your classes. I’ll cover you with the teachers. Now, get dressed—I’ll be back for you in a minute or so.” Thirty seconds later I walked into the social worker’s office, not surprised to find two students speaking with Suzanne.

“Sorry, but I need to interrupt. I have a bit of an emergency.” The kids left and I closed the door to speak in confidence. Basically, I wanted her to keep Jackie under wraps to ensure her safety and the confidentiality of her situation. I’d be on the phone to CPS as soon as I was sure she was safe. Five times over the past three years I’d had to call in CPS for cases of suspected child abuse—just like this or even worse. In three of those cases parents had come to school to get their children. In each case I had denied them access, once despite being threatened with a pistol. That SOB is still in prison and will be for another five years, at least.

The principle of in loco parentis—in the place of the parent– applies here. I was mandated by state law to take all actions expected of a reasonable parent especially when the actual parent was irresponsible and presented a potential danger to the student. I knew Mrs. McMullen was sometimes hyper and irrational. Twice this year I’d had to remove her from the school premises under threat of calling the police. I half expected her to show up before noon, a prophecy that would prove, unfortunately, to be true.

My first phone call went to CPS where I described the wounds and gave Jackie’s name, age, and address. Then I phoned the superintendent to let Carl know what was happening. Knowing that Jackie was safe I was able to attack some of my work. Ruth appeared in my doorway less than an hour later to tell me that Mrs. McMullen was here for Jackie. It was SHOWTIME—the time when there’s no doubt that I earn and deserve my high salary!

Once I had her in my office I informed her that I wouldn’t release her daughter to her under any circumstances. I commented on the injuries Jackie had received and my concerns about the cause. Not surprisingly, she went berserk—screaming, yelling, and cussing me out with every breath. I listened quietly for about a minute before telling her to get out or I was calling the police to have her arrested for trespassing and threatening behavior. In fact, Ruth had already called.

Bottom line—mom was arrested once a female officer had examined and questioned Jackie, Jackie went to foster care, and now I was reliving the whole mess all over again. I met with the assistant district attorney, a man I knew from other unfortunate cases. We reviewed my testimony and the family court procedures. This hearing would determine where and with whom Jackie would live. She’d done well with the foster parents—good people I’d dealt with before. I knew she wanted to stay there with them.

The Family Court rooms are small with not more than a single row of seats that is often empty due to the confidential nature of the cases, especially when dealing with underage kids. The last thing I needed was a court case in June, the busiest month of the year, but I was stuck. When he gave me the name of the judge I almost laughed. “I doubt the case will go on. I know the judge very well. We have a personal relationship. I’ll mention it to her when I see her later tonight.”

I was home by 5:30, pleased to see that Beth and David had started a light meal of what we called “California cheeseburgers.” On each toasted roll would go—mayo, lettuce, a thick slice of tomato, one of my one-third pound cheeseburgers, a slice of raw onion, a slice of green pepper, ketchup, and the top of the roll. Both kids laughed like crazy when I removed the onion. “Smart move, Dad,” Beth kidded me. Even David patted me on the back.

We were out the door at 6:30 on the dot, meeting Toni at the home. Lizzie was peaceful, but as confused as usual when we hugged and kissed her, however she did allow Beth and David to hold her hands while we talked. She began to tire around 9:30 so Beth and Toni helped her in the bathroom and we tucked her into bed, kissing her and reminding her for at least the fiftieth time tonight how much we loved her.

Once out in the parking lot we headed for our separate cars, but Toni removed a plastic bag from hers, handing two small wrapped boxes to Beth and David. I asked her about them once we were in her house. “Condoms, Chuck—you’re not the only one who has to deal with stress. Beth has told me several times how much it’s affecting her…David, too.”

“It’s sometimes hard for me to remember that my little girl is an adult…with adult needs. I’m glad I have you to help me with it.”

I leaned down to kiss her. She pressed her moist plump lips into mine as her tongue wended its way into my mouth. We held it for several minutes until our faces were covered in saliva. “Nice, but sloppy; c’mon, Chuck–I’ve needed you all week.” She took my hand and led me to the bedroom. Once there I dropped my bag of clothes and toiletries to the floor and pulled her to me once again. This time our kiss was more patient…lingering as I pulled my feet from my loafers and dropped my slacks and boxers.

Toni, of course, missed nothing of this—her hand finding and gripping my cock quickly as she slowly stroked me, savoring the hardness already evident and anticipating the fucking that was to come. Even as we kissed I began to release her Capri’s from her waist. She was stepping out of them before they were all the way to the floor. Breaking the kiss we moved toward full nakedness in a flash as we literally tore the shirt and blouse from our respective bodies.

There’d be no pre-sex shower this evening. No—our need was too great. Toni swept the blankets and throw pillows to the floor, replacing them on the bed with our writhing bodies. She rolled me over to my back as she rose to straddle my hips and lead me into her hot tight tunnel. The sensation of sliding into her tightness was incredible. After a week of nothing but stress piled on stress it was heavenly—exactly what Lizzie had wanted for me and exactly what I had needed. Damn, but my wife was a genius!

We worked together, but not for too long. Toni rammed her hard clit into me with an urgency I’d rarely experienced and my balls were churning almost immediately. I held back as long as I could; thankfully, it was just long enough. She came just as my fifth thick rope of semen erupted forcefully into her womb. We lay in total contentment, emotionally drained and covered with sweat while we recovered. Finally, after more than ten minutes she managed to push herself up and off me. Once vertical she extended her hand and pulled me up to a much-needed shower. My abdomen was covered in her goo or mine or both.

