Chapter 5

Shirley refused to think. She arose, showered and dressed because she knew she had to, almost thankful that something was driving her. They had a new cook, and how would she know Frank took his eggs at three and one-half minutes unless she was told? His toast had to be dark, almost burned, and if the bacon wasn't crisp without being scorched, everyone knew about it.

Fortunately, the breakfast table was empty when she passed through to the kitchen and smiled at the robust woman named Rachael who handed her a cup of coffee before she could hardly say good-morning.

"You like a little something in it maybe, Miz Douglas?"

"No... well... yes, I think so this morning, Rachael," Shirley replied, slipping into the narrow seat of the breakfast nook. "Yes... there's some brandy up there in the cupboard right above you. I would like a splash."

"Of course you would, honey!" the big, dark-faced woman replied. "You're like. me, ain't you? In the morning... first thing... just a nip or so to give you a lift."

"Thank you," Shirley answered, feeling a warm relationship immediately with the sparkling, dark-eyed woman. "I-I didn't sleep too well."

"I know... I know... especially with guests in the house," the big woman said, chuckling and moving around the kitchen as if she'd laid undeniable claim. "I thought we'd have scrambled eggs and bacon, honey, with a little hominy, just not paying any attention to what they think they want..."

"Oh Rachael, Mr. Douglas always has two eggs dropped for a..."

"I know, I know, sugar-lamb. But this morning he gets his eggs scrambled with hominy and bacon... and I bet he loves it!" she confidently said, chuckling in a vein of warmth Shirley wished she could feel. "Tell you, baby, we girls have to do our thing our way, but we tell them it's theirs eh? It's either that or women's lib... and me, I kind of like being dominated by my man."

Shirley listened to her heart-warming chuckle as she worked over the stove, the confident and invigorating sound inspiring a growth of equal strength inside her! God, she wasn't an animal, or a whore, was she? Certainly, Vince Rivers was no less a man for what he'd done last night... then why should she be any less a woman? She hadn't really been taken... defeated... raped! She'd given herself to it... wanted it... with every lustful twinge he'd brought her! She was just as guilty, but no more than he... and as innocent over the breakfast table.

Shirley stood up, a warmth surging through her as she went to their new cook and kissed her on the cheek. "I-I don't know where you've been, but I've needed you for a long time," the young wife whispered with affection.

"Ohhhhh... well now... I don't know what you did last night, baby... but it was never all that bad either!" Rachael answered, wrapping her big arm around the smaller girl. "You just hold your head right up there with the best of 'em, honey. Anybody with a face and a body as pretty as yours don't have to take no back seats, eh?"

Again, Shirley kissed her, then eased away to walk into the dining room wearing an almost unseeing, confident smile, her young mind alert from the splash of brandy she'd had in her coffee.

Lisa and Nomad came in through the opposite door simultaneously with Shirley. The new wife seemed to be the only one at the breakfast table who was smiling. Frank looked like living death with his hangover. Vince Rivers merely watched her with eyes that seemed to lecherously gloat, reminding the blonde girl of 'the cat who ate the canary'... a rather apt phrase she mused as Frank stood to graciously seat her and their too- handsome guest dittoed for Lisa.

"Daddy... I-I want to apologize for last night... the way I acted," the dark-haired teenager spoke out suddenly leaning toward her father and reaching for his hand. "I-I was wretched and... and I know it! I'm sorry. It was a beautiful gift and I love it... it's much more than I deserve."

The blank expression on Frank's face was probably one of less astonishment than the stunned one on her own, Shirley absently measured. For a moment, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd heard correctly, but when she saw the tears sparkling in the vivacious young beauty's onyx eyes, she was certain.

"Well... ah... that's all right, baby... you were just a little upset is all," Frank replied, his big squared face breaking into a handsome, elated smile. He patted her small hand, then beamed his smile toward Shirley. "W-We understand, don't we, honey?"

"Yes... yes, of course," the surprised bride responded, more than pleased, if not a little startled, at being included in what was actually a personal situation between father and daughter. Shirley swallowed at the abrupt lump rising in her own throat. It was just another one of the many ways Frank chose to show Lisa his insistence that she recognize his new wife's place in his life and their family unit.

"I-I want to apologize to you, too, Shirley," the attractive teenager quickly followed, training those tear-dimmed, almond-shaped eyes levelly onto her. "I-I've... I've been terrible... like a spoiled brat and... and I'm ashamed. I-If you'll both forgive me, I-I promise to make it up to you."

