Chapter 2

My eyes opened just a bit. “Charlie? Honey? Oh, God, thank you. Can you see me, babe?” She was blurry, but I knew it was Sandy. I tried to nod, but it really hurt badly. I couldn’t make any noise and my throat felt like a cactus was wedged in behind my tongue. She understood when my eyes and face combined in question. She held a straw to my lips. Cold water. Better. “You were attacked in Lowe’s, honey. It was my father. They have him on video hitting you with a pipe of some sort. The pipe is evidence. You bent it.” She smiled weakly. “I’m sorry, Charlie. I’m sorry for making fun. I love you so much. I was so scared. Again. God, will this ever stop? Can I try to hug you?” I tried to nod. She did, and it was the most welcome hug I remember. I was scared. Again. I know exactly how she felt.

I made my best effort at asking, “Em ah gung be oak?”

“Yes, dear, they said you should be fine. They said if you woke up this week, you’d probably be all right. It’s only been three days.”

“Wuw. Pulees?”

“Yes, babe, the police are involved. They have Dad in jail. He’s not going anywhere. Because of his going nuts, they’ve charged him with attempted murder. It was before ten in the morning, and he was drunk. He was following you. He doesn’t know I spent the night with you. They saw him on our security videos pulling up after you took me to school. When you went inside, he was going to follow, but then you came out. He got back in his car and went after you. This will be a bit sticky before it gets any better, but I’m not going anywhere. Mom got you a lawyer. She spoke with your company lawyer after calling your office and he recommended this lady. We’re good according to her, even if he did see us together. We don’t think he did, though. Dad is in a lot of trouble. You aren’t, as long as you do what I tell you and heal and get all the way better. I was so afraid I’d lose you again.” She collapsed on my chest, but even with it hurting my head like a frying pan bouncing off of it, I didn’t make a peep. She loved me. I loved her. We were both worried and needed this closeness to get through it.

Sharon walked up on the other side. “I’m so sorry, Charlie. I really am. That bastard almost killed my baby’s sweetheart.” Tears were running as she watched her daughter trying to comfort me. “I’m doing nothing to help him, Charlie, and Sandy knows that. She knows this is not her father. This is a sick man with problems. We have to let him go. We have to let them take him if he is to do anything with what’s left of his life. I’m so sorry he hurt you. Charlie, we love you. We don’t want you to hurt.” It took more energy than I had, but I reached up with my other arm and pulled her to us, hugging her into her daughter and in toward me. God damn, that hurt.

“S oak, Sharn. Dun cruh.”

An hour or so later, the police came to question me. They tried to hand me their cards, but I pointed to Sharon, and she took them. Sandy and Sharon were asked to leave, but I told them to stay and to wait for my new lawyer to be there. She was on the way and when she arrived, she asked the police to leave the room, so she could talk to me for a few minutes. They were not happy.

“Mr. Carter?”

“Charlie. Jus Charlie, fuh nuh.”

“Charlie. I’m Allison Valente. Brendon called me after Sharon called your office looking for help for you. Seems you owe your office manager a favor. She was pretty quick on her feet. She called your company’s attorney, and he called me. We go way back, if it matters.” I nodded carefully and smiled. “Here’s the deal. I want you to be completely honest with the police. Completely. If I tell them something is off limits, don’t answer. At all. Nothing. If I nod, tell them the absolute truth in answering the question. Do NOT volunteer information above that answer. JUST answer the question. Yes, or no, or specific facts. Capire? Understood?” I nodded. “Answer truthfully when I allow it. Say nothing more and say nothing if I tell them they’re out of bounds.” I nodded. “Sharon, call the Polizia back in.” She did, and they came back in, two suits and a uniform. Three stripes with a crest. What the hell was going on here? Two detectives and a precinct sergeant on an assault case?

“Thank you, counselor. Mr. Carter, what is your relationship with Mr. Ferguson?” detective number one asked me. Allison nodded.

“He used to be my parents’ next-door neighbor.” It didn’t sound as good as it looks typed out here. My throat and mouth weren’t working well, yet. “Sharon, drink please?” Sharon offered me a sip. Sandy and Allison both grinned.

“When was that?” he asked. Allison nodded.

“When my parents bought the house. Ten, twelve years. I dunno.”

“Were you living there when they separated?” the other one asked. Allison shrugged and nodded.

“No.”

“Oh? Where were you?” he continued. Allison nodded, smiling. She knew what was going on, now.