Standing under the hot spray was relaxing. Having Toni wash my body wasn’t. We tried to wash each other, but all we accomplished was to get each other hot again. Ten minutes later we were back in bed, our hair still dripping. This time we were much more patient with each other. We spooned with Toni in front of me, her leg back over my body and her hot cunt fully accessible to me. I pushed forward, entering her easily now that she was well lubricated from our earlier coupling.

I especially enjoyed this position. She was fully open to me and her clit was within easy reach as were her breasts and nipples. A mere turn of her head enabled us to kiss passionately while I pounded her hot cunt without mercy. It was exactly what both of us needed. My left hand worried both her nipples as my right rubbed and pinched her clit.

I tried to bring her along slowly, gauging her progress with mine. I’m no kid—I can’t go three or four times a night like I did when I was in my twenties, but tonight I was a needy horndog with nothing so appealing as yet another mind-blowing orgasm. My cock was in overdrive as I pushed again and again into Toni’s core. One of the things I liked about this was that colliding with her cervix was unlikely. Lizzie had told me several times how painful that could be. I had never worried about Lizzie; we were in love with each other. Toni and I had acknowledged that we weren’t so I had to be especially careful. From behind in this position I knew I could never hurt her. Her firm ass cheeks intercepted me before I could get too deep.

I had hammered her cunt for more than five minutes when I felt a tiny rumble in my core. Fortunately, my body could detect tiny contractions in the muscles of her back and hips. I moved faster—if possible—and harder, bringing her right to the edge before twisting the living shit out of her clit. Toni experienced a massive spasm that practically ripped her from my grasp. She was still shaking when I finally came, flooding her pussy. We lay together for what seemed an hour gasping for breath until we had fully recovered. By then Toni, I, and the bed were all a gooey mess.

“I’ll say one thing, Chuck—Lizzie was right. You are an incredible lover. I’ve never done it in that position before, but…WOW! It was fantastic!”

“I’m glad, because I don’t think I have anything left. I don’t think I’d even make it to the shower.”

“Good…that means we can stay like this all night.” Toni pulled up the blanket from the floor, pushed her tight ass into me, and placed my hand under her breast. She turned around, kissed me quickly and settled in. We were both asleep in minutes.

CHAPTER 6

Toni and I made love another three times that weekend, visiting Lizzie with David and Beth during the day until I packed up my clothes Sunday morning to accompany her to Church. Then we were off to the home to collect Lizzie en route to a restaurant we all loved on the Great South Bay in Patchogue. I had arranged for us to have an early dinner with 4:30 seating outdoors on their veranda. Lizzie sat between Beth and David facing the water, their backs to the afternoon sun while Toni and I faced them. I ordered for Lizzie, choosing dishes I knew she loved. It was a great success. We all had a fantastic time, especially my wonderful wife.

I lingered for a few minutes in the parking lot with Toni once we were ready to leave. “So, I guess I’ll see you Thursday morning.”

“You know very well you’ll see me tomorrow and every other day this week, too. I think I might be interested Tuesday or Wednesday night, too even though I’m going to have trouble walking tomorrow. You wore my poor pussy out. I am glad, though, that the hearing is only to determine custody. I should be able to hear it. I’ll let you know tomorrow, okay?”

“Thanks for everything, Toni. I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”

She reached up to kiss me. It was brief and lacking the passion that our earlier kisses in her bedroom held. “I think we both have to thank Lizzie, don’t we?” I nodded, kissed her again then held the car door for her, walking to mine only when she had driven away.

The following week at work was as hectic as I’d imagined. The time flew by as it always does when one is really, really busy. I found that I looked forward to Toni’s calls even more than I had in the past. I found the time to speak briefly with Jackie McMullen on Wednesday afternoon. She was eager for the hearing to occur.

Once her mother had been arrested I had phoned a local couple I knew had taken in foster kids in the past. Unlike most, they did it because they loved kids. George Henderson was a mechanic at a nearby Honda dealership. His wife Marcia had worked as a teacher’s aide until a hip injury made the work physically impossible. George and Marcia loved kids, but they weren’t able to have their own. Instead, they tried to help youngsters in trouble. To my knowledge they’d always been successful.

Marcia came to school not ten minutes after my call, taking Jackie under her wing immediately. The CPS worker knew the Henderson’s well from prior cases. She filed paperwork making them Jackie’s temporary guardians. Jackie had found everything in the Henderson household that had been missing in her own. They gave her the nurturing and love that any good parents give their children. She had rules, but they were reasonable for a person her age. She was required to study several hours a day so her grades improved almost immediately following the chaos that was the norm in her mother’s “home.”

More than anything she wanted to stay with the Henderson’s. I encouraged her, but withheld my involvement with the presiding judge. I assured her that I would be there to support her tomorrow morning. She was there before me, freshly showered and hair neatly combed, in an attractive blouse and skirt. Both George and Marcia were with her, holding her hands in support. I shook hands with George and kissed Marcia’s cheek. I squeezed Jackie’s shoulder then sat a bit further down the row.

We were there only a few minutes when Toni swept into the room, her robes flowing. She looked at me and smiled then the bailiff read the introductory information of the case and the assistant district attorney called me to the witness stand. I was asked about the injuries that Jackie had incurred and about her work in school. I was a bit surprised when Toni interrupted to ask a question.

“Have you had prior experience with Mr. and Mrs. Henderson as foster parents?”

“Yes,” I replied, remembering to call her “Your Honor.” “They are wonderful people in my experience. I wish I had more parents like them. They just love children and they’re very effective as parents.”

