I never noticed Gwendolyn. I mean, I saw her in class and I spoke with her – I don’t mean I was rude or she was invisible. I just mean it never even occurred to me that my future wife would be a short, thin, pale, blonde woman.

Gwen was my Biology 101 lab partner. Neither of us were science majors – I had settled on Physical Education and she was studying Business Finance – so the class was purely a general studies requirement and not something either of us was looking forward to. It was filled with a lot of experiments measuring nothing and tests to show us the glories of scientific method. Gwen was smart and had a sense of humor and we had a lot of fun proving that neither of us was cut out for science.

She was a bit reserved but not shy. We didn’t talk too much about our personal lives but the semester was long enough for her to see me cycle through several dates; she knew I wasn’t used to sleeping alone for long just as I knew she wasn’t ‘that’ kind of girl.

It was a Tuesday night and part of the homework was to go to the library and view a DVD on mitosis. We got there early, we thought, only to find the disc in use and spoken for for the rest of the evening.

“I guess we’ll have to watch it tomorrow.” She sighed.

“Wednesday’s are bad for me. I gotta work.” I looked at the clerk. “I don’t suppose there’s a copy that can be checked out ‘round here?”

He checked. “No. Not on DVD.”

“But in other formats?” I perked up.

“Yeah, we’ve got a VHS tape still.”

“Oh, God!” Gwen laughed. “Who still uses those?”

“My Grandfather, for one.” I said happily. The clerk got the tape for us and Gwen and I picked up a pizza before heading over to my place.

The VCR was hooked up to the big screen in the living room so Gwen and I spread out on the floor to watch the three-hours of excitement.

Alex came home about mid-way through. He stopped in the doorway and I watched his expression change from tired to livid. “What’s this?” He asked gesturing to the TV.

“Cell biology.” I answered. I was actually a little off-put by his attitude. Alex was supposed to be my submissive and usually pretty dedicated to the roll. “What up?”

“Where’s my game tape?” He asked, ignoring my tone.

“Game tape?” There had been a tape in the player but I pulled it out.

“VT’s playin’ ESU tonight. I’m tapin’ the game. For the team.”

He had mentioned that, but I’d completely forgotten it. I got up and pulled him into the hallway. “Alex. I’m sorry, I forgot.” I whispered. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

He sighed and tried to get over it. “I’ll deal. It’s cool.” His brow knit.

“It’s not cool. I’m sorry.” I kissed him softly knowing that that would win a smile faster than any apology. I kissed him again when the first one worked.

“Quit it.” He mumbled, not meaning it.

“Forgive me?”

He snorted, “’Course. I got friends at VT; I should be able ta get a copy somehow.”

“Good.” I gave him a sharp hit to the shoulder – which he probably liked more than the kiss – “We got pizza, you want a slice.”

“Nah.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t want to cock-block.” He glanced toward the living room. “Kinda skinny, ain’t she?”

“Relax. She’s a classmate. This is homework. That’s all.”

“Right.” He snickered all the way to the kitchen.

I went back and sat down. “What I miss?”

“Nothing.” She handed me the remote and I realized that she’d paused the tape while I was gone.

“Ah. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She looked at the door. “So, who was that?”

“Alex? Oh, my cousin. Granddad let’s us both use the house.”

“I see. The game?”

I shrugged. “He was planning to tape it. He’ll get over it.” I re-started our tape and shifted to get more comfortable. Gwen shifted and I grabbed a cushion off the couch. I little while later, I noticed her shiver, realized it was a bit cool in the room and grabbed the throw from the back of the couch. When she was having trouble taking notes, I shifted closer so she could use my notebook.

She was shivering but her arm was warm next to mine. She smelled nice, I noticed as well. Lilac? Something light and floral. I caught myself putting my arm around her. Was I actually trying to put a move on her? No, I told myself. Gwen wasn’t that kind of girl. She pulled a little closer to me and I thought, maybe, she could become that kind of girl. Or maybe she’s just into mitosis. Whatever the catalyst was, she was warm and smelled great and I found myself leaning in just a bit closer to see if it was her shampoo or her soap.

I don’t know whether she moaned first or I kissed her neck first I just know that both happened. Several times.

“Peter.” She whispered.

I worked my way around to her lips. “Do you want me to stop?” I breathed. “Say no.”

