Wednesday, the week before Thanksgiving, I walked into the office trailer at the project. Sara was moving another stack of paperwork onto a growing pile.

"Be careful, lady," I said. "Safety's gonna put barricade tape around that stack!"

"Don't I know," she laughed. "I'm so far behind. I need to hire a temp to do some filing."

"Why'n't ya get one?"

"Too much hassle. Just for a couple of days' work."

"Cindy's out of school next week. She's gonna hang around the park anyway. I can ask her..."

"You mean, Cindy, the Engineer's Apprentice?" Cindy'd made three more trips to the site, the second with a few more of her classmates, with me as tour guide, the third and fourth, just by herself. And that fourth trip, a couple of the other engineers whom she'd questioned presented her with a pocket protector filled with pens and pencils. And a hard hat with her name on it. She was almost a mascot.

"Yeah. I think she'd do it. She LIKES you. Don't ask me why."

Sara laughed. "Because I am an island of femininity, charm and sanity in this pool of testosterone."

"Uh, yeah, that's got to be it. Say, d'you think we can, like, PAY her?"

Sara's eyes twinkled. "Let me run it by the boss, but he knows Cindy. I think we can cover a couple days at six or seven bucks an hour. Ask her."

"I will. I sure will."

During a lull in the day, I called my sister. She picked up. "Hey, Tootie!" I said. "Looks like we got all the arrangements made. We're comin' home for Thanksgiving."

"We?" Sister's actual name was Adele. Nobody called her that. She was Tootie to everybody she knew. "What's with "we"? Last time we talked, you had a girlfriend."

"Not anymore. Married her."

"No shit!" Tootie sometimes lacked decorum. "When?"

"A week after the last time we talked. You ought to call more often."

"Phone works both ways, brother," she laughed. "Oh, well. You're a big boy. What's she like?"

"Like eighteen."

"Whaaaaaat? Are you crazy? You're joking, right?"

"Nope. Dead serious. And get this. She's a certified genius. After she graduates, she's going to college for engineering."

Incredulous noises. "She hasn't even graduated? You married a high school girl? Wait! She not pregnant, is she?"

I coughed. "I'm hurt. You know I got fixed after Catherine was born."

"Yeah, but they can reverse those things."

"No, she's not pregnant. Anyway, I need you to get my house opened up and aired out. You can do it yourself if you want. Or hire somebody. I'll pay. I just want it ready when we get there next Wednesday."

"I'll do it," she said. "You can pay me." She snorted.

"Who all's gonna be there?"

"For Thanksgiving dinner? Me and Mike, you and whoever..."

"Cindy. Here name's Cindy."

"Okay. You and Cindy. And Jerry and Sheila."

"What about the kids?"

"Not gonna be here for Thanksgiving. One of mine is stationed in Europe with his wife."

"Yeah, I know." Her son was twenty-two and in the army.

"And Debbie's in California with her husband."

"Okay. And Jerry's sons?"

"Neither of them are gonna be here. One's working four states over and the other just joined the air force."

"Oooo-kay! I was just wondering." I heard my desk phone ring. "Hey, Toot! I gotta get another call. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, brother! I gotta go spread the news ... Bye!"

That afternoon when I got to the park, it was darkening. The lights were on in the office and I saw Helen and Cindy through the window, along with an elderly couple who belonged to a big motor home parked a couple of spots down. I walked in. "Hi, Helen. Hi Cindy. Hello, folks!"

Helen handed me a couple of envelopes, my mail. "Here ya go, Dan." She nodded to the old couple. "These people are wondering if you and the Hardesty's are gonna do a show this weekend."

The old guy said, "Heck with THEM! Just let this little cutie stand on the stage an' sing!"

"Oh, George!" his wife chided. And to me and Cindy, "You people were very entertaining. This old goat and I loved it!"

"I'll see what I can do, folks," I said. "We may be up for another round of public embarrassment, huh, Cindy?"

She smiled, "Yessir. It was a strange an' wonderful experience. Ya'll were strange an' I was wonderful."

The old couple laughed out loud.

Helen said, "And besides singing, she's a comedienne, too. Dan, try to get the Hardesty's. I'll bring the judge. Even if he don't like banjo music."

Cindy chirped brightly, "The judge is Mizz Helen's boyfriend."

