Jenny confronts her stepfather then we take a long honeymoon!
by Sénor Longo. Listen to the ► Podcast at Connected.
After lunch we walked together along the waterfront, watching the ferry to Bridgeport dock, disgorge its cargo of cars and trucks then fill its decks with those waiting to cross the Sound. The ferry was a great alternative to driving into and through New York City before heading north. I had always used the ferry when going to Boston or Cambridge, saving two or more hours and a boatload of hassle every time.
Mom gave us a ride back to the station at 3:40 for the 4:06 train back to Penn Station. I was pleased to see Mom and Jenny hug before we climbed the ladder onto the train. We waved to Mom as the train pulled out.
“Did Mom say something to you while you were hugging?”
“Yes, she gave me some advice.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, she told me you were nothing like your father. I already knew that. I can’t see you ever cheating and I know I would never cheat on you so I guess we’re stuck with each other, forever.”
I leaned in for a kiss that lasted longer than it should considering where we were then I whispered in Jenny’s ear, “I certainly hope so.” Jenny didn’t have to answer. Her eyes said all I needed to know.
We had just changed trains in Huntington when I mentioned to Jenny that I thought we should get her a car. She seemed to think about it for a minute then chimed in, “Okay, but not a Honda. Your car is okay, better than okay, but after spending so many years barely getting by I’d like to splurge, get something a little extravagant. Is that okay?”
“Of course; we can go out and look as soon as we’re back home.” Jenny kissed me then whispered in my ear and I knew I was the luckiest man on the planet. She planned to prove it as soon as we were in our room.
I stopped at reception to ask if they had a doctor on staff. Luckily, they did and I asked for an appointment tomorrow morning. I received a phone call fifteen minutes later telling me that Dr. St. Claire would come to my room at 11:30 tomorrow morning and that he wanted to know what the problem was so he could be prepared. “Tell him my arm is in a sling because of a knife wound I received last Saturday night. I want to make sure there’s no infection and have the bandages changed.” I was assured that he would receive the message.
Jenny had a smile on her face as she led me to the bedroom. She had just removed my shoes and socks when my cell rang. I looked at the screen and wondered, who the hell is Frank Garcia? I answered thinking it might be the doctor. I hadn’t been paying much attention to his name. My caller was a detective for the NYPD who wanted to meet with me tomorrow morning, saying he had news regarding my assault and battery case. I suggested he meet us at reception at 8:30 and we’d treat him to breakfast. He nixed the breakfast, but did say he’d accept a cup of coffee. I had just ended the call in time. I could see that Jenny was getting impatient.
“You were right, Doug; it was a long day. I enjoyed being with your mother, but the ride back was really boring.”
“The Long Island Railroad is strictly a commuter line. There are people who do that very trip five days a week; the price of living in that area, I guess.”
“Where did you live when you were working?”
“Closer in, much closer in; I lived and worked in Hicksville which is on another line. There are three; North, Central, and South.”
“Interesting, but not now; I have my mind on something else.” She almost tore the clothes from my body and a minute later hers followed. “Now, don’t forget who’s doing the doing.” I just laughed as she gently lowered me to the bed. I lay in the center of the big king bed with my right arm out to the side, exactly as instructed while Jenny showed me just how much she loved me. She rubbed her swimsuit model’s body over mine, her nipples moving into my mouth and hand as we kissed and kissed and groped each other unashamedly.
I had two fingers in her, my thumb on her hard swollen clit as she stroked me furiously. There was a time in the not so distant past when that was my only means of relief. A lot had changed since Jenny had come into my life. I’d hoped to marry, but never imagined it would be to a goddess like Jenny. It was all I could do to resist pulling her onto my rod, that’s how hot I was for her. She must have been clairvoyant because just seconds later she moved up onto my body and rubbed me into her dripping slit. I had closed my eyes, but heard her moan as she slid down until our bodies met.
I couldn’t help myself; I began to move with her, driving my cock as deeply into her as humanly possible. Jenny was right; it was a very long day and my arm didn’t make it any easier. It felt as though I was being stabbed over and over as the day progressed. However, what I was feeling now with my wonderful wife was worth everything I had endured.
Let’s face it; there are only so many variations for sex. Sure there’re oral and anal, although I didn’t find the thought of that terribly appealing, and there’s genital sex. I’d had plenty of manual sex over the twenty-plus years before meeting Jenny. In spite of the obvious limitations, sex with Jenny was never dull. She had such energy and so much love to share that I was never bored. Tonight was as exciting as ever even though I was exhausted. The pain in my arm had given me a miserable night’s sleep. I’d slept through the night, but Jenny had told me I was tossing and turning the entire time.
Jenny tried something new on me tonight, flexing her vaginal muscles and squeezing my cock like never before. “Oh God!” I was practically screaming as I came and came again until Jenny covered my mouth with hers. She covered my face with kisses once I had settled down. I could barely speak, but somehow I managed to croak, “You didn’t.”
“That’s not important. You’ll get me tomorrow. I know how tired you are. Why don’t we get room service? That’s something I always wanted to do.”
“What about Lady? She has to eat and we have to put her out.”
“I can do both. I know it’s dark, but I won’t go into the park and I’ll have Lady with me.” I thought about it for a minute before struggling to get out of bed. “I’ll come with you then a quick shower and we can call down for food. How does that sound?” Jenny gave me a sour look, but helped me to get up and dress. I fed Lady and ten minutes later we stood together in the park. Several young toughs walked nearby, but continued past us when Lady growled. One group even recognized Lady from the TV news as they shouted, “Nice going, man,” and other congratulatory remarks. All the same I was pleased when we were safely inside the Plaza’s lobby.
We ordered steaks, probably the best choice for room service, baked potatoes, and a pitcher of iced tea. It was served on our coffee table as I signed the bill, but gave the server his tip in cash. Jenny and I ate quietly, but a few minutes later she asked, “What do you think the police want?”