“No.” she replied softly and leaned back. We rolled off the cushion and I awkwardly got it back on the couch and out of our way one handed.

We kissed for a while. Her reserved exterior dissolved as a passionate interior emerged. I found myself being nearly overwhelmed. I decided I liked that. I decided I liked it a lot more when she started unbuttoning my shirt. I rolled over so that she was on top of me and began returning the favor.

“You don’t have to do this.” She said stopping suddenly. “You don’t have to pretend you want to fool around.”

“Who pretending?” I asked getting her shirt over her creamy white shoulders. She looked like one of those statues of Greek beauties sunbathing. I made short work of her bra and rolled her back over so that I didn’t have to crane my neck to make a meal of her breasts. Ordinarily, I’m not a tit man. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never said no if they were offered to me, I just prefer the offerings downstairs. But Gwen held my face to her and groaned as I sucked them and I thought it would be rude to just move on under the circumstance. Her hips grinding against mine while she held me there added some incentive to stay put as well.

Finally, I was aching to taste her and I got my hands between us to start working on her jeans. It started a race to see who could get naked first. I didn’t really care who won. I slid down a bit, opened her thighs and lifted her hips.

“Rubber.” She gasped.

“Rubber?” my pre-occupied mind tried to connect the word to anything.

“Before we do it. A rubber.” She looked a little pensive, a little earnest and a lot sexy. I suddenly realized that she wanted to skip the pleasantries and get straight to business.

“Rubber.” I thought for a minute. I had used the one in my wallet and hadn’t replaced it. There were plenty in the house. There was a supply in the bedroom and a second stockpile in the basement bondage playroom. If I had thought it wouldn’t give her time to change her mind, I’d take her to one of them. I glanced around the room and spotted Alex’s bag. “Yes!” I got up, grabbed it and dumped the contents on the floor – even if Alex was pissed about that, he wouldn’t say anything.

Sure enough, there was a whole box of them. I fumbled it open and got back to her.

“Shouldn’t you…” she started but I kissed her silent.

“Later.” I got the damn thing on. They should come with easy open pull-tabs – they know guys are working with limited brain power when they do this. She held my cock and guided me in and I was thrilled for a moment. I pushed all the way in and lay there kissing her. “Oh my God.” I whispered.

“You’re so big!” She moaned.

I laughed. “Really?” I’m not even the biggest guy I’ve been with but I won’t deny that it was great hearing her say it. She was, however, very tight so maybe for her, I was. I pulled back and slid in again. “Say it again.” She moaned. Another stroke and she wrapped her legs around me.

Stay slow, I told myself. Just stay slow, keep it easy. She kept moaning in my ear, whispering how deep I was, how big I was, how good it felt. After a while, I had to kiss her again just to get her to stop saying it. It was driving me crazy and I was having a hard time staying slow and sensitive with her making me feel like a stud bull.

“Peter!” She arched her hips against me and squealed. “Oh God, I’m so close!”

“Yeah?” I panted. “This help?” I pulled back – not out just back – and rubbed my pelvic bone where I was hoping her clit was. She gasped something unintelligible and bit my shoulder as her body shook under mine. Her teeth hurt like hell but feeling her pussy cuming around my dick felt like damn near heaven.

We lay there for a while. Then I just decided that I wanted to wake the neighbors. I wasn’t worried about waking Alex – he was likely watching us. But I wanted to make her cum again – loudly. I propped her ass on my thighs and held her legs open and drilled her like that until she began sliding across the floor. We changed position, doggie style with her on her knees and me behind her banging as hard and fast as I could. She did cum again and I stopped banging long enough to enjoy the feeling.

“My knees.” She gasped. In truth, the carpet was pretty rough on mine too. We moved on to the couch. She sat in my lap and I sucked her tits and we bounced around until I was ready to stop playing and get off. Roughly someplace around fifteen minutes.

Then I pushed her over on the couch and fell on top of her and we kissed and fucked and finally, I came. She inhaled sharply and came again. I realized instantly that the condom must have slipped off because I could actually feel her this time. It would be a lie to say I was in anyway sorry about that. We lay on the couch for a while. Then I realized that she might not be in the most comfortable position.

I sat up and took her hand. “Come on.”

She took it back. “I should, uh, I think I should go.”

