Author’s notes; the sex in this Romance may be minimal for some and it’s a long first Chapter as I’m establishing a brief history of Mary and Aaron and how they met. Some might not like it and lose interest it for its lack of vicarious luridness.

Mary’s Guardian Angel
By Beagle9690
July 2016

Her name is Mary…..Mary Susan Brown to be exact. Mary is a good and charitable woman. She was born and grew up in a small coal mining town in Western Pennsylvania. Her father was a dentist and her mother his dental assistant. His dental office was located in their spacious brick home. An only child, Mary lived a happy and tranquil life. Perhaps a somewhat sheltered life with parents who loved her. She adores music and dancing and the theatre and she is an accomplished pianist.

She was a music teacher when she married and lived comfortably in an upper middle class neighborhood. She gave up the job at her husband’s insistence when they moved to Bedford Hills, New York. At that time her husband landed a much sought after job as the art director for an upscale art gallery in the City.
She became involved with her church and did charity work to occupy her time. Mary is again using her maiden name of Brown after being betrayed by her husband.

Mary was 35 years old when her problems began and was reasonably content aside from her romantic need for touching and affection. She wanted a little adventure in her life and like most of us she has unrealized sexual fantasies.
She was a virgin when she married and for her husband it was a marriage of convenience for he wanted a beautiful trophy wife and nothing more.

Mary’s ex- husband Randall Q for Quincy Sheppard isn’t a particularly affectionate man, while in fact, Randall is a back stabbing, manipulating dirty polecat as described by Myra. Myra suspected him before he showed his true skunk colors when he fooled everyone and they thought he was dedicated to the Art Gallery. However, as Myra, Mary’s best friend and Matron of Honor from her home town predicated to her husband at Mary’s wedding. “Randall is married to his job and money is his mistress”.

Mary has a beautiful singing voice. She was the music and choir director at her church. She scheduled a Classical Music Concert featuring a quartet of strings in the Sanctuary because of the stone church’s marvelous acoustics and she was to accompany them on the piano. That Sunday’s concert was the culmination of the 150th Anniversary celebration of the church’s founding and unfortunately because of printing delays Mary’s memorial gift wouldn’t be shipped for two more weeks. To add to her bad luck, and minutes before the concert begin, she was detained in the Sanctuary by two detectives investigating her husband.

The detectives arranged for a local television station mobile camera crew to be there when she was arrested, patted down and handcuffed. They reporter followed her out pushing his microphone in her face for a statement when she was escorted and placed in their unmarked dark sedan. She had nothing to say to the reporters while the detectives had plenty. Everything was tactically choreographed to embarrass and scare her.

Mary arrived at the police station, distraught and confused. She was fingerprinted and photographed before being placed in a poorly lighted and dingy interrogation room for questioning by the detectives and long time partners. If successful this bust and subsequent prosecution guaranteed them both promotions.
They considered Mary the weak link of the operation. They were betting she could be manipulated and cowed and they made her wait in the windowless reeking of cigarette smoke integration room for an hour before they talked to her.

Mary’s was dressed tastefully yet elegantly feminine for the concert in a navy blue tropical wool jacket and matching skirt. She was wearing a white ruffled silk-linen blouse. She chose taupe pantyhose and black heels to complete the look.
Her silky and thick mid-back length auburn hair was swept up in an elegant French twist and her makeup was minimal and refreshingly natural.

She was wearing her wedding band that she never took off. She was wearing her grandmother’s South Sea Pearl earrings, one-of-two cherished pieces of jewelry she wore or cared to own. The other piece of jewelry she was wearing was an intricately detailed 18kt gold Celtic cross on a gold chain underneath her blouse that was a gift from her parents.

The detectives started with their usual by talking quietly as they sat across from her keeping out of her personal space. They gave Mary a yellow legal pad and a pen and asked if she would like something to drink, such as a cup of coffee or tea perhaps, and she asked for a bottle of water. They questioned her for approximately two hours pretending to be sympathetic and understanding while trying to coax her into confessing and giving her husband up.

When she asked to use the bathroom they deliberately delayed letting her use it. They claimed the single stall women’s bathroom on the floor was in use each time one of them left the interrogation room to check. They were lying and the questioning continued until she was uncomfortable and fidgeting in her chair with gas pains and cramps. The female detective escorted Mary to the bathroom as if she was doing her a favor. She stood in front of the open stall glaring impatiently at Mary and made inappropriate comments about the disgusting smell.

They changed tactics when she returned from the bathroom by standing close and menacing on either side of her. They leaned forward and got into her face and loudly accused her of being involved in stealing original paintings worth hundreds of millions of dollars and replacing them with forgeries and then selling the originals to private collectors. They pounded on the desk and kicked her chair demanding the names those private collectors.

They assured her they had hard evidence she was guilty and involved in everything, a bluff, when in fact she wasn’t at all. She has no idea what they were talking about. They told her when convicted she would spend years in prison.

They told her a privileged white woman like her will be raped and forced to perform cunnilingus or worse by the hard and violent streetwise women incarcerated with her. They told Mary she will be bought and sold to the highest bidder or merely passed around. They said her pretty face will be cut and disfigured with “bitch scars” if she resisted their advances or snitched to the CO’s. They promised her a lighter sentence in protective custody or the witness protection program if she cooperated, although they had no such intentions or authority.

What evidence they actually found was a USB drive taped under the spare tire in the trunk of her Lexus 460 Sedan. Their computer technician discovered coded text hidden in the EXIF information of the family photo album for closed bank accounts where large sums of money, deposits and withdrawals were shuffled back and forth over a five year period to offshore accounts of unknown origins.

They found luggage containing women’s clothing, a blonde wig and plane tickets to Buenos Aires Argentina. They also found her real passport and fake photo ID’s of various types with different names along with ten grand in cash. She asked for an attorney and invoked her 5th Amendment right to remain silent yet they continued to brow beat her for another half hour until she was close to tears, giving her one last chance write a confession. She prayed silently and found her inner strength and remained defiantly silent and resolute.

Mary tacitly maintained her innocence due to the fact she was totally innocent.
At that point she was begrudgingly given the opportunity of two telephone calls and nobody answered although she left messages. The detective’s next plan as this one failed to get a confession was to see what evidence can be salvaged from the arson fire that pretty much leveled her house to its foundation.

She was arraigned before the judge with a barely competent public defender representing her. Mary tried to speak up twice and was told by the judge to sit down and be quiet. She was removed from the courtroom by the bailiff on her third attempt and bail was set at a quarter of a million in her absence.

The public defender advised her she was to surrender her passport despite the fact the police were holding it as evidence and she was transported to the women’s lockup to be processed and held pending trial.

The Correction Officer she was assigned to, CO Anita Lopez, was a seasoned veteran. Mary was stripped naked right down to having to remove the hairpins in her long and thick, silky auburn hair, and all her clothing and jewelry, including her wedding band was taken away from her.

During the strip frisk, Anita paused to silently admire a beautiful woman.
Mary is 5’ 7” at 140 lbs. She has firm round breasts and a pleasingly voluptuous figure appreciated by discriminating men who prefer the classic natural full figured woman. She has a fair complexion and a cute, ever so slightly turned up button nose. Her ears are small and dainty. Her eyes are sea green and her lips are full and generous warm soft lips begging to be kissed.

Mary walked through the metal detector. This was followed by a routine cavity search where she started quietly crying, wiping away the tears and taking deep breathes trying to compose herself and remain calm. It was obvious to the Officer that Mary is no hard case. She knew an act when she saw one. She knew Mary was not faking. She was firm but gentle with her.

Anita stopped and spoke quietly to calm her. She explained the procedure and the reason for it and her duty to complete it. Recognizing the kindness and consideration, Mary composed herself and quietly submitted. That didn’t mean Anita won’t deal swiftly and harshly when the job demanded it. She was the go to Officer on the women’s block for that.

She handed her baggy orange coveralls and while Mary dressed explained the rules. She gave her advice how to cope with her time there. The most important piece of advice was “never sleep with your head to the bars”.

“You’ll get through this, Mrs. Sheppard, Mary.” Officer Lopez assured her.
“I saw the film footage of your arrest on Channel 4 news. It was disgraceful to arrest you in the Sanctuary of your Church. In case you haven’t heard your husband can’t be found. It’s reported he’s fled the country. It stands to reason if you were guilty, you’d be gone with the wind too. Also, why would you torch your own house to hide evidence and not flee with your husband?

I’m a church going woman and I seldom miss Mass. I know you’re a good woman and I believe you’re innocent. I’ve prayed my Rosary every day since I was five.
I’ve been on the job for 30 years and my faith has kept me safe…these have kept me safe.” Anita reached into her pocket taking something out and kissed them. “They’re very old and holy and are blessed by generations of my families’ women with prayers to God.

They were my mother’s and her mother’s and we’ve lost track how long they have been in the family except they’re very old. I can only guess the number of prayers that have passed through them and I have the rest of the pieces of the broken Rosary at home.

Prayer should be shared and I will pray for you. Your need is greater than mine. Please give me your hand and Mary accepted………three old and polished smooth from much use, black beads on a fragile chain…….

MARY’S CELL SMELLED STRONGLY of disinfectant and faintly of vomit and urine.
She had little appetite and didn’t eat much from the food trays when they were brought to her. She drank sparingly from her sink’s water fountain. The sink and toilet was an integrated one piece stainless steel unit with an upper sink and bottom toilet.

The noise at times was deafening and then dropped unexpectedly to a tense oppressive silence. Ordinary conversations were salted with profanity by the crude women incarcerated there, including the occasional challenges, catcalls, insults and threats. Some good natured and some not, going back and forth between those who recognize and are comfortable with those of their own kind.

Most disgusting and frightening to Mary were the sexual innuendos and direct sexual offers and threats directed at her by the homely lesbian in her early to mid-forties occupying a cell across the way from her.

The woman was very graphic in what she wanted to do to convert Mary to her persuasion of sexual preference. This included a makeover entailing a drastic change in Mary’s appearance, beginning with multiple face piercings and a haircut to name a few. She was licking her lips and blowing kisses while rubbing her breasts and masturbating inside her unzipped coveralls as she described what she wanted to do to Mary.

The obese bull dyke was six-four or better and grotesquely imposing.
Her bullet shaped head was shaved and her head and face, including her large bulbous hooked nose was covered with tattoos of spiders, cockroaches and snakes crawling out of the orifices of corpses in various states of decomposition with demons on her neck leering up with pleasure and approval. Mary shivered in disgust trying not to imagine what other macabre inked landscapes was hidden under the coveralls on her tormentor’s hideous bloated body.

Anita encouraged her to stay strong and to ignore this woman. In fact, she told Mary not respond to any of them or get into in conversations with them, including friendly conversations or believing words of sympathy or concern and
Mary took all Anita’s advice and her gift to heart.

CO Lopez made her final round before shift change and warned the bull dyke who was harassing Mary to stop if she wanted to eat more than one meal a day for the next 9 months. The aggressive lesbian did for the duration of Mary’s stay.

Mary spent the night dozing and waking up from nightmares. She couldn’t get comfortable. Her bed was a hard steel shelf welded to the wall. It had a thin fire resistant mattress covered with rough textured cut resistant material. She was accustomed to roomy beds with lots of big pillows and the single pillow issued to her was small, thin and lumpy. Although freshly laundered, the institutional white sheets were dingy and stained. The label on her new blanket said it was made from reprocessed wool and other unknown fibers and it was irritating and scratchy.