“Not sure, but I don’t think they want to arrest me. If they did the detective wouldn’t have phoned. He would have been here waiting for me. He said he has some info on the case so I guess we’ll find out in the morning.” Room service sounds romantic, but the food is often cold by the time it’s delivered. Tonight it was okay, but it was better than going out. We ate, showered together as we did every night, and climbed into bed, Jenny, as always, on my left side with her head on my chest. I lay back on the pillow and was gone in seconds.
CHAPTER 12.
There were two men in cheap suits standing in front of reception as we walked up. “Detective Garcia,” I asked.
“Dr. Preston, good of you to see us. This is my partner, Tim Rooney.” I shook hands lefty and introduced Jenny. We walked together into the Plaza’s food court where we were seated in a booth. Jenny and I ordered breakfast and they ordered coffee even though I invited them to join us.
“At these prices I’d be broke in less than a week. What kind of work do you do, Dr. Preston?”
“Actually, Det. Rooney; I’m officially retired although I did get an assignment to write a short program last week. That’s what I do; write computer programs. I wrote all the programs in the ‘Idiot’ series.”
“Those are really good. I used one to learn Spanish.”
“Yeah, but you still speak with an Irish accent. I can barely understand you.”
“What would you know? You were born in Brooklyn; talk about an accent!”
Jenny and I laughed. “I suspect life with you two is never dull.”
“We have to make jokes when we can,” Det. Garcia explained. “Sometimes our work can be really morbid. Why don’t we get to business?” He stopped for a moment to stir some real cream into his coffee. “Mmmm, that’s good. Okay, we got the report from the vet on your dog. I’m sure you know it came back clean. We learned that your assailant was high on meth; methamphetamine. He’s still in Bellevue in the prison ward and his arm is a mess. The doctors put several screws in it, but they still think he’ll have trouble for the rest of his life. Of course, the whole thing was entirely his fault so I doubt that any of us have even a tiny bit of sympathy.
“We’ve spoken to the DA in charge of the case and he’ll go to the Grand Jury next week. There’s no reason for you to attend or testify, but I can tell you that he’s going for attempted murder in addition to assault with a deadly weapon. There’ll be some other charges thrown in; there always are. I have your cell number so I can contact you, if necessary.”
“Do you think I’ll have to testify? And Jenny?”
“It’s hard to say. It might go to a plea bargain because he has no criminal record. This guy had a great job on Wall Street so he has plenty of money; maybe too much. I assume your suit was ruined. Any idea how much it cost? We’ll ask the judge for you to be compensated for your loss.”
“Actually, I do know. I had just bought that suit from a tailor in Hong Kong. It cost me $3,000 and the shirt was $250, both of them custom made for me. I’m more concerned with Jenny’s dress. She tried to stop the bleeding and it was covered with blood. I gave it to the hotel for cleaning so I expect to get it back today. It was brand new, just bought that day. Do you remember what you paid, Jen?”
“Yes, just over $2,000 with tax, unfortunately. I loved that dress.”
“Well, if it’s ruined we can see about getting a replacement. We can go to the store and ask them to order one just like it.” Jenny responded by leaning over to kiss my cheek. The detectives left a few minutes later, but not before Det. Rooney said, “I wouldn’t mind getting a dog like this for my family. Mind telling me what you paid for her.”
“I think a shelter pet is more in your future. Lady cost me $65,000.”
Garcia laughed like hell as he slid out of the booth. “Tim, get a goldfish and I’ll spring for a bowl.”
They shook hands with me and left, still laughing.
“They seem like good guys, Doug.”
“Yeah, they probably are, but I don’t envy them their jobs. They see the worst of humanity every single day. We had a neighbor who was a cop when I was growing up. His wife couldn’t stand the uncertainty of his going to work and never knowing for sure if he was coming home alive or in a box. She left him and took his three kids. A few months later he took his own life. I can still remember the sound of the shotgun in the middle of the night.” Jenny’s eyes showed the shock she was experiencing.
We finished breakfast and returned to the suite just in time to see the bellman walking down the hall with her dress. Jenny took it out of the plastic bag, but even I could see that they were unable to remove the bloodstain completely. Jenny was almost in tears when I asked her for the receipt. A minute later I was on the phone with the store. I explained what had happened and, like everyone else in the city, the manager had seen the report on the news. She said she would have to contact the supplier, but would get back to me as soon as possible, probably sometime this afternoon.
After ending the call I sat in the easy chair and gazed out the window. “What would you like to do this afternoon? I think we should do some sightseeing. Most of the people who live here have never been to the top of the Empire State Building or taken a cruise around Manhattan. There’s also the American Museum of Natural History only a few blocks away or the Central Park Zoo. It’s one of the world’s best.”
“Let’s wait until the doctor has examined you. I’m not taking any chances with your health.” And then in what I was sure was her sternest voice, “And neither are you. I’m planning on growing very old with you, having lots of kids and even more grandkids. We’ll have other opportunities to sightsee.” Then to show me how serious she was she leaned down to kiss me.
It was almost eleven when the maid knocked. Jenny answered the door and the maid said she would return later. “No, come in, please; just take care of the bedroom and bathroom today.” I rose and gave her a ten dollar tip. This was a big suite and I always tipped the maid every day. I didn’t think that ten bucks was too much when the suite was running me $5,000 a night.
Jenny and I relaxed as we waited for the doctor to arrive. Fortunately, he was a few minutes early. He handed Jenny a card that gave his name as Henri St. Claire, M.D., Internal Medicine, with a Park Avenue address. He explained that he was technically retired, but kept his hand in by working when needed for the hotel. Taking note of my sling he asked me to remove it so he could examine the wound.
“Ah, I see the doctor inserted a drain,” he said once he had peeled the bandage away from my skin. “That was an excellent idea. These days these kids who think they’re practicing medicine don’t take the time or effort to do things right. It will take only a few minutes to remove it.” Digging into his bag he removed several paper towels and dropped a long thin flexible tube that he pulled from the wound into them, dropping the mess into a waste basket. Then, using his nose, he sniffed all around the stitches before nodding with satisfaction.
