Chapter 9: Upper Hand

January 10, 2028

Clark and the girls woke up on the morning of Katie’s sixteenth birthday utterly surprised when they looked out the window. The overnight snowfall had turned into a blizzard leaving a blanket of two feet of fresh, unmolested snow. The companion wind had carried and dumped snow onto the porch, making it impossible to exit the front door. The chicken coop was practically buried under a snow drift. Katie had all but adopted the chickens as her own and treated the situation as an emergency.

The back door had been spared from Nature’s wrath. Katie jumped into action, instructing Clark to start digging a trench to the chicken coop. Sally was charged with getting the fire going in the stove and boiling a pail of water. Katie was going to grind some extra corn and sunflower seeds, plus try digging out a bag of hay from the porch.

Sally and Clark made no complaints, accepting Katie’s orders with no fuss. Calm, courageous and street-smart, she was the one the other two often looked to for answers during a moment of crisis.

The chickens were alright and certainly didn’t mind the extra feed and added bag of hay to help keep warm and scratch around in. The hot pail of water quickly helped raise the temperature inside the coop. The chickens loved the warm water and didn’t want to stop drinking it. The hay kept them busy, scratching, searching and pecking at tiny grass seeds.

“I’ll check on you again later,” Katie said as she backed out the little door and carefully rehung the triple layer of burlap sacks to keep drafts of cold air out.

“You were awesome the way you handled this,” Sally remarked when the early morning frenzy had finally settled down. “I hope you’re around if ever I get in a bind.”

Sally made pancakes for brunch and lit a candle for Katie on top of the stack. After they straightened up the cabin, Clark said he was going to dig a pathway to the root cellar to get some bubbly champagne for Katie’s birthday party. As soon as he reached the cellar, Sally told Katie to go get some extra corn since they used all they had for the chickens.

Clark was pleasantly surprised when Katie came into the cellar. He was sitting on a wooden crate to rest and asked her to sit next to him. Instead, Katie sat straddled over his lap and leaned her forehead onto his.

“I missed you the past several nights,” she said still trying to catch her breath from wadding through the trail left by Clark’s big strides in the deep snow.

He took her in his arms and kissed her passionately to let her know he missed the warmth of her body too. She could feel the bulge forming in his crotch and pushed hard against him, knocking him backwards onto the ground. She fell with him, landing on top.

“You know what I would love for my sweet sixteenth birthday today?” she asked with big eyes locked onto his.

“Let me guess,” Clark remarked. “You, too, want a driver’s permit.”

“No you silly. When you’re inside me, I can feel your heart beat, feel your thoughts. I wish those feelings would last forever.”

“Katie, if you can feel my thoughts, then you would know I love you and, more than anything want to make you happy.”

Their mouths met and their tongues began dancing back and forth, in and out. Their breathing became heavy as Katie ground her pussy against the growing bulge in Clark’s pants until they realized they had to get back to the cabin.

They were holding hands when they filed through the door of the cabin, Clark pulling Katie in behind him. They looked like two love birds coming back from a date.

“What took you guys so long?” Sally asked with a maternal tone in her voice. “I was getting worried you might be stuck in a snow drift or something.”

Clark and Katie stole glances from each other and quickly released their grips when it finally dawned on them that they were still holding hands. They both started talking at the same time, yet their excuses for their delay sounded completely different.

“Ah-ha, sure,” Sally responded as if believing every word. She looked at Katie and gave her a big smile and a wink of encouragement.

Darkness fell early and the temperature outside plummeted well below zero. The fire in the stove was blazing, filling the cabin with comforting, radiant warmth. Sally lit several candles and the cabin took on the romantic look of a night club in Paris.

Katie was wearing a pretty floral dress she had found at the brick house. The dress ended at her knees, revealing her beautiful legs; the waist was snug, making her hips surprisingly full and her boobs stand out proudly on her chest. She looked like a princess. Clark and Sally sang Happy Birthday, but Clark was eager to dance with Katie and swirl her off her feet. She blushed seeing the hunger for her in his eyes. They finally sat down huddled together on the couch with Clark’s arms around both girls.

“So when you were growing up, what did you look forward to doing on your sixteenth birthday?” he asked Katie catching his breath.

“Well, I remember my sister and her friends talking about it and I kinda dreamed doing the same things,” Katie responded.

“And, what was that?” Clark wanted to know.

“Be able to wear lipstick and get a nice hairstyle, put on a sexy bikini with a tight little thong, and parade in front of boys to get them all hot and horny.”

“Yeah, boys get excited a lot when they notice things like that,” Sally remarked snickering.

“Wait a minute,” Clark interrupted their giggling. “At twelve, you were already having such thoughts, back when mom was still alive?” he asked.