"Ooohhhh," said the lady. "That's nice! Anyway, I'm going to drag my old goat home. I hope you play this weekend!"

"G'nite!" Cindy said as they exited.

After they left, I said, "Cindy, Mizz Sara wants to know if you want to work for her Monday and Tuesday of next week."

Squeal! "She does? What's he want me to do?"

"Help her with her filing. I know you know the alphabet."

"I can do that," she said.

Helen looked at me. "Really?"

"Yes ma'am! Cindy's got her first job. They'll even pay her. Cash!"

Helen smiled. "Ain't that somethin'. What about Saturday night?"

I looked at Cindy. "You up to it, princess?"

"Yep! I'm a star!"

"Yes you are! The brightest star in Beanpole, Alabama!" I flipped open my cellphone and punched up a number.

"Jim," I said.

"Heeeyyyy, Dan! What's up?"

"I got us another gig for Saturday night if you an' the missus are up for it."

"Oh, just a second." Off the phone I heard him put the question to the wife. He got back on the phone. "Yep! We're up for it. Same astronomical pay?"

"Yeah, and the undying admiration of a couple dozen aging Yankees."

"Six thirty?"

That'll work.'

"'Kay. Cindy's gonna sing?"

"Yep!"

"Great! The crowd won't boo a pretty girl." He laughed.

"Then between Cindy and Ann we're safe, huh?"

"You got that right, buddy. She's hollering for supper now. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, buddy! Talk to you later!" I turned to Helen and Cindy. "Helen, tell the judge to put on his overalls for Saturday night. We're on!"

"That's great!" Helen exclaimed. "We'll be there."

"As long as you don't expect too much..." I laughed.

Cindy added, "We have fun. Looks like some people enjoy that."

Helen smiled as we bid her good night, climbing into the truck. Once inside, Cindy asked, "D'you think we're riding enough to be able to do catfish tonight?"

"Yeah," I said. "I think so."

"Then catfish for supper." And we headed out the park gate.

Thursday mid-morning, my cell phone rang. I looked at the screen. Helen. "Hey, Helen. What's up?"

"Jim Hardesty just called. Wants to know if he can see us tomorrow at 9 AM."

"Trouble?"

"No," she said. "He said he wanted to talk about something called an IEP."

"Oh ... He mentioned that a while back. Trying to see what he can do for Cindy."

"Can you make it? I know it's short notice, but I'd rather not go without you there to interpret."

"I can be there."

When I met her and Cindy at the office after work, Cindy asked the first question. "What do you think this is about?"

"Nothing bad, baby. Dan's trying to get you where you can do yourself some good. You're marking time in middle school classes."

"Tell me about it. I'm the assistant math teacher now. I even do remedial students."

"Good," Helen said. "It's good that you help other folks."

Cindy grinned. "It's fun when they want help and want to try. I don't work with 'em if they don't want help. The real teachers get those."

"I can see where that's a good idea," I said.

The three of us chatted for a few more minutes before we exited to go chase the elusive Alabama salad. Having made the little restaurant a twice a week destination, we were greeted like old friends, and we didn't leave immediately after the meal, either, because we usually talked with one or both of the owners after the meal.

We returned to the trailer feeling the coolness of a fall air. After showers, Cindy said, "Turn the heater down. Makes snuggling so much better."

I can find nothing wrong with that sentiment. We stayed up playing cards until ten and then I turned the thermostat down to fifty-five and crawled into bed, aiming for a spot beside Cindy. Except Cindy was a moving target and I ended up between her legs, her arms around my neck, and her face home to big smile. We kissed.

"D'you know that I love you?" Another kiss.

"Yes, I do, little girl," I said. "And I love you too." I felt her moving her crotch underneath me, her moist slit engulfing my hardening dick.

She giggled. Another wiggle and I slid inside her and she sighed. "Mmmmmm ... You feel sooo good, babe!"

"We really do, don't we?"

"Uh-hmmmm..." Her mobile form was surging against me, meeting my thrusts with her own enhancements. Then she giggled. "Let me suck you, babe. Sixty-nine?"

"Oh, yeah!" I said. She spun around, tossing the covers off us and presented me with moist pink perfection. Her little clit was excitedly peeking out of its home. I licked the length of her slit, my tongue ending up against its firm little head and I flicked it a couple of times, eliciting moans from the lips encircling my dick.