“Had there been an infection there would be an odor of mortification, of the decaying pus created by the body fighting off the bacteria. That’s the biggest concern with a knife wound. I’ll bandage it again for you and all you’ll have to do is see your own physician in another week to remove the stitches. Do you need any additional pain medication?”
“No, I still have some and I prefer not to use them. They make me woozy and I can’t stand it. What about this sling? Do I have to use it?”
“I think you might wear it for another few days until you get home again. The city is crowded and you could be jostled.” I was dejected by that, but Jenny was elated. She was going to take care of me even if it killed me. Dr. St. Claire was with me about twenty minutes and left, telling me that his charges of $250 would be added to my hotel bill. I thanked him as he strode out the door.
“See; I told you to wear that sling.”
“I give up; you win.” I was a bit dejected until Jenny carefully replaced my arm into the sling then wrapped her hands around my head and kissed me deeply. The kiss went on and on until she broke it, asking if we could still make it to the zoo. I got my backpack from the closet and put Lady’s bowl into it even though I knew there were places for dogs to drink where we were going.
It was still morning so I suggested we go up to the Bronx. “We have plenty of time so why don’t we go to the Bronx Zoo. It’s bigger and; I think; better than the one in Central Park.” Jenny agreed, saying that she would defer to me since I had much more experience here than she did.
Once out on the street we crossed over Central Park South so Lady could take care of business then we walked a few blocks east until we reached the subway station for the 5 train. Using my credit card I bought a Metro Card with six trips on it, paying for Lady even though I knew she would be entitled to a free passage. The trip north took less than thirty minutes. We walked up onto East Tremont Avenue very close to the Asia Gate of the Bronx Zoo. I knew this area well; it was where my father had often brought me years ago before I learned that he was a serial cheater.
Jenny and I had a ball. She loved the zoo and many of the children asked if they could pet Lady. The highlight of the day came when we accidentally stumbled onto feeding time for the tigers. The trainer dropped a huge slab of what I assumed was horsemeat into an empty cage. It was on the left of three in a row. He lifted and dropped a door that led outside from the center cage. About three minutes later a tiger; a BIG tiger walked in and turned toward the meat. Once he was in a door we hadn’t noticed before dropped between the two cages, sealing that one away. Next the trainer dropped another slab into the cage on the far right. The door outside dropped a few more times and an even bigger tiger walked in, moving immediately toward the meat. Soon that cage was isolated, leaving only the center cage empty. The process was repeated, but everyone present gasped when this tiger walked through the door. It looked to be twice the size of the first.
“Excuse me, sir,” I asked as I approached him while we exited. “Do you know how much that tiger weighs? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cat that big before.”
“You’re probably right. He’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen, too. He was weighed a few months ago, 619 pounds. Did you know that the tiger is the largest cat, followed by the lion and the jaguar third? They’re all capable of being man eaters, but the tiger is the worst, by far.” Jenny and I thanked him and went on our way, eager to see what was next in line down the path.
We finished around five and left through the same Asia Gate to the subway. Jenny was confused when we walked onto the platform for the number 2 train. “Doug, didn’t we take the 5 train this morning?”
“Yeah, we did, but this one will bring us closer to our restaurant. We’re going to the Carnegie Deli for dinner. I think you’ll like it.” Walking up to the street level at 59th West meant that we were about four blocks from the deli. Blocks in Manhattan were about three times as long going east and west as they were going north and south. Even at this hour with the sidewalks crowded with workers on their way home, the trip only took us twenty minutes.
We were given a table by the window. I ordered without even looking at the menu. “We’ll split a Zorba and a hot pastrami sandwich, two cream sodas, and can we get some water for my dog?”
The waitress had just left when Jenny whispered, “Doug, splitting a salad and a sandwich? Are you sure?”
I leaned across the table to kiss her. “Trust me. You’ll have more than enough to eat and we’ll definitely want to save room for dessert.” I had just placed Lady’s bowl on the floor by the edge of the table when the waitress returned with two tall glasses filled with ice and the light amber cream soda along with two with water that she told me were at room temperature. Those she poured into Lady’s bowl. Lady looked to Jenny for permission to drink, receiving it just as the waitress returned with a huge Greek salad and two bowls.
I made an attempt to toss the salad and spooned a healthy portion into Jenny’s bowl. There was still some left over when I had filled mine. We had just finished when our sandwich appeared. “Thought I’d better bring another plate for you. Good luck,” she said with a chuckle. Jenny looked at the sandwich with her mouth open. It was easily eight inches tall with lean pastrami piled high between two thin slices of rye bread.
Using two hands I removed one half and passed the other to Jenny. “Try it with some of this mustard. It’s the best.” I scooped a big dollop onto the top on my pastrami and passed it to Jenny.
“I don’t know how to pick it up, let alone eat it,” Jenny said with a smile. She did finally grab it with two hands, following my lead, and managed to somehow get some of it into her mouth. She must have liked it because it was gone as soon as mine was.
When the waitress returned she cleared the table and asked if we wanted dessert. “Of course, we’ll split a piece of cheesecake.” I knew that one piece would be more than enough for us. I spoke again once the waitress had gone. “This place is famous for its over-stuffed sandwiches, but it’s even more famous for its cheesecake. We have some restaurants down our way who advertise that they fly their cheesecake in from Carnegie Deli every day. Boundary House is one. Remember that? It’s great, but it’s so filling that half a piece is plenty.” A few seconds later a six-inch high slab of cold white calories was placed between us. I went first, but Jenny wasn’t far behind me.
We walked slowly back to the Plaza. Several groups of young guys approached us on the way, but shied away as soon as Lady growled. She’s a big dog; well over a hundred pounds; and as we both knew, capable of breaking a man’s arm in two. Once back in the Plaza I scooped six cups of Dog Chow into lady’s bowl. Think she was eager? Only the discipline she’d been taught stopped her from knocking the bowl from my hands. I gave her permission even before I had water in her other bowl. I left her alone to eat while I found my beautiful bride.
