Chapter 4: Mary

The following day Clarity and I drove up to LA a little early. I wanted the extra time to see how the renovations to the Hollywood hills house were coming along. When we moved to San Diego we had decided to keep both the Beach House and the Hollywood hills house. Oddly enough the Beach house we ended up leasing to Michael and Margaret Curtiz, the same folks I learned had purchased the home when I had gone back to 2006. The Hollywood hills house we left vacant in the event any of us needed a place to stay if we were ever in Los Angeles. Because when I had gone back to 2006 I had also learned that the Hollywood hills house had burned down in a 1996 canyon fire we hired a specialty contracting company to fireproof the home and surrounding land to hopefully prevent it from burning down in this time line.

Because it was the weekend there were no construction workers around but I could easily see that most of the work was already complete. There was a thirty foot radius of clear area around the house with only fire wise landscaping of plant species that resist ignition of Snow in summer, Creeping thyme, Ice plant and Periwinkle. There were also some fire-resistant shrubs which included Sand cherry, Elderberry, Woods rose, Virginia creeper, Skunk-brush sumac and Lilac.

Along with the latest fire safe tile roofing I noticed that they had also covered all exterior vents, attics and eaves with metal mesh screens and had installed multi-pane, tempered safety glass windows in order to protect the large windows from radiant heat.

It looked like the only thing that wasn't complete was the stone wall, which would act as a heat shield and deflect flames, being constructed down along the canyon side of the property.

Clarity smiled as we stood in the front yard looking at the house. She slipped her arm through mine and said, "I sure hope it doesn't burn down. This is where you made love to me for the very first time remember."

"How could I ever forget?" I answered. "I loved you so much. But you know ... and I don't know how it could even be possible but I love you even more now."

"Me too," she responded softly. "Remember how you carried me across the threshold and then all the way upstairs to the bedroom. It was so romantic I thought my heart would burst."

"We have time. Want to do it again?" I asked looking down at her.

"Oh yes! Let's do." She answered excitedly.

I dug out my house keys and then I scooped Clarity up into my arms and after unlocking the front door and turning off the burglar alarm I carried her up to the master bedroom where I undressed her slowly and then laid her on the bed. I kissed her whole body at the same time feeling every part. I gave her oral sex until she was groaning then when I eventually entered her both she and I had an orgasm almost immediately.

We lay kissing and cuddling for a long while, reminiscing about the past, our growing together, past perils, our good times together, and finally, our love for each other, then our passion flamed again and we made slow love until I brought her to a relaxed sighing kind of climax. I hadn't come that time so Clarity took me into her mouth until I released.

We showered together, I washing her and she me, which weaved my love for her and her love for me even tighter than before.

"One lifetime with you will not be enough." I told her softly as I dried her off with a towel.

"I know." She responded just as softly. "Can you imagine us not being together?"

"That's a nightmare I don't even want to think about." I answered kissing the back of her neck.

"Yeah me neither." She said reaching back and taking my cock in her hand.

"If you don't stop that we'll need to take another shower." I warned her.

She laughed, "Sorry I can't control myself." Then turning toward me she said, "The other girls are going to be so jealous when I tell them about this."

I made a face, "You've got to tell them huh?"

"Oh yes," She told me with all seriousness. "We tell each other everything. Can you even imagine what a mess we'd have if we didn't? That's part of why we're so successful. No secrets. From each other anyway, we're allowed to keep little white secrets from you."

"I couldn't agree more my love. What's a little white secret or two between friends and lovers?" I told her smiling. "Shall we go see Mary?" I added before kissing her on the nose.

Mary's house, the house I had purchased when Mary and I were married, needed paint and yard work badly and in a pristine neighborhood like this, it definitely stood out. Clarity and I walked up to the front porch then Clarity opened the front door and led me inside.

"Mom! We're here." Clarity called out.

A moment later Mary came in and hugged her daughter.

Mary had been eight years younger than me when I married her and now at thirty-two she was still a beautiful woman, tall, slender, with shoulder length, blonde hair, a great rear-end and exceptional breasts, but I recognized immediately by both her posture and the look on her face that she was distressed. I remembered Mary as being a woman that presented a comfortable confidence that she wore like a pair of easy-fit Wranglers. This woman looked defeated.

I also felt some of the same attraction that had originally drawn me to Mary and had ultimately possessed me to ask her to marry me. It felt strange feeling those emotions again after so many years.

"This is Jimmy Maxwell mom. The financial wizard I told you about." Clarity said introducing me.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Eldon," I said extending my hand and smiling.

"Mr. Maxwell," Mary returned taking my hand.

Zap! Oh shit! I felt a spark when our skin made contact.

Mary must have felt that same spark because she dropped my hand like it was a dead fish.

"Static electricity," I laughed looking down at my hand.

"Yes of course," Mary said. "It was just so strong. I never felt anything quite that strong. Why don't we go into the kitchen Mr. Maxwell, I just brewed a fresh pot of coffee."

"Jimmy please, Mrs. Eldon." I said following her and Clarity toward the kitchen.

"Only if you call me Mary, Jimmy," Mary said looking over her shoulder.

"Thank you Mary," I said politely.

Once Clarity and I were seated at the kitchen table Mary poured a hot cup of coffee into a cup, placed it on a saucer, and looked at me.

"Just a little cream and sugar please," I said, anticipating her question, and after setting the cup down in front of me she brought out two matching containers filled with sugar, and cream from the refrigerator and then placed them on the table.

Mary supplied cups and saucers for her and Clarity, than after filling both of them she took a seat at the table herself.

I busied myself by doctoring up my coffee with cream and sugar while Clarity explained to Mary what last night we had all agreed would be the best approach for us to take.

"Mom," Clarity said sounding tentative, "I hope you don't get mad at me but Jimmy is not only a financial consultant but he's also a very dear and close friend and ... well, I told him everything mom. I had too mom or he wouldn't be able to help us. Please don't be mad at me."

Mary looked at her daughter and then she turned away and picked up the cup of coffee with both hands. After she took a lingering sip of the warm brew she said, "I'm not mad. I'm beyond being mad or embarrassed by anything honey." Then looking up at me she said, "I assume Clarity told you about my gambling problem and the large debt I accumulated then."

I nodded.

"Mr. Maxwell ... Jimmy," She continued. "I'm afraid that I don't have anything you can work with. This house is mortgaged to the hilt, I've maxed my credit card, I even have a few bad checks floating around, and that bookie I owe the money too, well he called earlier today and he told me if I didn't come up with some cash real soon he expects me to have sex with him and some of his high roller clients in order to work down some of what I owe him."

"What!" Clarity yelled. "The bastard! How could he even think of doing anything like that!"

"So you see Jimmy," Mary went on ignoring Clarity's outburst, "there's nothing you can do for me. I have nothing left, not even my body ... even that somebody else owns now."

"Mary," I said softly. "Someone else can own you only if you stop loving yourself. You say you don't have anything left. Well I beg to differ. Clarity's told me about you Mary and what she described to me was a loving, strong, confident woman that would spit in the face of anyone that demanded something of her she wasn't willing to give. You may not feel like that woman right now but she's still in there, you just need to find her again."