The Bitch that is My Step-sister - EX
Extended
The Bitch that is my step-sister

Extended

By

Soul71

Thanks to WAA01 and Killerarmyguy for the edits

*******

Krissy Lancash, or formerly Ms. Krissy Walburg, laid out beneath the sun in the backyard of her husband's grandparents' property. Humming the tune from their wedding two months ago while the rays of the hot sun warmed her bikini-clad body as she lounged, on the one she's come to favor, lounger since her time moving in with Jamie and becoming his wife. Granted, she wasn't all that pleased with having to lie to her father and Rhonda about her and Jamie's relationship. Yet she knew they wouldn't understand the feelings she had for Jamie; she knew Jamie felt the same way. That was until she felt a shadow looming over her.

"Excuse you?!" Krissy snapped at being brought out of her daydreaming. "Do you make it a habit of trespassing on other people's property and staring creepily at a girl?" she asked, pushing herself back into the lounger.

"Sorry, thought you could see me; I didn't mean to startle you," the young man, clearly from the northern climes, said as he sat down on the other lounger.

"Did I say you could sit? Does this look like a hotel to you?" Krissy hissed when the man wasn't taking the hint.

"Then come with me, we can get to know each other; I got a hotel room, full mini bar, anything you want. Damn, girl, you're fucking hot," the man said, not seeing Krissy rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses.

"Tell you what go wrestle a mountain lion, then ask me; if not, get out of my face," Krissy said, waving the man off.

"What? That's absurd!"

"Why? My husband did it. Are you not man enough to fight a mountain lion?" Krissy asked with a shit-eating grin when she noticed how Jamie had walked around the corner of the house at that exact moment with their drinks in his hands.

"He lied to you; no way he could ever do that, so why don't you cut the stick and just come with me," the man said, laying his hand on Krissy's thigh.

"Oh, I think my hubby would have something to say about that, wouldn't you, baby?" Krissy cooed, smiling seductively at Jamie.

The scar that marred the right side of his face made him look sinister when he smirked like he was doing at that moment when the man just leapt to his feet. "Next time you touch my wife, when she's clearly given you no several times, you were just too stupid to understand it. I will beat you with your own hands if you set foot on this property ever again. Now leave before I call the cops for your trespassing on private property," Jamie stated, keeping his tone hard, yet in his mind, he was laughing his ass off as the man backpeddled towards the beach.

"Hey man, there wasn't a sign..."

"It's right fucking there, you idiot," Jamie said coldly, pointing to the sign on the fence he and his grandfather put up to keep people like the man before him from trampling the lawn to woo Krissy. "There're two of them! Are you telling us you can't read! In this day and age! Shocking! Or are you trying to save your ass because you know what you did was illegal for stepping onto private property when it's been clearly marked we don't want visitors? Was it something I said?" Jamie asked as he looked back at Krissy, who had been giggling through it all, only to laugh hysterically as she watched the man race off.

"Hey," Krissy's alluring voice and beckoning finger pulled Jamie down to her level once he had handed her, her drink, "mmm... I've missed these lips," Krissy cooed as her fingertips skimmed along Jamie's left cheek as he rose.

"You know, we're going to have to install an electric fence, maybe even some barbwire, since obviously, no one can read anymore," Jamie said as he lowered himself down beside Krissy.

"Hush," Krissy uttered, playfully slapping his left forearm. "You know they're only after what they can't have, right?" she purred as her thumb moved her engagement ring back and forth on her finger, causing the light to sparkle off of it. "Baby, I know you don't want to go up there, but you and I know we have to. Our little brother will be born in a month."

"Your brother, not mine," Jamie said offhandedly.

"You're doing it again," Krissy huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Huh?" Jamie muttered into his can.

"You said the exact same thing about Suzie when she was born. Now look at you, paying the artists at school a hundred bucks each to come in the early morning to make mermaid theme objects for her," Krissy said, waving to the ones that hadn't been knocked down by spoiled children. "Why else do you have those scars if you didn't care about her, hmm?"

"What makes you think I do it for Suzie? Maybe I like irking the piss out of your father and Rhonda," Jamie countered.

"Lie to yourself all you want, Jamie; I know the real reason; you think I'm sleeping in that bed when you sneak out of it in the mornings? Hardly," rolling her eyes, "when you do have it done, I usually hide behind the curtain, listening and watching it all. What did you think? I was sound asleep when you came back? Nope, you have no idea how hard it was not to roll over and smother you in my kisses for being so sweet to her. So why are you so vehement about not claiming our future little brother as your brother?" Krissy asked, only to be interrupted by her cellphone. "It's Dad; we'll finish this later, don't!" she hissed, slapping his hand hard when he was about to make a crude comment about her father if the look on his face was any indication of where Jamie's mind was. "Hey, Dad, how..."

"Krissy, you need to come home now!"

"What's going on?!" Krissy asked; fear began to flood her chest at her father's frantic words. Her blonde hair floated on the heavy, hot, salted breeze. Her blue eyes darted to and fro in worry as silence was on the other line.

"It's Rhonda..." Her heart sank like a stone at the thought of something happening to her or their brother that was due in a month. Slyly noting how Jamie's eyes glanced up and over to her. "She had your brother early."

"You butthole! I was really worried!" A screeching howl of joy filled the air when her mind caught up to what David had just said. Ignoring the look, Jamie was giving her as she danced around in excitement. "Perv!" Krissy mouthed when all Jamie was doing was staring at her bouncing breasts. "So why didn't you call us?"

"Rhonda's idea; she wanted to wait till she was out of the hospital and back home and settled for a day or two before calling you."

"Does anyone else know?"

"You're the first person I'm about to call everyone else; we wanted the two of you to be the first to know the news. Although if Jamie is like his normal self, he probably wouldn't care either way," David said, wondering if the two months away from his former home had softened Jamie any.

"Alright, let me talk to Jamie, and I'll call you back," Krissy said with a huge smile on her lips at the news.

"Okay, honey, love you; let me know if you're coming alone or not." David wasn't all that hopeful that Jamie would be tagging along with her. Even though he knew it would mean the world to Rhonda. Recounting the first week they left in June where Rhonda just cried herself to sleep every night. Looking over to his wife, watching how she was gazing at their son as his little body was swaddled in a baby blanket.

"Jamie..."

"We'll go up like we planned," Jamie cut in.

"Boy, stop being stubborn and get your butt in that house and pack," Hugo said, walking into the backyard. "I know you don't like them, hell, I don't like them, sorry Kris..."

"No, it's understandable," Krissy said with a warm smile and a taunting look down at Jamie when he wasn't arguing with her about it but his grandfather as well.

"But a man puts that aside for a time just to welcome your half-brother into the world. You are that kind of man, aren't you? I know my boy taught you how to be that kind of man since I taught him. So, get," Hugo said, thumbing towards the door, telling Andrew to get packing. "You can thank me when you get back," he called after him as Jamie grumbled as he headed off to the room he and Krissy had moved into, which happened to be his father's room when Darriel was a boy.

"Thanks for the backup, Pop," Krissy spoke, smiling warmly at the old man using the affectionate nickname she gave him a month into their stay.

"He's like his father when he was that age, head strong and stubborn as a mule; you two be safe on the road; if it gets too late, stop for the night; nothing wrong with showing up the next day," Hugo said in a caring voice only to hear their bedroom window opening.

"If I'm going, I want to get this over with as fast as possible, so get that little butt in here," Jamie said firmly before shutting the window.

"Well, best get my butt in gear, or he's going to be grumpy all the way there," Krissy uttered, rising onto her toes and placing a kiss on Hugo's right cheek. "If we're not back in a week, we'll definitely be back before school starts; tell Marla for us, will you?" she called back as she made her way to the back door.

"I will. Don't let Jamie get into too much trouble."

"I won't." Were the last of Krissy's words as the door closed behind her.

******



Nearly eleven hours later...

Darkness had blanketed the city Jamie Lancash left behind two months ago for a better environment to live in. Reaching over and shaking Jamie awake, given how they had switched off driving halfway through, so she was rested enough to make the last five hours to Connecticut when Jamie began to doze off.

"Baby, we're home," Krissy whispered in a loving tone as she shook Jamie awake.

"So you turned around?" Jamie asked groggily in his seat as he stretched.

"No," Krissy drew out the word while the darkness hid her smile. "Home," she said, nodding towards the darkened house.

"Shucks," Jamie sighed, earning him a slap on his chest.

"I'll text Dad while you get our bags; we don't want to wake Suzie," Krissy warned when Jamie was about to open his mouth only to close it. "It'll be okay; I'll take care of you later," she cooed, winking at him in the overhead light as Jamie opened his door while she sent her father a text, who told her he would stay up until they arrived that night. Her father knew they wouldn't make it until nearly midnight that evening when she talked to him as they left Jamie's grandparent's home. "Give me your ring so I know you won't lose it," Krissy said, slipping off her wedding ring for the first time; if it wasn't to shower, wash dishes, or her hands, she never took it off. She valued the commitment it took to stay loyal to the one you agreed to marry. "This will be okay, Jamie; you've dealt with Dad for years; a week or more won't kill you," she whispered as their lips left each other's as her right hand instinctively placed their rings in the small pocket on the left side of her purse. Their heads turned as the front porch light flicked on. Krissy's blonde hair whipped behind her as she raced towards the door as it inched open, only to collide in her father's arms once he had stepped outside.

"Hello, Jamie," David greeted as Jamie walked into the radius of light.

"Hoss," Jamie nodded in return. To his thinking that was a perfectly acceptable greeting. His eyes flickered over to David's right shoulder as a hand rested on it, causing David to peer back at who he suspected was his mother.

"Should you be up?!" Krissy asked worriedly as she rushed to Rhonda's side.

"Oh, I'll be fine; this isn't the first baby I've had," Rhonda uttered with a warm sigh as she embraced Krissy like her own daughter. To her, Krissy did feel like her own given the last five years, six if she was truthful, of knowing the young woman. Hugging Krissy just a little tighter as it seemed Krissy needed it how she was holding her. All the while, her eyes were on her son, who looked disinterested as he stood on the walkway waiting to be let in. "Let your Dad show you to your room he made up for you," she said, lightly rubbing Krissy's back, watching Krissy being held close to David as he guided her through the house. Her eyes watched her son as he climbed up the steps like he had always done in his childhood before moving away. Taking Jamie by surprise when he reached the landing, listening to his huff when she hugged him hard. "You probably weren't even going to say hello, were you?" Her hot breath played along the strands of his hair as she held her son in her arms. "Thought so," Rhonda whispered into Jamie's ear. That didn't mean she wasn't going to hold her son; he might not want anything to do with her; she was going to make the best use of the times he allowed her to see him. "Suzie is going to be a handful in the morning; she's missed you a lot, and so have I," she said, placing a kiss on her son's left temple. "Come see your brother," Rhonda stated, leading Jamie into the house with her right arm wrapped around his shoulders to keep him from escaping.

"I'll take those for you," David said, reaching forward and taking Jamie's and Krissy's bags from Jamie. Not seeing the look Krissy was giving Jamie to cooperate with her father behind his back.

"We're going to turn Krissy's old room into Suzie's new bedroom and turn Suzie's into the baby's nursery. We were going to do that this month, but your brother just couldn't wait," Rhonda said, squeezing her son into her as they neared their bedroom. "So, I'm counting on your help to set up Suzie's new room. Now be quiet. He's sleeping," she whispered, bringing her finger to her lips. Ignoring the look Jamie was giving her as she slipped her hand into his and pulled him along into the room. "Jamie, I'd like you to meet your brother, Benjamin Walburg," Rhonda said in a loving voice as she stared down at her youngest child. "You know he's going to look up to you for guidance; you are his older brother," she uttered, resting the side of her head against her son's. "I'm glad your home, baby," Rhonda muttered, placing a kiss on the side of Jamie's head. "You must be tired; you should get some rest."

"I'll be in there soon, honey," Krissy said, keeping her smile from showing at how Rhonda wasn't giving Jamie a chance to talk and ruin their reunion.

Jamie ignored the soft voices speaking down the hall from his former bedroom. Looking over to the door as he was putting away his shirts into the drawer of the dresser. He had stopped calling anything his the moment he sold the house to David. Watching how Krissy slowly closed the door with her hand on the frame and the door to keep it from waking Suzie up. Neither said a word to the other as they stripped down to get ready for bed. Krissy knew that would only bring about a fight she didn't want to have at that moment.

*******



The next morning saw the two of them stirring by Suzie's happy voice as she talked a mile a minute to Rhonda about the neat dream she had. David had already left for work since Jamie and Krissy were there to see to Rhonda in case she needed anything. Plus, David needed to work unless he wanted to use up the last of his vacation days which he was planning on using to go down and see Krissy during Thanksgiving. An observer would say all hell broke the moment Suzie saw Jamie walking groggily out of his bedroom from her highchair, where her mother had placed it so she could have a clear view of the hallway.

"Jamie!" Suzie squealed and shouted as she bounced in her highchair in excitement. Testing the limits of the straps that held her in place as Rhonda had to place a hand on it to steady it. Her little arms were outstretched, wanting to hold her brother, who she's missed greatly.

"Hello, squirt," Jamie said as he yawned as he walked into the dining room. Rhonda and Jamie winced when Suzie belted out: 'Krissy' when she appeared from behind Jamie.

"Sit down, you two; I'll get you two some bowls," Rhonda spoke, starting to lift herself out of the chair before Krissy told her she would get them. "Then can I press upon the two of you to watch your sister while I go take a nap while Ben is sleeping?"

"Sure, Rhonda, we don't mind watching Suzie, do we, Jamie?" Krissy asked, putting Jamie on the spot. Scowling when Jamie didn't say a word and instead walked into the kitchen for their bowls.

"I kind of figured this would be his reaction," Rhonda sighed as she lifted herself out of her chair.

"Don't worry, Rhonda, I'll have a word with..."

"No, you won't," Jamie cut in as he walked back into the dining room with two bowls in his hands.

"Jamie, don't start, please," Krissy said in a pleading tone as she gave him the look he knew all too well.

"Fine," Jamie grumbled as he poured his bowl of cereal.

******



"Suzie, how would you like to go to the park?" Krissy asked as she and Jamie sat on the couch in the living room while Suzie sat on the floor playing with her toys as her cartoons played on the TV.

"Would I?!" Suzie exclaimed with bright wide eyes.

"Jamie, you wouldn't mind driving us to the park, would you?" Krissy asked, batting her eyes at him. Grinning as Suzie rushed up to the front of his legs, giving her brother that look that would melt anyone's heart as Suzie peered up at Jamie.

"Please, Jamie, can we?" Suzie asked in her best voice a three-year-old could muster as she stood on the top of his feet.

"I don't know, squirt; don't you want to watch your shows?" Jamie inquired, to which Suzie shook her head very vehemently, not wishing to miss out on time with her brother, not knowing when she would see him or Krissy again. "Well, you can't go to the park in your pajamas," he said, watching how Suzie's eyes lit up, and her huge smile appeared on her face as she bounded off to her room.

"I know you're not happy being here, but you know Suzie is just so happy to see you," Krissy whispered into his ear as she placed a loving kiss on his cheek before following after Suzie to help her dress then she herself would get dressed while Jamie got Suzie's car seat out of Rhonda's van once he too had dressed.

"You ready, baby?" Krissy asked as she exited the house, carrying Suzie in her left arm as she closed the door behind her. She had written a note for Rhonda telling her they had taken Suzie to the park if she woke up before they returned.

"Yep," Jamie answered as he peered back at them once he had secured the car seat. His arms moved on their own when Suzie reached out to him; they stood there for a few minutes as Suzie hugged him tightly. Jamie didn't like the look in Krissy's eyes when she gazed at him as he rubbed Suzie's back. Smiling at his half-sister as she nodded when he asked if it wasn't too tight for her when he buckled her into her car seat.

"Shall we?" Krissy said, reaching over and resting her hand on his arm as Jamie reached forward and started his car.

******



"Suzie, don't run too far ahead," Krissy called out in a sisterly voice as they walked towards the play area that rested on the east end of the park.

"Okay!" Suzie uttered as she skipped happily in front of her brother and sister.

"Doesn't this make you think of something?" Krissy asked with a coy smirk on her lips as she lightly bumped Jamie's left shoulder; as she held his hand as they walked over to one of the free benches that weren't taken up by the nannies or other mothers that were there that day. Resting her head on his left shoulder as she watched Suzie running around with the other kids laughing like mad. Her eyes glanced over to how the other women were slyly peering at them. Lifting her head off Jamie's shoulder when he lightly patted her right knee, silently telling her not to worry about what those around them were whispering to one another.

"Jamie!" Suzie cried out as she ran towards him. "Come play with me!" she exclaimed, reaching forward, taking her brother's hand into hers.
"Go on, baby," Krissy cooed.

"Nah-uh, if I'm playing, so are you," Jamie said, pulling Krissy along.

Krissy couldn't help but smile bashfully as Jamie pulled her up and how Suzie was ecstatic to be playing with her siblings. She didn't care what all the adults thought as Suzie led them around the playground. She was just having a great time seeing the joy on her sister's face. Biting her lip as Jamie was holding onto Suzie's waist as she traversed the monkey bars since she wanted to try it. Trying to hide how aroused she was as she watched how the two of them interacted, knowing Jamie would make a great father when they were ready to have their own. Reaching behind her, and pulled out her phone when its ringtone played on the air as Jamie stayed with Suzie when she wanted to do it again.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kris, I found your note; what park did you take Suzie to?" Rhonda asked after Krissy's greeting.

"Oh, just up the street from the house; you should see Suzie; she's just having a blast," Krissy answered, smiling at her little sister, who was grinning like mad as Jamie sat her down on the ground.

"Hi, Mommy!" Suzie greeted exuberantly into Krissy's phone when she held the phone up to her ear.

"Hey, baby! Are you having fun?"

"Mmmhmm! Jamie and Krissy are so much fun to play with!" Suzie said, slipping her hand into Jamie's. Peering up at her big brother, giving him a toothy smile as her hair swayed in the breeze.

"Oh! Are they now?! Well, wish I could see that; shame that I can't," Rhonda pouted over the phone.

"But we can come back to the park, and we can have so much fun!"

"Can I?! I just might! I haven't seen your brother playing in years and years!" Rhonda was smiling as she sat on the sofa, breastfeeding Ben, listening to how sweet her daughter's giggle was. "Let me talk to your sister, sweetheart."

"Mommy wants to talk to you, Krissy," Suzie said, gazing up at her sister. "Jamie, come push me on the swing," she said, pulling her brother towards the other side of the playground.

"Now you go on; I'll watch from here," Krissy said, waving Jamie on as she brought her phone up to her ear. "Yes, Rhoda?"

"How's Jamie with Suzie?"

"Oh, they're just having a ball; Jamie even held Suzie up, letting her think she was crossing the monkey bars on her own just so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself," Krissy explained low, smiling was Suzie's laughter filled the air as Jamie pushed her on the swing.

"So his attitude isn't affecting her?"

"No, he hasn't been grumpy since we left the house."

"So it's me then?"

"Well... Dad, too, I don't think he's ever going to get over it, but I don't know, but we'll see how the years go by. He might soften a bit, but I don't think he's going to like either of you much more than he does now." Krissy did feel for Rhonda as she heard her stepmother sigh over the line.

"Yeah, I thought as much. So how are the two of you doing?"

"Oh, we're doing just fine, had a few fights, minor ones, but we got past them. He took me out for a romantic dinner a few nights ago; oh, my, god, I was so in heaven?!"

"Were you? You'll have to tell me about it when we're alone."

"Mmmhmm," Krissy hummed as she swayed a little.

"Don't let Suzie stay out in the sun for too long."

"We won't, thinking we'll be back in, say, thirty minutes; I know how you like to keep her naps on schedule."

"I do; you don't know how hard it is to get her to sleep if her naps are late."

"I can imagine; we'll see you then."

"You three be safe; I'll see you when you get home."

"Shh, you'll wake her," Krissy said as she peered around her seat when they pulled to a stop in front of their childhood home. Seeing how her little sister had dozed off in her car seat on the ride home. Watching how Jamie slid his key out of the ignition before he opened his driver's door. "I'll put the car seat back in the van," she whispered as Suzie instinctively wrapped her arms around Jamie's neck as he gently picked her up out of it. She saw how Rhonda stood in the doorway and how her lip was trembling as Jamie carried Suzie towards the house.

"Go put her in her bed, honey; I bet she had so much fun with you," Rhonda said in a loving voice as she lightly rubbed her son's back. Noting how he pressed his lips together, keeping the retort he would usually spout to himself due to who he held in his arms. "You should come and see Ben; he's awake; he'll love his sister," she spoke, smiling at Krissy as she approached the porch. "Oh, your Aunt called. She said they were thinking of coming over sometime in the afternoon to see Ben."

"Then I know when to leave," Jamie said, walking into the kitchen as Rhonda shut the door.

"Jamie, she's not like she was during Thanksgiving," Krissy huffed.

"Sure, she isn't; once a she-bat, always a she-bat," Jamie said from the depths of the kitchen. "I'll give her five seconds before she reverts back to her normal self once she sees me," he stated as he walked out with a drink in his hand.

"Don't you want to see Ben?" Krissy asked as Jamie began to turn towards the hallway.

"Nope, have fun though," Jamie said, walking towards his former room, now turned guest room.

"Jamie?!" Krissy spoke, putting her displeasure into the tone of her voice, causing Jamie to stop in his tracks when he knew he was about to be cussed out. "Get in here and see our brother, now," she said through clenched teeth.

Rhonda just stared in awe at her stepdaughter when Jamie didn't say a word and walked into the living room. Grinning at Krissy, who blushed beneath her silent praise before Rhonda slid her arm along Krissy's shoulders and led her into the living room. Ben stared at his mother as she and Krissy walked around the couch.

"How's my baby boy!" Rhonda cooed down to him, who gave her a gummy smile as she tickled Ben's stomach. Glancing up, noting how Jamie was just sipping on his drink, unclipping Ben from the baby rocker she had placed him in. Humming as she swayed as she held Ben to her chest like she had done with all her children. As she sat down beside her son, noticing how Jamie glanced out the corner of his eye at her when she did. Flashing Krissy a smile as she took Jamie's drink from him, over his silent protest, before Rhonda turned towards him. "Hold your brother, Jamie," she ordered, not giving Jamie a chance to object before she laid Ben into his arms. "Support his head, honey, like this," Rhonda instructed, moving his arm to support Ben's head as Jamie cradled Ben. "See, you're a natural," she uttered in a loving voice as her hand brushed along the back of Jamie's head.

"That isn't so bad, now is it?" Krissy asked as she stood to the left of him. Given the look on his face, she knew he was not happy with her at the moment. She, on the other hand, thought he was just being stubborn; it wasn't Ben's fault for being born, and Jamie shouldn't take his frustrations out on him when he disliked who his parents were.

"Okay, I held him," Jamie said, handing off his brother to his mother, and quickly got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Krissy asked; her annoyance was plain as day as Jamie opened the front door.

"Out." Was all Jamie said as he walked out the door.

******



"Well, look who it is," Casandra said; while her sneer wasn't on her face, it wasn't hard to miss as Jamie walked into the house a little around three that afternoon.