“You sure?” she grabbed the first article of clothing she saw and held it against herself. “You don’t have to. We have a guest room. I promise I’ll behave.”

“No. Really. I have to be up early anyway.” She wouldn’t look at me.

I gave in. “Ok. Look, we’ve got a bathroom down here if you want to freshen up. Just down the hall. I’ll be right back.” I hurried up stairs to give her a minute to get there without stressing too much about being naked. I dressed in a rush and poked my head in Alex’s door. “I’m takin’ her home. Be back soon.”

“Huh.” He didn’t look up from his book. “That much noise, I figured she’d be stayin’ the night an’ wakin’ me in the morning.”

“Funny guy, you know that?”

“I’m just sayin’.”

“Don’t.”

Gwen was already dressed when I got back down stairs and waiting by the door. I grabbed my keys and took her back to campus. She pulled back when I tried to kiss her good night. She laughed lightly when I promised to call her.

I did call. I called Wednesday twice before lunch. And again at lunch. And again after work. I got her voice mail every time. I swung by her dorm as soon as I could just to make sure someone had seen her.

“She’s, um, out.” The girl at the desk told me. “But yeah, she was here today.” I had the distinct feeling Gwen was hiding under the desk.

Thursday, she showed up for class as if nothing had happened. Her greeting was as friendly as always and if the smile hadn’t slid off her face every time she looked away from me, I might actually have believed that she felt as casual about me as she pretended. I gave up trying to discuss anything but class after she said “Hey, you don’t have to try to be more than my lab partner, ok? I’m not that lame – I know a booty call.”

It must have been the first time in her life she’d said the word ‘booty’. I smiled and laughed and I think she thought I agreed with her.

While our experiment was simmering over a Bunsen burner, I tore out a piece of notebook paper. I wrote the question ‘do you like me?’ and put check boxes next to ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’. Then, I folded the paper into as many squares as I could and slid it to Gwen’s side of the table. Then I got up and checked to see if our neighbor’s had gotten the same boiling point that we had.

When I got back to the table, Gwen was adjusting the test tube and the burner. The note was re-folded and sitting on my notebook. I realized that there was no subtle way to play high school games so I just picked it up and opened it. I wondered if you ever outgrow the warm fuzzy feeling of seeing a large check mark in the ‘yes’ box. She had even pulled out her red pen to do it. I put a second set of check boxes down and added a second ‘like’ in uppercase above the first. Then I refolded the note, chucked it to Gwen’s side of the table and tried to look casual. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as she looked at the note and blushed – a good sign – then picked it up and grinned. She picked up her red pen again and turned to the table behind her to write her answer. I busied myself checking the volume of sediment at the bottom of the test tube. I tried not to notice when the folded note bounced off my leg and under another table. “John, Hey. Get that for me, huh?”

“Trash?” He asked getting ready to toss it.

“No!” I nearly dumped the test tube contents trying to get the note back and John raised an eyebrow but went back to his own work without asking.

Gwen looked away and blushed again as I handed the equipment to her and opened the note. The all-caps ‘like’ was underlined with a star next to it. A large red check mark was in the second ‘yes’ box. Two red boxes were added and arrows pointing to ‘ditto question #1’ and ‘ditto question #2’. The paper was getting pretty cramped. I started to just ask aloud but decided to see how long she’d keep playing the game. I covered the paper so she couldn’t see me put two large x’s in the two new ‘yes’ boxes. Then around the edge of the paper, I wrote ‘do I have to get a second sheet of paper or can I ask you out normally?’ I put in ‘yes’ and ‘no’ boxes – but no ‘maybe’.

I watched her read the note and pretend to think about her answer. Then she blocked the page with her arm and wrote another message. I smelled smoke and realized that we’d left the burner on and toasted our experiment. I turned it off and copied the answers for the last six assignments from John. By the time I turned around the note was back on my side of the table and Gwen was cleaning up.

The ‘no’ box was checked. A new message read, ‘How about after class at the Mexican place on Fenton?’ There was a ‘yes’ box only – no ‘maybe’, no ‘no’. I put my extra large x in the box, put the note face up on her notebook and helped clear off the desk.

After that, our relationship just fell into place. It was as if we’d always been together and we’d always be together. She started coming to swim meets; I started attending jazz concerts with her. She came to the house for church on Sunday. When she moved in, I felt like I was finally getting my life in order.