Jenny was sitting in the living room, looking out the window at the park. The pathways were lit by street lamps as far into the park as we could see until they were blocked out by the trees. I remembered almost this same view in the winter from the Empire State Building looking north. I’d been there with my parents. I was fifteen and so badly looking forward to my sixteenth birthday. It was just about the last pleasant memory I’d had with my family. Two days later it was New Year’s Day and a week after that was my birthday. Then, less than a week later, I’d walked into my father’s lab and my world came crashing down.
I sat next to Jenny and we waited together in silence. “Is this our honeymoon?”
I almost laughed, but turned her head and leaned forward until our lips almost touched. “No, I hope not,” I whispered. “I had to come here on business and our personal situation made the trip even better. Where would you like to go? We could plan for some time in July after Charlie and Toni come to visit. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
“You know I’ve traveled all over the country, but I really haven’t seen much other than interstates and most of them are kind of similar. I’ve always wanted to go two places, even as a little girl when I red about them in books; Europe and Hawaii.”
“Both are wonderful, but they offer entirely different opportunities. Hawaii is the beach, swimming and snorkeling, whale watching in the winter. Europe is history, magnificent architecture and cathedrals and a better assortment of souvenirs. Hawaii has its own style of clothing, some of which goes well at home and there is island jewelry like pearls, shell necklaces and earrings, and pendants. In Europe we could find sweaters, woolens, handcrafts and jewelry, not to mention fantastic beer.”
“Doug, duh, I’m pregnant, remember.”
“Well, I could tell you about it and we could always go when the child is a bit older. Then you could join in. I have two ideas; European river cruise or a multi-island vacation, your choice.”
“Why don’t you tell me about the river cruise after we’re done?” She rose and pulled me up with her as she fixed Lady’s leash to her collar. The law required she be on a leash, but it was really unnecessary. Lady would stay in position at “heel” until either Jenny or I released her. Most of the time we held her leash with only the slightest pressure. Sometimes I just put the handle in my pocket.
We were back in the suite twenty minutes later, walking directly into the bedroom. Jenny came into my arms, carefully removed my sling then wrapped my arms around her waist. “You can kiss me now, darling. In fact, you can kiss me anytime, anytime you want.” I wanted to then and I did and it was as wonderful as always. Jenny’s lips were full and soft, her tongue ever inquisitive as it danced and dueled with mine.
It was mid-kiss when Jenny began to push me back toward the bed; at least that’s where I hoped I was headed. We had our eyes closed and I knew Jenny couldn’t see through my body. Luckily, I felt the bed behind my knees just before Jenny eased me down onto the blanket. Breaking the kiss, she whispered, “You don’t really think I’d let you fall, do you?” I would have answered had she not resumed the kiss. She moved my arm out of the way and proceeded to “do the doing.” And that’s exactly what she did, rubbing that luscious body over mine and pushing her nipples into my mouth. I suckled eagerly as Jenny worked her magic on me. No matter how often we made love she always made me as hard as stone and as hot as any lover has ever been.
Tonight was no exception. We were filled with lust and love for each other. I thought she would push me back and mount me, but she rose instead and pulled me up with her. “I’ve never done it like this,” she said as she knelt on the side of the bed, presenting her sweet ass in my direction.
My hands on her hips, she reminded me to watch out for my arm. I leaned down to kiss each of her glorious cheeks as I inserted a finger into her love tunnel. A few seconds later I was rubbing the head of my cock into her slit, oozing nectar. My first thrust drove me two inches in and my next all the way until I could feel her cervix, something I knew could hurt my love and something I could never do to her.
I stood up straighter and that must have been right because Jenny groaned with pleasure. I knew the lower side of my cock was rubbing her G-spot with every thrust. Jenny pushed back and soon we were at it like crazy; twisting and turning as I drove deep into her. She almost lost it when I leaned forward to rub and pinch her nipples.
Jenny’s movements showed she was out of control so I wasn’t at all surprised when I moved my right hand to her clit. My hands are big so I could easily tease each nipple with but a single hand while my other squeezed and twisted her clit. Looking down I could see Jenny’s knuckles were white as she held the blanket in a death grip. A second later her back arched and she lost it completely. A low guttural growl oozed from her mouth, growing in intensity as her orgasm claimed reign over her body.
I continued to thrust and rub and twist until I felt she could take no more. By then I had also lost control. I came; hard; as I fell forward, my body covering her back. I had just moved my arm out of the way when my lips found Jenny’s ear. I knew it was her only ticklish spot and she claimed that she hated being kissed there. However, she never once complained. Pulling back, I whispered, “I love you and I always will.”
Jenny was still out of it when she responded, “That’s nice.” Tonight I put Jenny to bed, climbing in once she was settled. Wrapping my left arm around her I pulled her onto my body until she found her usual spot; head on my shoulder and leg draped lazily over my thigh.
We always went to bed early, sometimes even to sleep, so we were always up early, too. We dressed in golf shirts and shorts for today’s sightseeing. I stopped off to see the concierge on our way to breakfast. He had done very well by me with tickets and reservations and I’d done well by him, too. I had tipped him $100 so far and I’d give him another $100 today, our last day in New York. He’d done everything I had requested.
We hopped into a cab for the trip down Fifth Avenue to 34th where we took the tour of the Empire State Building. The displays on the way up told us all about the construction and history of the building, but the highlight was the observation deck on the 86th floor. You can go higher; all the way to the top on the 102nd, but the view isn’t any better and the entire area is enclosed in glass and very cramped. By getting here early and purchasing our tickets in advance we were able to skip the line and most of the crowd. The views here were incredible, almost as good as those from the World Trade Center had been. I lost several friends and even more business acquaintances that fateful day in 2001.
Jenny was excited when she saw Central Park and our hotel. “There’s Macy’s,” she exclaimed when she saw it. “Wow, you can see how big the store really is from here. Oh, Doug, thank you so much for bringing me here.” She punctuated her remarks with a big hug and kiss, much to the amusement of those nearby. We stayed there for more than an hour, buying cheesy tee-shirts with King Kong climbing the side of the building.