"I see you're still a she-bat as I expected you would be," Jamie said, not bothering to be nice.

"Casandra, I warned you," Casandra's husband spoke as he, Casandra, Rhonda, and Krissy all got caught up.

"But Trace..."

"No buts Casandra, if you can't keep that attitude of yours under wraps, then don't open your mouth," Trace said sternly; after what happened over the Thanksgiving holiday last year, they had it out once they were home. Seeing how his wife's mouth just snapped closed. "Afternoon, Jamie," he greeted, getting a nod out of Jamie.

"Well, since I'm not welcomed in this little family of yours, I'll just mosey on," Jamie said, looking down when Krissy held out her hand to him as she reached over the couch.

"We're okay, aren't we?" Krissy asked, her thumb brushed along Jamie's knuckles affectionately as she held his hand.

"Yeah, why would you think otherwise?" Jamie muttered, confused.

"Just you haven't been all that happy since coming back," Krissy said, ignoring the snort of disgust from her aunt.

"Yeah, did you expect I would be?"

"No, but I'm happy you're not upset with me," Krissy said, bringing his hand to her lips and placing a kiss upon it. Casting him a smile before Jamie disappeared down the hall.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jamie's shout caused everyone in the living room to quickly get to their feet. Krissy was the first one to crest the threshold of the hallway, only to see her cousins rushing out of Suzie's room. Who stopped in their tracks and had a look that told her they had done something very wrong. That was when she heard the faint, muffled crying coming from Suzie's room. That was when Rhonda flew past her when she heard those same cries.

"Mark, Theodore, what have you done?!" Trace growled as he glared at his two sons.

"We were only playing," Mark muttered, thinking they did nothing wrong. When in truth, they had if you don't consider shoving a three-year-old into her closet and running amok in her room as doing something wrong.

"Then why is your cousin crying if you were just playing?" Trace asked, his hands resting on his hips, waiting for an answer.

"Mommy! They broke it!" Suzie cried out as she ran sobbing into her mother's arms once she was free from the hug Jamie gave her when she buried her face in his chest.

"Broke what, baby?" Rhonda asked, looking into the room and seeing her son standing there with his back to her as he stared down at his feet.

"The mermaid Jamie got for me," Suzie said through her sobs. "When I got mad because I loved it, they were mean to me and pushed me into the closet."

"You did what!" Casandra roared, seeing the fear in their eyes as she glared angrily at her two boys.

"No, we didn't," Theodore said defiantly.

"Yeah, you did; you were snickering as you were tearing up her room while one of you, you both look alike to me, so I never really cared to know your names, where the other one kept Suzie from getting out while the other had his fun," Jamie said, stepping out into the hallway.

"No one believes you since no one likes you!" Mark stated with a snide attitude he picked up from his mother.

"And? You seem to think your family is the best there is; news flash, you little dweeb, you aren't; all you and your so-called relatives are nothing but self-centered, ego..."

"That's enough, Jamie; I think they get the idea," Krissy said, stopping him when she knew he was only getting started.

"Do they? Seems they haven't changed much since the last time I saw them," Jamie stated, looking down when Suzie latched onto his left leg.

"Told you, you care about her," Krissy whispered low, casting him a knowing smile as she rested her hand on his right shoulder.

"Mark, Theodore, get your buts back in there and clean that damn room!" Trace hollered, pointing at Suzie's room. "I can't believe the embarrassment you've caused your mother and me; I thought we raised you better than that. Then again," turning to peer at his wife who stood behind him, "I can see where you get that attitude from. And if that room isn't straightened out in half an hour, I will tan your hides, now get!" he barked. Watching his son's scurrying back into Suzie's room. "Don't worry, Rhonda, I'll make sure this doesn't happen again, and they will pay for another one of those mermaids. Be silent! It will come out of your allowance; keep up your bellyaching, and you won't have that for much longer. When we get home, you both are grounded for a month for what you did to your cousin. I'll keep watch..."

"We will keep watch, Rhonda; I'm terribly sorry what the boys did to Suzie; they will be punished, I assure you," Casandra said, cutting off her husband. "Suzie," smiling sweetly at her niece as she bent forward, "I'll make sure the boys put your room back to the way it once was," she spoke, hearing Jamie's snort as he walked down the hallway.

"I want that room spotless when I come back to check on it," Rhonda uttered.

"It will be; we'll make sure of it, hear that, get this room spotless!" Casandra snapped, causing her children to jump.

"Come on baby, let's go see your brother," Rhonda said, holding out her hand to Suzie, noting how Krissy was following after them.

******



"Hello?" Krissy answered her phone late the next morning as she and Jamie lounged in the guest bedroom. Biting her lip as Jamie's hand ran along her near-naked body, waving his hand away when he was palming her ass. How she enjoyed the fact that her husband couldn't keep his hands off of her body, something she thought how it should be. Remembering how her father was when he came home from work last night and the heated conversation he had when he spoke to his sister.

"Hey, girl! Why didn't you call that you were in town!" Krissy squealed as she bounced on her knees on the bed, noting how Jamie's eyes were following the bounce of her breasts in her bra.

"Missy! I thought you left for college!" Krissy exclaimed.

"I'll be leaving here in a week; why didn't you call and tell me you were back in town!"

Jamie rolled off the bed, getting dressed, knowing she would be talking for a while. Only to stop when Krissy placed a hand on his back, feeling his skin heat when Krissy's soft lips graced it. Looking down when Krissy's left arm wrapped around him, keeping him rooted on the bed.

"Well, I didn't know you were still in town; I thought you left after graduation," Krissy said truthfully.

"How long will you and Jamie be in town?" Missy asked, knowing if her friend was here, then Jamie was as well.

"Don't know, maybe a week, might be more. Are the others still in town?" Krissy inquired, eager to spend some time with her friends.

"Just Dafne, Rachel already left for college like a month ago or something like that," Missy informed Krissy, who was sad she couldn't see her other dear friend.

"Oh."

"I know Rachel would have loved to see you again before she left. She was always wondering how you two were doing down there. So spill how's married life going for you?"

"Oh, Jamie's awesome; you wouldn't believe how sweet and romantic he can be; just before we came up here, he took me out to this very, very romantic restaurant where my baby just wooed me all over again," Krissy chatted away.

"So, want to grab a coffee and catch up?"

"Hell yeah!" Krissy giggled.

"Sweet, I'll call Dafne and see if she wants to come."

"Then I better get dressed!"

"Oh, please tell me you aren't naked, and Jamie isn't between your legs while we're talking?!" Missy teased. "Because that just be so damn wrong!" Krissy fell onto her back, laughing like mad at her friend's words, remembering back to when they had taken Jamie to Missy's apartment, where they all had gotten Jamie to eat them out.

"So, girls' day out?" Krissy asked, hearing Missy's fingers tapping on her phone, knowing she was texting Dafne.

"Mmmhmm, Dafne is so in!"

"Cool, let me shower and dress, and I'll come and pick you two up," Krissy said quickly, rolling off the bed.

"We'll be ready."

"Baby, would you mind if I borrow the car and some money?" Krissy asked, batting her eyelashes at him, hoping he didn't make a big stink about her seeing her friends.

"And leave me stranded here?!" Jamie said in mock indignation, smiling at Krissy, who returned it, knowing he was only teasing her.

"Thank you, baby," Krissy said, elegantly sliding off the bed, swaying her hips as she ambled the few feet between the two of them. Leaning up, placing a loving kiss upon Jamie's lips as he dropped his keys and forty dollars into her left hand. "I promise no drag racing," she uttered before walking out of the room and into the bathroom.

"Awful late in the morning to be taking a shower," Rhonda spoke as Jamie walked into the kitchen. As she was washing the dishes while Ben slept in his baby swing, she and David had saved when Suzie was a baby.

"She's going out with friends," Jamie informed her as he pulled out the makings for a sandwich.

"Would you mind making one for Suzie? It is about lunchtime," Rhonda spoke as her hand moved over the plate from that morning's breakfast. A motherly smile formed on her lips as Jamie didn't put up a fuss when he got another small plate out and made another one for his sister. Her heart swelled when she heard Jamie's voice calling Suzie to the table; she was so glad the two of them were bonding so well. She might have lost her son's love due to how she and David went about their affair when she was married to Jamie's father, Darriel, before he was untimely killed. That didn't mean that her love for her son had been lost; it was the opposite; ever since Jamie had been gone, she's missed her son all the more. She knew David was worried and scared having Krissy so far from home, just as she was about Jamie. Yet she knew Hugo and Marla were keeping a very keen eye on them, so she knew both of them would be safe under their care. Listening to Suzie chatting away with Jamie as they ate their lunch.

"I'll be back later," Rhonda turned her head towards the dining room at the sound of Krissy's voice, "I promise I'll be safe," she tried not to get teary-eyed at how sweet and loving Krissy sounded before their kiss filled the air. Looking over when Ben started to cry.

"What's the matter, my sweet baby?" Rhonda cooed as she held her son, checking his diaper and seeing that it was still dry. "Jamie, will you watch Suzie while I feed your brother?" she asked, without waiting for an answer before walking into the living room, turning on the TV so she had something to keep her occupied while Ben suckled. Turning her head, peering back towards the dining room, watching Suzie following after Jamie as he walked back down the hall. "Jamie, what are you doing?" Rhonda spoke as she stood in the hallway with Ben in her arms; as she noted how Jamie walked out of Suzie's room, his arms loaded down with clothes, with Suzie hot on his heels, helping as best as she could with a rather smaller stack of clothes.

"Moving, Suzie," Jamie said plainly. He had promised Krissy he would try to keep his snarky attitude to a minimum.

"Oh? David was going to start on it tonight, but thank you, honey. Suzie, you don't get in your brother's way, mmmkay?"

"Yes, mommy," Suzie uttered with a bright smile on her face.

******



"So, how are you and Jamie getting along?" Dafne asked as they waited for their lunch to arrive.

"Oh, you know we had some moments, but it's better than I could ever hope," Krissy stated, taking a sip of her drink.

"How's the sex?" Missy asked with a coy grin on her lips.

"Oh, you should see my man in action; oh, wait, you have," Krissy teased.

"I have," Missy cooed with a knowing smirk.

"And you're dad doesn't know that you two got hitched?" Dafne asked, looking at her friend suspiciously.

"No, he and Rhonda were all on us to wait, but I know Jamie is the one that I'm going to be with forever," Krissy said, looking around the table.

"You sure? I mean, I bet you've seen a lot of hot guys down at that beach, given the tan I see you sporting. Don't you want to sample them?" Dafne asked, not to berate her friend, just to understand why Krissy felt the need to attach herself permanently to Jamie.
"Oh, I'm sure there're going to be lots of hot guys when Jamie and I start college, and yes, there have been some yummy men on the beach, but I know when I'm with Jamie, then I'm the only one he's thinking about. Plus, you think those men would do what Jamie's already done for me or for Suzie?" Krissy asked, recounting how she was almost raped and how Jamie took on the mountain lion when they had visited her family's cabin at Thanksgiving. "But I wouldn't know if they were with me, I mean with me, or they would be like Bobby. I'm not putting up with being cheated on ever again."

"We understand, don't take us questioning your choice to marry so soon as we're against it. We're just worried about you," Missy said, reaching over and lightly resting her hand on Krissy's left forearm.

"I know, but Jamie just makes me feel so complete, you know?" Krissy said dreamily.

"Well, I hope I can find someone that makes me feel like Jamie makes you feel when I'm off at college," Dafne said in a supportive manner.

"So, with that out of the way, how about we all go out one night just one last hoorah before we all scatter to the four corners of the world," Missy said, getting nods out of the other two as their waiter sat their food out before them.

"Oh, I know where we should go?!" Dafne spoke before taking a bite of her food.

"Huh?" Krissy muttered, confused.

"There's this new place that opened up just a few days after you two left; Missy and I have been going to it's a nice place to see some handsome guys," Dafne said with a sexy smile on her lips.

"They do serve alcohol there, but they also cater to eighteen-year-olds; we just can't drink," Missy informed her.

"Hold on, let me call Jamie and ask; knowing him, he'll be eager to get out of the house," Krissy said, reaching into her purse and pulling out her phone.

"He still hates them, I take it?" Missy asked, referring to Krissy's stepmother and father.

"Yep, two months away hasn't dulled that," Krissy stated, hitting her phone icon and hitting one on her speed dial. "Hey, babe," she said sweetly when the line connected at the first ring.

"'Sup."

"I was wondering if you would like to go to this place with Missy and Dafne tonight?" Krissy spoke into her phone, seeing her friends nodding along.

"Wait, I thought they were already gone."

"So did I, but I'm happy they're not, so what do you say?

"When?"

"Say we pick them up at eight, maybe have a bite to eat before we head over there," Krissy said, seeing her friends grin at the prospect of a night out.

"Sure, think we can swing that; I better be getting some loving," Jamie teased.

"Don't you always?" Krissy asked, smiling into her phone.

"True, true."

"Okay, I'm finishing up my lunch. I'll be home soon," Krissy stated, feeling her cheeks heat when she heard those three words leave his lips.

******



"You going somewhere, honey?" David asked as he stood in the doorway that used to be Jamie's bedroom, now turned guest bedroom.

"Me and Jamie are going out tonight with Missy and Dafne," Krissy said as she put her face on. Rubbing a light layer of lotion on her skin, just so she would smell very nice for her man since she didn't bring any of her perfume with her.

"Oh? Are the two of you going to be out late?" David asked in a fatherly tone.

"Maybe," Krissy said with a coy smile on her lips.

"Well, you be safe, honey; I hope you two have a good time. Tell Jamie thanks for moving Suzie's stuff into your old room," David said, knowing Jamie wouldn't stay in the same room with him long enough for him to say that to him.

"Sure, Dad, I'll tell him," Krissy spoke, slipping her engagement ring onto her left ring finger once her hands were dry. She didn't want it to slip off because of her greasy fingers. She would hate herself if she lost it.

"I'll keep the light on for you if you do intend to be late; just be quiet when you come in; I don't want to wake Ben up," David said, a little sadness in his words at the fact that his daughter looked so grown up and not the little five-year-old he fondly remembered that would run to him crying her heart out asking him to fix something.

"Yes, Dad," Krissy called after him as Jamie walked in from his shower. "You best hurry, or we're going to be late," she teased, her hand smacking Jamie's towel-covered ass.

"You keep that up; we really will be late," Jamie stated, grinning at his wife with a look of lust in his eyes.              

"Oh?" Turning around, her ass rested against the edge of the desk Jamie had always done his homework at and spread her legs, causing her dress to become taut as she did. "Are you telling me you'll come over here, drop to your knees, and eat your woman's..."

"Krissy, keep the sexual chatter to a minimum," Rhonda said, walking past the door. Although she couldn't deny that she was secretly happy that the two of them got along so well and their relationship hadn't waned since they had moved out.

"But, however, will Jamie know what I want him to do?" Krissy asked; all the while, her eyes never left Jamie as he dried his hair. Biting her lip as her eyes ran down his body, knowing when they got home, she knew what she would do to him. Something she knew Jamie would greatly enjoy, and she would too.

"You two drive safe and have fun," Rhonda said, peering over her shoulder as she sat beside David on the couch as Krissy walked beside Jamie with her arm looped around his.

"We will, Mom, don't wait up," Krissy spoke as the front door closed behind them.

******



"Wow, someone is looking to get lucky," Jamie uttered with a whistle as Missy slid into the back of his SUV in a skimpy black dress.

"Only if they have the same oral game as you," Missy flirted, blowing Jamie a kiss, remembering their time together before he and Krissy started dating. She still hadn't met that man, the man called Steven, to whisk her away on a steamy adventure full of sex and passion.

"I'm hoping there will be a man like you that has the same tongue game you do," Dafne praised. "I think you ruined pussy eating for me," she said, laughing at her own words.

"He's all mine, girls, so don't you two get any ideas," Krissy teased, laying her hand over Jamie's as he shifted into reverse.

******



"What is this place?" Jamie asked, peering at the sign of the bar Missy and Dafne directed them to.

"A karaoke bar, pretty much," Dafne said as she opened the rear driver's side door.

"And we can get in?" Krissy asked, looking at Missy through the gap of the passenger seat as Missy too exited the vehicle.

"Oh, yeah, they'll just put a zip-tie on your wrist telling everyone that works there you're under twenty-one," Missy informed her over the sound of the door closing.

"You best stick to me tonight," Jamie said, pulling Krissy tightly against him when he slyly noted the men's looks as they approached the front of the bar. Handing the teller the money for the cover charge for the both of them. He was quite pleased with the return on his money thanks to his Uncle's financial insight since he didn't have a job, and Jamie didn't want to waste all his money when he knew he would need it later in life.

"Oh, I planned on doing more than that," Krissy cooed as she pressed her body into his as she sashayed through the door with Jamie following along.

An hour had passed since the four of them had arrived at the bar. All laughing around the table they were sitting at, cringing at the poor singers who tried their hand at singing some song or another. Missy and Dafne spoke between one another, pointing at some man only to divert their attention when they saw their wife or girlfriend slide up to them. However, they would leave the table when one of the many men asked them to dance. Krissy politely turned down the ones that had asked her without asking Jamie first. She would lean into them and say: 'If you're so blind to see that this is my man and you disrespect him without the courtesy of asking my man if it was alright with him first, then I know you wouldn't respect me or our relationship,' with that she would wave them off. Then she would take Jamie's hand and lead him to the dancefloor when Missy and/or Dafne had returned to their table. As The 69 Eyes 'Hevioso' began to play, Krissy danced her dance of seduction for one man and one man alone. His hands rested on her swaying hips; her eyes stared into the eyes of the only man she would ever be with. Showing Jamie the love that dwelled within her heart that hasn't faltered since they started their relationship. She knew in her heart that his eyes were only for her, and she planned to keep it that way. Leaning in, her lips capturing his, telling every man there who she belonged to and telling all the women there who Jamie belonged too. She would not allow some strange woman to sink her claws into her man. Once the song ended, Krissy noted the clipboard the host was reading off from. A devious thought popped into her mind, rushing over to it when Jamie's back was to her as he ambled back to their table. While Jamie has only sung the song to her in the privacy of their room at his grandparents' home, she did love it when he sang those sweet words.

"Now, next up is a Mr. Jamie Lancash. Will he come up to the stage," the host called out as he spoke into the mike.

"What did you do?" Jamie asked in mock accusation as he peered at his wife.

"Nothing," Krissy said with a sly smile on her lips, noting her friends confused looks on their faces. "You better get up there," she uttered, lightly patting Jamie's hand. Blowing him a kiss when he rose from his seat, biting her lip as she leaned on her hand, just staring at his back, watching that swagger of his. Winking at her friends as she quietly got up from her seat as she followed after her husband. She wanted to be right up front so she could bask in his love for her. Ever since she's heard that song, they've played it to mask the start of their love making at his grandparents' house.

"Really?" Jamie asked into the mike when he saw what song Krissy had selected. "You know I'm only doing this because I love you, right?" he inquired when Krissy nodded her head vehemently.

"Sing for me, baby," Krissy cooed with a wide smile on her lips.

"Used to spend my nights out in a bar room," Jamie began to sing as Krissy swayed to the song's opening. "Liquor was the only love I've known," his eyes watched as the hem of her dress brushed along Krissy's thighs, "But you rescued me from reachin' for the bottom," he sang, remembering how Krissy had helped to pull him out of his depression when he learned his father was murdered by a terrorist who had set off a bomb in the subway tunnel in London. To the day she was there when he got his birthday gift from his father on Christmas over seven months ago. Where he finally was able to say goodbye to his father. "And brought me back from being too far gone." His eyes were on her as he saw the burning love in the depths of her eyes as she stared up at him, recounting how she had pulled him back from walking into traffic when he was contemplating suicide.

"You're as smooth. As Tennessee whiskey," he sang, closing his eyes as he began the chorus. "You're as sweet. As strawberry wine." Her sweet voice joined his as she sang along, mimicking the very song. "You're as warm. As a glass of brandy." Smiling when Krissy whooped as she spun around, showing off that sexy body of hers he's had the fortunate fate to have and will experience for all their years together. "And honey," Jamie's stern voice stilled Krissy's movements, noting how her hands were behind her, her chest pushed out, accentuating her lovely orbs he loves feeling pressed against him as she swayed side to side innocently, "I stay stoned on your love. All the time." Grinning like mad at Krissy's antics as she threw up her arms and howled in joy, her hands gesturing for him to give her the rest. The moment the song was over, and Jamie stepped off the stage, Krissy leaped into his arms, planting a very steamy kiss on his lips as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"We better head back to the table," Krissy said sweetly as she dragged her breasts along his chest as Jamie set her down on her feet. Her heart was on cloud nine as she led Jamie by the hand back to their table.

"Will a Steven Miller take the stage," the host said into the mike. Krissy and Jamie noted how Missy instantly sat straighter in her chair when the man spoke that name. They looked at one another when they noticed how Missy was showing all the signs of arousal as the well-built man stepped up to the mike. Jamie took note of the man's appearance, which seemed to tell him the man came to the place without a care how he looked to anyone in his grey t-shirt that stretched across his biceps, to how his faded blue jeans hid the muscles the man had earned from what Jamie could decern from physical labor. Not that Jamie held that against the man, given the dust Jamie noted on the man's work boots.

"You shine like a star. You know who you are," Steven began to sing The Revivalists 'Wish I Knew You.' Something Jamie was surprised to hear the man singing, given what Jamie presumed to be in his forties. Equally surprised to see Missy rising from her seat, ambling along the floor as the man's voice filled the bar. "You're everything beautiful. She's hot, hot like the sun." Jamie cast Krissy a glance as Missy began to sway her hips seductively as she approached the man.

"I think she's in love," Krissy teased as she whispered to Jamie.

Missy showed off her body to the man as he sang his heart out. Mouthing the words 'Eat me' as she flashed the man the front of her black thong as she lifted up the front of her skirt only for the man's eyes. Running her hands along the curvature of her breasts, showing off what she could give the man for a night of bliss. Beating off a few men who thought she was luring them to the dancefloor when in truth, she only had eyes for one man. She was determined to know what the man could do to her body. While she did love sex, that didn't mean she was a slut. She just hoped she had found her 'White Whale' like Krissy had found hers in Jamie. She did miss how Jamie's tongue felt on her pussy over the past few months. Yet she wasn't going to ruin her friend's relationship just because she's failed to find a pussy eater like Jamie was. The moment the man stepped off the stage, Steven made a beeline to Missy.

"Miss, you're young, very attractive; you shouldn't be showing off like that to some random man you've never met. You could get seriously hurt." All that did was make Missy's pussy lurch at his kind, protective voice.

"I wasn't showing off just to some random man," Missy said heatedly, stepping up to him. She saw how his eyes darted down when she pressed her breasts into his chest. Tilting his chin back up, "I was showing you what you're going to have," she purred seductively.

"Me? But I'm old enough..." His words were cut off when Missy just kissed him so passionately she didn't even know she had it in her. Her cheeks burned at the shouts it got out of Krissy and Dafne.