She spent much of the time over thinking her situation about everything Anita told her. She prayed asking God for help with the beads held reverently in her hands. She read the Psalms in the Bible given to her by the female trustee when she came around with the book cart. The next day and night was the same with no visitors, including her Minister and his was one of the telephone numbers she called. Nobody came to post bail. On her third morning Anita brought her a visitor.

“Aaron, thank goodness you’re here? Are you bailing me out? Where is my husband? Is what I’ve been told about him true? Did my house burn to the ground? This is a nightmare. I………….”

“I’ll tell you everything in good time, Mary.” he interrupted. “I’ve posted your bail and retained a top notch attorney for you. I was in Georgia when I heard what happened and on the way here my truck threw a lower bearing in Ohio.
I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner for you. Officer Lopez has been very helpful though and she’s seen to it you’ll be processed and out of here immediately…..”

AARON GABRIEL MCCLOUD WAS 33 at the time of Mary’s arrest. His father abandoned him and his mother when he was six and afterward his life was unstructured and chaotic as he moved from place to place. He seldom ate regular meals then and they often went hungry.

He lived with the changing faces of his mother’s boyfriends. When he turned ten his mother found a decent enough one, Larry. Larry didn’t drink or smoke and had a steady job as a short order cook and helped with the rent and groceries.

They were living in a nice apartment and things were looking up….for his mother. However, between work and Larry, she had even less time for Aaron. He began acting out by skipping school. He spent time on the streets, learning their ways and getting into fights.

By the time of was twelve, Aaron, was taking on bigger and older boys and winning those violent fights. He stole what he could get away with until he was caught stealing a whole uncut Genoa Salami from an Italian Market a few blocks from his apartment. He was nabbed by a Philadelphia Police Detective who ran faster than him. His attempted fight with Frank was brief and futile.

The fleet footed flat-foot brought Aaron back to the Market and made him apologize. Being a practical man, Frank paid the wholesale cost of the slightly battered salami and kept it for himself. He then bought Aaron a proper lunch and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse; be arrested or join up with him.

Frank Gallo was involved with the Big Brothers and Sisters of America.
He and his first wife, Denise raised a daughter who was then living in Seattle and working towards a partnership in her law firm and he saw little of her.
Frank secretly always wanted a son. He married Marie a few years after he lost his first wife to illness. Marie is 10 years younger and he’s crazy about her and she him. Although polite, his daughter is standoffish and distant with his second wife.

He put Aaron on a better path when he paid for him to attend 4 weeks at Youth camp in the Blue Mountains. At the time Frank was scheduled to be there as a youth counselor. Afterward with his mother’s cooperation, Aaron spent every Saturday and Wednesday with him, doing guy things like teaching him to fish and Frank took him to a ballgames. Over time, Aaron spent more time with Frank and Marie Gallo. He became involved in school sports, excelling in football and wrestling.

He received tutoring from Marie after school and she spoiled him with his favorite desserts provided he ate the good balanced meals she put in front of him. To please Marie, Aaron attended church with them on Sunday and he brought his grades up and made the merit role followed by honor role.

Being an Art teacher, Marie bought him a sketch pad and pencils and encouraged him to draw. She recognized talent when she saw it. By the time he turned fifteen, Aaron’s mother had gone through two more men until she found one with a profession. Tim Flint was an Optometrist. He was infatuated with her although not so much Aaron. She married him and left to start a new life in South Carolina while Aaron moved in with Frank and Marie to finish high school.

He graduated high school with honors and enlisted in the Navy to help pay for college, although he joked he joined the Navy to ride the waves. While attending college he discovered a love for writing and published his first Crime Novel in memory of Frank.

Aaron is an average looking man at 6’1” at 170lbs. He keeps his thick brown hair clipped short and tight. He is an amateur boxer and a natural pugilist.
He honed his finesse with his fists while boxing in the Navy. He added this to his street fighting skills of dirty tricks learned growing up in the mean streets of Philadelphia. There the Marquess of Queensberry rules is for heroes or fools.

He’s a successful author and artist. He’s published historical novels under his own name. He’s published a collection of short stories under the penname Ian Stone, using the same for his true crime or crime fiction novels. For relaxation, Aaron writes erotic online stories as Rogue Mercenary such as Romance, erotic- couplings and non-consensual.

Aaron is a patron of the Arts. He first met Mary during an Impressionist Exhibit on loan to her husband’s art gallery and there was an instant attraction between them. She is drawn to his honesty and strength of character, despite the fact he admitted to her he is agnostic. She being married limited their relationship to casual friends. Mary was fascinated with him.

She’s read all his books-everything he’s written actually favoring his compellation of illustrated short stories with their sweet Romantic undertones and his pen, pencil or charcoal drawings accompanying each short story.

Aaron finds Mary to be delightfully demure and naive. He enjoys her natural goodness and kindness toward others. He can sit for hours listening to her play the piano. Mary required the skill of an artist and someone familiar with publishing companies, so naturally, she asked him to help her with a memorial gift for her church. He did the artwork of several detailed pen and ink drawing of the church for her. He enjoyed creating the intricate religious theme borders framing the pages of the hymnal and book of psalms because he did them for her.

They spent several afternoons together chaperoned by the head librarian, Agnes Davis, when they reserved the conference room at the public library and requested she be a technical advisor of sorts and Agnes gladly accepted to be included. In consideration he presented Agnes with three autographed copies of each of his books for the library’s upcoming new addition fundraiser and insisted she keep one of each for herself.

After that Mary and Aaron saw each other at various on loan exhibits at the art gallery or other charity fund raising events. Mary helped him with two of his book signings when he was promoting a new book. They were friends at those public events for a few hours, two or three times a month for two years until Mary’s arrest…….

IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY WITH THUNDER and lightning serenading them as they left the lockup. Unfortunately he had to park two blocks away. He insisted she put on his trench raincoat and fedora. The coat was too large for her so he wrapped it around her and cinched the belt in place to keep it closed.

Mary was able to tuck her hair under his hat to make it fit. As she looked up at him smiling, he had an almost uncontrollable urge to kiss her lips and hug Mary gently to him. Hug and kiss her to assure her she was safe and everything would be fine……and it would be as her attorney had connections having retired from the Justice Department ’But not yet…..not yet.’ He thought assuring himself that time will be coming soon. Mary did get a hug though. Before she left Mary and Anita hugged in the holding center’s main lobby.

After her harrowing experience, Mary was exhausted and relieved to be out of there. She fell asleep on the way to Aaron’s house on Long Island Sound in the new Chevy Suburban he purchased at the Chevrolet Dealer in Ohio. This was the same dealer he had his Silverado towed to after he broke down. He explained his problem to the sales manager and offered them full sticker with the understanding they get it prepped and registered as soon as possible.
Aaron left the Chevy dealership on his way home in less than 6 hours from the time he arrived there.

As he drove he was thinking about his stint in lockup. At that time he was still elated after spending all of August with Frank as a youth counselor paying forward to the troubled youths that he once was. He was arrested a few short days after he turned seventeen when he was looking forward to the upcoming football season as the first string quarterback.

That Thursday evening in September, Aaron pummeled an aggressive Jamaican pimp to the sidewalk. The flashily dressed pimp’s street name is Diamonds.
Aaron allegedly disrespected him when he and his date accidently bumped into him while leaving a restaurant. Anne Granger a pretty blonde cheerleader was his steady girlfriend at the time.

Aaron apologized and tried to leave and Diamonds got in his face and blocked the way. He attempted a shake-down, demanding two pineapples; a pineapple is street slang for fifty dollars. Diamond’s alternative apology was to have Aaron’s date apologize by pleasuring him with her mouth in the backseat of his wheels. Diamonds was flipping a butterfly knife open and closed at the time. Anne was frightened and damn near in a state of panic when she fled back to the restaurant to telephone the police. Anne safely inside was Aaron’s catalyst to action.

He was calculated and merciless and the pimp was rewarded with ruptured testicles from a well placed kick, followed by a concussion when Aaron banged Diamonds’ coconut forcefully on a mailbox leaving most of thug’s gold front teeth on the ground.

He was arrested without incident and the pimp taken to the hospital by ambulance. Aaron told the police he would cooperate and answer questions with an attorney present. He pointed out he was a minor and they had the pimp’s knife making it a clear case of self-defense. They allowed him one telephone call to Marie’s brother’s home in Ohio. They were attending a funeral on Marie’s side of the family. They planned to stay the weekend and return Monday.

As bad luck would have it, Marie’s little niece answered the telephone and accidently pushed the off button disconnecting the line before Aaron could speak. The following calls to that number resulted in busy signals.

The arresting Officer was a mere four years older than his suspect. This was his first arrest. He wondered why Aaron was so calm and cool and why he took his arrest and questioning so lightly. He was sure Aaron was a recalcitrant violent street thug to be able to handle this pimp so easily and thought the phone calls a ruse.

Aaron spent three days in a youth detention facility until his attorney had him released into Frank’s custody pending a court appearance. While in lockup, Aaron’s reputation preceded him. He was assigned a small secure room rather than being housed in the dormitory for the safety of the other youths incarcerated there at the recommendation of his arresting officer.
He was respectful and polite and requested an interview with the social worker on staff. When Mrs. Edith Smith arrived to interview him, they were separated by a concrete wall and talked through a heavy mesh screen for her safety.

During the interview, Aaron gave her a verbal resume, omitting for obvious reasons the details of the confrontation with the pimp and the subsequent charges against him. She didn’t ask about his arrest, although she took notes of their conversation. At the end of the interview he requested a few books if possible, “Great Expectations”, “War and Peace” and “Moby Dick” to pass the time between sit ups and pushups.

He gave her telephone numbers to call as she was leaving and she stopped to write them down. She went to her office and made the calls to verify his veracity. Edith talked to his football and wrestling coaches, who in turn got her in touch with the Dean of Boys. A few hours later, Edith talked to the arresting officer and she talked to Frank and Marie in Ohio. She then brought him two of the requested books.

Frank met with the arresting Officer and the Officer’s patrol Sergeant. Frank and the Sergeant, Richard Davis, fought in the same Marine Rifle Platoon during in Nam. Afterward they graduated the same class in police academy. The meeting turned out well and all three came to an understanding. Before the court appearance, Frank staked out the rundown hotel the pimp rented by the hour for his whores to ply their trade.

He cornered Diamonds in the stairwell. Frank slammed him against the wall while swiftly drawing a sawed-off 16 gauge double barrel shotgun from a custom shoulder holster from underneath a trench rain coat. He jammed it underneath the pimp’s chin and it must have hurt like hell as Diamond’s jaw was wired shut.

Frank’s Lupara was menacing looking enough to stop most hostilities without a shot being fired. It was lethal for close range encounters when loaded with slugs or buckshot for those who didn’t surrender immediately. It had a pistol grip carved from the stock, double-triggers and polished back-bored and meticulously crowned 14 inch barrels.

“I love the boy.” he said quietly. “I don’t like you!” Diamonds’ swallowed hard through his pain and Frank continued. “You’re not going to ruin his life.
For your sake his arrest better not turn out bad for him. Listen carefully, you blood clot…………..”

At his evening court appearance, Aaron had an attorney representing him and Diamonds didn’t show up to testify against him. Edith Smith did to testify in Aaron’s behalf and the courtroom was packed with his friends and teachers from school, including most of his football team. Motions were made and the arresting officer and District Attorney agreed to have the charges dropped…………

WHEN HE PULLED INTO HIS DRIVEWAY Mary was still asleep. She looked very innocent and vulnerable and he felt very protective towards her. He put his hand on hers’ to gently wake her and she sighed, opening her green eyes to look at him. “I’m so tired, thank you, Aaron.” and she squeezed his hand. “what am I going to do now?”

