Chapter 10

DON
(Friday 11/25)

Jeez, I never expected it! Sure, Bob had fit some of the profile, but that had been over 2,000 miles away.

Ana stood up, walked over in front of Bob and motioned him up. He stood hesitantly and Natalie stood up shakily beside him.

Ana put her arms around his neck, kissed his cheek and hugged him for a long minute. She finally let go, stepped back and looked at him. She said quietly, "Thank you for my life."

He took her hand and said, "Ana, I honestly didn't know it was you until you talked about Akron and a strangler. I had no idea."

She told him quietly, "I believe you. Even if you had known before, I believe you would never have brought it up or used it in any way to your advantage. In any case, thank you again."

Natalie hugged him, too, as if she never wanted to let him go. "God, I never knew it was so bad and so good at the same time. You brought my mother back to us alive."

Bob returned her hug and told us, "Well, it's all out now. No matter whether it was me or someone else, things will get better."

Me, I just stood there in shock until I could put my hand on his shoulder and whisper, "Thank you for her life."

Ana grabbed Natalie's hand and told Bob, "You either come back in an hour or do some guy stuff with Don. We're getting some happy clothes on Natalie. Enough hiding and pretending to the world she isn't beautiful." She dragged Natalie off towards her bedroom while Natalie looked at Bob as if he were a god. Well, right then he was.

Bob stood there for a moment then sat down again. I got back on the love seat across from him, leaned back and told him, "Jeez, Righteous Bob, Rose Baer said you were tight-lipped but this..."

He shrugged and shook his head in apology. "What good would it have done for me to tell anyone? Nana, my Grandmother, sent us a newspaper clipping telling of Simms' death and that his last victim had been saved. I knew she was probably going to be okay, and it was over 2,000 miles away. I don't know if it would have helped anyone to have stayed.

"Yes, Ana would have known sooner -- I have to apologize to her, I didn't think it would have made so much difference as it apparently has."

I asked him, "How in the world did you happen to be there?"

"Well," he replied, "you already know my grandparents live there. I was out visiting them and was helping out on some renos on one of their friend's houses. After an evening's work, I'd cut back through the park to their place where I was staying. I'd heard of the murders but really hadn't thought much about it.

"Often before, when I was visiting them, I'd just walk through the park at night to relax a bit. It is different from California and I enjoyed the difference." He grinned at me. "I'd occasionally hear -- and sense -- couples doing whatever couples do in the park at night.

"But what I sensed from those people were happy sounds and happy thoughts, so I'd just detour around and let them be. This time it was different. The sounds were more frantic and what I sensed was rage ... the compulsion to destroy ... feelings of pain, hopelessness and despair fading away. The volume from Ana and Simms was so high I felt it as soon as I entered the park that night. I knew something wasn't right, so I ran towards it as fast as I could."

I said, "Obviously you did do something."

"Yeh, I did." He asked me, "You ever play football or soccer?" I told him I'd done both in high school and a bit in college. "Well, you're not a little guy ... how far could you kick one of those balls?"

"Maybe eighty yards on a good day with the wind behind me. Why?"

Without a trace of modesty, he said, "I can kick either ball over 150 yards. When I first saw them I was over 50 yards away ... I saw the lady's legs kicking and her struggling but she was slowing down ... I felt her fading away and his decision to kill her.

"I knew I didn't have time just to go for help, it wouldn't have gotten there in time. I felt her fade out totally, so I had to do something. I just imagined his head to be a soccer ball and kicked as hard as I could. That's how he got the head injury, from my work boot."

I stared at him. "I'm just glad I'll never be on the receiving end of one of those."

He smiled briefly and said, "Don't worry about it."

I asked him, "What about the rest of the stuff he had done to him?"

Bob took a breath and sighed. "He went down for a bit, but he was very strong and in a rage, so it gave him quite a lot of resistance to pain. He came back up with the knife and managed to slice me. I knew I had to end it fast one way or another, because the lady was dead or dying, and I knew he was more than willing to kill me.

"Ana must have gotten in a few good kicks in some vital areas, because his legs weren't functioning very well. I grabbed the wrist with the knife, squeezed as hard as I could so he couldn't get it away and gave it everything I had to his solar plexus; I tried to ram my fist through his backbone.

"Now we're no longer talking pain here, we're talking paralysis. The nerve center controls breathing and other things, so he dropped like a rock. I didn't want him getting up again and coming at us again, so I jumped on one of his knees with my whole weight. I knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"With him at least temporarily out of the way, I could check out the lady. She wasn't breathing and I couldn't find a pulse. I knew it had literally been less than a minute since I felt her go, so I thought we had a good chance.

"Boy Scouts taught me CPR -- I never thought I'd have to use it in those circumstances. I did it, let us say, with vigor. That's how she got the bruise and cracked ribs. Sorry about that."

I chuckled as best I could, "We've decided long ago we'd trade a bruise and some cracked ribs for her life any day. Our doctors also allowed as how it was a good trade."

"Yeh, I suppose it would be," he smiled back at me. "Anyway, after about five minutes, she started breathing on her own, and she had a strong pulse, so I figured she'd be all right.