"You do have a room, don't you?" Missy asked, feeling the man's bulge pressing against her. She couldn't wait to feel his strong arms wrapped around her as he took her, hopefully, all night long. She did hope he loved eating pussy, too, just like she loved sucking on a cock.

"I do... but do you just want to run off on your friends," Steven stated, nodding over to their table. He was trying to be the voice of reason, yet she was making it very hard to do. Biting the inside of his right cheek to keep himself under control when Missy just blatantly rubbed his member on the dancefloor. He was not used to women being so forward. He would just have to learn to adapt, given he was now separated from his wife. There was no way they would be getting back together. The separation was just a technicality the courts put in place. He personally just wanted to get rid of a woman that was slutting it around his hometown when he was on the road. He had no idea how long she's been doing it behind his back, and personally, he didn't care. She was just stupid or arrogant to think she wouldn't get caught. It was only a matter of time before she did. He didn't know where she was and cared not to know; he just knew she had to flee the town and just disappeared one night to parts unknown.

"True, I shouldn't, but answer me this, you do eat pussy, yes?" Missy asked for all to hear. She didn't care what anyone thought. There was just something about him that made her forget all about the other men in the bar.

"Honey, by the time I'm done, you'll flood the room," Steven said confidently, arching an eyebrow at how Missy's body writhed as she moaned. "What's your name anyway?"

"Missy Longbottom."

"Well, Missy, let me fetch my drink, and I'll join you; how's that sound?" Steven asked, palming her ass.

"You better not keep me waiting," Missy said, winking at him before returning to the table.

"Fuck, I'm not that fucking stupid," Steven muttered in his mind. He paid the other single men at the bar little heed when they just smirked at him as he got a fresh beer. Seeing Missy getting up from her seat, who he could tell had been having a very jovial conversation between the four of them as he neared. He asked the three at the table beside Missy's if he could use the free chair. Smiling at Missy as she scooted her chair closer to his as he lowered himself into his own.

"Steven," laying her hand on his right pectoral muscle as she draped herself against him, how she could feel her nipples harden as she felt up his hard body, "I'd like you to meet my friends, Dafne, Krissy, and her husband Jamie," Missy said, introducing them.

"Oh? Congratulations," Steven said, raising his beer to them even though he thought they were a little young. "Interesting scar you got there," his index finger pointed at Jamie's face, "how did you get it?"

"This sweet man here," her voice was full of love as she snuggled up to Jamie, "took on a mountain lion all by himself just to protect me and my baby sister," Krissy praised.

"No shit?! Damn," Steven muttered as Jamie shrugged his shoulders. He knew a lot of the 'macho' types that wouldn't even do that; instead, they would just high tail it.

"So Steven, what do you do?" Dafne asked, trying to get the low down on the man Missy was all over. She had no qualms about Missy leaving with him to fuck his brains out; she was looking for that very thing since she didn't want to go to college a virgin. Yet she wasn't about to let the man leave with her without checking out the man first.

"I install high-end lighting for companies and events around the country," Steven said truthfully.

"Are you local?" Krissy asked, her hand running up and down Jamie's thigh beneath the table.

"No, I live in Washington; I just travel a lot," Steven answered, looking over as Missy had lowered the zipper of his pants; his back straightened up as she slipped her hand into his pants.

"I want this in me," Missy whispered heatedly into Steven's ear, feeling his cock responding to her lustful words. "I want to feel your tongue on my hot pussy," she purred before her lips tugged on his right earlobe. A devious, sinful grin formed on her lips when she felt his surging cock in her hand in response to her words.

"So, are you married?" Jamie asked, pointing to the white band on the man's left ring finger.

"No, not anymore; I'm separated from my wife; hopefully, it won't be too long now," Steven sighed in hope.

"What happened?" Krissy inquired, sipping on her drink as she leaned against Jamie.

"She cheated when I was out of town; word got back to me, so now I'm paying my lawyer lots of money just to be rid of a wife that couldn't stick to her vows," Steven said bitterly.
"Don't worry, lover, I'm going to make you forget all about her," Missy said wantonly, her hand rested over Steven's right hand, picking it up off his right leg, smiling seductively at Steven as she led it beneath the hem of her dress. "Feel that heat, feel the softness of that pussy," biting her lip as her fingers guided his along her covered labia, "this is the pussy that's going to make you cum all night long," she whispered, whimpering lightly as Steven's thumb rolled her clit.

"Are you always this fast?" Steven asked, wondering what he was getting himself into. Not that he was saying he wasn't going to fuck the shit out of her. He might have been an idiot about what his soon-to-be ex-wife was doing while he was out of town; he wasn't such when a hot young woman wanted to be with an old man like him.

"No," shaking her head, "I might like sex, but I don't do this, ever," Missy answered, while her eyes told him to make her cum, to make her cum just for him in a room filled with people.

"Then... what's this about..."

"I want you. Is that so hard to understand?" Missy spoke evenly, her thighs trembling, leaning over, biting the shoulder part of his shirt as it muffled her squeal.

"Sorry, after what my wife did, it's just..."

"Shh, don't you worry, you're here with me; she's going to be the furthest from your mind once my legs are around you," Missy said, gently caressing his left cheek.

As the hour wore on, Missy and Steven snuck off once her friend's eyes were off them. Pulling him into a dark corner hidden by stacks of boxes and other items, Missy just couldn't wait any longer to see if he had the skills she's been seeking. Her head nodded vigorously when Steven asked her if she was serious. His cock instantly responded as Missy pushed her panties to her ankles. Her hand flew to her mouth as Steven went to town on her hot, wet, aching mound while her other shot to the back of his head, pressing him against her pussy.

"I'm so going to cum all over that fucking face," Missy growled low, recounting how Krissy had told her that she and Jamie spent an hour alone on oral. How that made her so wet when she first heard it. She knew their other friends were just as jealous as she was that Krissy found a man that would be willing to spend that long tasting her pussy. Her back arched, and her hot cream surged down her canal as Steven curled his tongue in her channel, tasting her orgasmic juices. Pondering how stupid his wife was to give up that talented tongue of his, not that she was complaining. She was just happy she did because now she would finally experience a real man that could do to her since the last time she and Jamie were together.

"Damn, girl..." That was all Steven got out before Missy ecstatically cleaned off his face with her tongue before it darted into his mouth, tasting herself on his tongue. Something she hoped to experience for as long as he remained in town, which she hoped was until she had to leave for the west coast. She did hope she could talk him into coming to see her at her college. She knew however long they would have would never be enough for her. Krissy and Jamie shot Missy a knowing smirk as she staggered back to their table with Steven on her arm.

"You sure you want to go with him?" Jamie asked, being the voice of reason.

"I promise you, she'll be safe in my care," Steven stated, trying to relieve Missy's friend's fear. Something he could totally understand, and he would too if he was on the other end or if he had a daughter. It was something else his wife failed to give him throughout their marriage. He knew he was fertile; he wondered if his ex was sterile, and that was why she did what she did. Nonetheless, that was a question that would forever go unanswered.

"You'll ensure she gets home safely?" Krissy asked sternly; she was not about to let anyone of her friends end up in the situation like she had foolishly put herself in at that party. She knew if Jamie hadn't been there, she knew she would've been raped without the ability to stop it, given how drunk she was at the time.

"Of course, it'd be wrong of me just to kick her out once it was all over; that's not what a man does," Steven said vehemently.

"You call when you get there and when you leave just so I know you're safe," Dafne said, hugging Missy as they stood at the side of the table.

"I will," Missy said, rubbing her back in return. "You best watch yourself; there're plenty of men here that will do you wrong if you choose to go home with one of them." Pushing herself away, noting Dafne's sad look on her face. She knew Dafne's been so eager to have her cherry popped before she left for college she was to the point she would have chosen the wrong kind of man that she knew would treat her friend poorly. Then a twisted thought popped into her head with the smile to go with it as she stared at her friend. "I have an idea; it's out there, but bear with me," leaning in, whispering to her friend, telling her what she had in mind, also priming the pump with what Steven could do with his tongue, "what do you think?"

"You sure?" Dafne asked, knowing that they had done some things together when they all were in high school. However, what Missy had proposed to her was not something they had ever done.

"Of course I am, and I would hate if you were hurt by someone that didn't or wouldn't take your inexperience into mind just so they could get off in your tight pussy," Missy said in a caring tone.

"Okay, as long as you won't get weird about it," Dafne agreed after a few moments of thought.

"Let me ask him; I think he's just hit the jackpot tonight," Missy said with a wicked grin. Rubbing Dafne's upper left arm as she nodded along before she turned and bent down to whisper in Steven's right ear. "Come with me for a minute."             

"Okay, what's this about?" Steven asked, wondering if he's spent his whole night being played.

"See, you know how men are around here," waving to the room, "you know most of them are just going to use whomever they manage to take home with them," Missy said, slipping her arms around Steven's waist.

"They might, but what does that..." Missy's finger on his lips stilled his words.

"I'm getting to that; just bear with me, okay?" Missy flashed him a smile when Steven just nodded. "See, my friend Dafne is looking for a hookup, and well, there are some shady-looking men here. So I was thinking you might be willing to entertain my friend for the night before she goes off to college. She doesn't want to leave and be a virgin while there. She doesn't want to be used either. With the way you've eaten me out and how you haven't pushed yourself on me when I've allowed you to feel my pussy, tells me you're a good man. So, what do you say? Want to have a threesome with me and my friend?" she asked with a devilish grin on her lips at Steven's stunned look on his face. While in his mind, Warrant's 'Sweet cherry pie' was playing.

"You sure this is what the two of you want?" Steven asked while adding to himself, "I can cross that off the bucket list."

"Mmmhmm," Missy nodded, "but only for tonight, the rest of the week this cock is mine," she growled, clasping Steven's steel rod.

"I might be old, but I'm not stupid," Steven muttered. "That is if I don't keel over when they fuck me to death."

"Good, let me just go get Dafne, and we'll head out, mmmkay?" Missy spoke in a chipper tone, rising up and placing a kiss on Steven's lips when he nodded. Nodding to Dafne when she walked back to their table, hugging Krissy tightly, telling her to call her tomorrow and they would set something up before the two of them went back down to North Carolina. Doing the same with Jamie, placing a friendly kiss on his right cheek and whispering to him to take care of her friend.

With just the two of them left, Jamie and Krissy left the bar a few minutes after Missy and Dafne had departed with Steven. Krissy did hope her friends would have a good time and be safe while doing it. Leaning her head on Jamie's shoulder as they walked out of the club, so very happy they could be out as a couple in their hometown. Wondering if he would move back to Torrington or close to it when they finished college. While she knew the reason why Jamie wanted to live down in Wilmington with his father's side of his family. She did miss being close to her own. She just hoped he would be willing to come with her once college was over. However, that was a discussion for another time; she was not willing to ruin their lovely evening by getting into a fight at the moment. She knew if they had that discussion then and there, she knew what Jamie's answer would be. They crept into the house a little half pass ten, hearing the TV going in the living room.

"You two are home early; I was thinking you would be out later than this," David said from his spot on the couch as the TV softly played in the background.

"Missy and Dafne left with someone, so we thought, why stay when it's just us? Plus, I need to take my man to bed," Krissy said just to unnerve her father; given the face, he was making, she knew she hit the mark.

"Krissy, I think you've been hanging around Jamie too much, and can we please not talk about that?" David asked, pleading with his daughter not to give him the mental image of them fooling around.

"I mean, it would only be fair to go at it on your bed, wouldn't it, Hoss?" Jamie asked, stepping up to Krissy's side; his arm rested lightly along the small of her back where his hand found its home on her left hip. Telling them he hadn't forgotten how he had walked in on them fucking on his own bed.

"Stop," Krissy chided, slapping him on the right side of his chest where the scars from the mountain lion will always remain, only to hear him hiss in pain. That was something she wasn't expecting to happen. She saw how quickly Rhonda got up from her seat and hurried around the couch.

"Is something wrong with your chest, Jamie?" Rhonda asked in a concerned motherly tone, tentatively reaching out for her son.

"The scars get sore and tender from time to time," Jamie admitted; he's only done such with his Uncle Sal when Sal playfully punched him in his upper right chest when they were out fishing on his boat one day, and he had caught the biggest bass of the day.

"Baby, why didn't you tell me?!" Krissy asked, worried that she had caused him pain, albeit inadvertently.

"Nothing you can do about it, Kris," Jamie said softly.

"But you sure you're okay?" Rhonda asked why Jamie might not see her as his mother or a mother figure to him. She wouldn't stop worrying about him just because he couldn't move past what had happened when he was thirteen.

"I'll be fine, Rhonda," Jamie said without a hint of scorn.

"You should have told me," Krissy pouted. "I don't ever want to hurt you," she whispered as she pressed her body against his left side. "Come, let's go to bed," Krissy purred, her nose brushed along his ear; it was her way of silently telling Jamie she was horny and needed a good poking. It was something she had started since moving in with Jamie's grandparents. She was sure they had picked up on it, given the knowing smirk every time Marla saw the gesture. It was no different with her when Marla would give Hugo the sign she was eager to head to bed with her husband. She did hope when she and Jamie got to their age, their sex life was just as active as theirs was.

"Night, you two, Jamie, if you're still sore in the morning, let me know, and I'll try to find that pain cream for you," Rhonda uttered, standing there with her hands folded out before her, knowing her son would not want her babying him like she so wanted to at that moment. So she would just have to show him that he might despise what she had done in the past and that she still loved him no matter how he felt about her. It did give her hope that maybe the distance was helping him as Jamie gave her a look yet said nothing as he and Krissy walked to the guest bedroom.

Jonny McGovern's 'Man Areas' played softly in the room as Krissy moved her hips seductively to the beat. Pulling up the hem of her dress ever higher as the song went on. She only did this in the privacy of their room. She would never dance like this for just anyone; only her husband was worthy of such a thing. Displaying her body to him as she watched that rod of man just rising all for her and her alone. Popping her ass a few times, letting him watch how the black thong she had chosen to wear made her ass look. Mouthing 'You want me baby?' as her near naked body felt alive beneath Jamie's gaze as she cradled her bare breasts in her hands while her ass swayed behind her as she bent over slightly. Grinning madly when all Jamie did was gesture with his hands at his hard-on. Her tongue ran up the back of his cock when the song got to the part where the singer repeated the word lick. How she gave that tool all the loving it deserved. She knew Jamie was enjoying it greatly as the back of his head pressed down on the pillow as her eyes peered up at him, as her lips inched down the length of his shaft. She was so grateful that Jamie took the time to teach her how to properly get him off with her mouth instead of brushing her off and getting frustrated with her. She knew that would just end their relationship. That was something she didn't want to ever happen with them.

Krissy felt Jamie's eyes on her as her right hand held his slick cock against her covered mound, as she surfed along his cock as she danced to the rest of the song for his enjoyment. Her squeal filled the air when Jamie quickly threw her onto her back; she had done it for that exact reason to get Jamie to that point. She heard her panties hitting the wall behind him in a soft thud before falling onto the desk. Her mouth inched open, her back arched, her left hand up and over her head, taking hold of the edge of the bed while her right took hold of tufts of Jamie's hair as he went to town on her sweet peach. She knew when their college classes started, they wouldn't have much time for intimacy, so she was trying to fill what time they had left with enough of their passion to sustain them when their lives got a bit hectic.

Her hands held on to the sides of his face, gazing into the eyes of the man she so dearly loved as his cock glided through her folds. Ever since she first gave herself to him on that Christmas morning, they never once fucked, or as Missy would have called it, no, it was always making love between the two of them. That didn't mean it was always slow and sensual, like she was enjoying at that moment. There were times when Jamie pounded her hard and fast, and she loved those moments too. However, they couldn't do that, at least not without waking up Suzie or Ben, which was not something she and Jamie wanted to do. Not that she minded, really; she was giving her man the ultimate pleasure that she could and that in and of itself was the most rewarding thing she's ever felt before. Leaning up, her lips tearing at his as she passionately kissed her husband as her orgasm was nearing its peak, and she wanted to bring each other to the cusp of their climaxes. She always felt so complete to know she could get him off at the same time he made her womb quiver in ecstasy. It was her safe day, so they forewent the need of a condom since she knew where Jamie's cock has been, and he knew where her pussy had been as well. Unlike their parents, they were not about to become like them, holding him tightly to her as she felt his hot cum flooding her womb. She remembered the first time she felt it striking the back of it, how it execited her then as it did now. Winking at him as she cleaned her juices off his cock and blew him a kiss when her robe settled onto her shoulders before sashaying out of the room to clean herself up. Waving to her father, who had a nightcap in his hand as he stopped in mid-stride, she could tell he kept it from his face, yet she could see it in his eyes that he was still struggling with their relationship as the smell of her sex drifted out of the room as she entered the bathroom.

"Babe?" Krissy spoke softly as they lounged in their bed beneath the covers as, her head on his upper left chest while her finger traced lazily along his scars.

"Hmm?" Jamie hummed, his fingertips lightly danced up and down her spine.

"Can we stay for another week and a half, please?" Krissy asked, lifting herself up slightly, feeling the warm morning rays on her skin as she did.

"Huh? Why?" Krissy knew this would be a delicate conversation to have with him when she knew he was doing his best, for her sake, not to be his normal self around her father and his mother.

"You know I love you, that I love Hugo, Marla, Sal, Sam, Martin, and your cousins," seeing him nodding along, "but I miss my family, and I know you don't like them all that much; I can't blame you. They haven't made it easy for you to like them, but please, baby, can't we stay?" Krissy asked, brushing her breasts along his chest, trying to sway his mind.

"You know you can't win me over all the time when you do that, right?"

"But it does sweeten the pot, does it not?" Krissy asked with a sexy grin. "Plus, I want to bond with our baby brother, and I can't do that if we just up and leave in two days." Noting how Jamie was pressing his lips together to keep his scowl from showing. She was thankful that Jamie was listening to her and not blowing up like he normally would have months ago.

"And you can't wait to see them when we return on Christmas break?" Jamie inquired with a pointed look, to which Krissy shook her head. "This is that important to you?" Nodding her head that it was.

"Please, honey, can't we?" Krissy asked again. She knew he wanted to up and leave the moment they had gotten there; she was very happy that he hadn't been his normal sarcastic self he normally was when around them, minus her aunt, so she knew the strain he was under at the moment. She also knew what she was asking of him would put more stress on him. Watching how Jamie reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Fine, but I get blowjobs whenever and wherever I feel like it," Jamie countered.

"Umm..."

"That's my offer, or I leave you here, and you can fly home," Jamie stated plainly.

"Jamie?!" Krissy whined; he knew she couldn't go that long without him by her side. The time when he went home for his father's funeral nearly killed her, metaphorically speaking. "Don't be crass," she pouted, slapping his left shoulder. She didn't want to cause him pain if his scars were still tender.

"Yet I meant every word, so what will it be?" Jamie asked seriously.

"Alright, but just try not to embarrass me, okay?" Krissy uttered in defeat.

"What? And have dudes watching how good you are and giving them thoughts that they can have you? Not a chance; you're mine," Jamie said firmly.

"Don't you forget it," Krissy whispered lovingly as she leaned down and kissed her husband. "Now go brush your teeth, dragon breath," she teased.

"You're one to talk," Jamie smirked as he rolled out of bed, chuckling when he felt a pillow striking his back. As he peered back, his eyes ran down his naked wife's body as she leaned elegantly on her right hand, watching how the light played along her perky breasts, the blonde hair of her fur peeking over the sheet that hid her sex from his view.

"You can be sweet, you know."

"Yeah, I know, it's why you love me," Jamie said as his clean pair of underwear ran up his thighs.

"True," Krissy mused. "Jamie, I know you don't want to stay in this house any longer than you have to, but it would really mean a lot if you would stay with me."

"Like I said, blowjobs, lots of blowjobs," Jamie said, putting on his pajama bottoms.

"Not going to let that go, are you?"
"Nope," Jamie uttered as he unlocked the door; he could have sworn he heard footsteps moving quickly away. "You know eavesdropping is wrong, right? Thought you should know about not doing that, Rhonda," he said, noting how his mother stopped in her tracks at being caught.

"I wasn't listening in, Jamie; I was just coming to get the two of you up is all so we can all have breakfast together," Rhonda said, keeping her back to her son, so he wouldn't see the grin on her lips at what she had heard. Not the blowjob part but the fact that Krissy was trying to talk him into staying for longer.

"Uh-huh," Jamie muttered, not believing a word before walking into the bathroom.

"Morning, Mom, Dad, pretty Suzie," Krissy said, walking into the dining room in her robe as Jamie brushed his teeth, seeing that loving smile of Suzie's as she beamed up at her, her little legs kicking as she did.

"Morning, sweetheart," David greeted as he lowered the morning paper he was reading.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Rhonda asked, not bringing up what she had just heard.

"Before Jamie gets out of the bathroom, I have something to ask you two. Would you mind if we stayed for another week and a half before we have to go back before school starts?"

"Of course, honey, you know you're more than welcome to stay; in fact, you can just move back in and leave Jamie down there... ow!" David hissed when Rhonda kicked him in the shin, who nodded to Krissy, who was wearing a displeased look on her face. "Sorry, Kris, I just think you can do better than Jamie."

"Odd coming from a man who couldn't keep it in his pants." Jamie's voice drifted down the hall as the hints of bacon called to him. "What would you know of whose better or not when you can't keep to your own vows, hmm? Morning Squirt," Jamie said, ruffling Suzie's hair, who puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

"Jamie, please don't start. It's too early in the day," Krissy sighed.

"What? He's the one that started running his mouth off first; I'm only responding in kind," Jamie answered, pointing at David without looking at him while his eyes stayed on Krissy. "I've been rather pleasant to date; you have to agree to that, yes?"

"True," Krissy admitted. "Dad stop bad-mouthing my... man," she said, catching herself from saying husband, not missing Jamie's smirk at that. "Or you can forget about us staying here for the next week and a half," Krissy warned before heading off the rest room. Not seeing the angry glare, Rhonda was burning into David's body, who held his hands up in defeat.

"Jamie, what are you thinking of majoring in school?" Rhonda asked, watching her son shrug. "You have to have something in mind, don't you? I would have thought if you two plan on marrying, you would have thought about what would bring you the best pay to support your wife." The way Jamie glanced up as he cut up his pancake as the butter melted into the syrup that covered them gave her the idea he had one or already decided he was just keeping her in the dark. "Can I ask, how are you paying for it?"

"Dad." Was the only thing he said before taking a bite of his buttermilk pancakes. Noting how Suzie was looking at the plate of bacon like she wanted another piece, how her face lit up when he set it on her small plate. Tilting his head up when he felt a pair of lips on the top of his head, watching how her blue eyes shimmered as they stared at one another. Silently telling him that he did care about their sister if he could discern her desire from a glance.

"Krissy, you must know what Jamie will major in, right?" Rhonda asked, hoping her son wasn't wasting his future.

"Accounting," Krissy said truthfully as she lowered herself into the seat beside Jamie.

"Like your father?!" Rhonda stated, her eyes cutting into her son, whose face was like stone as he just stared at the wall in front of him as he chewed his bite.

