Love Unexpected part 4: Ghosts of Fort Niagara

By Invid Fan
©2011

(MF cons rom het poly safe oral)

Love Unexpected:
1.Tip a Canoe and Taylor Too
2.Incidents of Taylor
3.Taylor Con
4.Ghosts of Fort Niagara
5.Violets Are...

****

	Violet walked along the bookshelves, running her hands along the spines. She loved the feel of a book, the size and shape of it. Sure, you could get everything electronically, have the entire contents of this room in your phone or pad, but… maybe the twelve year old was just old fashioned. Or she was turning out like her parents.

	Yuck.

	Smiling, Violet turned and walked to the other side of the room. The house her Daddy had designed for the growing family had a huge library, with books divided in various ways. Not just by subject, but by popularity. Each person, adult or child, could put a book in their own special section as well as keep a couple in their room. You could read someone’s special book, and in fact that was encouraged, but it had to go back where you found it. 

	Today, Violet was going to look at her Dad’s books.

	As the oldest of the seven children, although just by six months, she was the most advanced in her reading. Cindy was close behind, but as she was now in Sixth Grade, Violet was more interested in “adult” books. Oh, not the stuff with sex in them, although her parents had never kept that kind of stuff from her. Her own lack of interest had been enough of a filter. No, she was just moving on to the same type of stories her parents liked. Maybe. It was time to see if she actually liked reading them.

	She ran her light chocolate colored hand along the shelf, looking at the options. Large hard covers, comic books, paperbacks… so many choices. Which were his favorites of his favorites? Maybe the ones that looked the most read?

	On a middle shelf, there was a row of old, thick paperbacks. Many by the same author, Feist, with fantasy sounding names. They looked battered and well read. A good place to start. Violet reached and pulled the first book out, looking at the cover. It was dark blue, with a picture of a teen boy and a wizard, and given the title, “Magician: Apprentice”, she could guess the relationship. She turned it over, reading the description, then flipped through it.

	In the middle, was a book mark.

	A photo. Of a naked woman, lying on a couch, reading this very same book.

	Violet’s eyes widened. She pulled the picture out, looking at it closely. It wasn’t of one of her moms. She had seen naked pictures of her moms, or at least of two of them, as Mommy Taylor had painted them at various times, as well as just seeing them in various states of undress. Things were somewhat casual in that regard. The woman in the photo was very curvy, like Mommy Anita, but lacked the dark skin that Violet shared with her birth mother. She was also tall, like Mommy Rachel, and had glasses like her, but had curly red hair falling to her shoulders instead of being blond. 

	Who WAS this? A mystery mommy? Did her MOMS know Dad had a picture like this in his books?

	And if not… should she tattle?

	She walked out of the library with the book, and wandered down the hall towards her bedroom. She had to think.

****

	Taylor was singing as she cooked.

	She loved cooking. She loved doing things for others. Especially… her family. 

	Her family… still, after over a decade of marriage, just that word gave her goosebumps. Taylor had so many people to love, and who loved her. Loved her unconditionally. Understood, accepted, and cherished all her faults and quirks. What more could any woman, any human, want?

	Well, there was a part of her that wanted still more babies. Smiling, Taylor acknowledged that she was the happiest when she was pregnant, with a huge belly jutting out her short, thin frame. The four of them had decided, though, that four had been enough. Not enough children, mind you, but given practical and financial limits it had been decided that with Anita unable to have more and Taylor popping out four of her own, any more children would come from Rachel. She had given them a daughter so far, bringing the total to seven, and was pregnant again. That was OK with Taylor. What few regrets she had were wiped out by the love of her children and wives. And husband.

	She looked up at the clock. Fred and Anita should be home soon. They had taken the boys out to the park to sled, and said they’d be home by dinner. They’d better be. It looked like the snow was really starting to come down out there. Plus, she’d pulled out Fred’s grandmother’s pierogi recipe and spent the day making them from scratch. That was a lot of work that shouldn’t go to waste. Luckily, she had the two older girls to help. Speaking of which…

	“Violet! Cindy! Get in here!”

	She heard the scrambling from around the house, and in a minute her two daughters came running in from either side of the kitchen. Cindy made it first. Her skinny beanpole of a body slid to a stop next to the refrigerator, a grin on her face. Already the almost twelve year old was as tall as her mother, having inherited height genes from Fred’s side of the family it seemed. Yet in most other ways she was her mother’s daughter. Girly to the point of parody, she wore her long brown hair in a braid down past her waist and dressed in pink and white whenever possible. Today’s selection was a pink skirt and white blouse.

	Next in was Violet, the only one of the children not fathered by Fred but loved by all. She was Anita’s mirror, Mayan in blood and just starting to show the curves that would soon make boys quake in her presence. Personality wise though she had seemed to take after Fred more than the others, perhaps absorbing it by osmosis, was an avid reader and would listen to Fred tell tales of history and adventure whenever she cornered him. Not that he ever shirked from such. Her dress tended towards jeans and t-shirts, today’s being a black Bubblegum Crisis one that hid breasts just starting to take shape. She was holding a blue paperback in her hand.

	“Cindy,” Taylor ordered the giggling girl, “set the table. Violet, cut those onions up for the pierogi’s.” Cindy walked over to the cabinet and began grabbing plates, while Violet hesitated. Her mother looked at her questioningly, the girl also matching her height already.

	“Mom… can I ask you something?”

	“Certainly. Can you do it while you chop onions?” Violet nodded and put the book down away from the cutting board, then grabbed the knife and began chopping. “What is it?” Taylor asked, grabbing the giant wok she planned on using. It wasn’t Polish, but was great for large batches of the potato and cheese filled dough pockets.

	“Um… did Dad have a wife before you?”

	Taylor would have dropped the pan if it wasn’t already on the stove. As it was it clattered off the gas burner, and Cindy looked up startled from the table she’d been setting. Taylor just looked at her oldest in shocked confusion.

	“Why do you ask THAT, honey?”

	Violet went over and picked up the book again, and handed it to her mother. Taylor recognized it instantly, and seeing the edge of the photo sticking out her eyes teared up a bit and she looked up at her daughter.

	“Oh, honey… your Dad hasn’t told you about her yet, has he?”

	Violet shook her head, and Cindy slowly walked over entranced by this new mystery. Taylor pulled the photo out of the book, and Cindy gasped.