“Hmmmm,” was Toni’s response. Then she called Jackie before her and led her alone into her chambers. They were gone almost ten minutes before returning.
She took her seat at the bench and both she and Jackie were smiling when she asked, “How do you feel about staying with the Henderson’s, Jackie?”

“I love living with them. I never knew my father and my mother always felt I was in the way. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson treat me like I’m their daughter. I really love them…a lot.”

Calling on the Henderson’s she asked about their relationship. “Jackie is like the daughter we never had. She makes mistakes—we all do, but we try to help her learn from them.”

“I’m wondering if the three of you wouldn’t like something more permanent than legal guardianship. Would you consider adopting Jackie?” The looks on their faces was incredible. This was beyond their wildest dream and for Jackie it was a dream come true. Her mother wasn’t getting out of prison for ages. Besides the assault and sexual assault charges the detectives found a significant quantity of meth in her dresser. With the drugs was a notebook listing customers and sales going back more than two years. Even with a plea bargain Mrs. McMullen was going away for more than twenty years, long enough for Jackie to completely forget her.

It must be fun to be a judge, I thought—at least it was fun today. Toni gave the required orders to the CPS representatives and the adoption process was underway. I had just walked into the hallway when Jackie leaped into my arms to hug me. I congratulated her and her “new” parents and was just about to leave when the bailiff tugged on my arm before leading me down the hall to an unmarked door. I knocked and was told to enter.

Toni was there, of course, and she crossed the office quickly to hug me. “Thank God I have the occasional case like this. It’s the only decent thing I’ve done all week.”

“Why don’t I reward you with dinner tonight? Like Chinese? There’s a pretty good place in Oakdale. We can meet there and then go to visit Lizzie, and yes, the kids will join us.”

“Sounds good. I’m not complaining—I’m getting more and much better sex than I’ve had in years, but I wish there was something more we could do for her.”

That made me think–dinner had gone so well. What else could we try, especially now that summer was only a few weeks away? We made arrangements to meet, I kissed Toni chastely, and returned to work.

I’d been a high school principal for ten years and principal of this school for five so the end of the school year ran smoothly in spite of the stress and pressure. I anticipated no surprises so, of course, I was hit by a bombshell on the last day of classes.

This was always a good time for “administrative presence” in the hallways so I was there between third and fourth periods when Jimmy Williams strode by. Jimmy wasn’t a bad kid, but he always seemed to get caught in some stupid prank or other idiocy. “Hi, Dr. S.—don’t worry, we’re still gonna pray for your wife over the summer.”

“Whoa! What did you say, Jimmy?”

“You know…we’ll all keep praying for your wife just like we’ve been doing.”

“Who is ‘we all?’”

“All the kids and all the teachers, too; everybody I know does it…right after announcements every morning.”

I was confused, but I thanked him and allowed him to go on his way. Once back in the office I checked his schedule card. I wanted to speak with his homeroom teacher. She was free fourth period so I took a chance she’d be in the faculty room. She was, so I asked her to speak to me in the hall. “I just had an interesting discussion with one of your homeroom students about praying for Lizzie.”

“Come back in, Chuck.” She opened the door and led me back inside. “Question, everyone—how many of you are praying every day for Chuck’s wife, Lizzie?” I was astonished when everyone raised their hands. “Everyone is doing it, Chuck. We have a lot of respect for you and we know what you’re going through. I’m pretty sure that every single student who believes in God has joined in. Yes, we all know that we’re not supposed to organize prayer in school, but there’s no way we’re going to stop. You can write all of us up if you want.”

I just turned around and began to leave, but before I did I turned back to say, “Thanks…so much. I can’t begin to tell you all how much….” I turned back before I broke down completely. I couldn’t believe that so many people thought so much of Lizzie and me. I retreated to my office, but not before calling my assistants to a brief meeting.

“How long? And don’t think you can bullshit me.” They gave me some sheepish looks before Patrick finally answered.

“Remember the March faculty meeting when Marty asked to speak with the staff after our meeting?” I did, of course. Marty was the teacher union president. It wasn’t uncommon for the union building rep to ask for some time at the end of a meeting, but the union president was a rarity. “Marty spoke with the teachers for some time. He told them all about Lizzie’s problems.”

“How did he know?”

“Don’t yell at us, Chuck. We told him and asked for his help. The whole prayer thing was our idea. You can write us up if you want, but it was the only thing we could think of to help.”

“How many are involved?”

“Everyone…the whole school. There’s nothing organized. The teachers take a minute after announcements for what we call silent meditation. Stan and I do it and the secretaries, the custodians, the kitchen staff…everybody.”

“The kids?”

“Especially the kids, Chuck—you know how everyone likes and respects you.”

“I don’t understand how you managed to keep it quiet for so long. Why didn’t I get some complaints from parents?” They had no answer and neither did I. I let them go back to work. The whole thing was completely illegal—prayer in school might fly in Georgia or Texas or Mississippi, but here in New York? I could be severely disciplined, but I didn’t have the heart to stop them.

Before I knew it the school year had ended and we were ready for graduation. Thankfully, the weather cooperated. It was a clear sunny day with the temperature in the mid-eighties. That meant we could hold the ceremony on the football field with the families seated in the grandstands on both sides. We never used tickets outside so anyone who wanted to could come. Bad weather meant we’d be in the sweaty gym with only two family members per graduate.
We do graduation right in my opinion. All the administrators and many of the teachers participate, all of us dressed in our academic robes. Carl and I always walked together, leading the administrators, Board members, and teachers. The teachers then split into two lines with the graduates marching between them to the always somber “Pomp and Circumstance.” I presided as always, shaking each student’s hand and receiving hugs from more than half the graduates.