"Mmmmm!" she said, holding my dick in her hand. "When you do THAT, I'm afraid I'm gonna lose control and bite you too hard."

"Babe," I said, "You just bite me as hard as you want. I love eating you." And I went back to the happy meal in front of me. She hooked her teeth right behind my dick's coronal ridge and as promised, her teeth bit. Not hard. Just right. And she sucked. And I licked. Her hips became more insistent, pushing her pussy against my mouth, encouraging me. A subtle change in her flavor told me she was just about there. I sucked her clitty in between my lips and flicked with my tongue. And she went over the edge. My dick came out of her mouth and she held it against her cheek as she came. Finally she turned her head sideways and chewed on my like an ear of corn, then said, "Your turn!" And she sucked me into her mouth. The combination of hand, suction and tongue, plus the heady scent of her pussy, and I went right over the edge myself. After the second spurt, she giggled, sucking the subsequent surges from me.

"I love making love with you, babe," she said.

"You're the very best, Cindy. Best ever."

She cuddled into my side, her hand reaching down and idly fondling my soft dick. "Really? I mean, you're the only man I've ever been with, but I know you've been with other women."

"And baby, nobody ever comes close to being a better lover than YOU are."

"Really?"

"Really. With others, sometimes I would think afterward, if only THIS was different or she did THAT or felt like THAT, or stuff. I had my fantasies about how it was supposed to be. But then YOU came along, and it never crosses my mind that it could be better. And fantasies? I didn't have enough imagination to dream of how it is making love with you. Really!"

"I love you, Dan. I will never love another man."

"And I will never love another woman. I have this ring on my finger, but I have YOU in my heart and in my head."

"Thank you, baby." She kissed me and we drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, the sounds of great music on the stereo. Sweetness in the night was rolling over half-awake and feeling her body seek mine, molding against me as we shared warmth together.

Friday morning and the alarm was on, and we were up and bustling around. Our ways parted per the morning routine, and I went to work, arranging my events to let me get loose to attend the meeting at school.

Nine AM found me walking into Jim Hardesty's office behind Cindy and Helen and Jim.

"You folks can sit down," he said, smiling.

We sat. Cindy's eyes cut to mine, then Helen's and then to Jim.

"Here's a deal I want you to think about."

"Okay," I said. "Lay it on us."

Jim fingered a stack of papers on his desk. "I talked with the curriculum people and the standards people and we all reviewed Cindy's grades and test scores, and they talked with her teachers and the principal. And me."

Cindy fidgeted, uncharacteristically nervous.

"What I came up with, and THEY approved, is a plan that has one Miss Cynthia Susan Smith, age fourteen, graduating from HIGH SCHOOL with the current high school graduating class IF she completes a couple of hurdles.

Cindy giggled. I was just a small bit short of flabbergasted. Helen's mouth was ajar.

"She graduates? THIS year?" I asked. "What are the conditions?"

Jim smiled. "It all hinges on two tests. Her teachers told us that she's TEACHING math and science and history and language. This kind of put us in the position of having to prove her depth of education, so they say if she takes college placement tests, specifically the ACT, and scores in the top quintile, and if she takes the state's high school exit exam and achieves scores of competent or better, they'll give her a diploma. And letters of explanation and reference that she can use in any university in the state."

Helen looked at me. I looked at Cindy. Cindy was smiling. "What?!?!?" I asked her.

"Piece of CAKE!"

It was Jim's turn to look perplexed. "Piece of cake?"

"Yessir," Cindy said, hiding a self-confident smirk, and doing a poor job of it. "You see, you have these test prep books in the library, and they have sample tests for the ACT. And I took 'em. ALL of 'em. And the lowest score I ever got was a twenty-eight."

"My gosh," said Jim. "I had a twenty-four. Twenty-eight is inside the top ten percent."

"I managed a twenty-five, and I was an eighteen year old geek. I told you she was scary smart."

Helen finally spoke. "So let me get this straight. By next summer, Cindy'll be a high school graduate and then..."

Cindy said one word: "College!" She looked at me, then Jim. "Engineering school."

Jim snickered. "I guess then, that you folks are agreeable with the plan?"