	“Who is she, Mom?”

	“In a way… she’s the one who made this family possible.” She looked up at them. “Tonight, after the kids are in bed, we’ll see if your Dad wants to talk. It’s his story.”

****

	They sat in the living room, snow silently falling on the other side of the large windows. The four youngest were in bed, if not asleep, and the rest of the family surrounded Fred as the fireplace in the corner sent out its comforting light and heat. He was sitting in the middle of the couch, photo in hand, just staring at it. Rachel, belly round with their eighth child, sat on his right, hands on his shoulder, eyes darting between her husband’s face and the mystery picture. Anita sat on his left, one hand caressing his leg, the other around Taylor who sat next to her. On the floor in front of them sat Violet, Cindy, and Freddy. His sisters had filled Freddy in, and as the eleven year old sat between them he looked up at his father with wonder. How many moms did he HAVE?

	Fred looked up, eyes traveling between his three oldest, then he looked first at Rachel then his other two wives. He felt the love surrounding him… and that finally made his mind up. He looked back at the photo, and sighed.

	“I haven’t seen this picture in years. I… had forgotten I had left it there. It was in the book when I first met Mommy Taylor, and maybe I kept it there as a good luck charm. It seems to have worked,” he added, looking around and smiling. The kids giggled at that, and his wives leaned in for quick kisses which also brought embarrassed giggles from the kids. They were use to all the kissing, though. Fred looked down at the kids. “Your mommies know about this woman. I’ve joked for years that she’s the one who brought us all together. However… I’ve never told anyone her story before. It’s a sad one, although we were happy most of the time. You three are old enough to hear it, and more importantly understand it, and maybe I’m ready to tell it.” His gaze again fell to the picture. “I still miss you, Lisa.”

****

	Fred loved Forts.

	Forts were fun. Forts were fantastic. Forts were… forty. Wait, that wasn’t right… What was right, though, was Fred was walking up to the gates of Old Fort Niagara.

	He stopped with his feet just on the drawbridge, and looked up. Before him was the stone gate house. Through that, the courtyard, the Castle, the “underground” batteries… he had been to this place so many times in his life he knew it by heart. So many memories were of his family driving up to the park for a picnic lunch and wandering around the battlements. How would it feel, now that his family was gone?

	People were passing by him, so reluctantly Fred moved his feet and walked under the steel gate, through the short tunnel, and into the courtyard.

	People and tents filled the yard, which laughingly Fred realized would have changed his feelings regardless of the events of the past month. Encampments, hundreds of re-enactors descending on the fort for a weekend, were new. It created a sort of renaissance fair atmosphere, except with guns and more accurate clothing. Noting the Native American warrior walking by dressing in just a small loin cloth, it also had a bit more for the ladies obviously…

	Fred wandered around, taking it in. After a year of dealing with Mom’s chemo, Dad’s drinking and decline, all fit in among his teaching workload… seeing all this activity and knowing it had absolutely nothing to do with him was wonderful. He could let it wash around him, safe in the knowledge he could just walk away any time.

	A secret part of him wished he could have done that with his parents.

	He came up to the “French Castle”, a large two story rectangular stone building with a third story attic. An attic which Fred considered one of the funniest things his Dad had told him as a kid. He had to go up there again.

	There wasn’t exactly a line, but more a steady stream of people entering the Castle, and Fred joined them. The main doors were closed so they filed in through the end of the building, wandering past one long wooden bed where the common soldiers would sleep. Kids were looking at that in wonder. Fred entered the central area, with the stair cases going up, and saw a couple elementary aged kids looking at the stone well. There was also a redheaded woman there, probably a mother, who wasn’t exactly fat but on the curvy side. Fred’s eyes slid back to the kids, and chuckling he went over.

	“See the severed head down there?” he asked. The two boys and a girl looked up at him, startled. The blond pigtailed girl’s eyes widened.

	“H-head?”

	“Oh, my mistake. It would be the headless body down there. You know,” he said, looking at the three of them, “from the headless ghost.”

	The oldest boy, wearing a Sabres shirt and hat, looked down into the well.

	“There’s a BODY down there?!? No way!”

	“That’s what the legend says,” Fred replied, having their full attention. The redhead, who he now saw had glasses and a rather cute face, was also listening attentively along with others nearby. Fred looked down at the kids and lowered his voice a bit as if telling a great secret. “The story goes two soldiers were fighting for the love of a beautiful native girl, and they fought just outside this building. The one KILLED the other, and cut his head off! He tossed the head in the river, and the body down the well! And…” his voice lowered even more, “… sometimes at night, if you are wandering around the darkened fort, you can see his headless body looking… for his head!”

	“Cool!”

	“Awesome!”

	“Let’s look for his head!”

	The oldest boy, now having a quest, dashed off into one of the rooms, and the other two quickly followed. Fred smiled. Who said history had to be boring?

	It was a bit crowded down here, so Fred turned and ambled up the stairs to the second floor. He entered one of the large stone rooms, obviously an officer’s quarters, and walked around a bit examining things. The park had picked up some better items to fill the rooms with, his memory seemed to be telling him. He was looking at the fireplace when there was a female voice behind him.

	“See any extra heads in here?”

	He straightened and turned. It was the woman from the well. Fred wasn’t used to being stalked like this, and that thought caused him to laugh. Of course he wasn’t being stalked! He did, though, give her a closer look. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties, compared to his thirty, wearing a blue Mickey Mouse t-shirt that was a bit oversized but tight where it counted. She had dark red shorts on that showed off shapely legs, and red hair that was all curl and flowed down to her shoulders. Fred cocked his head at her.

	“No heads. Or tails for that matter.”

	“That was a nice tale you told,” she said, walking further into the room. An Asian family entered behind her, and as Fred moved over to the window he could hear them chatting happily in what he assumed was one of the Chinese dialects. The woman moved up near him, but not close enough to be considered unusual. Or stalk-ish.

	The family moved into the next room, and Fred followed as did the woman. He looked at a writing desk, and its contents.

	“I’m always fascinated by the things that are the same,” he said to the stranger who he could feel behind him. “People tend to find the same solutions to problems, regardless of the point in history.”