“You’re going to move beyond this unfortunate setback. You bravely faced down those two detectives and according to Anita stayed strong in the lockup” and he squeezed her warm hand and continued to hold it. “A good meal and a few more hours sleep is what you need the most. My house is yours for as long as you need it. Let me help you inside. I put myself at your service pretty lady.” he said making her smile.

And he was thinking. ‘It must have been terrible for her in the woman’s holding center, and yet she stayed strong. I’m very proud how she stood her ground with the detectives. Oh my brave and resolute Mary. Damn her filthy dirty stinking skunk of a husband and what he put her through. Although what a beautiful smile she has! As far as I’m concerned she’s only married to the flea infested mangy polecat on paper now. He abandoned her. He tried to entrap and implicate her.
He burned her home down and fled the country and for what…..money? I hope Mary realizes that too. Divorce him. She’s well rid of him. That progeny of an imbecile and a pox infected whore doesn’t realize he left the real treasure behind and she’s sitting next to me!’

“Yes, a nap and something to eat will be so wonderful.” she admitted. “I feel so dirty. I’d adore a long hot shower and be able to sleep in a real bed or even on a big couch for that matter. Since you’ve been so kind to offer, I accept.” and with that the rain and wind picked up again and they hurried into the house.

“THE GUEST BATHROOM IS UPSTAIRS to the right.” he told her cheerfully while helping her out of the trench raincoat coat and hanging it on the hook in the mudroom. “You’ll find everything you need; plenty of towels, soap, shampoo and other toiletries women prefer because I keep them on hand for Marie when she and Frank visit.”

Mary took off his fedora and handed it him. He watched her long and silky auburn hair, now unconfined, spill down and flow over her shoulders and down her back. She was studying him intently as he turned to hang it on a hook. Mary put her head on his shoulder and hugged him for the first time. She could hear Aaron’s heart beating and it was comforting and assuring. He stroked her hair, such beautiful thick and soft hair he always wanted to touch.

“Take your shower and get some sleep. You’re safe now and I’ll be here when you awake.” Mary hugged him harder and kissed his cheek before letting go.
She followed him upstairs where he pointed to the bedroom she was to sleep.
“There are pajamas or nightgowns in the dresser and closet and other clothes there too. You’re very close in size and I don’t think Marie will mind given the circumstances.” and she followed him in the bedroom. He took a pair of soft yellow flannel cotton pajamas out of the bottom drawer and handed them to her before turning away to pull back the covers and close the curtains…….

THE BATHROOM WAS CLEAN AND BRIGHT with the pleasant scent of vanilla air freshener. The hot shower was exactly what she needed. Mary stood underneath the jets of hot water for a long while before soaping her body twice to wash away all the residue and bad memories of the interrogation room and lockup, realizing it was mostly symbolic. Nevertheless, it made her feel better. She shampooed her hair twice and generously applied conditioner, massaging it in well before rinsing.

The soft cozy pajamas fit loosely, the way she preferred and returning to her bedroom she found Aaron sitting on the bed waiting for her. He changed out of his dark grey suit and was barefoot and casually dressed in green sweatpants and a red tee shirt with the US Navy emblem on it.

Mary slid into the big roomy bed and lavished in the cool, clean, and crisp white sheets and snuggled safely into the mounds of big fluffy pillows he left there for her. The hot shower relaxed her and made her sleepy. He pulled the top sheet and the green polar fleece blanket up to her waist where she could reach them if she wanted them higher. She hadn’t been pampered like this at all while she was married and not since she left home to attend college.

As he turned to leave, Mary asked. “Will you stay here with me until I fall asleep?”

“Of course I will Mary Susan.” Aaron said gently, lying down next to her on top of the covers…………….

MARY AWOKE SEVERAL HOURS LATER to find she was snuggled up close to him under the covers while Aaron was asleep on top of them. She was thinking.
‘This is so nice and this bed is so roomy. I always wondered what it would like to sleep with him’ and that made her smile ‘I’m only married on paper and that won’t be for long if everything I heard about Randall is true. In my heart of hearts I know it must be true. Randall is gone…..my house burned to the ground…..I’m going to……. no I can’t think like that. I’ll be fine. I will not be afraid. The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life. Whom shall I be afraid?”

There are other churches and people are fallible while the Lord my God is not. First there was Anita and then God sent me Aaron when I needed him the most. He is my kind and strong Guardian Angel. Well, so much for a little adventure in my life, dear Lord, if this is the path you put me on then so be it.’

Mary pulled the covers down to her ankles trying not to wake him and she was famished and needed to use the bathroom. She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed and felt his fingers caressing her hair at the nape of her neck giving her goose-bumps.

“I must have dozed off.” Aaron said sliding over to sit beside her. “Since we first met I’ve wondered what it would be like to sleep with you.” He teased, grinning as he got out of bed. He paused to stretch and yawn and rub his head.
This gesture reminded her of a sleepy small boy waking up. Aaron was anything but with that snug tee shirt accentuating long corded muscles and his hard flat stomach. Nonetheless, she found this so sweet. “I’ll get our meal started, pretty lady. Meet you downstairs.”

“What are you making?” she asked after finding him the kitchen.

“I’ve sliced some sharp provolone cheese and Genoa Salami to tide us over. I’m out of crackers and good olives though.” He continued slicing up the vegetables with a Chinese cleaver. “There’s green mint tea in the ice box, very refreshing.
I developed a taste for green tea when I was stationed in Japan.”

“Stationed in Japan when you were in the Navy.” she added going to the refrigerator and taking out the clear glass pitcher of tea. “and you boxed a Gox wearing yellow socks.”

“Do you mean yellow socks as told by Theodor Geisel who is known to most as Doctor Seuss, pretty lady?” he asked laughing. “Yes, in the Navy I boxed many Gox wearing yellow socks, or as Theodor wrote, “Box in yellow, Gox box socks”.

“Goodness that brings back memories. My Mom read me Dr Seuss so many times she had all the books memorized by heart, and that’s the third time you called me pretty lady.” she said laughing at their private joke of yellow socks.

“Do you want me to stop, Mary?”

“No, I like way you say it. It reminds me of something very pleasant.” and she realized how perfectly at ease she was with him given her circumstances.

“I’m making us a jumbo shrimp, lobster and scallop stir fry with vegetables in a lobster sauce. There’s rice in the dedicated rice cooker because it comes out perfect every time. I know this is one of your favorites. Ice is in the ice box and the glasses are in the top cupboard left of the sink. Will you please pour me a tall glass of minty green tea freshness with lots of ice?”

“A flagon of grog coming right up, Sailor.” and Mary was delighted with the playful banter that came naturally to them. “Do you remember everything?” she asked as she poured him a glass of mint tea, pleased he remembered her favorite stir fry when they had Chinese takeout delivered to the library.

“Perhaps.” he replied finishing chopping the vegetables and sliding them off the cutting board into a bowl using the cleaver as a spatula. Mary handed him the glass and let her hands linger on his before he took a sip. Aaron took a long sip and sighed with pleasure. “Thank you that hit the spot.” he said gazing into her sea green eyes with concern in his brown eyes. “When you’re up to it, and it can wait until after we eat, or even tomorrow, I want you to tell me everything that happened and don’t leave anything out……..”

MARY HELPED HIM TIDY up the kitchen after their delicious repast. They sat at the kitchen table across from each other. He told things he knew would upset her. He held her hands during the most difficult revelations. He also assured her all the charges will be dismissed and the planted evidence will be thrown out.

When it was her turn, she told him things that angered him, and particularly how the detectives violated her rights when they continued to question her after she asked for an attorney, and the bathroom debacle, and her jackass public defender not challenging anything and allowing such a high bail.

Mary finished with. “I believe in the power of prayer and divine intervention when we least expect it. Anita gave me part of a very old Rosary to help me pray.
You must be my guardian angel. You showed up when my need was greatest and who says guardian angels can’t be regular mortals sent by God and not even know they were sent? That’s every day divine intervention we can understand.”

“Nobody that I know of.” he admitted. “although I’ve never thought about it that way before. I can assure you I’m no angel. Angels are good and pure of thought and action, whether in the ethereal spiritual form or in earthly corporal guise.
If anyone at this table should be an angel it’s you, Mary. He did you wrong.
He betrayed and implicated you in his crime. He burned your home to the ground. Are you are going to divorce him?”

“Yes, and it can’t be soon enough me, although as far as I’m concerned we’re only married on paper now. I forgive him for the Bible says ‘But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’. It’s God’s will and I’m moving on.”

“There you see! You forgive him! You’re good and kind and forgiving and charitable. I’m not good or forgiving like you. I want justice here and now.
Let Randall litigate his soul at the Last Judgment. Give me one minute alone with him. If that son of a biscuit eater and ballerina walked through that door right now.” and Aaron pointed to the door. “I’d kick his ass up between his shoulder blades for what he did to you! He better pray we’re never in the same room together.” and he was adamant.

“I see him now.” Mary offered getting up and standing by the door. “Randall is standing next to me.”

Aaron got up and walked over to her and asked. “What would you have me do?”

“You’re better than that. I want you promise me you won’t hurt him, Aaron Gabriel McCloud. Will you do that for me? She put her head on his shoulder and hugged him, her hair tickling his cheek. “I can hear your heart beating. It’s a good, strong and honest heart.”

“May I have 30 seconds with him then?” Aaron asked while holding her gently.
“I may not achieve the desired goal of his shoulders however, half way there will suffice.” “No.” she answered, hugging him tighter.

“Ten seconds…..I’ll settle for ten seconds and throw in a toaster. I’ll settle for five seconds and a throw in a blender with the toaster and just two punches, the old one two?”

“No, I’m trying to be serious.” she said laughing. “You must promise not to hit him at all. It wouldn’t be self-defense. He doesn’t stand a chance against you. Do you promise not to hit him?” She asked looking into his brown eyes.

Aaron closed his eyes and sighed knowing he was defeated without a punch being thrown. He was happily resigned to the fact he will do almost anything for her.
He opened them looking into her sea green ones. “Yes pretty lady, I promise by all that I treasure.”

“Thank you.” and she paused to listen. “Do you hear that?” she asked going to the kitchen window and looking out. “it’s not raining, although the wind’s still blowing. May we go for a ride along the coast road?”

“Well, yes.” he said. “But it will be dark soon.”

“That’s fine. Will you please drive me to place where the ocean is deep?”

WHILE HE WAS GETTING DRESSED, Aaron received a call from his publisher and it was good news. Afterward he found Mary waiting in the kitchen wearing his trench raincoat coat over her pajamas. She rolled the sleeves up and as before wrapped his coat around her and synched the belt in place to keep it closed.
He noticed she was wearing the yellow rubber boots Marie wears when they go clamming. “Will you braid my hair for me please?” she asked.

“Yes, but….” he said taken by surprise. “what makes you think I know how?”

“I’m guessing you do.” she answered. “Do you remember when we were working on the Memorial gift in the library?”

“Yes, I remember, pretty lady.”

“I asked you why you never married, Aaron. You told me you were seeing a young Japanese woman. You asked her to marry you, but didn’t finish the story.
You had a faraway look in your eyes when you changed the subject. What really happened between you and her?”

“We didn’t marry because her mother didn’t approve of me.”

“You were what, eighteen or nineteen when you asked her?” Mary inquired.