And the sex. Sex with Gwen was like being on a storm in high seas – stunning and intense and beautiful yet frightening at the same time. After our first night, we got tested for everything and she by-passed the pill in favor of an IUD and we did nothing but hold hands and kiss until the results came back. I told her point blank that if she was already pregnant, I was marrying her on the spot. She didn’t take me seriously. When the tests came back clean, we celebrated by spending an entire day in bed.

Her pussy was the tightest thing I’d ever felt short of her ass. Her mouth was similarly talented. We used all three on a regular basis. She’d let me eat her all night if I wanted, literally falling asleep and waking up with her pussy with in reach of my tongue for hours on end. We covered every inch of each other with lips, tongues, and fingers. No time of the month was off limits and no physical location was out of bounds.

She wasn’t always in the mood, though. When she was, Gwen and I could fuck for hours. But when she wasn’t, she didn’t want to be touched period – no holding hand, no cuddling on the couch, no playing footise under the table even. All or nothing. For a touchy-feely guy like me, it was incredibly frustrating.

Before Gwen, my method of handling sexual frustration was to bang Alex. He was always willing and his need for a Dominant was satisfied by it. I had reconciled myself, I thought, to the fact that no woman was going to have my sex drive and I was going to need some kind of outlet. Alex had been it. Now, Alex was seeing Ame and I was seeing Gwen. And Gwen didn’t swing. Period. I had broached the subject once and she made it abundantly clear that anything between one man and one woman was up for consideration but everything else was out of bounds. Almost a year into our relationship, I learned that not only would she not swing, but that she was severely homophobic.

“They’re just gross.” She said flinching. “The whole idea turns my stomach.” We’d been discussing my younger brother Robert who, at 14, was facing the NiS program as an Out teenager. “I mean, this, hopefully will fix him. He’s too young to know what he’s saying; he…”

“He didn’t come Out to my father ‘cause he didn’t know what he was sayin’.” I interrupted. “He’s gay. Really. It’s not a big deal.”

“It’s sick and perverted. He’s just trying to shock people. You shouldn’t indulge him.”

“My Aunt Hanna’s married to a woman. Is that sick and perverted too?”

“Yes, and don’t say ‘married’. We’ll be married. Homo’s can’t get married. They have commitments or whatever they call them.” She tiled her head. “You don’t think they’re relationship is like ours, do you?”

“As a point of fact, I know it’s exactly like ours.” I lowered my voice. There was no need to shout at her. “Jen and Hanna are deeply in love. Trust me, when you meet them…”

“Oh, I’m not meeting them!” She looked indignant.

“Hell yes you are. They will be at the wedding and Robert’s gonna be one of my groom’s men.”

“No.”

“Ah, yes.”

“No.” She said and left the room.

I followed her, grabbed her arm and yanked her around to face me. “Nah-uh. You ain’t walkin’ out like that.” I snarled. “You best be clear on this one. My family ain’t perfect but they is my family an’ you gonna treat ‘em like family or you best pack up an’ move now.” Her eyes and mouth were round with shock. “I don’t care if they black, white, gay, straight or panda, you best keep yo’ damn opinion to yo’self. Are we clear?” I stared at her until she whispered a faint yes. Then I let her go and stalked out of the house.

It was the worse fight we’d ever had. I walked the mile and a half to the nearest Starbucks and got something dark, hot and sweet served by someone sweet, hot and dark. I could be bonin’ that, I thought, instead of one of the world’s biggest bigots.

Twenty minutes later, my phone rang. “Dude, what the fuck you say to Gwen?”

I bit back my first response. When Alex was my submissive, he wasn’t allowed to swear or call me ‘dude’. He’s not my sub anymore. “Why?”

“’Cause she cryin’ her eyes out. She says you want her to move out. I told her that’s not true but…”

“Yeah, well if she can’t get past Robert, then it is true.”

“Robert?”

“Yeah, she doesn’t want him at the wedding because he’s gay.” Alex laughed. “She thinks it’s sick.”

“She has no fucking clue!” I let him get it out of his system. I’d likely be laughing at the absurdity if I didn’t feel like my life was falling apart. Again. “Dude, chill. I’ll talk to her.”