	“I just like old things,” she said, putting her hand on the wooden desk. Part of Fred cringed. Yes, in this particular instance they probably expected that, but a lifetime of training by his father (a history teacher like he was) had instilled a profound respect for artifacts from the past. You just… didn’t touch things.

	The thought of his father darkened his mood a bit, and Fred’s sarcastic nature came out.

	“So, is that why you’re following me?”

	He turned to face her, his expression questioning, and saw her face turn a bit red. She suddenly looked unsure, and regretting his words Fred shook his head.

	“Sorry, shouldn’t have said that. Not really having a good day.” Taking a chance, he held out his hand. “I’m Fred.”

	“Lisa.” She stepped forward and took his hand. Hers was soft, and the nails unpainted. Another group of people entered from the door behind her, and Lisa stepped forward even closer to Fred. He stood his ground and raised an eyebrow at her, enjoying her suddenly flustered expression. Fred noted that she was just a couple inches shorter than his six feet, and before things got out of hand he took a half step back and smiled at her.

	“Have you been to the fort before?” he asked, changing the subject.

	“No,” she said, getting herself under control. Fred recognized the signs, and realized she was as unused to meeting strangers like this as he was. Fred just had the advantage of not being the one putting themselves out there for possible ridicule and hurt. His expression softened, and he chuckled.

	“Ah, so you haven’t seen the joke yet!”

	“Joke?”

	“One of my favorites. Let’s go upstairs.”

	He motioned for her to come with him, a self mocking sweep of the arm. She raised her own eyebrow, and smiling walked out of the room with him. Fred led the way up the stone steps, and in moments they found themselves in a large open room stretching the length of the building. The roof came to a peak over them, slanting down to the floor. All four sides had multiple dormers with windows, with nine running down the front and the back of the room. And, pointing out almost every window… a cannon.

	“Wha?!” Lisa’s eyes widened as she looked around. There were others up here, walking around, and some kids were playing with the guns. Fred led her to one of the cannons and put a hand on it. Cannons, you could touch with impunity. 

	“The local Indian tribe, when the French came here, said, ‘You can build a trading post, but NO FORT.’ The French said, ‘Oh, sure, no fort! No problem!’ So, what did they do? They built a huge building with VERY thick stone walls... and put twenty cannons on the top floor behind normal looking windows.”

	Lisa burst out laughing, and Fred grinned at her. She had a beautiful laugh.

	“Like I said, this is one of my favorite historical jokes.”

	“It is good,” she agreed, wiping her eyes. Fred thought he saw her other hand start to move towards him, then pull back almost before it started. He began to feel… happy. A special kind of happiness he hadn’t had in a while. Taking his second chance of the day, he moved a bit closer to her and stretched his right hand out a bit towards her.

	“Would you like to see the rest of the fort with me, Lisa?”

	Reaching out, she touched his fingers.

	“I’d like that, Fred.”

****

	Lisa was twenty five, and worked at a bank south of Buffalo. She had an apartment close to her parents house, liked science fiction and bad boy bands, and had come up to the fort with some women from work but had wandered off. Their pointless gossip had gotten to be a bit much.

	The two of them walked out of the Castle and explored. They climbed the guard towers, looking out over Lake Ontario, walked the walls, and in general looked at the people as much as the fort. The crowd was as diverse as Fort Niagara itself, which in its history had been under three nation’s flags. This led to four different sets of re-enactors wandering around: British, French, American, and American Indian. All the fighting between them so far was confined to organized battles with blanks, so far as Fred could tell.

	They came to a doorway leading to stone steps into the ground, and Fred used this as an excuse to take Lisa’s hand as they headed down. A group of boys came running up the stairs, yelling, forcing the two of them to hug the wall.

	“This place was always much quieter when I came with my parents,” Fred commented to Lisa grinning. 

	“Which do you like better?”

	Fred paused at the bottom of the steps, thinking. It was dark down there, especially after the bright clear sky above. Lisa kept her eyes on his face, her own twinkling in amusement. Finally, he looked at her and shrugged.

	“Both. I’d hate for it always be like this, as it’s easier to think and imagine in the silence, but… yeah, both.” He led her farther into the room, and Lisa suddenly noticed the row of cannons pointed out the stone windows. It looked like…. they were pointed at a hill that also had cannons pointing out of it!

	“What the…?”

	Fred grinned.

	“Great, isn’t it? They built these two cannon batteries at basically ground level sticking out from the fort, then encased them in stone and let grass cover them. They provide a killer crossfire that would murder anyone who gets this close to the walls.” They walked down the line, the only light coming through the openings in front of the cannons. At the far end Fred suddenly started barking orders, and Lisa grinning went through the motions of firing the cannon. Two young sisters who were down there also rushed to load their cannon, and by the time Fred was ready to give the order to fire five cannons were loaded by laughing tourists.

	“Fire!”

	Everyone yelled, “BOOM!”, and let out a great cheer. The little girls rushed to reload, wanting to do it over and over again as children are wont to, but Fred took Lisa’s hand and took them back up the steps into the sun.

	They had just started down the wall, shielding their eyes from the sun as they adjusted to the brightness, when Lisa’s phone went off. Sighing, she pulled it out and checked.

	“Gee, it took them long enough to notice I was gone.” She started to send back a text. Fred looked at her, and making it a rare day indeed decided to take a third risk.

	“Lisa, did you drive up here or did you ride with them?”

	She looked up, startled, and… hopeful.

	“They picked me up at home. Why?”

	“Well…” Fred rubbed the back of his neck. He was never good at this kind of thing, but obviously neither was she so in a way that helped him cancel out that part of his problem. “I was wondering if you’d like to do dinner after we get done here. I can drive you home… or, at least drop you off in a field somewhere if you’re worried about me knowing where you live.” Lisa’s face colored a bit, and she chuckled.

	“I’d like that.” She stopped texting, and dialed, looking Fred in the eye as she began talking.

	“Hey, Jenny. Oh, just doing stuff. Um, look, some strange guy has picked me up and we’ll be having hot sweaty monkey sex for a few hours so I won’t need a ride back. Wanna join us? No? OK. Well, see you Monday.” She hung up, grinning at the look on Fred’s face. “This way she’ll assume I bumped into my parents here or something.” The grin on her face faltered a bit. “Um… what?”

	“How did you know that’s what we’d be doing?”