“I was twenty and willing to move to Japan to be with her. What does this have to do about braiding your hair?”

“The setting of your short story “Nippon Pearl” took place a few years after the atomic bomb was dropped. Your beautiful love story was between homeless Japanese girl, Hisako, and an America sailor, John. It was a happy ending for the lovers in the story. In real life your Japanese sweetheart broke your heart. What is her name?

“She was my first love, Mary, and she did. I’ve never told anybody about her but Joseph. I begged her to reconsider. I got on my knees and prayed to God for all the good it did me. She loved me; however her ties to her family and tradition were stronger. Her name is Shinako. It translates to English as “faithful child.”

“What happened to her, Aaron?”

“Shinako married the wealthy man her parents chose for her and I haven’t heard from her since.”

“In your story, Hisako’s lover, John brushed and braided her hair for her.” and Mary handed him her hairbrush and an elastic hair tie. “Your ink & pen drawing for the story shows a woman with very long hair falling below her waist.
She is standing in front of a window looking out, as if waiting for someone to return to her. I’m surmising Shinako’s hair was long or longer than mine and until today, you’ve only seen me with my hair up. I saw the look in your eyes when I took your hat off. Did Shinako teach you how to braid it?”

“Yes, you’re very insightful, pretty lady and I can do many types of braids and
It will be my pleasure.” He took the brush and started brushing followed by separating her hair into three sections. “Shinako’s hair was waist length and blunt cut all one length, as yours is blunt cut all one length. When Shinako broke up with me it was short and well above her ears. Her mother took Shinako somewhere for a little boys bowl haircut. It was done to humble her and spite me.”

“That’s so sad and it also explains the passion you convey in your short stories and Nippon Pearl in particular. Was it your first short story?”

“You surmise correctly again.” he continued braiding her hair and enjoying it immensely.

“Did you know many devout Pentecostal Christian women do not to cut their hair?” Mary asked. “they want to please and honor their husbands or submit to the literal interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11-15 and I quote “but that if a woman has long hair, it is her crowning glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering”.
My goodness you did that quickly.” Mary said reaching behind to feel the neat and tight three-strand braid. “thank you, I’m ready to leave now.”

Aaron drove her to an out of the way and lonely place on the coastal road and parked on the shoulder. They walked into the wind through the scrub and brush to a small rock shelf on top of one-hundred foot or better cliffs with deep churning violent waters below. It was a place where the ocean relentlessly battered the shoreline.

Mary took off her gold wedding band and clenched it in her fist. She took Aaron’s hand and closed her eyes. She was trembling. Her emotions were rising and falling as they battered against her soul, like the oceans furious turbulent waves battering the rocks below.

She opened her eyes and let go off Aaron’s hand and threw the circle of gold as hard as she could over the edge into the deep cold waters of Poseidon’s realm.

Mary turned to him and flung her arms around his neck, her lips desperately seeking his. Aaron wrapped his arms around her and gently crushed her to him. He kissed her soft and warm generous lips long and deep with the sound of the ocean wind above and crashing turbulent waters below. Those sounds were less than whispers that went unheard and unnoticed as they kissed.

Mary was crying as he kissed her, yet she returned his hot honest kisses with the same passion as before until her sobbing overwhelmed her. Aaron held her gently to him. He let her grief and remaining pent up emotions wash over him like the waves on the breakers. Aaron was her immoveable sheltering rock and she his treasure.

He talked quietly and soothingly, rubbing her back to assure her everything will be fine and telling her she was making the right decision and he will always be there for her. Finally Mary stopped and looked up at him smiling. “I see two tears too many remaining. Let me kiss them away”….and he did.

It was a quiet, reflective drive to the house. They didn’t talk as no words were necessary. Their silent understanding or some might say spiritual-melding began by the sea under the twilight sky binding them together as one…………

IT WAS DARK WHEN THEY PULLED into the long driveway. Aaron purchased the rambling and spacious 2 ½ story house and out buildings primarily for approximately one mile of uninterrupted private beach front with much of it having a cornucopia of fresh clams to harvest. His house was arguably much too large for one person. Over the past 7 years he’d restored to its 1890’s heyday, keeping much of it as original as possible, while upgrading the plumbing and electric, although he often thought. ‘Do I really need 4 full bathrooms and an outside brick outhouse when it’s just me?’

Mary was curious about him after they first met. She drove here when she knew Aaron wasn’t home and fell in love with the house and private beach miles away from other houses on the Sound. She wondered then what her sexy author’s home looked like inside.

As they were walking into the house Mary was thinking. ‘My husband hasn’t touched me in 5 years and we sleep in separate bedrooms. When we were first married and made love, it was slam-bam-thank-you ma’am, and he’d roll over and go to sleep. Now I’m with a deeply passionate and good man. Aaron is my sexy guardian angel and no one can convince me otherwise. Aaron’s hugs and kisses make me feel so desirable and sexy.

His first love broke his heart and he was devastated. I’m certain expressing himself with his beautiful and tender “Nippon Pearl’ is his way of easing the pain.
Even now he’s not completely over her. His eyes give him away. Aaron’s the strong and silent type and he is so cute when he rubs his head as he yawns and stretches. I’ve never been kissed this way before. I’ll make him forget her. I’ve been in love with him since the beginning and grew to love him more each time we were together….’

After he closed the back door and locked it he was thinking. ‘Mary is finally mine. I’ve wanted her since we first met and I’d almost given up hope until…. and he smiled inwardly. ‘Velvet Bunny and Rouge Mercenary have corresponded anonymously for two years now. It is well that I use a different style of writing for my on-line stories. I wonder if she knows or suspects Rouge Mercenary is yours truly.

I’ve written the story line and sex scenes for my continuing series “DELILAH’S AWAKENING” just for her, an anonymous fan who calls herself velvet bunny.
I encouraged her and gradually drew her out as she opened up more and more to me. Mary has projected her sexual desires, preferences and fetishes into this story. She wrote in great detail to tell me what sexual adventures Delilah wants to have. Mary is expressing herself through Delilah Brown as her avatar.

Delilah, a good and chaste Christian woman who meets a man, Gabriel Stone, at a religious retreat. She submits to him totally and falls in love as her repressed sexuality blossoms…….’

WHILE HE WAS HELPING HER OUT of the trench raincoat coat and putting it on the hook she asked. “Aaron, may I use your telephone? I need to call home to Pennsylvania and tell Myra and my mother where I’m staying and everything is fine. I’m certain they know what happened by now and must be worried sick.
As we discussed earlier I won’t talk about the specifics of my court case. I’ll give them the bare minimum and I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“You must kiss me first.” he tugged playfully on her braid. “Now that I’ve tasted your luscious lips, I crave them always. Be sure to tell Myra that too. Tell Myra and her husband John they may visit here anytime. Oh, yes and be sure to tell your best friend you’re my pretty lady, now and forever.” he said grinning while pulling her gently to him.

She put her arms around his neck and kissed his lips long and deep. “How was that?” and she kissed him again the same.

“Heaven on earth, Mary, and I’ll write that in stone. While you’re on the phone I’ll be taking a hot soak in the swan bathroom. This is a big house and I want you to move in with me so feel free to look around…….”

AARON WAS SOAKING IN HIS ANTIQUE oversize copper and brass bathtub in the shape of a swan. Five feet wide and nine feet long; it was the hot tub of the wealthy and well to do of the 1890’s. It must have cost the original owners a pretty penny. This bathroom was more than twice the size of the others which would have been considered quite large in their time. The other bathrooms had showers and the traditional large claw foot tubs that were much larger than average than the norm for their day. The hot water was soothing and relaxing and he was deep in thought working through ideas for another short story.

“Aaron, close your eyes.” she said knocking on the door. “I need to use the bathroom.” he did and she walked in as bold and naked as can be to put a bamboo tray on the marble vanity. “You may open them now.” and he did and she said. “I made us some hot green tea.”

“Have you ever done this before, pretty lady?”

“Do you mean serving a gentleman tea?” Yes and I found this darling Japanese teapot set in the cupboard with these precious matching little cups.” She poured tea into two cups and handed him both. “Are these cranes?” she asked holding up the teapot.

“No, I’m not talking about serving tea, but thank you. Yes they’re cranes.
You’ve pinned your hair up. What I’m getting at is….”

”Do you like my hair up?” she asked interrupting him.

“You know I do; you look sexy and tantalizing with your hair up a messy bun for me to take down.”

“Do you like my hair swept up in a French twist?”

“Mary, please stop changing the subject!”

“Yes. Sir.” she answered climbing into the tub and taking her tea cup from him and taking a sip. “Mary, have you ever…..”

“Taking a bath with a man before, “She interrupted so he took a sip of tea, “No, of course not, unless you count the times I did as Delilah with her Sir, and lover Gabriel, AKA Rouge Mercenary.” and Aaron almost choked on his tea. “How long have you known it was me, Mary?”

“I didn’t until just, now, Sir. I wanted it to be you. I fanaticized it was you when we exchanged e-mails. I was afraid to ask. What if it was and you thought less of me, a married woman doing something like that? After I got off the telephone with Myra, I was trying to figure out how to tell Rouge Mercenary I wouldn’t be e-mailing him any longer.

I was going to ask to use your laptop when it occurred to me what you said,
“I’ll write that in stone”….Stone…..GABRIEL STONE? You inadvertently let it slip so I decided to surprise you and make us tea. I suspected and you confirmed.
How long have you known it was me, Aaron?”

“I knew almost from the beginning. I was selfish, I know. I was torn; what if disclosing who I am made you stop sharing with me, perhaps not even wanting to ever see me again. I couldn’t bear those thoughts. Every moment I spent with you was bitter sweet and precious to me. I looked forward to your e-mails my velvet bunny.

You were married and beyond my reach. Sometimes I didn’t see you for weeks at a time. When we parted the memory of your smiles were all that remained to brighten my time away from you. When we were together I wasn’t allowed to hold you in my arms or kiss your sweet and generous lips…….to tell you I love you.
I realize you’re going through difficult times, and I’m willing to wait until.” and she interrupted by kissing his lips.

“I love you too, Sir.” and she snuggled up close to him sitting between his legs for him to hold her and he did, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I’ve slept alone for five years. The only sexual release I’ve had is…..well….you know. I don’t want to wait! I want to experience everything we wrote together. Randall has no imagination. I have no prior experience to judge him by except from what I read and given that he’s a lousy lover. He is selfish with no consideration for my needs. With him it was missionary or nothing. His idea of Romantic music playing in the background while making love is the “Minute Waltz”.”

“Don’t tell me.” Aaron said laughing. “Was it because that’s all it took for him?”

“Yes, exactly…..well almost exactly.” she laughed along with him, “although sometimes it might have to be played twice.”

“Forget that son of a biscuit eater, he’s history. There’s only you and I now and your Sir wants you to pleasure yourself….Like you asked me to write for you in Chapter 3, beautiful. Your nipples are already hard.” he said cupping her breasts and rubbing her nipples with his thumbs. “You have such beautiful breasts with marvelous up turned nipples……that’s it…slide down and get comfortable.
I know you’re aroused.” and he kissed her cheek. “Can you feel my hard cock pressing against you and isn’t this better this way, pretty lady.”

“Yes, Sir.” she said almost purring with pleasure. “Oh….mmm that feels so, so very good.” she moaned softly closing her eyes. Mary leaned back to pleasure herself snuggling comfortably against his hard body as he stroked and caressed her breasts and nipples.