“There’s no point. Good luck.” I hung up and sipped my coffee. The dark, hot girl walked past me picking up trash and wiping tables. She took extra care and moved slowly. If Gwen moves out, maybe I’ll drink more coffee. She smiled; I smiled back. She spoke; I replied. She sat down and I sat up. We chatted until my phone rang again. Gwen. “My, uh, fiancée.” I said a bit sheepishly. She left as I answered the call.

We argued some more but ultimately, she gave in. She agreed to at least keep her opinion on this topic to herself and I agreed not to flaunt these things in her face – stick to a don’t ask, don’t tell policy around the house.

I went home. She was waiting on the porch. I hugged her, kissed her and told myself that it would all work out.

And it did.

Our wedding day was literally the happiest day of my life. Even with the stress, the last minute cold feet, the hang over from a bachelor party no one remembered, and the last minute rain storm.

We got married in West Virginia, in April right around Spring Break so that we didn’t miss any classes for it. We could have waited until after graduation but I wanted to get married and to my utter joy, Gwen didn’t want to wait either. I wanted to do it in Reedville, so that my whole family – 25 of them at last count – didn’t have to make a four hour drive – but Gwen wanted it to be close to her mother, so I conceded. And we wound up with a very small wedding party – one attendant each so Robert wasn’t a groom’s man after all. But Gwen was radiant in white and when she looked me in the eyes and said ‘I do’ I honestly felt my heart stop for a moment.

Our reception was a short, formal affair very different from that chaos that usually reigns at McElroy family events. Gwen’s parents were reserved especially in comparison to mine. My Dad and his brothers quickly got on Gwen’s Father’s bad side and Robert and Alex spent part of their day keeping the two sides apart. Not that they made a scene – no one did anything to ruin Gwen’s day – but I’m glad Robert recognized distant storm clouds when he saw them.

Frankly, the whole thing, as wonderful as it was, took too long. If it had been up to me, I would have taken Gwen to the hotel across from the chapel as soon as the minister pronounced us wed. Waiting until the reception finished was torment. Getting through the airport and onto our flight, further tested my patience. Hawaii. My bride wanted Hawaii, I took her to the island for two weeks. We had a limo from the airport to the resort. We had the bridal suite at the resort. Our first night we had a private, sunset candle-lit dinner for two on the beach. That was the last time we left our room for two days.

I told her over dinner that I wanted her pregnant before we got home. “Give it your best shot.” She smiled over her champagne.

I started stripping her in the elevator. We found my tie neatly hung on the doorknob outside a couple days later. We fucked, hard and fast and without any pretense of romance. It was raw, it was hot and it was loud enough that we got complaints from management. We did not stop.

The next morning when we woke, I found my bride sitting on our private balcony overlooking the empty beach. We made love right there, softly, slowly, sweetly. When I started hearing voices on the beach, I picked her up – still embedded in her – and carried her to the bed. I wasn’t in any rush to cum and I was enjoying feeling her. She told me years later that that morning was the most erotic thing that had ever happened to her. I did, of course, finally cum and as we faded to sleep, we promised each other that we’d get up, get dressed and see the island.

I came to half consciousness to the wonderful feeling of someone blowing me. I lay there and mentally thanked Ug the Patron Goddess of Blowjobs. This is one of those fleeting moments in my life that I have always faced with both joy and dread. Joy because I love the feeling. Dread because I’ve had some nasty surprises as to who was doing the blowing. Once it was my sister. Once it was Alex – but the girl I was with at the time wasn’t expecting that. As full consciousness washed over me, I realized that it was Gwen. Then it hit me: it would always be Gwen. No more waking up and being afraid of who my eyes would see or trying to remember her – or his – name. No more wondering if I was going to be alone for the rest of my life. It was Gwen giving me that intense pleasure. It was Gwen I was waking up with. I opened my eyes a slit just to be sure then pulled her up to me to kiss her soundly.

“What about my snack?” she pouted.

“Order room service.” I suggested. We did somehow order it. I don’t know when the food arrived. I know she nearly screamed when I finished eating her.

Eventually, even we had to stop, shower and eat a real meal. We toured the resort before going back to our room and making love again.

The whole trip was like that. Two days in bed for every one seeing the sights. I used a very simple rule: if it took longer than an hour for me to get it up again, then it must be time to get out of bed.

