Author's Notes:

'Melody for a New Day' is the sequel to Melody for a Long Weekend.

It picks up directly from that story (the next day), so if you haven't read the first story, you'll miss out on quite a bit. You might even feel a little lost.

So, go on and treat yourself to part one first.

You'll be glad you did.

Melody Dawson's Trilogy:

- Melody for a Long Weekend

- Melody for a New Day

- Melody for a New Life (Future Release)

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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Melody for a New Day

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Chapter 1

Melody floated through the clouds as she slowly rose to Heaven. Angels sang sweetly in her ears, and her heart was filled with love.

She had no concerns that she might bump into her husband where she was going, as she fully expected he'd gone somewhere very hot. Hadn't he spent his last day on earth escaping from her to play golf in Scottsdale, Arizona, during a summer heatwave?

He deserved hot.

Melody pushed such unpleasant thoughts from her mind as another surge of pleasure sent her higher. She didn't mind if she never reached her destination, as the journey was so blissful.

With the next surge, she moaned aloud, which pushed the clouds from her mind, and she surfaced from the wonderful dream into an even more sensational reality.

Blinking her eyes open, she looked down and saw the smiling eyes of Auden, who was caressing Melody's nipple with her clever tongue.

Melody sucked in a quick breath as another clever tongue swirled around her clit as thick fingers slid into her wet opening. A huge wave of pleasure was swelling, threatening to obliterate her thoughts.

Her hand landed on the back of David's head to pull his face tighter to her pussy. His lips sucked her stiff nub as his tongue danced over it.

"YYYYYYYeeeeeeeessssssss!" Melody cried as her orgasm struck with all its might, wave after wave battering her mind with intense pleasure as David read her reactions and eased off slowly.

Auden gently pinched both of her nipples, and this started up a new series of throbbing bursts of bliss.

"AH! No... no more! Oh my god!" Melody gasped as her eyes rolled in her head.

She felt David kissing her belly as he slowly pulled his fingers from her. She managed to open her eyes to see him watching her as he sucked her nectar from his fingers. A tremor went through her body as she saw his hunger for her. She bit her lip as she was still floating from her release.

He read her again and reached over to sink his fingers into Auden's thick hair. He pulled her unresisting face to his and kissed her deeply. She whimpered needfully into his mouth. When he pulled back, he looked at Melody and smiled.

"Good morning, beautiful. Care to join us in the shower?" David said, his voice husky with need.

She smiled as his compliment lit up her heart. She hadn't heard such loving words in years. Not until David came into her life just this past weekend. She shook her head slightly as her body was still trembling too much.

He nodded to Melody, slipped off the bed, and pulled Auden to her feet. The woman was just a little shorter than David, and both were so lovely that she thought they made a beautiful couple. That thought might have made her feel a little lonely, except for the fact that David and Auden insisted they wanted her in their relationship. Unconventional, but she was finding herself open to a little unconventionality these days.

They paused and looked down at her hopefully, seeing if she'd changed her mind. This made her giggle happily, and she shook her head. David bowed his head to her with a grin and guided Auden into the bathroom.

Melody relaxed back against her pillow and let her thoughts swirl around in her mind. At the beginning of the long weekend, she'd been trapped in a loveless marriage to a cold, emotionless drone of a man. It'd been over a decade since he'd touched her with the least amount of affection. It was fate, and her overcharged libido, that brought David into her life as he nursed her injured ankle. She'd discovered he was also dealing with self-doubts and a lack of self-confidence. As he brought genuine emotions back into her life over the weekend, she helped him shed years of negative self-image. She felt love for possibly the first time in her life. David was learning to accept that his Alopecia Areata and larger-than-average testicles weren't deformities or something to be ashamed of.

A tingle shot through her again as she thought of his large, muscular body, which was baby-smooth from the neck down. She thought he was damn sexy!

Auden certainly appreciated it, too.

She heard their gasps in the shower, and more tingles raced down her spine.

Today was going to be busy. She knew she had to get up, but David's method of waking her was too delicious to waste. She stretched and smiled as the residual waves ebbed through her nerves.

Just a few minutes more.

-=-

David knew Melody might wake up with the memory of her husband's death, so he made sure she had more pleasant things to think about. He paid close attention to her body and the sounds she made as he teased and tasted her soft lower lips.

Auden was awake and immediately clued in to what David was doing for Melody. She smiled and concentrated on the older woman's beautiful breasts.

David couldn't help but admire Auden's larger chest. She looked phenomenal! She caught his gaze, and her face lit up with a smile.

When Melody woke with a tremendous orgasm, he could tell her whole body was humming with the energy. David was thrilled he could do that for her! Her smile told him she was obviously not thinking about gloomy things, so he'd achieved his goal.

He was hard as iron and needed some relief as well.

When Melody begged off the shower fun, he drew Auden into the bathroom with him, then into the large shower stall. There was plenty of room for three—four if you were extra friendly. He got the water running comfortably hot and saw Auden's nod of approval.

He'd enjoyed licking Melody, but now he was craving some Auden, so he immediately sank to his knees before her, took a grip on her ass cheeks in his hands, and pressed his face between her legs.

"David! Oh my god!" she gasped, but he hadn't done anything yet other than press against her mound.

He kissed the insides of her thighs as her breath left her in gusts. Then, as she adjusted to the gentle kisses, he stroked her pussy lips with the flat of his tongue, and she moaned with need.

David kissed, nuzzled, and licked as Auden clung to his head as her body shook and trembled from his attentions.

"Please, David! I need you!" Auden begged sweetly. He smiled and stood, pinning her to the wall with his body. His cock was rubbing against her mound, and she sucked in a breath.

Then he kissed her as he pulled his hips back, repositioning the thick head of his cock against her pussy. He bent his knees to adjust the angle, then slowly drove himself deep into her.

Auden clung to his shoulders and kissed him fiercely as she felt herself accepting him inside. She loved this sensation and couldn't get enough!

When David pressed his body against hers, her eyes were closed, and she trembled. The sensation of being filled so wonderfully threatened to overload her mind.

"Fuck! You feel so good, Auden!" David gasped as she squeezed him internally.

"You, too!" was all she could manage.

Her magnificent breasts were pressing against him, and he moved his hands up to touch and massage their softness. She cooed from the sensation and then sucked in a sharp breath as he began to rock his hips to stir her insides with his cock as he bumped her clit.

"Ah! Mmm! You're so deep inside me!" Auden gasped.

David was feeling his pleasure begin to spike, so he needed to start moving more aggressively.

He changed his movements from rocking to thrusting, and Auden grabbed his shoulders, and her mouth dropped open.

"Yes! Oh my god!" she gushed as he began to drive himself into her, their bodies slapping together.

When she took his head in her hands and kissed him deeply, he felt her inner muscles begin to twitch and squeeze his stiff cock. That was all it took for his own release to strike, and he pressed his body against hers. His cum surged into her depths, and she pulled her face back to moan from the sensation of his heat filling her. Her forehead rested against his as they shook and shivered through the delicious tingling.

They remained clinging to each other until their minds returned to them.

Auden smiled at David and took a sweet kiss from his lips. "That's a lovely way to start our day."

David chuckled and nodded as he eased himself from her.

He pulled them under the spray and massaged Auden's scalp to wet her hair. Then he shampooed it and ensured he worked the suds into every strand before rinsing it clean. He repeated with the conditioner.

"You're pampering me," Auden sighed.

David raised an eyebrow as he smiled with a questioning look. "You object?"

"Don't be daft," she snorted softly with a smile.

She took over washing herself as David moved to deal with his own.

As nice as it would be to continue their play, they had to get moving, as it was time to make their debut as a couple at school.

His stomach rumbled.

Breakfast would be a good idea too.

Chapter 2

David smiled to himself as he walked toward the school's entrance with Auden's arm through his. They were a little early, so there weren't many other students visible, but the ones he recognized were slowing their steps to look at them.

He wore one of his new dress shirts, the black one, with the sleeves rolled back and the collar open for comfort. His charcoal pants felt like a second skin, stretching where they needed to without pinching. They were also cooler and more comfortable than jeans. His black loafers completed his new outfit, and he was pleased with the look.

He didn't believe the stares from the other students were focused entirely on him when Auden looked as spectacular as she did at his side.

She was wearing one of her flowy dresses, but this time, her breasts weren't cruelly strapped down. Now they were properly supported with her new bra (they'd pick up more after school) and the top of her dress was beautifully filled out. Melody offered her a wide belt for her waist, accentuating her curves instead of hiding them in the clothing. Auden was a knockout!

David looked over at her and saw her eyes flick to the others. She was nervous, and he wanted to help her overcome her nerves. He understood it would take time. He was feeling flutters in his stomach about attending school in clothes that didn't hide his body, but he knew Melody was right about needing to own it, or he'd forever be a slave to his insecurities.

He paused their steps and turned to Auden. She looked into his eyes curiously, and he also saw her nervousness.

"You are so beautiful, Auden. I'm the luckiest man alive for having you as my girlfriend. I want you to know that, and also how proud I feel to have you by my side. My beautiful, brilliant Auden. You make me feel like nothing's impossible!" he said as he gazed into her lovely eyes. He saw them twinkling joyfully, and her smile dazzled him again.

He leaned forward and kissed her sensually, and she trembled in his arms.

"We'll do more of that later," he said, his voice giving away his need for her, and she grinned happily as she nodded.

He got them moving again, and they entered the school.

The halls had more students getting ready for the day, and eyes turned in their direction. David's smile didn't falter, and when he glanced at Auden, he saw hers was still in place. Her grip on his arm was a little tighter, but she showed no fear to the watchers.

Up ahead, David saw Ms. Moreau, their art teacher. He felt a twinge of guilt for his past behavior in her class. Not that he'd instigated any disruptions personally, but when Jeff or Rebecca acted up, he'd gone along with them. He now saw his behavior in a new light. He should have defended the teacher instead.

What's done is done, but he could make amends.

"Auden, I need to speak to Ms. Moreau for a minute," he said, and she nodded to him with a smile.

"I'll see you in homeroom," she said and nodded shyly to the art teacher, who gave her a surprised smile as she passed.

The woman's eyes widened slightly as he stopped before her. Though she tried to hide it, her lips turned up in a little smile.

Léa Moreau was a free spirit amongst her conformist and calcified peers. Favoring a more carefree style in her dress and curriculum, she should have been very popular with the students, but as they say, the acorns don't fall far from the trees. Due to her distinct French accent, many students behaved equally stiff around the lovely blonde thirty-seven-year-old.

David thought she was lovely and wondered if she had someone in her life. She wore rings on a few fingers and one thumb, but he wasn't sure if this indicated she was single.

"Good morning, Ms. Moreau," he said politely.

Her smile grew a little as she quickly took in his new attire before her eyes lifted to his again. "Good morning, Mr. Spencer."

He got right to the point as they didn't have much time before the day started. "I wanted to apologize for my previous behavior in your class."

Her neat eyebrows rose as she tilted her head slightly. "I do not recall any misbehavior from you."

Moreau's accent tickled his ears, and he smiled and nodded shyly. "It's true that I didn't start any trouble, but I should have spoken up when Jeff and Rebecca disrupted your class. At that time, I was friends with them. I might have been able to get them to treat you with more respect. I really enjoy your classes, and it always bothered me when they acted up. I'm sorry I never did anything about it."

She was struggling to control her smile. "It is very kind of you to say, but it is not your responsibility to manage my students. I appreciate the thought, though." She paused. "Are you no longer friends with Mr. Ducane and Ms. Langley?"

He shook his head. "No. I've found new friends, and I'm doing my best to learn something from the mistakes I made in the past," he admitted.

Her smile finally won out. "Is one of those friends, Ms. Wright?"

David smiled proudly and nodded. "She's my girlfriend."

"Congratulations to you both," she said.

"Thank you. We'll see you this afternoon. I hope you have a lovely day," he said with a nod.

"You as well," she said, allowing a full smile to reach her lips. He'd never seen her do that and was momentarily dazzled. She turned away with a blush.

As he walked away, he couldn't keep the smile from his face as he felt... lighter. Relieved of the guilt of his past misdeeds, his conscience was clear.

He had to pass the school's administration offices on his way to homeroom. Principal Keets stood in the hall before the windows and didn't recognize David at first. His expression went from a pleasant smile to confusion before settling on a troubled frown.

"Good morning, Principal Keets," David said as he stopped before the older man.

"Good morning, Mr. Spencer. I saw Mr. Ducane this morning, and he seems to be missing some teeth. Did you assist him with their removal?" The man's expression was stern.

"No, sir," David said as he shook his head. "I believe Jeff was in a fight with someone in a holding cell when he was in police custody this weekend."

Keet's eyebrows rose.

"Maybe I should start at the beginning." The man nodded, so David began. "I took the weekend to reflect on who I wanted to be and realized the behavior I showed last week was far from acceptable. I'm very sorry for letting my temper get the better of me.

Unfortunately, Rebecca and Jeff didn't have similar breakthroughs over the past few days. Rebecca broke my truck's headlight in front of a police officer and was given a warning, but her parents grounded her.

When I purchased a replacement headlight, I didn't realize Jeff worked there. He blamed me for Rebecca's grounding and tried to attack me, but the officer was also there. Jeff punched him in the groin and was taken into custody.

I don't know why he's acting so irrational. It's putting his future at risk. I want no part of that. I have plans for my future."

Keets was smiling now as he watched David. "What are they?"

David returned the smile. "I was accepted into the Physiotherapy program at the local college. No more football for me unless I'm helping injured players back to health." Keets nodded approvingly.

"I believe you have a make-up exam to complete after homeroom," the principal said, and David nodded as he waved and moved on toward his classroom.

The room was quiet as he entered. It was an established fact that Mrs. Greenbaum took shit from no one, so homeroom was usually a zone of civility.

Eyes turned to him and widened as they took in his new outfit and confident smile. He ignored everyone and sought out Auden. Her expression relaxed, and she gave him a sweet smile. He returned it.

This wasn't missed by Jeff, Rebecca, and the other members of their clique. David ignored them and smiled at Mrs. Greenbaum with a nod as he sat.

The bell rang, and the heavyset teacher smirked. "Just under the wire, Mr. Spencer."

He chuckled with a nod, and her smirk became a genuine smile.

The teacher took attendance, followed by the morning announcements over the PA, before the bell rang to send them to their first class.

This was History, and David knew he and Jeff would be moved to another room to do the exam. He was still feeling confident.

He left homeroom and held hands with Auden as they walked to Mr. Marley's room. This was as much a declaration of their relationship as were their matching fashion choices. They stood out from the ripped jeans, hoodies, tights, and cargo pants.

Mr. Marley was waiting at his classroom door and did his best not to stare at the approaching couple.

Auden released David's hand and entered the room as David stopped before the man.

"Good morning, Mr. Marley! I'm all yours," David said with a smile.

The history teacher was a short and slim older man with a bushy white mustache that trembled when upset. Thankfully, it wasn't doing that now as he nodded and gestured for David to enter the room across the hall from his history classroom.

As David walked inside, he saw Jeff was already seated at a desk in the front row. Jeff grimaced when he saw David, and for the first time, David got a clear view of the damage to his teeth. He'd lost the four middle teeth on top and two on the bottom.

David winced involuntarily, imagining how much that must have hurt and probably still did.

Jeff looked away angrily, and Mr. Marley pointed to the desk three to Jeff's right.

"Mrs. Levine will be supervising you two during the test." The woman in question, a library assistant, moved into the room to sit at the desk at the front. The teacher continued. "I will come in from time to time, but you will have until the next bell to complete the exam," he said as he placed the papers in front of them. He walked to the front of the room and turned to face them.

"Begin."

David flipped the test over and carefully read through the questions. He slowly smiled as he realized how well his studying prepared him for this. He'd have to thank Melody when he got home tonight.

He kept his eyes focused on his papers, ignored the noises coming from Jeff, and got to it.

Finishing the exam took less time than he expected, so he read through his answers once more before carrying the papers to Mrs. Levine. She smiled up at him and accepted the sheets.

Mr. Marley stepped into the room and spotted David. His brow rose. "Are you sure you don't need more time?" the man asked quietly, not to disturb Jeff.

David smiled and shook his head. He pitched his voice to the same volume as he leaned closer to the teacher. "I went back over the course materials this weekend with a tutor who helped me see where I was getting confused. I'm sorry I didn't pay closer attention in class and allowed myself to be distracted."

"Don't touch me!"

Through the open classroom door, David and Marley could see Rebecca in the hallway poking Auden's breasts.

"If you're going to show off your fat udders, expect to be milked!" Rebecca said with a nasty leer as she tried again, but Auden blocked her. David cursed, but Mr. Marley was already on his way to the door. He rushed to catch up to the smaller man.

The moment they were out in the hall, Jeff slammed into David from behind, and the two fell to the floor, knocking Marley onto his ass. Jeff punched David twice on the side of his head, then his fist landed in a palm. David squeezed and bent Jeff's wrist back sharply, and something inside tore. Jeff screamed shrilly as Marley pulled him from David's back.

Auden rushed to David and helped him to his feet. She checked the swelling on his cheek. They glared at Jeff and Rebecca as Principal Keets and Coach Carlisle ran down the hall to assist.

"What's going on here?" Keets snapped.

Mr. Marley straightened out his jacket. "I witnessed Ms. Langley inappropriately touching Ms. Wright in the hall. When I came out to confront her, I was knocked down when Mr. Ducane attacked Mr. Spencer from behind."

Mrs. Levine was also in the hall and nodded to the principal, confirming the history teacher's account of events.

Keets looked at David and saw the bruises on the side of his face.

Sensing how the situation was developing, Jeff's temper flared, and he went on the offensive. "David broke my fucking wrist! He may have destroyed my football career!"

That was too much for Coach Carlisle, who scoffed. "What career? You probably just threw away your chance at that scholarship with your idiotic, violent behavior. We have to report this, and the college has a zero-tolerance policy for such bullshit!"

"Larry," Keets said stiffly to the coach.

Then he scowled at Rebecca. "We have a zero-tolerance policy for molestation and bullying. The two of you, come with me to the office. You're being expelled."

By this point, Jeff and Rebecca's group was crowded in Mr. Marley's doorway. They made sounds of protest, and Keets locked eyes with them. "Did any of you participate in Ms. Langley's bullying, or did you just watch like sheep?" Expressions darkened, but they shut up. "That's what I thought."

Rebecca was staring at the principal in shock. "But... It's almost graduation!"

"Not for you two, it isn't!" Keets insisted.

The History teacher glared at Jeff. "You left the classroom before handing in your exam. Consider that a failing grade."

"Fuck you," Jeff snarled, his short fuse triggered once more.

"Mr. Ducane!" Principal Keets snapped but got a glare for it.

The principal looked at David and Auden. "I'll need statements from you two as well."

They nodded.

With that, the principal led the entourage toward the office.

David and Auden would be missing their next class, but Jeff and Rebecca would miss far more than that.

-=-

After Melody tidied up the house, showered, and prepared to head downtown to their lawyer's office, she heard a knock on her front door.

She glanced out the peephole and saw Jackie standing on her front step. Taking a deep breath, Melody stepped back and opened the door.

"Good morning, Jackie."

"Good morning. We need to talk," Jackie said abruptly.

Melody nodded and gestured for the other woman to come inside. She followed Jackie into her living room, where the redhead turned to face her.

"You need to stay away from David."

Melody had expected this and practiced her response repeatedly in her head. Facing the distraught mother was another thing. She gave herself a second to compose herself before speaking.

"I'm not going to do that. I need him," she said. It was the truth.

"You're twice his age!" Jackie exclaimed, her tension showing in her voice.

Melody nodded. "Yes, but he doesn't care about that—"

"Don't you?" Jackie shrieked.

Melody gave the woman a moment to recover from her outburst as she watched her face. She saw anxiety and guilt there. Perhaps it was time to address the latter.

Her ankle was a little sore, so she sat on the couch and gestured for Jackie to sit as well. "Sorry, my ankle is still healing, and I've been informed to rest it often. David will be an excellent physiotherapist."

Jackie twitched slightly at his name but sat on the edge of the couch and turned to face her.

"While I was incapacitated this past weekend, David let me know he was going to college to be a physiotherapist. He gave me one of the therapeutic massages he told me he gives you when you get home from work," Melody said gently.

Jackie's eyes widened as she understood.

"He said he was self-taught, and the massage was very good, but you must admit, some of the techniques are not therapeutic but sensual in nature. It's very stimulating." She lifted her hands to stop Jackie's immediate combative response. "I'm not about to tell him, but I'm concerned that you haven't. David is smart enough to figure it out. It won't be long until he learns the truth when he attends his physiotherapy course. If he discovers his mistake at that time, he's going to be hurt and very confused." She saw Jackie's mouth working, but the woman wasn't saying anything, so she continued.

"I want to help so no one gets hurt. I can clearly see you love Keith, so why involve David in this way?" Melody asked.

Jackie surged back to her feet, her anguish visible in her eyes, but something prevented her from speaking. She dashed from the room, and Melody heard her front door thump closed.

Sighing, she rose and went to lock the door once more. Jackie's behavior was confusing as well as disturbing. The woman obviously felt trapped by something... but what?

Melody wanted to help, as it would also benefit David. Hadn't he mentioned this started when she returned to work? Maybe she should check out Jackie's work conditions.

She had to put these thoughts on hold as there were tasks she needed to deal with from her husband's recent death. First on the list was a trip to the police station to give her statement.

The phone rang, and she frowned as this was another delay, but she realized she'd better answer as it was her only phone. One of her tasks today would be picking up a cell phone like David's.

"Hello?"

"Melody! Good morning!" Chelsea's upbeat voice chirped.

"Ah! Good morning, Chelsea! How did it go with the police?" Melody asked.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Are you free for lunch today?" the woman asked excitedly. Melody wondered what her current mood meant. "Yes, I should be. I have a few errands to run this morning." She paused as much had happened since they last met. "I have news of my own to share with you."

Chelsea squealed excitedly, but Melody knew she was obviously thinking about David.

"Let's meet at the rooftop patio restaurant of the Empress Hotel at noon. I'll make the reservation," Chelsea gushed.

Melody smiled. "Sounds good. See you then."

She hung up and then dialed their lawyer's office. She asked his receptionist if he'd he able to speak with her today and made an appointment for one-thirty. That should give her enough time with Chelsea.

Melody grabbed her purse and let herself out of the house. She locked the door, then went to the garage to drive her car out. As the garage door closed, she glanced around the shitty little car her husband bought for her. It was as small and basic as the cheap bastard could find. When she'd insisted on having access to his car so she could go to the gym and run errands like picking up groceries, he'd reluctantly purchased this for her instead.

She realized his car was probably still in the airport parking lot. She'd have to ask David to help her retrieve it.

As she drove downtown, she decided to sell both cars and buy one that suited her tastes. She wanted something fun!

There was a parking lot across the street from the precinct, so she found a spot, crossed to the police station, and went inside. She was directed to Officer Blane's desk.

"Good morning, Mrs. Dawson," he said as he rose to his feet.

"Good morning, Officer Blane," she responded with a smile.

He gestured to the chair next to his desk, and they sat.

"There are just a few items to deal with. The Arizona police have informed us that the medical examiner confirmed your husband's death was caused by a preexisting heart condition that was fatally aggravated by the dose of Viagra Mr. Ballsom gave him. They've passed along their findings to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, which graciously expedited the issuance of the death certificate. Must be a slow week," he added with a smile. "Harold Ballsom pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter when he and his lawyer were presented with his video confession. Please thank David for us. That really expedited the process!"