You’d think that having four hundred-plus students in a class would make all of them pretty much the same, but you’d be wrong. Some classes are much smarter and more motivated than others. Some lack leadership or energy. This had been one of the better ones with lots of excellent students and athletes and outstanding leadership. I’d miss this class. Working with them had been a pleasure.

CHAPTER 7

I was required by contract to work through June 30th—the end of the fiscal year—then I was free until the second week in August. I’d come in roughly once a week to either interview new teacher candidates or to check on incoming textbooks and supplies for the coming year. Sometimes supply houses fucked up big time like the fetal pig problem I’d had when I first took the job here. The science department had ordered fifty fetal pigs for the advanced biology classes. Instead, we received five hundred. I told the company to either pick them up or we would throw them in the trash. They were gone a week later.

Just as my vacation was beginning, David’s would end. He had been hired along with almost twenty other recent graduates to help the custodial staff with the summer cleaning. David had learned the very first week that having a principal for a father was as much a handicap as a boon. I expected him to earn his wage and my head custodian was even more demanding. David received no breaks, but was treated like every other temporary employee.

Beth would also work as an aide at a nearby veterans’ hospital—excellent training for her career as an occupational therapist. She had roughly a thirty-minute commute, but that was good training, too. I’d had to work summers and vacations when I was in school and, even though I hated it until I found my way to the beach, I did appreciate the concept of creating a positive work ethic—something that had stayed with me throughout my entire life.

June 30th was on a Wednesday. I bugged out early. Everything that had to be done was and there was nothing on the horizon for two weeks when I’d hold final interviews for three teaching positions—English, French, and Chemistry. I especially hated to lose the Chem. teacher. She was young and a bundle of energy, but her husband had been transferred to Denver. I’d phoned a high school principal with a recommendation for her and I was sure she’d be hired. Me? I headed home to work on an idea I’d had—an idea that would help us to spend more productive time with Lizzie. I went to begin cleaning up my boat.

Having been born and bred on Long Island I’d been exposed to fishing at a young age, tossing my first drop line at four and graduating to a rod and reel the following year. My high school buddies and I spent every non-working moment fishing until we were old enough to drive. Then we spend our daylight hours fishing and our nights chasing every young skirt we could find. That had pretty much continued right up to the day I’d first dated Lizzie.

My first boat had been an old tub, one that had been virtually abandoned by its owner. I’d bought it for a song, fixed it up, and even taken Lizzie and our young kids fishing. Then, two years ago, I’d bought a brand spanking new Grady-White 23-foot center console with a Fiberglass T-top and a V6 225 horsepower Yamaha outboard. It was my dream boat. Unfortunately, that was the year that Lizzie had become ill so it had been rarely used. I’d spent my time instead taking Lizzie to doctor after doctor, worrying the entire time what would happen to my beautiful wife.

I’d asked Dr. Thompson about taking Lizzie out onto the bay, thinking the family activity would be good for her. I was surprised as hell when he readily agreed.
My trip home was detoured a bit as I stopped at West Marine for a new PFD—an automatically inflating life jacket—for Toni. Everyone on board would wear one or they wouldn’t get on. David and Beth…Lizzie, too, knew this rule. The Great South Bay is shallow. Most of it isn’t more than five or six feet deep, but you can drown in a hell of a lot less than that and it can be treacherous with sand bars sometimes hidden just below the surface. And, then there are the other boaters, some of whom are clueless about the simplest boating protocols. There are plenty of accidents on the water every year involving drunk drivers and other inane stupidity.

Once home I changed into an old tee and shorts, filled a jug with ice and water, and removed the tarp from the boat. I washed it from bow to stern. That was the easy part. Next was the waxing, one of the most important steps in protecting a boat from the harsh elements associated with salt water. I had finished the inside when David returned home and came out back to help. Instead, we finished for the day and showered before driving once again to the Chinese restaurant where we met Toni. After dinner we drove immediately to see Lizzie.

She was confused as always, but she did smile when David and Beth kissed her cheek. One of the staff had told us that she’d had a “good day,” whatever that meant. I still didn’t know, although I knew that Alzheimer’s patients often became cross and belligerent for no apparent reason. So far I hadn’t seen any of that from Lizzie. We told her we were going fishing on July Fourth. She seemed to like the idea, but who could really know? David and Beth would pick her up at 9:30 that morning. By then Toni and I would have returned from her house, picked up some subs, salads, and pickles from the deli and loaded them with a couple of cases of soda in the cooler with enough ice to keep us going all day and into the night. I’d rigged a shade in the past and I was pretty sure we’d need it for Lizzie. I planned on giving her a nap once the fishing was done.

Everything went without a hitch. Toni and I spent the night together, falling asleep together only in the early morning after fucking twice and bringing her to three explosive orgasms. I thought that night that I could really fall for Toni if something were to happen to Lizzie. However, while Lizzie lived, regardless of her health, there would only be one woman for me. After leaving Lizzie around eight so she could get a good night’s rest David drove Beth home for their dates. I said nothing, even knowing that they’d have company all night—Paul Davis sleeping with Beth in her small bed and Laura James sleeping with David. Toni had been right—there was more than enough stress to go around. If my kids were going to have sex, and they obviously were, I’d prefer it be in a safe and controlled situation rather than in the back seat of some car where they could fall prey to some predator or pervert.