	Her face colored even more, and she dropped her head. Her eyes came up in a moment, though, and Fred could see her smiling with them.

	“I’m psychic?”

****

	The door to his house had barely closed when the two of them were in each other’s arms. Both of Lisa’s hands went up to his head, running through his short brown hair as she brought his lips down to hers. Fred’s right hand planted itself on the swell of her hips, while the other went up and ran through her soft red curls. They’re bodies pressed against each other in the entryway, and both heard the other moan. Lisa’s lips and tongue were soft and playful, and Fred just lost himself in the moment. His hand on its own accord slid up her side, over her hip, up the waist under her shirt, and soon found itself cupping a bra covered breast. Lisa broke the kiss, and with their noses touching looked him in the eye. He could feel both their hearts beating, a hundred times a second. 

	“I…” She licked her lips.

	“…me too.”

	Fred’s hands went down to her waist, and grabbing the bottom of her shirt slowly raised it up. She raised her arms, and soon Mickey was on the floor in a heap. Her white bra held in her largish breasts. Lisa wanted to cover herself, at the same time she wanted him to see all of her, so to keep her hands busy she first took her glasses off and put them on a stand near the door, then slowly lifted his shirt up. His chest came into view, not exactly trim, and sparsely covered with dark hair. As Fred’s arms were freed from the shirt he reached around and undid her bra. Peeling the straps off of her shoulders, Lisa blushed as he looked down at her exposed mounds. Unsupported, they drooped down slightly, and one of his hands quickly came to the rescue and brought the left one up. He lightly felt it’s weight, and let a thumb brush across the nipple. Her breath caught, and hands shaking she reached down and undid his jeans. His hands mimicked hers, and in a moment both stood nude before each other.

	Fred suddenly smiled, and looked Lisa in the eyes.

	“I’m sorry, laughter at a time like this can be taken the wrong way, but I’m suddenly reminded of the only interesting thing our 8th grade Health teacher ever said.” Lisa gave him a quizzical look, one hand reaching out and running up and down his hard shaft. Fred looked down, then up again still grinning. “She said, ‘Never wait until you’re girlfriend is naked in front of you to ask, “Do I really want to have sex?”’” 

	Lisa broke into laugher, her hand squeezing his cock, and Fred moved closer and hugged her. His hands caressed her back, and ample ass, as she laughed into his shoulder. Her hands also began exploring more, and when her head came up her lips made a beeline for his. They stood like that, a few feet from the front door, for a few moments, then Fred stepped away. Taking her hand, he led Lisa into the bedroom.

****

	Her mouth lightly played with his cock. Lisa held the tip in her mouth, using her tongue to caress the bottom of the head. Fred let his head fall back onto the pillow and groaned. Looking back down at her at the foot of the bed, he had never seen anything more erotic. Her red curls framing her face, her lips moving up and down, then over, his shaft. He moved a hand to the side of her face, caressing a soft cheek.

	“I’m not going to last long… oh, god, you’re incredible!”

	She smiled, an incredible sight in itself given he was still in her mouth at the time. She lifted off, giving the head a quick swirl, then looked into his eyes and soul.

	“Where do you want to cum? Do you want me…” She took him fully into her mouth again, then slowly pulled off with her tongue doing something amazing along the bottom as she moved up, and then off. “… to drink it?”

	His eyes widened. Fred had only ever had one girl who enjoyed that, a one weekend stand in college. His groan was enough of an answer, and taking him back into her mouth Lisa began sucking on him harder and faster. His hand guided her head, and in a few minutes both hands were there as he gave her the warning. Her mouth moved up to just hold in the tip, and with a cry Fred felt him releasing into her. Lisa groaned, her hands clutching his thighs, and he could see her swallowing with each pulse as her tongue continued to flick at the source of her meal. Finally, he stopped shooting, and Lisa took her mouth off of him. She gave the head one final lick, then moved up the bed to lay next to him. Fred turned, and kissed her with all the passion he had. He could taste a little of himself, but didn’t care. Never had he felt that good, had any woman affect him this way. 

	Pulling back his head, he looked at her face while a hand ran over her body. What he saw there…

	“Lisa… you doing anything next weekend?”

	She broke into laughter, and smiling Fred leaned over to kiss that grinning face all over. This wasn’t a one afternoon stand.

****

	“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

	“I’m always serious when there’s a penis in me!”

	“Well, THAT’S your problem!”

	Fred thrust into Lisa faster, feeling her legs wrap around his waist tighter. If she could still speak, he wasn’t doing a good enough job. Looking down at her face, he once again marveled at how beautiful she looked. Especially with her red hair spread haphazardly over his sheets, and her breasts jiggling in time to his thrusts. Smiling, he risked taking one hand off its mission of supporting his weight and used it to grab one of those breasts. Leaning down, he took it into his mouth and gently bit. Lisa cried out and he could feel her contract around him. Both her hands went to his head, and as he continued to softly nibble she began breathlessly chanting.

	“Yes, yes, oh, yes…”

	Fred suddenly felt his own release coming, and thrusting into her even faster he briefly released her breast to give her warning. She replied by pulling his mouth up to hers, and as their lips touched he could feel his seed flowing into her. He stopped thrusting and her legs tightened even more, both completely focused on the feeling of his release. Finally, Lisa relaxed her legs and Fred raised his head and looked into her beautiful green eyes as her hand came up and caressed his cheek.

	“You really want me to meet your parents?”

****

	They were lying in bed, her body half on his, enjoying not just the afterglow but life in general. Lisa’s hand was playing with the hairs on his chest, while Fred ran a finger up and down her spine.

	“It’s going to be your first Thanksgiving alone, Fred. You should be with people.”

	“But I was looking forward to trying a frozen turkey pot pie!” Her response was to grab some of his short hairs and pull, to which he responded by giving her backside a pinch.

	“Ouch!”

	“You started it!”

	Lisa pulled back, giving him a serious look.

	“Don’t you want to meet Mom and Dad?”

	He sighed.

	“I have to admit, I was never all that keen on my own family gatherings, so going to someone else’s…”

	“It’ll just be us four. Please?”

	She pouted at him. Fred was always a sucker for a sexy pout. Plus, he knew he’d be going to this in the end anyway. No sense putting it off any more and risk pissing her off.