Shirley was speechless, unable to hold back the tiny rivulets of tears trickling down her cheeks. Frank's happy smile alone was enough to have brought them, but Lisa's added expression of sincere regret was too much. She had to excuse herself for a few moments.

Vince Rivers watched it all with inner amusement, sitting back in his chair and sipping at his coffee. Some fucking soap opera... 'A Day with the Douglas Family' or, 'Her Bladder's Too Close To Her Tear Ducts'! Big daddy, you're a dumb stoop, Rivers thought, and if you could've seen your honey's mouth stuffed with my hard cock last night you'd begin to get the picture. But just as well that you are a dummy, because that's going to make it a hell of a lot easier for me... and today's the day, I'm thinking.

At the same time, the scheming con man was as much taken up with the way his pet, Nomad, was clinging to the side of the curvaceous young Lisa. This was something new, and there was no question but what the big animal was following his telltale routine of thigh-rubbing! Vince watched the way the pretty teenager still leaned onto the table as she talked softly to her father, his greedy eyes too filled with the sight of her full young breasts rippling beneath the silky blouse she wore to hear anything that passed between them. She obviously wasn't wearing a brassiere -- the little hardened nipples of those lushly quivering mounds showed in clear ovalled shadows straining against the sheer material of her blouse. The sexy bitch! As sure as hell, the mutt had scored with her! And maybe. last night! Sure, what else? That's where he'd been all night -- in her room!

"There now, baby, it's all okay," Frank Douglas said, patting his daughter's small white hand reassuringly. Even in the torments of his hangover, the big man couldn't remember when he'd felt as good. "Look now, you dry those pretty eyes... and promise me you and Shirley'll get aquainted today."

Lisa smiled through her tears. "I promise, daddy," she whispered. "Now, I better go powder my nose."

Frank watched her trip lightly from the room with Rivers' German shepherd not a half-step behind her. Christ, he had no idea what ever had come over her, but he wasn't about to question it. This might just be one of the happiest days in his life... if he could just find himself man enough to be a real husband to his young bride.

"It takes a lot of inner something to do what she just did right in front of a stranger, Frank," Vince Rivers said, interrupting the older man's plaguing, never absent shame. "You should be proud of her. She's a fine, lovely girl."

"Damn, you don't know how proud I am of her, Vince... of them both... and I guess I don't have to tell you that it's been a trying six months," Frank replied with a shake of his head. Then in a lowered voice, "But I think it's going to iron itself out between them now... Yes, I think it is."

"You're a lucky man having two beautiful young women who love you," the younger one said, doubting very much that the booze-blooded old fool decorating the head of his table had the slightest notion his guest was laughing up his sleeve... and that was putting it mildly.

But Shirley, re-entering the room with Lisa and Nomad behind her, easily read Vince Rivers' ridiculing tone of voice, and a sharp sensation of shame clutched at her belly. God, no matter what, she could never really forgive herself for the sluttish way she'd betrayed her wonderful husband last night with this evil man. She might learn to live with the salacious memory of it, but there was no way she could ever atone for it.

"No, don't get up, darling," Shirley said. "We can seat ourselves this time, can't we, Lisa?"

"I think so," the younger girl gaily answered, her winning smile almost secretly radiant. In truth, she couldn't remember when she'd felt so unburdened of petty hates and animosities, all of the vicious little hang-ups which had been needling her for months now... and she knew deep in her heart that only Nomad was responsible! He had gloriously made a woman of her -- a thrilling enlightenment that she had awakened to that brilliant summer morning like the bursting rays of the sun at dawn! God, she was happy, and she reached beneath the table to pet the massive head of the animal resting against her thigh who had made it all possible. "We... Shirley and I... are going shopping together sometime today!" she beamed at her father. "We haven't planned it out yet, but we'll probably be spending some of your money, daddy."

"Great! That's what it's for, eh Vince?" Frank replied, grinning from eat to ear. "And speaking of money... how's the plant beginning to look to you, young man? I don't like to sit on deals too long."

"I know what you mean, Frank," Rivers replied, assuming his business disguise. "Quite honestly, I've pretty much made up my mind... favorably that is, if you still want a partner. I'd like a couple more days to check over my notes before I call in my own attorneys to handle the legal end for me."