Cindy's eyes twinkled as she answered for us all. "They agree."

Helen said, "Hmmmph! I guess I need to see about a college fund."

Jim said, "Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about that. I called a few people. If she wants to go to state, she's got a "gifted" scholarship. Full tuition. Or Auburn. Same thing."

"Man!" I said. "That's a hundred grand right there."

"Well, ya'll can talk about that later. We're good to go with the plan. I talked with the principal about attendance, too, and they'd like to see that she makes most of the days to the end of the year."

"I can DO that!" Cindy said. "So if I graduate, do I, like, get to do that cap and gown thing?"

This got Jim laughing. "Oh, yeah. I used to play softball with the principal of the high school and I asked him about it. I want to BE there when you walk on stage to get your diploma."

That was the end of the conversation. We did a few minutes of small talk, then I had to go back to work. Jim and I and Helen walked out into the hall after Cindy and she was skipping, really skipping, down the hall, giggling.

"God knows, sometimes I just LOVE this job," Jim told us. "Just love it!"

I drove back to the plant and walked into the office trailer. Sara caught my expression.

"DAN! You look like the canary that ate the cat! What's up?"

I told her. "Your soon to be file clerk?"

"Cindy?"

"Yeah, little red-headed green-eyed Engineer's Apprentice. She graduates from high school this spring."

"B-but ... she's FOURTEEN!" She shook her head. "My goodness! I could tell she was something special."

"Yes she is," I said, smiling. "And full scholarship to University of Alabama or Auburn."

"Dammmmnnnnnn!" And Sara NEVER cussed.

I told her some of the tidbits of the conversation. She shook her head.

But there was another conversation when Cindy and I met up at the office after school. "Dan, how can I go to college and you still work? I mean, you travel."

"Yeah, Dan," Helen said.

"Cool it, guys. First, I don't have to travel any time soon. The project runs until at least the end of February. And I can see what's around here for me. Maybe something nearer to the college of your choice. I have options." And for the first time in front of Helen, Cindy threw her arms around my neck and kissed me.

In the trailer, she said, "Dan ... It's like I'm in a fairy tale almost."

"I know, princess. I had NO idea Jim could swing something like this. But your free and easy days are over, baby. I don't know of ANYBODY who went from middle school to college. But if anybody can, it's you."

"With you beside me, Dan. You put me on top of the world."

The weekend was pleasant, cool fall days, Saturday night's "concert" was a success. We played encores. That was a good thing, because our little group only knew about five numbers. Well, The GROUP knew five numbers. Ann, shifted gears and wrung some classical beauty out when she swapped over from bluegrass fiddler to college-educated concert violinist. And Jim swapped his banjo for a guitar and between his guitar and my bass, we skipped through some classic rock. And Cindy knew the words. To Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart."

A seventy-year old Yankee snowbird gave me a DVD of the act. "For that angel," he said.

The judge and Helen came up to us afterward as we mingled with the crowd. He looked at Cindy. "Little girl child," he smiled, "Helen tells me the news."

Cindy smiled brightly. "Yessir! Isn't it great?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "Now let me tell you something. In the next few months people are going to tell you a lot of things, knowin' you need to choose a school. But I just want you to know, I am an Auburn graduate." He grinned and mussed her hair. "Don't you let 'em talk you into state!"

Cindy and I followed Helen and the judge to a late night eatery for a round of pancakes and coffee. I knew that coffee that late at night made me restless, but I knew it made Cindy restless, too, and being in bed with a restless Cindy was a goal, not a detriment, especially since we'd wake up on Sunday morning with nothing on the agenda but hanging out and running up the road.

The four of us sat at a table together sipping coffee and chatting. Helen spoke. Dan, Charley's wanting to ask you something. Cindy and I need to go powder our noses."

Cindy looked at me, questioning. I nodded, and she got up and left with Helen.

"Yes, judge?" I asked.

"Dammit, boy, call me Charley."

"Okay, Charley, but you need to know that inside my head you will always be 'judge'."

He laughed. "Okay, son, I'll buy that. I want to ask you a serious question. I think I know the answer, but I'm going to ask one more time."

I was a little leery. "Go ahead, sir."

"I want to know, on YOUR word of honor, that you're serious about marrying Miss Cindy."