“Florida maybe? Flying. Air Force.”

“So, you are a pilot, then?” he asked.

“I need to ask what you are trying to get to there,” Allison said to the interrogator.

“Specifically? Nothing. Just making conversation, actually. He’s an Air Force pilot, I take it?” She nodded. I didn’t. “Thank you for your service, Mr. Carter. Did you have anything to do with Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson breaking up, Mr. Carter?”

“Out of bounds, detective. He told you he was in the Air Force, stationed, he thinks, in Florida when Mr. Ferguson lived there. He obviously wasn’t living next door. In any case, that had, and has, nothing to do with Mr. Ferguson planting that pipe in the back of my client’s head.”

“Allegedly planting the pipe...”

“I’ve seen the video, detective. If you deny one more time that it was Pete Ferguson that blindsided my client, bouncing that pipe off the back of his head, the state police are going to come crawling through your shorts asking who you’re working for. You’re acting like Ferguson’s lawyer, not a law enforcement officer. One more comment like that, and you’ll be looking for a job. Not a threat, detective. A fact. I’m recording this conversation.”

I wasn’t comfortable at all with this, so I told my girlfriend, “Sandy, phone, Sam. Shortcut on my home screen. Tell him I asked him to come here. Hey. Guys. Fifteen-minute break.” Sandy called Sam and after answering a couple questions, she said ‘Thanks’, and hung up.

“He’s on the way. He said about ten minutes,” Sandy said, smiling. The detectives walked out into the hallway. The uniform stayed.

“Can you join your friends, officer?” Allison asked.

“Sergeant.”

“Whatever. Until I know whose side you’re on, you’re suspect. Get out.” Allison was losing her temper. The cop left, pissed. “Charlie, who is Sam?”

“Sam Travis. Retired Major. Highway Patrol. Criminal Investigations Bureau. My security contractor. Those three guys are on someone’s payroll. I’m not an idiot, Allison. You had every right to be suspicious when he asked that about their breakup, then when he said ‘allegedly’. I think Pete’s paid someone to help him, or someone owes him a favor. Can I get another sip of water, baby?” Sandy brought it over and helped me out.

“Keep that to a minimum in front of anyone else, Charlie. We’ll talk after they leave. Not a serious issue, but no reason to pick scabs, if you get my drift.”

“That’s why I asked Sharon when they were in here. I am teasing them, though. Let them go tell Pete she helped me with a sip of water. Maybe it will drive him over the edge. I don’t care. Asshole tried to kill me. I don’t blame it on the booze. Booze just lowers inhibitions. He wanted to kill me. The booze just allowed him the nerve. He thinks I have a thing for his wife. I love her to death, and will do anything I can to help her, but she’s not my girlfriend. Her daughter is. Anyway, I understand.”

Sam came in, asking what the hell happened, “this time”. He knew about the actual assault already, but not the interview happening. Sandy and Allison explained it. Allison showed him a copy of the video on her tablet. Allison explained the comments and the questions. Sam shrugged and shook his head. Then his eyebrows raised. He went into a corner with his phone.

Sharon was back in tears. Partly because of what I said, and partly because of the realization that I was right. He tried to kill me because he was jealous. Worst part, he was wrong. I doubted this was about Sandy.

Sam mentioned that there was no outward news of the incident. Something like this might normally be reported, but this wasn’t. Pete’s name came up on a search made through a friend, and we were right. He made a call and taking the detectives’ business cards, read them off to his friend. “I just called the new CIB director. She told me Pete’s a low level in a local racket. He’s strictly a money man, an accountant now, but they probably want to secure his loyalty, so they might be trying to help him out. They can’t. The DA here isn’t theirs and has already brought charges against him based on witnesses and that tape. He’s screwed unless they can get you to say or do something to mitigate this mess, boss.” Interesting.

“Thanks, Sam. Can you stay?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. It’s what I do.” He smiled at me. “I’m probably going to put a tail on you, too. So ... If you see anyone, ask me before you shoot them, OK?” This time I smiled and nodded. Ouch. “Miss Valente, are you ready?” She nodded. Sam went to the door and invited the police back in. He came around to the back side of the bed and stood behind me, so he could see everything in the room.

“OK, back to your relationship with Mrs. Ferguson. Do you have a romantic relationship with Mrs. Ferguson?” he asked, smirking. Allison nodded.

“No.”

“But you were on her couch with your pants off when Mr. Ferguson was last there. He saw you.” Allison nodded. She knew what I would say.