"Yes, like my father," Jamie repeated in a cold tone. While it was true a terrorist killed his father, nonetheless, his father wouldn't have had to flee to England if it wasn't for the lies they had spread about him to the world where it was nigh impossible for his father to find work when he was let go from his job in New York. It didn't matter if his father was innocent; it didn't matter; his father never once laid a hand on him out of anger or some twisted perversion. No. They all took it as gospel, and he lost his father because they all believed the lies of his mother. When the truth came out, it was too late; their apologies meant shit to him; he had told them as such when they tried to appease their consciences.

"What about you, Krissy?" Rhonda inquired, unwilling to push Jamie when he was in that kind of mood. She didn't want to ruin their morning.

"Thinking about teaching," Krissy said honestly.

"Oh?! Do you know which grade you were thinking of teaching?" Rhonda asked, taking a vested interest in her stepdaughter's life. She noted David's interest as his eyes were on his daughter.

"Maybe seventh or eighth grade," Krissy said as she took a sip of her orange juice. Flashing Jamie a smile when he passed the plate of bacon to her. Reaching below the table, lightly rubbing his left thigh, silently telling him she was thankful that he was keeping his tongue in his mouth for her.

"Come on, Squirt, cartoons," Jamie said, unbuckling Suzie from her highchair, who hopped in it at the mention of cartoons. That was after he had cleaned her hands with a wet washcloth. Resting her left cheek on her brother's left shoulder, seeing her mouther smiling warmly at her as Suzie wore a smile as Jamie carried her into the living room.

As Saturday passed into the next, when Krissy's grandparents came over for lunch, Jamie just smirked cruelly at the short leash David's mother had Ken on when they walked up the driveway. Soon his own grandparents arrived, seeing their happy faces as they climbed out of their car. Suzie's voice filled the air as she ran around the front yard as Jamie played with her. Greeting his grandparents for the first time in years, seeing the spark in their eyes when he did, telling them his mother was in the kitchen if they wondered. That was before Suzie jumped in front of him with a huge smile and tagged him before giggling as her little legs carried her away. Jamie scooped her up in his arms when she got dangerously close to the road. Only to turn back towards the house, seeing his mother and David just watching him. It wasn't hard for him to note his mother's love-filled eyes nor David's approving look at the fact that he took Suzie's safety seriously.

"Come in, honey, lunch should be ready soon; why don't you take Suzie and wash up," Rhonda said, feeling David pressing her into his right side as his hand rubbed her right shoulder.

"I don't know; you ready to go in?" Jamie asked, looking down at Suzie, who had a thoughtful look on her face that only a three-year-old could achieve before nodding. Hearing Krissy talking with her grandparents and his own as he walked into the house. Helping Suzie wash her hands as she stood on the step stool his mother had placed in there for her, chatting away with Suzie as they made soap bubbles with her little hands. Her laughter was infectious as she stared up at her older brother.

"I love you," Suzie sighed as she hugged his legs, hoping he was going to stay forever and ever. Never leaving her all alone again.

"Love you too, Squirt," Jamie responded, rubbing her back before leaving the bathroom.

"Jamie, would you put Suzie in her high chair for me while we get the food to the table?" Rhonda asked, carrying the bowl of green beans to the table. "Thank you, honey," she said, flashing Jamie a smile as he picked Suzie up and offered no resistance when he placed her in her chair. Peering back at the two of them, a warmth seeped into her heart at the sight of the two of them as David's voice could be heard from their kitchen. While she might never have a close relationship with her eldest child, she was just glad that Suzie and Ben would have what she had carelessly harmed. Wrapping her arms around David's waist, pressing her right cheek against his back, who stopped craving up the roast she made as she held him.

"So, how are you doing, Jamie?" Reina, David's mother, asked as their Sunday lunch got underway.

"Fine, how's living with that?" Jamie replied, pointing at Ken, who glared at him when he smirked. "Has he stepped out again?"

"No, he has not; thank you for asking; he knows he will have nothing if he does," Reina said politely since they were at the dinner table. "He's chaffing being under my lash, but it's either that or he'll be poor until the day he dies," she stated, noting how her son wanted to say something yet was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.

"Good, seems fitting for a man who cheats," Jamie praised, noting his mother's and David's eyes on him.

"It does, so any thoughts on school?" Reina asked before taking a bite of her roast.

"Going to UNC Wilmington in the fall," Jamie supplied.

"Oh? I hope you excel in your studies, Krissy; any thoughts of where you might want to go?" Reina spoke, looking over at her granddaughter, not paying attention to Rhonda's parents when they had a knowing look at what that school meant. She didn't know why the name of that school would conjure that look, nor was she going to find out.

"Going to the same school as Jamie," Krissy said, placing her hand lightly on Jamie's forearm. "Got something to say, grandfather?" she asked, trying not to sneer at the man when Ken grumbled beneath his breath. "Thought so," Krissy stated when Ken remained silent, withering beneath her gaze. "I'm going to study to be a teacher," she spoke, returning her gaze back to her grandmother.

"That's a hard job to take on, Ellie here," resting his age-spotted hand over his wife's, "was a teacher until she retired," Xander, Rhonda's father, said, smiling at Krissy.

"If you need help dealing with the teacher's union, you just call me anytime," Ellie said, yet her eyes were on her grandson. It was good to see Jamie had let go of his attitude unless it was warranted.

Throughout the rest of the visit from the grandparents, Ken was rather subdued with two awfully painful elbows in his ribs from Krissy; Jamie kept his witty, sarcastic retorts to himself. Although he knew they were zingers, at least he thought they were, given how Ken's high and mighty attitude had all but vanished like a fart in the wind. That didn't stop Jamie from smiling cruelly at Ken with how Reina was treating the man in front of everyone like he had treated everyone before his cheating ways came to light. Jamie even walked his grandparents out to their car. While he wasn't ready to welcome them fully back into his confidence, given how they sided with his cheating mother, nonetheless, he could tell how happy they were at that small gesture; even his mother was ecstatic by it.

"Yeah, I might be a punk, but at least I'm not a cheating, lying, two-bit old douche," Jamie retorted when Ken called him a punk beneath his breath as he and Reina passed him as they walked to their own car. "At least I know how to keep my junk where it belongs; the same can't be said about you."

"Make sure you remember that young man," Reina said after having a hearty laugh at her husband's expense.

"Have you seen your granddaughter? She'll kill me," Jamie joked.

"You better believe it," Krissy said from the porch, crossing her arms below her breasts, smirking at Jamie when he turned to look at her.

The rest of the week was mostly uneventful for Jamie and Krissy, other than seeing Missy off with her mother's car packed full of her belongings, ready to depart for their trip out to California. Where Missy's mother would be staying once she had got their apartment packed up and shipped home with her brother's help. Missy's mother already had a job lined up for her; she just didn't want to be so far away from her daughter, so Missy would be staying in the apartment she had already rented so she wouldn't miss any of her college classes while her mother and uncle drove the U-Haul across the country. Missy and Krissy had spent a lot of time talking about her time with Steven; even after he had returned to Washington, he just wouldn't leave her mind. Missy had told Krissy she had given him her phone number and hoped he would call, which he had done several times since his return home. Krissy could tell how much her being away from the man Missy cared more for the man than Missy was letting on or that she might not even realize at the moment. It was the same way she felt about Jamie whenever they were apart for more than a day. While Krissy could point it out to her friend, she knew Missy had to come to terms with it on her own. She couldn't see the fascination with a man twenty years older than her, but if it worked out for her friend, she would be happy for Missy. Then it was time for Dafne to leave for her own adventure into her adult life. It was a sad day for Krissy, with all her friends gone from the hometown they all grew up in. Everywhere she looked, her memories would flare of the places the four of them went, the laughs they shared, the conversations they had, falling into Jamie's arms when they were back home. How she loved how he held her as she moped at how life was changing everything they knew. She just hoped that throughout the years, she and her friends would still be friends and that the distance between them didn't make them drift apart.

With a very tearful goodbye on Rhonda's, Suzie's, and Krissy's part on the day, they had to leave to return to North Carolina so they, too, could get on with their own lives. Suzie just wouldn't let Jamie go as she smeared her snot and tears on his pants legs. Telling him not to go, not to leave her anymore, that she was going to be so sad being all alone. Asking him if he loved her and why he had to leave her.

"Suzie, remember what I told you when we left two months ago?" Jamie asked, feeling Krissy's light touch on his left shoulder as he knelt in front of her; as she shook her head that she didn't. "We have to go; our school is there, but that doesn't mean we won't be back to see you. We'll see you when Christmas break comes around. It's not that far away, just a few months."

"Y-you promise?!" Suzie muttered through her sobs.

"Promise."

"I'm going to miss you so much!" Suzie exclaimed, throwing herself into her brother's chest.

"I know, but you're going to have to be the big sister for Ben. Who knows who might try to take him," Jamie said, seeing Suzie's defiance showing as she placed her hands on her hips and huffed.

"I'll protect my brother like you've protected me," Suzie nodded firmly, looking up when she felt a hand on top of her head only to see her mother standing beside her.

"We all will, honey," Rhonda said lovingly, smiling down at her daughter. "Jamie?" Watching how he got to his feet, seeing so much of his father in him as he eased into his adulthood. "I know we have much to overcome; I know I've said sorry so many times about how David and I went about things between your father and me; I'm just hoping that while you're away that maybe you're anger with us will lessen some. I'm not saying we have to have the relationship I so wish for, but maybe we can at least speak to one another without me having to find out everything about your life from Krissy. I would really like to know about what you're doing and what's going on in your life from your own lips. You don't have to answer now, just something to think about on your drive home." Without warning, she wrapped her son in a warm, tight embrace, knowing the months with him out of her life would be so hard on her. She knew it was going to be the same with Krissy for David. "I love you, Jamie; I know Darriel would be so proud of you right now if he was still alive, and I know he loved you with all his heart. I'm so sorry you couldn't see him as much as I know you wanted. I will always hate myself for that. Shh," she whispered when she felt his tears soaking into her shirt as the pain of his father's loss was still buried just beneath the surface. Stroking the back of her son's head as she held him just a little tighter, knowing this was the closest they'd been in many months.

"Jamie," holding out his hand to his stepson, "you keep Krissy safe for me, will ya? No, telling what kind of men are at that college, would hate to hear something happened to her," David said, speaking in an even tone as they looked each other in the eye. "And you were right those months ago; I wasn't sorry about what happened between me and your mother. I am sorry for what we did to your father and that he was taken from you. I know nothing I say will make you believe me, but I am. I never wanted anything to happen to the man, yet I can't help but think if we hadn't done what we did, your father would still be here to see you off and not standing in front of the man you hate."

"Interesting, you can be honest for once," Jamie said offhandedly before turning to look at Krissy. "You ready?"

"Mmmhmm," Krissy nodded, giving Jamie's arm a nudge and a nod to her father's outstretched hand, telling him to shake it. She could see the sigh in his eyes before he gave David's hand a firm, quick shake before turning around and heading to his car.

"Be safe, honey!" Rhonda called out to her son, who just gave her a wave over his shoulder, knowing that was a huge step compared to when he first had left home. The three of them waved as Jamie pulled away from the curb and started his long trek back down south.

******



Four years later...

"You want to what?!" Jamie, now twenty-two, said as they were alone in his grandparents' home after the celebration of their graduation ceremony. Rhonda and David, along with Krissy's relatives, were already in the air to their northern homes.

"You heard me," Krissy, now twenty-three, said smartly. "I want to move home. I'm so damn tired of lying to my family about us." Holding up a hand when Jamie began to speak. "I know I was the one that agreed to it because I got to be with you, and not a day goes by that I have regretted the choice to marry you out on that very beach," she spoke, pointing out the rear, glass sliding door. "Baby, I love you with all my heart, but I want to go home."

"Why? I thought you loved being here?"

"I do, I love your family, and they've been so kind to me and welcoming. But I can't stand being away from my dad anymore. I want to see Suzie grow up; I want to see Ben as he grows into a man, not some voices on the phone! Honey, I know how you would react when I thought about this four years ago; that was why I didn't bring it up then. But baby, you've softened a little bit since then. Are you saying you can't stand to live in the same city as them? I know you may never really grow close to them; I get that. But can't you see it in your heart to come with me?"

"So you're going to do it regardless if I go or not, huh?" Jamie spoke, his jaw clenched in annoyance.

"What?! No! Never!" Krissy said, shaking her head vehemently.

"Then what are you saying?"

"I want to start our family, but I want my family around when we do. I'm not saying your family wouldn't be there for us because they have been; we wouldn't still be together if it wasn't for them with what happened two years ago," Krissy said, referring to the two people a man from her class, and a woman Jamie knew around campus that were trying to drive a wedge between them because each had a thing for each other. They didn't know then that the two of them knew each other and were working together to break them up. Someone had thankfully informed them in time before the damage couldn't be repaired. Then they worked to bring down the two that were out to destroy them. Jamie had to be pulled off the man when he tired to have what wasn't his to take. Who was now serving five years for attempted rape. Jamie had to hold her as she bucked and swung and kicked the air to get at the woman who was spreading around the rumor she had slept with Jamie when she knew that Jamie was out on the ocean with his uncle. After that, the rest of their college life was pretty dull. "But I want to do that where we have so many memories. I want to show our baby the place where I started to fall for you. Where we had our first kiss, our second, and so on."
"And how do you expect to find a job so late in..." Sighing loudly when Krissy looked away, "You already got one lined up, don't you?" Jamie asked, looking at her pointedly.

"Don't be mad, Jamie, but your grandmother Ellie helped me; she put in a good word for me with the school board there," Krissy said, a little ashamed that she had gone behind her husband's back like she had.

"Is that why you just had to go home a month ago?" Jamie asked, remembering how Krissy had come running into the house and hastily started to pack her bag. Watching how her cheeks were growing red, his back thumped hard against the back of the couch as he crossed his arms, not pleased that his wife couldn't or didn't tell him her plans. "So you just do a round about on me, leaving me out of a very important part of our lives, and you what, think I was going to be happy once this all came out? How would you feel if, say, I got a job offer all the way on the other side of the country, huh, and didn't tell you a damn thing just took off, where everyone knew what the hell was going on with me other than you," he said, trying not to raise his voice.

"I know, baby, I know; I'm sorry. You're right. I should have told you, but I wasn't thinking..."

"Obviously," Jamie grumbled.

"Please, honey, can you let me finish before you yell at me?" Krissy asked weakly, staring down at the tops of her feet.

"Fine, continue," Jamie said, waving his hand for her to continue.

"You're right; I would be just as pissed as you are now if it was me that you just ran roughshod on me like I did. I now you're going to be mad at me for a bit, I get that, and I deserve it. But you know I wasn't gone long, only a day, then I was on the road back to you," Krissy stated, knowing he was mad that she just took off in their car and left him stranded for two days until she returned. Noting how he still wasn't pleased by that, "Anyway, I met with the school board, showed them how well I had done in school up to that point, but we still had our final exams to go," seeing how his finger was tapping his left bicep as he waited for her to get to the point, "well, I thought the interview went well, and I came home..."

"So they knew about your plan, didn't they?" Jamie asked accusingly, referring to Rhonda and David.

"Yes," Krissy said weakly. "I had to have a place to get ready, and I didn't want to just rent a hotel room for a few hours." She knew he was not pleased with her as Jamie pinched his nose and sighed.

"So I assume you got the job; that is why you're telling me all this, isn't it?" Jamie inquired, staring hard at his wife.

"I did," Krissy admitted.

"Seems I have no choice in this since you decided that this is far more important for your own self than to inform me of this life-changing decision. Just know if there ever comes a time where I'm offered something so huge, you can be damn sure I'm not going to tell you until it's too damn late to object to it," Jamie said, getting up from his seat and walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Krissy asked worryingly.

"To get some fucking boxes since my wife didn't give me a choice in deciding where we're going to fucking live," Jamie hissed before slamming the door behind him, causing Krissy to jump in startlement.              

Krissy sank down onto the couch, knowing this was not how she had hoped their conversation would have gone. Then again, it was sort of in line with how Jamie would have reacted to it. She just hoped she could make it up to him. She had no wish to have her husband at odds with her, and she wasn't about to lose him either. Not after everything they've been through. She would not lose her husband because she was too hasty in securing her livelihood. At that moment, she swore to herself that she would never once again allow her impatience to rule her mind and put a strain on her marriage.

"Hey, Dad," Krissy called her father's cell phone when she knew when they would be landing back in Torrington.

"From the tone of your voice, I take it Jamie was not happy?"

"No," Krissy answered sadly.

"I told you, honey, you should have told him before you raced up here."

"I know, but I was so eager to land that job that telling him didn't even register in my mind," Krissy said, her big toe nudging the throw rug that the coffee table sat on.

"I'm guessing you didn't tell him you'll be living here for a bit, right?"

"No." Her chin dropped to her chest at her father's disappointing sigh.

"Kris, I love you, but that's not something a person waiting to be a wife should do to their spouse. I know Jamie thinks the worst of me; I can't blame him, but I would hope Rhonda and I had set a better example for you than when your mother and I were married."

"But what can I do to make up for it?"

"I don't know, that's something you have to figure out on your own. You know Jamie better than I do. But it will take a bit for him to get over you just going over his head. He does know you got the job, right?"

"He does... now," Krissy admitted.

"Well, at least that's something," feeling her father's disappointment all over again when he released a long sigh, "listen Kris, you need to tell him everything before you even begin to hit the road. If you don't and just spring it on him in the car, you might not like the long ride."

"I will, I promise, when he gets back..." Turning her head when the front door opened, her heart sank when it wasn't Jamie but Hugo and Marla. "I have to go, Dad; I'll let you know what's going on; tell Suzie and Ben we'll see them soon."

"I will, love you, Kris."

"Love you too, Dad."

"What's wrong, Krissy?" Marla asked; over the years, she and Hugo got to know the woman that was sitting on her couch in melancholy, so she knew Krissy was on the verge of tears.

"I messed up, and Jamie is really upset with me," Krissy said, not seeing Marla patting Hugo's left arm, who nodded and headed off to their bedroom to give Krissy and Marla some privacy.

"Tell me what's going on with you two?" Marla asked in a caring tone. Pressing her lips together as Krissy recounted what she did, the conversation she had with Jamie, and how he just stormed out the door. "Krissy, you know what you did was very selfish, right?" To this, Krissy slowly nodded her head. "You know selfishness kills a marriage."

"I know, but I was just so excited to get a job in our hometown that I didn't think about the ramifications it would have on Jamie and us," Krissy uttered, smiling when Marla slipped her hand into her. She was really going to miss Jamie's grandparents, along with the rest of his family. Yet she knew she and Jamie had to branch out on their own and make it on their own as a married couple.

"You know, if you two start having kids, you can't just think about yourself anymore; your child or children has to come first."

"I know; I swear I'm not going to make this same mistake again, I swear!"

"Good." Krissy's head snapped around so fast that Jamie thought it was going to come flying off. The bundle of cardboard boxes fell from under his arm as Krissy threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck.

"Please, forgive me, Jamie; I didn't mean to make you upset. I didn't think this would make you at odds with me," Krissy said, trying not to tear up. Pressing her body into his when she felt his arms wrapping around her. Ever since they first got together, she's always felt so complete whenever she felt his arms around her. "I know I messed up with you and kept you from being a part of this; please don't give up on me."

"Honey, we've been together for nearly five years now, after what that douche tried to pull on you, and you eating it up," seeing the shame in his wife's eyes, "it's going to take a lot more than you taking a roundabout behind my back to do all this. Am I upset? Yes, no denying that you did overstep in our relationship. If you think I didn't know you were homesick, I would have to be blind not to notice," Jamie stated, seeing Krissy's cheeks heat in bashfulness. "Just don't do it again; you have stated we are a team, and what happens when one of the team does their own thing without telling the rest of the team?"

"The team fails," Krissy answered honestly. "I promise it won't happen again," she said in all seriousness. Not seeing how Marla was smiling at the two of them from her seat.

"I'll leave the two of you then, and Jamie, go easy on her; you're both young, bound to make mistakes, just don't dwell on those minor mistakes that it harms your relationship," Marla said in a grandmotherly voice before walking to her bedroom.

"Yes, Grandma," Jamie nodded, knowing it was his grandparent's wise council that helped them out in the early years of their marriage.

"You two don't stay up too late," Marla said as she entered her and Hugo's bedroom, hiding the sadness she felt that her grandson and granddaughter-in-law would be departing from their lives. Nevertheless, she knew this day would come when they would fly their nest just like Jamie's father had done to strike out on his own.

"Jamie..." Her breathing grew long, knowing she was going to have to tell him, "I want to tell you before we leave that when I was there, I talked to them, and they said it was fine for us to move in for a little bit until we can find our own place after our honeymoon."

"Yeah, kind of figured you did," Jamie stated, catching Krissy off guard.

"Will you be okay with that?"

"Can't say, but it's probably cheaper than staying in a motel for however long it will take to find a home for us," Jamie said with a shrug of his shoulders as he carried the boxes toward their room. While they might have acquired a few more things due to the years they've lived there, it wasn't that much that they had to rent a U-Haul; he was sure they could get it all in his SUV.

"Jamie, can I ask why did it take you so long to get a few boxes?" Krissy asked from behind him as she followed after him.

"Went to say goodbye to Uncle Sal, Aunt Sam, Martin, and the kids, but we can't leave for two days," Jamie said with a serious look.

"Why?"

"Sam wants to throw us a going away party unless you want to call her and tell her why you have to be up there so quickly," Jamie said, giving her a questioning look.

"Nope, two days is okay with me; Rhonda and Dad will be fine planning the wedding without us for a few more days," Krissy said, so very happy that Jamie was coming with her. It never sat right with her when they were apart from one another.

"So, when do you think we should tell them?" Jamie asked as he taped up the bottom of the box.

"Why wait? Let's do it when we arrive. All we're going to do is renew our vows and take that honeymoon you promised me," Krissy said, smirking coyly at Jamie as she helped to pack up their things.

As the day arrived for their departure, both Jamie and Krissy were wrapped in his family's warm embrace. Sal, having become a surrogate father for Jamie, gave him some very wise advice when he set out to start his own life. Sam just held Jamie like it would be the last time the two would see each other. It wasn't; however, that didn't stop her from thinking that. A little moisture gathered in his eyes at his grandparents' parting words, telling him he looked so much like his father when he was Jamie's age when he told them he was moving up north for the job he had landed when he got out of college. Promising to come back as often as they could before they climbed into their car and departed back to the northern climes where they were raised.

******



It was closing in on six pm that evening when Jamie pulled his SUV to a stop by the curb. They barely got out of the car before Suzie, now seven, came barreling out of the house, shrieking to the high heavens at the sight of her older siblings. Ben, now four, waddled out behind his sister, who had taken up to sticking by her side like glue. Who was quickly picked up by David so Ben didn't run into the street.

"My, Suzie, didn't know you've gotten so strong," Jamie said as his little sister squeezed the life out of him.

"You're staying for good, right?" Suzie asked, peering up at Jamie.

"For a while," Jamie admitted, seeing her sadness flooding her eyes. "But then we'll be living somewhere... ow!" Jamie hissed when Krissy slapped his left shoulder.

"Don't tease her; that's mean," Krissy stated, getting a 'Yea!' out of Suzie.