Melody nodded with a smile.

"The Arizona Coroner's office would like to make arrangements for his body," Blane said gently.

"There won't be a ceremony. They can dispose of it," she said, and the officer looked uncomfortable.

"There's a matter of the costs of these services," he said hesitantly.

"My husband was a very... frugal man. We can take the steps required to reduce the costs of this process. Cremation is cheaper than burial, so I'll sign any release documents they need to proceed with that. If they're unwilling to dispose of the ashes, shipping them to me isn't expensive. I'll pick up those costs, but only for the least expensive service."

"I'll let them know," Blane said with a nod. "Your husband's personal items will be sent to us from the Arizona Sheriff's office. We'll get them delivered to you with the paperwork." She nodded.

Melody frowned as she thought about the report of his heart condition. "I wasn't aware of this health issue. The last time I asked him about his health, he got angry and stopped speaking with me for a week." She looked up at the officer's unease. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay," Blane said.

Melody forced a smile onto her lips. "You have my number. I'm going to pick up a cellphone today, and I'll call later to give you the number for it and an email account so you can reach me and forward any documents." The officer smiled with a nod, so Melody took a deep breath to settle herself. "Is that everything?"

Blane nodded, and they stood. She reached out a hand and shook his. "Thank you for your sensitive handling of this. I shed my tears years ago, and now I'm moving on. Too much time wasted, and now I'm starting over."

"Good luck to you," he said with a crooked smile, and her smile widened.

"Thanks!"

Melody left the building and drove to a nearby mall, where she found and purchased a cell phone much like the one David used. The young saleswoman raved about its camera, which seemed like a more important feature than its calling capabilities. She gave Melody an excellent deal on the service plan. Melody grinned all the way to the restaurant to meet Chelsea.

The hostess smiled at Melody as she walked up to her station. "I'm meeting Chelsea Cartright."

"Yes, please follow me," the young woman said, guiding her through the restaurant.

As they moved to the outer edge of the patio, Chelsea popped up to her feet and greeted Melody with a squeal and a double-cheek kiss.

This surprised Melody, but she nodded to the smirking hostess and sat beside Chelsea, who returned to her chair.

"I take it from that greeting that all went well with the police?" Melody asked.

Chelsea nodded enthusiastically, her mane of blonde hair bouncing from the vigorous agreement.

"I have you to thank for that! If I hadn't gotten out in front of that situation, I might have ended up in jail!" she gushed.

"So, Julian's okay?" Melody asked with a smile.

The blonde shook her head, and her smile dimmed a little. "No, he died."

"What?" Melody gasped.

Chelsea nodded sadly. "The police in Libya were notified that they needed to keep Julian from meeting his contact there. Unfortunately, they spotted him as he was leaving the airport with another man. They reported that they chased them out of the terminal to see his guide stab him. The police shot the local man with the knife, but Julian was still on his feet and terrified. He ran from the police straight out into the street in front of a delivery truck that ran over him. It was a dumb way to die."

"Oh, Chelsea, I'm sorry to hear that," Melody said sympathetically as husband number three was no more.

The blonde shook her head and smiled. "Our marriage was over. I never wished him harm, but there's nothing I can do now but move forward."

"What about Julian's boss, Khaled? Will he have expectations?" Melody asked nervously.

Chelsea grinned and shook her head. "The man the Libyan police shot lived and confessed he was hired by his cousin Khaled to murder Julian. The police here picked him up. I think they said he was being extradited to Libya."

Melody nodded as that protected Chelsea.

"So how was dinner, or I should say... dessert?" Chelsea asked with a broad, wicked grin.

Melody smiled, knowing her friend wanted her to dish about her evening with David.

"Before I talk about that, I also have some significant news. One of my husband's golf buddies slipped him some Viagra two nights ago. They didn't know he had a bad heart condition, and he died. I found out yesterday."

Chelsea was stunned into silence. Her large blue eyes widened. "Oh. My. God! We're two widows saved from terrible marriages by fate! I'm sorry to hear your news... but I'm also not!"

Melody chuckled in surprise and nodded. "I'm seeing our lawyer this afternoon to see what next steps are required."

"I'm seeing mine tomorrow morning," Chelsea said, her bubbly personality quickly returning. The twinkle returned to her eyes. "We're just two women available for love!"

In a moment of weakness, Melody smiled as she thought of David. Chelsea gaped at her.

"You've already found love?" Chelsea gasped, wide-eyed.

Melody sighed and nodded. "I'm with David now... and Auden."

Chelsea blinked in confusion. "Who's Auden?"

"David's girlfriend. They want me in their relationship," Melody explained.

Chelsea's eyes widened even more. "I didn't know you swung that way!"

Melody shook her head with a small smile. "It's too early in the relationship to make any definitive statements, but Auden is special."

Chelsea's smile was dimming. "Does this mean the raincheck on dinner with David is now off the table?"

Melody paused as she considered her new relationship with David and realized she wasn't threatened by Chelsea's interest in him the slightest bit. But she wasn't the only one included in this relationship. She smiled. "I'm not opposed to you being with him, but I'll speak with David and Auden, as they'll make the final decision."

Chelsea flashed a hopeful smile as the waiter finally arrived to take their order.

As they ate, Chelsea spoke of her experience of becoming a widow after her first husband and what Melody could expect. Melody quickly picked up that Chelsea's attraction to Julian had been entirely physical. She wondered if the woman had ever experienced true love. Was she emotionally mature enough to know what love felt like? It didn't seem like she'd been in love with any of the men she'd married.

Regardless of her flightiness, Melody liked Chelsea. She might be a little immature and placed too much emphasis on style over substance, but she was still a genuinely good person. Her upbeat nature boosted Melody's spirits during the latter years of her marriage. The friends Melody went to school and college with all moved away and fell out of touch. More than likely, they didn't want to hear about how sad and lonely Melody was becoming in her cold marriage.

They parted with double-cheek kisses, promising to get in touch with each other by the end of the week, and Melody went to her lawyer's office. The man confirmed that, according to the will they had on file, all assets were left to her. Melody promised to send along a copy of the death certificate when she received it.

Next, she went to the bank to speak to an account representative. She indicated that she would send him a copy of the death certificate then they reviewed her accounts. With no mortgage, no debts, decent dividend income from a solid and balanced investment portfolio, and her husband's pension, Melody learned that she was financially secure. Her husband was a cheap, cold-hearted bastard, but he'd managed their money well.

Melody's last stop was a hardware store where she had extra house keys made.

Her ankle was beginning to ache, so she went home and rested with her foot elevated on a pillow. She knew David and Auden would be home from school shortly, so she remained in the living room and dozed on the sofa.

She woke with a snort when she heard the doorbell. She limped to the front door and smiled to see David and Auden waiting on her step.

Melody's smile switched to dismay as she saw the bruising on David's cheek, and she ushered them inside.

"David! What happened?" she said in concern.

He smiled and gently kissed her lips before scooping her up in his arms.

"You're favoring your ankle. Did you walk too much today?" he asked instead of answering.

She loved feeling the strength of his arms, but she would not be distracted. She glanced at Auden's expression and saw the younger woman wasn't fretting, so... something had been resolved?

"I was just resting it after I ran some errands. Why are you bruised?"

"I just had a little altercation with Jeff at school. He attacked me. Both he and Rebecca have been expelled. Jeff for fighting and Rebecca for molesting and bullying Auden." Melody made a surprised sound of concern for Auden, so the buxom beauty slipped closer and kissed her sweetly.

When she pulled back, David continued. "I think Jeff has lost any chance at the scholarship he was supposed to get. What an idiot! He'll have to do summer school to finish his final year."

He returned Melody to the sofa, propping her ankle on the pillow again.

Melody pointed to the keys on the coffee table. "I made these for you two. You can let yourself in from now on." Auden and David smiled as they added the keys to their keychains.

David's eyes lit up when he spotted the new cell phone. "You got one!" he exclaimed.

Melody smiled and nodded. David and Auden immediately pulled out their cell phones and added her number to their contact list. Then David ensured her most useful apps were on her home page and added their numbers to her contact list.

He looked at her. "What plan did you get?" he asked curiously.

Melody reached for her purse, and Auden handed it to her. She pulled out the paperwork and gave it to David. He read for a second and smiled with a nod. "Nice. Plenty of data for sending photos in texts," he said with a sexy smile.

Returning his smile, Melody nodded. Auden joined in.

Giving herself a little shake, Melody looked into the eyes of her two lovers. "Can you set me up with an email account? I need one to receive documents from the police, my lawyer, and the bank."

David nodded with a smile and quickly confirmed her name was available at the largest online email service. He set her up with an account and used his cell to compose a message to her. It would be her first email, aside from the automated setup messages.

He handed the cell to her as he sent his message. She glanced down at the phone as it blinged. She saw a message icon on her email app and touched it.

She grinned as she spotted David's message. "Oh, look! I've received an email already!" A second chime rang as she saw one from Auden under David's.

She opened David's, and it simply said, "I love you, beautiful lady!" Her eyes welled up as David moved in for a kiss. When he pulled back, she read Auden's message. "I'm so happy to be here! Thank you, and I love you, too!" Melody turned to Auden, who was looking at her hopefully, so she gestured for her to move closer. She kissed her as well, and Auden's smile afterward was joyful.

Once Melody settled back on the couch, she looked at her lovers.

"I had lunch today with Chelsea," she began, and saw David's expression show a little concern before she continued. Auden didn't know who she was speaking of, so she explained. "Chelsea is a friend I made at my fitness club. She's... interested in David." Lights went on in Auden's eyes.

"She's married," David added, and Auden absorbed this information as well.

Melody nodded. "Yes, but I get the impression that Chelsea doesn't approach marriage in terms of an emotional bond with a soul mate. I don't know if she's wired to understand those emotions, or perhaps she never met the right mate. She was going to divorce her third husband, but he went on a business trip to Libya and suffered a fatal accident at the airport. Hit and killed by a delivery truck." Auden watched her with wide eyes. "Chelsea was sad to hear about the accident as she didn't want to see him hurt, but I don't believe she loved or even liked him by that point," Melody concluded.

She looked into David's eyes. "When she saw that I was in love with you and Auden, she asked if her raincheck for an interlude with you was now off the table. I promised her I would ask you two about it. The decision is yours."

David frowned. "I'm not interested in expanding our relationship to include anyone else." He nodded as he thought about it. "Chelsea seems like a nice person, very bubbly and fun, but she was just looking for some more thrills." He held Auden's eyes. "She graphically described how her previous husbands fucked her silly with oversized cocks and paid for her series of increasingly large breast implants. I agree with Melody. She's not very deep emotionally."

Auden looked into David's eyes and nodded. Then she turned to Melody. "Do we need to answer immediately?" David looked at her in surprise, and she continued. "I think we should sleep on it. I'll discuss this with you tomorrow. Okay?" David smiled hesitantly, so she leaned in and kissed him tenderly.

Melody smiled as she saw David's brow ease. She grinned as he pulled back with a dreamy look in his eyes.

He flashed an embarrassed smile at her, then cleared his throat.

"I-I should check in at home as I usually prepare dinner," he said.

Melody nodded. "Will you be eating there or with us?"

"Here! I mean, I'll get it cooking, then I'll come back," he said quickly and received two grins.

David stood and left the house.

When they were alone, Melody raised an eyebrow at Auden, curious about her response to Chelsea's request.

Instead of an answer, Auden gave her a mischievous smile. "What are we making for dinner?"

-=-

David let himself into the house and walked to the kitchen, where he spotted Suzanne doing her homework at the table. He knew she had a desk in her small bedroom for doing this, so he was curious about her being here.

"Hi!" he said, and she looked up at him with a smile that was immediately replaced by a look of concern.

"What happened to your face?" she chirped in dismay.

David smiled at her. "It's okay. Jeff decided he wasn't over the fight we had during the weekend and attacked me at school. The teachers were there to see him start, so he was expelled. I didn't get into trouble as I didn't fight back," he said, then paused with a little smile. "Well... I broke his wrist, but that was self-defence." He shook his head as he thought about how angry Jeff was. "I don't know what's going on with Jeff. His rage issues are out of control."

Suzanne smiled again, and David realized this was probably one of the longest conversations he'd ever had with his sister. He began to prepare dinner as he thought about that.

His curiosity returned. "Why are you working here instead of in your room?"

She rolled her eyes. "Rick is listening to his music too loud again. I couldn't concentrate."

David knew Rick and Suzanne shared a room that his father had ingeniously divided with a wall and specialized built-in units for their beds and desks.

He had a sudden epiphany. If he stayed with Melody in her home, his bedroom would be available for Suzanne, and that divider wall could come down to give Rick the entire space. This home only had three bedrooms, and as the oldest, he got the extra room. His siblings shared a room but had separate areas.

He'd speak to Melody to see if she'd be amenable to the idea.

"Is your girlfriend going to move in with you?"

David looked at Suzie in surprise, but she seemed curious as a blush warmed her face. "She's very pretty and has a lovely accent," she continued quickly.

He grinned. "I agree with you, but no, she's not. She is moving in with Melody, so I'll see her there. She will visit, though."

Suzanne's smile showed she was happy about that as she returned to her homework.

David put the prepped meal into the oven and set the timer. It would be ready when his parents got home.

He set the table minus one setting as he'd be next door. He paused as he considered his little sister. He kissed the top of her head, making her look up at him in surprise. "I'm sorry if I haven't been as good an older brother as I should have been."

She burst into giggles as her eyes held his. "Who are you, and what have you done with my self-absorbed brother!"

He winced as she bounced up to her feet and hugged him.

"I've been doing a lot of reflecting on my behavior over the weekend. I didn't like what I saw. I promise to do better."

Suzanne was grinning happily as Rick entered the room with a smirk on his face.

David sighed. "You'll just have to be patient with Rick as he's still going through his obnoxious years."

Rick was immediately angry, but David locked eyes with him. "I'm sorry for being a poor older brother to you, too." Rick's expression wobbled between surprise and suspicion, but David looked back at Suzanne. "I'll check in after dinner."

As he headed for the front door, his dad stepped inside. It was earlier than usual, but it was the perfect opportunity, so David smiled.

"Hey, Dad. Can we talk?"

Keith smiled. "I was hoping to be able to speak to you alone as well. Come down to my workshop."

His father spoke first when they were downstairs in Keith's domain and had their privacy. "What's with the bruising?" He was frowning as he said it.

"Jeff attacked me at school in front of a teacher. He's been expelled, and he's likely lost his scholarship." David shook his head. "Rebecca was also expelled for bullying Auden. She and Jeff won't graduate with us. They'll probably have to complete their grades this summer." He saw his father's concerned look. "I didn't get into trouble as I stayed calm and didn't fight back."

His dad's relief was clear.

David gave his father an awkward look. "Did Mom explain to you why she acted so weird last night?"

Keith shook his head with a troubled expression. "No, and she refused to speak with me about it. We had such an awesome weekend, but it ended on such a sour note." He glanced at his son. "How was your weekend?"

David smiled. "It started sour as I really wanted to join you guys, then Melody hurt herself, and Mom insisted I had to take care of her. But... Melody is such a good person and wise, too. She helped me take a good look at my behavior and who I was calling my friends. She showed me I could be a better person, too. My weekend ended with me having a girlfriend, Auden, and a new friend, Melody."

"You're on a first-name basis with our neighbor?" Keith asked with a raised brow.

David smiled. "She asked me to call her that, as Mrs. Dawson made her feel old."

"But she is old—I mean, older than you," his dad insisted.

David grinned at his father. "She's a year younger than you. Should I think of you as old?"

Keith chuckled, then grabbed his son in a playful headlock as David rolled his eyes. "Get cheeky with your old man, will you? I still have what it takes to take you down a notch!"

"DAVID!"

After a moment's pause as they listened, Keith released his son, and they shared a look as they heard Jackie calling for him from the front door.

"We'd better go see what's up," his father said, leading the way upstairs.

They found Jackie in the kitchen telling Suzie to go to her room. She looked sternly at David and screeched when she saw the bruises. "You got in another fight?"

David sighed and glanced at his dad.

"No, he was attacked by the boy who fought him last week, but he didn't fight back, and the kid was expelled. He acted responsibly this time," Keith said proudly, and David smiled.

Jackie looked at David's outfit uncomfortably, then locked her eyes on his. "You stay away from Melody!"

David blinked in surprise at her. "Why?"

"Because I said so, that's why!" Jackie snapped.

David just smiled at her. "That reasoning no longer applies to me as I'm an adult. I'd appreciate a real answer, please."

She glanced at Keith. "Back me up!"

David looked at his dad, but the man seemed to be struggling to understand.

"I'd be delighted to, but you need to tell me what this is all about. I like Melody, and we've always gotten along!" he said.

Jackie's face was getting redder by the second. She finally reached her limit. "Melody's having sex with David!"

Keith looked at David in shock, but he was watching his mom. "Did Melody tell you that?" David asked calmly.

"She didn't need to! I spoke with her this morning, and she said she wouldn't stop seeing you because she needs you!" Jackie exclaimed.

Keith once more turned to David. "You didn't mention the extra weekend activities, but now I understand why you said your weekend was good!"

David shook his head. "I didn't mention it because it was private. I haven't discussed it with Melody and didn't want to give you the wrong impression of her."

"MRS. DAWSON!" Jackie snapped, correcting him.

David gave her a disappointed frown. "Melody is a good person who gave me some great advice during our talks this weekend. She helped me regain the confidence I'd lost due to my skin condition. She gave me great advice that helped me become Auden's boyfriend. Melody has just suffered a tragedy. I'm going to be there for her to ensure she's okay."

Keith frowned awkwardly. "It sounds like Melody is looking for more than a friend if she's saying she needs you. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of my impressionable son being with a woman in her thirties."

David nodded. "I get that. I do. And I'm sorry for upsetting you and Mom, but I'm going to continue seeing her."

"NO!" Jackie screamed and suddenly slapped his face.

"Fuck! Ow!" David barked in surprise and hurt as his face was already sore from the bruising. His temper flared, but he did his best to throttle it down. He caught his mother's hand as she tried to slap him again. He spun her around, pulled her back against his chest, and pinned her there firmly. She was on her tiptoes in his unbreakable grip, completely at his mercy.

Jackie gasped at his manhandling. Her face flushed, and her eyes went glassy as lust shot through her body before she could control her response.

Then she saw Keith was watching her closely, and an icy finger of fear began to stroke down her back.

"I don't know why you are acting like a spoiled brat! I expect better of you!" David growled and gave her a little shake. Jackie began to pant as her heart raced and her mind spun out of control. Her fear couldn't compete with this.

David saw the confusion on his dad's face as he watched his wife. The man looked at David.

"D-don't speak to your mother that way. Let her go," he insisted, his voice wobbling.

David stared at his father in frustration, then gently pushed his mom into his dad's arms.

"I'll be over at Melody's tonight. Enjoy dinner."

David stormed out of the house and headed back to Melody's.

He needed to hear her calm voice of reason after this madness.

-=-

Keith looked into his wife's glassy eyes and was at a loss. "Why are you acting this way?"

He wasn't sure if he was asking the question about her hostility to their neighbor or her reaction to their son. His mind shied away from the latter, and he concentrated on the first. "Melody is a good person. It sounds like she helped David even if it wasn't done selflessly."

Jackie's eyes flared with anger. "David is my son!"

This pushed Keith's frustration beyond the breaking point as it wasn't an answer to his question. "I know! Why are you acting all hot and bothered when he was holding you?" he snapped.

"Why can't you just support me on this?" she shouted back as she burst into tears and ran for the stairs. He heard her going up to the top floor, and their bedroom door slammed shut.

Keith was lost.

-=-

Melody heard the thump of the front door and looked up in time to see David enter the kitchen. She immediately spotted the red mark from a slap, and her heart went out to him. She knew who'd done it, and she felt responsible for his pain, but she knew he'd need to voice it.

"What happened?" she asked.

"My mother is losing her mind. She is behaving completely opposite to how she normally does. I don't understand at all!" David's anger ran out after he expressed his frustration, leaving him confused and sad. "Mom came to speak to you this morning?"

Melody nodded, so David continued. "She says she knows we've been intimate, but I didn't tell her, as it's our business. Did you?" he asked, and Melody shook her head. David nodded as her response met his expectations. "Mom told me to stay away from you, which I absolutely won't do."

Melody couldn't stop the relieved smile from appearing on her lips, and Auden added her smile as well.

"I don't understand Mom's sudden hostility, and now I've upset my dad, which is not easy to do," he said with an anxious frown.

Melody believed Jackie was dependent on her son's massages to meet some need. What the mother saw as Melody's interference was driving her to these extremes. But Melody still had no idea what was driving the need. All she knew was that she couldn't be the one to tell David. It had to come from Jackie herself, or the damage it might do to David and their family would be terrible. As it was, she wasn't sure how David would react to discovering his mother was using him for sexual relief.

"I think for tonight, everyone should take some calming breaths. I'll try to speak with your parents together in the morning," she suggested, and she could see David's shoulder muscles immediately begin to ease in relief. "Where does your mother work?"

David gave her the name and address, which she entered into the contact application on her cell.

She looked up to see a pleased expression on his face.

"You're taking to this new tech pretty well," he said with a grin.

She pointed to the dinner table for him to sit. "After dinner, you and Auden can teach me how to do selfies and send them to you two."

The young couple's naughty and excited grins sent a zing through her as she carried the plates to the table.

David's smile changed to a slightly nervous expression. "Uh, I have a question for you."

Melody sat at the table and waited.

"I was hoping I could stay with you and Auden here... permanently. Suzanne needs her own room, and if I moved in with you, I could give her mine and assist my dad with restoring the one she shared with Rick. Dad is an excellent carpenter, so we'd do the work ourselves," he suggested.

Melody felt another thrill rush through her body. "Of course you can!"

David's relief was clear in his smile. "Great! I'll talk it over with Dad tomorrow!"

The three turned their attention toward the meal Melody prepared for them, and David seemed particularly pleased.

Melody enjoyed cooking for people who showed their appreciation. It was a pleasure she hadn't experienced in a long time.

"This is wonderful!" Auden gushed. Then she looked a little anxious. "I don't know how to cook as they wouldn't let me at home."

"Melody is obviously wonderful at it, and I can show you some of the recipes I know," David offered.

Auden's smile blossomed again.

Dinner was lovely, and the anticipation of their fun to come kept them all tingling.

Melody was pleased to see a fresh box of condoms on the counter. David was nothing if not thoughtfully prepared!

-=-

Jeff stewed in his basement gym, struggling to lift a stack of plates on the functional trainer his dad had gotten him for his football career.

A career that might be over before it began.

He was working on his legs while wearing a cast on his broken wrist. The break was clean, and the doctor said it would heal with minimal degradation in functionality, but Jeff's hatred for David flared once more.

Hell, it was David's fault that he was torturing himself on the damn machine! Rebecca let slip at the start of the school year that she thought David's muscles were hot. Jeff couldn't bear the thought of Becca being excited by anyone but him. He'd immediately found a source for anabolic steroids and began strength training in earnest. He'd made gains, but that freak David still surpassed him in mass. He'd upped his dosage.

Jeff was the leader of their group. He had to be the alpha! It was the natural order. David might be strong, but he'd always been a follower. His abandonment of their group pissed Jeff off. As much as he hated David, having the brute follow him around in his posse gave Jeff prestige. How their fight ended also diminished Jeff's standing.