"Now I didn't want the guy anywhere near her, and since I had to find a phone to call for help, I put my jacket over Ana and dragged him along with me. I found the phone at the bus stop and called the police. I figured I'd just tape him to the pole so he wouldn't wander away. I guess the writing on his forehead was overkill a bit, but it apparently didn't hurt either."

"Yeh, it sure didn't hurt," I told him. "Between that and Ana's identification, the cops were on him like stink on shit. By the way, how did you get to be so strong? The coroner said you'd be six-foot plus and build like Arnold the Governator."

He just grinned. "Genetics, somehow. My family has been blessed and cursed with exceptionally strong bones, and somehow the muscles and ligaments kept up. I'm 5' 10" and weigh 250 pounds -- with no pot belly.

"My father can pick up two 80-pound sacks of concrete and trot up a construction ramp as easy as you please. That's two sacks under each arm. I guess you can do the math on that one.

"I'm not quite there yet. I can only manage three sacks. My mother says I'm still a growing boy," he laughed.

I inquired, "You said it's a curse, too. Why's that?"

He grinned at me. "Ever had a sticky drawer? You know just how much you need to jerk to open it? Well, think of the couple of times it didn't stick, and you used the same amount of force on it. What happened to the drawer?"

"It ends up across the room with all the stuff on the floor. I've had it happen."

"Yep. I have to be knowingly gentle with just about everything. I used to get excited and pull doorknobs off, go through doors the wrong way and literally tear them off the hinges. Things like that.

"Anyway, it's been going on for years, ever since I started puberty at twelve. I guess the spurt has eased off now, but it's only been the last nine months or so since I've had reliable control. I haven't broken anything or hurt anyone accidentally for that long," he told me with some pride.

I allowed, "Yes, it could be quite inconvenient."

"And it's one major reason I've not dated much or gotten involved with anyone. You'd know better than me, because I've had very little experience -- and that one not too great -- but I'd guess in, em, 'moments of passion' one would tend to lose a bit of control, wouldn't you say?"

I laughed. "Exactly. Things do get a little hazy about then."

"Yeh, I though so. How would I explain to a date's parents how their daughter ended up with bruises, some broken ribs or a broken arm? Rather difficult, I would say.

"So, until I could get the control in like my father has, I avoided the situations. Now, it's not to say I didn't want relationships, but between the control and not really getting the right, em, vibrations, from someone, nothing's ever clicked before. When Natalie popped up the first day of school, that changed in a big hurry."

"Yeh, Natalie's told me about it," I grinned at him.

BOB

Don and I shot the shit for a while. We'd really not had much chance to do it before; both of us had been more interested in getting Ana up and in keeping our conspiracy going than any "male bonding." That had taken last place. But, it was nice -- a lot like talking with my father.

Ana told us loudly, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" She walked out into the living room and said, "May we present ... Miss Natalie Lillian Shanahan!"

Natalie walked out slowly. She had her hair down, below her shoulder blades, wonderfully shiny and smooth, held back from her face with a silver band. She had on a satin or silk blouse of some sort, just the blue to match her shining, happy eyes.

She had on snug but not tight pants and just a touch of makeup. Ana had her turn around once; she made a smooth pirouette and tossed her hair back while she did it.

She was delightfully slim but not skinny; curvy and deliciously feminine. She had a tidy, heart-shaped butt, just like I adore, and I could see her nipples popped up through the front of her blouse. Totally and utterly glorious!

I couldn't say a thing; I just sat there with my eyes wide and my mouth open. She didn't walk over to me, she glided over with a touch of the model's walk which made her hips and body move in a way to make my heart flutter.

I managed to stagger to my feet by the time she got to me. She asked shyly, "You like?"

I couldn't say anything for a bit; all I could do is stare and hope I didn't faint. Ana giggled along side her. "He likes!" She reached her hand out, closed my mouth and patted my chin with a napkin. "We can't have you getting your nice shirt drooled on, can we?"

I finally managed to get out, "You ... you're totally ... beautiful."

Natalie smiled like the sunshine she was as she told me, "I'm so glad you think so."

Parents or not, I just took her in my arms (carefully), hugged her against me and told her, "It's you, your spirit, not just your lovely body which makes you beautiful."

I think she liked it because she purred like Geeser, hugged me really hard and we kissed. When we finally let go, she had tears in her eyes. I felt them in mine, too.

Ana and Don stood beaming at us. Ana said, "You two get out of here. Go do what teenagers do on a Friday night; I don't want you back any sooner than midnight -- Don and I have things to discuss and do. Now, out!" She shoved us out the front door.

NATALIE

Bob and I stood for a moment outside the front door, holding hands. I told him, "Ya know, I think my mom just kicked us out of the house and told us to get lost for a while."

Bob grinned at me. "Yep. That's what happened all right. Think we can handle the emotional upset?"

I smiled back. "Well, it'll be tough but we may be able to survive it. Now, what are we going to do on a Friday night in Burbank for five hours? I've never been out here after dark before."