"You know that's spousal abuse, right?" Jamie retorted, grinning madly at Krissy when he noted how Rhonda and David stopped in their tracks and had rather unpleasant looks on their faces.

"You'll live," Krissy stated, smirking at her husband, getting her own hug from Suzie. Noting how Ben's hand latched onto Jamie's right leg, she noticed how Ben would orbit Jamie whenever they came back home to visit. At first, Jamie would brush Ben off when he was just a babe, given how Rhonda would try to get him to hold his brother. It was when she and Rhonda forced him to hold their half-brother, and soon Jamie was treating Ben just like he did with Suzie before they had left for Wilmington.

"I think you two need to come in and tell us what's going on, now," David barked with a displeased look on his face as his eyes couldn't look away from the gold ring on Jamie's ring finger. Something he knew was never there when they would visit during their school breaks.

"Yes, I thought we agreed you would wait, but let's speak of this inside and not out in the open," Rhonda said, incensed that her son had hoodwinked Krissy into something.

"Come," Suzie said, taking hold of her brother's hand, smiling up at him, knowing she had so much to tell Jamie about everything that's been happening with her. Looking back as Krissy held her hand out to Ben, who was happy to take it as they followed after David and Rhonda. She wasn't about to let go of Jamie's hand as she led them into the living room. Not now, not when she knew Jamie and Krissy wouldn't be leaving ever again. Before Krissy could lower herself down beside Jamie on the couch across from her parents, Suzie climbed onto it and snuggled up to her brother, who wore a huge smile as she peered up at him.

"You two want to explain?" David asked heatedly.

"About?" Jamie muttered, rolling his left hand.

"Don't you get smart young man; you know full well what he's asking?!" Rhonda intoned, glaring at her son. "What did you do to get Krissy to marry you?"

"Nothing," Jamie answered, wearing a coy smirk.

"I've had enough of your snarky attitude! I will get this marriage annulled!" David shouted, surging to his feet. A cold chill ran down his spine as his daughter's eyes flicked up at him while her leg lazily kicked as it rested over the other.

"You can't, if you try to take my husband away from me, you won't have a daughter any longer, am I clear, father?" Krissy spoke in a hard-edged tone. "Dad, Rhonda, we're sorry, but we've been married for four years now. I'm sorry we've kept it from you, but you two obviously don't understand how I felt about Jamie back then or how I still feel about him, so we hid it from you."

"You've what?!" Rhonda and David yelled in unison.

"We're married; surely you're hearing hasn't gone out yet, surely now," Jamie stated, poking fun at the two of them.

"I can't believe this! Krissy, tell me he didn't force you into this!" David said, pleading with his daughter to tell him that this was all a joke. That this was just one of Jamie's sick pranks, he would have done just to irk him and his mother.

"Do you think I'm so weak-minded that I'm so easily led into something?" Krissy asked testily. "I understand you're upset, Dad, but if you disrespect my husband again, you can forget about coming to our renewal," she threatened.

"Now, now, let's all just take a breath for a moment before we say anything we might regret," Rhonda said, trying to defuse the situation. However, the taunting grin on Jamie's face was not helping matters.

"You would really choose him over your own father?!" David asked, a little shocked that his daughter gave him that ultimatum.

"I'm not the one that will be doing the choosing, Dad. That would be you; whether you like what we've done isn't the point. We were both over eighteen, both legal adults that could do what we saw fit, and I saw fit to marry the man I love. Now that you know, I don't have to tiptoe around the fact that I had to hide our marriage from the family," Krissy responded, sighing in her mind that her father just couldn't accept the fact that she and Jamie would be together for all their lives if she had it her way. Her arm moved over Suzie's head and rested along Jamie's shoulders or as much as she could reach from her spot. "This is how it's going to be, Dad; either accept it and be happy for us or you can forget being a part of our lives. The same goes for you too, Rhonda," she said, her eyes flickered over to her stepmother.

"Now, wait just one minute!" David spoke, getting rather hot beneath the collar at his daughter's audacity to dictate how he was going to act in his own home. "I will not put up with this in my house!"

"Alright," Jamie said, shrugging his shoulders. He didn't really want to stay there if he could help it, and it seemed that David just gave him the out he wanted. "Remember you chose this," he stated, holding out his hand to Krissy.

"Jamie, David, let's just wait a moment," Rhonda uttered, getting between the two of them. "I think David's just letting his emotions get the better of him, isn't that right, dear?" she asked pointedly as she stared David down.

"No, I've put up with his shit for years now; I'm not going to do so any longer!" David snapped.

"You can't say I didn't try," Jamie said, peering over at Krissy, who wore a disappointed look on her face at her father's lack of respect.

"I know you did, just didn't think my father would be like this. Don't worry, Suzie, we'll come back and see you," Krissy said, bending down, hugging her little sister, and placing a kiss on Suzie's right cheek. Her back snapped up when the front door slammed shut, not realizing that Rhonda had rushed to it and forcibly closed it, keeping them from leaving.

"No! No one is leaving! David get over your shit," Rhonda snarled at her husband. She was not about to lose this chance to keep her son as close to her as he would allow. "I'm not allowing your attitude to estrange me from my son," she said, seeing a strange look in Jamie's eyes when she said that. "We're going to work this out; whether you dislike the fact they're married isn't going to change a thing. All you're going to do is keep her away from us," Rhonda stated, waving her hand at the two children she had with David. "Is that what you want? For your other children to never see their brother and sister again because you're having a hissy fit about what they legally did when they were out of this house? Who didn't need our permission to do a damn thing since they were well over the legal age? So when did this happen?" she asked, ignoring her husband's angry stare as she peered over at the two of them.

"A week after we arrived at Hugo's and Marla's place," Jamie answered truthfully, flashing Krissy a smile when his mother just sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she shook her head.

"So then all that you told was just a lie?"

"Pretty much," Jamie replied.

"And why did you feel the need to lie to us?" Rhonda asked, looking between the two of them.

"Seriously?" Jamie spoke with an arched eyebrow. "Do I need to remind the two of you how the two of you were acting back then? Also, you two had to go and get that woman involved." Jamie wouldn't say Krissy's mother's name ever again, not after he learned it was her hand in what happened two years ago. He's never told Krissy about it and thought it better to keep it from her so she would at least have some form of a relationship with her. Although, if he thought back over the past two years, Krissy's calls or texts to her mother weren't all that numerous. Shaking the thought from his mind, whether or not Krissy knew of her mother's involvement in the event two years ago wasn't important at the moment. "If you think I'm just going to stand by and allow you or anyone to stand between me and my wife, you don't know me very well." It wasn't hard to note Krissy's bashful, loving look when he said that.
"So let me ask, have anyone of you betrayed..."

"No, never! If you ever infer Jamie or I ever cheated on one another again, stepmother or not, I will bitch," mouthing the word for Suzie's sake, "slap you," Krissy said testily, taking Rhonda aback. "We are not like the two of you. I know Jamie will never cheat on me, nor will I ever cheat on my husband, so get that thought out of your heads."

"I'm sorry, Krissy, I didn't mean anything by it; I'm just trying to wrap my head around all this and how you're marriage has been going since you two thought it wise to keep it from us," Rhonda said; trying to get her foot out of her mouth. "Now, how about we sit down for dinner, and we can continue to discuss this."

******



"Missy, Dafne, Rachel!" Krissy squealed in joy as she met her friends at the airport, as the three of them flew in for her and Jamie's renewal. The three women howled in excitement as the group hugged and hopped around.

"Nice to see you again," Steven said, holding out his hand to Jamie, who was standing out of the four laughing women.

"You too, so I see you and Missy are still together," Jamie replied, shaking the man's hand. He did find it weird that Missy and Steven were going hot and heavy, given the nearly twenty-year age difference between the two of them. Recounting the civil wedding he and Krissy attended along with Dafne and Rachel when Missy contacted Krissy about it last year.

"Yeah, what can I say? She's a firecracker in bed," Steven mused, peering back at his wife, who was giving him that sultry look he's grown to love seeing on her face. "Don't worry about it, it was years ago, and I wasn't in the picture," he said when he noticed Jamie's uncomfortable look. "So you know what I'm talking about."

"True. So how's it going for the two of you?"

"Good, some ups and downs; Missy has never been in a long-term relationship before, so it's taken her some time to get used to the role of being a wife," Steven stated; their honeymoon night played out in his mind; reminiscing how she was like a wild animal as she rode him for a good portion of the night while he had her writhing for the other half. "I see you and Krissy are still together. How's it been going for the two of you?"

"Had a fight before we returned here; other than that, can't complain," Jamie said offhandedly.

"Oh? What about?" Steven asked, taking an interest in Jamie's and Krissy's life, given how he knew Krissy and Missy would never drift apart. So he knew he had to make nice with the young man next to him, or he was sure Missy would be displeased with him and also the threat of withholding sex from him. That was not a fate he would let happen, given how he's had the most sex in the past three years than he could remember with his now ex-wife.

"Krissy took a job up here without telling me about it."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm," Jamie hummed as he nodded.

"You okay with it?" Steven asked in a friendly voice.

"Not how she went about it, but it doesn't really matter where I live; as long as she's there, all that matters, you know?" Jamie spoke, looking over at him. He ignored the 'awes' he was getting from the four ladies.

"I do," Steven nodded in response.

"Babe," Krissy's voice carried over the distance as her shoes squeaked on the polished wax floor surface, "if we don't leave, we're going to be late for our appointment," she said, knowing how the sunlight that was filtering through the airport windows played along her body. She did hope Jamie enjoyed how the light played along her curves.

"Is it that time?" Jamie muttered, quickly getting his phone out to check the time.

"Mmmhmm," Krissy hummed, pleased he was taking this part of their lives just as seriously as he did with their college years.

"Right, then we should get going then, you going to be alright taking Dafne and Rachel to their parents' homes?" Jamie asked, peering over at Steven.

"Sure, knowing Missy, she'll have my hide if I let anything happen to her friends," Steven stated with a boyish grin.

"You know it," Missy's sexy voice came from behind Steven, "you two get going; you better let us know which house you choose because we are so having a housewarming party," she uttered with vehement nods from the two that stood slightly behind her.

"We will, but we'll have to see what the real estate agent has to show us," Krissy said, slipping her hand into Jamie's as she waved to her friends.

"You best be ready for tonight!" Rachel called out to them as they neared the doors.

"We wouldn't miss it!" Krissy returned her friend's call, knowing the dinner with the four of them was in lieu of hers and Jamie's bachelor and bachelorette party they would've had if they had waited the four years to get married.

"Honey, I hope we're like that in four years," Missy sighed, resting her head on Steven's right shoulder as she watched Jamie and Krissy walking towards their SUV.

"Me too," Steven whispered, lightly kissing Missy's forehead before leading the three of them over to the rental counter so he could pick up the car he had paid for that weekend.

******



It was getting late in the afternoon, and the agent's fourth house she had shown to the couple that she thought was far too young to be buying a house the size they were standing in as the woman watched Krissy moseying the master bedroom while Jamie stood off studying her reaction to the place. After the first two that she thought would be perfectly suited for the needs of two what, she thought were newlyweds. She's come to watch the woman since it was Krissy that torpedoed the first two showings. She just didn't think the two before her could afford the two-story, Tudor-style house they were currently standing in. Even if the owner was going through a messy divorce and wanted to sell the place quickly, she just didn't think they had the money to put down on that kind of home.

"So?" Her eyes flickered over as she heard Jamie's voice filling the bedroom.

"Is the pool functional?" Krissy asked, peering over at the woman.

"As far as I know it is, the owner didn't say there was any problem with it," she answered, watching how Krissy returned her attention to staring out the window and down at the pool. Silently pleading with whomever that the couple before her wasn't pulling her leg.

"Babe?" Krissy cooed softly, knowing the amount of money the owner was asking for was a lot of money. She knew she had been pushing her husband a lot in the past few days; she just hoped he would give her this one last thing since she thought the house would be perfect to raise their family in.

"Hmm?"

"I like it; what do you say?" Krissy asked, turning to look at Jamie while resting her ass lightly on the sash of the window. Watching how Jamie looked around the room before dropping his chin into his hand. She knew four hundred thousand was a lot of his money to ask him to part with, but she knew this was for a very good cause. All the other homes they looked at she just couldn't see the future she hoped to have with Jamie in them. Here, she knew she could raise their babies in the laughs they would share, the giggles that would echo off the walls as one of them chased after their child.

"You sure this is the place you want?" Jamie asked for clarification.

"Mmmhmm," Krissy nodded, already picturing what their bedroom would look like.

"Don't you think it's kind of big?"

"Only for now it is; I'm sure sooner or later you'll be working on making this house nice and full," Krissy said with a coy smirk. "Just think of it; Suzie and Ben could come over, spend the night and play in the pool without Rhonda worrying about daycare or a babysitter. Plus, the thirty minutes it is between these two houses is enough to give them pause before attempting to come barraging into our lives, and I know you like that. Also, it's in a very good school district," she stated; it was also very close to the school she would be starting at once the school year began.

"Alright, I still think it's kind of big for us, but I can't deny it's a nice place," Jamie said, coming to terms with parting with that much of his money. Not that he was concerned about it; after all, his Uncle Martin was the one that has been managing his money for him, so he had a nice sum stashed away for when this time came, not including the money he still had from all the other things his father had left for him after his death. He would have haggled down twenty grand of the price, but the owner had already cut the price in half just so he could sell the house quickly. So he knew he wouldn't be able to get the price any lower.

"I promise we're going to have a lot of fond memories in this house," Krissy said sweetly as she slid her arms around Jamie's waist.

"We'll take it," Jamie stated, looking at the real estate agent. Who, as you would expect, had a flabbergasted look on her face; it was only her quick thinking that her mouth wasn't hanging open.

"Are you sure? This is a very expensive house? Wouldn't one of the smaller homes be more suited to your price range?" she asked; she just didn't want to put them in a home that she assumed they couldn't afford.

"I am," Jamie nodded sternly, feeling Krissy squeezing him tighter to her.

"Well, if you come back to the agency, we'll get the paperwork started for your mortgage; it will take some time to..."

"No, I think you misunderstood me. We'll take it today, no mortgage; I'll have the check for you by the time we return to your agency," Jamie said, cutting her off.

"Okay, if you say so, say we'll meet back at the agency in thirty?" she said, looking at her watch. Unsure if she's just been pranked, to her thinking a man as young as Jamie was couldn't have the money to buy the place out right.

"We'll meet you there," Krissy said, smiling warmly at the woman. Walking out hand in hand with Jamie, whipping out her phone, snapping a quick pick of the front of the house, and sending it off to all her friends, Rhonda and her father.

"It's a nice house, Krissy, but I think you and Jamie need to look for something smaller for a starter home," David sent back. Rhonda sent something similar to what her father had just sent. Looking over at Jamie when he lightly patted her forearm, telling her not to worry about what they thought given how they didn't think they would last this long. Her grin rose the corner of her lips when Jamie also told her just think of the looks on their faces when they showed them the house. Krissy was texting her friends like crazy while Jamie went to get the cashier's check for the house as she sat in the car in the bank's parking lot. While Dafne and Rachel were going to stick around to try and find a job close to the city to stay around their parents and family, Missy would be leaving after the renewal with her husband back to Washington. Not that she could blame her, Missy had her own life to live, and she knew Missy was eager to start a family with her man. She was happy Missy found someone she could be close to, just like she was with Jamie. Leaning over and placing a kiss on Jamie's right cheek, knowing he was putting up with a lot of stuff just to make her happy. She wasn't saying it was only one way. She was planning on making this work for them. She would make sure all his ruffled feathers were smoothed over, no matter how long it took to do it. She just hoped Jamie could find a job close to home, knowing the reason Rhonda had cheated on his father was that Darriel had taken a job in NYC since he couldn't find one within the city or close to it, which left Rhonda feeling unappreciated and lonely. Krissy wasn't saying what Rhonda did was right, but she could understand why Rhonda felt like that. She was just going to ensure she didn't follow in her parents or Rhonda's footsteps.

"I was wondering if you two were going to show up," their real estate agent said, getting up from her seat to greet the two of them as they neared her desk. She kept what else she would say to herself, given the looks she got out of the two of them.

"Here," Jamie said, eager to be done with the rude woman. "Now, what paperwork do I have to sign?" he asked as he and Krissy sat down across from the woman. Noting how the woman was staring at the check he had just handed her.

"Oh... yes, paperwork," she stammered, knowing she had just made twenty grand for the sale of the house. Gently laying the papers down on her desk between the two of them, she knew she would still need to get the owner's signature before the sale was complete, who she had called on the ride back to her office, informing him that he had a buyer. Who was on his way to sign the papers as she watched Jamie signing his name on the dotted line. "As soon as the owner arrives and signs off on it, I'll call you to inform you when you can pick up the keys to your new home," she said after ensuring everything was in order.

******



It had been a month and a half since Jamie and Krissy moved into their new home. Their renewal was a blast, at least amongst hers and Jamie's friends, her family was not pleased to learn of their deception. Not that it really mattered to Krissy; she already knew what they thought of Jamie, except her grandmother, who took the news rather well, given how Reina laughed madly at the news. Reina thought it was a hoot that the two of them had pulled the wool over all their eyes for so long. On their honeymoon, Krissy presided to fuck Jamie to death, which she nearly did, given how Jamie looked like death warmed over as they were honeymooning out on Nags Head on one of the Outer Banks islands. They did make the four-hour drive down to Wilmington just so Jamie could see his family for a few days before they had to return home. Still, Krissy was worried when Jamie hadn't found a job after he had sent out numerous resumes to a lot of the companies around the city.

"I don't know what to do, Mom," Krissy sighed as she and Rhonda sat on her couch in her living room while Ben sat very close in front of their TV while Suzie was in school while Jamie was out once again looking for work. "It's not like he's not trying to find a job; it just seems no one is willing to hire him."

"I know the feeling," Rhonda said sadly, knowing that was the reason Darriel had to take the job in New York. "Well, it's a good thing you don't have a mortgage to worry about; I know that would have been very stressful trying to pay for this house," she stated; she was slightly annoyed that they had gone ahead and bought the place, and shocked that her son had bought it outright. She just didn't think her son would have been so frugal with his money. "Let me make a call, watch Ben for me, please," Rhonda spoke in a motherly voice as she got to her feet after pulling her phone out of her purse. "Hi honey," she greeted after the line connected as she stood in Jamie's and Krissy's kitchen. While she might have been dismayed that they had bought their own place when she thought they should have been saving for a house. She was impressed with how Krissy had decorated the place.

"Hey honey, I thought you were over at Krissy's," David answered, not referring to the house as Jamie's, given it was his name on the deed.

"I am, listen, didn't you say your accounting department was shorthanded?" Rhonda asked, referring to the night that David had come home complaining about the wait times he had to endure for their department to get them the numbers they needed for whichever project they were working on.

"I did; why?" David asked if he thought where this was going; he knew he wouldn't like it.

"Well, you know Jamie has that degree in accounting and has his CPA, and Krissy's worried about how Jamie hasn't been able to find a job in the city. So I was thinking, maybe you could put a word into your HR department to at least take a look at his resume," Rhonda said, knowing how the two of them have been at odds with one another more so since Jamie and Krissy had returned home.

"I don't know honey; I don't think Jamie has the mentality to work..."

"David, are you really going to say my son doesn't know about work ethic? Have you completely forgotten the job he had? That he got on his own, worked it for two years, or are you saying you don't want to help out your daughter simply because you don't like her husband?" Rhonda asked in a testy voice. "I'm getting real tired of this attitude, David."

"Fine, I'll make some inquiries," David grumbled.

"See that you do, or you can sleep in the guest bedroom," Rhonda snapped, hanging up on her husband. She has grown very tired of dealing with David's poor attitude towards her son over the past month and a half. It's started to put a strain on their relationship. With raising a rambunctious four-year-old and a curious eight-year-old, it was tiring work, and her husband's attitude wasn't helping.

Two mornings later saw Krissy and Jamie at their kitchen table with her eating her morning cereal while Jamie pushed around his own as he scanned his phone for job opportunities that were within the surrounding area. Lately, Jamie's felt like a rat on a wheel going nowhere with his job inquiries. It seemed to him that he was just banging his head against a brick wall even though he was qualified for the job. If he had to guess, the people he talked to saw his college as some backwater Podunk school. He was trying not to end up like his father, spending far too much time traveling and not enough spending it with his wife. He was not saying that his father's work was the cause, yet he could see how that would put a strain on a marriage. Nonetheless, if his mother had actually gotten a job, then his father wouldn't have needed to travel so far every day for work.

"Honey," Krissy's voice caused Jamie to peer up from his bowl, "baby, I know how hard you've been looking for a job, and I know you don't want to constantly be living off the savings you've worked hard to keep filled with us both in college and not working," seeing how he was listening, waiting for her to get to the point of the conversation, "so I talked to Dad last night, hear me out before you go off on me," noting the annoyance in Jamie's eyes as he leaned back in his chair, "there seems to be an opening in the accounting department at Dad's company, and he put in a word for you. All I'm saying is just give it a chance, okay?" Krissy spoke; she knew it would be a touchy subject, given who was involved.

"So your father knows I can't land a job, huh?" Jamie asked, crossing his arms.

"Jamie, don't be like that; Dad was just trying to help me," Krissy said softly.

"Explain?"

"Well, I was worried that you wouldn't be able to find a job around here, and I know what happened between your father and Rhonda," seeing the hardness in his eyes as she referred to how Rhonda started her affair with her father, "and I don't want our marriage to follow after them. So yes, I went behind your back and asked Dad to help get you a job because I don't want us to ever turn out like the two of them," Krissy said emphatically. A sigh escaped her lips when Jamie just surged from his seat and left her there at their kitchen table. Picking up Jamie's discarded bowl and her now empty one, she headed over to the sink, turned on the garbage disposal, and poured Jamie's breakfast down the drain. Her head snapped up when she heard their shower going, and a small smile formed on her face, knowing he might be upset with her meddling that he was at least taking the offered hand.

Her blue eyes lingered on her husband's back as his dress shirt rested gracefully against it. Her footsteps were light on the floating hardwood flooring as she ambled toward Jamie. Her arms slid along his waist as she lightly pressed her chest into his back. Her lips graced the back of his neck.
"Thank you for doing this, Jamie," Krissy whispered as she rested her right cheek on his back. "I know Dad isn't your favorite person, and I can guess how you're feeling right now. I'm not saying you have to take the job, but at least try to land it, okay? If something better comes along, I'll support you wholeheartedly in it. But this will be good for us; help us get on the right footing for our babies," she said with a devilish grin on her lips. She had a plan; if it worked out, they would be having their first baby by next summer break, so she wouldn't miss any work and could spend all summer bonding with their child.

"Oh? Already eager for babies, huh?" Jamie mused, peering over his left shoulder after he had slipped his tie over his head.

"You know I have been for some time now," Krissy purred, running her hands up his chest, loving how the fabric felt on her fingertips.

"I might, you know, if you pull this again, we will have words," Jamie said sternly as he unhooked his suit jacket from its hanger. His arms slid effortlessly through the sleeves before shutting his closest door.

"I promise, but I was only trying to help you; you can't be mad about that," Krissy uttered, hoping he knew she wasn't trying to rule his life, just that she was trying to keep him as close to home as she could.