Out on the street we stopped at a food truck for hot dogs before hailing a cab to pier 83 at 42nd and 12th for the Circle Line cruise around Manhattan. Down the Hudson we traveled around the Statue of Liberty and up the East River past Wall Street and the South Street Seaport. On our way north we saw the Chrysler Building and the old Brooklyn Navy Yard as we passed under the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. Jenny was spellbound when we entered the ship canal at Spuyten Duyvil; Dutch for Devil’s whirlpool, where the currents are extremely treacherous. We finished the tour at two and returned to the hotel for a brief rest.
“Where to next, Darling?”
“We’re going to the Bronx again to one of my favorite places. Actually, that’s not quite true since I’ve never been there. I went to the old one plenty of times though.”
“Doug! Please don’t tease me.”
“Sorry, sweetheart; we’re going to Yankee Stadium for the game tonight. Maybe we should take a cab, although the subway from here is a breeze. I’ll have to think about getting back to the hotel because the subway is always jammed. We’d have to wait for maybe four or five trains just to get on the platform.”
“Are we taking Lady?”
“Yes, we definitely are. I even bought a ticket for her. We’ll be right behind the Yankees’ dugout. Maybe we can get a souvenir ball. Oh Hell, let’s go now so we’ll have plenty of time.” Once out the door I decided we should take a cab. It was safer and we had plenty of time. Cabbies always know all the best routes. We had just piled in when I told the driver, “Yankee Stadium, and step on it.” The driver was a foreigner like most so I prayed he knew English.
While in the cab I asked Jenny if she’d like to stay another day and maybe go to a spa. “I’m sure the concierge could arrange it.”
She smiled and leaned over to kiss me. “Thank you, Doug, but I think I’d like to go home. I need to see my doctor and I’d like some time to plan our trip to Iowa.”
“That’s a good idea. We also have to decide whether or not you should confront your mother or stepfather. It might not be a good idea because of your name change. Damn, I never gave a thought at the time that you could go home.”
“I am going home, Doug; to our house, to our home. Going to Iowa is just so I can smirk at that asshole.” I grinned in response then sat back to watch where we were going. Cab drivers have been known to take extra-long routes, even driving in circles, to jack up the tab. Fortunately, we were taking a fairly direct route.
We were early so we walked directly through security, enjoying a laugh when the admissions agent saw that Lady had her own ticket. “You don’t need a ticket for a service dog, especially for tickets like these.”
“I know, but I wouldn’t want the other patrons to be squeezed in because I need my dog. This way she’ll have her own space and so will everyone else.”
“I guess, anyway, Section 14B is that way.” He pointed left. We went right; straight to the Yankees Team Store where we bought tee shirts and caps. The shirts we had worn went into the bag. Next we walked up to the Food Court where we bought two hand-cut prime steak sandwiches and Cokes from Lobel’s. I’d red online that these sandwiches were really good and they were; delicious, in fact. Once we had used the rest room we walked down to our seats in Section 14B right behind the dugout. Jenny took our souvenir program down to the fence and got autographs from A Rod, Brett Gardner, Chase Headley, and Mark Teixeira. Amazing what batting one’s eyelashes will do, especially when they’re attached to someone who looks like and is built like Jenny.
The game was fun, especially since the Yanks won, beating the Bosox 5-3. We had a blast, even catching a foul ball. Okay, we didn’t actually catch it; it looked like it went a mile high, but when Jenny went to grab it off the floor two guys tried to push her away. They might have succeeded if Lady hadn’t growled in their faces. Interest in a possible souvenir suddenly vanished. Jenny was all grins as she rejoined me. “This is going on my dresser,” she told me as she dropped it into her purse.
We took our time after the game and found a cab easily. Thirty minutes later we were in our suite where we began packing. Even after expanding our bags to the max Jenny still had plenty that wouldn’t fit. She put the remaining clothes in one of the large bags from Macy’s and we ambled slowly, but contentedly, to bed. The boutique manager had indeed phoned, telling me that we were in luck. There had been a very limited number of dresses produced, but the designer, after hearing our story, agreed to make just one more for Jenny. I had to pay, of course, but once done it would be sent directly to us by Fed Ex.
CHAPTER 13.
I called down to the bell desk once we had finished breakfast. David was there with our limo and the bags were in the trunk as I tipped the bellmen and followed Jenny and Lady into the rear seat. I sat back, completely relaxed, as David drove away. We had a relatively easy trip to LaGuardia although there’s never a really easy trip in the city. I had just tipped and thanked David when our bags were carried to the plane. We boarded and got Lady secured, relaxing in the well-upholstered seats.
Ninety minutes later we landed at Wilmington. Rather than stop for lunch Jenny wanted to go home. I did stop at the post office for our mail and I noticed something I’d share with Jenny later today.
She was happy when I drove through the gate to our home, but probably not as happy as Lady. She raced around the property as Jenny and I laughed. Finally, tongue hanging from her mouth, she walked slowly to us. A minute later I had her bowl filled with water and she drank thirstily while I carried the bags to the bedroom.
Jenny had the washing machine running a few minutes later, but we were a long way from being done. Later that afternoon I applied myself to the potential problems Jenny might face when she returned home. My eyes were closed and I was almost asleep when I bolted upright. “Damn! It’s so simple!” I had practically shouted so Jenny came running, thinking something was wrong. I was smiling when she appeared.
“It’s so simple. I should have realized immediately.”
“What, Doug?”
“You have to go back to being Jessie when we go to Iowa. I don’t think we should share my surname so they’ll have trouble finding you. I have another card I can play, but let’s wait until we see how things go.”
“What do you mean, another card?”
“I wrote my first “Idiots” program for my doctoral thesis. It was and still is an excellent program, but that doesn’t make people want to buy it. I had to advertise, especially because I couldn’t convince Walmart or any other vendor to stock their shelves with it. That meant that I needed other work and some of my early clients were, let’s say ‘unsavory.’ I still have some of those contacts and I may use them if I think you might be in danger. That’s all I want to say now. The less you know the better. Get used to being called Jessie for a few weeks.”