We were on the plane back when she took my hand. “Peter? I have to tell you something. Promise you won’t get mad.”

“Of course not.” But you know it won’t be good when they start it like that.

“You remember that I was going to make a gyno appointment before we left?”

To have her IUD removed. We didn’t need now. I wanted as many children as she could safely have. “I remember.”

“I didn’t make it.” She told me she had. She lied to me the day before our wedding. “I’m sorry. I just knew it was so important to you and I didn’t want to ruin everything for you and I was afraid you’d be upset….”

“Stop!” I snapped then stopped myself and kissed her hand. “You couldn’t get in ta see ‘em. It was kinda last minute, I know. It’s ok.” I forced myself to smile at her. “I guess we just gonna have ta keep tryin’ at home.” There were worse thing that could happen.

“Peter, I….” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t call them. I didn’t try to make an appointment.” I think we both must have looked wrecked. “I’m sorry but I’m just not ready for a baby yet.” Her eyes began to tear up. “I’m barely ready for you. I just can’t believe you love me – still – and we’re not even finished with school! And what if we can’t find jobs or if things change or –“

She was panicking which I guess was somewhat reasonable. It all was moving a bit fast. I was ok with it because I knew we were set – we had two months until graduation, the McElroy Family Trust paid for our house, and we both had jobs if we wanted them at the Fishery. If all she wanted to do the rest of her life was watch TV and have babies, I was good with that. But I knew these things to be fact; for Gwen, this was all theory. I let go of her hands and held her face gently. Once again, I marveled at how delicate and pale she was even after two weeks on an island. “Honey, hush.” I kissed her. “We got our whole lives ahead.” I kissed her again. “I can wait. You don’t even need ta tell me. When you ready, you just remove it. You don’t need ta ask, ain’t no need for worry. I love you. ‘K?”

A few tears spilled down her cheeks. “Ok.” She leaned into my chest. “Oh Peter! I’m so sorry!” She sobbed for a few minutes and I got the chair arm out of our way and just held her for a while. I waved off the stewardess when she stopped to see if she could help.

We dozed off like that and didn’t wake until the stewardess woke us to say we’d be landing in Richmond soon.

“Richmond?” Gwen nearly burst. “Why Richmond? Is there a problem?”

The woman gave her a funny look. “No. We’re coming in as scheduled.” She moved on and Gwen looked at me.

“Why are we coming in to Richmond?”

I shrugged. “I wanted our first night back ta be in our home.”

“But Richmond is a four hour drive! Why aren’t we at Dulles?”

“Richmond four hours from school; it’s only ‘bout two from the house.”

“Peter!” She sighed deeply. “Please don’t tell me we are staying with your Mother.”

I had to laugh. “Our house, not Ma’s.” She tilted her head waiting for a clarification. “In Reedville proper. It ain’t big – only three bedrooms but the basement’s finished and Bill’s agreed ta move out….”

“Wait. What?”

“Bill. Works for the Fishery. He been rentin’ the place from the family for years. He agreed ta move out…”

“For us? You’re kicking him out for us?”

I have to laugh outright. “Mike been lookin’ for an excuse ta move Bill in with him for years! They figured this was a good excuse ta Committee to each other. So while we were sayin’ ‘I Do’ in Winchester, they were havin’ a much smaller event on the dock.” She made a face and I curbed my response to it. “They been friends uh my family for longer than I been alive an’ we didn’t even attend their weddin’. Whatever you thinkin’, don’t say it. They picked that day for you – so they wouldn’t spoil your weddin’. Hear me?”

She had the good grace to look ashamed. “I hear you.”

“Good. So, now, they together and moved inta Mike’s house and the house on Lee Manor vacant. Momma an’ the rest of the women folk got it cleaned up and fresh sheets and what not and after graduation, we can move in permanently. I just figured since we got one more night together, that we could spend it in our home. Just us.” I tilted her chin up to me. “You think?”

She resisted for a moment but smiled despite herself. “Ok. A place to stay while we’re there seems silly. We don’t need an entire house.”

“Where else we gonna put all the eventual young’uns?”

“We have plenty of space now!”

“Yeah, but that ain’t our house.” I chuckled but it slowly dawned on me that we never actually discussed this. “You know we can’t stay there, right?”

She looked a bit alarmed. “I thought your Grandfather owned the house.”

