Chapter 5

We were a little late but Karen was there looking worried with Nicki standing beside her. I had my hands in my pockets and kept them there but greeted both girls. The four of us walked into the dining hall, chose food, paid, and sat down. I bowed for a quick, silent prayer that I knew was selfish as I said it. I started eating.

Karen was watching me and only lightly touching at her food. Nicki was watching us. She finally looked at me angrily. "Brad, you just don't forgive? One mistake and you never give people a second chance?"

I looked her in the eye steadily until she dropped her gaze. "I have forgiven all of you and thanked you as best I could for the lesson I was taught. I'm not dropping the class. Karen and I are working together on the story. That's a lot." I gave her a harsh look. "After all, you went to a lot of trouble to break us up. I'm just obeying your request." I stood and carried my partially eaten tray to the disposal area. I left the dining hall. Karen was running after me.

"Brad, wait for me!" I got out the door before she grabbed hold of my arm. "Brad, don't punish me. I did a stupid thing. Please let me back in."

"Karen, I told you that we will work together on the story. That's as much as I'm willing to do right now. I'll be back in class tomorrow. I'm going off for the evening." I walked away from her leaving her standing by herself looking as forlorn as I felt.

I walked across the parking lot and got in my truck. It was one of the things of which I was proud though I kept that pride hidden. I drove an hour to my hometown but didn't go home. I went to Uncle Billy's and spent the evening playing my horn and enjoying being with people who cared about me. I drove back to my dorm arriving late and went to bed feeling better. I woke at my usual time to shave and shower.

I went to breakfast. Karen was waiting for me. "Brad, may I join you for breakfast?" I nodded. She followed me into the dining hall and we put food on our trays, paid, and went to a table to sit down. She took a breath and said, "May I ask a blessing?" I nodded.

She asked God's blessing on our food and for me to find space for her in my heart again. I echoed her "amen." She sipped her coffee and said, "Brad, where did you go last night. You look rested and more at peace this morning."

"I went to Uncle Billy's. He, Carl, and Carol helped me get my head straight and think things out."

She jumped in, "Am I an 'out' or an 'in?'" When I didn't immediately answer, she added, "Brad, it's important that I know. I hurt so badly for my mistake. I want us to be together." She looked at me eyeball to eyeball. "I will never leave you again. I won't listen to anyone who says things about us. I want to be with you. Please, Brad. Let me back in."

I said, "I was going to say more. They all talked with me. They feel that I need to ease up. Carl referred to history. Uncle Billy referred to my grandparents. Carol told me a story of her screw up and how she eased up on the situation and found her happiness again. I thought about you on the trip there and back. Karen, I'm willing to work at getting us together."

I smiled at her. She smiled back. For a moment, I thought she was going to come over the table. She squeezed my hand tightly. She murmured, "Thank you, God. I don't know those persons but I would like to meet them and thank them, Brad."

We finished eating not talking at all. We took our trays to disposal and walked outside in the warm air of a late spring morning. It was bright and sunny. It fit my emotions. I said, "Karen, I have to go to a class but I will be at English."

My first class seemed to pass more quickly than usual and I met Karen at English. We went in together and sat down. Professor Lee said, "According to my records, everyone has handed in their descriptions and thesis statements. If you have your draft of the first chapter ready, you may hand it in and leave. If you don't have the draft ready, you will have to stay through the lecture. Those words should motivate you in the future." She grinned. "Those with chapter one may come forward one team at a time." Karen handed me her books and took my spare hand. With chapter one in her other hand, we walked to the front and handed it to Professor Lee. She nodded and we left.

Outside, she said, "You have a math class next?"

"Yes," I looked at my watch, "in thirty-two minutes."

"Good. Come with me." She pulled me by the same hand that she was holding as we left English. She had a strong grip. She led me outside and to a bench. "Sit down, Brad." I sat down. She had released my hand. She was wearing jeans and straddled me. She said, "Kiss me. Take your time but make me tingle."

I smiled. "That's what you do to me."

"You do it to me just as well. I don't faint but I tingle very nicely. Brad, I don't have experience. I don't know if I would respond to another guy like I do with you. However, I don't care about knowing. Brad, I want to experience life with you and just with you."

I did the smart thing. I kissed her. I was either getting an immunity or becoming more used to the intense pleasure of our kissing. We finally came up for air and both of us were breathing heavily. I don't know if I made her tingle but she sure made me tingle!