I had sorted the mail and found what I was looking for. Jenny was in the living room reading when I dropped the magazine in her lap. “What’s this, Doug?”
“Consumer Reports; the annual car issue. They rank all the cars by category like sedan or S U V. Take a look. Maybe it will help you.” She put her book aside and opened the magazine. She was still reviewing it when I asked about dinner.
“Why don’t you just bring in a pizza and maybe a salad? We overate in New York, at least I know I did.” She rose to kiss me as I pulled my phone from my pocket. I kissed Jenny and rubbed Lady’s ears as I gathered my keys and walked out to the garage.
Christopher’s was about ten minutes from my house so I walked in, paid the bill, and waited about five minutes for my order. I walked in to the kitchen to find that Jenny had paper plates and cold Cokes on the table. We sat and ate quietly until the pie was almost gone when Jenny spoke. “That Consumer Reports is interesting, but I’m more confused now than ever. Will you take me car shopping tomorrow? Please?” I knew I was a goner when she batted her eyelashes at me. She had me wrapped around her little finger and she knew it.
Jenny, oops, Jessie; I’d better get used to calling her that until we return from Iowa; went out of her way to show her appreciation that night, moving me into a “69” and sucking me deep into her throat. We’d done oral on each other, of course, once her bout of Chlamydia had cleared up, but there was nothing to compare to that wonderful night. I felt like a lamb to her wolf. She attacked my body with a vengeance as though we hadn’t been together for months or years. I fell asleep in seconds once she was finished with me.
Jenny was smiling down at me when I woke the following morning. After a quick kiss she whispered, “Better get up old man; we have a lot to do today. I think I need to get an appointment with Dr. Cullen, my O B G Y N, first. Then I think you need to take me car shopping. Where should we go; Wilmington or Myrtle Beach?”
I looked up into those clear blue eyes and asked, “Why are you whispering? Practicing for when we have the baby or are you afraid Lady will hear us?” She gave me an expression of exasperation then grabbed her pillow and began to beat me with it.
“I give up! I give up! Let’s get a shower and I’ll take you out for breakfast. We don’t have a doggone thing here in the house. Oh yeah, I love you like no one has ever loved before.”
She leaned down to kiss me before telling me, “I know. Aren’t I lucky?” She pulled my naked body with her to the shower. I don’t know how much actual washing we did, but we sure as Hell had a great time doing it. I was barely able to keep the bandages on my arm dry.
I was still dripping wet when I let Lady out. Jenny handed me a towel before walking back to dress. She couldn’t avoid shaking her shapely ass all the way down the hall. I laughed. I could afford to; that spectacular body was all mine.
I drove to Calabash to the pancake house there. After ordering I asked Jenny what she was thinking about in terms of a car. “Let’s start with the type then we can talk about brands, okay?”
“Believe it or not I’m thinking about an SUV. I think it makes the most sense. We’ll have room for the kids and room for groceries or whatever else we need to carry. Does that make sense to you?”
“Actually, it does. I red a few weeks ago that the SUV has replaced the sedan as the number one choice of car. Given any thought to how many passengers? Some can seat as many as eight.”
“That’s too big.”
“Okay, then if you want a high-end vehicle you’re looking at Audi, BMW, Mercedes, maybe Lincoln, Acura, and Lexus. We could add Porsche, but there’s no dealership nearby. That could be a problem when you need service.”
“We’re closer to Myrtle Beach, aren’t we?”
“Yes, so that’s where we should start. We can start with Mercedes and BMW is right next door; part of the same dealership, actually.” Jenny just nodded and we were quiet eating our French toast and omelet until we were in the car again. Then I couldn’t get Jenny to stop. She was obviously excited, but I had no idea how the next two hours were going to be.
I drove into the Mercedes lot first, thinking that Jenny would be enamored of the marquee name. She wasn’t. In fact, she told me as we left that she thought the models were “ugly.” We walked next door to the BMW side of the dealership. Jenny walked straight to one of the SUV’s on the floor as a salesman approached me. “May I help you, sir?”
“No, but you can help my wife.” I pointed to Jenny seated contentedly in an X5 that looked to have every possible package and option imaginable. Jenny had the salesman demonstrate how to attach a child’s seat as well as almost all the options. Finally, she said she wanted a test drive in the exact same car, if possible. We went out to the lot to check on their stock. Jenny passed by several, but stopped at one that was a dark metallic blue with white leather seats. The list price was more than $70,000.
I sat totally relaxed in the back seat, amazed by my wife’s control as she cruised down the back streets of Myrtle Beach. Jenny was pretty quiet as she listened to the salesman’s patter, mostly comments about how wonderful the car was; how quick it was, how it accelerated, the smooth ride, and all the other bullshit salesmen learn.
We were back in the parking lot when the guy asked if we wanted to talk price. “Not yet, I want to see something for my husband.” I choked, feeling as though I had just swallowed a cat.
“We never discussed a new car for me.”
“I know that, silly, but I’m buying you a present; a convertible, I think. Wouldn’t you love to drive a Beemer soft top?”
“Well, yeah; but, ”
“Doug, how much have you done for me since we met and since we’ve been married. I even tried to give your two million back and you wouldn’t take it.” The salesman looked as though he had swallowed a canary when Jenny said, “two million,” but my wife never missed a beat, leading the confused man back into the lot. The first two models were “too small” or “not enough” according to Jenny. However, she did stop at a row of 6-series cars. I learned by listening carefully that this series of BMW’s were only coupes or convertibles. I had to admit they looked a lot better than my Honda, but; of course; they also cost more than twice as much.
Jenny picked a model in a dark red metallic with the same white/black leather interior her car had. “Okay, now we can talk price.”
“I think I could do it for 130 plus your husband’s car.”