She slowly slid the middle finger of her right hand down her body from the base of her neck and down in-between her breasts, past her stomach to her mons and ran her fingers through her abundant pubic hair for the last time, knowing her Sir’s preference from their story. It must be shaved smooth and totally hairless to be always available for his mouth and tongue. She amazed herself that she could do this in front of a man. She knew deep down inside it couldn’t with any man but him.

She was breathing deeply, totally relaxed, thinking of Aaron’s hard muscular body and how he kisses her with such testosterone laden passion with their tongues intertwined, fluttering and probing as they did on the cliff by the sea under the twilight sky.

Mary…… or was she Delilah, could feel his hard pulsating cock pressed up against her and wondered what it would be like to have his cock in her mouth and taste his rich and delicious creamy seed for her to swallow.

She rubbed her vagina with the palm of her hand stimulating herself until she was moaning softly while her index and middle finger stroked around the outer lips of her vagina and then towards her clit. She was in sublime ecstasy and totally relaxed and aroused.

“Do you want to come, Mary.” he asked, pinching her swollen upturned nipples giving her the contrast of pain and pleasure she was now experiencing as she asked him to write.

“Yes, please.” she whispered. “Your pretty lady wants to come, Sir”.

”Say it Mary, you must use the words.” Aaron demanded as she knew he would, grabbing her wrist and pulling her hand away from her engorged swollen flower.

“I want to fucking come, Sir. Please let me fucking come!”

“What else do you want pretty lady, tell your Sir?”

“I want to lick and suck on your hard cock, Sir.” and Mary could feel her face flush red with embarrassment and pleasure thinking. ‘I wonder what his semen tastes like?….but oh goodness me, my first cock sucking and I’m going to lick and suck and drive him fucking wild….oh I’m so fucking naughty.’

He let go of her hand and let her continue this erotic pleasure as Mary’s breathing became deep and heavy…her middle finger entering her swollen aroused sex, followed by a second, her legs were spread wide as she ravished her vagina and clitoris with both hands, the other rubbing and pushing against the abundant thick curly hair of her mons pubis.

Soon, Mary was moaning loudly and kept on saying. “Oh, I’m fucking coming….I’m so fucking naughty oh, ah, I’m fucking coming” and she squirming in his arms as her sweet orgasm washed over her in turbulent waves of pleasure. She collapsed satisfied to enjoy the warm afterglow of her orgasm, her juices of arousal mingling in the hot bath water and he turned on the hot water handle to refresh the warmth.

‘I can be my secret self with him.’ she was thinking. ‘I only dreamed it could be like this…..oh Dear Lord thank you for sending him to me. And my sweet Guardian Angel, I will submit to you totally as Delilah did with Gabriel in the privacy of our bedroom of shared desires. I will make you a good wife and make a good home for us…’

Aaron gently held her, enjoying the quiet intimacy. He reached for his tea and taking a thoughtful sip. ‘Mary is truly a treasure and she has given herself to me freely, heart and soul…….do you know what I’m thinking God? Assuming you exist of course, and if you do I beg your pardon. Mary’s faith in you is strong and unquestioning. If we are committing adultery in your eyes, punish me not her.
I will gladly spend an eternity in Hell to be one day with her in Heaven.
Do we have a deal? Please don’t take her from me now. I will love and protect her to my last dying breath….do we have a deal?’

“Aaron, do you play the piano?”

“No, baby, have you been in the ballroom?

“No, but I saw the grand piano through the sheer curtains of the glass on the doors. Did it come with the house?”

“Yes, the previous owner said it was here when he bought the place. He and his wife covered it with tarps and closed off the room off. I use the room for my workouts with my kettle bells because of the view of the ocean”

“Did he say why they closed it off?” she asked.

“He didn’t say and I didn’t ask. I was getting a free Steinway grand piano. It works fine though as far as I can tell and all the keys work. I’ve never gotten around to having it professionally looked at or tuned. Do you have any suggestions who to call?”

“Yes, may I call him? I’ll play you the Minute Waltz.” she teased………….

AFTER THEIR INTIMATE SOAK IT WAS GETTING LATE. They had a light meal of soft poached eggs and whole wheat toast. Mary changed into a filmy light blue nightgown and they cuddled together on the couch and talked about going shopping to buy clothes for her tomorrow.

She was delighted Aaron would be going with her to help her pick things out. Gabriel had definite preferences how he wanted his pretty lady dressed and from their conversation, so does Aaron. Afterward they were going grocery shopping.

Mary put her arms around his neck and kissed his lips long and deep.” I love you, Aaron Ian McCloud.” and she rubbed the back of his head and kissed him again.

“And I love you beautiful. I never thought I’d find love like this again. You make me complete.” he replied taking her face gently in his strong hands and he returned her kisses. He then put his hand lightly on her mons pubis rubbing through the nightgown. He cleared his throat and gave her a stern look that made his meaning very apparent. “You’ll find everything you need in the bathroom you showered in earlier………”

‘HE SAID OUR “BEDROOM.’ she thought as she was walking up the stairs.
‘And you make me complete. I’ve spent 10 years of my life with the wrong man. Yes I forgive you Randall; however Myra was always right about you. My eyes are wide open. You’re a dirty back stabbing dirty polecat. You don’t believe in God and with you it was all a sham! You worship money. Aaron may have his doubts about God, nonetheless he’s a better man than you’ll ever be.’

She walked into the bathroom and found Aaron’s black Oster Model 10 clippers on a folded towel and she was thinking. ‘These must be what he uses to keep his hair so short.’ She remembered seeing this type of traditional electric clipper with a long black cord as a little girl when she went with her Daddy to Mr. Parker’s barbershop on Saturday afternoons.

Mr. Parker always had coloring books and crayons for her and a peppermint stick. Mary used to believe the spinning barber pole under glass was a big peppermint stick until Myra set her straight. They were both in Kindergarten when she told her and they’ve been best friends ever since.

The barbershop was across the street from the old Woolworth’s building with its worn and creaky wood floors. After his traditional straight shave and what her mother called a businessman’s haircut, her Daddy treated her at the Woolworth’s soda fountain to a chocolate soda. They sat at the counter on the tall chrome and red vinyl upholstered stools that were bolted to the floor and would spin around together.

The clippers felt heavy and substantial in her hand. ‘Well, here goes.’ she thought, plugging them in and spreading a towel on the floor to stand on. Mary turned them on and they vibrated to life and started getting warm.

She made several passes removing the bulk of her curly pubic hair, finding the warm vibrating blades stimulating and pleasant in their efficiency. She ran her fingers over the remaining contrasting stubble and sighed knowing there was no turning back as she got into the shower to soften her skin with the hot water followed by the shaving cream, the same Olay Vanilla Cashmere she prefers when she uses her Lady Venus 5 blade razors.

While she was applying the soothing and moisturizing shaving cream there was a knock on the door. “Mary it’s me, I have to use the bathroom, please close your eyes.” and she didn’t as she was wise to that trick, keeping them open as he walked in wearing his birthday suit. “I’ve been thinking, pretty lady. I’ve decided to shave along with you so I can taste scrumptiously delicious for you as you will for me.”

“In our story Gabriel refused when Delilah asked him to do that.” she said surprised. “You’d do that for me, sweetheart?”

“Yes and sweetheart sounds nice when you say it.” And he was smiling as he stepped on the towel and picked up his clippers making several passes and leaving a trail of stubble adding to her fallen forest. “Share and share alike my love. Gabriel was obtuse on that subject. I’m interested in a life partner, Mary.”

“Then we’ll shave each other.” Mary suggested. “Shave me first.” and she sat on the edge of the tub and spread her legs for him to begin. Aaron added more water and shaving cream and quickly and expertly shaved her smooth and delicious. He rinsed and lathered a second time, having done this for a few of his lovers over the years.

Aaron sat on the edge of the tub and for Mary this was a new sexual adventure and he delighted in her enthusiasm. She took her time, massaging the vanilla shaving cream in well and kissing his lips and rubbing his face neck and shoulders while she kissed him.

She was very careful as she shaved him, twice, taking her time and concentrating at the task at hand so as not to nick or cut him. Aaron noticed as before how Mary tucks her lower lip, as she does when she is reading or thinking intently about something and that always makes him smile for he finds it endearing.
She finished by licking and kissing the tip of his hard cock, and then she hugged him tight. She took his hand and they walked to their bedroom and once there she hugged him, putting her head on his chest to hear his reassuring comforting heartbeat and said, “Sweetheart?”

“Yes baby.” he replied stroking her hair gently.

“I’ve never sucked on a man’s cock before.” Mary admitted, catching him by surprise and making Mary even more desirable than before. “Will you talk me through it like Sir did for Delilah?”

“Do you want to do it as I wrote it for you, baby. You want to pretend to be Delilah?”

“Yes Sir, I love you, except we’ll be actually doing it and no more avatars.”

“How can I say no, my love? It will be my pleasure and privilege, please begin…”

“Please?” Mary asked getting down on her knees in front of him and hugging his legs. “Please you promised you’d let me and I’ve been good. I want to pleasure you with my mouth, Aaron?”

“You will not address me by my first name when we’re alone until you learn all I have to teach you.” Aaron severely admonished her getting quickly into character. He gave Mary goose bumps as he continued to scold her. “We are not in public and we discussed this. Have you forgotten your place? I am your Sir!” and he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilled her head up to make her look into his eyes. “Bring me your hairbrush…..now!”

She quickly brought her brush back and stood before him with her hands crossed in the front looking down at her feet and not meeting his eyes

“You’re backsliding already. Must I treat you as a child? Must I punish you like one?”

“Please, Sir, I’m not a child.” Mary answered still not meeting his eyes while being aroused and thrilled at the thought of being dominated by Aaron. “I meant you no disrespect, Sir.”

“I don’t see it that way.” he replied. “I allow you great latitude and freedom in most things, however in this there will be no compromise.”

“Please don’t be angry with me. Please don’t spank me. I’m sorry.” Mary pleaded looking up into his intense brown eyes.

Aaron sighed. “Very well, I forgive you, pretty lady. I’ll forego your spanking. Nonetheless, contrition without penance is an empty vessel. We will discuss your penance tomorrow morning. Have you ever sucked on a man’s cock before…..please forgive the question. Of course you haven’t and I shall teach you. Give me the brush turn and around.”

Aaron took Mary’s hair down from the messy bun, knowing she styled this way in keeping with their story. He took his time brushing it and smoothing it down her back and she enjoyed every minute of his pampering.

He finished and said. “You will grow your hair much longer for me. I want it touching the bottom of your buttocks.” and he took a pillow from the bed and dropped to the floor, pointing for Mary to kneel on it and she did. “Let’s start over. Say the words.”

“I……May I suck on your cock, Sir? I want you to lick and suck on your cock.”

“Much better and yes you may. Start with your tongue. Be sure to look into my eyes when you are licking and sucking unless you’re told otherwise. Yes that’s right. Lick the entire shaft……..mmm……..Marvelous!

Take your little tongue and lick the entire circumference of the tip. Very good your tongue feels wonderful. Alternate between the two, the shaft and the tip… the shaft and the tip. Lick in a circle around the circumference of my cock with your tongue on the tip…in a circle with your tongue on the tip… keep licking.

Very nice pretty lady you are doing fine for your first cock sucking. ……..Imagine that your tongue is butterflies’ wings fluttering from flower to flower. Flutter your tongue on the tip… good…….. In a circle, on the tip, on the shaft, good you are developing your own technique already……..start sucking…….good…..take my whole cock in your mouth……all the way to the way down…..good….all of it and hold it there.

