Chapter 30

Christmas morning was controlled by the kids. Not that this was negative, as their exuberance seemed to infect everyone. There was no way breakfast was going to happen before gifts were opened, so once Courtney and Sean had managed to round up everyone, the fun began.

Naturally, the kids got the biggest haul, but there was something there for everyone. Dex and Jeanette had collaborated on generic cosmetic and toiletries items of good quality for all the women. Carol and Jessica found extra packages with full sets of running gear, including outdoor wear. Jessica also got a package from Morgan that Morgan suggested she open later in private. Kirstin cried quietly over some very nice items from Gary, including a card with the imprint 'You Don't Know What You've Got 'Till It's Gone.'

Patrick was acting as Santa, and had been instructed to leave a stack of envelopes until last. He handed these out to all the women and had them open them all at once. General disbelief greeted the certificates for a session at a local spa for Saturday morning.

Morgan, still acting on Dex's behalf, told the women "Sorry about the 7am time, gals. We had to negotiate to get them to move around some other appointments. We leave here at 6:30, and we will be driven by two bodyguards that we trust completely. Dress to go shopping afterward. Anything that you don't have for the party Saturday night, you can get at Claudette's. We have a group appointment for 1:30."

"Breakfast will be served at the spa, and we have lunch reservations for noon, so you will be there all morning. You can get hair done, facial, manicure, pedicure, legs waxed, pussy trim, mud bath, massage - anything from their list of services. Oh, and an expert baby sitter will be here overnight Friday, so no worries about the kids."

"I want to talk to each of you about what to wear at the party. If you happen to have something appropriate with you, fine. I suspect, though, that my idea of appropriate may not be the same as yours. I want every one of you to go all out to look sexy, maybe even a little slutty. If that concerns you, let's talk. Merry Christmas!"

Morgan was the only one who knew about the spa and the shopping beforehand, except for Margo, who set it all up. Morgan had told Dex repeatedly that he was crazy to spend that much money, but he was adamant. He told her it was a one-time thing that he thought of as part of the expense of the party. He also thought it could be a single event that would have great healing benefit for all the women. Morgan had to agree on the last point. It certainly addressed the self-image problem head on.

Patrick and Jeanette came up to Dex immediately and she asked him "Do you want me to dress slutty, too?"

"Couldn't happen. You'll look classy no matter what you wear." Having said that, Dex gave her a quick kiss. Patrick wanted to pay for his women's portion of the expense, but Dex rejected that, also.

Just a few minutes later, Dex was sitting at the end of the sectional, just watching the happy mayhem around him when Kendra came and sat beside him.

"Dex, I have at least 25 expensive cocktail dresses in my closet, some very sexy. It seems a shame for you to have to buy dresses for all of us. If only there was some way..."

"Hold on Kendra." Dex grabbed a nearby phone and dialed Carl's home number. "Hey, Carl! Your kids done opening presents yet?" Carl was still a bachelor. "You mean, no kids you know about, right?" This was another common joke between the two. "Hey, I need a B&E job done." He held the phone away from his ear, grinning at Kendra. "Yeah, I know that's not on your price list, either. Well, here's the deal." He went on to explain what Kendra had told him.

Dex listened as Carl apparently asked a question, then turned to Kendra. "Is there anyone in the house you can trust?"

"Sure, my maid, Ilyana. She's a good friend. In fact she knew about Elise, or I might still be there. She distracted my husband while I slipped out a back door. I had the baby and a purse, and not even a heavy coat. That long walk down our drive was terrifying. My husband must have seen me on a security camera or something, because he came running out just as I got into Elise's van. I've been hoping ever since that he didn't know Ilyana was in on it."

"Do you have her home number? I assume she's not at your house on Christmas."

"Not my house any more!" Dex could not help noticing the similarity between her objections and comments made by the other women. Separating completely from a painful past was a first priority for all of them. Kendra did not know the number, but knew the approximate address. Dex did not have her call just yet, but asked Carl to call back when he had a plan.