“Not necessarily true.”

“Explain, please.” Allison nodded again, seeing the direction of the questioning.

“I have no idea the last time he was there, but the last time we were both there, he was pounding on the door in a drunken rage, had no idea I was even there, and the police picked his drunken ass up and took him away. If someone told him I was there, it was that lady cop that saw me with a heating pad or an ice pack on a bullet wound in my thigh. That’s all I’m saying about that little episode. Can I ask a question now?” He nodded. “Where do you get your vacation money? You’re working for someone. That’s the person I want to talk to. If I ever see his boy Pete again, he’ll be one soldier short in his crime spree.”

“Trust me, asshole, that’s information you don’t want. You could wind up in a lot of trouble if Pete’s people come looking for you. Just don’t you worry about it. Tell the DA to drop the charges and back off.” That was detective number one. I’d always thought they were intelligent, but I’m needing to rethink that now.

“Thank you for the warning. My statement stands. If you don’t believe me, get in my way. Yes, we’re recording this conversation. Sam, escort these gentlemen out, and ask them to send real cops back if they want to question me.” I screamed, “OUT!” and immediately wished I hadn’t. It really hurt. The uniform put his hand on his pistol, but Sam had his hand under his jacket.

“Not a good idea, dickhead. Oh, name tag. Mitchell. Fuck, you guys are stupid. Get out. All three of you. In the hallway. Might want to brush up your resumes, too. Allison, call county. Lindy Barton. Tell her Sam Travis needs her here. Sharon, keep the recorder running.”

“Sam, isn’t Lindy the Internal Affairs commander?” Allison asked.

“Yep. This is her problem. Not ours.”

The rest of the day sucked just as bad. Lindy Barton got a copy of the recording, put it with an ongoing investigation and two more cops were turned into thugs working for the mob. They certainly weren’t welcome on the force anymore. Sam was able to get the word on the street, though, that if they protected Pete, they were on the losing side of the battle, and word got back to him, somehow, that the two cops had been told they were the cause of their own demise and to eat it. If they went vendetta, they were on their own. Obviously not made men. The junior detective wasn’t involved or was able to cover his tracks and didn’t get caught in the fray. I did get the tail, though, until it was decided the event was over. Sandy’s father was held over, arraigned, considered a flight risk, and spent his pre-trial time in jail.

Sandy spent all of her time after school with me until they released me a couple of days after I woke up. When she got me home, up to the room, and in bed, she opened the closet to hang up a skirt and that’s when I noticed it. My closet wasn’t full, but it was a lot closer to it now than the sparse amount of stuff I had hanging in it before. I also saw the shoe rack. There were a few pairs of high heels. Black, white, and green pumps, natural and black strappy stiletto sandals, saddle shoes, Keds in about three colors, and two pairs of Converse All Star high tops. Both pairs were as ratty as all get out. My baby had moved in.

“Mom helped me move some stuff over in the evenings after they ran us out of the hospital. Hope you don’t mind. I’m home, Charlie. I’ll never leave you. You need to know that.”

“I’m so glad you did that, baby. It shows me you’re serious. I want you here as much as you want to be here ... Or more. I dunno. Can you kiss me, doll?” She came and crawled on me, carefully, then kissed me, holding my cheeks.

“I was so afraid again.” She broke down a little, crying, then laid her head on my chest. “I love you, Charlie. I just want to be happy with you, without the bullets and the pipes and my father being an ass, and all that. I just want to be your wife and your girl. That’s all I want.”

“We’ll see what we can do, baby, but I still need to replace that electrical outlet. Maybe Sam can take me to Lowe’s tomorrow.” I grinned. She slapped me so lightly I could barely feel it, then grinned back, and kissed me again. “Can you get me a water or something, punkin. I need to take one of these pills and take a nap.” She nodded, running to the bar for a bottle of water, then helping me out of my clothes and getting me into bed and some semblance of normalcy. I was a happy camper, if not a bit sore, still. “What is today, hon? What day?”

“Saturday. It happened on Monday morning, you woke up early Thursday morning, and they wanted to make sure you were OK and let you out this morning, on Saturday. Kind of a mess for you to keep track of, I know. More drugs and things than you’re used to, for sure. How’s your leg?”

“Still hurts, but I’m sure I can get in to get it looked at this week. You have games coming up, hon?”

