Chapter 6

I sat and watched that cute little ass walk away from me until the doors of the hospital closed behind her. Jesus, it was hard to think about much else these past few days, but I needed to get my mind back on work. I pulled out of the parking lot and rejoined the post Katrina Big Easy morning traffic which, despite the drop in population, was still about as bad. When the first 2 cars returned to the city streets after the storm, I am sure that the second one was blowing his horn and gesturing for the one in front to drive or get the fuck outta' the way. Just the nature of the beast.

The morning went well, and by 11:30 I had the signatures on the two contracts I needed. I rounded the corner to the first jobsite about noon and didn't see a soul around. I got out and walked across the street to the nearest neighbor's house and knocked. The little blue-grey haired woman that answered the door was typical, you got to love them, more than likely a widow, retired, living by herself. She had at least three security locks on her door and a chain, but just threw the door wide open and began to chat after I introduced myself. I found out from her that there had not been anyone around there for a couple days ... not since the police came and arrested one of the men. Hmmm ... Hearing that set the wrinkles in my forehead, and she, seeing that she had a captive audience, invited me in for coffee and some more information.

Forty-five minutes later, I was making phone calls and headed over to see how my crew was coming along. Mrs. Breaux had given me a lot of insight into what had and had not gone on there. I had subcontracted the crew that was working the house, a complete rebuild, and evidently charges had been brought against him for theft, and since he was arrested, none of the crew had returned to work. I contacted a friend in the sheriff's office and asked him if he could look into it for me, I didn't want that house to be tied into whatever was going on. By the time I got to my other jobsite, Randall had called me back and assured me that nothing at that house was involved. But, apparently, the guy was still in jail with a large bond set and by no means getting out too soon. He was charged in some of the looting that went on after the storm, and the largest share of his tools were in evidence. I figured more of this would come later but the house came first and now I needed to get some people on it.

Six years ago, I had rolled up to a house that I was framing, to find Bobby Greg wrapped in old blanket, asleep on the floor. After a couple of tense minutes of him not knowing what I was going to do, and me not knowing what I was going to do, I thought, "What the hell!" My thermos of coffee and a couple of biscuits later, I hired him to help that day and then took him home for dinner. He might have been a smart assed kid, but he knew how to work and stay busy. My then live-in girlfriend told how much of a mistake I was making, that he was going to steal me blind and leave laughing about it. And just to prove she was right ... she did! But she didn't leave laughing. Bobby stayed and worked and I figured at some point he would take over the company when I decided to turn it loose. Both of my boys had other careers and weren't interested in it and it had actually been my oldest that suggested it. See ... I had a habit of picking up strays. As I pulled in the drive, I saw him giving one of the salesmen hell, glad it him and not me.

"Wazzup ... Billy Bob?" I asked, extending my hand to shake. I was the only one that got away with calling him that. It was a little joke between him and I, his full name was William Robert Greg. I always told him that he had his first name last and last name first. It took me about a week but it hit me ... Billy Bob. And the first time I called him that, I saw his head drop and a shudder follow. Gotcha'!

"Hey boss! Nothing much, they delivered my materials after hours yesterday, and dropped them out at the street in the driveway. Couldn't even get in off the street this morning until we moved it. They've been told I don't know how many times about that, the next time I'm just going to tell them to come out and pick it up, we'll get from another dealer."

He was in a rant, and I just laughed and went on through the house. All of the guys wanted to know how I was doing and what the doctors had told me. This was a good bunch and had gotten them well ahead of schedule here. I told Bobby what was going on and what we were going to need to do. They would move over in the morning to Rue De' Barr and do what was necessary to get that house blacked in. We talked a little more and I told him about Kalla and her sister Jackie, and I saw him grin when I told him about bringing her home. I didn't tell him all, there are things that a gentleman doesn't say, but I think he knew there was more.

"Better watch it, boss ... you know what can happen picking up strays like that!" he was laughing the whole time he said it.

I was about to leave when I remembered the promise I made Mrs. Breaux, so I told Bobby to send one of the guys over in the morning to straighten out a corner post on her fence and get her gate working.

"OK, I got it! Be sweet to the old widow woman. Is she good looking?" He asked.

"Yeah ... in a grandmother sort of way." I laughed and made my way out.