He replied, "Well, I don't know about you but I'm hungry. That little discussion back there took a lot out of me. You hungry? How about I try to get a reservation at the Black Angus."

I told him enthusiastically, "God yes; I'm starving. I need some feeding up, too; I'm too skinny."

He told me with a big smile, "I disagree. I think you're perfect the way you are. Five or ten pounds more would be okay, but you're really nice now." He patted my ass!

It felt nice; a lot better than any mental touch. I held his hand hard against my ass and said, "Nasty boy! I'll give you not less than one hour to stop it!"

He gave me a big Bob smile and said, "I'll take you up on that sometime, Sunshine." He pulled out his cell phone, powered it up and looked up something on its directory. He obviously got the place he wanted and asked for a reservation for two. He told them, "Great! We'll be there!" He turned to me and said, "Forty-five minutes, that okay?" Of course it was fine with me.

He said, "Good! Let's get going!" He took my hand and we dashed off the front porch to the street, laughing like a couple of school kids out of school for the summer.

It felt so right to be with him where we could talk with just each other, touch nicely, feel the love between us and be with each other. We were walking down the sidewalk towards his truck when he stopped me.

He told me, "I've been waiting to do this since the first day I met you." He took me, very gently, in his arms and held me against himself. I put my arms around his waist and pulled him more against me. He whispered, "Let's let it go just a little bit -- any more would be too much for me, I think," and kissed me and kissed me.

It was heaven. I let myself go into him just a small ways and we merged lightly. Our bodies and lips were together, but I felt him against and through me.

The rest of the world disappeared -- nothing else mattered right then. Our kiss was soft and warm, not insistent or lustful. It was a gentle sharing of our feelings and of ourselves, and it seemed to last forever. I only wished it could. Finally, we broke contact, stepped back a bit and held our hands together.

He said softly, "I just don't see how it could get any better." I could see his eyes glistening with tears. "But, believe it or not, it probably will. I love you, Sunshine. I've loved you from the first day we looked at each other and you do light up my life."

I know I was crying some too, it felt so nice. "I love you, Sorcerer. You've shown me good, nice people exist in this world and happiness can be mine if I believe it can -- and I do believe it now. Thank you for being who you are and allowing me in your world."

He whispered, "Welcome to my world."

Then he gripped my hands a little tighter. "Just to make sure you know, what I did for your mother back in Ohio is, to a great degree, between her and me. Yes, I glad I was able to save her. Yes, I'm glad she's your mother. But I want you to know it in no way obligates you, your Mom or Don to me. I don't want you feel in any way, shape or form you owe me anything, that I expect you to do anything to or with me just because it happened. Does that make sense to you?"

God, he was so good! I told him back, "Oh, I understand. I'm so terribly happy you feel that way," and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. "Now, since you've got me all worked up, let's go eat!"

BOB

Black Angus did itself proud. When I told Natalie she could get anything she wanted, she raised an eyebrow and with a gleam in her eye, asked, "Anything?"

I laughed at her. "Okay, just stick to what's on the menu. Anything else comes later." She pouted at me and chose a steak. Me, I got my usual prime rib and we ate enthusiastically.

We spent a nice hour there, just chatting and eating. We talked about anything which came up, except for "family business." I did a lot of sitting there, admiring her and drinking in her happiness and beauty.

We hit the restrooms before we left; I called home to let my folks know I'd be out late. They didn't really worry about me, but they appreciated knowing where I was.

We spent the next hour or so strolling along First Street and roaming the Media City Center window shopping and checking out the stores. Natalie saw several stores she wanted to bring Ana to and got several ideas about some clothes. Nice girl stuff -- of course, I agreed with almost everything.

Around nine or nine-thirty, I suggested we find someplace else, "We've got a couple hours until you're allowed back in the house. I've got a big back yard; think that would all go together?"

She smiled and assured me, "I remember your back yard, and I think it would be wonderful to be there with you."

I told her, "Great! We're off! But if we keep quiet, maybe not too many people will notice." That got a nice laugh.

We picked up the truck and went to my place. When we walked into the kitchen, Mother saw Natalie and said to her with a big smile, "Sweet Jaysus! Who are you and what did you do with Natalie Shanahan?"

Natalie beamed back at her, "The Sorcerer figured it was time to transform his Apprentice."

"Well, it sure worked, because I see one fine lady."

They grinned at each other a few seconds then I told Mother, "If it's okay, we're going to the back yard to practice some spells."

Natalie and I heard her think, "Yeh, like making clothes vanish," but she said, "Off for a bit of snogging, right?"

Natalie laughed, "You betcha!"

Mother said, "Well, I'll put a note on the back door so your Father or Bill don't wander out at an inopportune moment."

We went out back and collected a couple of our yard blankets. Way at the back, under a small sun shelter, we had a wide, two-person lounge chair with a good cushion. I know Father and Mother had checked it out pretty thoroughly over the years so I figured it would be comfortable.

It was nicely dark, private and quiet. I spread one of the blankets over the cushions, assisted my sweetie on and lay back beside her.

It was still warm, but I told Natalie it would probably get chilly later; that's what the extra blanket was for. We got things arranged and settled down.

NATALIE