The plan was elegantly simple. Schedule a garment storage firm to pick up the dresses the maid had set aside. After an appropriate bribe, have one of Carl's people drive the truck with the dresses to Dex's. Of course, it all depended on the maid still having access to the house. It took until later in the afternoon to reach Ilyana, but she was still employed, and was eager to help with the plan.

With all the dresses built for Kendra's tall, full movie star figure, the next challenge was to find a way to tailor them on short notice so some of the other women could wear them. "No problem, I'll just alert the network," Dex said, as he dialed Karen.

For the rest of the morning and early afternoon, everyone just did Christmas things. The guys and Morgan watched some football, and the children were never without someone to play with them. The ATVs were so busy Dex was concerned over his gasoline supply. Between games, Dex took Sean for a ride with him, guaranteeing daily pleas for more of the same. Sonja was again invited to ride, but again refused. She still didn't enter in with the group, but Morgan noticed that she was much more actively watching what went on around her.

About noon, Sonja came up to Dex and handed him the envelope with the spa certificate. She said she just wasn't interested, and would not be attending the party, either. She did say it was a very nice gift, and apologized for rejecting it. That, in itself, was a big step for her.

When she had come back for the second visit, Jeanette had insisted on a proper Christmas turkey dinner, and she had little problem stretching to feed the extra three mouths. Dinner was served about two o'clock, and food for the rest of the day was strictly by grazing.

After dinner, Dex was once more sitting on the sectional, watching the activity around him. Children were usually only in his home for short visits. He had never lived with them before, and was rather surprised that their presence was more stimulating than irritating. The fact that Kirstin had done a fine job raising them did not surprise him. He had a feeling she could not have done it without at least some quality assistance from Gary, her husband. Kirstin seemed very reluctant to give up on her marriage, and maybe she was right. Maybe there was a chance.

In all the hustle and bustle of the last few days, Dex had not spent much time thinking about 'exit strategy.' He had invited all these women into his home because his compassion gave him no choice. At some point, all of them would leave. He had not considered the possibility that there might be a constant stream of others to replace them.

At the top of Dex's mental list, as he reviewed the prospects for the women, was Megan. But she was the biggest question mark, and he had to put her aside for now. He was doing everything he could for her, anyway.

Sandra, in his opinion, had the best short-term prospects. She was the largest breadwinner in her family, and had great support from Eric. She would be all right. From what he could tell, mother and son did not face a serious physical threat from the husband and father.

If pushed for an opinion, Dex would have to say the Kirstin would get back together with Gary. He was sure it would be a drastically different relationship than before, and he felt good about his role in bringing out the new, stronger Kirstin.

That was only two of the women. Once the divorce was taken care of, Carol and Jessica would face a tougher time. Carol did not have professional skills like Sandra, and had not worked for quite a while. The threat from Rodney was hard to measure, and Dex could not let them leave until they felt secure.

Of the newcomers, Kendra had the best immediate prospects. Dex was certain the criminal and legal moves and the threat of public exposure would have her free and well provided for in a short time. Her problem was that she needed to be with someone strong and caring. She simply did not have a resourceful, independent personality. He had promised her an indefinite stay, and he wondered what that might mean.

Dex knew next to nothing about Teri, except that she was a pleasant woman who was deeply in love with motherhood. He fully expected that she would share more of herself over the next few days.

Sonja. He felt just a little tricked by Elise for getting Sonja into his house. He had not expected to be a recovery center for runaway teen addicts. Yet, Jessica had more or less taken on Sonja as a project, and if nothing else, Jessica would benefit tremendously. There seemed to have been one event that had had a great impact on the recovery of each of the original women. He hoped that event was on the horizon for Sonja.

Dex's wandering mind was about to head in a new direction when Megan sat down very close and laid her head on his shoulder. "I've missed you!" she said.

"What do you mean? I've hardly left the house since you got here. Except to go with you a few times."

"You know what I mean." He certainly did. Seeing her move from his bed to her parents' room had not been easy. Especially when there was legitimate doubt about whether she would ever be back in his bed.

"I want to go back to work Monday."

Oops! There went any hope Dex had for things settling into a routine. "But Tim said to take all the time you need."