"On my word of honor, sir. I would sooner shoot myself than hurt her or leave her. But you already knew that."

"Yes, I did, son, but I was talking with some of my colleagues and brought up the facts of your situation. I guess I'm finally slowin' down, son, because I am a judge in the Great State of Alabama and that's, forgive me Lord, an almost godlike power."

I stared at him.

"The facts are this, as given to me by other old men whom I hold in high regard. State law requires that for a young lady to be married at sixteen, she has to have her parent or guardian's permission. Some of my cohorts have, in a few cases, circumvented that law and issued court orders to allow marriage for participants of younger ages."

"Seriously? Really?" I could feel my heart thumping inside my chest. I thought the judge could see it.

"Yes, son, I should have thought about it on my own. I guess I'm slowin' down. It was more common a few decades ago, when some young lady would turn up in a family way and a family's honor required that she be married before giving birth."

"Ain't like that anymore," I said.

"Tell me about it," the judge said. "People don't care these days. Honor? Nobody knows 'honor' any more, I guess. Well a few of us do. An' you're one."

"Sir," I said, "Cindy's NOT pregnant."

"Didn't think she was, son, besides, that has nothing to do with it. Here's the deal. When she comes back, I ask her, and if she's of the same mind, I execute a binding legal document, signed by her legal guardian, allowing the marriage of an underage girl."

"You're serious?!?!?"

"I am. If YOU are. And SHE is." He looked over my shoulder. "You need to go visit the men's room, son. I need to talk to a young lady."

I was washing my hands in the men's room. The squeal was audible through the wall of the men's room.

I came back out. Cindy was blushing, red. "Dan! Dan! Did you hear?!?!?!"

"Through the walls, babe!"

She was grinning from ear to ear. The waitress arrived with plates of pancakes.

"Oh!" Cindy exclaimed. "I don't know if I can eat."

"Mister Charley, I fear you have given my bride a fever. I've never seen her turn down a pancake before."

Judge Peebles chuckled. "Okay, folks. Let's enjoy our pancakes. And Monday afternoon, you come to my office in town at the courthouse and we'll do this. We'll make you two an honest, law-abiding couple."

"And keep me from lying to my family," I said. I explained to him our plans for Thanksgiving.

"Mighty fine," He said. "You go present your bride to your family." He looked at Helen. "If Helen hasn't told you herself, I'll tell you. Saturday we're getting married too. One of my buddies is gonna do the service for us. He's pastor emeritus at the church in town."

"Congratulations to the both of you!" I said.

Yes, ma'am, Mizz Helen!" Cindy ginned. "Congratulations!"

Helen smiled. "I'm kind of giddy myself," she said. But don't worry. I'm gonna still run the park. Just gonna leave for a honeymoon for a couple of weeks. Charley's takin' me to Europe."

"Wow! Nice!" I said. Charley smiled.

We finished our pancakes and walked out as a group. "I get to kiss the bride," I said. I hugged Helen and kissed her on the cheek. "Helen, you're a wonderful friend! I am very happy for you."

The judge looked at Cindy. "Here!" she said, tiptoeing to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you Mister Charley!"

Charley called out as we got in the truck, "Monday!"

Cindy slid into the seat beside me. "Can you believe, Dan? Can you believe?!?!"

"No. I think this is a dream."

"Nuh-uh, babe. It's been a dream since you came into my life." Her head was on my shoulder and her hands were wrapped around my bicep. "We belong together."

And yes, we did wake up in the middle of the night.

Late morning we finally left the park, waving at Helen on the way out, headed for late breakfast, our bicycles in the rack in the bed of the truck. We went to a state park and rode around for a couple of hours, talking, laughing, feeling the sun and the cooling air of autumn.

Monday morning, we got out of bed at the alarm. As we were dressing, I told Cindy, "Well, baby, this is your last day as a single girl."

"I know, Dan. Isn't it cool?"

"No second thoughts?"

"Nope! Not since the first time you kissed me back."

We did breakfast at the little restaurant, bumping into some of my co-workers. As in "Look! It's Dan and the Engineer Apprentice!" And I found out that if you don't hold a gun to Sara's head and swear her to silence, any good news is published.

One old grizzled engineer came up and shook her hand. "I just wanted to congratulate you, dearie," he said. "I'm impressed. And I want to be there when you graduate from college, too!"