“Yeah. I had one last week. We won. Coach thought I might be a little flighty, so she put me in right field for the last couple of innings. I’ll be back to catching next week. Two games. You’ll come, won’t you?” I nodded, gently. “Good. I play for you when you’re there. Will you make love to me tonight, Charlie? Please?”

“I’ll try, baby. I’ll try. Are we going to be parents afterwards?”

“Not tomorrow. No. I’m safe. I’ll let you know when I’m ready for that, and if you agree, we’ll work on it together. You’ll know, babe. You’ll know, but, no, not now.”

It worked out fine. The pain pill kept my headache back until the very top of my orgasm, but overall, it worked fine. She was very accommodating. I offered for her to be on top, to control things, but she declined, telling me she wanted me on top and not to worry about anything but my own happiness, and my head. I was gentle, kissing and licking every part of her body preparing her, then when I knew she was just about to go over the edge, I bit her clitoris, sending her into a spin of climax. While she moaned in ecstasy, I moved over her and carefully lined myself up. Leaning down to kiss her, I pushed, she screeched in pain once and accepted me, then, after the in and out of placing myself completely and fully inside her womanhood, we were mated. Her scream on my first entry was muted by our lips being together, sharing our tongues. Her fingernails dug into my back, but she didn’t scratch, just held them there, piercing my skin. It felt like that anyway. She didn’t actually break the skin, which was amazing in itself. A couple of thrusts later, one of my hands under and holding her neck and the other under and holding her perfect ass, my middle finger in the channel of her butt crack, she came again, this scream sounding more like a scream of passion where the other one was a burst of pain being released.

I didn’t stop. If she wanted me to, I didn’t in any way sense it. The kiss broke. “Love me, Charlie. Make me yours. All of me. Yours, baby. Finish in me. Come in me. FUCK ME, CHARLIE!” I did. I slammed down into her a few more times, getting a grunt and a third orgasm out of her. The contractions of her vaginal walls pulling at me set me off and I exploded into her. Pushing, holding, crushing her into me. “God, I love you. I’m so happy to be yours. Never let me go, baby. Never let me go. I love you so, so much.” She was winded. Gasping for breath between declarations.

I rose and fell backwards as much as I could, letting her lay on me. My head was killing me. The orgasm crushed me. The pain, at the apex of the climax, if you will, was bad, really bad, but she’d never know. I wouldn’t admit to the pain. Not during our first complete intimate union.

“Are you OK, love?” she asked me.

“I’ve never been better. Can you take me to dinner tonight? Just dinner. I want to go out and eat, but I don’t want to do anything else. I need to be home and take care of my boo-boo, but I don’t want to cook, and I don’t want you to have to.”

“Yes, babe. Anything you want.” She giggled. “Here. Let me kiss your boo-boo.” She reached down and kissed the side of my head, as close as she could to the contact point. The lump. That hurt as well, but I didn’t care. “What are you thinking for dinner, hon?”

“You pick, but I’d prefer a place with a good steak.”

“Got it. Nap. Take a nap. I’ll get us cleaned up. Charlie. Thank you. My first time was fantastic. That’s not what they tell people it will be like. I’m a happy little girl. I love you.”

“I’m a happy old man. I love you, too. Thank you for being happy. I know that sounds silly but thank you for being you.” She helped me turn back around on the bed, cleaning me up a bit with a warm cloth, and getting me back on the pillow.

I apologized for falling asleep on her. She rejected my apology. “No need,” she said. “Drugs and sex. They’ll do it every time,” she said. She kissed me and took me to dinner. Roadhouse. She did love me. This proved it. Hah!

Her mother called and came over later that evening. I was lying in bed, watching TV with Sandy drawing nothings on my chest with her finger, her head on my shoulder. In a surprise move, her mom laid down on the other side, and followed Sandy’s finger around. She didn’t say much, she just laid there with Sandy. Just being there. They looked at each other a lot. Sandy told her mom she wanted to go get her license on Tuesday or Wednesday but needed a note. She had to be back for practice, though. Then they drew some more. It was about an hour and a half when Sharon got up on her knees, kissed Sandy, then me, a more meaningful kiss than ever before, and left.

“Mom’s fallen in love with you. Sorry.”

“What do I do?”

“Nothing. She and I will work it out. Let it go. Can you take me on Tuesday? I’d rather my husband take me than my mother.”

“Yes, doll. Anything you want. I’m taking off for a couple weeks, but they’ll call me if they need me. Help me watch my phone, OK?”

“Of course.”

“What do I do about your mom? Seriously. Will she be mad if I take you for your license?”