"What I need is to get back to my life. The good part of my life, at least. Dex, I can never thank you enough for what has happened here. Having this time with Mom and Dad was unbelievable, but they're leaving. If I keep hiding out here all day, it will be almost as if I was still his punching bag back at the house. Besides, now that I have to wear clothes, it's not nearly as much fun." This last was said in a playful tone intended to ease the impact of what she was saying.

"You'll have to be protected, Megan. There's still a lot of danger."

"Do you really think he would try anything?"

"No doubt in my mind. I've heard some recordings that you haven't."

"Can I hear them?"

"If you insist, but I think it would be a bad idea."

Megan thought over what Dex had said, then stayed with the main subject. "Can you protect me?"

It looked like tomorrow would be hectic, planning to protect Megan. But wait! Tomorrow would already be hectic. If the extraction of Kendra's clothes came off as planned, his house would be a veritable zoo. There was no way he could leave with that going on, and it was not likely he could accomplish much here. Saturday would be completely filled with party preparations. This had to be handled now, Christmas or no.

It took only a couple of phone calls, and Tim and Carl were on their way over. When they arrived, Dex called everyone together for introductions. "Folks, I want to introduce a couple of my best friends. Ladies, I guarantee you, these are two of the good guys." He knew there was no need to mention that they were both single. He had observed that upon meeting a man, a woman's gaze went first to the eyes, then to the ring finger.

"Tim, here, is better known as String, for obvious reasons. He is my best client, Megan's boss, and the over-the-hill center on my basketball team." He ducked the super-slow roundhouse that he knew was coming. "I've known Carl, here, for fifteen years. He runs a security firm, and his people will be driving you Saturday morning, and will be driving your guests in and out Saturday night. We need to meet for a while, but when we're done, be sure to get acquainted with them. Oh! Both of them will be here Saturday night."

Finding a secluded meeting place was not an easy task with the house this full. Dex took Tim, Carl, Patrick, and Megan to his bedroom office and they all managed to find somewhere to sit.

Patrick was far less happy about Megan's decision than Dex was, and the first fifteen minutes was spent with Megan doing most of the talking. Tim had no objection, even considering the potential danger to his staff and his property. It became obvious that the feelings between Megan and Tim were not one-way.

Carl then gave his opinion on Craig's state of mind and the danger he represented, none of which made Patrick feel any better. After he and Dex exchanged a long, questioning look, Carl told them about the suspected skimming, causing Megan to gasp in surprise, and Patrick to shake his head in disbelief.

"Megan, you know I would never put you in danger intentionally, don't you?" Megan nodded at Dex's question. "Well, I think we are between two bad choices, here. For one thing, my place, and your presence here, cannot remain secret too much longer. So, at some point, the danger could come to you, and the others, right here. If you go back to work, there is no question you are more exposed. However, with careful planning, we can offer you good protection."

"I'm afraid you are not truly going to be safe until Craig is out of the way. The first critical thing is to get you divorced. When you are no longer legally his wife, one incentive to act against you has been removed."

"Uh, Dex, am I just making him angry asking for money? Maybe I should just bail out and start over." Even with his safety concerns, Patrick did not like that option, and told Megan so.

"The point I was getting to," Dex continued, "was that we want to push Craig into having no choice but to sign the agreement. He is already close to that, with Alex practically ordering him to sign, or else. One more incident, and he might have to sign at the point of a gun."

"Are you saying you would use her as bait?" Patrick asked.

"I'm afraid there is an element of that, yes," Dex admitted, "but as I said, she is not entirely safe here, either."

Megan was tearing up at this point, and Patrick motioned for her to come sit on his lap. Once cuddled, she seemed to gain confidence. "I want to go to work," she insisted. "It's one of the best things in my life." She smiled warmly at Tim. "If I can't work, I feel like he is still winning."

Patrick spoke up quickly. "Then let's figure out how to best protect her. I'm going to try to get a couple of more weeks off, and get a courtesy carry permit. That should be no problem. Megan, will you hold off until I can come with you, armed? And Tim, can you find a place for me to hang out during her work days?"