“Yeah, kinda like a fantasy daydream. It’s what girls do when their own dads are so good looking,” she smiled mischievously and blinked her Barbie eyes.

Clark shook his head, knowing he had no chance of winning this argument and tried to steer the conversation leading up to the real purpose his questions.

“Oh, that reminds me,” he said getting up and reaching for a duffle bag under the bed. He put his hand inside the bag and continued. “Katie, your lips are beautiful without lipstick. Your body is sexy even when you wear thermal underwear. And, I’d be awfully jealous if you showed off your charms to other guys and not me.”

The girls giggled at Clark’s boyish admiration and sensitivity.

“However, I hope you will like this to fulfill one of your sweet sixteen dreams.” He said, removing a wrapped gift from the bag.

It was a hand mirror with matching comb and hair brush he found stashed away in the den of the brick house. Katie adored the gift and promised she would always make herself pretty just for him. She tried out the comb and brush and Sally helped her to brush the hair all to one side, exposing her ear and the side of her small delicate neck. Clark looked on with a desire to kiss her passionately and tickle her earlobe with his tongue.

Katie stood up before him and asked “Do you like my hair like this?”

Clark got up and extended his hands. Katie thought he wanted another dance with her and offered her hands.

Instead, Clark fell onto one knee and said, “Katie, I wish I had one more thing to give you, something special for what I’m about to say.”

Katie looked bewildered. Her eyes were wide open as she stared down at Clark kneeling before her. Sally froze and had a suspicious look on her face, thinking a guy doesn’t kneel before a woman, unless...

Clark cleared his throat and squeezed Katie’s hand to convey emphasis and importance to the moment.

“I love you with all my heart. I have loved you ever since you entered my life and changed it completely on that morning in the car. Forgive me if I startled you then, but I was probably more scared than you.”

Katie looked like she was about to cry. Clark continued.

“The first time I went down from the cabin you were worried that I would not return. You held onto me and, at that moment, I knew there was something special about you and I didn’t want to lose you ever.”

Katie blushed and smiled.

“I love and respect your spiritual devotion and it makes me want to try harder to be that way myself. We both love to plant corn and dream of making a bigger home so together we can fill it with happiness and hope.”

Katie began to realize the significance of the moment.

“These are just a few of the reasons I’m hoping you’ll spend the rest of your life with me. Katie ... will you marry me?”

Katie’s legs were already trembling anticipating the question which every girl dreams of hearing one day from her beloved as a gesture of respect and gratitude for her honor. “Yes, yes, yes. I will marry you. I love you with all my heart too.”

Clark and Katie hugged and kissed while Sally went to get the champagne and some glasses. “Let’s celebrate.”

The champagne made Sally drowsy and she soon fell asleep leaned up against Clark on the couch. Katie was on the other side of him. She stood up, grabbed a pillow and blanket from the bed, and motioned to Clark to get up and gently lay Sally’s head on the couch and cover her.

Katie gave Clark a big smile and started to throw off her clothes. Clark also stripped off his clothes and followed Katie who was already naked on the bed. He laid his naked body on top of her and took her in his arms. There was no need for any foreplay. The whole evening had been like a long foreplay, and they were both ready. Several passionate kisses and Clark’s missile nestled between her thighs, which spread open in welcome. His engorged tip slid down her wet slit and wedged between her swollen labia. Katie felt it start to open her and then a push as Clark’s stiffness penetrated deep into her. She gave a long deep hissing sigh, “Yesss.”

“Oh Lord, Katie, you never felt so hot and tight,” Clark whispered into her ear. “I love you.”

Clark’s cock bottomed out, filling Katie completely. She felt her pussy vibrating from being stretched so much. Then he pulled back and slid back in, colliding with her sensitive clitty. The whole cabin seemed lit up as the electricity flowed through her body. “Harder, fuck me harder,” she cried.

Soon, Clark picked up the pace, plunging his cock faster and harder into Katie’s pussy. Their passion was furious. Katie felt her climax beginning to boil, stronger than she had ever felt it before. She tightened her grip around Clark’s neck as she felt her pussy rippling along his expanded cock. “I’m coming, coming, yes, yes, yes,” she squealed.

Almost simultaneously, Clark began feeling his cock about to erupt. He gave one big shove, stiffened, and gave a loud groan as his cock sent blasts of hot semen into Katie, filling her love canal completely.

They both stopped, breathing hard, drained, and unable to move. Katie tried milking Clark’s cock still filling her with her pelvic muscles to wring the last bit of pleasure out of it. All that it did was cause the mighty invader to fall out and she moaned in disappointment as she felt their juices flowing down her butt.

Clark rolled over to his side and pulled Katie to him, cuddling her, “Katie, you are incredible.”

“Are you happy?” Katie asked.