	“OK, I’ll do it.” She leaned down and kissed him soundly, hand going down to fondle his still soft cock. “Hmm,” Fred moaned into her mouth, “does your dad know what his little girl likes doing?”

	She pulled back and her eyes narrowed, hand taking a firm grip on his manhood.

	“You get out of line, you die.”

	“But then you couldn’t do it anymore! I think we have a stalemate!”

****

	Lisa’s parents lived in an old, post-World War Two house in the first ring of Buffalo suburbs. It was narrow and tall, with back and front porches, and painted a yellow that had to have been kept only because that’s what’s always been on the house. Fred parked his Ford hatchback in the street, and looked around the neighborhood. It was a nice place, although you could tell it had seen some hard times. It probably had been decimated when the steel plant closed in the 70’s, but the houses were in good repair and he saw kids playing in a few yards. He had grown up on a street filled with houses but with a backyard that ended in a field with woods beyond that. They had joked that it was the last street before civilization ended, and that had been wonderful. Nothing better than having all that nature to explore in addition to tons of kids to play with. This, however, would have been fine too. A different kind of wilderness to explore.

	Walking up to the front door, he smiled at the Buffalo Bills flag hanging off the porch. It was probably a law that every third or fourth house had to have either a Bills or Sabres item on display. Buffalo Bandits Lacrosse banners were good too, and anyone with a Buffalo Braves flag got bonus points.

	He rang the doorbell, and it was opened a few moments later by a woman about five and a half feet tall, greying red hair, and a plump body. She had a warm smile, though, and her eyes sparkled as she looked him over.

	“You must be Fred! Lisa has told us all about you! Come in!” As she stepped aside to let him enter, Fred mused that just once it would be fun to show up for a meeting like this and have the parent go, “What the! She never even said you existed!”

	“I’m Mary,” Lisa’s mom said, leading the way into the living room, “and this is Lisa’s father Bill.” The balding man stood up from his recliner and walked over to give Fred’s hand a good shake. He was a bit taller than his wife, and almost but not quite as plump. He looked Fred over with a practiced eyes, then motioned to the couch. 

	“Come, have a seat. You like football?”

	Ah, so the testing had begun. Fred looked at the screen.

	“I wasn’t even sure Detroit still had a team.”

	“Ha!” Bill liked that one, obviously. He offered Fred a beer, which was politely refused, then started in on a well rehearsed spiel about what was wrong with the Bills that year. Fred only half paid attention. Part of him was suddenly flooded with memories of watching games with his mother. She had been the big football fan in the house, screaming at the TV and yelling at refs. During the glory days of the Bills, she’d plop down in front of whatever game was on, ask Fred who they wanted to win to help Buffalo in the standings, and then proceed to cheer that team on with all she had.

	Fred quickly tried to suppress those feelings. This wasn’t the time or place. Instead, he looked around the house. It was nicely decorated. There were a few touches that indicated an Irish heritage, as if the red hair wasn’t enough of a clue. There were also the occasional picture of Jesus or a Pope. In fact… more than the occasional one. Hmm…

	“So, what do you do?”

	Fred turned his attention back Lisa’s Dad. Looking at him, most likely a bad joke like “as little as possible!” would go over well here. But, no. 

	“I teach in Akron.”

	Bill sat up in his chair.

	“Akron? Isn’t that where Dirk the Destroyer taught?” Fred smiled to himself. Should have known he’d be a wrestling fan.

	“Yup, although he was retired by the time I got there. My mom was a substitute teacher, though, and often worked there when he was around.” Lisa came into the room at that point, with a glass of Pepsi for Fred. He took it as she sat down next to him, and looking back at Bill went on. “Mom would often tell of how Japanese reporters would fly in to interview The Destroyer, and since the gag was he was never seen without his mask he’d put it on and teach like that all day. So, the reporters would enter the classroom and see this big masked guy teaching kids!”

	“Ha!” Bill slapped his knee. “Gonna have to tell Ben that one! Always liked The Destroyer. Not like these modern guys. He had class.” He took another sip of his beer, saw Detroit fumble the ball, and started in on Football again. Fred felt Lisa’s hand slip into his. So far, so good.

****

	It was about four when they sat down to dinner. They had gone all out: Turkey, dressing, corn, potatoes, beans… Fred wondered if, as often happened when they visited his Polish Grandmother, he’d be loaded down with leftovers to take home because, naturally, they’d never be able to finish all this themselves! Something seemed to happen to women once they got above a certain age that caused them to try and ship food off on visitors.

	“So, Fred,” Bill said, looking at him across the table, “would you say grace?”

	There was silence for a moment, and Lisa’s expression looked a bit shocked. She so wanted to tell her Father not to go there, but… it was too late. She looked at Fred. For a brief second Fred contemplated trying to remember one of the prayers from meals past, but unfortunately the one he knew best was from his Mom’s Baptist side and even that he didn’t think he could get right. He looked over at his host.

	“It wouldn’t be right to take your place in this.”

	Bill just looked at him, taking stock of that answer, then he lowered his head and started. Fred bowed and closed his eyes. He didn’t repeat the Amen at the end, and when he raised his head saw Mary now giving him a suspicious look. They started passing the food around.

	“So, Fred,” Bill asked, pouring gravy over much of his plate, “Do you have family here?”

	“Not at the moment,” he replied, swallowing. “Most of what’s left is in Genesee County or out around Auburn.”

	“Hmm… Lisa said your parents were Polish?”

	Fred cast a glance at Lisa, and she didn’t meet his eyes. He didn’t blame her, she had probably done the best she could to get them ready. However, she hadn’t warned HIM. Fred would do what he could, but… he could tell this wasn’t going to end well.

	“My Dad’s side is a hundred percent Polish. My Great-Grandma came over illegally as a little girl. The story is they kept mailing the visa back until they brought the entire village over.” Mary laughed a bit at that, but it was a nervous laugh. Bill just took another fork full of turkey and kept looking at him. “Mom came from English/Scottish/Whatever farm stock. They’ve been around the area since before the Revolution.”

	“Interesting… so, were you raised Catholic?”

	“Dad!”

	Lisa finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her face was red with embarrassment. She had rarely liked someone enough to bring them home like this, and to have them treated like…! Her mother reached a hand over and gripped Lisa’s bare arm, gently but firmly.