Cindy beamed. When we walked into the office trailer, I saw Sara. "There she is," I said, laughing. "She does a better job of getting news out than CNN!"

"Hon," she laughed, "You didn't say it was a secret and you sure looked proud. So I cut loose." She turned to Cindy. "You're not too proud to help me with my filing, are you sweetie?"

Cindy smiled. "No, ma'am! Just show me what to do."

"She's all yours, Sara," I said. "Cindy, I have to go to work."

"'Kay! I'll be here!"

"I'll get you for lunch, okay? And YOU too, Sara. You can eat a salad."

"Hah!" Sara said. "If YOU'RE buying, I want a filet mignon."

"Yeah, like that place does filet mignon..." and I went to my office, checked email, and then went out into the plant with a sheaf of drawings under my arm. Knowing what was at the end of the day, though, I must admit that my mind wandered more than a little.

I was back in the office at eleven. Cindy was sitting in a folding chair, smiling, sipping a cup of coffee and talking with Sara. "How's it going?" I asked.

Sara replied, "She's a whiz, Dan. I had to make her stop and take a break. Anybody sees her, they'll fire me and give 'er my job!"

"Nuh-uh," Cindy said. "I watched. She's doin' about a dozen things all at once. She knows EVERYBODY who walks in the door. All I have to do is look at the name on top of a piece of paper and put it in a file folder."

"You have no idea how much help she is," Sara said. "She recognizes the difference between invoices and correspondence and stuff and all I did was tell her a little stuff. She took off running with it."

"Good!" I said. "Let's go get lunch!" And in my truck, that put Cindy in the middle between Sara and me. We ran ten minutes up the road and had our "One meat, two vegetables, mashed potatoes and a roll". We saw a handful of our co-workers coming in as we were finishing up, and after almost an hour lunch we were back at work.

Four o'clock, I collected Cindy. She bid good bye to Sara and the project manager who came out of his office to see her leave.

"We have an appointment, I believe," she said.

"Yes, indeed, we do."

Twenty minutes later, a couple, older male, young female, both in work clothes and safety shoes, wearing identical pocket protectors, walked into the office of the judge.

Presenting ourselves to the receptionist, I said, "We have an appointment to see Judge Peebles."

The fifty-ish receptionist cooed, "Oh, yes, he told me that ya'll would be in. Come in with me!"

The judge rose from his seat when we entered. I shook his hand, then Cindy did.

"Mizz Baker," he said, addressing the lady from the desk, "could you bring me those papers. And the seal. And get Mary from up the hall. We need two witnesses." He smiled. "We can sign this stuff when Helen gets here, then I will have the pleasure of performing this ceremony."

We heard footsteps, then Helen's face peered in the door.

"Come, in, come in, dear," Charley said. We need to sign these." We signed the papers. Multiple copies. Mizz Baker dutifully applied the official seal to each of the several copies. "You might want to keep a stamped copy close at hand, just in case somebody gets suspicious," he warned.

He motioned to the rich woolen carpet in front of his desk. "Mary," he said, to the new face in the door, "get your camera. We want to take a few pictures. And bring that tray of glasses and there's a bottle of champagne in the fridge."

"Oh, mercy," Mary said. "This is an EVENT!!!"

Mary brought a camera with a tripod and set it up in the corner of the judge's office. She set the timer and took a picture of the entire party. Then the judge had Cindy and I stand before him in front of Helen and two witnesses. And he started.

"You know," he said, "I've been judge here for forty-odd years. I've married a bunch of people. Some of 'em wanted it. There were even a few who probably didn't, except for daddy's shotgun. But this is one happy couple that I feel real good about!" He smiled and opened a little leather-bound book. And read the words. And we said the vows. And he said, "I now pronounce you man and wife. Dan, you may kiss your beautiful bride."

Between Cindy and I, there were four streams of tears. Add three more sets, Mizz Baker, Mary and Helen. And I don't know ... maybe Judge Charley Peebles had a couple himself. Kisses and hugs and handshakes were passed around, along with congratulatory words.

Cindy and I walked out of the building into the late afternoon sun, holding hands. At the bottom step of the courthouse, I made her stand on the step as I stood on the ground, and I turned to her and in front of everybody, in front of the whole world, I kissed her.