Chapter 4: Almost Perfect

He found her sitting on the front porch, swinging slowly and watching fireflies. He leaned against the doorframe sipping bourbon and watching her - thinking about living his life without her and knowing he no longer could. He sat next to her and she put her head on his shoulder. For a while they just sat.

"Marcus is glad I'm coming home." He finally offered. She nodded. He took another sip.

"Was Claudia's description accurate?" Rachael asked softly.

He thought back and looked at his glass. "When I get over stressed, I may over indulge in my spirits. I may have done or said things I might not have ordinarily. The last five years of our marriage were," he paused, remembering some of those days, "stressful." He finished the drink and took Rachael's hand.

"Come on." He led her into the deepening nightfall to the family's dock. He pointed off into the distance, "Look off ova thar. See that spot where thar's water as far as the eye can see? Well what yor seein' is Cockerell Crick, the Chesapeake Bay and the A'lantic Ocean. In order. I used to come down here and sit and wonder where I could go if'n I just took a boat an' went that-a-way." He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her shoulder. "Rachael, I love my family but," he took a deep breath, "I'm going that-a-way. 'Cause now I know, it's you 'round that bend somewhere. An' I can't loose you."

"But your family..."

"Now, now, don't you worry none about that. We've weathered bigger storms than this. I'll find my way into Mother's good graces and you will too. Make you her personal assistant or something. She wasn't happy with Elizabeth, either but she got over it."

"Elizabeth?"

"Charles' wife."

"Oh."

He kissed her shoulder again. She was so tall but he could just rest his chin on her shoulder and look out at the river. The dock itself was small; it used to be the site of the main pier with two large boats but his father shifted all commercial operations a mile further downstream when they added a third boat. Wood and fixtures from this spot had been moved to the new one. While growing up, this simple dock - now just enough space for a fishing boat and a bench - had been JD's favorite place to sit and think. Holding Rachael here made him feel seventeen again. Young, eager, excited. Ready to face life all over again. He wondered what her children would look like and smiled at the thought of her being a mother. They would have to discuss that; he definitely wanted children with her but she had never mentioned the idea.

"I wanna ask you something and I want you to answer me honestly." He said softly.

"Ok."

He hesitated a moment then laughed at himself, "Why do you always make me feel 'bout 17?" She laughed and tried to turn around but he held her and kissed her neck, "Now, come on. You've never mentioned motherhood. Were you planning on broaching that subject?"

He felt her stiffen a bit. "Oh. Well. I figured you had enough kids."

"And you never worried 'bout havin' one yo'self?"

"It's not" she hesitated and he could feel her trembling, "It's not a big deal."

He kissed her neck again, enjoying the heat of her in the cool night air. "Sure would fix Momma if-n you were with child."

"But," she was actually shaking, "I mean do you want..."

"If we have a girl, I wanna name her "Willow". That be alright?"

"Oh, JD," Her voice cracked, "Do you really want more kids? I mean, I..." she stopped again.

"Now how are we gonna be Grandma an' Grandpa McElroy if-n we don't have a young'un o' two?" He could feel her crying and hoped he had said the right thing, "That ok with you?"

She sniffed a bit, "Um, yeah. That'd be ok with me." She kissed his temple, "I love you, JD."

They stood together watching the water until both of them were shivering. He took them the long way back to the house.

"Ah! Here it is!" he exclaimed finally, "Knew it was back here somewhere."

"Oh, what a lovely gazebo." It was a simple screened in building, one small round room with just enough space for two wicker armchairs and a matching loveseat sofa. JD flicked a switch and soft white Christmas light glowed from the floorboards. It was dusty as if unused, and the plant life around the structure obscured the view in all directions.

"Well, in daylight at any rate. Marcus an' I installed the lights in high school. But in this here household, this is where you and yo' young lady might escape a parent's watchful eye fo' a spell."

"So you brought me out here to take advantage of me?"

"The thought had crossed my mind."

"Only the thought?" she asked while sliding her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. He undressed her quickly not concerned with subtleties. As soon as her nipples were bare, his lips sought them and he teased them unmercifully. Soon she was leaning against the wall, cumming, as his tongue and fingertips twisted her breasts in just the right ways. He waited until she was panting to move down across her abdomen. He pulled away and led her a few feet over to a chair. He took her hand, kissed it, and placed her finger into her slit. Then he stripped himself listening to her play with herself.

He rubbed his prick against her check and she turned to catch it with her lips but he moved away "Not yet. I want to hear you cum." He continued to rub himself against her cheeks, her neck, her shoulders, all the while listening to the wet gushing of her fingers and her low groans. She gasped when he covered her nipples with pre-cum. He could not resist sucking them clean again. Then he rubbed his shaft across her lips. Her hot breath nearly finished him and he had to pull away from her for a minute. When her cries began to go up in pitch, he knelt down in front of her and pulled her hand out. It was drenched with her juices all the way to her wrist. He licked it clean.