	“Honey…” Lisa bit her bottom lip. Fred’s anger was starting to rise, but he gave her father a sincere smile.

	“I was baptized Catholic, but raised Protestant. Mostly in a Clarence Presbyterian church.”

	“And now?”

	“That doesn’t matter Dad. Does it, Mom?” 

	“No, no, let me answer, Lisa.” Fred looked across at her. “They’re testing me, and I’m testing them. Best to get everything out of the way in the beginning.” He looked up at Bill. “I’m mostly a godless heathen now, although there are times I swing towards godless infidel.”

	Silence.

	More silence.

	Fred turned his attention back to his plate and began eating. He heard the others do the same. Dinner conversation was over.

****

	Lisa pulled him aside into a spare room when they got up from dinner. She was incredibly upset.

	“I’m sorry, Fred! It’s never come up before! I…”

	“Shh, it’s OK.” He hugged her, running his hands up and down her back. “It happens. There was a guy in the anime club I was in that was disowned when his mother found out he was dating a Catholic. After that he figured there was no point telling her the girl was Black as well.”

	“It’s just stupid!”

	“No, it’s not. They’re just protecting their little girl.” Lisa raised her eyes to him.

	“I am NOT a little girl.”

	“I don’t think telling them that tonight is going to help matters. Look, I’ll go out there, thank your mom for a wonderful meal, and head home. We can worry about this later.”

	“But…”

	“Later.”

	They walked out, and saw both her parents talking by the kitchen door. The conversation stopped when they saw the couple. Fred walked over to them.

	“Mr. and Mrs. Letty, thank you for a wonderful meal. I haven’t had better. But, I think I should be going.” He held out his hand, and Bill shook it. It was a firm, nay hard, grip. He nodded, but said nothing. Fred turned and held out his hand to Mary, and she hesitantly shook it.

	“We’re glad you could make it.”

	“It’s been the best Thanksgiving I’ve had all year.”

****

	“They don’t want you coming over for Christmas.”

	Fred and Lisa were laying nude on the couch. She was lying in front of him, pressing back against him, as his hands fondled her breasts as they watched TV. 

	“I kind of expected that.” He tweaked a nipple, and she responded by gently moving her soft butt against his slowly rising cock. The room was dark apart from the glow of the TV screen, and outside the window snow was falling. 

	“They don’t want me SEEING you.” There was a sniffle in her voice, as if there was a good cry in the near future.

	“We could tell them I always blindfold you when we fuck.”

	Lisa laughed, her whole body shaking.

	“I’m serious, Fred! This is bad! I want them to like you!”

	“We have time, Lisa. The longer we’re together, the more they’ll get use to the idea. So long as they just hate me and not you, we’ll be fine.”

	She captured his hands in hers.

	“Are you sure?”

	“No. But… I am sure I love you.”

	Her hands tightened on his. 

	“You… love me?”

	“With all my heart… and if that’s not enough, I can find someone else’s heart to use as well.”

	Lisa turned her body to face him, careful not to fall off the couch onto the cold floor. She was crying now. Her hands went to his face, caressing it. Their noses touched.

	“I’ve loved you since that first day, and it’s grown every time I see you.” She kissed him, a simple, closed mouth touching of the lips, which conveyed more love than the most passionate sex. She pulled back, looking into his eyes.

	“So, what do we do?”

	Fred sent a hand running through her red hair. He always thought best when caressing her.

	“I had been, mind you, HAD been, thinking of asking you to move in with me.” Her breath caught, and eyes widened. “I’m not sure now if that would be good. Well, it would be good for us, but I don’t want to come between you and your parents.”

	“Too late.” Lisa gave a bitter laugh.

	“Yes, but there’s a difference between them figuring we’re doing what we’re doing and living in sin. We have to work on them first.”

	“You could convert…”

	Lisa suddenly saw Fred’s expression harden. She swallowed, and seeing her reaction his eyes softened. 

	“Oh, Lisa… I would never ask a woman to change that much just to be with me, and I would hope that anyone who loved me would love me as I am.”

	“I’m sorry! I do love you, I love you just as you are!” She kissed him again, over and over, and soon their conversation was forgotten. Fred turned onto his back, and Lisa feeling he was now hard tried to sit up and get him inside her. Their movements didn’t exactly match up, though, and suddenly Lisa found herself without a grip on anything and falling. Fred tried to grab her, but only succeeded in being pulled of the couch himself. Lisa hit the carpet with a bang, and Fred fell half on top of her.

	Lisa’s first reaction was a loud, “Ouch!”, followed by hysterical laughter. Fred, head resting on her breasts, joined her. They kept laughing seemingly forever, seeming to calm down again only to start up again when they looked at each other. Finally, Fred moved himself between her legs and pulled himself up so they were face to face. He had softened a bit, but it was now coming back as he rubbed against her wet opening. Lisa’s laughter turned to gasps, and she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

	“We haven’t done it on the floor yet, have we?” He slid a hand back over one of her legs as she raised it up, and she sent a hand down his back to grasp his ass.

	“Oh,” she replied in a husky voice, “is this where godless heathens do it?”

	“We do it everywhere…”

****

	Fourth period was not one of Fred’s favorites.

	Oh, most of the seventh graders were fine. Eager to learn, or at least willing, It was February with no real big vacations coming up to distract them, so he had their attention for the most part.

	But, that was part of the problem.

	Fourth period had Sue in it.

	As occasionally happened, this thirteen year old, new to the whole puberty thing, had decided she had a crush on him. She tried to get his attention as much as possible, wrote little notes on her tests, and tried to tell him things with her eyes. On the plus side, she studied like crazy and knew about the War of 1812 almost as well as he did. On the minus side…

	It wasn’t that there was temptation on his end. There wasn’t. Not only was he not interested in young girls, no matter how adult she tried to dress and look, but he was a one woman type of guy and Lisa had him well satisfied. They’d past the six month mark together and were as happy as can be. No, the minus came from perhaps the best advice his father ever gave him.

	You can’t be friends with students.

	Oh, you can like them. You can be friendly with them. But… the line must be drawn there. You can NOT be their friend. Not now. Any friendly gesture, comment, or god forbid touch, had the chance to be misinterpreted. Not just by parents or his superiors, although that was always a risk in this era of pedophile mania. No, but by the child themselves. And, maybe yourself. If Fred in any way was nicer to this girl than he was to any other student, she would take it as confirmation that he returned her affection. 

