Chapter 32

The Angela matter took up most of my waking hours. That there was someone else like me was a monumental piece of information, and no matter how I tried, I couldn't make sense of what that meant as far as my role in the universe. Of course, the universe could be using hundreds of people like it was using me, thousands even. I had no reason to think that I was the only one.

That was stupid on my part.

Angela had my mind going a million miles an hour contemplating all the potential scenarios that were right before my eyes. The one that kept coming back to me was the one where the universe chose to bring the two of us together because the mission required us both. No more - no less.

The rest of the DeBusque family, minus Tom and Henry, did not keep us waiting long. Tom rolled in precisely at four-thirty five, and his daughters were not more than thirty minutes behind him, having gone to their homes to change and freshen up. They found Angela and me rocking on the porch, looking out to the south, enjoying the late afternoon view.

What we were really doing was trying to come to grips with our secret knowledge, and desperate not to give ourselves away. Tom seemed happy to be home and even happier to resume his family history lesson with me.

"My family – and now yours - has lived hard, fought hard, worked hard, and played hard, but we always supported each other when it counted. Your great Uncle Bone DeBusque – Bone was his nickname. His real name was Hamilton, - had a shelf of medals he won in World War II. He fought in Germany, and the story goes that he single handedly broke into a POW camp and killed sixteen guards, before leading the entire group of prisoners to safety, but not before stealing almost all the food and every weapon and round of ammunition in the camp armory.

"When the straggling band finally made it back to the front lines, all Bone would tell his superiors, was that he got separated from his platoon, stumbled onto the camp, saw how pitifully the soldiers guarded their prisoners, and carefully took the appropriate action.

"The soldiers that Bone saved told another story entirely. It seems that Bone disliked bullies his entire life, and when he was watching the camp from the woods, he saw a Nazi Colonel strike an injured American soldier, and then order his guards to beat him mercilessly, just because he couldn't stand straight and salute due to a broken leg.

"Bone decided right then that he was going to kill the colonel and everyone who helped torture that soldier.

"Then after he got the prisoners free, he went back and did just that.

"The Defense Department sent an investigator to make sure all the stories they heard were true, and your Uncle Bone received the Congressional Medal of Honor for what he did and how the story of his action gave others courage to take extraordinary action."

Tom shifted around in his rocking chair and pointed towards the far mountains. "Bone was captured and tortured twice. Each time he refused to give up any sensitive information, and each time he escaped he lingered long enough to kill those who participated in his torture. It seems your Uncle Bone had a mean streak that only came out when it was needed. By the time he came back home, he had seen enough of the world to know he wanted a cabin up in the mountains where nobody would bother him, and he stayed up there for the rest of his life.

"My father used to take him canned goods, fresh bread, and other things he thought might help old Bone get along better, but until the day he died, we never set on eyes on him, again."

Tom looked at me after concluding his story, and said, "Noah, I see some of Bone in you, son. You have a kind, gentle exterior, but I suspect you are the meanest son-of-a-bitch that ever lived if you have to be, and that is a compliment, son, not a criticism."

He had no idea...

"I can see you don't wish to discuss your hidden talent for strength and courage, so I will let it go, but neither am I fooled, young man. You are more like Bone than you are like us, and I know what I'm talking about. Something tells me you are a great friend and truly frightening enemy.

"I like you that way. More people should have your backbone, son."

The ladies were agog at Tom's pronouncement and just had to hear more. "Daddy," that was Paula. "What makes you think Noah is bad?" her eyes were almost kind when she asked it, and I wondered if she was trying to defend me.

"Sweetheart, I never said anything about Noah being a bad man. What I said was much more subtle.

"Let me put it this way," he looked right at me and spoke. "Noah is exactly who we see sitting here right now. However, if someone drove up that drive and started shooting at us, I suspect there is another entire Noah that would emerge. He would know exactly what to do to make them stop, and when he was done, I suspect they would all be dead.

"On the other hand. He might even be mean enough to intentionally leave some alive, so he could make them tell him why they were here, who sent them, and what they wanted. What I do know is that men like Noah and Bone wouldn't leave anyone alive when they were finished. No matter what else happened, they would all be going in the ground, or it was because he was dead trying to make it so."

Angela was looking at me with utter hero worship in her eyes, and Paula wasn't far behind. Elizabeth had a different look. She seemed to be trying to decide something about me and unable to make up her mind. The sudden appearance of conical points in her blouse told me something else entirely, but that's a story for another time...

Tom was satisfied that he had pegged me correctly and excused himself to wash up for supper. Paula and Elizabeth immediately left to see about helping the maid get supper on the table, and Angela stayed, still looking at me with undisguised adoration.

I felt a strong attraction to her, much like I did other damaged children, but she wasn't a child. Inside that small flat body was a fully developed, fully sexualized woman, who was gagging for good sex and didn't care who knew it. I feared her obvious interest would tip off the rest of the family, and they would think I was some kind of pervert.

Paula popped out to call us in for dinner. Angela ran off to wash her hands upstairs, and I used the hall bath. We all met in the dining room for some amazing fried chicken.

Thank you very much!

Conversation was much lighter over dinner, and shortly after, I excused myself to head back to Middlesboro, figuring Elizabeth would try to beat me there to get her shot at me. Tom thanked me for staying over and invited me for Saturday lunch, the next day, promising to have both of his sons and two more grandchildren for me to meet when I arrived.

The hotel room was just as I left it, except for having been cleaned and straightened up, and when Elizabeth called to let me know she wanted to have a private chat with me, I invited her up.

She had changed before driving to Middlesboro. Her hair was tied back and showed off her high cheek bones, while her clothing accentuated her slim figure and firm breasts. Elizabeth didn't even pretend that she wanted to talk. By the time the door was closed behind her, her clothes were already coming off, and she was urging me to hurry.

What was it with Tom DeBusque's daughters and hurrying?

Elizabeth was far more loving in bed than her sister. She loved to hold and be held, as if sex was necessary to get to the holding and being held part. Someone missed some important lessons when they introduced Elizabeth to relationships.

Rather than let our night be like all the others in her life, I made her relax and tell me exactly what made her hot and got her off. By action and inaction, I forced Elizabeth to be a participant in sex, instead of merely present. When she realized I wasn't going to hurry or be only about my own enjoyment, she began to take her time and enjoy the process.