“Oh you poor man; you need to get out of the sun. You’re delusional. Let me tell you something, Jack. I spent five years on the road surviving by my wits so don’t think I’m an idiot. Why the hell should I pay you almost list plus my husband’s Honda? There’s no way that’s going to happen. I’m thinking 100 plus the Honda and, before you say you can’t do it, here’s a question. How often do you sell two cars in a single morning? Never; that’s how often. So get me a manager or we’re going to Wilmington or Florence or somewhere else where they really want to sell a car.” Jenny sat back in her chair while the sales guy looked to me for help.
“Don’t look at me. I have to live with her. If I was you I’d get a manager before she gets up and walks away.” The manager was there five minutes later and after a half hour of dickering the price was set at $110,000 plus my Honda Accord. I cleaned out my car while Jenny proved that she had sufficient funds in her account. I walked into the dealership just as Jenny was writing the check and turning down their efforts to get more money out of her with some extended warranty to cover all the cars’ computers.
“If your cars are so bad, maybe I should be shopping elsewhere. What do you think, Doug?”
“I think you’re right. One other thing; neither of us is signing an agreement to use arbitration if there’s a problem. We’re not giving up our constitutional rights and don’t try to tell us that these people are impartial because they’re not. They rely on cases from dealers for a living. They could deal with a single dealership dozens of times, but a consumer only once. Too many rulings against dealerships and they’re out of business and their kids become carpenters instead of dentists. Forget it!” They took the check and we took the cars.
I can’t say that we raced home, but we were there in bed less than an hour later. It was time for a celebration. I lay next to Jenny kissing and touching her when I asked, “When did you come up with this idea?”
“When you told me you wouldn’t take the money back; that’s when I knew I had to give you a big present.” I just shook my head. I’d been absolutely clueless. “Remember Doug, that I love you so much, certainly more than I can find words to tell you. You’ve been totally unselfish with me. You’ve given me more than I could have ever hoped to have and, most importantly, you’ve given me a child to love and help grow to be the kind of person you are. Do you understand a little better now?”
I did and I showed Jenny that I did by making the most beautiful love to her all afternoon. I began by kissing my way down her body until my tongue found her slit. Jenny still kept it clean shaven and I loved kissing and tonguing her, rubbing her G-spot and causing her entire body to shudder in ecstasy. I had given her two orgasms by the time she screamed for me to fuck her. I did, ramming my organ into her in a single massive thrust. Jenny moved her legs over my shoulders and I bent her in two as I pounded her relentlessly until we came together; Jenny convulsing wildly and me pumping her full of my seed until we collapsed together into a heap on the bed.
I could barely move when we were done and I could see that my wife was nearly asleep from her exhaustion beneath me. I tried to move off, but she held me tightly. “I love my new car,” I whispered, “but I love you more.” The last thing I remembered before closing my eyes was Jenny’s lips lightly on mine.
It was the following morning when I asked Jenny about where she had lived in Iowa. “We lived just outside Waterloo in Black Hawk County. The county courthouse is in Waterloo so we should probably try to stay somewhere near there.”
“What about an airport? Is there one nearby?”
“Yeah, right outside the city, but I have no idea what airlines fly there.”
“I think we’ll charter again. It’s a lot easier than flying commercial, but we have a lot to do before we go.” I explained that we needed our marriage certificate in order to legally change her name. She laughed at that. It was kind of funny in as much as we’d changed her name illegally only a few months ago. We agreed to fly to Waterloo on the tenth and leave on the fourteenth after her stepfather had been sentenced. We saw no need to stick around any longer than that. Other than her friend Amber there was not a single soul she wanted to see.
Our marriage certificate arrived in the mail the following day so we went up to the local DMV in Shallotte. From there we went to my insurance agent to change my individual health insurance to a family plan. Thanks to Obama Care her pregnancy would be covered. The following day we drove to Conway, to the nearest Social Security office for a name change there. When that was done I took Jenny to see my lawyer, changing my will so she would get enough in a trust to provide for her forever. Much of my estate would go to Harvard and MIT to thank them for the opportunities they’d given me.
We had a few days before our trip to Iowa so we went fishing and to the beach one day and played golf together on the others. I also had my stitches removed. The scar was ugly, but hopefully it would be covered eventually by the hair on my arm. Of course, we also made love every single day and a lot of nights and some mornings, too. We flew as scheduled on the morning of the tenth and arrived in Waterloo mid-afternoon, driving a rental Toyota to the Isle Casino Hotel. We had what they called a junior suite, but it was really just a big room with a sitting area and a king bed, quite a come down from the Plaza, but this was Iowa, and a small city in Iowa, after all.
Using my laptop and their free Wi-Fi, we called her friend Amber, making reservations for dinner; Olive Garden. I may be rich, but I still appreciate moderately priced food, especially with unlimited salad and bread sticks. Jenny (now Jessie again for our stay in Iowa) and I were already seated when Amber walked in. She and Jessie hugged and Jessie introduced us.
I hugged Amber and, as I did, I told her how much I appreciated everything she had done for Jessie. “You’re a true friend. They’re hard to find; almost impossible, in fact. I’m sure there was some risk involved, too.”
“Unfortunately, there was. Jess’s stepfather is obsessed with her. Jess, you’re taking a huge risk coming here. I think he’ll come after you as soon as he’s released from prison. That’s how bad it is with him. He must have asked me at least once a month if I’d heard from you. Of course, I told him I never had.”
“Thank you for telling us. I think I’ll have to go to Plan B. That’s all I can tell you now, but I can just about guarantee Jessie’s safety. Why don’t we eat? Want a drink first?”
Apparently not; we all had iced tea, Jessie because she was pregnant, me because I wasn’t that keen on drinking to begin with. I mostly sat back, listening to Jessie catch up with Amber. I enjoyed listening, but I had little to contribute until Jessie explained to Amber how we had met. Then the conversation was punctuated by Amber’s gasps. We finished our dinner and walked together into the night, promising Amber that we’d get together again the following afternoon.