Last week, David had the nerve to make moves on Rebecca, Jeff's woman! He'd unleashed his most vicious insults to put David back in his place. Instead of backing off, David looked at him in shock, then said something in return... he couldn't recall what. Jeff hadn't expected to punch David, but whatever the jerk said must have pushed his button. He thought for a moment, but still couldn't recall what triggered him. All he remembered was suddenly hitting David with two sharp jabs, one to his eye and then his chin.

David knocked him flat with one punch in front of everyone, especially Rebecca.

"FUCK!" Jeff screamed as he lost control once more. The heavy plates slammed down loudly.

"Jeffrey! Get up here!"

Shit! That was his dad. Jeff struggled to control his anger as he couldn't flare in front of his dad. He'd likely received a call from the principal, the hospital, or both.

Things would be going into the shitter now.

Chapter 3

David could feel the tension in the school the following day. With the expulsion of the school's star quarterback and the head cheerleader just before graduation, the school's ecosystem was going through shock. The top of the pecking order had been decimated. Eyes were aimed at him and Auden. Some were just curious, but others were openly hostile.

Jeff and Rebecca would be completing their year during summer school.

Her parents were mortified to hear their daughter was expelled for bullying and molesting another student. Auden's refusal to press criminal charges saved Becca from being registered as a sex offender. Her parents were very grateful to Auden and told her Rebecca was being enrolled in a sensitivity training course.

They also learned Jeff's dad put him to work at his office doing menial labor. With his cast, he probably wouldn't be able to do much for the next six to eight weeks except push a broom.

David quickly picked up that the posse's remaining members were sullen and hostile toward him and Auden, but without their leaders, they had no courage to do anything about it except whisper and spread rumors.

Then, Dennis, a running back on the team and one of Jeff's crew, stopped David in the hall between their midmorning classes.

"How could you be so disloyal? Jeff expected you to know your place in the hierarchy and get back into position to support him as you should have," Dennis grumbled as he stared at David with a frown.

David watched Dennis with disappointment. "Dennis, this isn't a football game." He gestured vaguely around them. "It's life, and Jeff wasn't my leader. He was supposed to be my friend, like the rest of you were. That turned out to be a lie. It made me realize how little I mattered to the group, so I left. I'm much happier now and don't have to act as shallow and mean as Jeff and Rebecca. They're perfectly suited for each other. I dodged a bullet, and I'm grateful for the lesson. It's something I hope the rest of you find for yourselves. You could be so much more."

Dennis looked at David in confusion, then shook his head. "Fuck you, man! Getting all dressed up for fucking school doesn't make you any better than the punk you were before!"

David nodded and held Dennis' eyes with his own. "You're right. The clothes make no difference. Thinking for myself does. Deciding for myself to stop acting like an ass. Growing up. It's made a world of difference for me. It could for you, too."

Dennis leaned back as confusion and an upset expression crossed his face. He flipped David the bird and walked away.

David continued into his next class and saw Dennis doing his best to ignore him. He put the man out of his mind and concentrated on the teacher.

Truthfully, he was looking forward to the end of this class as he'd be having lunch with Auden.

-=-

Auden smiled across the table at David. "Describe Chelsea to me, her appearance and personality, in your words."

David blinked at her in surprise. "Uh, okay. Well... physically, she's tiny, maybe five feet tall and perhaps a hundred pounds, if you don't take into account her mane of blonde hair that reaches her lower back and her eight-hundred CC breast implants... she told me the size." He realized Auden's breasts were larger, but her larger frame diminished some of the visual impact... and hers were natural.

From this description, Auden's eyes widened in surprise as David smiled with a nod and continued.

"She's pretty, but she had lots of work done to make her that way. Maybe she's a little younger than Melody, but it's hard to tell because of the work she's had. As for her personality, I've only met her twice, but she was outgoing, flirty, bubbly, friendly, and definitely not shy."

"Melody calls her a friend. I trust her instincts," Auden said, and David concurred with a nod as he thought about that.

Auden's smile became naughty. "Tell me what Chelsea said about her husbands, in detail."

David glanced around and saw they had a buffer zone of empty tables so he wouldn't be overheard, not that he had much to say.

"She described her first husband as a tiger in bed. She didn't say much about the second one, aside from him being the one to pay for her current implants. Apparently, her last husband, Julian, was a brute in bed and had a twelve-inch cock so thick she struggled to take it inside her. She likes rough men with big cocks. The bigger the better, it seems."

Auden reached across the table and took David's hand as she licked her lips. He raised an eyebrow in question, but she shook her head.

"For myself, I enjoy passionate and energetic sex, like we have. Pain isn't my thing. Julian sounds like a nightmare to me." David nodded in agreement, then Auden's smile turned naughty. "Something you should know about me is that I have a strong voyeuristic streak, and I'd really enjoy watching you fuck Chelsea senseless. That would be so sexy!"

His expression changed to worry. "You might quickly change your mind when fantasy becomes reality. I don't want to risk damaging our relationship."

She nodded as she considered his words. "How do you feel emotionally about Chelsea?"

His eyebrows rose again. "Emotionally?" he asked hesitantly, and she nodded, closely watching him. He stopped to think about that. "I don't want to be mean, but I think she's a flighty bimbo. Melody likes her, so she must be a nice person. What I saw tells me she focuses on superficial things, and based on her marriages, I think she makes poor choices. I don't know how she became this way, but maybe she needs someone to make the important decisions to help her through life. Her track record for picking men has been terrible!"

Auden smiled as she nodded in agreement, then her expression became earnest. "I've been alone for most of my life. When I hit puberty and started developing physically, I also became very curious about sex as I had all sorts of feelings and... urges," she blushed but struggled on. "I had no one I could talk to about them. My parents, especially my mum, made me feel like I was ugly. This made me afraid to approach anyone. I turned to porn to find relief. I watched... a lot of porn. I know it's mostly male fantasy rubbish, but I quickly discovered I really enjoyed watching people having sex. I found a reference book that suggested I had a strong voyeuristic streak. Seeing you and Melody together was the first time I'd witnessed it in a live situation, and it was so much better than porn! It was one of the most exciting moments in my life—next to being with you!" she said quickly with a nervous smile, which relaxed when she saw David smiling too.

"For so long, I've had no one in my life I could be intimate with. You excite me so much, and I want to explore that. I know you love Melody, and I don't feel threatened by that. I... I don't believe I would have issues with watching you with Chelsea. Just thinking about it is... very exciting! Is... is that okay?"

Auden held his eyes as she nervously waited for his acceptance or rejection.

David realized she'd just exposed one of her deepest secrets to him. She'd bared her soul, and he was deeply moved.

He stood and leaned over the table as his left hand slipped into her silky hair. He gently pulled her face to his as he captured her lips with his in a sensual kiss that both felt right down to their toes.

Auden was melting in the heat of his passion, and her mind spun with her desire for him.

"Ahem."

The sound broke through David's concentration, and he pulled back slowly from Auden's soft lips to glance to his right.

Léa Moreau stood in the aisle between the tables, clutching a bottle of water and a red apple in her small hands. The pale skin of her neck was beginning to flush as she did her best to maintain a strict expression.

"Mr. Spencer, please keep these... public displays off school property," she said, but the wobble in her voice diminished the reprimand.

He released his grip on Auden's hair, letting his fingers caress her neck on their way out, and she gasped lightly as she swooned.

"My apologies," David said as he held the art teacher's gaze. His voice had deepened with his need for Auden, and Léa's eyes flared. He smiled as he nodded to her politely.

Ms. Moreau broke her gaze from him and glanced at Auden. She saw the younger woman biting her plumped lower lip as she locked eyes with the teacher. She felt that physically.

David saw the art teacher's eyes widen further as she quickly nodded and walked away. He thought she looked a little flustered. Then he noticed how quiet it was in the cafeteria. He didn't bother looking but smiled to himself instead and took his seat once more across from Auden.

"David! I'm going to spend the rest of the day in wet panties!" Auden whispered to him.

He grinned at her. "That doesn't sound too comfortable. Maybe you should take them off?"

"Facing Ms. Moreau this afternoon will be difficult enough without dealing with a draft against my wet lips," she whispered with a cheeky smile.

David grunted. "My pants are becoming too tight, which could be a problem. Let's try to calm down a little. We have tonight."

Auden nodded but couldn't keep the smile from her face.

-=-

Léa Moreau spent a few moments in the staff washroom running a stream of cold water over her wrists. This was her trick for cooling her blood and distracting herself from the unwanted images racing through her mind.

The young couple's kiss once more flashed through her mind, and she closed her eyes as she imagined it was her. The last time she'd felt a lover's kiss was when she'd been attending university in Paris, studying art.

She'd been born in the city and loved it deeply. When she was sixteen, her parents moved to the States, and she'd finished her high school years in this very building. She had the chance to return to Paris to attend university, so she left her parents behind and lived a wild and Bohemian lifestyle for five glorious years until she received news of her parents being in a terrible car accident.

Once more, she returned to the States, this time to care for her badly injured parents. Complications arose, and all she could do was get them into an extended care facility. She took courses in the local college to pass the time between visits and eventually found herself being offered a job teaching art to the students in the school she'd felt trapped in during her teens.

And here she was, trapped once more.

Drying her hands, she sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't old at thirty-seven. With her running and yoga, her svelte-muscled, five-foot-eight body made her look closer to her twenties than her forties. She still had many years ahead of her.

Léa longed to return to Paris and immerse herself in its culture again. Maybe find a young lover to make her feel like Ms. Wright obviously had after receiving that kiss. She recalled the hunger in the buxom beauty's eyes. Shocks tingled through Léa's body as the temptation to free that succulent bottom lip with her own teeth had almost been overwhelming.

She'd discovered in her university years that female lovers were equally appealing to her.

However, there were no prospects for her from either sex in this city.

She sighed and pushed her needs aside once more. While her father had succumbed to additional complications last winter, her mother continued to hold on to life and still required her assistance to manage her accounts.

As Léa walked to her classroom, she recalled that Mr. Spencer and Ms. Wright would visit her in the afternoon.

She'd have to be careful not to let her mind wander too much.

When she caught her reflection in the glass of her door, it made her pause. She hadn't expected to see such a wide smile there.

Fantasies were free, after all.

-=-

Once more, David prepared dinner for his family when he got home from school. He enjoyed doing this for them and planned to continue, even if his mother's behavior was problematic.

Suzanne sat in the kitchen with him as he worked, and he answered her questions without holding too much back. She really was far more mature than his brother.

When he was done, he hugged her as his dad returned home. Suzie hugged her dad before running upstairs.

"Can we talk?" David asked, and his dad pointed to the stairs to the basement.

Keith leaned back against the workbench as he looked at his son with a worried expression.

"I spoke with Melody and Auden last night and let them know what happened. They noticed the fresh red marks on my injured cheek, so now they know why," David began, and Keith nodded grimly.

"I'm going to move in with Melody—not out of anger or revenge!" he said quickly to head off his father's words. "It just makes sense. Suzanne is growing into a young lady and needs her own room. If I live next door, she can have my room, and I can help you restore the split bedroom for Rick. I'll continue to do my chores and make dinners for you guys. I just won't live here."

David watched his father process that, and from his expression, he knew he understood the idea's practicality.

"Okay, I agree that Suzie should have her own bedroom and could use the extra space. But... and there is a large one. I still have to figure out how to deal with your mother, who refuses to be rational about Melody. I must admit I'm not comfortable with this either, as you're my son, and seeing you with a woman twice your age is unsettling," Keith said with a sigh.

"My relationship with Melody is based on mutual attraction and respect. She's been instrumental in helping me get past my body dysmorphia caused by my skin condition and my size. Her compassion and loving nature take my breath away," David said.

"I'm worried that you might be confusing gratitude and lust for deeper emotions," Keith explained.

David smiled and nodded. "I know I'm still young and new to this, and I'm willing to accept the possibility that I may be affected by those things. But... it feels like love, so I want to give that a chance to see where it leads. I'm also with Auden, who's twenty, as she missed some time from school due to personal issues. Did I mention she inherited and operates a chain of florist shops in multiple countries and goes to school, getting excellent grades? She has no plans to attend college as her business is doing very well. We're just beginning our relationship, and I hope I don't screw it up. So far, we're happy and want Melody to be part of our relationship."

His father was looking at him oddly as he shook his head. "I have a hard time contemplating how this dynamic works." He stepped forward and pulled David into a firm hug. "I'm amazed by the changes I've seen in your behavior in such a short time. This new maturity makes me proud."

David wiped a tear from his eye. "Thanks, Dad." Then his smile dropped as he stepped back. "I wish I knew what was driving Mom's reaction, as it doesn't seem healthy."

Keith frowned as well. "I must admit, I'm at my wit's end to know what to do."

"Maybe you should speak with Melody. She helped me tremendously!" David suggested.

Keith nodded. "I'd be willing to at this point."

David smiled and nodded. "I'll let her know." He gestured over his shoulder with a thumb. "I'm going to head back to Melody's before Mom gets home. Okay?"

"Yeah, and thanks for the suggestion for your sister. When we resolve this issue your mother is having, I'll mention it to the kids," Keith said.

David nodded, rushed up the stairs, out the front door, and returned to Melody's without bumping into his mom. He felt bad about trying to avoid her but didn't want to deal with another irrational outburst.

-=-

Keith stood once more in his workshop for another private conversation, but it was with Jackie this time. She wasn't looking too good at the moment, and his concern for her flared as she paced in this small basement workshop.

After a tense dinner where Jackie's eyes darted to David's empty seat repeatedly, and even Rick detected the unease, Keith told the twins to take care of the dishes and pulled Jackie downstairs.

"I've put a lot of thought into this, and I need you to back me up when we present it to David," Jackie began.

Keith's eyebrows rose. "Present what?"

"We're going to give David an ultimatum. He must stop seeing Melody and stay at home, or we won't continue to pay for his education." Her eyes were locked on his.

Keith was stunned, and his mouth worked silently as he struggled to find the words. He was a very even-tempered man, and it took a lot to push him beyond his usual calm state, but this... made him furious.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he finally exclaimed, and Jackie rocked back in surprise. "I've already talked with David about the relationship—relationships he's in. They may be well beyond my experience, but they also seem based on love and respect. He's also keeping an open mind on its nature and demonstrating tremendous maturity!" He took a breath as Jackie's expression swung between desperation and rage.

"David has offered to continue doing his chores, including dinner prep, and is giving up his room for Suzanne so his sister can finally have a real bedroom instead of half a room. David is growing up, and you're making ultimatums and throwing tantrums? Please! I need to know what's going on so I can understand!"

Jackie suddenly burst into tears. "It's too soon!"

Keith immediately pulled her into his embrace, and she clung to him as she cried. He wasn't sure what she meant about too soon, but assumed she meant David's leaving home was too soon.

"It's not like he's leaving town. He's still going to be in our lives! He's just next door!" he said gently, but Jackie squeezed him tighter, and her sobs worsened.

All he could do was hold her and be there for her. He vowed to himself to speak with Melody in the morning.

This couldn't continue as he was afraid he'd lose Jackie.

-=-

David pushed himself up the mattress to rest back against the headboard as Melody and Auden stretched out on both sides of him. All three were returning from their bliss.

He slowly opened his eyes as he caught his breath. He sucked in a sudden gasp as a hand slid along the sensitive skin of his softening erection, pulling the condom off. His eyes popped fully open as he looked down his body to see Melody's cheeky smile as she gently stroked his cock. She pulled her hand away before David rebounded.

"Auden, clean David's cock, please," Melody commanded with a smile.

The woman in question smiled and immediately moved to take David's relaxed appendage into her mouth, swirling her tongue over his skin to remove all the cum that the condom didn't catch. She pulled back with a smile and swallowed as she held Melody's eyes.

"What had you two so charged up when you got home today?" Melody asked as she moved her gaze from David to Auden.

The younger woman giggled, knowing exactly what Melody was talking about.

"David kissed me in the cafeteria at lunch, and it was so hot!" she said with a dreamy smile. "Even Ms. Moreau was getting hot and bothered."

David snorted in amusement at the idea. "Oh, please!"

Auden looked up at him and smiled with a nod. "It's true! She was quite red-faced and walked away, clenching her thighs together. She was also stealing peeks at us during our class in the afternoon."

David shook his head in bemusement as Auden's lust had been soaring at the time. She was obviously projecting her reaction on the other woman. Time to change the subject. He turned his attention to Melody.

"We'd been talking about Chelsea. Auden believes we should honor the raincheck. That said, Chelsea would have to accept that Auden would also be there," David explained.

Melody glanced between her two young lovers with some mild concern. "I'm not sure if Chelsea could be comfortable with our arrangement. I don't believe she's attracted to women this way."

Auden nodded. "I understand that, and I'm not asking to participate. I... just want to watch."

Melody's eyebrows rose. "Ah! As a voyeur?"

Auden's smile widened. "Exactly. It's so exciting watching you with David! So much more real and thrilling than watching porn!"

Melody laughed as she enjoyed the other woman's enthusiasm.

"Fine. I'll call her tomorrow and let her know what your conditions are. She'll agree, or she won't," she said with a small shrug.

Auden giggled excitedly and leaned over David's torso to kiss Melody, who returned it.

David watched in fascination as their lips caressed, and he moaned slightly, feeling life return to his cock.

"Mmm, someone else likes a little peep show," Melody purred as she felt him stiffening once more. "It's my turn to be a voyeur. David, I think Auden needs a little doggy."

"A puppy?" Auden asked in confusion.

Melody chuckled wickedly. "Not that kind of doggy."

David knew exactly what Melody wanted to see, so he quickly moved over Auden's body and flipped her onto her stomach as she squeaked in surprise. He lowered his body over hers, pinning her to the mattress, and ground his cock against her ass. Auden gasped and ground back.

"Oh, fuck! Yes, I do need this kind of doggy!" she moaned softly.

David shared a smile with Melody, who reached between them to position the head of David's cock against the wet lips of Auden's pussy.

"Fah!" Auden gasped, then moaned as David slowly drove himself deep into her.

"So good," she whimpered when he was fully sheathed, his pelvis grinding against her ass.

David saw the gleam in Melody's eyes and realized she had a voyeurism fetish, too.

She wanted a show? He'd give her one.

He drew himself out to the head, then drove forward to spank Auden's ass with his body.

"AHHH! FUCK, YES!" Auden exclaimed.

David repeated his slow pull and fast thrust until Auden was squirming with desperate need.

"Please! Please! Please! Do it faster!" Auden begged.

He looked into Melody's eyes, and she grinned at him and nodded.

He quickly switched his pattern to a fast, long stroke in and out, and the sound of him slapping Auden's ass filled the room with her yelps of intense joy.

Auden's body shook as she crested again and again, then he pinned her to the mattress one final time as he came deep inside.

"Ahhhh!" Auden sighed and glanced over at Melody as she bit her lip.

Melody chuckled as she watched the lovers. "It seems Auden enjoys exhibitionism as well."

The younger woman gave her a sultry, if exhausted, smile. "Only for us," she said as she tried to catch her breath.

David pulled free and slipped between the two beauties. They shared kisses and then rested back.

When David began to fall asleep, he felt Melody give him a nudge.

"Come on, you two, let's freshen up before we fall asleep. We should change the sheets as well. We were a little... energetic tonight."

David chuckled, then helped them from the bed.

They quickly pulled the sheets off, and David replaced them.

Then they went into the bathroom for a quick refresh in the shower, dried off, and brushed their teeth.

These simple homey tasks brought smiles to their faces as they were so comfortable with each other. David was delighted to find himself sharing a bathroom with two gorgeous women.

As they cuddled in bed with the lights off, his mind jumped to how his dad and mom were doing and if they also enjoyed these simple domestic pleasures.

He was sure they did.

Chapter 4

Melody was finishing up in the kitchen after David and Auden headed off to school when she heard the doorbell. She walked to the entrance, looked through the peephole, and saw Keith standing on the step.

She opened the door and saw him smile at her awkwardly.

"Good morning, Keith! Please come in!" she said, and he did with a nod. "Can we take a seat? My ankle is still healing."

Keith nodded again. "Of course. Just for a moment, though, as I'll need to leave shortly for work."

They sat on the couch and faced each other.

Keith spoke first. "I'm sorry for your loss. David told us your husband recently passed," he said gently.

Melody nodded. "I hope you can understand my relationship with that man ended years ago, and I remained clinging to a false hope that he would open his heart to me. It wasn't until he fled to Arizona to be with his golf buddies this past weekend that I realized I was the only one still in the relationship. I'd intended to file for divorce yesterday, but then it was no longer necessary."

Keith nodded thoughtfully. "Then I'm sorry for how he treated you."

Melody smiled gratefully at Keith.

He cleared his tight throat and nodded to himself. "I'd hoped to come over earlier, so we'd have more time, but it's been quite a morning already. I need to speak with you about Jackie and David," he said hesitantly.

"How is she?" Melody asked, knowing the woman hadn't taken her involvement with David well. She prepared herself for a potential battle.

"Uh, not so good lately, but David likely told you about that. She came to see you earlier, and you know her opinion of your relationship with David." He tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. She nodded, so he continued.

"I wanted you to know that while I don't really understand the relationship, or relationships in this case, and it does make me uncomfortable, I'm doing my best to keep an open mind. I can only do this because of David's recent behavior. I'm shocked by how mature and responsible he's become so quickly!" Keith admitted.

Melody smiled fondly. "I discovered over the weekend that he's a very self-aware and level-headed young man. He admitted to allowing his friends to define his behavior until his break with them last week. That event was pivotal for him, making him aware of how he'd been acting. He's seriously trying to take his life back into his control. I'm very impressed with his emotional maturity. You've done an amazing job raising such a wonderful son!"

Keith swelled proudly as he smiled at Melody. He nodded, then his smile became a little strained. "He's offered his bedroom to Suzie and said he'd help me renovate the existing split room back into a full bedroom for Rick. This raised a concern for me about your relationship with him, uh, if it fails. He wouldn't have anywhere to live."

Melody placed her hand on his and looked Keith in the eye. "Please don't feel any concern for that. While our relationship is still in its infancy, and we're all aware of its unconventionality, its core is based on respect and friendship. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize David's future, and neither would Auden. Now that I'm going to be alone in this house, I welcome their company."

Keith gave her a relieved smile, then glanced at his watch. "I've run out of time, but I'd like to speak with you again about Jackie. Her behavior is becoming more erratic; last night, she had another meltdown. I managed to convince her to rest at home today."

"I could try to speak with her again—" Melody offered.

"No, I think for now she needs to rest. Maybe later, after we get a chance to speak again. Sorry, I need to go," he said apologetically.

"It's fine. Thank you for stopping by. We'll speak again," Melody assured him as she followed him to the door. "Have a good day!"

"You as well!" Keith said as he left the house. He rushed back to his car and headed off to work.

Melody closed her door and considered that Jackie wouldn't be at work today. There wouldn't be a better opportunity to investigate Jackie's work environment for whatever might be causing the stress that David spoke of.

She grabbed her purse and stepped outside to lock it up. Seeing her car in the driveway, she recalled that she needed to ask David to help her retrieve her husband's car from the airport when his effects were delivered to her by the police, which she'd been told would likely be sometime this afternoon. Smiling to herself, she pulled out her cell and added a calendar reminder to speak to David about the car that evening. He'd given her a quick lesson on how this application worked. She linked David and Auden to the calendar event, so they'd receive invites. Grinning, she slipped behind her car's wheel and headed downtown.

When she reached the south side of town where Jackie worked, she found a spot in a nearby lot before crossing the street as she admired the buildings around her in this business district. David told her Jackie worked on the fourth floor of the old five-story office building ahead of her. The architectural style of the buildings, the faded painted ads on the stained brickwork heralding brands from days-gone-by, and the distinct architectural touches on the buildings boosted the neighborhood's vintage feel. It didn't hurt that all the trees in the area were tall, healthy-looking specimens whose upper branches soared over the rooftops.