"That's no problem, Patrick," Tim responded. "I have one important question, though. What about Russell?" Tim's question was a day spoiler. They had to assume he was still being blackmailed to report on Megan's activities.

"Actually," Carl interrupted, "having Russell report isn't all bad. It makes it look like she has just healed and gone back to work normally, and it lets us stage things a bit."

"What do you mean?"

"If Russell reports, Craig will assume he is reporting everything. He could have someone checking up on Russell, but that is highly unlikely. We can have Russell call when we want him to. That gives us an advantage."

"I guess I need to talk to Russell," Dex said as the group broke up. Before calling Russell, he called Susan at home and told her of Patrick's need for a permit and a weapon. She assured him it could all be done the next day, and she would bring the weapon to the party.

The call to Russell, especially on Christmas night, was not nearly as easy. Finding Russell's home number was not a big problem. Getting him to agree to talk in front of his wife was a bigger problem, but he did agree, and Dex headed for their home.

In a preliminary discussion, Dex learned that Russell was a record-setting high school running back whose college and even pro hopes were dashed by an injury at the very end of his Senior season. Recovery had been arduous and painful, and that was where he got hooked on drugs.

In his early teens, Russell had been in a boxing club, and it was his old coach who helped him get straight. Now, he worked out regularly, and had sparred with some prominent local fighters. He bragged that he didn't get called on as a sparring partner much any more, because he had gotten too good for the fighters. He was thinking of entering some bouts, but the domestic resistance had kept him from it.

Hearing of Russell's fighting abilities, Dex developed a plan on the spot. He asked Russell if he would be willing to act as a bodyguard for Megan while she was at work. Patrick would be there, as well, and they would both be in instant communication with Dex, Carl, and Randy.

"But what about the threats?" Russell blurted out, then realized he had spilled the beans to his wife, who up to that point was not aware. They all spent an anguished half hour recounting the events surrounding Megan, leaving Mrs. Barber badly shaken. "Dex, I just can't take any chance that my family is in danger. I think Mr. Archer is just going to have to fire me for our protection."

For a couple of minutes, Dex worked the problem over in his mind, then asked Mrs. Barber "How long could you and the kids be happy at Disney World, or at some other resort?"

"With those two rascals? Maybe an hour! Seriously, I couldn't handle it alone."

"Then who?"

"Mama thinks they're angels and can't seem to get enough of them."

"Could she go with you?"

"Sure, but how can we afford that?"

"The money is my problem."

"I don't want to be away from Russell that long, and I'll be afraid for him."

Here Russell spoke up. "Honey, Mr. Archer took a chance on me. He and Mrs. Wallace are the finest people I could hope to work for. I feel so rotten about what I had to do! This is a chance to make up for it, and to prove myself, too. I've got to do it."

The discussion did not end there, but after several more phone calls to Tim and Mama, and a long session on Travelocity, Russell's family was scheduled for an early morning flight on Monday with an open return. Dex told them it could be up to a month. The cost of rescuing Megan was climbing rapidly, but Dex's determination to win for her was as strong as ever.

When Dex returned from the Barbers', he found Tim and Carl still there, relaxing with the others. He realized it made sense, since Carl, though a bachelor, was certainly interested in women. For his part, Tim seemed glued to Megan, with Jeanette chatting with both of them. Dex was happy to see several of the women comfortable with Carl.

He hated to do it, but Dex had to pull Carl away from the women for a while. Protecting Megan was not the only concern. Getting her safely and secretly to and from the office would also require a lot of planning.

The transportation concerns extended beyond just Megan, as well. Sandra needed to get back to work, and Eric, Jessica, Sean, and Courtney would all start school in a week. Dex was quite sure there was no real threat to Sean and Courtney, but the two teenagers could be in danger.

Carl and Randy had half a dozen people who worked for them, either as employees or stringers. Between company and private vehicles, there were a dozen different ones that could be used. The only serious threat from 'professionals' was to Megan. Sandra's and Carol's husbands would not be hard to handle for any of the possible drivers. Sandra needed a car for occasional trips out of the office during the day, so an on-call arrangement was worked out for her. Eric and Jessica went to different schools, but could be transported easily by one driver.