"I know, but I don't want your father thinking he has any hold over me," Jamie said, kissing Krissy's forehead. He knew David would hold it over his head for however long he would work there if he was to get hired.

"Dad wouldn't do that," Krissy stated; her annoyance was clear as day.

"And you probably thought your father wouldn't be the kind of man that destroys a family either," Jamie retorted as he exited their bedroom. He knew he was going to pay for that once he got home. "I'll be back soon," he called out after getting his leather folder that held his resume.

******



Jamie was sitting across from one of the hiring personnel; he'd already forgotten the title the woman called herself as she looked over his resume. He noted how she had pulled out her phone; he could only assume the woman was looking up the name of his college. Jamie noted the woman's renewed interest in his resume when she put her phone down.

"Normally, we don't take walk-in applications, but since David put a word in for you," she noted the look in the man's eyes, yet his face remained placid, so she was just going to ignore it for the moment, "I thought the least I could do for him was to give you a chance. I see you're married, have you been married for long?" she asked, trying to build a rapport with Jamie.

"Little over four years now," Jamie said truthfully, noting the surprise in the woman's eyes.

"That would mean..." Her words trailed off as Jamie nodded, assuming what the woman was thinking.

"College and a marriage must have put a strain on the two of you," she said with a friendly smile.

"A little," Jamie admitted, wondering where she was going with all of this. If she was going to reject him, he just wished she would get it over with. Arching an eyebrow when the woman opened a drawer and pulled out a tablet along with a few sheets of paper.

"We give all prospective employees a test to see if they have the skills we're seeking," she stated, opening up the app and pulling up the test program they had made to weed out the less stellar applicants. "Just follow those instructions, and the program is self-explanatory." It was also a test to see if the applicant could follow instructions. Her eyes watched Jamie intently as he picked up the packet and began the test. She was going a little bored just sitting in her office as fifteen minutes rolled by; even though the test normally took thirty minutes, the fastest applicant took twenty to finish; she wasn't saying his answers were correct, which they weren't, just that he finished in that time. She took great satisfaction in wiping the smug grin off his lips when she informed him that he had spectacularly failed a simple test if one were to follow the instructions to the letter.

"Here you go," Jamie spoke, snapping the woman out of her daydream.

"Finished already?" she asked, a little surprised as she checked her watch that read only seventeen minutes had passed.

"Yeah, pretty simple, although your question nineteen is wrong," Jamie stated, not in arrogance, just a fact.

"That so," she mused, keeping her smile from her face; they had thrown that one in to see if those wishing to work for them would spot the error. Typing in her passcode to unlock the results page, her eyes inched wide as she read Jamie had scored ninety-eight percent on the test. They were lucky to get anyone that got a ninety on it; it was unheard of to get an almost perfect score. Even the ones he missed as she read his comments they allowed the applicant to make after completing the assigned questions were technically right, given the changes in the financial world since the test was first made. She had been pushing them to update it, but the powers that be were slow to heed her words. "Would you mind waiting just a bit?"

"Okay," Jamie said; he really didn't have anywhere to be at that moment, given he's already put in applications around the city without a call back yet. He had started to think their HR departments were getting rather annoyed with him with all the calls to them he's been making. His thumb scrolled up his screen, looking for any company that he hadn't put his resume in with yet, hoping to find somewhere to work close to home. He wasn't about to let someone like David swoop in and steal his wife from him. He knew how attractive Krissy was, and a ring didn't stop some of the low-down men that were out there. He wasn't saying Krissy would fall for it, but he would rather be around so he could keep an eye out for those types of men. He had just finished typing out a text to Krissy when the door opened, and in stepped David.

"I see you're here," David said, keeping his emotions from his voice.

"As are you," Jamie said plainly. "Come to ensure I haven't made an ass out of myself yet?"

"Yes," David answered.

"Afraid to get your name all dirty at your place of work, hmm? I bet you they all think you're all squeaky clean? I wonder how these people would react if they knew the truth about you, Hoss," Jamie said in a monotone voice.

"I don't care what you think, Jamie, you've made it plainly clear there will be no relationship between us, and that's fine. After all these years, I kind of prefer it that way. No, I only did this because Krissy asked me to lend a hand. Whether or not you get the job, it's no skin off my nose; now that I know you're here, I can get to my desk," David said, walking out of the room.

Jamie just brushed off David's parting words; they meant very little to him. Then again, he knew he would have to deal with the man for a very long time. If he and Krissy hadn't gotten together, he would have lived his life down in Wilmington. Where he would have wandered the streets during the Azalea festival with his family and rarely, if ever, return to Torrington. Other than being pleasant while Krissy was around, that was all David could except from him. If he got the job, he would have to figure out a way not to interact with David as much as he could. Looking down when his phone dinged, reading Krissy's text wondering when the woman would come back. Jamie sat there for another ten minutes before the woman entered the room with a manila folder under her left arm.

"Well, I have good news for you," she said, sitting down in her chair with a smile on her lips. "We'd like to offer you a job, now you're starting salary will be eighty thousand dollars, and you'll have opportunities to increase it every six months during performance reviews. Now there are some factors that can get you a bonus due to some of the projects we've been commissioned for. We just need you to sign this NDA before you can be hired on," she stated, pulling out the form from the folder and laying it before Jamie.

"Wait... you mean I got the job?!" Jamie asked with a mix of shock and perplexed surprise plastered across his face.

"Yes, are you surprised?"

"Yeah," Jamie stammered.

"Good, I like being able to surprise the young, but we do need you to sign this," she said, patting the paper. "It's because of the work we do here. We can't have our clients... data just floating around, you understand?" she stated when Jamie had a questioning look. Laying another packet of papers in front of him, waiting as Jamie read through the paperwork, signing his name on the dotted line. "Good. Now, let's go get your photo taken and your ID card made." With that, the woman led Jamie out of the room and down the hall to the bank of elevators, where they took the cab down two floors; the flash of the camera caused spots to dance in Jamie's eyes as he tried to blink them away. Once they were done, he was shown how to reach the department he would be working in, watching how the woman slid her own card key into the reader and opened the door once the light turned green. He honestly didn't think an accounting department would have so much security, but who was he to say otherwise? When they were inside, she proceeded to show him around the department. Jamie noted the curious looks he got from the other accountants, who were working on their own things before returning to their tasks. He was led to an office on the far west side of the department floor, where he was introduced to whom he learned was his boss. He couldn't place her age; if he had to guess, the brunet woman was in her mid-thirties, and the professional attire she had on did little to hide her more curvy nature. Not that he was looking, mind you; it was just so obvious that it was hard for anyone to miss.

"Ruth, this is Mr. Lancash, Mr. Lancash, this is Mrs. Ruth Braun; you will be reporting to her first thing Monday morning after we take care of your paperwork," she said with a friendly smile as she introduced the two of them.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lancash," Ruth said, holding out her left hand; being a left-handed person, once she was out of her parent's home, she reverted to her natural behavior that her parents deemed evil. Noting how the gesture took the man aback for a bit, as it always did when dealing with right-handed people, yet Jamie slid his hand into hers and firmly yet gently shook it.

"You too, Mrs. Braun," Jamie said kindly. He might not want to work at that company; nevertheless, he couldn't fault Krissy's thinking; he needed the job. So he would keep his foot out of his mouth for as long as possible.

"I'll take it from here, Selene," Ruth said, nodding to her co-worker.

"If you need anything, my door is always open," Selene spoke, waving to Jamie before heading back out the door.

"Let me show you where your desk will be," Ruth stated, taking charge. "I run a tight ship here. Work begins at eight on the nose and ends by four, maybe longer, depending on whichever client you'll be working on at any given time. At least in the beginning, I won't have you dealing with our larger clients until I know you have your feet on solid ground. We can't afford to have a mix-up that might just cost them a pretty penny in taxes, you understand?" she asked, giving him a thoughtful look.

"I do," Jamie nodded as they rounded the corner of a cubical.

"And this will be your desk; I like to space out my people so no one will be distracting each other. There will be no fraternizing on the floor, save that for the break room, which you will get two fifteen minute breaks, and an hour for lunch. You may have one personal photo on your desk, yet it can't be such a hindrance that it dominates the space. I'll have IT bring up a computer for you to use, and you can get what office supplies you need from over there," Ruth informed him as she pointed at the closet door. Her eyes moved along Jamie's right cheek, eyeing the scar that marred it. It was unsightly, unbecoming of an office worker in her mind. She would just have to see about getting him to remove it. "When you come in on Monday morning, stop by the front desk where the building security is stationed at, and they will have your ID card waiting for you. You'll just have to sign some papers stating that you've been given it, then I want you to head up to HR and fill out your paperwork, once you're done with that, come see me in my office, and I'll put you through your paces. Now, you can find your way to the elevators, yes? Good," she said once Jamie nodded, "I have to return to work. I look forward to seeing you on Monday," holding out her left hand again, giving Jamie a good shake before the two of them departed.

******



Jamie set his jaw when he pulled into his driveway and saw Rhonda's van. Dealing with his mother was the last thing he wanted to do that day. As the front door closed behind him, loosening his tie as he walked into the kitchen. He didn't care if it was half past noon as he got a bottle of Yuengling out of the fridge. While he nor Krissy drank to excess, they still did have a beer every now and again. Setting his leather folder on the kitchen table before listening to the bottle top coming off and the metal clink it made as it struck the side of the trashcan as he tossed it away. That was when he heard the laughter of children from out back by the pool. Jamie watched how Krissy jumped in startlement as she sunbathed on the lounger closest to the back door when he knocked on the glass. He ignored the sight of his mother in his pool with Ben in a floaty car, shooting jets of water out the front of it while she was teaching Suzie how to swim.

"Before you get upset, I thought they could have some fun here using the pool before Suzie starts second grade and Ben goes into kindergarten," Krissy said the moment she stepped through the door and closed it quietly behind her.

"Okay, that's fine, but why is she here?" Jamie asked, pointing at his mother. "I thought you said when we moved here, I wouldn't have to see them. Yet the moment we've moved in, she or your father has been clambering around my house."

"Baby, don't be like this; I know this isn't you," Krissy cooed, snuggling up to him, allowing him to feel her near-naked body against his. "Did you really think Rhonda was just going to drop them off and leave?" A pout formed on her face when Jamie slipped out of her arms and headed towards the stairs.

"A text would have been appreciated," Jamie said, his voice trailing after him as he climbed higher, hearing Krissy's footsteps following after him.

"What would you have done if I did?"

"Stayed away until I knew they were gone," Jamie answered as he entered their bedroom.

"Really, Jamie?! Hasn't this animosity between the three of you gone on long enough? Surely you can't keep it up forever; there has to be some middle ground you three could at least come to terms on," Krissy said, trying to plead their case. She honestly thought over the years, it would have at least died down a little bit. It had while they were living in Wilmington; she just didn't think it would come roaring back when they moved back to town.

"When I've felt like they've been punished enough, then and only then will I budge; so far, they seem to be getting everything they want in life while my father got the shitty end of it. Does that seem fair to you?" Jamie asked, not in anger, just in coldness, as he slipped his tie off his neck and hung it back up. "The two people who consciously, wholeheartedly broke their vows, vows you and I took, and they have yet to suffer the consequences of their actions," he stated, peering over at her as he slipped out of his jacket. "If I did that to you, you would be hell-bent on making sure I pay, would you not?"

"Okay... yeah, I would," Krissy begrudgingly admitted. "But can you at least put on a pleasant face when they're around?"

"Have I not been?" Jamie asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Have I said one untoward word directed their way when they invaded my house?"

"No," Krissy said, sighing, knowing that was the best she would get out of him, at least for the time being.

"See, I've kept my sarcastic retorts to myself when they so just want to come bubbling forth," Jamie said with a hint of mirth in his voice, getting a small smile out of Krissy.

"Well, how did it go?" Krissy asked, getting to the heart of the matter.

"Text your father. If he keeps out of my way, I'll do the same, and we never have to see each other," Jamie said, hanging up his jacket, his head turned at the gasp that escaped her. His eyes were like ping pongs as they followed the bounce of Krissy's unsupported breasts as they jostled in her bikini top before she launched herself at him. His arms moved on their own, wrapping themselves around his wife, feeling her softness along with her coconut-scented sunscreen as it filled his nostrils. Those emotions he's kept hidden and buried in the back of his mind all melted away as her serenity wrapped around him like a warm blanket.

"I'm so happy you got it, Jamie; I was so worried," Krissy whispered into his ear, feeling her cheeks heating when she felt Jamie's hands on her ass. "Baby?!" she gasped when his fingertips slipped beneath the edge of her bottoms and skimmed along her eager lips. "Behave," Krissy chided, playfully slapping Jamie's chest. "There are little children here; you can't be touching me so wantonly like that," she purred with a twinkle in her eyes. "Why don't you change into your suit and come join us by the pool, please," Krissy spoke softly with a sexy smile on her lips. She did love how he was still hot for her as she was for him after four years together.

"I can't, huh?" Jamie responded with a coy grin, taking a step towards his wife, who took one behind her with a mischievous grin on her face as she did.

"Nah-uh, no naughty business while young minds are around," Krissy teased, swaying her chest, loving how Jamie's eyes savored the display as they followed after them as she had placed her hands behind her back before making a hasty retreat out of the room, knowing if she kept it up, she would have her husband between her legs. Not that she wouldn't love that, she so would. She did love it when Jamie's tongue was taking her to her seventh heaven, and she knew he loved it when her own sent him to his own world of bliss. She wasn't degrading Jamie's hard tool; she did love riding that thing every chance she could get. Giggling like she was eighteen again as Jamie called after her telling her she was no fun. "Later, honey, when we don't have guests," she retorted, trying to calm herself down as she descended the stairs. She didn't want Suzie or Ben to see how aroused she was at that moment.

"So I take it Jamie wasn't happy to see me here?" Rhonda asked from the shallow end of the pool as Suzie splashed around and led her little brother around the pool.

"A little; I didn't tell him you had stopped by; that's on me, so you don't worry about it," Krissy said, smiling down at her little sister, who begged her to join them in the water.

"Krissy?"

"Hmm?" Krissy hummed as she walked around the outside to the pool's stairs.

"Why aren't my eyes burning?" Rhonda asked curiously. She's always wondered why her son's and daughter-in-law's pool was unlike the others she's used in the past.

"It's a salt pool; while it doesn't burn your eyes like a chlorine pool does, it does still irritate them, just not as bad, or that's what the former owner told us when he asked to meet us when we went to pick up the keys. He also gave us some good info on how to maintain it and who to call should something happen to the generator," Krissy stated, pointing over to it.

"I was wondering why I didn't smell any chlorine whenever I'm here," Rhonda said, waving her hand through the water, feeling it had a silky feel to it than when she used the chlorinated pools throughout her life.
"How's my adorable little brother doing, hmm?" Krissy cooed at Ben as his little legs paddled him towards her with a big smile on his face.

"Krissy, look what I can do!" Suzie called out, eager for her sister's praise. Her heart swelled at Krissy's encouraging words as she swam from pool edge to pool edge showing off the skills her mother had just taught her.

"Way to go, baby!" Rhonda whooped in joy as Suzie clung to the pool's edge, panting for breath.

"I knew you could do it, Suzie," Krissy said in a big sisterly voice, turning slightly when she heard their backdoor opening, and out stepped her husband in his bathing suit that she had bought on his birthday two years ago. A day she knew would forever be tainted by the death of his father. Every time it came around, she knew how she could not; she was his wife; after all, he would get depressed when the day neared. So she tried to keep his mind occupied on other things during that day so he didn't have to relive that horrible day. His own grandparents knew when that day came around not to celebrate it; Jamie thought it would be better to hold a memorial for his father than to celebrate the day of his birth. That didn't stop her from getting him a little something, even a special cupcake; she wouldn't ignore his birthday just because something so tragic had happened to him. While he didn't go off to a room by himself any longer to cry, the sadness was still there. Only time could ever take that away. She was determined to help him escape that dark place whenever it reared its head. Her cheeks blushed as her eyes ran down the scars she knew he had gotten to save her and Suzie from the mountain lion over four years ago.

"Jamie!" Suzie squealed in joy at the sight of her older brother as she bounced in the water.

"Hey, Squirt," Jamie greeted; over the years, she's grown to accept the nickname from him but only from him. "Ben," he nodded when Ben waved vigorously to him as he walked around the pool after tossing his towel on the lounger as he passed it as he headed towards the deeper end of the pool.

"Hello, Jamie," Rhonda greeted her son.

"Rhonda," Jamie spoke without a hint of annoyance in his voice. He's gotten rather good over the years, keeping his emotions from his face whenever he was around his mother or David. "Doesn't his folks have a pool?" he asked just to be argumentative.

"You know they don't, at least not anymore; Reina had it filled in. I know I told you about it," Rhonda huffed, arching an eyebrow at the smirk that got out of her son. She knew David's father prided himself on that pool; Reina had told her Ken used it to cheat on her in, so she thought, why keep it and hurt her husband all at the same time. While she couldn't come out and say her treatment of Ken seemed a little sadistic after four years of it since she herself was in the same boat as Ken was. She was a cheater, as was David. Smiling at her daughter when Suzie just sucked in a breath as she watched Jamie just gracefully dived into the deeper end of the pool. Looking over when Krissy's hands darted into the water as Jamie was messing with her, she didn't know what Krissy did beneath the water before Jamie moved off, only to hear Suzie squeak in surprise when Jamie lifted her out of the water with Suzie resting on his shoulders. Her heart warmed at the sight of her two children getting along as Suzie laughed madly as her hands covered Jamie's eyes.

"Jamie, will you teach me to dive like you?" Suzie asked in that innocent tone, wanting to be just like her older siblings.

"I don't know, Suzie; do you think the mermaids will like me telling you their secrets?" Jamie teased, seeing Rhonda huffing, pouting at her son when he knew she was the one that taught him how to dive when he was younger, and his father was busy at work and couldn't make it.

"You met the mermaids!" Suzie gasped.

"I did, I did; who do you think made all those sand creations I sent you?" Jamie asked, ignoring the look on Krissy's face knowing he shouldn't be teasing her like that. Yet to him, it was their thing now, and after four years, he kind of liked how happy she got when he had the artist at the college come by early in the morning and build those sand designs. He knew they wouldn't balk at an easy hundred dollars for an hour's work. Patting her arm when Suzie wrapped her arms beneath his chin as she rested her chest on the top of his head as she hugged him. "Now, who's up for the deep end?"

"Don't you dare?!" Rhonda said, wagging her finger at her son, knowing that would only cause Suzie to panic.

"But Mama?!" Suzie pouted.

"You're too young to swim in that deep of water. You just started learning; let's wait a month before we start that, okay?"

"Okay," Suzie sighed, sliding off her brother's back when he squatted in the water.

"Want to know how to float on your back?" Jamie asked, seeing Suzie brighten right back up as she nodded very vehemently. With that, they all splashed around in the pool for another two hours before Rhonda got Suzie and Ben showered and into dry clothes in the guest bedroom. While it wasn't furnished, given how she knew, Krissy had been looking at baby furniture, thinking the room would make a great nursery for them. "Jamie?"

"Hmm?"

"Would it be okay if we came back over until it got too cold for them to swim?" Rhonda asked, noting how Jamie was just standing in his kitchen wearing only a pair of shorts; she's never seen him in with a glass of iced tea in his hand. Something she was sure he came to enjoy while living with Hugo and Marla.

"Alright," Jamie muttered, seeing Krissy slyly peeking around the door jamb before smiling broadly at him, blowing him a kiss, and disappearing behind the wall.

"We'll try to keep out of your way so you're not too inconvenienced when you come home from work," Rhonda said with a sneaky smile. Letting her son know that she knew that he had gotten the job David had put in a word for him.

"Really, you're going to be here that late in the day?" Jamie asked, arching an eyebrow.

"If it's the only way to see my son, yes," Rhonda nodded.

"Don't you have..."

"You're both my sons; no matter how much my oldest wants to wipe me out of his life, he's still my son, and I worry about him always," Rhonda said in a loving, motherly tone. "Well, you two enjoy the rest of your night. Are you ready, babies?" she asked, peering back at Suzie and Ben. "Come, let's go home; we have to make dinner for your daddy; Krissy, you take care of my boy; we'll see you soon," Rhonda spoke, waving to her stepdaughter before she led her younger children out the door.

******



Two months later saw Krissy sitting at her desk going over the worksheets her students had just turned in during her free period. She tried to get as much of her work done while at the school than to bring it home with her and take away time she and Jamie could spend together. However, sometimes that didn't happen, how she loved Jamie all the more with his understanding. She knew he did not like the job at his work as he once thought. Yet she knew he only stayed because of her. Nevertheless, she was on the lookout for another accounting job for him when he grew too tired of working there. So far, Jamie has been reluctant to speak about what he found wrong with the job. Although it wasn't distracting him at home, so she hasn't made a big fuss about it. She knew if, or when it did, she would bring it up to him. "Maybe it was just something about being the new guy at work," she thought to herself. She knew all about being the new kid on the block, so to speak.

Her mind went back to the week before school officially started. Where she used that week to get to the school and get her classroom ready for the young minds, she would be teaching. She just hoped she would turn out to be as good as the teachers she had when she was their age. Every night when Jamie came home, she would regale him with how her day went, seeing how he was listening to every word. Then she would proceed to make her husband a wholesome meal she's learned how to do thanks to Marla. Who she was in constant contact with, giving them a virtual tour of their house. Hoping the surprise they had set up for Jamie's birthday would go off as she expected it to. She didn't want him to go through it in his first year away from his family without them. She knew it wouldn't always be feasible for them to come every year; she was just glad they all had agreed to drive up to be with him on that day. Still, though, she was determined to make that day as special as she could for Jamie so his father's passing wouldn't haunt him for the rest of his life. Pushing back against her desk, her wheels rolled along the tile floor as she had just finished with her last students' worksheet. She could already tell who would need a little bit of extra attention as the school year went on. Locking the drawer that housed her purse, she wasn't about to leave it unsecured while she was out of the room before she grabbed her travel mug she had brought from home and headed towards the teacher's lounge since she didn't have another class until eleven that morning.

A smile formed on her face as she stared out the lounge windows that overlooked the facilities parking as she gazed out at her cherry red Lexus RX 350 AWD SUV. She and Jamie had studied the list of cars she wanted the week before she reported to her job. The first day she just drove all around the city simply enjoying her new car; she even popped in at Jamie's work to take him to lunch, where after a quick meal in a little hideaway, they christened her new car, leaving Jamie and herself with a happy smile when she escorted him back to his desk. She also saw her father at his desk and chatted with him for a bit before she went shopping for some new work attire. Nothing sexy, that was saved for her husband and her husband alone, just simple professional attire. Sighing in her mind as she savored the sip of coffee as it played along her tongue, turning as the seventh-grade and ninth-grade history teachers walked in. Greeting her friends and co-workers with a smile and a wave, they tended to congregate in the lounge normally at that time of the day ever since school had started.

"Morning Kris, you seem awful happy today," Adalynn teased as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"So, how does it feel to be teaching after two months?" Keely asked, holding her mug out to Adalynn.