Do you feel my cock throbbing and pulsating in your mouth? I am holding back my orgasm to prolong the sensual pleasure……back off your teasing and lick the clear pre-come off of my cock… good stop…..keep looking at me but continue to kiss and nuzzle my cock and balls…….”

All the while that Mary was licking, Aaron’s hands were buried in her long and thick silky hair and he was playing with it as he talked to and encouraged her. “You know when I’m about to orgasm by my pulsating and throbbing cock followed by the pre-cum. Learn how it tastes and then back off unless I hold you in place for you continue to finish. I will pump my semen into your mouth to swallow.

If I were to orgasm right now, I will use your beautiful hair to hold you in place immediately ejaculate into your mouth. When I do, I will pull out slightly just before so you won’t gag or choke….start licking.

I like to have my balls licked …..Mmm….very nice………keep licking……..lick the inside of my legs where my balls hang….. ah, yes nice, very nice……start sucking on my cock and be sure to be careful with your teeth…good….suck and look up at me, Mary…….slow down….pause and let me see your eyes and watch your teeth…mm…. yes, yes …ah……..Nice, but enough we’ll finish this blowjob in bed. “

He got into bed and got comfortable in the pillows, sitting with his back on the headboard and Mary joined him, lying on her stomach. She started with kissing with little licks here and there. She kissed and licked his balls and the insides of his legs, all the while teasing and probing her tongue as he taught her by licking the tip and shaft in a circular motion while fluttering her tongue.

Getting up on her hands and knees to reach forward, Mary kissed his face and then lips long and deep their tongues seeking and probing. She kissed and licked his neck and chest while working her way to his stomach, caressing his body with her long flowing hair.

Mary worked her way down and continued to kiss and lick his body until she reached his cock. She took it into her mouth and started sucking, moving her head up and down the shaft. “Slow down and watch your teeth.” he warned tugging her hair and cuffing her head lightly. “School is in session and this is your final exam to graduate. If you pass I will take you out for breakfast tomorrow morning.”

Aaron slid down on lay his side, adjusting the pillows under his head to get comfortable and Mary shifted down lying on hers. She was very careful with her teeth while she started sucking and licking. He played with her hair, pulling it back in into a ponytail, twisting it up into a bun and then letting it down again to caress her shoulders and back, repeating the hair play. Aaron was in total ecstasy and in the pre-orgasmic zone trying to prolong the inevitable.

His violent orgasm was like a volcano erupting and his semen felt red hot as it flowed into her mouth like molten cum, as she managed to swallow most of and it except for a smidge on her chin.

She sat up smiling at him and her eyes were shining. She was licking her lips and he wiped the spilled semen her chin with his fingers and then she licked and kissed his fingers clean. Next he held her hair away from her face while she cleaned his cock and balls thoroughly with her mouth and tongue before snuggling up close to him, touching his face and smiling. “How was that Sir.” she asked.

“It was fabulous and even better than that for your first time, baby.
We should get some sleep now. We have a lot of shopping to do tomorrow…..”

MARY AWOKE AROUND THREE in the morning from a pleasant dream. In the dream Aaron was standing beside her in a church and they were singing hymns, with their twins, her little boy next her and Aaron’s little daughter next to him.

Aaron was sound asleep and lying close to her breathing deeply in and out and she was thinking how cute and precious he looked sleeping peacefully next to her. She took his hand in hers and said a little prayer asking God to keep him safe and grant Aaron his divine favor. She then adjusted her pillows and snuggled up closer and put her arm around his waist, content and warm and drifted off into a deep peaceful slumber.

THE ALARM WAS SET FOR SEVEN, however Aaron woke up ten minutes early from a pleasant dream and found Mary snuggled up close with her arm over his thigh. He recalled his dream vividly for a few seconds, yet it was almost impossible to describe the breathtaking beauty of it in mere words.

He was standing next to Mary holding hands. They were where in a church without a defined physical structure that was larger than infinity and beyond.
He was surrounded by a benevolent omnipotent light that penetrated every atom of his being with love and acceptance.

He knew if he let go of Mary’s hand he might never see this light or inhabit this heavenly plane of existence again with her by his side. The thought of such a loss was unbearable. He carefully and gently took her hand and held in his as not to wake her…..trying to remember the details to write everything down about the benevolent light as it dimmed out of his waking memory into the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window……

WHEN THE ALARM WENT OFF Mary awoke to find him holding her hand.
“Good morning sweetheart.” she greeted as he turned for her to hug him and kiss him and she did and asked “Where are we going for breakfast?”

“Hang on!” and he jumped out of bed to turn off the alarm and got back into bed with her. “There’s a little Greek family diner called “THE OLYMPIA” not far from here that has a delicious Slovakia breakfast that includes toast, eggs, fried potatoes and coffee. I always add fried onions, sweet and hot peppers to my potatoes. They allow me to substitute chunks of marinated lamb for the marinated beef and I like their thick sliced Italian toast, not to mention I know how much you like lamb chops. They have those too and a marinated and stewed lamb shank served in a wine sauce with roasted vegetables and lemon potatoes made like nowhere else.”

“That sounds wonderful sweetheart. I can’t wait to get this day started! What do you want me to wear?”

“Why don’t you wear your navy blue jacket and matching skirt? When you purchase new clothes you can change into them and we’ll take what you were wearing now to the drycleaners……….”

MARY FOUND AARON IN THE BALLROOM working out with his 50 lb kettle bells. He was stripped to the waist and wet with honest perspiration from the vigorous workout. He continued the repetitions ignoring her as he concentrated at the task at hand. She watched, fascinated, as his corded muscle moved underneath his skin accentuated by the sheen of his sweat and she thought, “My dear Guardian Angel is so strong and sexy, unlike you know who and good riddance, Randall.’

He finished and walked up to her and said satisfyingly. “I needed that morning workout to get the old blood pumping and now for a tepid shower. You look lovely with your hair in a French twist, pretty lady. I know what you want and need. I remind you from last night that contrition without penance is an empty vessel. I’ll be ready in ten.”

“Aaron I can’t!” she protested. “I can’t wear my hair like that in public dressed like this!”

“If you truly want to explore your submissive nature and sexual preferences or too share our secret sexual desires, you will comply. You’ve read my non-consensual stories, and I’m allowing keep your panties on….for now. Leave your hair up and I’ll see you in ten……”

AS AARON WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS he could hear music coming from the ballroom and it wasn’t difficult to guess who was playing. When he walked in Mary smiled at him, a smile to brighten his day and warm his heart. She noticed he was dressed casually in blue jeans, a green tee shirt with the US Navy embalm silk screened on it. He had traded his spit shined black dress shoes for well oiled and comfortable brown wellington boots. Given the worn and faded denim jean jacket he was wearing, Aaron’s overall attire had noticeable contrast to her Sunday go to meeting clothes.

Mary stopped playing and said.”Everything inside is tight and sound and all the keys strike true. It does need a professional tune-up and cleaning though to bring out the potential of this wonderful old piano. Just give me one minute Sir and then I’ll submit to my penance.” and with that Mary began playing the “Minute Waltz” for him. She finished and he walked over to the piano bench clapping his hands. “Very nice pretty lady, that was very nice indeed. Please take a bow.”

Mary got up smiling and curtseyed and Aaron bowed to her at the waist with a flourish making her laugh and smile all the more which was his intention.
He then took her by the hand and by the waist and they danced slowly about the room without music except for the music of their beating hearts and so much in love. “You’re incredible, Mary Susan.” he said as they danced about the room. “You’re bright and cheerful, optimistic and upbeat despite everything bad that has happened to you. How does the bible verse go about hoarding treasure on earth? I believe it is somewhere in Matthew.”

“Matthew 6:20.” Mary said smiling and happy he knew about. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”

“For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” Aaron finished the last line and he stopped dancing to kiss her. “And you have taken this verse to heart and live your faith, pretty lady. You are my treasure, Mary and where my heart is.”

“Sweetheart, I wasn’t aware you know Bible verses. I thought you’re agnostic?”
“As a writer, I have read the Bible for its historical perspective as our laws are based on Judo-Christian principles. I do appreciate the psalms in particular for their beautiful flow of words.

That being said your Sir demands your obedience”….and he let go of her and took two steps back. “Take your hair down……..very nice…..drop the hairpins on the floor…. now finger comb it…excellent……shake your head. Outstanding……shake it again so your hair partially covers your face….excellent you look incredibly succulent and sexy.”

He took two steps forward and put his hands on her waist and looked into her sea green eyes and said. “Stick your tongue out at me.” which made her giggle and she caught herself and stopped as she stuck it out. “Give me your best pout, because I’m fixing your hair in braided pigtails.” and she did catching herself from smiling and pouted prettily as she put her arms around his neck to be kissed and he did after crushing Mary to him gently and kissing her lips long and deep. “Please sit on the bench my love and I’ll get started.”

Mary was anticipating ordinary and childish three-strand braids for her pigtails although Aaron had something a bit more refined in mind for her. He parted her hair in the middle and created double French braids and when he finished, she absolutely adored this casual style. “There you see.” he complimented “You look beautiful and youthful with twin braids, my pretty lady, regardless what you’re wearing. Shall we go…………?”

APPARENTLY AARON WAS MORE THAN A REGULAR CUSTOMER at the restaurant as Mary pleasantly learned because all the waitresses, the cook, and bus boys all knew him and she discovered they were the sons and daughters of the owners, Aleck Nickas and his wife Carina who asked enthusiastically.

“Is there an engagement coming soon, Aaron? For you’ll I’ll cater your wedding for free. Mary, congratulations! He’s never brought a lady here before, and I made Aaron promise he would when found the right one. As we all know, Aaron always keeps his word…..”

MARY AGREED WHOLEHEARTEDLY about the Slovakia breakfast, although she ordered hers with beef so they could share, each taking a portion of meat from the others plate. This is something the biscuit eater never allowed.
Randall ordered what he wanted and she ordered what she wanted and heaven help her if she reached across with her fork to taste from his dish.

After they ate, Aleck and Carina sat and had coffee with them and they made small talk. Aaron said they were going shopping to buy Mary clothes because of the fire. Carina showed them pictures of their grandchildren and before they left Carina hugged Mary and whispered in her ear.

“Now that we’ve met, I don’t believe anything I read about you in the newspapers. I’ve seen the pencil sketches he’s did of your church and if Aaron chose you for his lady you’re innocent and that’s good enough for me…….”

THEY SPENT MOST OF THE DAY selecting her clothes together that were to be the basics of her new wardrobe and her hair remained in pigtails. They first went to a farm and family tractor supply store and Mary made her first selections and changed into them; snug blue jeans and a creamy white linen peasant blouse with ¾ sleeves green leaf embroidery on the collar. She traded her black heels for a pair of ladies lace up soft brown leather low heel western boot that fit like a glove. Her last purchase there was a stone washed and faded denim jean jacket that was similar to what Aaron was wearing and like the one she wore all through high school.

‘He’s so very patient and my husband refused to go shopping with me, including grocery shopping.’ Mary thought as they went from Mall to Mall and store to store. ‘Aaron prefers me mostly in dresses, or skirts and blouses, but then I shouldn’t be surprised about that. He loves to be hugged and touched as do I and goodness, what fun!’