We had breakfast in one of the casino restaurants and I had to admit it was pretty good. I suggested to Jenny that we might try the buffet tomorrow. After breakfast I asked Jenny to show me around. I wanted to see where she had lived and gone to school. She slowed as she passed her mother’s house and I had my first glimpse of the ogre who had been her stepfather. He was tall, well over six feet in my estimation, but grossly obese. His belly was so big I doubted he could mate with even the most willing woman. His hair was cut in a military-style buzz cut that only served to make his gut appear even bigger. Jenny was shaking when I covered her hand with mine. “You need to leave him to me. I have contacts who owe me favors and they’ll gladly deal with him. You have nothing to fear. He’s not the sheriff now and he never will be again. Trust me, darling; you have nothing to fear, but I want you to keep Lady near you while we’re here.”
We skipped lunch and joined Amber at the casino around two that afternoon. I gave each of them $200, telling them to have fun. Jessie took Lady with her. She and Amber played the slots while I tried my luck at blackjack. They returned three hours later laughing, but broke. I was down, too. I’d lost $50 which wasn’t bad considering how much I was betting, $100 a hand. Blackjack is a game of probabilities and as long as everyone played according to the book, the odds were only slightly in the house’s favor. You might have a run and win, but over the long haul those odds would wear you down.
I joined my love and her one true friend for a dinner on the house at Otis and Henry’s; my reward for having gambled more than ten thousand dollars this afternoon. Apparently they thought I was a wealthy high roller; if they only knew.
With an attractive woman on each arm I strode into the hotel’s high end steak house. This time Amber did have a drink and I joined her. Poor Jenny was still restricted to iced tea. Both women had what looked to be an excellent 10-ounce filet while I had the cowboy cut ribeye, saving much of the fat for Lady to enjoy with her dinner later. After dinner we walked to the bakery where I had two cream puffs while Jessie and Amber had crème brulee. I thought the prices were very reasonable; one of the benefits of being in Iowa where the cost of living was much lower than on the east coast.
We retired to our suite to feed Lady then returned to the casino for more action. This time I did hit a lucky streak, walking out with just over $900 which was enough to cover the day’s earlier loses. We said good-bye to Amber and walked up to our room where Jenny thanked me repeatedly into the wee hours of the morning when we fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.
We drove the following day up to Cedar Falls, spending several hours at the Museum of Art. The displays were interesting, but after the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City it was hard to be too impressed. All the same, we had a very enjoyable day before returning to Waterloo for dinner, again with Amber. Tonight we dined in the casino hotel’s buffet, overeating as always at a buffet.
We returned to the casino after feeding Lady, spending an enjoyable three hours just about breaking even. It would be our final evening in Iowa. Jonathan Harper’s sentencing was scheduled for tomorrow morning at ten.
Our rental Toyota was packed, bags securely in the trunk, when we walked into the court room at 9:25. I sent Jenny into the row first, followed by Lady, with me on the aisle. Jenny wanted to be seen by her stepfather and mother, but I insisted that Lady and I act as a buffer between them. “He’s such an asshole, Doug. He always insists on shaking hands with the people in court or in church and I’m sure he’ll do it this morning in spite of the circumstances.” Jenny was right. He strode in like the cock of the walk instead of the felon he was about to become. He took one look at me and his eyes shifted down the row, stopping when they reached Jenny.
His voice was low, but threatening both in his tone and his words. “You managed to elude me for the past five years, but I’ll find you and get you as soon as I’m out. That’s a guarantee.”
He was about to continue his walk up the aisle when I interrupted him. “Wanna bet,” I whispered with a sly grin on my face. “You don’t know me, but I’m Jessie’s husband. You won’t get within five hundred miles of her unless you’re dead.” He looked me up and down before smirking and walking away. He was joined by his attorneys on the other side of the railing. Ten minutes later we rose to the entrance of the judge, the Honorable Edwin Pepper.
After some preliminary statements from the attorneys, Judge Pepper told the accused to stand. “Your attorney has requested leniency because of your years of dedicated public service. Apparently, I have a higher view of elected office than either of you do. Elected office is a sacred trust between the elected official and the public. You violated that trust not by accident, but repeatedly through a concerted effort by using your employees as workers for your campaign and extorting them into contributing to insuring your reelection through your ongoing threats. Even worse, you extorted a bribe from someone captured in a drug raid. Unfortunately for you he turned out to be an undercover operative for the state police. There is and can be no excuse for your conduct as an official of this county.
“You have reached a plea bargain with the district attorney in which you are pleading to a single charge of bribery of a public official, a violation of Section 201 of the State Penal Code. Violation of this section of the penal code carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years and that is my sentence. I only wish I could add “at hard labor” for your traitorous and criminal behavior.” He banged the gavel and strode from the room as those present reacted to the sentence. Many, including Jenny and me, applauded loudly. Jonathan Harper scowled and screamed at his attorney. Jenny’s mother only cried.
We waited for the court room to clear so Jenny could confront her mother. Lady and I were standing in the aisle when she approached. “Oh, Jessica, thank God you’re back.”
“You’ve got to be kidding, Mother; me ever come back here? Not a chance. I came back so I could finally get one over on that asshole you married and I did. Did you hear our wild applause at the sentence? I would have whistled, but I doubted it would be acceptable in the court.
“This is my husband, Doug. Unlike you, he really does care about my welfare. This is our dog, Lady. She’s a service dog as you can see, but she’s also a guard dog. She’ll rip anyone who attacks us into shreds. She did it once when we were in New York, breaking a man’s arm with her bite.
“Not only am I married to a successful and wealthy man, Mother, but I am also expecting. You’ll be a grandmother before the end of the year, not that you’ll ever see your grandchild. I’d never expose any child of mine to someone like you; someone who would allow her own daughter to be raped repeatedly by her husband. I can’t prove anything now, but I also can’t forgive or forget. Goodbye. With luck I’ll next see you at shithead’s funeral.” I took Jenny’s hand and we walked out the door, down the steps, and into our future.
To be continued, by Sénor Longo.