I had my hands under her shirt running them up and down her back. She wasn't wearing a bra! I wanted to touch her in front but there was just enough foot traffic to impede my hands from doing more whether or not there was any other reason. She was purring as I rubbed her back. I could feel her pelvis squirming against my lap making a warm spot there.

After an enjoyable time, I looked at my watch and realized that I barely had five minutes before my class. I said, "Karen, I have class in five minutes. Let me up. I'll see you at lunch."

She said, "Okay, I could stay like this for a long, long time." She gave me a quick kiss and stood giving me her hand. I stood and gathered my books. I walked to my class.

Since I enjoyed math, the class was always good for me. After class, we met at the entrance to the dining hall. She said, "What have you got for the rest of the day?"

"I'm open."

"Okay, let's work on the story more. I would like to go over the first two chapters and start chapter three."

"That doesn't sound very romantic."

'It will be." We finished our lunches, dropped off our trays, and she took my hand leading me to her room. Nicki wasn't there. Karen's laptop was ready and she opened the story in her word processor. She stood and pointed at the chair. "Sit there, Brad." I sat on the chair and she sat in my lap. "Working on the story will occur but working on us is more important."

She kissed me for a long, long time. Before we finished, she was straddling me holding me close. I had one hand on her back stroking her. She wasn't wearing a bra again.

We were breathing heavily. I asked, "Do you ever wear a bra?"

"Not often. I'm not big there and don't show. I can get away with it and nobody knows. The only reason you know is you are rubbing my back and don't find a strap."

I kissed her again and, after a while, moved my hand from her shoulders to her front and cupped her breast. It was small but firm. "Oh! Brad, I won't stop you. I don't know if I could but we shouldn't go any further though your touch is electric."

I said, "The electricity flows both ways but I agree." I moved my hand back into a safer area.

She said, "Let me up and let's go over the story."

I nodded and smiled. "I think that would be best." She sat beside me and we went through the first two chapters slowly and tried to find errors or ways we might write something differently to make it read better. We made a few changes.

I said, "Karen, would you go out with me?"

"Yes!" I got kissed. She continued, "Where do we go?"

"I don't know. Are there any concerts occurring?" I smiled. "However, my favorite is Johann."

"You like Bach!"

"I love a pipe organ and he wrote some really great stuff." She smiled at me. She typed on her laptop rapidly and grinned. "What?" I asked her.

"I thought so. There is an organ recital at the Episcopal church in town Thursday night. It's a Bach recital. Please, Brad, take me there."

"Will you wear a dress?"

She grinned. "I will even wear a short one."

"It's a date."

She shifted around to straddle me coming into my arms. We kissed for a long, long time. I felt lightheaded, but happy, very happy. So much for going slow.

We were together for supper and the entire evening. We spent Thursday during the day together except for our classes. We ate supper in the dining hall and walked back to her dorm. She went up to change and I went to mine to put on nicer clothes including a sports coat though I didn't wear a tie. I walked into the common area of her dorm as she entered it. She was gorgeous! Her dress wasn't that short but, with her height, it seemed shorter. She gave me a quick kiss for hello.

She handed me her phone. "Brad, please carry this for me. My purse is too small for it. I don't have a pocket." I nodded and put it in one of my coat pockets. She was wearing a tan sweater over her blue dress. We left to walk the four blocks to the church. We were a little early and easily found seats in the middle about half way back in a long pew. Karen took my arm and put it around her shoulders as she settled in close. We had a program to share and I enjoyed the concert. I think she did, too. The audience was invited to a reception and she led the way. She said, "Brad, that was outstanding. I really enjoyed it. I particularly enjoyed having your arm around me." She smiled at me.

"It's a good place for my arm, Karen. Thank you for thinking about the recital." We were sipping punch and I was being careful for neither of us to wear any of it.

The youth pastor at the Methodist church I attended here came up. He also worked with the college age group. He said, "Brad, it's good to see you."

"Rev Ron. Hello. Hi, Missus Laura." Reverend Ron, nicknamed Rev Ron, and his wife, Laura, stood in front of us. "I would like to introduce Miss Karen Monroe. Karen, this is Missus Laura Trout and her husband, Reverend Ron Trout. Rev Ron is a pastor at the Methodist church I attend."

Laura Trout stuck out her hand to Karen. She said, "It's good to meet you, Karen. It's good to see someone with Brad. He's under appreciated in my opinion."

Karen said, "Missus Laura, it's good to meet you, too. I value Brad highly and am trying to hang on to him." They grinned at each other.