Their many intimate touches and little their gentle hugs and kisses were anything but overt or tasteless that day. He helped her select all her undergarments such as camisoles, baby doll and other nightgowns to name a few including her stockings and garter belts. He insisted on only the best of the best for her and they chose real silk, linen or the finest pima cotton when available. Mary bought new makeup, what she normally used plus sexy or sultry for her Sir when he demanded that look, and hopefully soon for a little scenario she had in mind and a surprise he didn’t know about…………

AARON DIDN’T WANT TO ALARM MARY or have her worry when he noticed what appeared to be the same woman following them from Mall to Mall.
This mentioned suspicious woman was in her early to mid-forties.
She was tall with a trim and lithe figure and had shoulder length strawberry blonde hair. The woman’s hair was styled differently each time he looked for her.
It was either pulled back in a low ponytail, or down and loose and that got him to thinking and raised his suspicions.

When he first noticed her, this woman’s hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing dark grey slacks and a hip length white blouse that was long enough to conceal a firearm in an IWB or paddle holster. She wore a different color blouse when he saw her again in another Mall. At the previous Mall she was wearing tinted glasses and her hair was down. Now she was wearing different style of tinted glasses, had a ponytail and wearing a dark green woman’s rain parka when he caught a glance of her as he walked into Victoria Secrets.

The only constant was her black crossover walking running shoes and dark grey slacks. She always positioned herself in such a way that he never had a direct look at her. There was always an object or people partially blocking his view.
He suspected she was one of the detectives, Dana Lacey, who arrested and publically embarrassed and shamed Mary so Aaron decided to turn the tables on her.

While they were in Victoria’s Secrets he said. “Mary, I want you to do something for me as your Sir and no questions asked. Will you please sit in the changing room until I send you a text message on your cell-phone to come out.” and she did.

Aaron made a small purchase and included a brief note to the store’s logo bag before he walked out of the store into the concourse. In front of the store was a large rectangular planter box above the skylight with rows of benches along its perimeter. It was a veritable indoor jungle of large leafed tropical plants.
Aaron sat at one of the benches facing the storefronts. He took the bag out of his pocket and stretched and put his arms on the back of the bench.

He waited a few minutes and discreetly reached behind and pushed the small bag into the green foliage. He waited a few more minutes and got up to glance at the plants as if to make sure his package wasn’t visible. He then took out his cell phone to text Mary before walking back into Victoria’s Secrets which was their last stop before grocery shopping.

After they left the store, Dana called her partner and when he arrived continued their surveillance focusing on the planter and they waited out of sight from different vantage points to see who came to retrieve the drop…..they waited until the mall closed. She cursed Aaron under her breath for the enclosed note that read, ‘Dana, we’re going grocery shopping after we leave the mall. Here’s some under cover underwear for you to wear. They’ll help you from being seen and I’ve included a pair for your partner.’

Embarrassed and angry, with her anger rising in temperature to red hot and seething at being mocked, she angrily shoved the bag and its contents into her parka’s pocket ending the surveillance now that she was made. Aaron’s purchase was two pair of novelty bright red panties with the word [bimbo] printed in white bold letters on the front and back of them……..

MARY NEVER HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL time grocery shopping in her life and Aaron as well. They both had a grocery list and went their separate ways meeting when they passed in the aisles and stopping to kiss after comparing their lists, planning their meals together as they shopped for the next two weeks. He was taking her clamming the next day and he bought extra butter for steamed clams, as well as the bread crumbs, bacon, celery and onion for baked clams’ casino.

When they went out together the next morning what a wonderful adventure she had with him harvesting the ocean’s bounty and getting wet and perhaps a bit cold and she didn’t mind a bit.

They stopped for coffee and a bagel before they returned home from shopping and later on, Mary made him her mother’s famous meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and apple sauce. They did their dishes together and at sunset and lay on a blanket in the sand holding hands and watching the contrast of pinks and orange and purples as the sun dipped below the horizon of the ocean. Aaron didn’t join her for bed right away. He had all these ideas bouncing around in his head and stayed up well past two in the morning writing them down
……….

MARY WANTED TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION with her attorney and dressed tastefully and conservatively as if attending a Sunday Church Service.
She wore a waist hugging long sleeve knit Maxi- dress in a vibrant emerald green with a V-neckline, modesty panel, shirring at the shoulders and a side knot with ruching at the waist. Aaron chose the emerald green to bring out the color of her green eyes. She was wearing a garter belt for the first time and her stocking were neutral and she was wearing black pumps. Mary’s silky and thick long auburn hair was swept up in an elegant French twist. Her makeup as always is minimal and refreshingly natural as always…and of course she was wearing her pearl earrings and gold cross.

The first meeting with Mary’s attorney, Joseph Graves, was a long and formal one.
Aaron warned her he will be all business. He also warned her not to take anything he asked her personally at this meeting. The attorney’s questions were many and probing. His legal secretary took notes while he walked Mary through everything she did starting one month before her arrest, including where she drove her Lexus Sedan during that time period for any reason whatsoever. After the meeting, Joseph dismissed his secretary and requested Mary wait outside of his office to talk to Aaron privately.

“I don’t say this often about women, Aaron. Mary is a classic lady in every sense of the word as well as beautiful. I’m including in the way she comports herself and dresses and especially the sophisticated way she wears her hair up like that.
My Isabelle wore her hair up in a French twist and Mary reminds me so much of her.” he sighed. “I see the way you look at her.” Joseph observed. “You’re in love with her aren’t you?”

“Totally and unquestionably, Joseph.” he admitted, “and she loves me as much if not more.”

“Well son, I remember you telling over coffee there will never be another Shinako and you were resigned and adamant. You said you’d never allow yourself to fall in love like that again. You also said God was a crutch. What happened to change your mind except the obvious? Are you going to tie the knot with her eventually?”

“Yes and in a church when the time comes. Mary’s Christian faith and belief in God is absolute and unshakable despite all that has happened to her. She is brave and resolute and faced down those Detectives with her quiet resolve and I’m proud of her for it. She cares little for wealth and material things and I’m humbled by it.”

“Good, invite me to the wedding. Will you attend church with this lovely Christian woman after you’re married?”

“Yes every Sunday or whatever it takes to make her happy.”

“Are you open to the idea of being baptized?”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead, Joseph. I’m not even sure I can profess to be agnostic anymore. I’m in limbo between two worlds of belief.”

“What about children, Aaron, you’re both young enough?”

”Yes, I’ve thought about that. Mary wanted children and her dirty flea ridden skunk and soon to be ex-husband didn’t and had a vasectomy without telling her.
It will be my privilage to have children with Mary.” Aaron admitted. “My house is certainly large enough.”

“If you don’t believe in God after your first child is born, and especially when you hold your tiny miracle for the first time my boy, I’ll be very surprised with you…………….”

THE MEETING THE NEXT DAY was without the attorney at their home on Long Island Sound. He was a private investigator and a retired FBI Agent by the name of Michael Graves and Joseph’s brother. Mary liked him immediately and he asked more questions while taking his own notes and they reviewed the transcripts from the first meeting with the attorney.

Ten days later Mary signed the papers for her divorce. Without Randall to contest it was a mere formality and Joseph had the connections to push it quickly through the system. He was less serious or formal that day. He was actually quite charming and personable and insisted on taking them out to lunch.

Mary’s appetizer was the most marvelous lobster bisque she ever tasted and at those prices it better be. Her herb encrusted lamb chops with roasted red peppers and a medley of other roasted vegetables were to die for. Aaron and Joseph did most of the talking though, having much to catch up on over coffee with Bailey’s as their after dinner drink.

The fourth meeting with Joseph and Michael was very productive. Michael was able to get a copy of time-date tapes from the security cameras at White Dove Hospice. Mary spent a few hours there volunteering her time every other Saturday morning praying with and comforting the people at the end of their days. The tapes showed what appeared to be a thin middle aged man wearing the brown uniform of a well known delivery company approach Mary’s vehicle.
He was pushing a hand cart with 2 large boxes on it. The security tapes showed him opening the trunk and placing the items resembling those the detectives found there, and then seen walking out of sight of the cameras with empty boxes.

His face was partially hidden by his delivery cap and dark sunglasses and he sported a short beard and mustache. The mentioned delivery company’s policy is all men must be clean shaven. Mary commented he resembled one of the mechanics from the Lexus Dealer who always wore a traditional dark blue New York Yankees ball cap. Further investigation by Michael disclosed he was the man on the tape. The mechanic had a gambling problem and was deeply in debt. When pressured he admitted to being paid by Randall to place those items there.

At that point the detective’s evidence against Mary started to unravel like a frayed tightrope with a hippopotamus on its hind legs walking across wearing a tutu and carrying a tiny parasol. With the mechanic’s testimony and other evidence discovered by the private investigator, all charges were dropped. Nonetheless the two detectives and especially Dana remained convinced Mary was involved somehow; possibly Aaron as well and she wanted to get even with him.

Immediately after the court hearing, Detective Lacey and her partner was arguing loudly about Mary with the new assistant district attorney, Elizabeth Strickland.
They were in the hallway of the courthouse when Aaron and Joseph walked up to them. Aaron offered the assistant DA his hand to introduce himself while ignoring the two Detectives. “My name is Aaron McCloud, Ms. Strickland. I couldn’t help overhearing your public conversation with these bumblers.”

”It’s none of your damn business, wise guy.” the male detective, Wayne Cagney, interrupted while getting in between him and the assistant district attorney and going nose to nose in Aaron’s face. “You’re interfering with a police investigation and open case and you can be arrested for that and given your relationship with Mary Sheppard. We’re looking very carefully at you now since you have ties with the Art Gallery.”

“You have a vivid imagination, Barney and it’s no longer your case.” Aaron replied calmly staying nose to nose with him. “It’s Ms. Brown now for the record and the FBI have taken over since you and your girlfriend Thelma-Lou here botched things so badly.” and he pulled the business card of the lead FBI Agent out of his pocket and gave it to the female Detective Dana Lacey. “Ms. Brown and her attorney Mr. Graves are scheduled to meet with them.”

“Fuck you, asshole, this isn’t over and you’re involved in this somehow.” Detective Lacey said double teaming and getting into the side of his face not already taken.

“Always the professional, I see.” Aaron replied. “It appears someone has a potty mouth because red her panties in a bunch”, and turning back to Detective Cagney who continued to stare hatefully at him as Lacey walked away red-faced.
“We’re having our own news conference shortly and we invited Channel 4 & 13 News. I’m sure you’ll both enjoy that public embarrassment and that’s not all. Just wait until you see my guest editorial in the Times. It will do wonders for constipating any future promotions.”

“And I will add, Elizabeth.” said Joseph. ““If your Office pursues other charges or these detectives come anywhere near my client again, I’ll consider it police harassment and further violations of her constitutional rights.” He turned and said to the remaining detective. “You can be sure I’ll take the appropriate action Detective Cagney and be certain to tell your partner what I said”, and Joseph was in on Aaron’s little joke and was laughing inwardly thinking ‘red- face and red panty bimbo partner……………….’

AS LUCK WASN’T THEIRS’ THAT AFTERNOON, the detectives were swarmed by reporters thrusting microphones in their faces, and this time they had absolutely had nothing to say. In their rush to get away from them they raced out of their parking space only to t-bone the Channel 4 News Station’s Mobile Van with their unmarked sedan injuring the camera man and running over his expensive camera. Dana put their vehicle in reverse and backed into another car that had the right of way creating another news story………..

THEY TOOK JOSEPH OUT FOR A STEAK DINNER to celebrate, although being on a diet he declined dessert and left to get an early start for the drive to his cottage on the River as everything was packed and ready. They ordered one dessert each. They chose cherries jubilee and chocolate mousse and sat close and cozy in their booth drinking espresso and sharing their desserts while they talked and he told her about his panties in the planter plan.