“Do nothing different. Nothing special about that. I’m serious, Charlie. We need to take care of it. She and I. She won’t mind about the DMV thing. I was just telling her so she’d know. Remember, no secrets. That’s a big step. She needs to know. Charlie, I love my mom almost as much as I love you. This is not going to be a problem for you, or for me. We’re a thing. She knows that. That is not changing. The rest is up to her, but between her and me. Please don’t worry about it. Don’t even think about it. Just kiss her when she needs a kiss and let it go. You told Allison you loved Mom. I know you do. Whether that is because she’s your wife’s mother or because she’s been feeding you for six years is between the two of you.” She giggled at her analysis. “I also know she’s not your type. She wasn’t your type. This thing with Dad is changing her. She’s less ... She less outgoing. She’s less over the top. She’s becoming quiet and interspect...”

“Introspective,” I said, helping her out.

“Yeah. She’s not as obnoxious, boisterous, or loud. She’s changing. In the last seven days, she’s changed more than in the last sixteen years. She’s losing the inner child. Maybe that’s it. In any case, she’s in love with her hero. My husband.”

“We need to get married,” I said.

“I know. I’ll tell her.”

“We’ll tell her. Call her and invite her for breakfast. No, never mind. I’ll do it.” I got my phone off the nightstand and pushed on her little picture. “Yeah, Sharon. Can you come for breakfast tomorrow? We need to talk. (Pause.) Of course, it’s serious. I don’t flap my lips for no reason. (Pause.) No, not crying serious. Don’t you dare. (Pause.) Scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Nothing fancy. (Pause.) OK, I’ll have my darling bride-to-be crack open a bottle of champagne and some orange juice for you. (Pause.) Promise? (Pause.) OK, no crying. It’s a good thing. See you in the morning. (Pause.) Mwah back at you. My fiancée is going to kill me if she finds out we’re kissing over the phone.” Sandy laughed. “Oooops, she caught us. (Pause.) Yes, eight or so. G’night. (Pause.) I love you, too, Sharon. Sandy said the same. (Pause.) G’night.” I handed Sandy my phone so she could put it on the nightstand. “That went well. Hopefully she’s not worrying about tomorrow.”

“You told her not to. She probably is, though. She probably knows what we’re going to ask for. Just not why.”

“Why do you think?”

“So you can let her into our lives, but not as your wife. I think you are going to take care of her, right after you show her that we were meant to be married. I hope that’s it anyway. I don’t mind, Charlie. Believe it or not, I didn’t get ... I don’t get jealous when you kiss her. She is my mother. I want her taken care of, and she wants you to do it. I think. I may be wrong. I doubt it, though.”

“How’d you get so smart?”

“Following my mother and you around. Honestly, if it doesn’t involve her heart or her emotions, Mom’s pretty smart. She was taking her final tests as a Nurse Practitioner when she quit to go into Real Estate. That’s almost a doctor. She ain’t no dummy. Just falling in love with you proves that. I guess that means I’m smart too, huh?”

“I already said that. You are. I’m tired. Love me, hold me and put me to sleep?” She nodded, loved me, held me, and...

We woke at seven. She beat me to the bathroom, but it wasn’t much of a race. I needed serious medical work done if I was going to win these early morning bathroom races. My headache had lightened a bit, and my leg kicked in on the healing process as well. I still needed to get to some physical therapy regimens, but Mister Peter Ferguson put the quaheelies on the last trip. Maybe the next day I could make the call before I left ... No, I had to take my princess to her learning establishment. I’d call on the way to school. She’d be driving. That might work. All this was going through my mind as I moved into position and sat to pee. She was starting the water in the shower.

“Baby, do you need an appointment at the DMV, or just show up?”

“Ooooh, warm water. Just show up. Tuesday and Wednesday at two in the afternoon are the quietest times according to their web site. If we show up Tuesday and wait for two hours, I’m going to hack and trash their web site!” She laughed. I climbed in the shower with her. “My friends did it this way and were like next in line when they got there. Here, let me do that. I’ll stay away from your baby bump. God, that thing is still big. I may never speak to that jackass again. He could have killed you.”

“That feels good. Thanks. I need to hurry, though, and ... Oooh, baby, slow down!!” She stopped with my hair and grabbed a washrag and did the rest of me.