Toni and I had all the ice, sodas, and food in the big fish box under one of the bow seats by the time Lizzie arrived with the kids. I’d hooked up the boat trailer to Lizzie’s SUV last night and stowed all the gear, too. We had plenty of rods and reels, sinkers and hooks—enough to last almost the entire summer, if needed. We belted Lizzie into the middle of the rear seat between Beth and Toni while David joined me up front. A minute later we were moving down the highway toward Captree State Park, only minutes from our home.

Captree occupies one end of the western section of Fire Island, a barrier beach that separates the Great South Bay from the Atlantic. Nobody swims there, not with the state’s two premier ocean beaches nearby. Mammoth Jones Beach was just a few minutes’ drive to the west. Robert Moses, named for the architect of all the state parks on Long Island, was just a minute southeast of Captree. The two parks were separated by the Fire Island Inlet, a place where fishing was king.

I paid the parking fee and carefully backed the trailer down the ramp while David handled the lines and Toni and Beth held Lizzie securely between them well off to the side where we knew she would be safe. David had the boat secured tightly to the dock and had handed the women in by the time I had returned from the parking lot. Beth had helped Lizzie into her PFD and was helping Toni apply SPF-50 lotion into her fair skin. The sun can be brutal on the water.

We made a quick stop for bait—four dozen live killies—at one of the shops located on pilings in the nearby bay before moving down into the inlet to catch the incoming tide. Under the bridge to Robert Moses State Park we went en route to the inlet’s mouth. The Atlantic was unusually calm. We’d had wind out of the northwest for the past three days and it had knocked the waves on the south-facing beaches down to almost nothing. We were able to ride all the way out into the ocean before drifting back to the inlet on the incoming tide.

David had the rods out and I baited Lizzie’s, running the sharp hook through the small fish’s lips. I had thought that I’d have to teach Lizzie all over again, but she simply took the reel in her hands and lowered the hook over the side, telling me, “I know how to do it.” And she did, bringing up the day’s first fish, a nineteen-inch fluke—legal by an inch–that I placed carefully into the live well with the bait.

We continued our drift with Beth teaching Toni who managed to catch our second fish—unfortunately a “short” that we returned immediately to the bay. I kept the motor running the entire drift for two reasons—to keep the boat perpendicular to the direction of drift and because of the heavy traffic in the inlet. Captree is the home of a big recreational fishing fleet including both deep sea fishing boats and “party” or “head” boats that were drifting with us on the tide. Being July Fourth every maniac who could find a boat was also on the water. I had to keep a sharp lookout the entire time.

David and I took a good-natured ribbing from Beth and Toni when I signaled the drift at an end. “Gals two, guys zero,” Beth teased. It only got worse when Toni joined in.

“Go ahead,” I told them. “The day is young.” I turned the boat back to the ocean once all the rods were stowed. I leaned over the center console to kiss Lizzie’s cheek once we had begun the second drift. This time David and I were more successful, each bringing in a keeper that went into the live well. Unfortunately for the guys, Lizzie and Beth also caught fish so they were still up on us. This was a competition that had gone on for years. None of us had any idea who was ahead and none of us really cared. We just had so much fun teasing each other.

We fished right up until slack water—the time just before and after high tide when the water was barely moving– when we stopped for a bite to eat. We needed moving water for the fluke to feed. That would come in about a half hour once the ebb had begun. Then we’d drift again, but in the opposite direction—toward the ocean. I found a quiet area away from the other boats and David dropped the anchor, securing the line to the cleat as I turned the engine off. We sat around the bow as Toni pulled sandwiches—roast beef, Virginia ham, and turkey breast–and salads from the cooler. I sat next to Lizzie, again kissing her cheek before leaning forward to do the same to Toni. Was this whole scene weird, or what?

We finished eating just as the water began to move. I started the engine using its power to help get the anchor up and we drove into the channel to continue our fishing. We wound up with six keepers for our efforts that I kept alive in the constantly circulating live well. These fish will only feed two hours before and two hours after high tide so there was no point continuing after that even though the all-day party boats would, catching only occasionally an oddball fish.

We moved away from the inlet to a quiet area where a number of other boats were anchored. David, Beth, and Toni went ashore to the beach for some swimming while I rigged a thin nylon sail into a shade for Lizzie. Once I was done I spread a few towels across the bow seats and led Lizzie to lie down. I lay with her, spooning behind her and kissing her neck. “Oh, my darling, if you only knew how much I miss you. I miss your kisses and your gentle touch and your smile. I miss talking with you about my day and I miss you in our bed. I still have trouble believing that you love me so much that you wanted me to take a lover. Toni is wonderful, but she’s not you.” I stopped then. Lizzie’s breathing told me that she was asleep. I rested my head on my arm and said a silent prayer that somehow this nightmare would someday end.

We slept for three hours, awakening only when we heard Beth, David, and Toni laughing and joking as they moved over the sandy ridge toward us. I sat up and stretched and a moment later I was joined by Lizzie. For a second I thought I saw a sign of recognition in her face. But a second later it was gone. I leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. “And, what have you two been up to, Dad?”

“Nothing, unfortunately—I was praying that this nightmare would somehow end, but I have no idea how. This whole thing is just so frustrating.” Toni had just climbed up the ladder and she came to me. Sitting me in the pilot’s seat, she climbed into my lap and kissed me, holding it for more than a minute.

“Sorry, Chuck, but you obviously needed that.” Then, changing the subject, she and the kids told us all about their misadventures in the ocean. The wind had shifted while Lizzie and I were sleeping and the waves had reappeared in a second, catching many of the swimmers totally by surprise. I knew how that could happen just as I knew that the lifeguards would have a busy afternoon.