Melody entered the building and confirmed the floor on the vintage office directory sign bolted to the wall in the vestibule. A broad staircase to the left led to the floors above, but she opted for the elevator bank further along the hall. She entered one with a group of ladies and saw one press the button for the fourth floor, so she was good.

While the building's stairs boasted antique and ornate railings and balusters, the elevators had been updated to modern glass and steel technology—no doubt to meet current safety standards.

Listening to the chatter, she heard nothing surprising, and the workers seemed reasonably content.

She followed a trio of women from the elevator as it stopped on Jackie's floor. She noted the interior of the building had also been upgraded, as the doors leading to the only office on this floor were mounted on a glass wall. This upgrade looked like it was at least thirty years out of style, but it worked, and wasn't such retro design coming back into vogue?

She pushed through the glass doors and noted Wynthrop Industries, Ltd was painted on the wall in large, bold script letters behind the receptionist's desk—another throwback design.

As she approached, a young woman smiled up at her from the wide desk.

Melody returned the smile. "Good morning! I was wondering if I might speak with someone in Human Resources, if they can spare a moment?"

"In regards to...?" the receptionist asked.

"Employment opportunities. I'm just looking at options now. A friend of mine works here, and I thought I might check it out," Melody said with a smile.

"Oh! Who's your friend?" the young woman asked.

Melody smiled impishly. "I promised myself I wouldn't name-drop to ensure I'm judged by my merits alone."

The woman grinned and nodded. "Fine. I'll see if Linda can spare a moment. Please have a seat." She gestured to some chairs against the wall.

Melody watched as a few more employees rushed through the door, greeting the receptionist with waves and smiles. She got a few curious looks, too.

A few minutes later, a thick-bodied woman with her hair teased up into a ball of curls entered the reception area from the back and glanced over at the receptionist, who gestured to the seating area.

Melody stood and accepted the outstretched hand of the woman who approached with a smile.

"Linda Hastings, head of HR," the blonde said with an open and friendly smile.

"Melody Dawson, a widow in an empty nest, pondering if I should get back into the workforce," she replied with an equally friendly smile.

This made Linda's smile widen cheerfully. "And you thought of Wynthrop Industries? I don't think we're currently advertising any open positions at this time," she said, her expression becoming puzzled.

Melody nodded. "I have no imminent need to find a job, but I do have a lot of free time now. As I mentioned to your colleague, a friend of mine works here, and I thought I'd see if I might get a brief tour to see if this environment might be a good fit for me."

Linda perked up. "Who's your friend? I can ask her to give you the tour."

"I understand she's not in today. I didn't want special treatment because we're friends," Melody explained.

Linda's eyes widened. "Oh! You're that Melody! Jackie mentioned your name to me once. You're her neighbor!" At Melody's surprised look, she waved a hand. "Jackie's the only one who called in for a sick day."

Melody grinned. "I was hoping not to be recognized so Jackie wouldn't feel obligated to upsell my qualifications or find me something."

Linda laughed. "Well, we don't have to let her know you were in today." She smiled and gestured for Melody to follow her. "Like I said, we don't have any current openings, but things change. I can give you a quick tour."

"That would be wonderful! Thank you!" Melody said graciously, and Linda perked up again. The woman was definitely praise-driven.

They went through the doors into a large open area with rows of desks. Linda began to describe what each department was responsible for, and the organization's scale quickly became apparent. She was very chatty and tended to say more than she should when describing the social environment. Gossipy might be a better term, but none of it was mean-spirited, at least.

"Everyone seems quite happy and content," Melody noted as she looked around.

Linda nodded. "We have an excellent team! The pay is industry standard, but we have a good health benefits package as Mr. La Rue has health issues himself and made sure we're all covered."

"What role does Jackie have?" Melody asked.

Linda smiled at her. "Jackie's the assistant office manager. She takes direction from Mr. La Rue, our office manager."

"Oh! I hadn't realized how much responsibility Jackie had!" Melody said with surprise in her tone.

Linda chuckled happily. "Oh my, yes! Mr. La Rue depends on Jackie heavily to keep this place running smoothly. He's been training her for years to take over when he leaves. They spend hours together in his office, and now she knows everything about our operations. Everyone loves Jackie!"

Melody smiled at that. "More than Mr. La Rue?" she said cheekily.

Linda glanced around, but they were alone. "Barry La Rue is an excellent manager. Strict but fair. As I mentioned, he ensured we got a good benefit package and decent, if not stellar, yearly salary increases. It's so sad that he's been unwell for such a long time. We were worried about his leaving, but with Jackie's knowledge of the business matching his so well, we feel more confident about the day he steps down. Jackie will take care of us equally well."

The tour was winding down, and they returned to the lobby just as a heavyset man shuffled painfully through the doors.

Linda perked up again and gave him a cheery smile. "Good morning, Mr. La Rue! I want to introduce you to Melody Dawson. She's looking into opportunities for returning to the workforce and was interested in Wynthrop Industries. I've got a good feeling about this one," she added with a bright giggle.

Melody fixed a pleasant smile on her face as her eyes took in the visible signs of the man's poor health.

Barry was at least five-ten but obesely overweight and walked with a distinct limp, hinting a gout, perhaps.

His skin had a slight yellowish tone amongst the grey and spider veins on his face. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, but most telling was the slight droop of his facial muscles on the left side of his face. He'd either had a stroke or one was imminent.

As he shuffled closer, Melody entered the miasma of over-applied cologne, which he was obviously using to overcome a bad body odor issue.

His eyes held a sharp intelligence and perception, and he'd noted her evaluation. He grunted with a minimal nod to acknowledge her, then immediately turned away and snapped over his shoulder in a rough voice.

"Send Jackie to see me in my office immediately."

His abrupt behavior obviously embarrassed Linda, who'd just been singing his praises. She seemed a little flustered. "Oh! I'm sorry, Mr. La Rue. Jackie called in sick today."

He paused to shoot her a look over his shoulder, then stormed away to his corner office. They heard the door slam from across the large space.

Linda gave Melody an awkward smile, unsure how to react.

"His illness is taking quite a toll on him," Melody said sympathetically as she considered what it might be like for Jackie to work closely with the man.

The HR woman smiled gratefully at her compassion. "Mr. La Rue is having a bad day. He's not been himself lately, but Jackie usually deals with that and keeps everything flowing efficiently."

"Hopefully, Jackie will be back in the office tomorrow. Thank you so much for the tour! You've been tremendously helpful and have given me a lot to think about," Melody said and shook the woman's hand. Linda beamed a wide smile at Melody and wished her well.

Walking back across the street, Melody had the sensation of eyes watching her and realized La Rue's corner office had a view of the street. She didn't turn to look back. He'd seemed agitated enough. Likely a highly suspicious man. Again, her mind went to what it might be like to work for a man who was obviously clinging to life by his fingernails.

Could he be the cause of Jackie's emotional strain? If so, how? Nothing else in the environment stood out as a red flag for stress. Her coworkers seemed genuinely nice, and the HR manager was especially bubbly if a bit of a gossip.

Come to think of it, the only man in the office was Mr. La Rue. How does that happen?

Melody sat in her car, contemplating the causes and effects, struggling to think of what might lead to Jackie's stress at work. For her, it all came back to something Linda had said about Jackie spending long hours in her boss' office behind closed doors.

Could he be abusing her in some way? He didn't look healthy enough to participate in anything physical. Verbal or mental abuse could be hidden, but would take a toll.

She pondered that all the way home and stretched out on the couch when she got inside. She finally put it aside and picked up her cell as she'd promised Chelsea she'd call her back.

Her friend picked up on the second ring.

"Melody?"

She smiled at the eagerness in the woman's voice. "Good morning, Chelsea. How are you today?"

"Sitting on pins and needles waiting for your call," the other woman replied.

"Sorry to make you wait. I spoke with David and Auden last night, and they said he will honor his promise for a raincheck, but he has one non-negotiable condition," Melody said.

"Oh?" Chelsea said nervously.

"David insists that Auden has to be there. She has a voyeuristic streak," Melody explained.

"What—but I'm not gay!" Chelsea gasped.

Melody grinned. "Neither am I, but I don't regret my time with them." She sighed and let Chelsea off the hook. "She said she'd be there to watch, not participate. She finds that very sexy and expressed an interest in seeing David with you."

Chelsea made an odd sound over the phone, but Melody didn't think it was from frustration or disappointment. After a moment, Chelsea spoke again.

"Being watched... that could be fun... but I think I'd appreciate it more if it was another man," she sighed, and Melody could hear the hesitation in her voice. Then she spoke again. "Is David very experienced?"

Melody chuckled. "Before David, I only had one sexual partner, and he was a dud. You've had more experience with different partners. Perhaps I'm not someone who can objectively give you an answer to that. I can say that David is an eager student and is developing into an incredible lover. His body is amazing! He's so strong, yet he has such a sensual touch!"

Chelsea moaned quietly in need.

Melody heard a little frustration in her voice, so she gave her an option. "How about this? Invite them for dinner and let David make his Coq au Vin for you. Have a nice dinner and get to know them. If you're still uncomfortable with having Auden there for dessert, say good night, and they'll come home. I'll send you the ingredient list so you can pick them up and have this ready for David's arrival."

"Yes... Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I'd appreciate the company for dinner, at least." She sighed. "My calendar is completely open now that Julian's family called to tell me they want nothing to do with me. Of course, they used more vulgar words than that. None of my ex's families speak to me. My own parents are gone. My twin sister Brigette got married when we were just eighteen and moved overseas. I haven't heard from her since. You're my only friend!" Chelsea said with a wobbly voice.

Hearing the imminent tears, Melody consoled her. "Of course, you have me! David and Auden will also be your friends, regardless of what you decide on your date night. I'll speak with them to make the arrangements and let you know when it can happen."

"Thank you, Melody. You really are the best!" Chelsea sniffed, but her upbeat disposition was already rebounding. "I'll wait for your call."

"Take care, Chelsea."

"Bye!"

She rested briefly, then called Officer Blane and gave him her cell number and email address for his records. He thanked her then they hung up.

Melody got up from the couch to walk to the kitchen to prepare her lunch when she heard the doorbell. Frowning, she changed course, looked through the peephole, and saw Keith on her step again.

She opened the door and gave him a concerned look. "Keith, is something wrong?"

"What? Oh, no. I was so rushed this morning that we didn't really have much time to talk. It's my lunch hour, so I came home to check on Jackie. She's resting, so I thought I'd see if you could continue our talk," he said quickly.

"Certainly, come in!" Melody said and stepped back. Keith stepped inside, and they took seats in the living room again.

He gave her a crooked smile. "It's easier to discuss this with David and Auden at school. Oh! You can let David know his mother is making dinner for us tonight." She just nodded with a smile, so he continued. "David told me how much you helped him over the weekend, and I can see such a dramatic and positive change in his behavior. I'm truly grateful for that. As I said this morning, I'm still struggling with the relationships he's in."

Melody nodded. "I wasn't expecting anything like this myself, but it arrived when I was at my lowest moment and saved me. I don't know what the future holds, but I'm hopeful."

Keith nodded gently, then frowned. "I-I'm at a loss as to what to do with Jackie. She's so emotionally distraught about David's relationship with you and David's decision to move in with you. The scope of her anxiety is frightening. I've never seen her like this."

Melody nodded, wondering if she could draw some answers from Keith. She'd have to be very careful about what she said.

"This weekend, David mentioned Jackie also experienced a lot of stress when she had to return to work. There were some bad days?"

Keith nodded glumly. "I remember them well. She was not a happy person for months, and when I begged her to quit and look for another job, she'd flare at me and tell me she couldn't and remind me that we needed the money." He looked at her. "Our expenses were getting out of hand, and the extra paycheck was needed, but she was so unhappy." Keith smiled. "Then David began helping at home, and Jackie's mood swung around one-eighty, and we've been happy ever since." His smile slipped. "I don't know what to do this time."

Melody nodded and decided to take a chance. "I've been worried about Jackie too. I remembered David saying Jackie returned home from work with a lot of stress, so I dropped by Jackie's office this morning. I saw the environment was very nice and learned that her coworkers love Jackie. They told me she's really good at her job and that her manager has been grooming her to take over his job for years. I met him briefly and saw that he isn't well. I didn't get to spend any time with him to see if he might be a source of stress."

Keith frowned and gave her a stern look. "Why would you think her job is the current source of her anxiety when she's clearly upset about you and David?"

Melody realized she might have overstepped. She certainly couldn't explain about the massages Jackie was getting from David as proof of her current job stress.

"No, of course, Jackie is upset about me being with David. I was considering the idea that there might be some underlying cause that this event just released," she explained. That was as close to the truth as she was willing to go.

Keith nodded but seemed dissatisfied with her answer. He glanced at his watch and sighed. "Sorry, I'm out of time. I gotta head back to work."

They stood, and Melody followed him to the door. "I'm terribly sorry Jackie is suffering like this. I'm certainly willing to sit down with you both to talk this through."

That brought some relief to Keith as he turned on her steps to smile at her. "I'd welcome that. I'll speak with her tonight and let you know. Thanks!"

Melody watched him jog over to his driveway, get into his car, and drive off. She was still in her doorway when a police car pulled into her driveway and stopped. The driver got out, and she saw it was Officer Blane. He reached into the back seat and lifted out a file box, and her husband's carry-on sealed inside a clear plastic bag. He carried these items up to her front door and placed them on the landing before her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Dawson," he said.

"Officer Blane, nice to see you, though I wasn't expecting it to be so soon. What do you have there?" she asked, but she already had some idea.

"The Arizona Sheriff's department couriered your husband's effects and paperwork to us this morning. As I was going to be in the neighborhood, I offered to drop it off," he said with a nod.

He then frowned. "Oh! It seems his golf clubs were found in the trunk of Mr. Ballsom's car. Evidently, Ballsom believed you wouldn't mind him keeping them after he dealt with your husband," the officer said. "They're still in evidence as he's being charged with felony theft as well, but we can get them to you once the paperwork is done on the case.

Melody shuddered. "What a horrid little man he is!" She hugged her arms around herself. "I don't want the clubs."

Blane looked at her carefully. "Are you sure? I'm told they're quite valuable." He flipped open his notepad to read something. "They're Japanese. Honma Beres Black. One of my colleagues looked them up and said the set with the extras must have cost well over six thousand dollars!"

"What?" Melody exclaimed in shock.

Blane continued, oblivious to how upset Melody was becoming. "Apparently, there are some specialized drivers as well as the full set of irons in the custom Honma bag." He looked up and saw how angry Melody was becoming as her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Oh! I'm sorry," he gasped.

She gave her head a brief shake and gestured to her car. "The fact that that cheap bastard would indulge in expensive toys for himself while restricting our budget on—" Her throat closed up, preventing her from finishing her point.

Officer Blane's face reddened in embarrassment. "I'm terribly sorry for my insensitive handling of this."

Melody reached out a hand and touched his arm as she shook her head. "No! No, I'm sorry for this. I shouldn't burden you with my frustration." She took some deep breaths, wiped her eyes, then forced a smile back onto her lips. "Thank you for your help with everything." She took another breath. "I'll accept the golf clubs when you're done with them. I'll see how much I can sell them for."

The officer gave her a tentative smile, then returned to his cruiser.

Melody picked up the file box, noting its weight, and then put it inside the house before returning for the plastic-encased carry-on.

Once she closed the door, she carried the file box into the living room, placed it on the coffee table, and sat on the couch facing it. She removed the lid and looked inside. A large manila envelope was on top, which she pulled out and opened. It contained multiple copies of the official death certificate, which meant she could give one to her lawyer and the account manager at the bank.

Looking back inside the box, she spotted a white cardboard box sealed in plastic. Lifting it out, she saw the printing on it indicated it was the cremation ashes.

This was all that remained of the cold bastard.

She set them on the coffee table and contemplated how someone she once loved could end up like this.

Melody leaned back on the cushions and allowed herself a moment to cry for what should have been.

She took some deep, shuddering breaths as she fought for control once more. She swore she would shed no more tears for this man. His place in her heart was gone.

Melody picked up her cell and quickly searched the Internet to see if there was any value in sprinkling the ashes in the garden or under a tree, and saw that it wasn't a good idea. Instead, she picked up the box, carried it through the kitchen into the garage, and dropped it in the garbage can. It would go to the curb this Friday.

That done, she put him out of her mind and grabbed the box of black garbage bags from the shelf above the can. Returning to the living room, she went through the remaining items in the box, tossing the few clothing items and his shoes into a black bag to be donated.

She was pleased to see his set of keys. This meant they could pick up his car tonight.

His wallet contained over three hundred in cash, his credit cards, a membership card to the local golf country club, the airport parking stub for his car, and little else. She'd have to call a few places, like the country club, to cancel his membership.

His watch was a lovely classic silver and blue Breitling with a silver metal band. She'd always admired the watch's rugged and stylish look, but thought her husband didn't suit the watch. While he had bony wrists, his arms weren't muscular enough to match the strength of the watch's design.

Her son wouldn't want it, but she thought it might look very nice on David's wrist. She decided to offer it to him, so she set it aside.

His wedding band and an ugly pinky ring, something else she found distasteful, went into a pile of items to sell.

Melody paused for a moment, then looked at her hand. She still had on her wedding band and engagement ring. She wasn't even aware of them any longer, but it was time to take them off.

They were a little tight, but she felt an odd sense of liberation and sadness once they were on the table before her.

All four rings went into a pile she would tuck away in a corner of her jewelry box. She realized the rings weren't valuable enough to sell—one more symbol of her husband's cheap nature.

She carried the box of garbage bags upstairs and began unloading her husband's dresser drawers into bags. Everything was going, except the underwear. That was going into the trash.

Next, she tackled his closet. She didn't realize just how many suits he had.

Melody netted over sixty dollars in loose bills from his suit jackets and pants pockets. That would go towards the parking fee for his car tonight.

Eventually, she heard the thump of the front door and David's voice calling out. She looked at the clock in surprise and realized she'd spent the afternoon on this task and missed lunch.

"I'm upstairs!" she called out.

"There's a suitcase in a plastic bag by the front door," David called out.

"Oh! Can you bring that upstairs?" she called back.

Soon, David and Auden entered the room, and he handed her the bag.

"Going on a trip?" he asked with a grin before he leaned in and got a kiss. Auden was next and smiled at her happily.

She grinned at them. "No, I was just preparing to drop off all these clothes at a donation center." She turned to look at David and Auden. "Could we do that tonight?" They nodded. "I also need a lift to the airport to pick up the car."

"No problem. Do you know where in the lot he parked it?" David asked.

Melody paused, then looked at him with a frustrated frown. "No."

David hugged her. "It's no problem. I'll drive us through the lot until you see it."

"Maybe we could go out for dinner afterward, my treat? I missed lunch," she said.

"Works for me," David replied, and Auden nodded. "I need to get dinner started—"

"Actually, your father stopped by at lunch to speak with me. He mentioned your mother was making dinner tonight. She stayed home today," Melody said as she recalled the conversation.

David raised an eyebrow. "Dad stopped by?"

Melody nodded. "He didn't have much time to talk. He first stopped on his way to work, but had to leave almost immediately. Then he returned at lunch after checking on Jackie, but again, it was only for a moment. He's struggling with what to do, and I offered to speak with them both. He agreed that it would be helpful. I'm unsure when he plans to make that happen, though."

"Are you done with clearing the drawers?" David asked.

She nodded. "The only thing left is his shoes."

Auden knelt down before the closet and began lifting the pairs of shoes out. "He has a surprising collection of kicks, and none are dusty!" she noted. "Did he wear them all frequently?"

Melody picked up a pair of loafers and tried to recall ever seeing him wear them. They felt a little heavy in the toes, so she tilted them up, and something slid into view in both shoes. "What?" she exclaimed.

David was looking at her in surprise. "Are those rolls of cash?"

She pulled them out of the shoes, dropped the loafers on the floor, and removed the elastic band from one of the rolls. It was cash! After a quick count, she realized the first bundle had fifteen hundred in it! She checked the other roll, which had two thousand, eight hundred and fifty-five dollars!

She looked down at the floor beside Auden and saw she'd discovered eighteen more rolls, and some were very thick.

"What was he doing?" Melody asked herself quietly.

"Rainy day money? Secret stash? Was he a drug dealer in a secret life?" David suggested with a smile.

Melody rolled her eyes and shot him a grin. "I'll need to speak with our investment manager. There's something odd about this."

"You never looked in his closet?" Auden asked.

Melody shook her head. "No, never. He insisted on putting away his own clothes as he said he had a system."

David shrugged and picked up some of the garbage bags. "I'll put these in the back of my truck. Are you ready to go to the airport?"

Melody smiled. "Yes!"

Auden finished dumping the now-empty shoes into the last trash bag. Then she carried it and two others to follow David downstairs. Melody tucked the cash into one of the empty drawers for counting later and followed them downstairs.

Melody grabbed her purse, collected the car keys and his wallet for the registration slip, then locked up as she left the house. She climbed into David's truck next to Auden and buckled in.

He got them headed toward the airport.

"How was school today?" Melody asked.

"It's winding down, and there's a strange atmosphere of... expectation, I guess," David replied.

"Maybe it's different for the seniors as we're all finishing our high school careers," Auden said.

David nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose the lower grades are just looking forward to summer break."

"What plans do you have for the summer, David?" Melody asked.

"I've applied for intern work at the physiotherapy clinic next to the hospital. It doesn't pay much, but at least I'll get some experience working in the clinic. The clinic administrator knows me from my sessions when I was injured in my first football season. I learned a lot and let them know I was choosing a career in the field."

"Did they hire you?" Auden asked.

"I believe they're still reviewing the candidates," David responded.

Melody smiled. "I think it might improve your chances if you dropped by to say hello and let them see your new style and maturity."

Auden grinned and nodded to David as he glanced over at them.

"If you think it will help my chances," he said.

Melody spotted a charity drop-off box in a parking lot. They pulled in, and David unloaded all the bags into the bin until it was full. That done, they got back on the road.

Upon arriving at the airport, they drove into the long-term parking lot and searched the aisles for the car. Finally, on the third level by the elevators, Melody spotted it. She handed David a twenty. "This is just in case the garage attendant wants you to pay for your time in the lot. They probably won't. I'll drive out first, and maybe we can go to that nice steakhouse we passed on the way in?"

David's eyes lit up, and Auden nodded.

Melody walked over to the car and let herself in. While she'd been in it often enough, she'd never driven it. It was his pride and joy, but to her, it was too large and too old. A 1970 Lincoln Continental was not her dream car, so it would have to go.

As she sank into the cushioned seat, she inhaled the faint scent of cheap cologne. That affirmed her conviction to sell it as quickly as she could. She adjusted the seat and mirrors, carefully pulled out of the spot, and led David to the exit. She paid the fee, waited for David, and saw him get waived through.

Smiling, she left the airport grounds and found a spot in the steakhouse parking lot where David could park beside her. When they were standing next to the car, David handed her back the twenty and gave the vehicle a once-over. "Are you going to switch to driving this one? It seems like it's better than yours."

"I'm selling both and getting a car I want!" she insisted.

Auden grinned at her. "Ooo! What do you want?"

Melody shook her head. "I have no idea. Maybe we can look at different options when we get home."

They walked toward the restaurant's front door, and Melody saw David's mind working. She smiled. "Penny for your thoughts."