“He does but he own it outright. It ain’t family property. He wanna keep it for anybody who need it.”

“Well, I knew things would be a little tight until your cousins moved out.” Jean and Joseph had moved in at the beginning of the semester. “But I thought we’d just make due until summer. Then they could find another place and…”

“Find another place? Why?”

“Well, couldn’t you talk to your Grandfather about it?”

“Why?”

“I just don’t understand why we can’t stay there!”

“We could, if we wanted to.”

“Ok. So let’s just stay.”

“Why?”

“Because we live there.”

“For school.”

She looked confused for a moment and the stewardess picked that minute to interrupt us. Apparently, all passengers really do have to disembark the plane at some point. Gwen and I didn’t speak much as we got through the airport, claimed our luggage and went to the parking lot.

“The cabs are this way.” She urged me.

“Yeah, but long term parking over here.”

“Yes, but we parked at Dulles. If you recall.”

I stopped at the shuttle bus stop. “We parked at Dulles. Then Alex and Beth picked up my car an’ took it home. When Alex an’ Ame went ta Florida this week, they brought the car here. They’ll fly in on Monday an’ likely, Uncle George come get them then.” The shuttle pulled up and I picked up the luggage. “That’s what family do.” We didn’t speak on the ride to the car.

I found it easily – we always park in it the row with your first name, P for Peter, A for Alex, and so on. Gwen didn’t ask how I knew were it was so I didn’t share that little trick with her. We just got in and started home.

Finally, she said, “So you were planning on living in Reedville and you never told me.”

I thought about that for a minute before I carefully spoke. “I ain’t got a job, you ain’t got a job. My family own a Fishery in Reedville and a vacant house. I guess I ain’t think that need a whole lot of discussion.”

“I have a job – at the law firm? And what about your job at the pool?”

I scoffed. “Receptionist. That ain’t uh job. An’ the pool ain’t full time. An’ can’t afford me full time even if they wanna – which they don’t.”

“I like my job.”

“You married now.” And then swore at myself silently as I realize that was exactly the wrong thing to say.

“OH! So now that I’m married my job is to be your wife? Look, I’ve sat through just as many classes as you have and I fully intend to do something meaningful with my life other than cook your meals and pump out your kids! Do not start the chauvinist bullshit with me, Peter, or you are in for a world of trouble!”

“Gwen, calm down! I didn’t mean it like that!” Actually, I meant it exactly like that but I’m not totally stupid. “I just meant that you can do better than a part-time reception position. And you should do more than that.”

“And where can either of us find a real job in Reedville?”

“It ain’t the styx. I mean, it ain’t a big city but we got businesses there. Or hell, start your own. Look, we live in Reedville, we got uh house and we don’t gotta worry about money. We can take some time, figure out what we want to do.”

“Well, we’ll have to find something. We still have to pay rent and eat.”

“Well, we do gotta eat but no rent.”

“I thought you said it was a rental house.”

“No, I said Bill been rentin’ it. House been owned outright probably close to a hundred years.” She was silent so I glanced at her. Her jaw had dropped. I had to laugh. “What? Uncle Julius house older than that.” I stole a kiss. “I told you – bein’ a McElroy mean somethin’. Mrs. McElroy.”

That melted her. She blushed. “Mr. McElroy. Watch the road.” She sat back and we had a not so tense silence for a little while. “So I guess it’s all already decorated?”

I shrugged. “Wouldn’t know. But, Gwen, it’s your home. You wanna re-decorate, do it.”

“Maybe a few things. It would be nice to have at least one room that was ours.”

“Do the whole house over all I care. Hell, I only got plans for one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“A pool. Out back. Yard’s big enough as I recall.”

“We can do that? Would they mind?”

“Would who mind?”

“The family. I mean, whomever owns the house.”

“Gwen, honey, you not gettin’ this. The house owned by the Family Trust. So, if your name McElroy, you own the house.”

“You mean you own it. Effectively.”

“No.” Another thing I neglected to mention. “Day we got married, Daddy an’ Uncle George did the paperwork. You part uh the family, you got shares uh family stock, an’ you in the Family Trust Account.”

“What? I didn’t sign anything.”

“It’s waitin’ for us at the house I expect.”

“Oh my God. Stock?”