I realized that I hadn't eaten and needed something, so I headed for the Burger Isle. If you didn't know better, you would think it was a grease dump, but the line of cars in the drive was always deep. The little old man that ran the place had been here for years and nothing had changed. The burgers were all the same, one size fits all, the only option was cheese and the fries were curly cues, cut off of fresh potatoes and dropped in the grease to fry in front of you. The burgers were all fresh ground round and hand made and seven bucks got you burger and Q's and a can drink from the big iced tub in front. What a deal!

I chirped Kalla on the phone and it was a minute before she answered.

"Can you hear me? Is this coming through?" she asked.

"Yeah, just talk like you normally do, it picks up everything like this. How is Jackie? Any change?"

"This thing scared the shit out of me! I forgot about it until it beeped. She looks better, they are taking her off the meds gradually, and they say it'll take a couple of days and that she should start to come around after that."

I told her that I was done and would be headed that way shortly and we could talk more on the way home. I told her to just wait there and I would come up when I got there. I sat chatting at the picnic table with several others, who like me, were working rebuilding the city. Most were from somewhere else and the Big Easy was a temporary home, others having lived here a lifetime and wanting to rebuild their city to what it once was. I finished up lunch, exchanged business cards with a couple, and headed for the hospital.

Not having a personal agenda this visit, I had time to notice how busy these people really were. So many needing care and so little time and too few care givers. I made my way to the upper floor that Jackie was on and when I exited the elevator I saw Kalla curled into one of the chairs in the family waiting area. She looked up as I approached her and smiled, jumping to her feet, she hit me at a run. Arms around my neck, legs wrapped at my hips, she squeezed me in a hug that would make bear grunt. Just releasing enough to lean back and look in my eyes, she then gave me a quick peck on the lips and then a slow sensuous touch of the lips and her tongue teasing mine. When she relaxed her grip and let herself down to the floor, I had to rearrange things. This little bitch had me near hard with a kiss and my mind reeled with thoughts of later. The only other people in the waiting area were two women sitting together on the opposite wall. Both were eyeing us like we were aliens.

"So ... any more from the doctor? Or is it going to be a wait and see?" I asked her when I got my breathing back to normal.

"Nothing more than what I told you. They want to wean her body off the drugs they use to keep her under so as not to shock her body. I got to help the nurse bathe her today so I got to see a lot of what they did to her. They must have used her for a punching bag, she has bruises all over her back and legs and arms. They are so ugly, but the nurse told me that the odd color was a good sign that they were healing. And that she had been so much worse when they brought her in."

I realized when I looked at her, that the tears were streaming down her face. Her face was that of a very scared little girl.

"Come on," I told her, "lets visit once more before we go."

"Uummm..."

"Don't start! I know what you are going to say. When she starts to come around, if you want to stay the night, we'll see. But there just isn't any need right now, and you will more than likely be in the way. Not to mention, it's just not real safe down here for a lady by herself."

Kalla looked at me with a little awe, like she was wondering how I could read her mind. I guess because if it had been my sister or family there, I would be thinking of the same thing. She grabbed my hand and we headed for the room/cubicle. As we passed the nurses station, she spoke to the one sitting there and she smiled and nodded. Kalla went around to the far side of the bed and started speaking to Jackie as if she was wide awake and aware of her surroundings. She introduced me as their knight in shining armor, I was actually blushing in front of this comatose girl. She fiddled with her hair, tucked covers, and, in general, fussed over Jackie for another few minutes as she continued the one sided conversation. I asked if she was ready to go and she said just another minute and made a motion I took for "I'll meet you in the hall", so I backed out to the nurse's station and waited. As we left, the nurse behind the counter made a point of coming around and thanking Kalla for her help that day. We walked down to elevators and on out the building with her arm intertwined with mine.

The trip home was playful ... little touches, innuendoes, and teasing. I had her laughing about Mrs. Breaux and the guys on the crew, I was sure that they would get to meet her soon. I filled her in a little more about Stephanie, Danny, and the boys, Junior and Paul. I stopped at the little bakery and we got a cheese cake to take to dinner. Kalla's eye got huge when they topped it with large fresh strawberries. We made one last stop by the bank, and I left copies of the contracts with old man Stephens, I made a few more copies for myself and put the originals in my box.

As we pulled out of the bank parking lot, Kalla had gotten a little quiet and I could tell she was concentrating on something.

"You can't knock me off yet!" I said.

"Huh... ?"

"You can't knock me off yet. You need to wait until I change my will or at least have your name on the checking account." all this said with a big grin on my face.

"What are you talking about?" her forehead wrinkled, wondering, I suspect, if I had gone mad or delusional.