He grinned self-consciously. "I was just thinking we could write a wish list of features you want in a car and determine how you intend to use it. This should narrow the scope of the search," he suggested.

They reached the hostess desk and were immediately guided to a table, as it was before the dinner rush. Their waiter left them with menus.

Once seated, Auden looked at the others in their area, noted the abundance of carry-on luggage, and smiled at Melody and David. "It looks like we're with the travelers tonight. They're catching some dinner before check-in. This will definitely beat airport food."

David grinned at her. "I wouldn't know. I've never been anywhere."

Auden pouted in sympathy, then brightened up. "I have to visit my shops in Europe this summer. Maybe you could join me?"

David's eyes lit up, then he winced. "Aww, I might be unable to take the time if the clinic hires me."

"London, Paris, and Rome. It won't take more than a week, but then I'll be visiting the six shops in the US. That will be another nine to ten days, roughly. The locations are fairly self-sufficient these days, but having the boss lady stop in to sing their praises seems to give them a boost," she said with a smile.

David lifted her hand and kissed it as he smiled at her proudly. Auden's face flushed as she smiled back at him.

They scanned their menus and gave their orders when the waiter returned.

David looked at Melody as he opened a new document on his cell's note app. "So, you're selling your current cars." Melody nodded. "What don't you like about them? That might tell us what you want in your new car," he suggested.

Melody nodded. "I don't like anything about my car. It's too small. It lacks ease-of-use or safety assist features. It doesn't even have power windows! And it's too low to the ground. Getting in and out is not comfortable." She watched David tapping a note into his cell. "I don't like anything about the larger car. It's too big, and it's old-fashioned. No fun at all!"

David finished tapping something in. "Good start. Now, how do you see yourself using the new car?"

Melody thought about that. "Going to the grocers to pick up food—It will have to have good storage, and I'd prefer not to bend over the trunk to lift stuff in and out." David nodded with a smile and made another note. "It should be fun to drive and seat more than two people comfortably, unlike Chelsea's little sports coupe."

David added these details to his list and smiled with satisfaction. "This is excellent. It's given me some ideas for what you might be looking for." He quickly searched his phone and pulled up some images of small sport utility cars. "Would you like something like this?"

He handed her the phone, and Melody's eyes widened as she saw the options that met her requirements. "Oh! These are cute!" she said happily, then locked eyes with David. "As long as it isn't a big truck! I don't want to have to climb up into it!"

He grinned and shook his head. "No. These would likely have the seat at butt level for you, so you slide onto the seat and go."

Melody's eyes lit up. "That sounds perfect! Are these hatchbacks?"

"Yes, and they'll have powered doors that lift and close themselves with storage areas that are level with the opening, so no lifting and bending needed."

"Maybe we can go check out some dealerships this weekend?" Melody asked hopefully.

David traded looks with Auden, and they nodded.

Auden's cell began to chirp, so she glanced at it and frowned. Then she looked apologetically at David and Melody. "It's my lawyer. I should take this." They nodded to her, so she got up and walked toward the front entrance as she lifted the phone to her ear.

David looked at Melody with an impressed expression. "My girlfriend has a lawyer. Should I be worried about that?" he said with a cheeky smile.

Melody chuckled.

"So, you're enjoying the girlfriend experience?" she asked him with a twinkle in her eye.

His smile widened. "So much! Thanks to you!" He reached over, took her hand, and lifted it to his lips.

Melody felt that right down to her toes, and her face flushed. She did her best to ignore the eyes directed at their table.

When Auden returned, her expression was not a happy one. She looked frustrated.

"What's happened?" Melody asked.

Auden gave her an apologetic look. "I don't want to ruin a pleasant night with this business."

Melody fixed her eyes on the young woman. "Auden, you are in a relationship now. You can share the bad with the good. We're here to support you. That's what it means to have partners."

Auden smiled, but her eyes looked a little glassy.

David picked up Melody's hint. "Talk to us. Let us help."

"I love you two so much!" Auden said quietly with a trembling smile.

They reached across the table and held her hands in theirs until Auden recomposed herself.

"Okay. My gran appears to be planning a third attempt to take over the company. My lawyer has notified me that I must terminate her employment to sever her connection completely. He notified me that her latest act gave me grounds for dismissal without compensation. She's attempted to steal funds from the company. Our bank officer notified the lawyer of the attempt to transfer funds from my business account, which she is not authorized to do. This would have disrupted the payment to our suppliers, damaging our business relationship with them. I've notified the lawyer that I'll fire her tomorrow first thing, and he'll request that the police have an officer there tomorrow morning. I'll need to call in a locksmith to change the office locks and notify all suppliers that she is no longer representing the business. I won't attend school tomorrow so that I can deal with this. I'll also be shorthanded at the shop starting Friday—"

"I can help you!" Melody asserted with a smile, and Auden looked at her wide-eyed. Melody's grin widened. "I'm not doing anything now, so I can fill in until you find a permanent replacement. You can teach me the basics, like manning the counter and serving customers. I can take that pressure off you." She looked at David, whose mouth was opening. "You need to attend your classes." His mouth closed, and Auden burst into giggles.

David pouted with a smile creeping in at the edges. "Yes, love," he responded with a decent impression of a British accent.

Auden's giggles burst into genuine laughter, and she pushed her chair back to jump up and kiss and hug her two lovers. When she finally settled back into her spot, Melody noticed many of the other customers were openly staring at them curiously. She sighed happily to herself as she would have to get used to it.

They enjoyed their dinner, and by the end, Melody recalled her news about Chelsea. She filled them in, and they seemed to like the idea.

"Yeah, that could work. While I'm making dinner for Auden and Chelsea at her home, we can chat and drink a little wine—I said a little! No one gets drunk as that would ruin the night... should such a decision be made," David insisted.

Auden was grinning excitedly as she nodded. "Could we do it in two days? Friday? Six PM?" David nodded in agreement.

Melody smiled at the couple. "I'm sure that would work for her. I'm also more comfortable keeping Chelsea in the friend category, so you visiting her at her home is also better for me."

David nodded, pulled out his cell to quickly compose an email, and attached the recipe. He sent this to Melody, who grinned excitedly when her cell's email chime sounded.

"This is perfect! I'll send it to her," Melody said.

The waitress arrived and asked if they were finished and wanted dessert. They all indicated they had no room, and Melody asked for the bill. When the woman slipped away with their plates. David took Melody's hand in his.

"Thank you for dinner," he said sincerely, looking into her eyes. She nodded happily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the men's room," David said and left with a smile.

The waitress returned, and Melody settled the bill. As the server left the table, Melody's cell chimed gently again. She turned it over to see another message from David with an attachment. She smiled as she opened the image and squeaked in shock and delight when David's cock appeared on the small screen. Her face immediately flushed with heat, and she hid the screen from the curious onlookers.

Auden's eyes showed burning curiosity, so Melody slid the phone to her. She also made an excited exclamation and looked beseechingly at Melody. "Oh! Can you please forward this to me?" she begged.

David returned to hear Auden's plea and leaned closer to the two ladies. "Congratulations, Melody! Your first dick pic. I don't mind you sharing them with Auden, but only her! Let's keep control over these naughty pics."

"I know what I want for dessert when we get home," Melody whispered to them, and Auden giggled excitedly as David ushered them out.

-=-

Barry La Rue eased back into his chair, trying to find a less uncomfortable position. Few chairs eased his constant misery these days as his multiple critical medical conditions teamed up to make his waking hours a painful ordeal.

He cursed silently under his breath as it was his parents' fault for their shitty genes. He was aware that his lifestyle didn't make things easier for him, but he'd be damned if he'd stop enjoying his booze, rich foods, and cigars now at the end of his life. He'd been battling his failing body for years, and he was never going to win.

He looked toward his open door and listened for the happy sounds of his workers, but they'd all fled the moment it hit five o'clock.

So, he sat in his office without another soul on the floor. It was approaching six, and he knew he should leave too, but no one was waiting for him at home, and he was facing another mostly sleepless night ahead of him. That wasn't a pleasant prospect.

He was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and he knew it was just going to get worse. That fucking pissed him off! Barry wanted to go out swinging, but even that was being stolen from him.

He contemplated the women who worked for him in the office and knew they would be horrified if they learned what he truly thought of them. It gave him a measure of satisfaction to hear them singing his praises when all he felt for them was contempt. These bitches wouldn't give him the time of day as a man, but as their boss, he held their futures in his hands. He was smart enough not to act on his true feelings but enjoyed their blind ignorance.

Jackie, though. She was a special case. What he did to her—

A knock on his doorjamb tore him from his thoughts, and he jolted slightly in his chair.

This sent a stab of pain down his back, and he looked toward the doorway with a scowl.

He saw a tall, slim man with blonde hair and a stern expression. Then he saw Jackie's distinct blue and green keycard he'd used to access the building after hours, and it clicked in his mind. He knew this man. Though they'd never met, Barry was very familiar with his features as he ensured Jackie displayed a picture of him on his desk when she was in his office for... training.

It had to be kismet that he was reaching the end, and the universe handed him this treat.

"I was wondering when you'd show up. After all these years, I can't believe Jackie finally found the nerve to tell you," Barry said, shaking his head in wonder.

Keith walked into the office to stand on the other side of the desk. "I want to hear it from your lips," he said stiffly.

Barry shrugged and smiled at Keith. "Jackie called you the love of her life and the man of her dreams, but I guess you're not the man of her fantasies."

Keith tensed up and scowled. "Do you believe you fit that title?"

Barry's expression switched to a scowl as he snapped at Keith. "I've been plagued with sickness for decades, so I haven't been anyone's fantasy since college!" The memories surfaced deliciously, and his scowl slid into a leer. "I remember only too well how much fun Jackie was back then."

He sighed as he saw the tall, fit, and healthy man across the desk. He felt a moment of regret as he realized his only outlet for fun was gone, but it made little difference as he wouldn't be around much longer anyway. He unlocked and opened a drawer, taking out a memory stick to toss onto the desktop. He sighed.

"That's for Jackie. I promised, and you're here, so she kept up her part of the deal. It's the only copy of the film I made of her fucking my frat brothers. Fuck, she was so hot and willing. She took all of us again and again. She loved it. The rougher, the better."

Keith picked up the memory stick and stared at it.

Barry was lost in his memories as he recalled how she'd driven her ass back on his cock until he'd come explosively inside her. He'd only had her once, but filmed the entire night with his trusty super-eight camera. His frat brothers hounded him for a copy, but he knew its unique value, so he told them all to fuck off. When the film began to break, he'd made a digital copy, transferred it to the stick, and burned the original film. He'd lost track of how many times he'd watched it.

"She's still a submissive little cunt." He gestured to the memory stick in Keith's hand. "Having that meant I could get her to do anything. If I'd had a working dick, I would have fucked her hot snatch every day. Making her edge herself with toys for hours without release was... almost as fulfilling. She fucking loves the abuse! The dirtier, the better." An image appeared in his mind of their last session. He saw her tormented expression, burning with need and humiliation as she knelt on the floor before his desk, clamps painfully pinching her nipples as she squatted over a dildo poking into her ass.

Returning from his enjoyment of the moment, he finally looked at Keith's face and saw that the man was torn between rage and despair. The shock hit him like a physical blow. "Shit! She didn't tell you?"

After that sank in, Barry sagged back in his chair as he shook his head. "I guess it doesn't matter now, but we never had sex after that night in college. She'd had enough sex at the frat house for a lifetime. She could barely walk, the cum draining out of her like a river. How she didn't get knocked up from that is a miracle."

Keith was trembling with rage as he ground his teeth together. "I've never hit another man in anger, but you are pushing me beyond my endurance."

Barry snorted contemptuously and shrugged again. "Do it. Beat me to death. I'm already a dead man." He smiled cruelly at Keith. "Sending you to prison for it would mean she'd never get fucked by you again. That would be the last bit of frustration I could inflict on her."

Keith looked at him as he came to a realization. "Years ago, I told her to quit, but she said she couldn't...."

Barry chuckled evilly. "I told her if she did, I'd release the video online and send copies to my brothers in the fraternity. They've been hounding me for a copy since that night. She was such a good little bitch for us. They miss her and would love another go at her."

Keith snarled and began to reach across the desk as Barry grinned up at him. At the last second, Keith stopped himself and pulled back. He turned away as he shuddered with unspent adrenaline. He looked over his shoulder at Barry in disgust. "Whatever disease is killing you... I hope it takes you quickly... and painfully."

He left the office as Barry frowned at his retreating back.

"Fucking coward," he muttered in dissatisfaction.

Barry sat there brooding. He couldn't believe it was over. There had to be something he could do to get a better feeling of closure.

He didn't have the video any longer. He'd actually kept his word and ensured he'd only kept one copy of the movie. Recently, his integrity was weakening, and he'd been tempted to make another, but the wimp's arrival today caught him before he acted on the impulse.

Now, he was regretting giving it to him.

Shit!

He paused as he thought of something he'd said to Keith. His frat brothers wanted to take that tasty piece of ass for another ride. He could call them, let them know where she was now, and tell them to tell her they had a copy of the video. She couldn't be certain he'd only had one copy of it, so they could pull off the deception.

He smiled to himself as this was a delicious present to himself and his frat bros before he moved on to whatever the fuck came next, if anything.

He heaved himself to his feet and felt pain shifting position through his body. His frown returned.

Barry took the elevator to the basement to the garage and drove himself home to his loft condo on the other side of town.

He waved to his fat-tittied condo manager in the lobby but quickly waddled by to get to the elevator up to his unit.

Once inside, he undressed and pulled on his voluminous silk dressing gown, cinching it tight around his saggy belly. He walked into the living room and admired the view through the floor-to-ceiling windows before digging out his old address book from an end table. He walked to the bar, poured three fingers of his favorite strong Jamaican rum, and selected a fat Cuban cigar. He recalled the myth of Cuban virgins rolling them on their thighs. He knew it was bullshit, but it brought a smile to his face to imagine it.

He carried his items over to his recliner facing his large flat-screen TV, then sat as comfortably as possible. He grabbed the remote, put on his favorite porn—second favorite as he recalled Jackie's sex tape, then settled back in his chair as he tried to catch his breath.

He flipped open the book and began searching for the men who would take over his duties with Jackie. "Once a submissive whore, always a submissive whore," he thought to himself with a smile as his eyes passed over the listings.

Lee Branson! There was a name he'd never forget. The man was on the university football team and was a big fucker. He practically broke Jackie's pussy when he pounded her against the sofa cushions. Barry shivered a little as he recalled her screams.

Shit, he once more regretted not keeping a copy of the movie.

He flipped the address book over on his stomach to hold that page open, then prepared his cigar. He wanted to sip his drink and taste the smoke as he handed Jackie's ass into Lee's calloused hands. The image brought a grin to his face.

He wasn't supposed to smoke in the condo, but fuck 'em. He took some large draws and blew them out, then sipped his rum. Shit! It was so strong! He'd better ease off on drinking until he'd made all his calls.

He flipped the address book over and balanced his tumbler on the book as he grabbed his cell and dialed Lee's number. He took some puffs as he listened to it connect.

"Yeah?" The voice was rough yet familiar.

"Hi, is this Lee Branson?"

"Yeah, who is this?" Lee said in annoyance.

Barry smiled. "It's Barry La Rue."

"Shit! The cameraman who never shared!" Lee exclaimed, no less annoyed.

Barry chuckled as he took a puff and awkwardly lifted the tumbler of rum with the same hand he held the cigar in. "Never say never, Lee," he teased.

"What?" There was curiosity in his voice now.

Barry lifted the tumbler to his lips, but the address book began to slip off his gut on the slippery fabric. He jolted to catch it and slammed the tumbler into his teeth, rum splashing over his face, chest, and stomach.

"FFCCCKK!" he yelled as the pain in his teeth flared. His hand shook, and he dropped the empty tumbler and cigar into his lap. "YYAAAH!" he yelled as he swatted at the burning embers, but they caught on the high-proof rum-soaked silk. Flames suddenly engulfed his dressing gown and raced up his chest, following the spill until it reached his face.

Now, Barry's screams took on a truly shrill and agonized nature as he inhaled the flames.

"Fuck! Barry? Barry!" Lee's voice yelled through the phone on the floor. "Fuck you!" he exclaimed, then abruptly hung up. The broken cries and gurgling sounds were beginning to make him retch.

The fire suppression system in Barry's condo activated as the flames triggered them. It was too late for the sole occupant, whose weakened heart finally failed, ending his prolonged and solitary misery.

-=-

David was ensuring Melody's back patio door was closed and locked before they went to bed. He heard a knock on the front door. He frowned as it was past midnight.

He was still wearing a t-shirt and shorts, so he answered it to see Officer Blane standing on the top step with his dad, who was very drunk and crying quietly.

David was shocked as he knew he didn't drink. "Dad?"

Looking uncomfortable, the officer eased Keith forward into David's care. "I spotted him sitting on the curb outside a bar. I recognized him from the previous day, and the station's drunk tank is filled with people who'd eat him alive."

"Thank you!" David said as he held his father.

Blane caught the confused look on David's face, so he continued. "I tried taking him home, but he insisted he couldn't go there and pointed to this house and said David."

Still confused, David nodded. "Where's his car?"

"It's a station wagon?" the officer asked, and David nodded. "He was sitting next to it. Ten-twenty-two Philmore Street. I'm glad he was sensible enough not to try driving home in this condition."

Melody and Auden arrived in dressing gowns, and the older woman immediately took Keith from David's arms.

David grabbed the car keys from his dad's jacket pocket as he passed the man back. He looked in his hand and saw a memory stick, too. He tucked that back in the jacket pocket.

"Thank you, Officer Blane," Melody said sincerely, and the man nodded with a smile as he headed back to his cruiser.

"Auden, can you help me pick up Dad's car?" David asked, and she nodded. They went upstairs to prepare.

-=-

Melody guided Keith into the living room and seated him on the couch. She handed him a box of tissues, and he wiped his eyes and blew his nose. He seemed to be settling, though he was still very shaky.

David and Auden appeared in the doorway, but Melody just nodded to them, indicating she would take care of Keith, and they headed out.

When they were alone, Melody turned back to the man and saw he was staring at nothing, tears slowly running down his cheeks. "What happened, Keith?" she asked gently.

His head turned slowly to look at her blearily, and he nodded slowly. "I-I went to speak to Jackie's boss after work." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "He said he'd been expecting a visit from me. He thought Jackie had finally confessed to me." His breathing caught in his throat, and he took some slow, deep breaths to calm himself as he wiped his eyes with a new tissue.

"Barry La Rue has been sexually abusing Jackie from the day she started—Not having sex with her, as he's too ill to do that, but... making her... do stuff to herself, but not all the way."

Melody gasped as her mind spun in confusion. She understood that La Rue was probably too ill to get it up. An erection might kill the man. But what could he have over Jackie to make her go along with it?

"Blackmail?" she said quietly, but Keith heard and nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the memory stick.

"La Rue gave it to me for Jackie as he thought she'd kept her part of the deal by telling me. He said it was the only copy." Keith looked at the small USB stick like it was a viper.

"What's on it?" Melody asked hesitantly, fearing the answer.

Keith's expression swung between rage and despair. He had a hard time speaking at first. "Jackie fucking her way through at least twenty guys in a frat house, mostly one on one but some spit-roasting and a few three at once. They were brutal!" He was quiet for a moment as he struggled to continue. "She—she enjoyed it!" He started crying and pounded his forehead with his fist.

Melody grabbed his wrist to stop him from striking himself as she caught the frat reference. "Keith, stop! This sounds like it happened a very long time ago.

He wiped his tears, took some breaths, and finally nodded. "I remember when it must have happened, as we'd just begun dating before graduation. She said she fell down some stairs. She was very bruised and in pain. We didn't have sex for weeks after that."

Melody noticed a haunted look in his eye as he mumbled to himself. "All those times she was so eager for sex when he got home. They all feel like lies now. They weren't for me!"

"Of course, they were for you! She loves you!" Melody insisted.

Keith's eyes were a little wild as he locked on hers. "No! Her boss was making her fuck herself with sex toys to humiliate her, but he wouldn't let her come." He swallowed sickly. "I saw what she really likes when I returned to my office and watched the movie on the memory stick. I don't do those things!" He shook his head fiercely. "She comes home from work frustrated with stiff muscles. David massages—"

His eyes widened as Jackie's reaction to being manhandled by David suddenly made sense to him. "Oh my god! I'm gonna be sick!"

Melody grabbed his arm and guided him to a hallway washroom, where he immediately dropped to his knees and puked in the bowl.

She poured him a glass of water to rinse his mouth, but his expression was still sick after he did. She sighed.

"I've experienced one of David's therapeutic massages, and I know he's unaware of how good it feels. I can honestly say he's completely unaware of its effect on Jackie. He thinks it's just a massage." She caught his eye again. "He doesn't know now, but once he takes his Physiotherapy course and learns how to give real massages, he'll figure it out. When I spoke with Jackie, I warned her of this as well. She's not getting sexual gratification from her son. She waits for you, the man she loves!"

Even to her own ears, she thought that sounded weak.

"I don't know the woman I married and lived with for over two decades. I had no idea she needed to be abused and had twisted—"

"Stop!" Melody said sternly. "You don't know where it comes from, but you need to understand her before labeling it that way."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Keith yelled as he struggled back to his feet. "Jackie's using our son to get sexually charged up. That's fucked up! What does that make me? Just a convenient dick?"

He stumbled out of the bathroom, followed by Melody, to find David standing in the hallway with a stunned expression.

"I-I can't deal with this," David said quietly and rushed upstairs. Auden gave them both a shocked look, then followed David.

Keith's shoulders slumped in defeat. He walked back into the living room and sat on the couch. "If David wasn't so visibly my son, I'd be wondering if Jackie cheated on me. Rick takes after his mother, and Suzie shares some of my features."

Melody sat next to Keith and rubbed his back. "You've received some upsetting news today, but you need more information and time to understand it fully. Reacting before you have this is just making a mess," she said, gesturing to the stairs where David fled. He sighed and nodded.

She stood and gestured to the sofa. "Get some rest, and we'll go to your place in the morning for answers."

"Thanks, Melody. You're a good friend," Keith mumbled as he stretched out on the comfy sofa.

Melody watched him quickly drift off to sleep, then went upstairs. She found David in her bed with Auden on his right. She slipped from her dressing gown and got under the sheets on David's left side.

"Is what my father said true?" David asked with a subdued voice.

"Keith heard some upsetting things, but it's too soon to understand what it means as we only have partial information. What you heard was just his anguish thrashing around for answers. We'll get a clearer picture tomorrow," Melody said gently.

David was quiet for a moment. "What did he mean by mom needing to be abused?"

Melody pulled David's head to her chest and ran her fingers through his hair. "Right now, it doesn't mean anything. We'll learn more in the morning."

Chapter 5

In the excitement of the evening before, alarms weren't set, so everyone slept in at Melody's place.

Auden was first out the door as she needed to meet her lawyer at the shop. Melody let her use her car, so she'd get there quicker. David was next, though he was hesitant to leave without speaking to his father. Melody talked him out of that. She said he needed to report to the school office that Auden would miss the day. She also suggested they postpone their night with Chelsea until the following week. He agreed, then reluctantly left.

Melody took a quick shower, woke Keith, and followed him next door, where they found the kids had left for school and Jackie for work.

Keith called his office to arrange a family day.

"Does she take the bus?" Melody asked Keith, and he nodded. "So, we can get there first if we drive. We'll take separate cars as I have chores to do afterward." He nodded distractedly.

"I-I need a shower. I'll be quick," Keith said and rushed upstairs.