We spent the rest of the day at the beach, but I wouldn’t let Lizzie go into the ocean. Instead, we swam in the placid bay. We splashed each other and hugged and kissed. It was just like the old days—okay…it wasn’t. I kissed Lizzie and she accepted it, but she didn’t respond. She couldn’t and that tore my heart from my body yet again.

We dried off after quick showers at the boat’s stern using the “Sun Shower”—water heated by the sun and fed by gravity through a slender hose and nozzle. The center console of this boat has a small compartment with a portable head. First Beth then Toni and David used this area to change into shorts and tees. Beth and Toni helped Lizzie change as I held the nylon sheet to provide some privacy. Finally, I changed. By then the temperature was dropping and the sun had almost set.

We pulled the anchor and moved out into the bay. The party boats were docked for the night and many of the boats we’d seen earlier in the day had gone, too. However, there were plenty of folks still out on the water. This was the best way to view the annual fireworks display. Beth broke out the evening meal—more subs and salads with sodas that were still icy cold.

The spectacular fireworks began promptly at ten and were done twenty minutes later. Thirty minutes later we were back in the SUV on our way to the home. We took Lizzie in to her room where Beth and Toni helped her shower and we tucked her into bed with hugs and kisses. I drove home, left the trailer on the hitch in the driveway and left with Toni. There’d be no sex tonight. We were both too tired. David and Beth had agreed to fillet the fish, clean and dry the fillets, and place them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Cleaning the boat, rods, and engine would wait until tomorrow.

Toni and I showered together as we’d done so many times together since we’d gotten together months ago. We had become so predictable. I always spent an inordinate period on her breasts, pussy, and butt crack while kissing her slender neck. She always concentrated on my cock and balls, although she often kissed my neck while running her hands up and down my chest. Tonight’s showers were quick and to the point—wash, dry, and to bed naked, as always. We spooned, Toni with her back and butt pressed into me as I kissed her neck. “Let’s go to sleep, Chuck. We have another big day tomorrow. I’ll take care of you first thing. That’s a promise.” She turned her head for a quick kiss and then we were gone.

Spending the day on the water was always exhausting. I slept like the dead and Toni told me that she had done the same. We agreed that the day had been a huge success so far as Lizzie was concerned. We’d been talking in bed for maybe ten minutes when she jumped up, running to the bathroom. I went to the other bath, returning to find Toni sprawled across the bed, the blanket and top sheet strewn across the floor. Her waggling finger drew me to her.

Toni reached up for me, pulling me to her as soon as our hands touched. I moved down, covering her body with mine as we shared our first kiss of the day. Our tongues explored; our hands roamed. She found my hard cock, stroking me gently as I found her wet and wanting. Toni turned me over and rose to straddle my hips and a second later she had slid down my pole. We began to move together a second after that.

We worked each other hard, developing a healthy sweat in the cool morning air as we moved closer and closer until…FINALLY! I erupted into her vault just as she shook violently from the first of four massive convulsions of a wicked good orgasm like nothing I’d ever seen from either her or Lizzie. She collapsed onto my chest and lay there for what seemed an eternity as our sweat pooled on my belly.

Weakly Toni lifted her head then returned it to my shoulder before whispering, “What the hell was that? It’s a good thing you’re married because if you weren’t….”

I was laughing as I replied, “Yeah, I liked it, too.” Her response was to poke me in the ribs then she, too, began to chuckle.

“I wouldn’t mind starting every day like that.”

“No,” I replied, “then it wouldn’t be special. It would be routine and eventually boring.” She rose up again and gave me a look that said—what the fuck? “Okay,” I continued, “neither routine nor boring, but not quite as special.” She kissed me and tried to rise, but I held her to me. “Don’t…please.” She returned her head to my shoulder as I rubbed my hands over her back and butt. Maybe half an hour later I gave in and she led me to the shower.

CHAPTER 8

Toni was tentative over breakfast. I looked into her eyes and saw my own looking back at me. I knew exactly what she was thinking. “Do you want to see less of me?”

“No, Chuck…why would you think that?”

“Because I see the same uncertainty in your eyes that I’ve seen in mine; I’ve already acknowledged to myself that I could fall for you in a heartbeat if Lizzie wasn’t in the picture.”

“That sounds awfully familiar. I’ll have to be very careful.” Then she leaned across the table and kissed me. “Yes, I could get terribly used to that. C’mon, let’s get over to your place. You have work to do.” We cleaned up together, climbed into my car and drove past my house to pick up Lizzie from the home.
She came with us willingly, but we could see the confusion in her eyes. A few minutes later she walked into her own home for the first time in months. Beth and David greeted her with hugs and kisses first then I took her into my arms again, holding her close and reminding myself once again of what I had lost. I turned her over to Beth and Toni while David and I attended to the boat, motor, and rods.

Everything was hosed down and the boat was given a quick wash then I attached the hose directly to the engine and flushed it out while running slowly at idle. Once that was done I backed out into the street, pulled forward, and backed the trailer onto the grass adjacent to the driveway. I checked out the fillets and tried to figure out how much we would need for dinner. I bagged the rest, splitting them almost equally–one for an elderly couple across the street and the other for the divorced woman next door.

You might ask why I hadn’t tried to get involved with her instead of Toni. The answer was simple—she had actually come on to me several times over the years we’d been neighbors. She wanted to fuck me—she’d even told me so too many times—and I knew she was a horrible slut. It was bad enough having Lizzie sick, my getting some STD wouldn’t help and I knew that she’d never get the kind of acceptance our kids had given Toni.