	That would lead to an escalation that would either leave her devastatingly rejected, or worse, him truly having non-sexual affection for a young woman who wants, out of ignorance, to try out her body. One of his father’s friends had gone down this path, and the results had been devastating for all involved. It never got to the stage of “rape”, luckily, and managed to stay out of the media. But, his career was over.

	No, if Fred ever wanted to have a happy kid hug him he’d have to have his own.

	Fred was asking if anyone knew about which battle had a hit song written about it, trying to ignore Sue’s hand, when there was a knock at the classroom door. Looking over, he saw it was Cathy from the office.

	“Excuse me a moment, if you wouldn’t mind. You can talk telepathically while you wait.” This got some giggles as Fred walked over and opened the door.

	“Yes?”

	“Um, Fred, there’s a call for you in the office.”

	He raised an eyebrow.

	“From anyone I know?”

	“She said her name was… Mary Letty?”

	He felt a coldness go through him. Fred stepped out into the hallway.

	“Can you watch the class?” She nodded, and stepped inside. Fred quickly walked down the hall. His room was near the office, probably why they hadn’t bothered to use the intercom. He would have had to wait for someone to come cover for him regardless. About a minute later he was picking up the secretary’s phone.

	“Fred here.”

	“Oh, Fred… um, it’s Mary, Lisa’s mother. I wasn’t sure if I should bother you, especially at work, but…”

	“It’s fine. What happened.”

	“Lisa’s OK, but we’re in the hospital. She had a blood clot in her leg.”

	“Blood clot?” What the hell? Fred knew about blood clots. Knew about them all too well. His mother, during her chemo, had been in and out of the hospital with them, constantly on blood thinners or thickeners or whatever else was needed to counteract the last thing they had given her. Why would a healthy twenty five year old be getting them?

	“Yes. I just got her checked into a room at ECMC. She didn’t want to worry you, but… I thought I should call you.” She sounded… actually concerned about him. Maybe that birthday card had done the trick.

	“Thank you so much, Mary. Lisa just knows I hate hospitals, after the past couple years. She’ll be OK?”

	“Oh, yes. They just need to get some blood thinners into her then observe her for a couple days.”

	“OK. Can you give me the room number?” He wrote it down. “Thank you so much.”

	“You’re welcome. I… I know how much she cares about you.”

	“The feeling is mutual. Goodbye.”

	Fred hung up, thought a moment, then looked over at the secretary.

	“Do you have the number of a Buffalo Florist handy?”

****

	“Knock knock”

	Fred walked into the hospital room. It was a double, but the second bed was empty. Lisa sat up in the bed by the window in happy shock. Her mother, sitting next to the bed, wasn’t quite as happy but gave a slight smile and a nod.

	“Fred! Thank you for the flowers!” He had called to have a basket delivered, and it apparently arrived. Lisa had put it on the table between her and her mother, which he found amusing. No symbolism there, surely.

	“Glad you like them. I also have this for you.” Fred pulled a small blue teddy bear out of a bag, and handed it to Lisa. The twenty six year old redhead grabbed it and gave the bear a great big hug, looking like a big breasted twelve year old in the process. She looked up at him, her eyes moist, and as he leaned in she met Fred half way with a tender kiss. Not bothering to look at Mary, he straightened and gave his love a stern look.

	“OK, what have you done this time?”

	Holding the bear in her lap, Lisa gave a disgusted sigh.

	“It’s the stupid birth control pills. Blood clots are one of the rare but fun side effects.”

	Fred’s eyes widened at that.

	“You’re kidding.”

	“Nope.” She lay back down and let her head fall back onto the pillow. “They said if I change pills it should be fine, so that’s the plan.”

	Fred looked around for another chair, and pulled it up next to the bed. He noticed Mary not looking at all happy about the talk of birth control. He wasn’t sure if this was with regard to Catholic theology or just the thought of him and Lisa doing things. Probably both.

	“There are other options,” he said, although being male he had never bothered to study up on much beyond rubbers. She shook her head.

	“No, it’ll be fine. It was just a fluke.”

	Fred looked at her… and shrugged.

	“OK. Whatever you want. So… what are you going to name the bear?”

****

	Lisa walked out of the bathroom, and Fred for the millionth time admired her as he lay on the bed. Her red hair, cascading over her shoulder, those green eyes behind the round lenses of her glasses, her wonderful large pillowy breasts, the red triangle of hair pointing the way to her womanhood…

	“I don’t mind using a condom for a week or two,” Fred said as she approached the foot of the bed. Lisa shook her head, and stood looking down at him.

	“No… I don’t want to feel anything between us. Not with you.” She started climbing onto the mattress, then over him. “I can use the sponge till the new stuff kicks in.” Looking down into his eyes, she lowered herself onto him…

****

	*FLASH*

	“What the hell?”

	Lisa lowered the book and looked up. Seeing Fred with the camera, she scowled.

	“What are you doing?!?”

	“Taking a picture of you in your native habitat,” he smirked.

	“You mean naked on the couch!”

	“That’s what I said!”

	“Gimme that camera!”

	*FLASH*

	“Make me!”

	Her face getting a crafty look on it, she lunged for him…

****

	They walked hand in hand, over the deck of the warship. The wind coming off Lake Erie was cold, but the sun was warm that spring day as they enjoyed the waterfront. Fred stopped them as they got to an anti-aircraft gun, and they looked back over the other ships at the Naval Park. 

	“I wonder how many ships have a four leaf clover painted on them,” Lisa wondered, looking at the U.S.S. The Sullivans.

	“I wonder if you needed red hair to serve on it,” Fred said, fingering her locks which were blowing in the wind. A thought came to him, and he cocked his head at her. “You took the first week of July off, right?” She looked at him.

	“Of course. I figured we could do something once school was out. If,” she added, raising an eyebrow, “you actually want to spend time with little old me.”

	He put an arm around her and moved in for a quick kiss.

	“Always.” 

	“So then?”

	“Well, I was wondering if you’d like to do some camping.”

	“Camping?!?”

	“Yeah. We can rent a canoe and go into the woods to be alone for a week.”

	She pulled her head back, just staring.

	“You’re shitting me.”