“Yep.” I chuckled. “You get 10 shares for bein’ born. You gotta earn the rest.” I glanced at her. “Don’t worry, you only gotta work the boats once.”

“You are kidding!”

“Nope! It’s tradition!”

“For the guys sure, but the wives?”

“Hell yeah! What, you think Grandma Rachael and Beth kiddin’ ‘bout workin’ the nets?”

“Well, yes! It sounds horrible!”

Well, we’ll go out on one of the charter boats. Likely you won’t smell like fish when we get home.” I teased. Well, mostly teased.

“No. Absolutely not. I don’t believe you anyway. Your Mother has never set foot on that dock, I’ll bet.”

“You bet wrong. She used ta help Dad an’ Uncle George on the early run back in high school. 4:30am she was out there with ‘em.”

“You’re lying.” I just laughed. “Beth I’ll believe and I know Jean’s planning on following her Father’s footsteps but Joan’s an accountant!”

“Yep. Worked the boats in high school for a while but spends most of her time in the office.” I grinned at her. “Just go out on the boats with me once. Then, if you wanna help out, you can hang out in the office.”

“I can earn shares there too?”

“Of course!”

“Well. You should have said that first.” She hit me. “Jerk!”

“Yeah, but you love me anyway.” She didn’t respond and after a minute, I looked at her. “Right?”

She had an exaggerated look of confusion. “Give me a minute; I’m still thinking.”

I got my hand under her butt and pinched her. “That ain’t even a joke. You best think up a yes right quick!”

“Quit that!” She laughed. “You’re driving! You have to behave while you’re driving.”

“I can do all kinda things while I’m driving. Move over uh bit an’ see if I’m lyin’.”

“Oh no! You keep those hands on the wheel, Mr! I am not interested in being a widow before I’m really a wife, thank you.”

“Ain’t nobody died.” I had to smile at the memory. “She’dda died happy, though.”

“Peter!”

“What?”

“Oh! Such a slut!”

“Who me?”

“Yes you! I told you about those evil ways.”

“I have no evil ways.”

“OOOO! And you liiiieeeee!”

The rest of the drive to Reedville was her in depth review of my ‘evil’ ways and my vain attempt to defend my honor.

When we got to town, I gave her a brief tour. We’d only be there one night. We could see it in detail when we came back after graduation. We’d have the rest of our lives to memorize every brick.

The rest of our lives. I was really getting used to thinking that. Gwen would be beside me for the rest of our lives. Reedville would be our home for the rest of our lives. Our car would be blue for the rest of our lives. I was probably taking it a bit far but it was hard not to.

She was wearing my ring for the rest of our lives.

We found the house. It wasn’t hard; the town isn’t that big and I’d been there a couple times before. We started to unload the car and I handed her the keys when she asked for them. When she opened the door, however, I realized what I was forgetting.

“Wait!” I stopped her before she could enter the house and took the bags out of her hand.

“What?” but I think she knew what was coming. “Peter, don’t be silly.”

“A man only get to do this once. My wife –“

“Your first wife.” She shot.

“Don’t sass me woman!” I gathered her hands. “My only wife. I, Peter Harper McElroy took you Gwendolyn Meredith Weiss to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live.” I kissed her because men don’t cry when they’re happy. “You my wife an’ this our home so I get ta do this.” I swept her into my arms and narrowly avoided banging her head on the doorframe.

“Peter!” She was torn between sheer embarrassment and absolute joy. “You’re impossible!” I carried her into the house and upstairs. “The door…” I gave it a kick but I was too busy kissing her again to see if it closed or not.

There were clean sheets on the bed when I got to the master bedroom.

They were not clean by the time we finished.

I let Gwen sleep while I threw on a pair of pants and went out to get our bags and lock the car – I’d even left the trunk open, which says a lot about the honesty of the neighbors.

I called my folks and let them know we got in ok. Then I went upstairs and watched my wife sleep. You only get one shot at a first marriage. She wasn’t perfect, but then neither was I. Perfect wasn’t a requirement; you make do with what you are. You sacrifice for those you love.

Gwen and I would find the right jobs either at the Fishery or somewhere else. And someday – hopefully soon but whenever – she’d be ready and we’d have a couple kids. We’d grow old and have fights and make up and become grandparents and everything else.

What else could a guy ask for? Oh yeah – for the rest of my life.