We spent a relaxing day around the pool, laughing and swimming—Lizzie looking as incredible as ever in her bikini. I missed making love with my wife something awful. I enjoyed Toni—maybe a little too much—but nothing…nobody would ever replace my incredible wife.

We left the pool around five to shower and prepare dinner. I had placed several potatoes in the oven to bake almost an hour ago. Now I placed the fluke fillets in a large baking pan, basting liberally with olive oil while Toni and Beth tossed a salad. We ate precisely at six so we could take Lizzie back to the home and Toni, Beth, and David could get a decent night’s sleep in preparation for work the following morning.

David and Beth had Lizzie in the car while I stayed behind for a moment with Toni. “Other than my wife and kids there’s no one on this planet who means as much to me as you do, Toni. You’re an incredible person and I do love you.”

“I love you, too Chuck. I just hope I don’t fall completely in love with you. I know that would be impossible for both of us.” I agreed with her, but we kissed for several minutes anyway. After one final quick peck I showed her out. Fifteen minutes later she was home and we’d put Lizzie to bed once again.

We went fishing almost every weekend, spending as much quality time with Lizzie as possible. If it helped her I wouldn’t know; there were no visible signs even though—God knows—we were praying every day for a miracle.

I went to work for two days in the middle of July to interview new teachers. In some districts the principal would do the preliminaries and pass the final candidates on to the district office. Here the process was the exact opposite. Carl believed, as did I, that I had to live with the teachers every day so I should have the final say on who was hired. I interviewed eight people on the first day, amazed as I often am how people dress for an interview. Patrick was with me throughout the day because he would supervise the English and French teachers. He was fluent in French while I knew about three words.

After one interview I asked the candidate, a young woman with excellent academic credentials if she was really interested in the job. “Of course,” she replied instantly, “everyone knows this is an excellent school.”

“Then, may I ask you why you dressed the way you did? You’re wearing a set of overalls, for crying out loud.”

“Well, you’re not wearing a suit.”

“That’s true, but I already have a job and I don’t have to impress anyone, do I? You’re here to impress us so we’ll offer you the position. One of the critical things we consider is a candidate’s judgment and, having worn this absurd outfit to an interview has led us to seriously question yours. We won’t offer the position to you, but hopefully you’ll think a bit more for your next one. Thank you for your time.” I rose and the interview was over. Of the four French candidates we hadn’t found even a single one worth hiring. We did better with the English interviews, recommending that we hire two—one for the English position and the second, a French minor, for that position.

The following day Patrick joined me again to interview for the chemistry opening. A good chemistry candidate could wear a burlap bag to the interview—that’s how hard it was to find a good one. We only had three finalists and selected a young man who had been teaching junior high general science in another district. For these interviews I had invited our one remaining chemistry teacher to join us.

It was mid-August before I knew it and the final week of August I conducted new teacher orientation, reminded once again of my fateful meeting with Lizzie. School opened the Wednesday after Labor Day with the usual problems—some students needed to have schedule conflicts resolved and the school buses all seemed to be late even though we had been assured the drivers knew the routes by heart. My personal highlight was seeing Jackie Henderson–formerly McMullen–enter school with the biggest smile I’d ever seen. She asked me to come to the nurse’s office with her. She stripped down as she had last March; I was astounded to see no scars. “Mom and Dad took me to a dermatologist so the scars could be removed. Aren’t they great?” I hugged Jackie while I agreed. Jackie had gone from hell to heaven.

The first week was hectic, but we all knew it would be so we were as prepared as could be. I anticipated that the second week would go more smoothly, but on Wednesday a phone call changed everything. It was Dr. Thompson who had called. “Dr. Spangler, can you bring your wife to the University Hospital tomorrow morning at ten? It could be terribly important. I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you any more until Lizzie has been examined.”

“Okay, I guess…I’ll bring her.” He continued, telling me the exact location and who we would meet. I phoned Carl to ask for the time off. “I have no idea what they want, Carl, but I’ll try anything to help her.” My next call was to the home, making arrangements to pick her up at 9:00.

To anyone living in Suffolk County there’s only one University Hospital—the home of the Stony Brook University Medical School. Several of my personal physicians were professors there and they were all outstanding. I spent the rest of the day praying for a miracle.

We arrived early—the home was only fifteen minutes from the hospital, but I knew from experience that finding a parking place could be a problem and Lizzie would be slow-moving because of her confusion. We walked into the lobby at 9:35 and out of the elevator on the third floor a few minutes later. Down the hall toward the Neurology Department we went, stopping at the nurses’ station where I asked for Dr. Thompson or Dr. Kingman. Dr. Thompson met us a few minutes later and led us into an exam room.

“Chuck, I have to leave you here for a bit while our team examines Lizzie. I’m sorry, but we can’t have any distractions during the testing. I’ll explain everything in about forty-five minutes. Help yourself to some of the magazines or watch the TV.” He took Lizzie by the arm and led her through a door on the opposite side of the room. I sat in one of the chairs and thumbed through some of the year-old magazines, but I couldn’t concentrate. I was worried about Lizzie.
Time dragged as it always does when waiting and this time it was even worse because I had no idea what I was waiting for or why Dr. Thompson thought it was so important. Finally, after what seemed to be hours, Dr. Thompson reappeared, taking the chair opposite mine. “Any idea what biochemistry is, Chuck?”

“Sure…I have a Master’s in biology and I’ve taken plenty of chemistry courses. Many plant and animal processes are chemical reactions.”