"It's been good; Jamie has been so understanding and loving throughout it all. Although, I could do without Tripp constantly showing up in my classroom when I'm on break," Krissy grumbled, remembering how the man had zeroed in on her on her first day. Always flexing his muscles, putting the moves on her, she's always shot him down; it got to the point where she told him if he didn't leave her alone, she would go to their boss and file a sexual harassment complaint. However, she told Jamie all about it, and she saw how that didn't make him happy; then again, she doubted any husband would like to hear that their wife was getting harassed by one of her co-workers.

"I did hear something about Tripp finding himself on his ass last week sometime around lunch; care to elaborate?" Adalynn asked with a knowing grin on her face.

"What did he expect to happen when my husband walked in and saw me pushing the man away when he wouldn't take the hint? I'm not interested in him one bit. He should have seen the punch coming; it was earned, after all," Krissy said with pride.

"So, you ever going to regale us with how your hubby got that scar on his face?" Keely spoke with glee as the three of them moseyed over to one of the small tables that ringed the room for the teachers to enjoy their break at.

"See, it all started a day before Thanksgiving four years ago," feeling her face growing hot as she thought back to that day, "my stepmother's van wouldn't start for some reason, and my father's car at the time wouldn't make the journey up to my grandparents' mountain cabin where we always went for the holiday. I talked Jamie into driving us up there; I said something very stupid to him at the time that got him very mad at me. It was stupid, really, something a silly girl would say to get her boyfriend to do something he really didn't want to do," Krissy said, seeing her mentors and friends hanging on to every word she spoke. "But see, at the time, I just couldn't stand being away from him even for a day; I'm still like that," her face burned at her friend's combined 'awes', "so we were just walking through the woods that surround their place my baby sister, Suzie, was walking in front of us as we were holding hands. At the time, no one knew we were dating, so we were trying to keep our relationship hidden from my family since they didn't like Jamie one bit, but the feeling was mutual between them. Anyway, as we were walking, we heard this crashing behind us only to find a mountain lion charging towards us," watching her friends' hands flying towards their mouths as they gasped, "so Jamie plucked Suzie, who was three at the time, up off the ground and we took off running. Once we got out of the woods, Jamie handed Suzie to me. He knew we couldn't out run it, so he turned and faced it. I was screaming as I ran, praying that someone would hear me. There was so much blood, I thought I was going to lose him that day, more so when he started to talk about his father, who had passed on a month before on his birthday. I was so happy that he pulled through," she said, looking down into her coffee, remembering the kiss she planted on his lips. Also, the part where she proclaimed they would get married. So far, she was glad her foretelling had proved to be right. She wasn't saying it was all roses and daisies; it took work to ensure she and Jamie didn't go the way of their parents.

"Oh, my, god! And all through that, he only got that one tiny scar?!" Adalynn stated with wide, shocked eyes.

"Oh no, he's got them all down the right side of his chest and down his right arm," Krissy corrected her friend.

"And I bet you trace each and every one every night?" Keely asked with a mischievous grin.

"You know it," Krissy giggled.

"So, dish, have the two of you thought about starting a family now that you're both out of school?" Adalynn inquired, wondering if her own and Krissy's children would become friends like they enjoy playing with Keely's.

"I think tonight is the night," Krissy answered with a sexy smile. Leaning forward, telling her friends her plan for that night and what she would wear to entice her husband to bed, although if she was truthful, she really didn't need to tempt Jamie too much to get him into bed with her. So glad that after four years, their desire for one another hasn't dwindled like she knew some marriages did.

"Oh honey, if you wore that, I don't think you'll be leaving that fine house of yours; I know if I wore what you said for my Jerome, I wouldn't be leaving the bedroom all night," Keely said, causing the women all to laugh at her remark.

"I know that's right," Adalynn joined in. She was a little envious of the house they had. She and Keely had met Jamie before when Krissy invited them over to their place one day after school had ended. Then Krissy had told them how they were able to afford their house being so young. She was glad that something good had come out of the tragedy that Jamie had gone through, even if it cost Jamie his father.

"Did someone say something about making babies?" Tripp arrogantly spoke as he entered the lounge. He might have been knocked on his ass by Krissy's husband, yet he was used to that; that didn't mean he would give up the chase. Krissy was a hot woman, and he would have her adorning his cock. He just knew if he worked hard enough, she would give in. However, the genuine sneer he got out of her made him think he should extend his expectations to Christmas.

"Ladies, I should get back to my room and get ready for my eleven o'clock class," Krissy said, getting up from her seat. "I hope the two of you can come by this weekend," she said, hoping to make Jamie's birthday as spectacular as possible.

"Me and Jerome will be there; you don't mind if we bring the kids, do you?" Keely asked, peering up at Krissy, knowing Tripp didn't like being ignored like they were doing at that moment.

"Sure, but just know Jamie's family will be there, so there will be kids there so Pat and Stephine won't be too bored," Krissy informed Keely. She just couldn't wait to see Jamie's face when he came home tomorrow. Sal was keeping her up-to-date with how everything was going since Hugo couldn't drive very far due to his injury, and Marla didn't trust herself with driving that long a distance any longer. So Sal would be driving them up with him in his truck while Sam and Martin, along with Jamie's cousins, would be taking their van up and transporting everyone's luggage. She was just going to leave the room without interacting with Tripp; he was getting trifling as he blocked her path.

"Honey..." was the only word that came out of Tripp's mouth before Krissy put her self-defense skills to use, causing Tripp to bend over, holding his balls and nose in pain.

"Did you think my husband was the only one that knew how to throw a punch? The next time you harass me will be worse, so I suggest you back the fuck off before you find out you don't have a job any longer. Trust me, I will be speaking with the Principle about your unwanted advances, and I will be telling my husband how you just can't keep your hands to yourself. Maybe you need to be knocked around some more before you learn when a woman tells you to leave her the fuck alone, you leave her the fuck alone," Krissy spat as she walked out of the lounge.

******



Jamie sighed tiredly as he walked through the front door of his home thirty minutes after he had gotten off of work. He knew Krissy was home since her car was sitting out in their driveway. A smile formed on his lips as he watched his wife bounding out of their living room to greet him. Blood ran to his manhood as he held his wife tightly against his body. Krissy knew how she affected his body, and she used it to great lengths to lure him to bed. Then again, he would never pass up the chance to bed his wife. Only a fool would do that, and he was no fool. Listening to her mew as their lips parted while he palmed her ass.

"I've missed you," Krissy said sweetly as her hands rested on the lapels of his suit jacket.

"So did I. Did you have a good day at work?" Jamie asked, watching how his wife's cheeks heated as his hand lazily moved across her ass. How he enjoyed the way she always got bashful when he did that.

"Yes and no. The girls might be coming over tomorrow, and I had to teach Tripp a lesson on manners," Krissy stated when Jamie gave her a look to elaborate.

"Got something planned for tomorrow, I take it?" Jamie asked, not realizing that at that moment, his family was nearing the city line of Torrington. "Want me to really put it in his head to leave my wife alone because you know I will."

"As much as I would enjoy you putting that man on his ass again, no, I don't need you storming the school grounds. You're too handsome to be locked away with those brutes," Krissy cooed, watching his smile widen at her praise. "As for tomorrow, yes, yes I do, but you're just going to have to wait and see," she said, lightly patting his chest. "Now, how was your day?"

"Same as always," Jamie uttered offhandedly with a shrug of his shoulders. He had a suspicion that his boss was giving him the lighter work due to how he wouldn't bend to her nagging about his scar. He was going to give it another year or more to see if it worked itself out or not. If it didn't, he would look for another job before outright quitting the one he had now. His father always told him there was nothing wrong with quitting a sorry job just so long as you have a backup plan for when you do so you aren't burning through what savings you had. While yes, they didn't have a mortgage payment to make, yet they still had other bills to pay and Krissy's car payment to make. While he would have liked to buy it out right like he did with his Volvo, his Uncle Martin told him it would be a good way to increase their credit for when they got a credit card for emergencies, just not to go overboard with them. It was why he had one in his wallet at the moment with a thousand-dollar limit on it; he hadn't used it yet.
"I'd really wish you would tell me what's wrong. Every day since you've started working there, you've come home with that sour look on your face. Baby, I want to help if I can or at least understand what you're going through," Krissy said sweetly. "Hugo and Marla always told us we need to talk to one another no matter how absurd one of us might find it. That one of us might have a different perspective than what we might have viewed it at the time."

"You're right," a grin spread across her lips at his words as he placed a kiss gently on her right cheek, "let me change out of this suit, and I'll tell you," Jamie said, walking towards the stairs that lead to their bedroom.

"Nope, you hop in that shower and wash the stink of the office off of you; we're going out tonight!" Krissy commanded, bouncing lightly on her feet in excitement, knowing it was the start of her ovulation cycle and she planned on being pregnant when it ended.

"Oh?" Jamie mused as he peered back at her, as his left foot rested on the first step.

"Mmmhmm, so you best wear that blue suit I got for you; my man needs to look sexy for his woman, no?" Krissy spoke with a seductive smile on her lips.

"And just whatever will you be doing, hmm?" Jamie asked with a guileful grin.

"Oh, you know, this and that," Krissy mused, playing off his question. "Don't you wish you knew what I'm going to do to this sexy body of mine while you're in the shower," she taunted, spinning around, swaying her ass a little before reaching back with her left hand, smacking her left ass cheek, knowing that would have his attention as she gave it a little rub. Feeling her nipples hardening as she heard his footsteps behind her, a soft gasp escaped her lips as Jamie pulled her back tightly against his chest. Whimpering in want as his fingers played along her covered labia, letting him feel the heat he always managed to produce in her as it soaked into the boy shorts she was currently wearing. "Baby," she whispered softly, rocking her hips, making her labia part along her husband's finger while Jamie palmed her left breast. Reaching up, her fingers curled around tufts of Jamie's hair as she mewed wantonly as Jamie lightly and playfully tugged on her nipple.

"You're being extra horny today; I wonder why?" Jamie spoke softly into her left ear as he got his wife all hot and bothered in the entranceway of their home. "You always get so wet for me, don't you, baby?"

"Mmmhmm," Krissy hummed before sucking on her lower lip, feeling her thighs tremble as Jamie played with her clit. A moan escaped in a whisper as she felt her thighs trembling at Jamie's delicate touch. "Yes, Jamie, you love how your woman gets so hot for you, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Jamie said sinfully, getting a loud moan out of Krissy as he pressed the tip of his finger against her entrance, feeling the fabric of her underwear soaking up her nectar as he nibbled on the left side of his wife's neck.

"No... not yet..." What Krissy was going to say next was lost to the ether as she held onto her husband for support as her womb detonated in a powerful orgasm. Her womanhood lurched at the sight of how Jamie sucked off the juices on his finger. She so couldn't wait to be sitting on his face like she always did when he got her so worked up. Her body slid along his as she turned in his arms to face him. Her right hand caressed his left cheek as she pulled his lips to hers and proceeded to plant a rather steamy kiss on her husband's lips. "Now you go up; I'll be there shortly, and you can tell me what's going on with your job," Krissy stated, pushing Jamie towards the stairs on shaky legs. She gave her husband five minutes to get in the shower so she wouldn't attack him and make them late for their dinner reservation she had made for them before she followed Jamie up to their master bathroom.

"So, what's going on with your work?" Krissy asked as she listened to the water pouring while trying to peer through the blue shower curtain at her husband's naked body.

"Think my boss is screwing me over," Jamie said as he lathered up.

"Huh?"

"She's been on me to get my scar removed from my face, and I told her to mind her own business and got about my work. So she's been giving me the lighter projects we're commissioned for," Jamie told her, sticking his head past the shower curtain.

"Good. You keep telling her that. Do you want me to talk to... okay, I was just saying," Krissy quickly backtracked when Jamie's facial features hardened.

"I can handle it; I don't need you getting him involved," Jamie said sternly before returning to his shower. "So you going to get in here with me?"

"Nah-uh, I'm going to go use the guest bedroom's shower; I can't have my man getting dirty thoughts, now can I?" Krissy asked with a coy grin which widened when Jamie stuck his head back out. Showing off her body to his eyes as they ran up and down her body.

"Have you met you? I'm always having dirty thoughts," Jamie uttered, blowing her a kiss before returning to his shower.

"As you should, now don't you come and peek at me; it's a surprise," Krissy said before walking out of their bathroom.

******



"Hey Rachel, I got you on speaker, doing my face at the moment," Krissy greeted her old friend as she got ready for the night's activities.

"Oh, I didn't know you and Jamie were going out tonight. I can call back."

"No, no, I'm just putting on my makeup; you know have to look good for Jamie," Krissy said, smiling into the mirror. "So, what's up?"

"I caught him." Krissy's head snapped over to her phone at the sound of her friend crying her eyes out. She knew Rachel had a suspicion that her fiancé was cheating on her due to how late his hours had gotten. Rachel just hadn't gotten the proof she needed to decide whether or not to go through with the wedding.

"Aw, honey, I'm so, so sorry. What are you going to do?"

"I'm moving back to Torrington, where things made fucking sense." That was something Krissy didn't know about; she didn't know Rachel was considering returning home. Not that she wouldn't love to have her friend back in town instead of up in Maine, with Missy in Seattle with her and Steven's first child, and Dafne out somewhere in the Pacific on some oceanographic mission for some science organization. She did miss her friends dearly.

"Okay, you need a place to stay for a while?" Krissy asked, opening up their home to her friend. She knew Jamie wouldn't mind lending Rachel, a hand.

"You and Jamie wouldn't mind?"

"Not one bit, just until you get on your feet, but what about your job?"

"Oh, I can do that anywhere. As long as I have an internet connection, I'll be set. My company doesn't mind if I work from home like I have been for the past few months just as long as my work is turned in on time."

"Alright, I'll let Jamie know; how soon will you be here?"

"It's going to take maybe a day to pack up my apartment, so maybe Sunday or early Monday morning. Will that be alright?"

"Sure is; you just focus on getting what you need to do done and forget all about that ass. We'll have a girl's day when you get here, and I'll try to keep your mind off of him for a time," Krissy said, trying to lift up her friend's spirits. She knew very well how it felt to be cheated on.

"Thanks, Krissy, you're a lifesaver; with Mom and Dad gone, I wouldn't know what to do if it wasn't for you and Missy. I would try to contact Dafne, but who knows where she is at any given moment." Krissy heard her friend sigh into her phone as Rachel sniffled.

"Trust me, Rachel, it does get better, and when you're least expecting it, you'll find that one person that just makes your world grow still and calm," Krissy said reassuringly.

"I hope so; I thought Wade was the one, you know?"

"I do."

"I won't keep you any longer; I do have some packing to do so I can put this damn place behind me."

"Okay, call me if you need anything," Krissy said supportively.

"Krissy!" Krissy's blonde-styled hair floated on the air as she turned her head towards Jamie's shout, a warm, loving smile formed at what would come at the end of their evening.

"I have to go, or we'll miss our reservation. You call if you need me, any time tonight," Krissy said before she and Rachel said their goodbyes.

******



Krissy had a huge grin on her face all the way to the restaurant. Loving the reaction she had gotten out of him when she came down the stairs in her gray, shimmering, see-through dress. All her more private areas were covered with a thicker layer of the material while the rest showed off what she wanted her husband to view throughout the night.

"Don't you just love how I tease you?" Krissy asked sensuously, her fingertips danced up her left thigh. Her eyes flashed devilishly as she noted how Jamie fought himself from looking down at her lewd display as he focused on keeping his Volvo on the road. "Don't you want to know what I have on underneath this?" she purred, her fingertips playfully tugging at the hem of her dress, lifting it slightly off her thigh. "No? Shame," Krissy sighed, enjoying the frustration she was putting Jamie under as his hands gripped the steering wheel. "And I was so willing to show you."

"You shouldn't tease a horny man so much; I won't be held responsible for my actions," Jamie said, slyly glancing over at his wife.

"Oh, I think you'll think of something very suited for my punishment," Krissy purred, grinning madly at Jamie as the lights of the streetlamps played along the curvature of her breasts as her fingertips traced along her midsection. How she just loved to tease her man so much, knowing it led to some of the hottest sex they've had in their four-year-long relationship, and tonight was going to be the best of them all, she hoped. For tonight was the night they start their family.

"You sure this is the place?" Jamie asked when he pulled up to the stop light, looking catty-corner from where they were sitting.

"Mmmhmm," Krissy hummed; while it was an expensive place to eat, she knew their bank account could take the hit. She wasn't saying they would dine at the place all the time, just on special occasions. "Babe, I have something to tell you; it's important," she said, resting her hand on Jamie's right thigh as he pulled into the restaurant's parking lot.

"What about?" Jamie asked curiously.

"It's nothing bad, I swear," Krissy uttered when she felt his eyes on her, metaphorically speaking, given how he was pulling into a parking space at the moment.

"Okay," Jamie mused as he slid out of the driver's seat and closed the door. Walking around the front of his SUV, holding the passenger door open for his wife, feeling the warmth of her hand as it slid into his outstretched one. "So, what is it that you need to tell me that isn't as bad as I think it is?" he asked, walking hand in hand with Krissy toward the front entrance.

"Honey, you know how I told you Rachel and her fiancé were having difficulties?"

"Yeah, where she thought he was cheating on her yet didn't have evidence of it," Jamie uttered, giving the man behind them the evil eye as he undressed his wife with his eyes.

"Mmmhmm, but guess what?"

"She got the evidence," Jamie finished for her.

"She did," Krissy said somberly as she nodded.

"So?" Jamie muttered with a roll of his hand as the front door neared.

"Honey, please don't get mad, but I told Rachel she could stay with us until she gets back on her feet, I promise, no more than two months," Krissy said, peering over at him, watching his reaction to the news.

"I take it that she's moving back to town?" To his question, Krissy simply nodded. "Okay, I don't have a problem with that, just so long as she doesn't try and take over our house."

"You know she won't; you're just being snarky," Krissy said, resting her head on her husband's left shoulder as they waited for the hostess to return from seating the couple before them. "Just look at all those men staring at me, wishing they were you, wishing they could take me home like you're going to do when the night's over," she whispered into his ear as they followed after the woman as she led them to their table. Her hand gently caressed Jamie's left cheek as he held out her chair for her. Nodding when the woman placed their menus on the table before each of their chairs before heading back to her podium.

"Babe, you sure we can afford this?" Jamie asked, looking around at the grandeur of the place.

"Jamie, you and I both know we aren't poor," Krissy teased, blowing him a kiss across the table. "So, what do you plan to do about your boss?" she asked as they waited for their waiter to arrive.

"Look for something else if she doesn't stop sticking me with the easy work that I know isn't going to get me a raise or a promotion," Jamie answered, peering over the menu, pondering what was good at the place. "I'll just have to see how it is in four months."

"Just don't do anything too crazy, but if you have to walk off, know I'm hundred percent behind you," Krissy said seriously.

"Didn't doubt that you weren't," Jamie said, smiling over the top of his menu. "So, wha'cha having?" he asked, still scanning the menu, not having picked something to eat yet.

"The salmon sounds nice," Krissy replied from the depths of her own menu. Once they had selected their meals, they put aside their menus and just chatted like they always did, taking Hugo's and Marla's advice very seriously. Since neither one of them wanted to become like their parents. With their orders placed, she spent the time waiting, deflecting Jamie's questions. She didn't want him to run away when this night was meant to expand their family. It wouldn't do her any good if Jamie got cold feet all of a sudden. While they have talked about having kids throughout their college years, she's been dropping hints for the past month, so she wondered if he knew what the end of their night out was going to be about. She just couldn't wait to have Jamie's child, something that would forever tie them together.

"Come on, Krissy?! You wouldn't be this hot if you didn't have something planned; just give me a hint," Jamie whispered, leaning over the table. Not enjoying the smirk that got out of his wife. He knew from experience that smirk never meant anything good for him.

"I'm glad you think your wife is hot," Krissy purred the last word. Her thighs rubbed together beneath the table cloth as she took a slip of her water that the waiter had placed before her after taking their orders. She had ordered white wine to accompany her fish, yet she only asked to bring it out when their food came. Jamie had ordered a dark porter that he was sipping on while they waited for their food.

"Do I have to remind you of what you're wearing? You know exactly what you were doing when you put that on tonight," Jamie said, his index finger pointing at her as he held his glass in his right hand.

"True," Krissy cooed, her eyes sparkled in the house lights of the restaurant as she gazed lovingly at her husband. "Is it wrong I want to make my man all hot and bothered?"

"Nope, not one bit," Jamie said with a coy smirk.

"Good, thought you might not be opposed to this dress," Krissy said as their waiter neared their table. Leaning back as the man sat her plate along with her glass of wine before her, thanking the man when he was finished, seeing him nod when Jamie asked for another beer. "I'll be driving the rest of the night," she stated; she wasn't about to have Jamie pulled over simply because they liked their alcoholic beverages. While the wine wasn't as strong as the beer, Jamie was having given how she's had a slip of it just to have a taste of it since she's never had a porter beer before. It was either an ale or a lager when she did have a beer. When they were living with Hugo and Marla, Marla had gotten her hooked on wine since she could have a glass and still be fine for the most part, unlike beer, which always seemed to go to her head if she had two or more.

After dinner and paying for the check, they head off to enjoy the rest of the night Krissy had planned for them. At the dance club they arrived at, music could be heard thumping through the walls of the establishment. However, it all turned sour when the bouncer for the club whistled at Krissy, telling her she could go in, but her loser of a boyfriend had to stay outside since the club was packed. He was not expecting the sneer that greeted him as Krissy's anger burned into his hide.

"If you ever speak about my husband like that again, you won't have any balls left to impregnate someone with," Krissy said heatedly. "Come on, Jamie, let's get our money back and get out of here," she spoke as she turned towards him. "If this is how they treat their customers, there is no telling how they maintain their club. It's probably full of shit, like the pile that's standing before us." Jamie just snickered as he wrapped his arm around Krissy's waist and led her back to the booth to get a refund on their money. When the woman that was in charge of taking in the door charge asked why, Krissy flat out told her that she and her husband was not going to be subjected to the shit her management allowed to fester at the establishment and that she should tell her boss she would be leaving a very bad review on Yelp. With that, taking Jamie in hand and led him back to their car. "Take me home, baby," Krissy cooed as her left hand slid along Jamie's inner thigh.

"You don't want to go to another..."

"Nah-uh," shaking her head, "I can't have you touching me like I want if we go to another one when I can dance for you just as easily in our home," Krissy purred; a sultry light played along her blue eyes. "Don't tell me you don't want to be back between these legs of mine?" she said salaciously as she slowly raised the hem of her dress as they sat in the parking lot of the club. "You love it when my legs are wrapped around you, don't you, baby?" Her voice dripped with sin as she lifted her ass and pulled down her black thong; her eyes glanced over to Jamie as his eyes stayed glued to her bare thighs as her thong danced along them. Licking her lip as she noted the raised tent in his dress pants. Longing to have his stiff rod back where it belongs. "Baby, we can't have sex here; you don't want all these people to see my bare ass as I ride this hard thing of yours, do you?" Krissy whispered seductively into his ear; her fingertips teased his mushroom top, allowing the scent of her pussy to soak into the fabric of his pants. A devious smile formed on her lips as Jamie quickly started his SUV. "I thought that would put a fire under you."