“With you by my side, always.”

SALLY WAS VERY HAPPY for Katie and thought that Clark’s proposal was the most romantic one she had ever heard. Moreover, she was excited beyond comprehension about being Katie’s bridesmaid.

“But that means we’d have to have a wedding,” Katie exclaimed.

“Of course you’re going to have a wedding, right Daddy?” Sally asserted.

“But who’s going to perform the ceremony?” Clark questioned.

“Brother Matthew, duh!” Sally replied with conviction. “Your job is to go talk to him, while Katie and I will work on the other details.”

They agreed that Clark would visit the monastery around end March, when most of the snow would have thawed especially down the mountain, to ask Brother Matthew to officiate the union. In the meantime, Sally and Katie went over and over the other details such as the dress Katie was going to wear, the veil, flowers and the wedding dinner.

March 27

The weeks seemed to pass agonizingly slow in anticipation of the day when the girls would finally see Clark head down the mountain. It was a bright sunny day. Birds were chirping. It lifted everyone’s spirit, especially Clark’s as he descended towards the monastery. He was nervous and rehearsed what he was going to say to Brother Matthew. He also reminded himself of what he and Katie talked about the night before.

“I would have liked to ask your father’s permission to marry you. Do you think he would have approved?” Clark had asked Katie.

“If he knew you as I know you, I’m sure he would have been proud to give us his permission,” Katie responded.

Clark arrived at the gates of the monastery just as one of the monks started to ring the bell announcing the midday hour. The monk saw Clark and called for Brother Matthew who was overjoyed to see him after five long months.

“How are you and the other brothers doing?” Clark asked.

Brother Matthew’s lips started to tremble with the news he was about to give Clark. “Unfortunately, Brother John was called to heaven several days after we last met. He was so happy when the girls were here. It gave him a renewed surge of energy and hope. However, his heart was already very weak and one day he did not come to our morning prayers. We found him in his bed sleeping peacefully. God rest his soul.”

They went to the courtyard where Brother John was buried, surrounded by colorful tulips and daffodils.

“He now rests here together with those whom he loved and who went before him. It was his last wish.”

They sat down for tea and some crackers as Clark began to explain the purpose of his visit.

“As I told you once, I am not a priest and the Church does not allow me to perform the sacrament of marriage,” Brother Matthew replied.

“I understand, Brother Matthew,” Clark responded. “However, in the absence of Katie’s father, of whom I would have asked his permission to marry her and to give us his blessings, we ask you to give us your blessing. Our marriage will probably never be registered in some official records. That is not important. We do, however, want to declare our intentions before God and it would mean so much for Katie and me, if you could guide us through the ritual and bear witness. You will never regret it.”

Despite his strict religious orders, Brother Matthew did not lose his humanity. He placed and then swept both hands over his wrinkled face as if to cleanse his conscience.

“Well, it would not be a sin to assist two people to join their hands and their hearts as is God’s wish. I will be glad to be a part of your wedding,” Brother Matthew conceded. “Do you already have a date in mind?”

“We were thinking the last Sunday in May, when all the planting should be done.”

“I believe we can fit that into our busy schedule around here,” Bother Matthew said jokingly.

“Thank you so much. I will return here with Katie and Sally in two weeks from today. They will want to go over a few details and plan the wedding dinner here, if that is alright with you.”

“We look forward to seeing you all in two weeks. There is, however, something I must discuss with you before you go that is not related to your wedding,” Brother Matthew stated.

“I’m listening,” Clark replied.

“Many years ago, this monastery also served as an orphanage. At that time, we had two sisters who knew how to care for the smaller children, while some of the brothers like Brother John and I tended to their formal education. Some of the children who passed away are buried here. Brother John was like an uncle to them all and that is why he asked to be buried beside them.” Brother Matthew cleared his throat and squeezed his eyes to avoid his emotions from spilling forth and running down his cheeks.

“We have a large dormitory upstairs where we had upwards of 12 children at one time. Many of them were left outside our gates with just a simple piece of paper pinned to their jacket with their first name and date of birth. After many years, the state agency for child services started issuing all sorts of requirements, such as separate dormitories for boys and girls and limitations on religious instruction. Eventually, it became impossible to continue caring for our children. Also, at the same time, the sisters became older and their order was unable to send us replacements. It’s been now seven years since we closed our orphanage. It was then that Brother John’s health declined rapidly,” Brother Matthew sighed and paused for a moment.

“Earlier this year we received a radio call from a monastery who thought we still maintained an orphanage. A child had been abandoned in October at their doorsteps by its mother who was migrating south and feared her baby girl would not survive the long journey. I told the brothers we would get back to them in the spring to let them know how we could help the child. I did not tell them about you, but you are our best and only hope.”