“Yes, that’s a pretty good description. We have teams of biochemists working along with our neurology staff to isolate and identify the chemicals that affect the brain and the central nervous system. Much of our study has involved cadavers and the major problem we’ve had to face is that brain tissue deteriorates after death much faster than most of the body’s other organs, but recently we’ve had a breakthrough in that area.

“About six months ago we were able to identify a chemical that had previously been suspected, but never confirmed. In tests with mice memory was significantly improved and now we want to try it on human subjects. That’s why we wanted to examine Lizzie—to determine if she would be a suitable subject.”

“And…?”

“It’s not quite that simple. We’ll select two hundred to test.” My face must have shown the shock I felt because he hesitated for a moment. “Yes, Chuck there’s no shortage of test subjects, unfortunately. Half will get the serum and half will get placebo. The chemical is a liquid so it will have to be injected daily.
“I’m not going to lie to you. We have no idea what an effective dosage will be or even if there will be an effective dosage…and there is the potential that the serum could injure or even kill the subject. We tested five hundred mice and six of them died during the test period. We have no idea if that was related to the medication or if it was some other problem.”

“I assume that Lizzie qualifies since you’re telling me all of this.”

“Yes, she’s an ideal subject because she hasn’t been seriously impacted for long, but she is seriously impacted.”

“When do you need an answer?”

“The sooner the better; oh, yeah—she’ll have to move into the hospital here and you’ll have to administer the injections. We’ll show you how to do it and give you plenty of practice. The reason we insist on this is that you’d have to do it if she is able to go home.”

“What happens if she gets the placebo?”

“That will be pure saline solution so there will be no impact. However, if the procedure works those subjects will be the first to get the serum once it’s approved. That could take years, unfortunately.”

“Damn! This could cure or kill her; I don’t know what to do. I really don’t.” We waited in silence until Lizzie was led back into the room a few minutes later. I knew then what I would have to do.

I had belted Lizzie into the passenger seat and slipped into the driver’s when I pulled out my phone to call David. I was a bit surprised when he answered. “I have something extremely important to discuss with you and Beth. Please get her to your apartment for a phone call at seven tonight. It could take quite a while.”

(“Is this about Mom?”)

“Yes…we have a very important decision to make. It’s something we have to do together. I’ll explain everything then. I need to call Toni. I’ll want her input, too.” I ended the call and rang Toni knowing that she’d be busy. I left a message asking her to call me ASAP. Twenty minutes later I had kissed Lizzie good-bye and was on my way back to school.

Toni called me at noon and I briefly outlined what had happened. She agreed to come immediately after court, bringing a pizza for dinner. We talked and talked during dinner. She listened and questioned me, but did not offer any opinion. I rang David at seven exactly, using the land-line and setting the phone on speaker. I got right down to business after greeting my children.

“Your mom is eligible to test a new serum,” I began.

“Great!” Beth could barely contain herself.

“Maybe…maybe not.” I explained the pro’s and con’s, how the serum, if she was given it, could harm or even kill her. We talked back and forth for almost a half hour without reaching any decision. Then I realized that Toni had been silent. I turned to face her then asked, “What do you think, Toni?”

“I don’t want to intrude on what should be a family decision, but…I don’t think there is anything to really consider. Lizzie is alive now, but is virtually dead to your family. If there is any chance to bring her back you have to try it. That’s what I would do if it was my husband involved. Didn’t the doctor tell you that time was a critical factor?”

“I agree, Dad,” David interrupted. “When you come down to it, what do we have to lose? Six mice out of five hundred and they don’t even know why they died. I say go for it.”

“I don’t know,” Beth told me, “but, I’ll support whatever you decide, Dad.”

“Me too, Chuck.” Toni took my hand in a show of support.

“Okay…I’ll phone Dr. Thompson first thing tomorrow morning and tell him we’ll do it. This would be a great time to pray for your mother…me, too. I’ll have to give the injections and monitor her progress if she has any.”

I ended the call and looked into Toni’s eyes. She rose from the kitchen table and pulled me up with her, leading me to Beth’s bedroom. I stood silently as she swiftly removed my clothes then hers. She laid me carefully onto the bed and lowered herself onto my body. Toni kissed me with a tenderness I hadn’t experienced in ages and with the love we’d both denied had existed—had denied was even possible. Yes…I’d learned to love Toni. It was more than the sex. We’d stopped fucking months ago, making love instead. Yet, there’d never been any question that Lizzie was my number one.

She held me and kissed me as she rubbed her abdomen over my cock. It felt like it was made of steel when she slowly rose–her eyes on mine the entire time. She was sliding down my organ as she voiced what we were both feeling. “I love you, Chuck, but that’s not what’s important here. It’s Lizzie. She’s all that matters. I’d hate giving up what we have, but I’d do it in a heartbeat if she could recover. I’d do anything for that.”

I had just begun driving up into her when I finally had the nerve to reply. “You’ve known for months how I feel about you, Toni. I love you, too, but you’re right. Everything has to be for Lizzie. She can’t do it for herself so we have to do it for her. I pray…oh, God…I don’t know what I pray for, Toni.”

We were really into it now, moving together like a well oiled machine—me thrusting deeply into her hot cunt, her rubbing her clit into my abdomen—when she leaned down to kiss me. “We both know what you’re praying for, Chuck. We’re both praying that Lizzie will recover even though we both know it will mean the end of us. You’re a one-woman man and I’m a one-man woman. Neither of us would ever think of cheating. I couldn’t love you if you were any other way.”

She punctuated her remarks by squeezing me with her powerful cunt muscles and seconds later we both came explosively. I held Toni as though I never wanted to let her go.

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