The secrecy of Dex's place became a prime objective, so every trip was in two stages. Dex had three vehicles, and Morgan's, Sandra's, and Patrick's were there, so the same vehicle would never be used for the home stage more than one day during a work week. This kind of complexity had not occurred to Dex when he took in Megan or the other women, but he took it in stride, wincing only slightly at even more expense.

This discussion was relatively short, and Carl was able to get back to the women, where he and Tim stayed until bedtime.

As breakfast was finishing Friday morning, Teri again excused herself to go downstairs and feed Matthew, her baby, who was sitting on her lap. This time, Patrick spoke up.

"Teri, I know you don't know us well, but whenever you feel like it, feel free to nurse him in front of us. I, for one, think a mother nursing her baby is one of the most beautiful sights on earth."

Teri absolutely disintegrated. Her sobs and shakes were instantly so violent that Kendra reached over and took the baby, who was becoming agitated due to his mother's distress. Jeanette was closest, and knelt beside Teri, trying to comfort her and to find out what was wrong.

"H... h... he thought it was d... disgusting!" Teri wailed out when she gained minimum breath. "He s... said my t... tits were ruined! He kept telling me to use a bottle like normal mothers. I couldn't! All my life I've been waiting for a baby I could nurse. Oooooooo!" This triggered another round of wailing from her, and stunned silence and more than a little anger from the others. When she once again had some breath, she looked at Patrick and asked "Do you really think it's beautiful?"

"Absolutely. Let me tell you one of my fondest memories." Patrick knelt on the other side of Teri, who was looking at him wide-eyed. "Whenever I was home and it was feeding time, we would both undress. Jeanette would sit between my legs, leaning back against my front, and feed Megan while I loved them up. That was one of the things we were saddest about when she couldn't have more babies." Teri went through another bout of crying.

It is very hard to predict what extended stress, repeated pain, and long-frustrated desire will cause a person to do. What happened next with Teri was totally unexpected, but in a way perfectly logical, and utterly beautiful. She took her baby back from Kendra, took Patrick by the hand, and dragged him down the hall, making a constant keening sound all the way. Jeanette hurried to follow them while everyone else sat in stunned silence.

In the Shaughnessys' room, Teri handed the baby to Jeanette, and stripped, boo-hooing all the time. She pulled Patrick toward the bed, tore off his T-shirt, and tried to pull off his shorts. Between wails, she kept saying "Please! Please! Please!" as Patrick resisted her tugs.

"Teri, we can't do this!" Patrick told her. "I'll hold you while you feed him, but please, put your clothes back on!"

It was as if Teri was in a trance. The mantra of wails and pleas went on, as if she had not even heard Patrick. He pled with her again, with no more acknowledgement, except to sound even more desperate.

"Jeanette!" Patrick called out, sounding near panic.

Jeanette had been watching in shock, barely able to hold onto the baby. Pulling herself together, she whispered in Patrick's ear "Patrick, do it for her."

"Darling, no! This is too much! It's not right! Megan was one thing, but this..."

"Patrick, this could be a turning point in her life. Let's help save her and worry about right and wrong later. This is not sex to her anyway. It's pure love, and she is dying for it. I'm really frightened for her."

Patrick knew his wife was right, and he felt deeply for the distraught young woman pleading with him, but his values and scruples had already been stretched and shattered in the last two days. His devotion to Jeanette was complete, and the thought of holding this naked woman he hardly knew made him feel like an adulterer. "Darling, no. I can't do this!" He told his wife, while Teri's trance seemed to deepen.

"What happens to her if you don't?"

In his many years of police work, Patrick had dealt with many drunk and drugged out people, their brains so overwhelmed by chemicals they seemed in another world. Teri was as disconnected from reality as any he had seen, and he knew Jeanette's concern was warranted. Barely in control of his limbs, he got on the bed against the headboard. It took an extreme effort of will to spread his legs, knowing that in moments, an unfamiliar bare female bottom would be resting against his barely-covered penis.