The moment they were home, Krissy was all over her man; her lips tore at him, and her hands fumbled to remove his clothing to gain access to what she sought. Clothes lined the floor, and Jamie's jacket was draped along the banister as Krissy swayed her hips in front of his face, pulling up the hem of her dress, making sure her husband saw how it slowly uncovered her bare ass cheeks. Her body felt on fire every time she teased the love of her life with her body. That night their bed and room were filled with the sounds of their lovemaking as they sated themselves on each other's bodies. Her legs wrapped around Jamie's waist, keeping him locked in place. In her mind, Krissy could feel his sperm finding its home in her egg.

It was early the next morning that found Jamie and Krissy in their kitchen. Each gave the other sweet glances to one another as they always did after they had coitus. Krissy was giving Jamie her sultry look as she pressed her mug to her lips, as the smell of the fresh hot coffee filled her nose, allowing herself to be pulled into him as Jamie's hand rested on her ass. Krissy's fingers lazily drew along Jamie's chest as they just stood in their kitchen enjoying each other's company, at least until a knock came upon the front door.
As Jamie looked back at his wife, the conniving grin she had on her lips told him something was up as he walked out of the kitchen. The moment he opened the front door, Jamie just stood there in shock as his eyes moved over his grandfather, grandmother, Sal, Sam, Martin, and his cousins stood, smiling warmly at him as they stood on his front lawn. It only took a moment for his brain to reengage before Jamie walked out bare-chested, only wearing his pajama bottoms. Hugo's and Marla's arms embraced Jamie pouring their love into him; Sal, Sam, and all the rest did the same. Marla being the mother figure, marching the group of them into the house. Krissy beamed at their praise of how she had decorated their home before telling Krissy to show her to the kitchen so she could make them all a big breakfast and for the two of them to go put on clothes. Laughter filled their home as they all enjoyed a hearty breakfast; once the clean-up was done, Jamie and Krissy gave them all the grand tour. Patty, Daniel, and Heath were ecstatic when they saw their pool and begged their parents if they could go swimming in it.

Eric Clapton's 'Change the World' played in the air as Sal manned the grill for their cookout. Krissy's cheeks heated as Jamie took her by the hand and proceeded to spin her around the backyard with the encouragement of his family. As the two of them danced, Krissy's mind recorded the event so that she could remember that moment in her old age. Krissy's giggle filled the air when Martin bemoaned jokingly that they were showing them all up.

The children's laughter played on the air as they splashed around in the pool as Krissy's colleagues and their husbands mingled with Jamie's family. Krissy was getting odd looks, namely from Jamie, when she refused any beer offered to her. Jamie was taking a sip of his own beer when he saw his aunt and grandmother pull Krissy off to the side, away from everyone. He was very curious about what they were talking about, turning his head when the doorbell rang throughout the interior of his house. Excusing himself to his guests, chuckling at Sal's comment as he walked through the back door. Jamie was speechless as he stood there in the open doorway as he, stared into his mother's eyes, wondering why she was there, of all times.

"Jamie, who is it?" Krissy called out to him after seeing her husband entering their house.

"Sorry Jamie, we didn't know you would be having so many guests here today, but Suzie and Ben here wanted to come to see you on your birthday," Rhonda stated, smiling and waving to Krissy as she approached Jamie's back. "So, may we come in?" she asked with hope in her voice.

"Happy birthday, Jamie!" Suzie cried out, moving past her mother and hugging Jamie hard around his waist.

"Hey, kiddo, who's at the door?" Sal asked, only to stop in his tracks when he spotted Rhonda. Huffing in disgust at the sight of his brother's ex-wife before he spun on his heel and left the way he came.

"I take it they're all here if Sal is here?" Rhonda inquired, her heart was in her throat at the fact of facing her former in-laws. Even when they went down to watch the two of them graduate, she and David stayed away from Jamie and Darriel's family; she didn't want to ruin the day for Krissy.

"Yep," Jamie answered in a monotone voice, eyeing his mother, watching her blow out a breath before taking a step into the house.

"Best get this over with," Rhonda muttered, guiding Ben into the house, resting her hand on Jamie's shoulder, and stopping him from returning to the party. "Honey, I know ever since you found out about David and me, you haven't wanted anything from me in the way of presents," not seeing how Suzie was peering back at the two of them with wide eyes, she's always wondered why Jamie never wanted presents whenever he came back for Christmas holiday, "but I hope you will at least let me offer you my congratulations on your birthday, I remember like it was yesterday," she said softly, lightly caressing her son's left cheek. Looking oddly at her daughter when she gave her a look that she was unhappy. She couldn't understand why since Suzie was bouncing off the walls of their home, eager to come over to her brother's home. Giving Krissy a hug, feeling Krissy's hand rubbing her back, whispering to her, telling Krissy she'll try not to be a distraction. The moment she stepped outside, she felt the coldness of Darriel's family's glare centered on her, looking over when Krissy took her by the arm and escorted her over to where her co-workers were standing.

Rhonda found them to be very nice people as she kept Ben near her so he wouldn't go running off and fall into the pool. While she got to know her stepdaughter's co-workers, she kept her eye on her daughter, who never left Jamie's side as he mingled with his family. Did it hurt to know that the distance between them hasn't lessened? Of course, what mother wants to be estranged from their own child? Smiling weakly at Krissy when she gently rubbed her back as she stared down into her glass. With the day drawing to a close and night beginning to rise, Hugo and the rest said their goodbyes to Jamie and headed back to their motel for some rest before Sal, and Martin drove them all home. Krissy's co-workers had already left in the middle of the afternoon when they sensed the unwelcoming glares Rhonda was getting from the group of people they had just met. Rhonda was helping Krissy clean up after the party while Jamie played with Suzie and Ben in the living room. As they were in the middle of the cleanup, David called, wondering when his wife was going to come home. Krissy nodded, telling her she and Jamie could finish up, dropping the card she, Suzie, and Ben had signed for him on the small table by the door, hoping her son saw it and read it instead of just instantly throwing it away.

That Sunday, Rachel arrived at their house around one in the afternoon. Jamie and Krissy set her up in the guest bedroom on the first floor so Rachel wouldn't hear them when they made love. It took about three hours to move Rachel into the room and drive the U-Haul back to the nearest store. Once they returned, Rachel and Krissy spent the rest of the day in the room while Jamie stayed hidden when the yelling started.

******



It was around the week before Christmas that saw Jamie sitting in on his first performance review. He kept his face placid when the three people, one his boss, another David, and another he didn't know, reviewed his file. His attendance was never in question since he was always on time; most days, he was twenty minutes early, so he knew they couldn't ding him for that. What work he was given that his boss saw fit to dish out, something a second-year college student could do, was always turned in on time. So he was only waiting to see if his boss once again screwed him over. If she did, he would only work there long enough for his insurance to cover for the birth of their baby. Once she or he was born, then he would put in his resignation. He just hoped by then, CPA jobs would be in more of a demand than it was six months ago.

Jamie wasn't really listening to his boss or the other person as they yammered on. No. His mind was replaying the video that Krissy had sent to him showing off her lustful body to him. Telling him she wanted him to remember how it looked like in the coming months when her belly grew big, feeling bloated and unsexy. That was how Krissy told him that she was pregnant with their first child. He was hard up all day long afterwards, and Krissy greatly enjoyed it once he got home that evening. When David and Rhonda heard about the pregnancy, he didn't have a moment's peace that whole weekend.

Jamie's eyes flickered over to David when he was yammering on about something as it brought him out of his daydream. Looking down at his watch, a watch his wife had gotten him for his birthday, knowing nothing was going to change when all they were doing was bickering back and forth. He knew if he was going to get a raise, they would already have told him as such, so he knew that wasn't even on the table. All they were doing was arguing about corporate procedures that he couldn't care less about. He had work to finish before the company shut down in a day for the holidays. He wasn't about to be called in on it just to finish up something he could have done at that moment.

"Since you three have dicked me around for the past twenty minutes, I can assume I'm not getting a raise; if so, I'd rather get back to work," Jamie said, getting to his feet, which caused the three of them to stop their bickering. "Seems arguing amongst yourselves is far more important to you three than a timely performance review," he stated as he opened the door of the room they were in.

An hour later saw Jamie being called down to the HR department, where he was reprimanded for what he had said to the reviewers. Something he didn't care about, telling him they were putting it in his employee file, which had cost him the raise he would have been getting and his next one. Jamie knew that was a lie. He knew he wasn't getting one that day, but maybe any other time as well if he stayed on with his current boss. Telling him to watch his tone next year when he would be up for review again, something he seriously hoped he wouldn't be there for. He didn't think the woman that told him all that was happy when he just walked out when she was done without a word to her. He was done playing their games. He had done so for the first two months before he started to notice what was going on. He wasn't about to kiss his boss's ass just so he could make a few extra dollars; they weren't hurting that much for money.

Until he could find another job after their child's birth, he would keep to his attendance, yet he wouldn't put in any extra work. He would do the work given to him, even if an intern could handle it all. It was about time for him to head out as he began to power down his computer after saving his work. Picking up the photo of Krissy she had framed for him and placed it in the only drawer that locked on his desk to keep anyone from stealing it along with the rest of his personal items. What the company supplied he left on his desk since he didn't care what happened to it. Stuffing the papers he was working on for one of the many clients they had in the file cabinet as he heard footsteps approaching his cubicle.

"Jamie." The hairs stood on the back of his neck as he pushed the drawer closed at the sound of David's voice. Turning his head when he heard the sound of David placing his briefcase down on his desk. "I was hoping I caught you before you left for the day," David spoke, noting how Jamie's eyes were studying him, waiting on him to get to the point of this conversation. "I was wondering if you would give me a lift home. Rhonda would, but she's out doing last-minute shopping for the kids."

"Why?"

"Car is in the shop; I thought Kris told you that."

"I guess," Jamie sighed, knowing if he didn't, he wouldn't hear the end of it from Krissy.

"Sorry about your review," David said apologetically, arching an eyebrow when all Jamie did was shrug his shoulders as they rode down to the parking garage. "I'm sure the next time you go in front of the review board, it will be much better," he uttered, trying to bring levity to the situation.

"Uh-huh," Jamie muttered, not believing he would be there in a year. Tightening his peacoat around him as the cold air of winter bored into the cab of the elevator as the doors rolled open.

David looked curiously at Jamie's back when he stepped out of the cab, wondering what Jamie had meant by that. It sounded to him that Jamie didn't believe a word he said. While he didn't see anything wrong with Jamie's file when they were going over it during the review. So he knew Jamie was doing his work and turning it in on time, yet he would have thought Jamie would have been asking for larger clients to show he could handle the responsibility.

"You coming or what?" Jamie asked, peering back at his stepfather, who still stood in the cab of the elevator.

"Right, sorry," David answered. "So, can your mother and I expect you and Krissy on Christmas morning?" he inquired as he slid into the passenger seat. Reaching up and turning the seat warmer on as Jamie started up his car.

"Most likely," Jamie muttered as he backed out of his parking spot.

"Hey, you ever think of upgrading to a newer model?" David asked, making small talk to kill the silence.

"Maybe; why?" Jamie retorted, trying not to be as sarcastic as he normally was.

"I was thinking, if you were, maybe we could buy this car from you for your mother since the van's getting up there in miles. I know how much your mother enjoyed driving this that one time. Give it some thought; no rush," David said offhandedly. What he said was the truth, Rhonda did need a new vehicle, and she did like Jamie's SUV; plus, it being an AWD, he knew she would be alright in the snow as compared to the van. "Thanks for the lift Jamie," he spoke as he stood holding the door open as Jamie idled on the street. "We'll see you on Thursday," David said, waving to Jamie, who just nodded.

"Hey, baby!" Krissy greeted from the couch she and Rachel were sitting on as Jamie walked in.

"Hello," Jamie greeted, keeping his thoughts to himself at the sight of Rachel. He would have thought she would have already found herself an apartment, given it's been almost three months since she's came to stay with them. Not that he minded Rachel, she was a nice person, yet he thought it was time Rachel found her own place.

"Jamie?!" Krissy pushed herself up; her baby bump showed as she followed after her husband up the stairs. "Honey, what's wrong?" she asked as they walked down the hall towards their bedroom.

"Thought you said she would only be here for a month; it's been nearly three," Jamie said as he unbuttoned his shirt.

"I know, I know, I promise after the holidays we'll look for her a place; it's just that with Rachel having no family around, I just didn't want her to be all alone in some small apartment," Krissy stated, trying to ease his annoyance. "Honey, I'm sorry; I know this isn't how you thought our first year living here would go, but I'm very happy that you're so sweet to let Rachel stay," she said, running her hand down Jamie's left arm. "So, how did your review go?"

"Walked out," Jamie answered, throwing his shirt into the hamper.

"What? Why?" Krissy asked, very surprised that he would do such a thing.

"They were wasting my time and dicking me around; they weren't going to give me the raise; otherwise, I wouldn't have sat there for twenty minutes listening to them arguing about shit that didn't matter one bit about my raise," Jamie said as his t-shirt slid down his chest. "Surprised your father didn't call you about it and rag about how much I'm a disgrace."

"Dad wouldn't say such a thing," Krissy huffed. "Jamie, I know you're upset about how your work treats you, but don't take it out on my father."

"Why not? He was there; he and the other two would have rather argue about rules and such than actually do what they were there for," Jamie uttered as he walked out of the room.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Nothing I can do or want to do, Kris. Other than looking for another job, I'm not working myself to the bone for that company," Jamie spoke, his voice trailing after him as he descended the stairs.

"Just don't go off half-cocked, okay? We have a little one we need to think about," Krissy said lovingly as she rested her hands on her stomach as they entered their kitchen.

"Hadn't planned on it."

Jamie pulled into the driveway of his former home half an hour before noon on Thursday. He was chafing with his houseguest, given how Rachel had a habit of just leaving her clothes strewn about the living room and drinking his beer without replacing it. Krissy was trying to keep him as happy as she could. He knew she was starting to upset Krissy as well, given the few arguments he'd heard. He was just glad Rachel left on some trip her company set up. He was just happy that he didn't have to deal with her during the rest of his time off.

"Jamie, could you get the presents for me?" Krissy asked as she walked along the side of his car.

"Do they need all these?" Jamie inquired as he opened the tailgate.

"Of course they do; you can't simply show up on Christmas without presents for our siblings," Krissy said, smirking at him, holding out her arms for the gift bags she got for Rhonda and her father while Jamie carried in Suzie's and Ben's presents. Smiling as she walked towards the front door as she heard Suzie's excited voice through the windows.

"Hello, Krissy, you're coming along nicely; I hope there hasn't been anything too worrying with your checkups," Rhonda greeted in a motherly voice.

"We're doing just fine; it seems she gets her orneriness from her father," Krissy chuckled, seeing the sparkle in Rhonda's eyes at the news of the sex of their baby.

"He was indeed a handful," Rhonda said, lightly hugging her stepdaughter. "Hello, son, I see you brought presents; I do hope those are for us," she teased.

"I could take them back, you know," Jamie retorted from over the top of the presents.

"No!" Suzie screamed out in bloody murder as she came racing past Krissy and her mother. "You can't do that, brother?!" Nearly causing Jamie to fall as she crashed into his legs.

"Suzie, I'm sure Jamie was only joking, weren't you, Jamie," David said, appearing in the doorway holding Ben against him.

"Really, was it really a joke?" Suzie asked, plumping out her lower lip as she peered up at her brother. Hugging Jamie even harder when he nodded, "Good, you shouldn't joke about taking back your presents to me," she said with a wide, toothy grin.

"Suzie, how about you bring your brother in from out of the cold, then we can open up your presents he brought," Rhonda said, softly giggling in her mind as Suzie quickly rushed behind Jamie and started to push him towards the door.

Squeals abounded when Suzie and Ben opened their gifts; Rhonda and David thanked the both of them for the gifts they had gotten them. Once Suzie and Ben were enamored with their new toys, Rhonda asked Jamie for help in the kitchen.

"Jamie?"

"Hmm?"

"I heard what happened Tuesday; you doing okay?" Rhonda asked as she dished up the green beans.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just wondering, is all, want to talk about it?"

"What's there to talk about? Your husband was more concerned with yapping his gums than actually doing his job there. They spent more time bickering over rules than they did talking to me. So I saw no reason to waste my time when I knew I wasn't getting the raise," Jamie said; he didn't care if David heard him or not.

"Why do you say that?" Rhonda inquired, looking over at her son.

"Because my boss hates me and has only been giving me the lightest of work to do."

"Jamie, that can't be right. Might you be exaggerating..." Rhonda's voice died in her throat when Jamie just gave her a look. She didn't have to guess what it meant; she knew wholeheartedly what it signified. "Okay, why do you think she hates you?" Arching an eyebrow when all Jamie did was tap the scar on his face. "Why would..." Scowling when all Jamie did was walk off carrying the beans into the dining room. "Come with me, son," Rhonda spoke, taking Jamie by the arm once their lunch was over. Handing him his coat and taking her own off the peg and led him out into the cold. "Honey, I know you still don't see me as your mother, but you're always going to be my baby," looping her arm around Jamie's as she led him to his car, "I know with the baby coming, you must be under a lot of stress. Your father was like that too when I told him I was pregnant with you. I know we still have some things to work out between us. Yet I hope we've made some headway in restoring some of our relationship. With your baby on the way, I thought maybe we could get back to how things were before things went sour between us. You're going to need help when she arrives; you should know how hard raising a baby is; you've seen it enough with Suzie and Ben. I'm not saying it will be easy for the two of us, but I'm willing to try," she said, smiling at her son as she slipped her hand into his coat pocket and pulled out the keys to Jamie's SUV. "Now let's go for a drive, and we can talk about why this boss of yours hates you and what it has to do with your scar."
******



It was the first week of summer vacation, as Krissy was rushed into the hospital's ER wing. Sweat beaded along her brow, her face contorted in the pains of labor, and her curses to Jamie's manhood filled the air as the nurses helped her into a wheelchair before being taken back. Rhonda was pacing the floor as she was on the phone calling her son to inform him that Krissy was having their baby. Then she called David and told him the wonderful news, smiling at the sound of his jubilant voice.

Rhonda was waiting on pins and needles as she, David, Suzie, and Ben waited out in the waiting room for the news. Suzie and Ben were asleep in their seats as the clock passed midnight. While she didn't want to deal with the sneers Hugo or Marla would have given her, she thought it wise to inform them of their great-grandchild's birth. It was around two in the morning when Jamie walked into the waiting room. David and Rhonda quickly got to their feet at the sight of him.

"How did it go?" David asked in a worried tone.

"She's fine, resting at the moment," Jamie answered.

"And my little grandbaby, how is she?" Rhonda asked, trying to contain her excitement.

"Healthy; she's sleeping too; you should go home; it's late," Jamie said, eager to return to his wife's side.

"Now Jamie, I'm her father and..."

"You really just going to go barging into my wife's room when she's exhausted and sleeping after you've been told she's resting? You aren't at work. You can't throw your weight around here like you do there. You might be her father, but I am her husband, and I'm telling you to go home," Jamie said sternly. "You can see them both in the morning."

"Jamie!" David barked.

"Honey, Jamie's right, it's late, and Krissy isn't going anywhere," Rhonda said, placing her hand on David's arm. Knowing if David kept pushing, all that would do was piss off her son, and Jamie wouldn't hesitate to keep them from seeing their grandchild. "And we need to get the kids home," she stated, waving over to them. "Jamie, I'll be here bright and early," Rhonda said, noting how he eyed her from over his shoulder before he nodded and headed back to Krissy's room.

The next morning saw Rhonda cradling her granddaughter in her arms as Krissy's eyes watched her while Jamie went home to change and get something to eat. A motherly smile formed on her face as little Jan gazed up at her. Cooing sweetly at her as she gently swayed as she stood at the foot of Krissy's hospital bed.

"She's so beautiful," Rhonda sighed, gently laying Jan into her mother's arms.

"That she is," Krissy said, pulling down her gown down her shoulder exposing her right breast. Wincing a little when Jan latched onto her nipple. "Is it supposed to hurt when she nurses?" she asked, looking up at her stepmother.

"The first few times," Rhonda answered. "It'll get easier as she gets better at nursing from you."

"Krissy, would you mind if I stayed with you and Jamie just for a few days to make sure you all are settling in. I know how it is with a new baby and the lack of sleep you'll get," Rhonda spoke as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"What about Dad, Suzie, and Ben?"

"Your Dad will be fine; Suzie and Ben will love staying at your house. You're going to be sore for a few weeks, and you'll be happy to have a helping hand to make dinner and keep your house clean," Rhonda said, a little sad that her childbearing years were coming to an end. Nonetheless, she was very happy with the children she had given birth to.

"I was going to ask," Jamie said, standing in the doorway, startling the two of them.

"Really?!" Rhonda asked, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. Knowing this was the first time Jamie had asked her for anything since they started to repair their relationship.

"Yeah, that is if you can get your husband to get over his little control stick," Jamie said, walking into the room with a bag filled with clothes for Krissy.

"I'll talk to him; I should go pick the kids up. I know Suzie is really wanting to see you," Rhonda said, rubbing Krissy's right knee as she got off the bed.

"Bring them by; I'm sure they want to see their baby niece," Krissy said, gazing lovingly down at her sleeping daughter.

And so, life went on for Jamie and Krissy. Their baby Jan grew into a healthy young girl; Rhonda, David, Suzie, Jamie, and Ben were there to watch her start her first day of kindergarten. Two years after the birth of their daughter Jan, their son Darriel Jacob Lancash Jr. was born. Jamie had asked his grandparents if it was alright with them to name his son after his father. He knew it would be a touchy subject for them, but after a few days, they called and talked to Jamie for a bit before giving him their consent.

During his daughter's first month, Jamie had given his notice and took his vacation as his two weeks and went to work for their competitor. Where he excelled and was promoted twice before the first year was out. As it turned out, David and Ruth had a hand in keeping him from advancing at his old job. When Krissy learned about it, she tore into her father, as did Rhonda, seeing how David was trying to show Krissy that Jamie wouldn't amount to anything. David had to work hard to get back in his wife's good graces. Even then, Rhonda watched him like a hawk. David's relationship with his daughter wasn't the same, yet she didn't cut him out of her life like she had done with her mother, who was now living alone and finding it hard to date given how her reputation had spread around the city she found herself in.

Dafne finally met someone, only to leave him widowed when the ship she was on sank off the coast of southern France.

Rachel moved down to Miami and never again got to the point of marriage and died at the age of sixty.

Missy and Steven lasted for ages, having three kids and a very loving marriage before Steven developed dementia and wandered into the woods around his house and died from exposure.

Krissy and Jamie retired to North Carolina after seeing their children grow and move on with their own lives. Suzie moved to Texas to begin her career in law. Ben went into the Navy and saw the world thrice before returning home.

Rhonda died in her sleep at the age of eighty and very happy that she and her son had overcome their past and rebuilt their relationship. David had long since moved to Canada after Rhonda had divorced him after finding out the rumors she was hearing were true. He found life in Canada harder than he thought it would be living alone in the cold white north.

The End.