"Well, I figured all that intense thought after the bank visit and you were trying to figure a way to kill me and take all my money!"

"ohhh ... No." she kind of laughed," Can I ask you something?"

"Well ... you can speak, so I guess you CAN ask, and you MAY ask me anything you like. I CAN answer, but I MAY not." I kidded her.

"OK ... Mr. English Smart Ass." she jibbed back, "Have you ever done her?"

"Huh..." it was my turn to be baffled, "Done who? Done what? Who her?"

"Who her? Oh my God, what kind of english is that?"

"Who are you talking about and what are you talking about?"

"Stephanie. Have you and she done the nasty? Have you beaten her up with that bat you carry around in your pants?" I saw her grinning and a little twinkle in her eye.

"NO! NO! Stephanie is Stephanie ... no, we haven't been to bed together. She's just a nice lady and a good neighbor, and she has helped me a lot."

"She's hot! And she wants you. You can see it in her eyes. You would have to be blind not to see it."

"Well, I must be blind then. Hell, she's got Danny ... What the hell would she want with an old fart like me?" I saw her roll her eyes when I said it. "Besides ... I save the bat for young skinny girls with no tits and nipples that stand up an inch."

Before I was finished getting that out, she slapped my arm and was across the seat and grabbing at my dick. Thank God there were no police around because I would have surely been pulled over and check for intoxication. I turned off the main highway onto the dead end road that ran the side of the canal. Just about to the house, I saw Darren and Paul playing in the yard. I stopped and called them over, I told them to tell their Mom that we would be down about 6 and to call if there was anything she needed. I also gave the cake to Paul and ask him to take it in right then.

Once inside the house, Boo Boo attacked us once the initial petting, licking, tail wagging was over, and he headed for the open door. I walked back out on the deck and watched him as he took in the yard and made sure "his" territory was marked. Business done, he made a beeline back for the stairs and company. I headed towards the back, intent on a shower and getting into something comfortable, like a pair of shorts. Stripping off, I headed into the bathroom and heard the water already running. I kept trying not to look over at the shower, knowing that if I did I was going to get a stiff dick, and trying to pee with a hardon is tough. Steam rolled out the door as I stepped in, but the heat that assaulted me was not from the water but the naked little body that was bent backwards rinsing her hair. As she straightened up and opened her eyes, she reached over for the liquid soap and squirted it down the front of her body. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pulled me close and began rubbing her body all over mine, twisting under my arm, squirming across my back. When she made it back around to the front of me, she hoisted herself up and wrapped her legs around my waist, locking her ankles across my butt.

I was so hard that I was actually angled up and as she slid down a little, it was almost painful the way she was rubbing herself down on me. But that didn't last long as I felt her pull up and angle her body to mine, the head of my dick found a warm home and she invited him in. Her muscles were working me, it felt like a hand pulling me in, releasing only to grab a little further down and pull again. My ass slid down to the bench seat built in there and her toes could just reach the floor and for the next ten minutes, we grunted and grabbed and kissed. I had felt her body contract and shiver twice already, but as she looked in my eyes I could see only a blank stare, her stomach muscles tightened and her pelvic muscles felt like they were cramped on me. Her mouth opened to say something but nothing came out, my hands slipped to her tit buds and squeezed and my mouth trapped the nipple and I sucked very hard. When her body convulsed, I thought she was going to rip my dick off my body. Her head fell back and she went completely limp.

I stood up with my little package still stabbed, and pushing open the door, I stepped out with water dripping carrying her to the bed. I laid her on the bed and, mustering great will, I eased myself out of her. I stilled hadn't cum and I was throbbing as I returned to the shower. I soaped and rinsed again, and by that time, I was down to at least a semi-hard, I just knew that it wasn't going to take much to get it back where it was.

As I stepped back into the bedroom, I saw that Kalla had gotten up and I could hear her in her room, I assumed dressing. I slipped on a pair of shorts and a light shirt and with that was ready for dinner. I was in the kitchen whipping up some dip when I felt the feeling of being watched. I turned to see her standing in the hall opening, leaning against the wall watching me. She had on a pair of white shorts and sandals, a black tube top and white half shirt leaving her midriff bare. Her hair was dried and free, falling back over her shoulders and back, so black that it shone.

"Well, sleepyhead, see you finally got moving." I shot at her.

"Sleepyhead? Sleepy? You big dicked bastard, you fucked me unconscious. That thing is dangerous." she told me as she walked towards me.