Eight minutes later, he locked up behind them on the way out. Melody went to her driveway and entered the Continental to follow Keith downtown.

Once more, Melody parked across the street next to Keith, and the two walked into her building and took the elevator to the fourth floor.

As they entered the lobby, they spotted Linda, the HR woman, standing by the receptionist's desk, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. They were red from tears, and Melody started to have a bad feeling.

"Linda, is everything all right?" she asked as she approached.

The woman's calm crumbled a little, and she shook her head.

"Is Jackie here?" Keith blurted, and Linda shook her head again. She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Soon, I think."

"What are you doing here?"

Everyone turned toward the door at the sharp voice and saw Jackie standing there. She was looking between Melody and Keith, and she looked like she'd had a rough night, but her expression was swinging between belligerence and desperation. She was a mess.

Linda stepped closer and took Jackie's hands. "I have some sad news, Jackie. Mr. La Rue died last night."

Jackie pulled her hands back in shock and took a few more steps into the lobby before her eyes rolled up, and she fainted.

Keith leapt forward and caught her before she hit the ground. He lifted her into his arms as Linda began to fuss.

"She needs to lie down," Melody said calmly, and this settled Linda, who nodded.

"This way!" she said and set off toward Barry's office.

Melody could see that Keith was very uncomfortable being in the office where his wife was abused, but she knew he loved his wife more. He hadn't let her fall, and he forced himself to enter the office and gently set Jackie down on the overstuffed couch. "Take some deep breaths," she said quietly to him. He gave her a stiff nod.

Keith turned to Linda. "How did La Rue die?"

She was a little surprised by his abrupt question, but she answered. "His condo's sprinklers went off. The firemen who broke into his unit discovered he was badly burned and dead in a chair in his living room. They haven't announced an actual cause of death."

Keith nodded, then returned to the couch as Jackie made waking noises. She opened her eyes and looked desperately into Keith's. He turned his face to look at Linda. "Would you mind if we had a private word with Jackie?"

"Oh! Uh, I suppose that would be all right," Linda said as her eyes looked at Melody in confusion. Melody just smiled kindly and nodded, so the woman left with a confused expression, closing the door behind her.

Jackie forced herself to sit up and then stand before she staggered across the room to the big desk. She immediately tried to open the locked drawer.

"Are you looking for this?" Keith asked as he held up the USB stick.

Jackie stared at him, frozen.

He cleared his tight throat and grimaced. "I watched it last night after I came to speak to Barry, and he gave it to me. Why didn't you tell me?"

Jackie glared at Melody. "You need to leave!" she snapped.

"She stays, or I walk out that door, and we're done!" Keith yelled in return. "At least Melody has been completely honest. Answer my question!"

Jackie's lips were trembling, and her desperate expression returned. She struggled to breathe. "I-I couldn't tell you. If I did, you would leave me, and I love you!"

Keith made a sharp noise of scorn and tried to leave, but Melody gripped his arm and stopped him.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "How long have you... needed this abuse?"

The panic was returning to Jackie's eyes as she glanced at Melody and squirmed. Seeing that Keith was waiting for an answer, she finally spoke. "I discovered I enjoyed being... dominated in my first year at college. I went out to a party, and two college seniors took me aggressively in a dark bedroom. I managed to slip out afterward without them seeing who I was. I... realized I was different that night. The following year, I met you and fell in love.

Keith's expression twisted. "I never treated you roughly or abused you when we had sex. Were you faking the whole time?"

Jackie shook her head vigorously. "I love making love with you and find it very fulfilling. Many women don't have orgasms every time they have sex, but that's okay."

Keith made another scornful sound, but Melody stopped him again. "Jackie's right. While an orgasm is a wonderful conclusion to sex, physical and emotional closeness is also a major factor for fulfillment. Sometimes your body is into it, but your brain is filled with noise, and reaching that peak doesn't happen." She smiled kindly. "You can't use that as proof of anything."

Jackie stared at Melody in confusion. "Why are you interfering?"

Melody shook her head gently. "I'm not interfering. I'm being supportive. I've been lonely for decades as my husband neglected me and eventually did his best to avoid me. David came to my rescue over the weekend, and while it was initially just a physical attraction, it quickly became emotional closeness as I got to know him. His maturity, sense of humor, and gentle nature surprised me. I fell in love with him, and he says he loves me. He also loves his family, and I'll do anything I can to help him and you both because you're so important to him." She smiled at them. "I've always longed to have a family like yours, with a strong core of love.

"You're using my family as a surrogate for what you didn't have!" Jackie yelled.

Keith surged forward to glare down at her angrily. "What about how you've been abusing David? Your own son! At least Melody isn't lying about it!"

Jackie's guilt was clear as her eyes flicked between Keith and Melody.

"It was an accident. David wanted to practice his massage therapy, and I was always so tense after work, so I eventually gave in. The first time he did it, I almost yelled at him for the inappropriate touching, but I saw he was clueless about what he'd done. You got home, and I dragged you upstairs before the tingles faded, and the sex was so intense." Her expression showed her sad desperation. "I was so intensely unhappy at work and trapped because of the blackmail. David was so happy he was able to make me feel better after work, and I was having such wonderful sex with my husband, whom I love so much. I needed it to keep going, or I wasn't sure what I'd do."

They were quiet as her confession connected the dots. At least it did in Melody's head. She could see Keith was still struggling.

"The bastard is finally dead, and the blackmail is over. I need my family," she said plaintively.

There was another pause, then Keith spoke. "You can no longer have David massage you. He's aware of what you were getting from it."

"You showed him the film?" she gasped in outrage.

"NO! I-I was drunk last night, and I fired off my mouth carelessly. He overheard," Keith said begrudgingly.

Jackie's eyebrows rose as she stared at him in shock.

He huffed, then his expression twisted, showing the pain he'd been hiding. "I stood across the desk from that monster as he did his best to rub his disgusting behavior in my face, trying to goad me into violence. He told me to go ahead and beat him. While I hated him more than anyone in my life at that moment, I'm not a violent man and walked away."

His stern expression cracked further as he looked at Jackie with unshed tears pooling in his eyes. "If I couldn't be violent to someone I hated, how can you expect me to be that way with someone I love?"

Jackie's mouth was moving, but she had no words. Melody was worried this might be a deal breaker. She couldn't let that happen.

"Jackie, is it the violence or the surrender of control you need?"

Though her face flushed with embarrassment, Jackie heard Melody's distinction and the offered lifeline. She had to be completely honest. "I-I don't enjoy the pain. I'm excited by the feeling of being completely at the mercy of my partner. Overwhelmed by their passion. Dominated."

Melody smiled as she turned her attention to Keith, who watched her in confusion. "You don't have to be violent to share this experience with Jackie. You can fulfill her deepest desires and be who you are. Now that Jackie is being honest with you, she can tell you exactly what she needs, and you two can share some of the best sex either of you has ever experienced. Sex with love is always the best."

A wave of relief passed through her as she saw the beginnings of hope in their eyes and acceptance in their body language. They had a chance.

"I'm heading home. You need to continue to speak openly and honestly with each other. No judgment. Your love is worth saving."

Keith was struggling, and his expression was a little desperate, but to her, it felt like he wanted this.

"Thank you, Melody," he said and hugged her.

Jackie moved closer, and Melody opened her arms to the woman. When they embraced, she could feel Jackie trembling. "I was never a threat to you and your family, Jackie. I want your lives to be filled with love. You deserve it. You've done such an amazing job raising three wonderful children. And you have a husband who loves you more than anything. You two will get through this, and your new openness will enrich your lives."

Jackie was clinging to her desperately as she cried. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you!" she gasped against Melody's chest.

Melody gently rubbed her back. "It's okay. I know where the fear was coming from now. It's all good."

Keith wrapped his arms around them both, and they enjoyed the closeness for a moment. Melody eased back and smiled at them. "Keep up the dialogue. Be honest and remember your love for each other. I'll speak with you later."

She turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

When she turned, she faced Linda and a group of worried ladies. She smiled to ease their fears.

"Jackie's going to be okay. She took the news of Mr. La Rue's death surprisingly hard considering his lengthy illness, but she'll bounce back and take care of business like the professional she is," she said, and relief showed on their faces.

The staff moved back to their desks as Linda moved closer.

"I thought I heard shouting," Linda noted, and Melody knew she needed to nip that gossip in the bud.

"Yes, there's been some tension at home recently, but they resolved that today. Their relationship will get stronger from this day onward," Melody said with a smile.

Linda smiled at Melody. "Are you a couple counselor?"

Melody grinned and chuckled. "If I had been, my own marriage might have been saved." She shrugged, then waved as she left the office.

When she got to her car, she forwarded David's recipe to Chelsea, then called her.

"Melody! Is this recipe news that we are a go?" the woman's bright voice said through the cell.

"Yes. How does next week work for you, Tuesday or Wednesday perhaps? They'd arrive at six to begin cooking," Melody asked with a smile.

"That sounds perfect! Tuesday would be preferable. I'm on pins and needles! Thank you, Melody! I'll pick up the ingredients now!" Chelsea exclaimed.

"Talk to you later," Melody said and hung up. She was having a very productive day, and it wasn't even mid-day!

She drove home and collected her paperwork, then visited the bank to deliver the death certificate to her account manager.

Sitting in the man's office while he tapped away at his keyboard, she asked him about her husband's cash withdrawals.

"Oh! Right! I suppose this means you won't be going on that grand escape he was planning," the bank officer said with a sad frown.

"Escape?" she asked.

He flicked a smile in her direction. "Yeah, he told me he was planning this escape, but didn't give me any details. Maybe a trip around the world, a big renovation at home, or a cottage somewhere on a lake he was fixing up? Did he give you any clues?" he asked idly as he concentrated on his screen. "He took out quite a lot."

"Yes. Three-hundred-and-sixty-eight thousand, to be specific. I've brought it back to be redeposited. He was planning to escape our marriage, I assume."

The man looked at her in dismay. "Oh! I'm sorry."

She sighed and shrugged. "The more I learn about his repugnant behavior, the more I realize how much better off I am now." She shook her head in disgust.

She had the account manager deposit the funds into her account. Then she reviewed all her accounts, which were now fully in her name alone. She nodded, shook the man's hand, and headed out.

She stopped by her lawyer's office and gave him one of the death certificates as well.

Melody headed home and decided to do a little research into a replacement for the cars she had.

That sounded like a fun afternoon!

-=-

Jeff sent Dennis a text asking him to meet him at his dad's company after school.

He'd been put to work in the custodial department doing shit jobs. He had a cast covering his right hand and wrist, so the duties he could do were limited.

When Dennis was guided into the department, he was refilling liquid soap dispensers for the night cleaners to install in the bathrooms.

"Damn, man! When are you getting your new teeth?" Dennis exclaimed.

"Fuck. My dad won't pay for it until I finish summer school. He was seriously pissed I lost the scholarship, but he's going to pull some strings to get me into another college. He said I had to get my shit together first," Jeff grimaced.

Dennis was relieved that his friend would have another chance.

Jeff glanced at the doorway and moved a little closer. "Listen, I need your help to get revenge against David. I no longer have access to my car. My dad takes me to and from work and won't let me go out at night. Even if I could, I can't see Rebecca as her parents have forbidden her to see me. All this bullshit is David's fault."

Dennis frowned as Jeff sounded obsessed. "Dude, you need to let this go as you're digging yourself deeper. I don't want to be part of a revenge scheme."

Jeff stared at him with cold eyes. "I never expected you, of all people, to be so disloyal."

Dennis rocked back slightly as he realized he was hearing his own words used against him. He shook his head and stared at someone he'd once considered a friend. David's words returned to him.

He turned and left, shaken.

-=-

When everyone was home at the end of the day, David regaled Auden on the mundane activities she'd missed at school, which were pretty much nothing.

She, in turn, told him how she and her lawyer met and presented her grandmother with her termination papers and a box of personal items she'd left in the shop. She was told to sign the documents or face criminal charges for her attempted theft of company funds. The termination document outlined how her unlawful activities eliminated any compensation claim.

It also included terms that she and her family were persona non grata in any of the flower shops in perpetuity.

She also learned that her grandmother had an extremely dirty mouth, despite her prim and proper appearance. A video of her tirade was played back for her before she left with the promise of releasing it on every social media website that accepted such smut if she showed her nasty mug anywhere near the shops.

Auden spent the rest of the day speaking with every supplier and shop manager, informing them of the new head office hierarchy and advising them not to act on any contact from her grandmother, but to report it to her instead.

David and Melody hugged her for enduring the stressful encounter.

After dinner, Keith and Jackie visited Melody's house to speak to David. Melody welcomed them into her living room, where they took seats.

"Would it be okay if we could speak with David privately?" Jackie asked timidly.

"No, it wouldn't be okay, Mom!" David insisted. "Melody and Auden stay because I was embarrassed when I found out about it from Dad's drunken confession in front of them."

Jackie's face was burning, but she took a deep but shaky breath and began.

"When I was in college, I discovered I needed to be... manhandled. I don't like pain, but being completely under the control of another gets me excited. I made the terrible mistake of accepting an invitation to a frat party. Every member of the frat house sexually abused me. I had bruises for weeks afterward. One of the pledges was Barry La Rue, my boss at my office. I didn't recognize him when I applied for the job, but he recognized me. Once I was hired, he called me into his office and showed me the movie he shot that night. He told me if I tried to quit, he'd send the movie to Keith, post it online, and send copies to all the other frat house members with my address. He said I was going to be his plaything." She raised a hand to stop David's snarl. "He never touched me. He wasn't a healthy man. He was impotent and suffered from several severe medical conditions. He couldn't have sex, but he used blackmail to make me do... sexual things in his office for hours, but never let me... finish. It was humiliating, sickening, and intensely frustrating. I wanted to escape but couldn't see a way out."

She looked at David sadly. "Then you gave me that first massage, and I was shocked and mortified you were touching me like that, but I was also reeling from how much it triggered my need. Your father arrived home at just the right moment. It was the best se—It was a wonderful night and such a relief," she finished quickly, her face flushed from embarrassment. David looked deeply uncomfortable, too.

"I love your father so much, and I deeply regret keeping the secret from him and abusing your trust. I didn't know how to free myself from the blackmail. I was terrified Barry would follow through with his threat."

David leapt to his feet. "Where does the bastard live?" he snarled.

Keith raised a palm and shook his head. "David, Barry died last night."

David felt his moorings begin to slide as he looked at his father in shock.

Keith glared at him. "Oh, come on! You can't possibly think I killed him! He was caught in a fire in his condo and died!"

David let Auden and Melody pull him back down to the couch.

Keith still looked miffed about David's reaction, so he elaborated. "I went to see Barry last night at his office to find out what might be causing your mother's recent behavior. He thought Jackie had confessed what he'd been doing, and I was there to confront him. He admitted to everything and gave me the memory stick with the video, which he said was the only copy. Then he realized I hadn't known any of it. He tried to goad me into beating him, but that's not who I am. I told him I hoped one of the diseases killing him would take him soon." He glanced at Auden and Melody with a defensive expression, then he sighed.

"I watched the video on the memory stick. I was... horrified! Combined with what that monster said, I couldn't deal with it, so I got very drunk for the first time in my life." He looked to David. "You saw the result of that last night." David nodded. "This morning, Melody and I went to speak to Jackie at her office and discovered Barry died last night. Jackie arrived, and we had a long talk. I was ready to walk away as I didn't believe I could forgive, forget, or fulfill her needs."

David squirmed uncomfortably as this was more intimate than he was ready to be with his parents.

"Melody told us to be honest with each other. We do love each other, but there was this huge issue between us that we were struggling with. She told us to fight for our love as it was worth saving." He smiled at Melody and then shared a look with Jackie. "We're going to try to move forward and put the past behind us. I'm going to try to be the person Jackie needs."

"You already are!" Jackie said. "I love the man you are, and I love my life now that Barry La Rue is no longer part of it. I even like my job. I'm good at it, and I believe I'll be offered Barry's job, given my years of experience. It may sound mean, but I'm thrilled he's dead!"

Keith and Jackie looked toward David.

"I'm not going to massage you anymore!" David said firmly.

Jackie nodded. "I understand, and I'm sorry I abused your good nature for my selfish needs." She then looked at Melody. "I'm also sorry for how badly I treated you. You've been nothing but helpful. I'm still worried about your relationship with David," she held a hand up to forestall his protest. "I'm your mother, David. I will always worry about you. I was trying to say, I won't interfere in this... whatever it might be."

"How sure are you that Barry was telling the truth that it was the only copy?" David asked with concern.

Jackie shook her head. "Barry was a lot of awful things, but he never once lied to me. He said he only made one copy, and I would get it when one of the diseases took him... or if I ever found the courage to tell Keith the truth." She glanced sidelong at her husband guiltily.

Comprehension suddenly dawned in Keith's eyes. "That's what he meant about you fulfilling your part of the deal."

"I was too terrified you'd leave me if you found out about what I'd done at that frat house," Jackie said miserably.

Keith wrapped an arm around his wife, and she cried as she clung to him.

After a bit, Jackie's tears tapered off, and she wiped at her cheeks. David moved to kneel before her and handed her a box of tissues. She looked at him with sad eyes, and he gently hugged her. He didn't hold her for long, though.

"It's going to take me a little bit to get back to being comfortable with the casual hugs," he said in apology, and she nodded as she blew her nose into a tissue.

"Did you destroy the memory stick?" David asked.

Keith shook his head. "No."

David looked at his father, expecting him to elaborate, but his expression was stiff as he looked away, so David asked his next question.

"Are you going to say anything to Rick and Suzanne about this?" David asked.

Keith refocused on David. "No, not for a long time, if at all. I trust we can count on your discretion?" He was looking at Melody and Auden as well and received three nods.

"We'll go forward with the plan to move Suzanne into your bedroom, and when you are available, we'll take down the dividing wall so Rick can have a full bedroom, as well," Keith suggested.

David smiled and nodded. "This weekend?" He glanced at Melody. "After we visit some car showrooms and do some test drives." Melody smiled with a nod.

His dad agreed. "Sounds like a plan, thanks. If you don't mind, the day has left us a little wrung out, so we're heading home now. Talk tomorrow?" Keith said to David and got a nod.

They stood up and hugged, then Keith gathered Jackie and led her back to the front door and out.

David locked up and faced Melody and Auden, the latter looking at David with big eyes.

"Are you okay, David?" Melody asked.

He nodded, but it was shaky. "I... I get how Dad is unsettled by this. We've learned Mom has a completely secret side to her. Moms are supposed to be a constant in their children's lives."

Melody smiled gently. "When a child grows up and develops adult perceptions, they fully see their parents with all their Human frailties for the first time. That's not always welcome. How you deal with it tells you what kind of adult you'll be. You've had a greater shock than most, but I believe you're taking it exceptionally well."

David gave her a kiss for that.

He sighed. "Do you think we could cuddle tonight? I'm mentally exhausted."

That received smiles and nods from both ladies.

Chapter 6

The next few days were mostly uneventful, which everyone appreciated.

Friday, Melody spent the day at Auden's flower shop after a brief lesson on the point-of-purchase machinery. The part-timer who came in was trained in making the flower arrangements, so she concentrated on that while Melody handled the simpler orders and closing the sales. She quite enjoyed herself, and Auden was pleased and grateful when she returned to the store at the end of the school day.

Melody, David, and Auden went car hunting on Saturday and brought Melody's cars for the dealers to make trade-in assessments. When they spotted a sporty, royal blue compact SUV, Melody took it for a test drive and fell in love.

The surprisingly honest dealer informed them they could definitely get more for such a classic Lincoln Continental if she sold it privately. What he was authorized to offer as a trade-in was pathetic. He said he'd take her smaller car as the trade-in was comparable to what she could expect from a private sale.

That decided, they worked out a deal for the new SUV. As it was from the lot, she'd only have to wait two days to pick it up. They left Melody's car as its plates would be transferred to the SUV. They drove her husband's car to the bank to pick up a certified check in preparation for Monday.

Sunday, David moved all his personal items from his room to Melody's home. His furniture, minus his desk, went into his dad's garage for now. He had a lot to do to fix up his room, and it began with new paint.

Jackie hovered, trying to be helpful, but she knew it was too soon.

After school on Monday, David and Auden drove Melody to the dealership in his pickup, and she drove home in her sporty little SUV crossover. She was squealing with joy as she parked it in her driveway. Her young lovers were delighted to see her so happy.

When they finally got her inside and upstairs, they made sure that smile remained on her face until she sighed in contentment and slipped into sleep that night.

-=-

Melody arranged Chelsea's dinner on Tuesday night. That evening, David drove Auden and himself to her address and slowly took them up the large circular driveway as they stared in surprise at the expansive mansion before them.

"How many people live here?" Auden asked quietly.

David shook his head as he parked his truck next to the front door. "I think it's just her!"

They got out and approached the lovely front door, which opened as they reached it.

Chelsea smiled at them nervously. "Good evening! Please come in!" she said.

They nodded and stepped into the grand foyer as Chelsea stepped back.

"Good evening, Chelsea! May I introduce you to Auden Wright, my girlfriend," David said with a smile.

"Hello!" Chelsea said a little timidly as they shook hands.

David tried to break the ice. "We were stunned by how large your home is! All the properties on this street are huge!"

Chelsea smiled at David and nodded. "Julian was loaded and insisted on the biggest of everything!" Looking him in the eye, she bounced her breasts with a coy little smile, then quickly glanced over at Auden and saw the woman wasn't offended but smiling, too. That relaxed her a little.

She guided them through the home, giving a little tour as they made their way to the large gourmet kitchen at the back.

"Are you friends with your neighbors?" David asked as he looked out the expansive floor-to-ceiling glass panels facing the backyard.

Chelsea shook her head with a smile. "The Sanchez family lives in the mansion to the left—just the three of them. Esmeralda Sanchez doesn't like me because she believes I'm trying to seduce her husband, Emelio, and that I set a terrible example for her daughter, Isabella. She planted a tall Italian Cyprus evergreen hedge between our properties to block their view of my pool area. It's not my fault that I like to sunbathe in very skimpy bikinis."

David chuckled, and Auden grinned as well, making Chelsea feel more at ease with the young woman.

"On the right side are the Ducanes. Abigail told me to my face that I wasn't the right kind of people to live in this neighborhood. Then she caught her husband watching me enjoying the sun. I could hear her screaming as I relaxed on my lounge chair." She giggled. "A few days later, I saw the same arborist service Esmerelda used outside their home. They'll likely be planting a row of Cyprus evergreens on their property as well. By next summer, I'll have complete privacy in my backyard."

David went to the patio doors to look at the Ducane's home as he realized Jeff lived next door.

His parents would be there, so there shouldn't be an issue.

He shared a look with Auden and shrugged. He had dinner to prepare.

"What an amazing kitchen you have! Ready for some Coq Au Vin?" he asked with a grin.

Chelsea clapped her hands as she bounced on her toes, making other parts of her anatomy jiggle very nicely.

Auden grinned at David's mesmerized expression.

He shook it off and got to work.

-=-

Jeff seethed in the passenger seat of his dad's car as they returned from the office.

The time he had to spend at that building was too fucking long, as he went in with his father and drove home with him.

The job they gave him was shit! He was bored out of his fucking mind all day!

The people he worked with were morons. No one would talk to him except to give him orders.

The food at lunch was disgusting crap.

He'd have to endure this until summer school began, and even then, he'd been told he'd still be under a curfew, driven to and from school.

It was total bullshit!

As they pulled onto his street, he watched the homes go by. As they passed the Sanchez home, he glanced toward the window, which was Isabella's room. She was growing up into such a hot little bitch.