“Rinse. Go. I’ll finish and be out in a bit. I forgot about Mom coming over and was relishing in helping my future spouse. We have the rest of our lives for that. We only have forty-five minutes for you to prepare to feed my mother. Go. I love you. Don’t ever doubt that or I’ll put a knot on the other side.” She chuckled. I shook my head. Ouch! “I do love you, Charlie.”

“Hurry. You can help with the toast, and your female parental unit requested a mimosa. You can take care of that as well. I’d rather have a poinsettia, but you can do as you choose. We have any cranberry juice?”

She laughed. “No idea, goofball. Hasn’t been a priority this week. Grocery shopping falls right after ‘Make sure spouse lives’, and I was busy with that one. I’ll call Mom and have her bring ours. I want to try that. Go.”

I dried, put on a robe and went to make coffee. Our machine is pretty quick, so I made a couple of cups and took them back up. I got a kiss in trade for coffee and chatted with Sandy while we dressed. Mostly about what her mom might say when we asked for her signature. Sandy was thinking maybe not too much. I was thinking the worst but hoping for the best, meanwhile, she grabbed her phone.

“Mom, can you bring cranberry juice if we have any. (Pause.) No, Mom, I’m not having a pee problem. Charlie said they make poinsettias with it. A mimosa only with cranberry juice instead of orange juice. (Pause.) Please. (Pause.) Thanks. (Pause.) Of course, I do. He tells me everything. We’re as good as married. (Pause.) MOTHER! Mind your tongue. We’ll talk. Love you.” She put her phone down. “Ooops. Cat got out of the bag.” We both broke up laughing, finished dressing and went to start breakfast.

Sharon came in with the juice, the bartender got busy, and we had a great time over breakfast. The ladies were skipping church to stay with me, but other than that, it was a normal Sunday.

“What’s this about being as good as married?”

“I asked him to make love to me yesterday, and he did. In the eyes of God, and the community, and all that jazz...”

Sharon raised her eyebrow. “And?”

“And nothing. I’ve never been happier. Ever. Regardless of the measure, I’m happy. Completely. No details, remember?”

“I remember. Welcome to life as a woman. What did you want to talk about, Charlie?”

“I want your permission to marry your daughter. I need your approval in order to ask, and once I get that approval, I can make the request, put a ring on her finger, and make plans. You have given us a lot of leeway, but I’d feel better with that permission and a pledge from you that you would sign your permission should we decide to marry before her seventeenth birthday.”

“Aha! I figured that’s what this was about. The kiss. My kiss. I agree. Tomorrow if you like. Whenever. You have my pledged permission. She knows. You know. Again, we’re done dancing around it. So, she boinked her beau on Saturday, got permission to marry on Sunday, she’s getting her license on Tuesday, what happens tomorrow?”

“I go back to physical therapy.”

“Good idea.”

“Mom, I told him you were falling in love with him.”

“I figured. I mentioned the kiss. I’m pretty sure that’s what drove the marriage permission conversation. If you expect me to deny it, I can’t. I won’t. It would be a lie. Marry my daughter and don’t tell me to stay away. That’s all I ask for now. I’ve been without a real man in my life for a very long time. A little longer won’t kill me.”

“Mom, kiss my husband.” Sharon looked at her questioningly. “Kiss him. Trust me. A real kiss.”

She approached me, I pulled her into my lap, and kissed her. She pulled away and looked at Sandy. Sandy kissed me the same way, then kissed her mother. It was not a mother-daughter kiss. It was the same kind of kiss she gave me. Was she testing, or was she...

“Sandy, I love you. You know I do. Please, just don’t push me away.”

“I just showed you I wouldn’t, but if this goes any further, you and I are going to be sharing things that mothers and daughters don’t normally share. You are a beautiful woman, Mom, and if you love my husband, you’re going to have to get used to it. You are going to love me, too. In the same manner. We are now one.”

“I understand. I do. You and I need to work on this, don’t we?” Sandy nodded. Sharon put her arms out for another hug and got that and another scorching kiss. “I’m looking forward to it. Honestly. I hope you are.” Sandy nodded, smiling widely.

“I am. I think we can talk him into it, but we need to be able to do this before he gets involved. I hope you can see that.”

“I can. I do. OK. Charlie, I have to admit that I am falling in love with you. There. I said it. I understand why you two want to get married, maybe a little sooner, and I don’t have a problem with it. I actually encourage it. That needs to be the important union, the most important step is for the two of you to be joined. I’m going home. I’m a bit ... I’m a bit warm and need to ... I need to be alone for a bit.”