Teri followed Patrick onto the bed, moving jerkily, still wailing. She pushed herself against him frantically, and he had to forcefully move her into the right position, cringing at the full contact as she settled back against him. Teri held out her arms toward Jeanette, who handed Matthew to her.

The baby was the only one perfectly comfortable with what was happening, and he started feeding with a vengeance. Patrick, for all the emotion and wonderful memories this evoked, didn't know what to do with his hands. This was not Jeanette, or even Megan. Just the feel of the skin of her back against his chest made him feel guilty. To embrace or caress her nudity was unthinkable.

Looking at the scene on the bed, Jeanette was nearly overwhelmed. She had just been the strong one, driven by concern for the young mother, and urging her husband to do the necessary thing. Now, the release of tension left her drained. Just then, Patrick held out a hand toward her and said "Undress!" Flooded with memories, she complied immediately, snuggling as close as she could to Patrick's side as the still-crying mother lay against him. Jeannette's head was on the shoulder away from Teri's, and she began whispering encouragement and endearments in the ear of her distraught lover.

Neither parent had noticed Megan following them down the hall, but she had witnessed the whole scene through the not-quite-closed door. As she watched, she pictured herself in Teri's place, feeding the infant Morgan, and wished it could have been. Then, she chided herself. No one could have given more freely and lovingly than her parents. This kind of father-daughter contact just wasn't dreamed of back then. It didn't mean the love was any less strong.

It took several minutes, but gradually Teri's wailing dropped off to just ragged breathing. Just as Matthew seemed to be working harder for the milk from the first breast, Teri gave a jerk, and seemed to return to the world.

"Where?... OhMyGod!... OhMyGod!... OhMyGod!"

"Shhhhh. It's OK, Dear. You're safe. Just feed your little boy."

"How?... I mean, did I... ?"

"Don't you remember anything, Dear?"

"I... I remember both of you kneeling beside me. Then... I don't know. Did you bring me here?"

"It's more like you brought us here, Honey," and Jeanette described what had happened.

"Ohhhh! I feel so ashamed!"

"Ashamed of what, dear? That you've had a terrible time? That you needed some loving so desperately?"

"But he's your husband! And we're naked! And..."

"And you weren't aware of any of that, Teri. We were very frightened for you. We're so glad to see you back to yourself."

"I... I'd better get up now. I should put my clothes on."

"Let's not disturb Matthew until he's finished? Is this upsetting you, now that you know?"

"It... it's like a dream! But he's your husband!"

"And I know how wonderful it feels to be where you are. Just enjoy it for a little bit, Dear."

"Ohhh, thank you, Jeanette."

For a while, the only sound was Matthew's contented sucking, then Teri spoke up. "Patrick, the part you said about loving them up..."

"Teri, I couldn't do that. That wouldn't be right."

"You know," Teri said in a teary voice, "I was completely pure when I got married. I had every girl's dreams of earthquakes and lightning flashes when I finally made love. As far as I can tell, that's all a load of crap. What I got was used and ignored. He literally hasn't touched me since the baby, except with his fists and his feet. To tell the truth, it's almost a relief."

"I expect I will spend the rest of my life as a single mother. That's OK. I've got Matthew, so I have something to show for it. We're only going to be together here for a few days. You guys have so much love - any fool can see it. Can't I please have a little of it? Let me feel loved just once."

"Teri, you are loved. It's just that Jeanette and I have been faithful so long, I..."

Jeanette didn't say anything, just took Patrick's near hand, and placed it on Teri's tummy, below where she held the baby. She got on her knees, reached around him, and brought the other hand over to meet it. Then, she kissed him soundly and whispered in his ear "We'll sort out right and wrong later, remember? She's right. We've got so much, and she needs it so badly. We won't be hurt. It might even strengthen us. You know what to do. Do it, and make it good!"

Patrick knew he could never win an argument in this area. He also knew she was right. Calling up all the will power he had, he began slowly moving his hands over Teri's belly, her hips, and her thighs, then gently caressed the baby, as well. His touches were met with gasps and moans at almost every motion. She laid her head back on his shoulder, and after a while, turned her face to his neck and gave him little kisses. He kissed her face softly, moving little pecks all around her forehead and her eyes.