She wasn't visible, so he just pouted.

Then they were passing by his fantasy fuck's mansion.

For him, Chelsea Cartright was sex personified. He'd busted a nut so many times watching her sunbathe by her pool. Her big, oiled titties gleamed in the sunlight, begging for a cock to slide between them. Her plump lips were designed for sucking cock right down to the base, and her ass was a perfect springboard for anal sex!

When he learned his mother had ordered a tall hedge to be planted between their properties, he was livid!

He knew Chelsea lived alone now, as he'd heard her latest husband had died overseas somehow. Jeff knew there would never be a better time for him to fuck her. He just had to make an opportunity.

As they passed before the huge house, something wasn't right. Jeff stared at the pickup truck parked before the main entrance and felt his heart begin to pound in his chest.

He knew that truck. That was David's!

"SONUVABITCH!" he screamed, and the car jerked and skidded to a halt as he startled his father.

"What the fuck are you yelling about?" the man cursed at him.

Jeff pulled his eyes from the truck to lock on his father. "That's David's truck!"

The man frowned. "What? Where?"

Jeff's anger was spiking again. "Parked in front of the fucking slut's house!"

George Ducane had taken just about enough bullshit from his son. While he agreed with the term used for their busty neighbor, he didn't need to hear it from the mouthy little shit his son was becoming.

He stepped on the gas and continued onward to their driveway. He pressed the garage door opener and drove them right into his spot when they reached the garage.

Jeff was out the door the second they stopped, heading down the driveway, and George leapt out his side.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, MISTER!"

Jeff stumbled to a halt and looked back at his dad, whose face was becoming bright red.

"David isn't the cause of your current misfortune. You are, and you need to take responsibility for your life decisions. Get to your room. NOW!"

Snarling at his dad, he looked toward the neighbor's home, changed direction, and went into the house to climb the stairs to his room.

Once behind his door, Jeff used his phone app to bring up the home's security camera on their front door and turned it to aim at Chelsea's door. Zooming in, he'd have a clear view when David left.

He paced in his room, glancing at the cell's screen repeatedly.

He felt like a tiger trapped in a cage.

His father was wrong. David was the source of all his current troubles.

Once he dealt with him, his life would get back on track.

-=-

David stood at the kitchen island preparing the ingredients for the meal. He was pleased by Chelsea's purchases.

Auden and Chelsea sat on the other side of the island, watching him work.

"Where did you learn to do this?" Chelsea gushed enthusiastically.

David smiled. "My mom taught me. She was working, so I learned how to cook and took over that task to relieve some of the pressure for her." His smile faltered as he recalled what that pressure had been.

Chelsea missed it, but Auden saw and knew David needed a minute. She distracted Chelsea by beginning the story of how she and David met. From this, she spoke of her childhood and the struggle she had with her family. She finished with how she now owned and ran a successful florist shop chain with stores overseas and across the States. Chelsea looked suitably impressed.

"How about you?" Auden asked. "You've certainly reached a pinnacle to live in such a posh home."

Chelsea smiled and nodded. "My story starts in a far humbler environment. I was born to working-class parents in Elkhart, Indiana. My parents owned a customization shop where they converted basic cars into custom luxury vehicles. Competition was tough, so they just managed to get by.

My parents were devout churchgoers, and my twin sister, Brigette, followed the faith. It didn't stick to me.

As twins, we were complete opposites. Where Brigette was sweet and demure, I was a shit disturber and very outgoing. My parents tried to get me to behave more like Brigette, but that annoyed us both.

We'd once been close, but as puberty struck, my eyes began to rove. The pressure my parents put on us drove a wedge between us.

Without warning, a week after our eighteenth birthday, Brigette announced she was marrying Floyd Merryvale, a local banker twelve years her senior who was transferring overseas. Within days, she was gone.

My parents died a few months later in a fairground accident, and all attempts to contact Brigette failed. It was like she'd fallen off the face of the earth.

I sold my parents' business to a competitor for a reasonable price and moved to New York City. Got a job at an ad agency as a junior clerk and worked my way up. I was always the life of the party, and my personality got me invited to many.

I got drunk at one of these parties and discovered I was pregnant eight weeks later. I had no idea who the father was, but I lost the child in a bad miscarriage when I was twenty-one. The doctor told me no more babies."

"I'm sorry to hear that," David said, and Chelsea shook her head.

"No, it's fine. I never wanted to have children. I'm not a maternal person, and I wouldn't wish me as a mom for any child!" she said.

"When I was twenty-two, I met my first husband, Sergio, at a party, and it was instant love or lust in Sergio's case. He paid for my first breast implants, then sprung for a larger pair. He died in a yachting accident before he got to enjoy them. I inherited his entire estate.

My second husband was a business partner of Sergio. He was loaded and married me when I was twenty-five. I agreed to a third breast augmentation up to my current size and underwent rhinoplasty as well. When I caught him having sex with an underage neighbor's daughter, he went to jail, and I got a divorce with a large settlement.

To distance myself from that creep, I changed my surname back to my maiden name, Cartright.

Then, I met Julian at a Christmas party; for me, it was purely physical. We got married when I was twenty-eight, but I kept my surname, though that pissed Julian off.

We were married for four years. He paid for a facelift, veneers for my teeth, and a fitness instructor, but he didn't respect me and mistreated me in public, so I planned to divorce him. Instead, he ran out in front of a truck in Libya and died.

Now, I have nobody."

"You have Melody, and now you have us," David said with a smile, and Auden took her hand in hers.

Chelsea smiled nervously at Auden. "I-I've never been with a woman... sexually."

Auden shook her head gently. "You don't have to be now. If you're not attracted to me, we don't have to be intimate. David and I are learning about each other, and one of the things I wanted to explore was my voyeuristic desires. I simply want to watch David fucking you silly with his big cock."

Chelsea moaned softly as she listened to Auden. "Anything you say with that accent sounds sexy, especially cock!"

David chuckled and nodded in agreement as Auden grinned and pulled her hand back. Chelsea relaxed, and her eyes dropped to Auden's breasts.

"I'd considered going to a larger implant, but with my small frame, I've been advised not to. Seeing your breasts is making me reconsider." She looked up into Auden's eyes. "Are they natural?"

Auden smiled with a little nod.

"Auden used to hide them as she was told they were ugly. What a lie! They're beautiful!" David said.

Chelsea gasped and took Auden's hands in sympathy. "Ugly? Nothing could be further from the truth! Your breasts are spectacular!"

Taking some courage from that, Auden smiled at Chelsea. "Would you like to see them?"

Chelsea burst into nervous giggles as she released Auden's hands but nodded eagerly. Auden pulled her sweater over her head, and Chelsea gasped in delight.

"That's a very sexy bra!" Chelsea gushed.

"I totally agree," David added.

Auden was red-faced but smiling.

Chelsea immediately pulled off her top to show her breasts in her sexy lingerie. She pouted a little as she compared herself with Auden.

"Your breasts are equally spectacular because of your smaller frame. You both look incredible!" David asserted.

Auden giggled. "David is definitely a breast man."

He smiled self-consciously but didn't deny her statement.

He turned back to the meal and checked on its progress. "Dinner will be ready soon."

The ladies grinned at each other and rose to set the table, leaving their tops off so David could see their sexy lingerie. Both couldn't stop smiling as they saw David's admiring glances as he worked.

Once dinner was served, Chelsea poured them a glass of wine, and they raised a toast. Chelsea looked to David, and he looked at her in surprise.

"Oh! Me? Ah, okay." He thought for a moment, then smiled. "To new friends and the wonderful journeys of discovery they take us on," David said.

That made the ladies smile as they touched glasses and sipped the wine.

Chelsea took her first bite of her meal, and her eyes closed happily. "Oh, this is delicious!" She looked at David, impressed. Then she turned to Auden. "He looks this good, and he's a genius in the kitchen? A keeper!"

Auden giggled as she enjoyed her food, then nodded happily.

There wasn't much conversation during the meal as they enjoyed the flavors. They also ate light as they were thinking of what came next.

David packed the leftovers for Chelsea and put them in the fridge when they finished. Then, they retired to the entertainment room, where soft music played. There was a large sectional sofa before a huge flat-screen TV. They relaxed on the couch with Chelsea between David and Auden.

"Have you decided how you'd like to proceed?" David asked.

Chelsea smiled timidly at Auden. "I-I'm okay with having Auden watch."

The woman in question grinned excitedly and moved to sit on the coffee table before them. "Are you okay with me undressing and touching myself?"

Chelsea blinked at her in surprise, then nodded.

Auden wasted no time in reaching back to unclasp her bra. She pulled it off, and Chelsea's eyes widened.

"Oh my god! Your breasts are perfect! There's almost no sag at all!" she sighed enviously.

David admired Auden as well. "That might have been due to having them tightly wrapped for most of her life."

He looked into Auden's eyes with an unspoken question, and she nodded eagerly. They'd discussed how he should proceed with Chelsea and concurred that the woman would probably appreciate a dominant partner. He could be that.

"Your turn," he said, and with only a moment's hesitation, Chelsea undid her bra and pulled it away from her high and round breasts. He growled approvingly, and her answering smile was beautiful.

David tugged his shirt up and off, exposing his powerful torso.

"Oh god, you're so ripped! Julian tried to look like this but didn't come close!" Chelsea moaned.

When his pants and underwear dropped, her eyes locked onto his cock.

"I like to keep my muscles fit and strong. They help me do things like this," he said and lifted Chelsea into his arms and pulled her to his chest, one hand under her ass to support her and the other buried in her thick hair to pull her face to his. He kissed her deeply and passionately as she melted against his body, whimpering into his kiss.

Her breasts felt very good, squeezed against his muscles.

Chelsea's head was spinning from being manhandled, and she gasped slightly when she found herself being lowered to the sofa's cushions.

David rested his body over hers to make her feel his overpowering strength. Her arms immediately wrapped around him as she gasped. He took another deep kiss and ground his cock against her mound.

"FFFFUUUUCCCKKK!" Chelsea pulled back from the kiss to gasp from the sensations.

David used the opportunity to move his lips down her neck and across her chest. He spent time exploring her breasts, causing her to writhe and gasp, then he slid his hands under her to take a grip on her ass as he repositioned himself on the sofa.

"OH FUCK! Your hands are so strong—AAAAAHHHH!!!"

David lifted Chelsea's pussy up to his mouth as her head and shoulders remained on the cushions. His firm grip on her ass cheeks and his tongue roughly stroking her pussy sent Chelsea's mind rocketing to heaven.

"OH! OH FFFUUHH-FUUHHH-FUCK! GGGAAAHHHHHWWWDD!!!"

Chelsea's eyes rolled back as her first orgasm crashed through her body.

David lowered Chelsea to the sofa and looked at Auden, who was tugging her nipple as her other hand rubbed her pussy.

"Come here," he said firmly, and she immediately dropped to her knees before him. He gripped her hair on the back of her head and slid his cock into her open mouth, fucking her face slowly.

Chelsea watched this with fascination, then her eyes widened as David pulled himself from Auden's mouth. The end of his cock was slick with spit, and he bent down to kiss Auden until she moaned with need into his mouth.

He ended the kiss and moved back over Chelsea's body as she stared up at him from the cushions. He easily flipped her onto her stomach, making her squeak in surprise. When he lifted her ass, Chelsea gasped again as she knew what was about to happen. When the thick head of his cock slapped against her pussy lips, she cried out involuntarily. Then he was pushing inside.

"Ooo, David! Such a fat cock—AAAAAHHH!!!" she cried as his hips suddenly slammed forward, driving his cock deep inside her.

Gripping her hips, he began to pound her ass with his hips as he fucked her hard.

Chelsea couldn't catch her breath as he filled her so well. His heavy balls slapped her clit at the bottom of each stroke. Her mind flashed back to Julian fucking her, but what was missing was the uncomfortable cramping from being stretched too wide. There was no pain at all! Melody was right!

When David pulled free, she whimpered as she was close. Then he flipped her over once more on the couch, and she was thrilled by how easily he moved her body.

He stretched out over her body and pushed her legs back.

"Auden, guide me in," he said, and she quickly knelt next to the couch again and gripped his cock, pointing the head toward Chelsea's pussy.

David lowered his hips, and Chelsea felt her body opening for him once more. It felt glorious, like it was meant to be there, her missing piece.

Chelsea rolled her head on the cushions as her pussy was filled with hot cock once more. David was grinding his pelvis against hers, and sparks were firing through her over-stimulated nerves.

She saw Auden still kneeling next to the couch, watching David's cock plunging in and out of her body. Chelsea's eyes locked onto Auden's breasts, and her hand reached out automatically to caress the closest one. It was so soft and heavy, the nipple stiff between her fingers.

Auden looked into her eyes and saw she had permission to do the same, so the young woman's hand moved to Chelsea's breast to cup it, squeezing the nipple between her fingers.

The delicious sensations shot sparks through her body, and she couldn't stop looking or touching Auden's breast.

When her next orgasm struck, she tugged Auden's nipple and heard the younger woman cry out as she rocked through her own release, her other hand spinning circles over her clit.

Chelsea was lost in her bliss.

When she finally surfaced, she saw that David was watching her face with a smile. She realized he was still hard and hadn't come yet!

He slid his hands under her back and lifted her upright as he moved to a sitting position. He kissed her tenderly, and she sighed as she settled herself over his stiff cock.

"Fuck, you feel so good in there!" she sighed.

David chuckled softly. "You feel very good around me."

He leaned back to rest on the cushions as Chelsea sat on his cock. "Auden, bring yourself up here."

Auden stood and carefully sat with her pussy over David's mouth. "Aaaaahhh!" she gasped as her still-sensitive clit received a stroke from his tongue. "Oh, David!" she mewed.

Chelsea watched this with wide eyes. It was so fucking hot!

She lifted herself on David's cock, then dropped down again. Lightning shot through her pussy. Fuck! She was so sensitive, but she needed more!

Chelsea started to bounce up and down on David's lap and felt her next release begin to build. She was becoming mesmerized by the sight of Auden's huge breasts swaying before her. She suddenly reached out and took them in her hands and squeezed them, tugging on the nipples.

Auden threw back her head. "Oh, FUCK!" she cried as she also reached for Chelsea's breasts.

Chelsea leaned forward so Auden's hands found her tits and gave them a good squeeze.

This made her hips go into overdrive. She rocked, bounced, and shook over David's cock until she heard him moan into Auden's pussy as the heat of his cum filled Chelsea's. This was all it took for Chelsea's final release to trip and course through her body. She lost all muscle tone and fell forward to face-plant between Auden's heavenly soft breasts.

Instead of pulling away, she rested there. Auden stroked her hair as they all caught their breath.

Finally, David tapped Auden's leg, and she gently disengaged, moved next to the couch, and lowered Chelsea onto David's chest.

Auden slipped away and returned with a warm, wet facecloth and wiped her juices from David's face. She also refreshed Chelsea's pussy and David's cock when he pulled free.

David pushed himself to a seated position with Chelsea in his lap, then stood with her in his arms. He followed Auden to a large bathroom with a walk-in shower.

Chelsea pointed to a drawer where Auden found shower caps. She and Auden wore them as they stepped under the hot spray.

David and Auden washed Chelsea first, and David brought her to another gentle climax as he lifted her in his arms to rub her against his dense muscles.

She recovered her strength on a bench, and she watched with awestruck focus as Auden took David's cock down to the base again and again until he came with a deep moan.

They rinsed off, dried themselves, and dressed, though Chelsea only wore her gown as she was exhausted and would head to bed soon.

Trembling from the delicious sensation of being thoroughly fucked, Chelsea walked to the front door with David and Auden, her silk bathrobe wrapped around her naked, tingling body.

The young couple stepped outside, and she smiled at them from the doorway.

"I truly enjoyed our evening. I'm hoping we can do it again sometime?" she asked hopefully.

David smiled and shared a look with Auden, who was nodding. He leaned closer to Chelsea and slipped his fingers into her thick hair once more to hold her as he took a deep kiss from her. She moaned with desire as sparks flared in her very juicy pussy. She felt it running down her inner thighs. God, what this man did to her!

When he pulled back, he took her breasts in his big hands and gave them a good squeeze. Her knees went weak.

"Your breasts are perfect, Chelsea. No more upsizing!" he said, brushing his thumbs across her nipples as he released her. She bit her lip as lightning danced across her nerves.

"Yes. Thank you," she breathed in a rush.

"Have a good night. We'll speak with you soon," Auden said.

"Lock up. You have a creep living next door to you," David said firmly.

Chelsea looked into his eyes and saw his concern. That made her feel warm all over. She smiled sweetly and nodded. "I will. Good night."

She slipped inside and closed the door, throwing the deadbolt in place. She leaned back against the door as she smiled dreamily to herself.

Now THAT was fucking!

-=-

The security camera gave Jeff a clear side-view of the neighbor's front door, so he saw everything.

He was shaking with rage as he watched the big thug kiss and paw the whore. He'd obviously fucked her! She was practically drooling on him!

Then she went inside, and David and Auden returned to the truck.

Jeff ran down the stairs, hit the garage door open switch by the side door, then grabbed the keys to his dad's car. He rushed into the garage when he heard his father yelling something, but he wouldn't be denied this time. As the car roared out of the garage, his father bumped against the hood and fell back onto the driveway as he tried to stop the vehicle. Jeff spun the wheel and rushed down the lane and out on the street. He wasn't going to let David get away with this final insult.

-=-

David looked into his mirror as he saw headlights swerving onto the road behind him. He maintained his speed through the neighborhood, keeping an eye on the rapidly approaching vehicle as it weaved from side to side.

When it got behind them, it began flashing its lights. He tried to ignore it, but the car pulled around and beside him. He looked over to see who was driving.

"Shit, that's Jeff. Call the police, Auden."

Jeff wildly gestured for them to pull over. That didn't seem like a good idea, so David shook his head. Jeff responded by slamming his car into the side of the truck.

"Fuck!" David wrestled the wheel and managed to keep them on the road. He could hear Auden quickly speaking to the emergency operator.

"Tell them I'm going to head toward the closest precinct. We're only a few blocks away," he said through clenched teeth as Jeff tried to force them off again. The sound of crunching metal was deafening.

Seeing the side street approaching, David braced Auden and slammed on his brakes. Jeff shot past, then spun out as David turned quickly into the empty side street. He needed to get over to the next major block, then he'd only be two blocks from the precinct.

Moments later, they were thrown forward as Jeff rammed his bumper. There was a horrendous scraping sound, and plastic shards flew everywhere.

David fishtailed slightly and pulled away from the car, which was struggling to drive over its destroyed bumper. Jeff stopped and reversed direction.

"Are you okay?" David called to Auden as he saw they were leaving Jeff behind.

"Yes," was all she said as she continued to speak with the emergency dispatcher.

They reached the main street and swerved onto it to accelerate forward.

David could see the police station ahead and the red and blue lights from the squad cars pulling out of the lot.

At the last second, David saw Jeff's car accelerating behind them but missing its front grill, bumper, and headlights. He didn't have time to shout a warning before the wrecked vehicle slammed into the truck's rear bumper again. With the extensive damage to the car, it went under the truck this time and struck the rear passenger side wheel, flipping the pickup onto its side to slide down the road.

Jeff's car veered right and crashed through a privacy fence before suddenly slamming against a tree.

David undid his belt when the truck stopped sliding and stood in the cab. "Shit, Auden! Are you okay?" he gasped.

"The belt is hurting my waist," she whimpered.

He lifted her to relax the strain on the belt, then hit the release. He eased her legs down until she could stand. He did a quick check, and she seemed okay. She'd have bruises, but so would he.

With the police cars quickly surrounding them, David kicked out the front window, which was partially popped, and then helped Auden from the truck. He reached inside and collected her cell phone and purse for her.

Some officers rushed to check on them, saw they were okay, and headed toward the destroyed car.

David now had time to examine Auden closely and saw she had a shallow cut on her forehead.

"That son of a bitch!" David snarled, but her grip on his arm kept him from going after Jeff.

David spotted Officer Blane hustling over to them.

"Are you two all right?" the man asked.

"Cuts and bruises," David responded between clenched teeth.

"An ambulance is on its way. Why don't you have a seat on the bench there," Blane suggested, so they stepped off the street and sat side by side. "Can you tell me how this started?"

David nodded. "We were having dinner with a friend in the Lofton Estates neighborhood, Chelsea Cartright. We didn't know Jeff lived next door until she mentioned her neighbors were the Ducanes. After we left, I saw headlights rushing after us, and he tried to get us to pull over. I asked Auden to call the police." David explained how Jeff became more aggressive and dangerous, crashing into them multiple times. Auden added her comments and said they recorded her on the emergency call.

Officer Blane nodded as he made notes. When they were finished, he looked at them. "George Ducane, Jeff's father, reported that Jeff stole his car. That may impact your ability to get compensation from the car owner."

"More importantly, I want charges filed against Jeff, as he could have killed us," David growled, and the officer nodded.

They watched the police swarming over the wreck of the car. It seemed Jeff was trapped in it, as the roof had collapsed when it went under the truck.

Firetrucks arrived, and an ambulance. Blane directed the paramedics to the two on the bench, but David insisted they treat Auden first.

George Ducane arrived and stood on the sidewalk, staring at the destruction. David walked closer, nursing the cut on his left arm, which was beginning to truly sting. He locked eyes with the man. "Your son just tried to kill Auden and me."

The man froze, then shook his head disbelievingly. "I'm sure you're exaggerating—"

David gave him an incredulous look as he gestured around them. "Jeff seems unwilling to accept responsibility for his actions. I now see where he learned that behavior," he said stiffly, then returned to the ambulance.

It was David's turn for bandages, but luckily, neither had any significant injuries.

He glanced over at his truck, still lying on its side, and he could tell it was a write-off. The twisting of the frame from the collision was clearly visible.

He turned to watch the firefighters peeling the car's roof back and the driver's side door off. Finally, they were able to extract Jeff and strap him to a backboard. From the bracing they used and the care they were taking, he might have had head trauma and broken ribs at the least. The ambulance rushed away with him and a police escort.

Excitement over, Officer Blane drove David and Auden to Melody's home. He told them the truck would be taken to the impound lot for assessment, but he was also convinced it couldn't be recovered. The young couple thanked him for his help as they left the cruiser.

When they got inside, Melody gasped as she stared at their bandages. "What happened?" she cried.

"That Chelsea's a wild one!" David said with a crooked grin.

"WHAT?" Melody gasped, causing David to chuckle. He quickly stopped as he ran out of steam.

Auden watched David with a small smile and saw how exhausted he was, so she gave Melody a quick summary of the evening's finale.

"I just want to go to bed and snuggle between my ladies, as today has been too long. We have school tomorrow, and now we'll be riding the bus until I can sort things out with my insurance and George Ducane's," David said wearily.

"You can take the Continental," Melody offered.

David looked at her in surprise, then leaned over and kissed her sweetly. "Thank you."

Melody smiled, and the three climbed the stairs to put the day behind them.

-=-

The next day at school, the rumor mill was running wild. David and Auden were the center of focus as they were still in their bandages. They'd also arrived at school in a vintage car.

Mr. Jenny, the auto shop teacher, was in the lot as they parked and quickly walked over to take a closer look. David popped the hood to let him inspect the engine, the interior, and the trunk. He could tell the teacher was very interested in it from how he was all but drooling.

"Might you be interested in selling this lovely car?" the teacher asked with a poor attempt at nonchalance.

David grinned. "The owner is a good friend of mine, and yes, she's putting it on the market. She's a recent widow and bought herself a new car."