“Aaron, you’re terrible!” she said laughing “I wondered why I had to wait in the dressing room, although she deserved every letter of it beginning with B and ending with O. Does she think I’m still guilty or you’re somehow involved?”

“She does, however that’s Dana’s problem. We’ll tackle that problem together and win if they persist to be stupid and obtuse.”

“What happens now, sweetheart?” Mary asked.

“Your interview with the FBI is a formality. They will however be very interested to question Toody and Muldoon and will make them disclose all the evidence they’ve gathered to date.”

“Do you mean the two detectives sweetheart? She asked laughing. “Car 54 where are you? I do so enjoy those wholesome television shows from the fifties and sixties.”

“Yes very good and so do I.” He chuckled. “I’ll get my bail money returned and Joseph will work on getting a portion of your joint bank accounts unfrozen, assuming that there’s any money left in them. That’ll be the tough part as the Art Gallery is suing you in the biscuit eater’s absence. This is compounded by the fact your insurance company is refusing to pay for the arson fire. Things may be tied in court for years. Do have any money stashed away for a rainy day?”

“Yes! I almost forgot. I put it in a safety deposit box in my home town Credit Union when Mom went to an adult care home. My Mom is very forgetful these days. She has her good days and bad.”

“That’s wonderful, baby, how much money?”

“Well it actually isn’t all money. There’s maybe five-thousand in cash and one-hundred thousand in mostly matured savings bonds. Dad purchased savings bonds for me and rolled over from the day I was born until he passed away two years ago. They’ve stayed in the safety deposit box since.”

“Does the biscuit eater know about that?”

“No, Dad made me swear before God and not to tell anybody about it.
He said it was for emergencies only God can foresee. Dad referred to it as my King Solomon’s Mine and now I can pay for my attorney.”

“Joseph has taken you as a client for a case of Bailey’s and minnow pail full of pike minnows. I suppose it’s an out dated concept these days. Call it a silent debt of understanding for something left unsaid for good reasons. Yours is his final case before he retires this month and he will see everything to the end regardless.

I attended college with his son Bobby. We chummed around together because Bobby was charming and funny and had the gift of gab with the college girls.
I spent many weekends at his family cottage on the Saint Lawrence River on Wellesley Island. Joseph and I went out fishing early in morning on his boat at 4:30 AM sharp while Bobby slept in until nine in the morning.

Joseph’s lovingly cared for classic wood boat is a 28 foot Chris-Craft Sea Skiff. Fiberglass and aluminum boats have their place for some. However they’re soulless and stiff compared to the natural feel of a wood boat’s deck under ones feet. Perhaps it’s also the romance of wood sailing ships that attracts me to them.

Bobby and I were in a night club one Saturday night in Alexandria Bay during Pirates Weekend. He liked to drink and gamble a little too much. I hardly drink at all and there was a live band playing.”

”You were there for the young ladies, sweetheart.” Mary said knowingly

“OK, I admit it that too, my love, but now I only have eyes for you.” and she squeezed his hand and said. “And I you sweetheart” Mary replied.

“Bobby lost two c-notes playing 8-ball with a local tough. His name is Ron something or other. I was surprised because Bobby is an excellent pool player.
His opponent was better. It was as simple as that and Bobby didn’t see the hustle. I was busy making time with……my distraction doesn’t matter. What matters is he didn’t have the cash to cover his bet. I offered to cover the bet and Ron wouldn’t take my money.

He called Bobby every profane name in the urban dictionary or any other known dictionary or thesaurus for that matter. Ron then started on Bobby’s family and their alleged perverted sexual proclivities, not limited to and including incest. Bobby did nothing but stand there and look at his feet. Ron slapped him in the face and Bobby just stood there. I got in between them and threw the money at Ron’s feet and said. “Come on, Bobby, your bets paid, let’s go.”
At that point, Ron’s friend, and I didn’t catch his name, dumped the bleached blonde barfly who was sitting on his lap unceremoniously to the floor when he stood up. Wow what a mouth she had as she cussed him out. She must use the same reference books as Ron. I learned some new words that would damage your hearing let alone make you blush.

That big ugly brute was massive and hairy. He reminded me of a gorilla wearing clothes. Let me tell you my love, things turned from bad to worse fast when Ron broke Bobby’s wrist with a pool cue shocking him out of his cowardly trance. Bobby panicked and screamed like a little girl and ran out of there pushing people down or out of the way including the bleached blonde barfly who ended up butt first on the floor a second time.”

“What did you do?” she asked.

“I improvised, pretty lady.”

“How did you improvise?” Mary asked. “Tell me what you did?”

“Maybe later.” he said teasing her.

”Aaron Gabriel!” she exclaimed.

”Mary Susan.” He teased, “I’ll tell you later in the swan. Don’t make your Sir use your hairbrush on you….”

LATER THAT EVENING Mary filled the tub and added one of the scented bath oils and lit the candles she purchased on their shopping excursion. She also bought a special surprise for him when they were shopping that was perfect for the tub.
Aaron was in charge of the tea and while waiting for the water to boil telephoned Frank and Marie to tell them the good news. Mary didn’t wait to tell Myra. She spoke with her on Aaron’s cell-phone while Aaron and Joseph talked with the assistant district attorney and the bumblers in the courthouse.

She was waiting for him, excited about her little gift at the opposite end of the tub when he walked in with their tea on the tray. “No tricks, sweetheart. Put the tea down and join me. I bought you something so please close your eyes.”

Aaron did and she reached on the floor to get his gift from underneath the pile of towels, wound it up and sent it on its way. It bumped against the side of the tub a few times on its way to him and came to rest against his chest. He was absolutely delighted and surprised, make that touched because it was a precious little gift from the heart and he loved her for it and wound and sent it back to her and said.
“My own little wind up tin can tug boat…..what a great gift!” he exclaimed enthusiastically and meaning it “if this keeps up, pretty soon I’ll have my own wind up tin can Navy. Come here, baby.”

“Will you tell me what you mean by improvised, Sir?” she asked snuggling up close to him in the hot scented bath water with her cup of green tea. The lights from the many scented candles strategically placed, the only illumination in the room.

“Yes, a cue ball in a bandana is almost as good as a blackjack.”

“I still don’t understand. Where did you get a bandana?”

“Shiver mi timbers, mi comely wench. It was Pirates weekend and I was wearing one.” he teased doing his best imitation of a pirate.

“Where you wearing an earring, sweetheart?” she teased him back.

“Maybe, but let me show you about the bandana.” and Aaron put a bar of soap in a washcloth. “This will have to do. You put it in like this and twist…..now hold it like this and slap your palm hard.”

”Ouch!” she exclaimed. “I get it now you knocked them out, right?”

“Exactly; a bandana is larger than a washcloth, while a cue ball is harder than their heads. I conked Ron in the head first and down he went. I had to conk the gorilla three times though.”

“Why three times?” Mary asked.

“He blinked and rubbed his head the first time I hit him, followed by flipping over the pool table as if it was a flimsy folding card table to get to me. The bouncers tried to grab him and he knocked them both down for the count. I hit him two more times much harder and he went down like a ton of bricks. I then beat feet out the door looking for Bobby.

It was dark outside and the main street was cordoned off for most vehicle traffic aside from the usual rows of motorcycles from the bikers, the genuine fringe of society bikers, or weekend warrior bikers attending the Pirates Weekend.
The streets and sidewalks were crowded with tourists and locals dressed like Hollywood pirates along with everyone else. Bobby had only one logical avenue of escape. He fled to the upper James Street Dock where his Dad’s boat was moored.”

“Did he leave without you?”

“No, I had the keys and I’m more competent with boats than he is. Bobby was cowering in pain in the hold and had thrown up all over himself. Will you refresh my tea please? Thank you. I love you Mary. Did I tell you how sexy and sophisticated you look naked with your hair swept up in a French twist?”

“I love you too sweetheart and stop changing the subject. What happened next?”

“I started the boat” and he would up his toy tug boat with a big smile on his face and sent it chugging through the bathwater as he continued his story “and then untying her when to my surprise I saw the hairy gorilla and his mate, the bleached blonde barfly, running down the docks to thwart our escape.

That was comical in itself because King Conked had a bar towel with ice in it pressed to his forehead as he ran down the dock intending to choke the life out of me. I fully expected him to jump into the river and swim after us as we were pulling away.”

“Did King Conked, swim after you?” Mary asked laughing softly and still delighted how much he appreciated her little gift because it showed in his face and she loved him all the more for it.

“No, but you have to admire his tenacity. I took Bobby home without further incident and his mom and dad drove him to the hospital in Watertown without me. Joseph didn’t want to chance having him recognized in the hospital in the Bay.”

“Were the police involved, sweetheart? Did those men seek revenge?” Did you tell Joseph what happened?”

“The Alexander Bay Police generally have a good handle on things and it is a tourist town for much of the year. No doubt one or both of those toughs had an appearance ticket or warrant pending for something minor. Theirs is a rough sort of Justice and when you lose a fight, you lose a fight and take your lumps without complaining.”

“What happened to Bobby, Aaron? Are you still friends? Who told Joseph?”

“I didn’t tell Joseph. I left that up to Bobby. How do you tell a father and an older man you respect, his son is a coward? Bobby didn’t speak up to defend his family or fight back. I was gone before they returned from the hospital. Bobby and I avoided each other after that and I haven’t been back to the 1000 Islands since.

“Say no more I know what happened next. Bobby lied to his parents, didn’t he?”

“Yes he did, Mary, and his mother believed him. In her eyes Bobby can do no wrong and no doubt he made himself the hero who saved me.”

“Joseph knew better, though.” Mary continued. “I have no doubt he found out exactly what happened.”

“Yes, you are correct, my love, although I didn’t know that until much later.
Joseph showed up here a few days after I bought my house and of course I invited him in. I gave him the grand tour and told him my plans for it. We walked down to the beach and he repeated much of what I just told you. He knew most if not all of the story. There was a long pause and Joseph asked me if we needed to talk?

We’re talking now I said to him. So we are he agreed. I miss our mornings on the River, he said. I miss them too, Joseph, I agreed. I particularly miss the quiet before the tour boats are out and the thermos of hot coffee with a light touch of Baileys when fishing pike minnows off the shoals of Boldt Castle at sunrise.”

“I thought you never drink, sweetheart?”

“I’m not a social drinker and seldom isn’t never, pretty lady. The coffee was strong black coffee with a splash of Baileys and getting back to Joseph.
He confided that he appreciated I respected his Isabelle Grace. Joseph said I treated her as if she were a living thing. That’s why he gave me the keys and not his son.”

“Is Isabelle Grace the name of his boat, sweetheart?”

“Yes the boat is named after his first love, Isabelle. Isabelle Grace was an ER Nurse and they were engaged to be married. She was brutally murdered in a Trauma Center’s parking lot by a career criminal out on parole.

Joseph was devastated by it and became a man with a mission to seek justice for the victims of crimes. He was a New York City beat cop; one of New York’s finest when his soul mate was murdered.

That was not enough for him so he attended college nights to study law.
Soon after he passed the bar he became an assistant district attorney and from there retired from the Justice Department. He set up a private practice a few years back. I have a surprise for you, baby. Frank and Marie are coming here for a visit in two weeks to meet you. Until then, how do feel about driving to Pennsylvania. We can visit with Myra and her husband John and I’ll show you our little log cabin in the Blue Mountains…….”

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