	“Nope. Imagine. Just the two of us, under the stars, making love as the gods intended…” He was slowly caressing a breast as he said this, looking into her eyes. Lisa looked back, and slowly licked her lips.

	“You may have to convince me…”

****

	Fred picked up the phone on the second ring.

	“Hello.”

	“Fred…” The voice was almost whispering, and there was such sadness behind it dread filled him immediately. “It’s Mary. Lisa… she’s dead.”

	Silence.

	“W… what?”

	“Lisa’s dead.” Her voice was hollow. Or maybe Fred’s soul was now.

	“Ho… how.”

	“I took her to a Doctor’s appointment because she thought she had another blood clot. They didn’t find anything, so sent us home. She…. she… fell over dead when we entered the house!”

	He was numb. Tears flowed off his face, but he didn’t notice. No. Not again. This wasn’t real…

	“… they said she didn’t suffer, that it was instantaneous…” 	“Thank you, Mrs Letty, for telling me. I… goodbye.”

	He hung up, and just looked at the phone. She was gone. His love was gone. His legs left him, and dropping to his knees he began crying like a baby.

****

	It was a sunny June day. Somewhere south of the city was a funeral for his beloved, but Fred found himself walking up towards the gates of Fort Niagara. Let the family have their grief, let them mourn without his interruption. He bid them no ill will, there was no reason to upset them. No reason to remind them that it was her sleeping with him that had killed her…

	He mentally shook his head. No. He could think those dark thoughts later. Today…

	The fort wasn’t crowded. Just a few families wandering the walls and buildings. Fred made a circuit of the interior, almost as if he was putting off his goal. There was no hurry, now. For anything. But… time still passes, and walking still takes you places even if your mind stays were it is. Before he knew it, he was before The Castle. He entered the open, heavy front doors, and found himself before the covered well.

	Fred looked at it. He pictured Lisa there, in a Mickey Mouse shirt and shorts, a cute stranger listening to him tell a story. He could almost see her, looking up at him. Smiling. Ignoring the tears, he walked up to the stone circle and reached into his pocket. His hand came out holding a short stemmed red rose. A park guide standing nearby gave him a quizzical look.

	“I first met a friend here,” Fred said, not looking at her. “I’m just saying goodbye in case her spirit wanders this way.” Putting the rose on the well rim, he turned and walked out into the sun.

****

	Fred’s family was silent as his tale came to an end. He could feel his wives next to him, feel the press of their bodies and the touch of their hands, hear the tears. His own mind was totally focused on the photo in his hand, and on his lovely Lisa. 

	He felt a hand on his knee, and looked up.

	Violet was kneeling before him, looking up with tear filled eyes.

	“What is it, honey?”

	She tried to speak, then got it out on the second try.

	“Could we call her Mommy Lisa?”

	Fred’s eyes widened, and before his oldest knew it he had pulled her into his lap for a huge hug. She hugged back. Daddy needed lots of hugs. She felt him petting her hair, as he had done to her since time began.

	“I’d like that, my little muffin.”

	Soon his two eleven year olds Cindy and Freddy were in on the hug, and once Rachel, Taylor and Anita joined in it just became a mass of bodies. Fred was being crushed.

	“Enough!” He growled, and tried to fight his way back to the surface. Giggling, the kids tried to hold him down, the wives offering suggestions on where they could tickle him to weaken his resistance. He ticked back, and in a few moments all three kids fell off onto the floor laughing as Fred stood. He looked back at his three wives. “You three are no help.”

	“Aww,” offered Rachel, her eyes dancing. “We thought our big hunky husband could handle three little kids!”

	“These are MY kids,” Fred retorted, bending over and picking Freddy up, “so they’re VERY dangerous!” Freddy giggled, his feet dangling, and in a moment his dad put him down. “They’re also very heavy now.” He leaned back, cracking his back.

	“So, Daddy,” Cindy asked, folding her legs to sit Indian style on the floor, “do you really think Mommy Lisa is the one who brought us all together?” Fred sat back down between Rachel and Anita, and Taylor moved to sit in his lap. Looking down at her, Fred got a gleam in his eye.

	“I don’t know. It is kind of fun to blame her for all this.”

	“Blame?” Taylor looked up at her love, eyes flashing dangerously. He felt two sets of sharp nails dig into his arms.

	“Yes, my love,” Anita said, voice dangerously sweet, “I would have thought this family was the best thing that could have happened to you. Right?”

	Fred grinned, looking down at the kids who were enjoying the show.

	“Oh, I don’t know. I was kind of hoping Lisa would throw a beautiful Asian girl at me too. Add more variety.”

	The doorbell rang.

	Taylor looked out the window into the back yard. The snow storm was raging.

	“Who could be here at this time, in this weather?”

	“I’ll get it!” Cindy jumped to her feet and was out of the room. Rachel laughed.

	“Saved by the bell, are we Fred?”

	Grinning, he leaned over and gave her a kiss. They heard the front door open, the wind howling through it, some voices then the door closing. There were footsteps, and they all turned towards the archway as Cindy and a heavily bundled stranger covered in snow stopped just inside the room.

	“She said her car’s stuck in front of our house,” Cindy said. Taylor got off of Fred’s lap and the other women stood as the stranger took off her hat.

	“I’m sorry to bother you,” she said, shivering. Fred’s eyes widened, and everyone’s eyes shot over to him.

	She was a beautiful Asian woman, probably Chinese, with straight black hair. Her eyes… Fred couldn’t tear himself away from them.

	Taylor recovered first, rushing over to help her take her coat off, telling the visitor that of course they’d help, ordering Cindy to put a kettle on the stove, and generally taking charge. As everyone rushed to help, Fred took a moment. Looking up at the sky, he shook his head.

	“Very funny.” He then walked over to help.

	Violet walked over to the couch, picking up the dropped photograph. She half heard the newcomer introduce herself as Mei, and Violet smiled. “Mommy Mei”, she whispered, trying it out. She then looked down at the photo. Taking a quick glance around, making sure nobody was paying attention, she looked down at Mommy Lisa and whispered.

	“Could you send me a cute redheaded boy?”

****

Next story: Violets Are...

Previous stories:

Tip a Canoe and Taylor Too
Incidents of Taylor
Taylor Con

****
Edited by SciFi Nut

Comments more then welcome.
invidfan@localnet.com
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