Mr. Jenney's eyes lit up, and he pulled a scrap of paper from his pocket to scribble his name and number. "I'd like to make the first offer." He handed the paper to David.

"I'll speak to her tonight," David said.

With a happy nod, Mr. Jenny hustled away to his classroom.

Midmorning, David and Auden found themselves in a hallway facing the remaining members of Jeff and Rebecca's group. Dennis stepped forward. "Could you tell us what happened with Jeff last night?"

David was surprised by the lack of aggression in his tone. It was a far cry from the hostility he'd received since their falling out.

So, he told them.

Some started protesting, but Dennis shut them down with a raised hand and faced the group.

"Listen, I spoke with Jeff a few days ago, and the guy was irrationally set on revenge. I tried to talk him out of it and told him I wanted nothing to do with that shit." He looked at David. "I never expected Jeff would do something this bad. I'm truly sorry. We won't hassle you anymore. Take care."

The others were staring at Dennis in shock. "Let's go. We got classes." They moved.

David was impressed, and Auden smiled all the way to their next class.

-=-

Auden spoke with Ms. Moreau as everyone else left the art class. David waited by the door and glanced over to see them whispering to each other with little secretive smiles on their lips.

He gave Auden a curious look when he saw the heat in her eyes. His eyebrows rose in surprise as he saw the teacher was showing the same interest.

Auden handed the teacher a business card from her flower shop, then joined David, who followed her from the room.

"What was that about?" he asked when they had privacy.

"Nothing for now, but once the school year is over, we might have a dinner engagement with a certain teacher," Auden said with a coy smile.

David was stunned. "Ms. Moreau?" he whispered back.

Auden nodded. "I've always been curious about her. Her style is so Bohemian, and I discovered she is far more adventurous than her position here allows. She's been in the flower shop, and we've shared a few points of interest." Auden smiled at him. "You're now one of them."

David looked at her closely. "Are you sure? Our last dinner date went well, but Ms. Moreau is no Chelsea."

Auden looked at him closely. "Do you think you might drop me for her?"

David scoffed. "No! That's not what I mean! I'm just concerned this... inclusiveness might dilute what we have? Am I saying that right? Sorry, I'm a complete novice at this."

She smiled and hugged him. "So am I! If it wasn't for your support, I wouldn't have the nerve to explore these passions! I'm so grateful for the chain of events that led you to me."

David smiled self-consciously. "You mean my finally realizing what a loser I'd been for following Jeff and his posse for most of my high school career? Then, I was humiliated by that idiot, fought him, and missed an exam. There's a whole chain of events after that, which Melody played a major role in."

Auden's smile was wide, and her eyes twinkled happily. "Yes, that! And I'm grateful to her as well!"

"Let's go home and show her our thanks by covering her with kisses," David said.

Auden laughed and looped her arm through his, and off they went.

As they slowly cruised home in the mammoth car, Auden rested her head on David's shoulder and left her hand on his leg. He couldn't help reflecting on how different his final high school days were from the previous years.

As a self-conscious follower in Jeff's posse, too nervous to take the initiative and hiding in the shadows of his friends, he'd missed out on so much.

It was true that he'd decided on his own to break away from his old friends, but Melody was instrumental in giving him the confidence to follow his new path.

All the more reason to give that woman kisses.

Chapter 7

David and Auden opted to skip their graduation ceremony and went out to a nice restaurant with Melody and David's family instead. He gave his mother a warm hug, the first since the revelation, and Jackie was pretty emotional about her baby growing up.

Melody presented David with the Breitling watch, and she was pleased to see how much better it looked on him. She'd taken it to the jewelers to have it cleaned, its battery replaced, and they added the spare links she'd found in her husband's dresser to expand the band for David's thicker wrist.

David was very pleased with it.

With graduation behind them, Auden's summer would be filled with taking care of her shops and planning her trips to visit the other stores.

On David's first day, he followed Melody's advice, dropping by the physiotherapy clinic to speak with the office administrator to inquire about the intern selection process. He wore one of his new outfits, including his new watch.

Barbara Sterling was a lovely blonde woman in her late forties who dressed sharply and had a presence that assured you that she was already on top of whatever crisis might occur. She was between meetings when she met David in the reception area. He noted her lack of a wedding band, the quality of her jewelry, and the stylish outfit on her curvy but reasonably fit body.

"Administrator Sterling, so nice to meet you again," David said confidently.

Barbara paused as she tried to place him, then her smile widened. "David Spencer? I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you at first."

David chuckled gently and nodded with a twinkle in his eye. "That's understandable, as I'm no longer a high school student." Truthfully, his last appearance in this clinic was when he'd dropped off his application for the intern job. He'd been in a hoodie, shorts, and loose runners at the time. Not the best impression.

She couldn't stop herself from smiling in return. "What's the reason for your visit today? You haven't injured yourself, I hope!" This gave her an excuse to run her eyes up and down his body as if looking for damage.

He shook his head slightly, grinned, and subtly adjusted his stance to turn his body toward her as he held his palms out to calm her. "No, I'm fit, healthy, and injury-free!"

When her eyes eventually returned to his, he continued. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by to inquire how the summer intern selection process was going."

Her smile widened. "That's right! You're one of our candidates!"

David nodded, then glanced around. "It looks like the center has had some upgrades since I was here for treatment."

Barbara paused for a second as she gazed at him with a little smile on her lips. "Would you like to see what we've done?" she asked.

"Very much, if you have the time," he replied, and her smile widened.

They made their way into the facility as she pointed out the improvements. David listened attentively, commented when appropriate, and praised her efforts to modernize the clinic. She especially appreciated the latter, and he saw her touching her shoulder-length hair with a pleased expression whenever he complimented her.

He noted she stole glances at his physique when she thought he wasn't watching, so he hoped that was working in his favor, too.

Barbara introduced him to the other members of the staff, some of whom would be voting for the new intern, and he got to say hello to the therapist who'd helped him with his injury.

As they returned to the entrance, Barbara reached out and touched his arm. Her eyes flared a little as she felt the solid muscle there. "The selection process should be complete in the next week or two."

David turned to face her, took her hand in his, and looked into her eyes with a smile. "I'll keep up the positive thoughts then. Thank you so much for your time and the tour. You have a very impressive clinic in your care. I hope to one day be in your care as well."

Barbara's eyes widened, and she burst into nervous giggles.

David paused and reviewed what he'd said as his face heated up. He gave her a bashful grin. "My words were clumsy, but the sentiment remains true."

It was Barbara's turn to feel the heat rush through her body as her imagination ran wild.

David released her hand, and with a nod, he turned and left the building, feeling her gaze on his ass the entire way.

Aside from the tangled words at the end, he felt good about his chances and would thank Melody for her brilliant advice when he got home.

-=-

Melody was enjoying her new freedom. Between sessions at the fitness club where she and Chelsea caught up, she made plans to update her home to remove any signs of her ex-husband.

David and Auden helped Melody pack all the items in her son's room. There were only two small boxes of personal items, which she put in the basement just in case, but the rest was donated to charity as she knew her son wasn't coming back for it. The queen-size canopy bed, which had been hers when she got married, had been replaced with a king-size bed by her husband. When her son moved to the room at the end of the hall, he'd used it. The matching dresser and mirror would also find a new home next door.

She'd sold the beast of a car to Mr. Jenny and put that money toward purchasing a new, previously used truck for David, as his insurance claim was tied up in court. He insisted he'd pay her back.

Speaking of the court, Melody went with David to attend the criminal case against Jeff. George Ducane was doing what he could to limit the damage to his son's future. The man had his son plead not guilty due to mental impairment brought on by his addiction to anabolic steroids.

As George reported Jeff's theft of his car to the police prior to what his legal team was calling the incident with David Spencer's truck, George's insurance company claimed he and they were not responsible for damages. Jeff was not insured on his father's car, as he had his own, and Jeff's savings were currently frozen due to his claim of mental impairment.

George and his lawyers were pulling out all the stops to prevent Jeff from facing any repercussions for his actions. David just shook his head and whispered to her that he hoped it cost them a lot of money.

Two members of Jeff's posse spoke at the hearing and damaged Jeff's case with testimony of Jeff's history of being obsessed with controlling their group. His losing his shit when David broke away from his influence was just the last straw. This attitude was in place well before he began the drugs to bulk up.

Seeing the sour expressions on Jeff's and his dad's faces as they saw the scowl on the judge's face put a smile back on David's. But the case was ongoing.

Keith and Jackie were working on rebuilding the trust in their relationship. While it was early days, Melody and David were concerned as Keith seemed to have lost his playfulness. They hoped he'd find the strength to forgive Jackie for keeping her secret from him.

He had to let go of his hurt for everyone's sake, but mostly his own.

-=-

The summer was heating up, and it was time to enjoy the pool. Instead, David was inside, vigilantly working on the bedroom renovations for Suzanne and, soon, Rick. He'd taken a brief break to visit Melody as she lounged in the heat of her private backyard.

He left her tingling from head to toe after he'd brought her to the heights of bliss with his clever mouth and fingers. She said he was becoming an expert at that.

After a quick refresh in the washroom, David returned to examine his work. He stood in his old room with a smile on his face. The space was now bright and cheerful with a definite feminine feeling.

He heard the front door open and close with a thump and walked to the top of the stairs. Suzanne was standing at the bottom with an excited grin.

"Enjoy your time with Bianca?" he asked as his sister had a sleepover at her bestie's place the night before to keep her from spying on the progress of her new room. Her grin amped up.

"Is it ready?" she asked with an excited squeak, and he smiled with a nod.

Suzanne rushed up the stairs and stood before the closed door. A new nameplate was attached with her name written in script. She touched it reverently and traced the letters with a finger. David saw her trembling with excitement, and she glanced at him in anticipation. He nodded to her, and she opened the door.

David had turned to Melody for advice on designing the room. She'd seen how masculine his room had been, so it needed a refresh with a much lighter tone.

The walls were painted a light creamy yellow, and the baseboards a fresh pale green. Even the ceiling got a fresh coat of white paint.

David moved Melody's canopy bed, the dresser, and the mirror frame into her garage, sanded them down to the smooth wood, then painted them white. He replaced all the handle hardware with antique brass and cut crystal parts he'd found in an old antique furniture shop. Melody found gauzy pale green curtains with brass rings to hang from the canopy rails on three sides.

They kept the existing box spring, but David found a good deal on a new pillowtop queen mattress.

As a final touch, he found a pretty desk lamp with dangling crystals, then added the warm yellow glow of LED fairy light strips to the canopy rails. Suzanne could turn these on with a remote.

He left his desk for her to do her homework on. It didn't match the room's décor, but was a great surface.

He looked at the expression on Suzanne's face and tried to see if she was happy.

All he saw was her shock.

"I know you'll want to decorate it to your taste, but I'm told this color palette is better suited for that."

Suzanne turned her face to her brother and burst into tears. She flung herself against him and wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him tight.

"Does this mean you like it?" he asked carefully.

She pulled her face back and looked up at him. "It's beautiful! I love it," she said softly.

"Sorry, I didn't have time to refinish the desk. I can do it later—"

"No! I want to keep it as it is. It reminds me of you. You did your homework there every day," Suzanne said with a trembling smile.

"Ah, okay," he said in surprise.

As she stepped back, he handed her a small remote. "Press the button."

Glancing up at him, she pressed her thumb on the control, and the fairy lights came on.

Suzanne squeaked in surprise and then bounced on her toes. "Oh my god! It's so beautiful! Bianca is going to die when she sees this!" she squealed.

David had moved her computer from her room to his old desk, so he turned it on. The screen suddenly displayed a desktop showing a boy band. He chuckled, and she immediately became defensive.

"Shut up! Their music is good!" she said, but her tone had no venom.

He raised his hands in surrender. "I guess you'll be putting posters of them up on the freshly painted walls," he said in fake dismay.

"No... not for a while. The room is so beautiful. I'm just going to enjoy it as it is—"

"Holy shit!" Rick exclaimed from the doorway. "No fair! Suzy gets special treatment!"

David held up a finger as he clamped down on his immediate response to snap back at his younger brother. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then turned to face Rick.

"You do understand this means Dad and I will be removing the dividing wall in your room. Your renovation happens next. If you can control your hostile tongue, you might even get a little special treatment yourself."

Rick was staring at him suspiciously. "What's with you these days? You've been acting different ever since we left you at home when we went to the theme park over the long weekend."

David watched his younger brother and wondered why his first impulse was to pound some sense into him. Maybe it was the tone of his voice or the smart-ass expression. He took another deep breath and glanced at his sister, who was looking at him in admiration. That felt good.

"Yeah. I decided it was time to act my age and accept I'd been behaving like a fool for too long. It feels good. Being angry all the time or self-conscious wasn't fun. I feel better about myself these days. I like who I'm becoming. I'm sorry for being so hard on you and neglecting Suzanne. I can be a better brother."

Rick blinked in confusion, then resorted to his usual behavior. "Why does she get your desk?" Rick responded.

David frowned, then shook his head. "It's a gift from me to her, as a thank you for not being belligerently difficult."

He heard the front door thump closed and knew it might be his dad. He hugged Suzanne and kissed the top of her head. "I gotta talk to Dad. I hope you enjoy your room."

She squeezed him tight again. "I will!"

David glanced at Rick's frown and headed downstairs. His dad was looking through the mail and glanced at him. David immediately became concerned as he saw his father look like he hadn't been sleeping.

"Can I talk to you in private?" David asked and got a curious look, then a nod.

They went downstairs into Keith's office in the workshop. The bench was tidy, his tools hung on the wall, and the big blue vice/anvil was bolted to its corner. The room made David happy as it was so much like his father. He turned back to see his dad watching him.

"Did you finish with Suzie's room?" Keith asked.

David smiled and nodded. "Yes, this afternoon. I showed it to her when she got home. She loves it. Rick acted like a spoiled brat when he saw it, so he's still a work in progress."

Keith frowned. "He understands we're making a new bedroom for him too, right?"

David sighed. "I reminded him of that." Then he looked at his dad. "He'll grow up one day. I'm more concerned about you. Have you not been sleeping?"

Keith blinked in surprise at his son asking about his health. "I-I've been having some trouble with that lately. I'm just tired."

"How are you and Mom?" David asked.

"I'm not going to tell you—" Keith immediately flared.

David interrupted this. "Shit, Dad! I don't want details! I just want to know if you two are getting past the secret she kept. Are you talking it out?"

Keith was breathing hard from his sudden explosion and glared at David, then rubbed at his face as he leaned his head back.

As he did this, David saw a thin gold chain around his neck. His father didn't wear jewelry beyond his wedding band, so this was new. His eyes followed the chain down to the top button on his shirt. Then, he caught sight of what was hanging on the chain.

The memory stick.

Without thinking, David reached forward, grabbed the chain, and yanked it to him, breaking the links but taking the guilty item in his fist.

"Hey! What the fuck? Give that back!" Keith yelled and tried to grab it.

David seized his father's shirt collar in his left fist and straightened his arm to hold him in place. He glared into his eyes. "You haven't destroyed it yet? Why the fuck are you wearing it?"

Keith was struggling to get free from David's grip. "That's none of your god damned business! Give it back!"

David saw guilt in his father's eyes, and it clicked. "You're still watching this? How are you supposed to heal if you keep torturing yourself?"

"Do you think it's so easy to get over what she did?" Keith yelled as he thrashed at the end of David's arm, but couldn't break his grip.

David held his father's eye. "No, I can't imagine how hard that is, but you're forgetting one very important thing! It wasn't something she did! It was something done to her!"

Keith made a choked sound of denial, so David went on. "You heard her. She doesn't like pain, and they abused her. You both said they hurt her badly. The video probably doesn't show that clearly; all you see is how she endured it. She obviously can't help reacting as she does under someone's control. We both saw that!"

David's expression twisted into discomfort as he confronted his memories. "I... I don't completely understand what mom... experiences in those situations, but I know one thing. When I gave her those massages after work, I never hurt her. I don't want to think about it, but that tells me she was telling the truth when she confessed about her needs."

"Give me... the memory stick," his dad growled, but his voice wobbled.

Instead, David set it down on the workbench anvil, reached up to grab the heaviest hammer from its hook on the wall, and slammed it down on the USB memory stick with a mighty blow. Plastic shrapnel exploded to the sides, and the memory chips inside shattered completely. There was no coming back from that.

"NO!" Keith screamed.

He gave it another solid strike to ensure it was destroyed. David dropped the hammer on the workbench and then pulled his father into a tight hug.

"The video was poison. You can hate me now if you need to, but I know you'll agree with me when you're calm enough to think about it rationally," David said quietly next to his father's ear. "I love you, Dad. And as much as she upset me, I love Mom. I know she loves you, and I know you love her. You need each other, and your kids need you both. Take the time you need and be honest with her, but especially yourself."

Keith was shaking in David's arms. "I-I can't be who she needs me to be," he said, whisper-quiet.

David processed that. "I think you're still confusing what you saw on that video with something she wants. I know you can be what she needs because you already are. You love each other, and you'll find it together."

"Can I get in on that hug?"

David released his grip on his dad slightly and felt the man hesitate. They turned their heads and saw Jackie standing in the doorway with a desperate look in her eyes.

David held an arm open for her, and she rushed in to join their hug.

When he felt his father begin to hold her tighter, he eased himself out of their embrace and smiled at them. He quietly snagged the remains of the destroyed USB chip he'd flattened on the anvil, then headed upstairs.

Walking over to Melody's backyard, he saw she must have gone inside. He entered the patio door and walked to the base of the stairs. A smile slipped onto his face as he heard her singing in the shower.

He climbed the stairs and tugged his clothes off when he reached the top.

"Melody?" he called out as he stepped into the bedroom. He didn't want to frighten her.

"In the shower," she called back with a smile in her voice.

Dropping his clothes on the bed, he walked in and faced the shower. She turned and smiled at him, her eyes twinkling in delight when she saw he was naked.

He held up the small piece of smashed electronics, and her expression became puzzled.

"What's that?" she asked.

David moved closer as he looked at his palm. "It's the remains of the memory stick with mom's movie on it. Dad was wearing it on a chain around his neck. Not only hadn't he destroyed it, but he's been repeatedly watching it, keeping his pain alive."

Melody's eyes looked into his. "You destroyed it."

He nodded, then turned to toss the junk in the garbage can. He turned back and smiled at Melody.

"Yes. Dad wasn't happy about it, but eventually, I got through to him. He'd never heal if he kept it. Mom came home, and when I left, they were hugging."

Melody turned off the spray as she stepped from the shower, pulling him into her arms for a passionate kiss. Feeling her hot, wet skin squeezed against him sent a spark of excitement through him, waking a certain appendage. Her kiss was derailing his thoughts, too. When she pulled back, she looked up at him. He read her expression and felt a different kind of heat fill his chest.

She was proud of him!

"David, you're a wonder! Your parents are so lucky to have you as their son! They did such a terrific job raising you," she said with a wide smile on her face.

He smiled self-consciously and nodded to her. "I love them. I couldn't let them continue with this terrible miscommunication blocking their honest feelings for each other."

He gently held her face between his fingers to look into her lovely eyes. "I love you too, but this love is much stronger."

David kissed Melody, his tongue dipping in to caress hers, making her moan with need.

He reached past her to grab a big fluffy towel and wrapped it around her body. Then he lifted her against his chest with his hands supporting her ass as her arms and legs clung to him.

David carried her the short distance to the bed and laid her upon it on the towel. He quickly moved his body over hers and pinned her to the bed.

His cock was pressing hard against her mound, and she whimpered with need until he stroked his heat across her wet lower lips to lubricate himself. He pushed the head of his cock against her opening, and it parted for him, accepting him inside. He stroked in, then out, sinking deeper with each thrust.

He was lost in his desire for this beautiful woman!

-=-

Melody was in heaven. "David! Oh my god, David, you feel so good! I love you so much!" she cried.

He captured her mouth with his once more as his hips began to move faster and faster, driven by his need.

Melody clung to his powerful body as she felt overwhelmed by his passion. The repeated slapping of their bodies tripped her over the edge again and again until it felt like one continuous rolling release.

Then he was pinning her to the mattress as his heat surged into her depths.

Her mind soared as she imagined the new life they might be creating.

Her eyes flew wide, and she gasped aloud at the very idea.

Today was not a safe day. Not at all.

They'd been so careful before, using condoms when she and David had sex. She even made an appointment with her doctor to get back on birth control.

Then, a reckless explosion of passion.

She trembled and clung to his body tighter as more heat surged into her. She was so full of David's cock and his cum. She never wanted it to end.

What if...

What if she had another child? Would that be bad?

She wasn't that young, but she wasn't at a dangerous age either.

Melody was aware of the morning-after pill. She could go to the pharmacist and get one, but...

What if...

She bit her lip, and another tremble went through her body.

David must have felt the last one as he pulled his face back to look at her. His expression showed his love and concern for her. "What's wrong?" he asked softly to preserve the moment's intimacy. He removed some of his weight from her body, but she clung to his hips to keep him deep inside.

She wanted to keep her concerns to herself, not to upset him, but she wouldn't lie to him either.

"Condom," was all she managed to say.

He looked at her in confusion, then his eyes widened, and guilt swept across his expression.

She immediately touched his chin to get him to focus.

"No. I'm as much to blame for forgetting as you. It was just so good!"

David nodded with a guilty smile. "It was." He sighed, then looked at her cautiously. "Safe day?"

She shook her head. "One of my least safe days."

Melody sighed. "I can go to the pharmacy tomorrow to get a pill." She looked away.

Fingers on her chin made her lift her eyes to his again. "Is that what you truly want?" he asked softly, and she looked at him in confusion. Then, what he was suggesting caused her to blink at him in surprise. Her mouth opened and closed without words.

He smiled as his gaze softened. "If you wanted to try, I'm all for it."

Melody heard a roaring in her ears as she watched David's loving expression.

"But... what about Auden?" she squeaked with a tight throat.

David ran his fingers through her hair as he looked at her lovingly. "Auden said she couldn't have a baby of her own, but she's not against babies. She loves you. I know she'd love the idea, as you do."

Melody gasped in a deep breath and then another before she could speak. "I-I want a baby," she said before tears ran down her cheeks.

David kissed her cheeks tenderly. "Then we'll let nature take its course and see what happens."

She pulled his face to hers and kissed him passionately.

After the surge of love, she buried her face in his neck as she clung to him. "I love you, David. More than I thought possible."

He gently managed to get her to unclench her muscles so he could look at her lovely face. "I love you, too, Melody. I need to ask you a question, as it just occurred to me and seems important. I have a few years of college to get through before I can start bringing in an income. Are we financially capable of supporting a child now?"

She smiled at his look of concern. "Yes, we'll be fine. This proves to me what a good parent you'll be."

He shook his head with a smile.

"We'll discuss the plan with Auden when she gets home tonight," David said. Melody nodded as her body continued to glow with joy.

David smiled seeing Melody so happy, and he seemed pleased he'd been responsible for it.

She couldn't begin to express how much joy he'd brought to her life. After years of neglect from her reptile of a husband and the tragic circumstances of a son unable to connect emotionally with others, it finally felt like she'd been given another chance.

The man in her arms loved her, and they were going to try to have a baby!

She couldn't ask for more, yet she had the love of Auden, her neighbors' gratitude for saving their marriage, and the friendship of Chelsea, whose loneliness she'd alleviated.

The cold-hearted bastard did manage to leave her financially secure for the next phase of her life, and she was determined to enjoy every second of it.

-= Stay Tuned for the conclusion of Melody Dawson's Trilogy in Melody for a New Life =-