My fiancé Ben is taking a nap with Luna after spending most of the morning on a ladder painting the gingerbread work on the second story of our house. Luna is a five week old female beagle puppy that we bought for each other to celebrate our engagement. It took most of my adult life to find him, my soul mate.... for fate is cruel as well as kind and fate brought us together.
Tomorrow I am taking him to meet my family for the first time and I am happy yet somewhat apprehensive. My parents are looking forward to meeting him and they will be hosting an ox roast for us in celebration of our engagement. I am apprehensive about my cousin Cain who believes that anyone who does not subscribe to his hard shell Baptist views is going to hell, especially Papists (Catholics) Cain is a big, domineering man and somewhat of a bully.

Other good news, yesterday Ben and I received confirmation that my divorce has been finalized and my ex-husband a defrocked Baptist Minister is now hiding in Mexico after embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his church.

I am originally from Mississippi and I met my husband Luke at a Born Again Christian Revival meeting at the county fair. I was just seventeen years old and virgin saving myself for marriage while Luke was twenty-three.

Luke looked so handsome with his longish thick wavy black hair and blue eyes. He had such wonderful long eyelashes and a dimple in his chin. Even at 23 he was well known as a charismatic speaker and that day Luke had his audience eating out of his hands. They were swaying in joyous rapture while praising the Lord and a few women fainted and some men were crying being caught up in the moment... and I was in love.

Reverend Scott introduced me to Luke at our church social afterward and Luke was wearing his trademark white linen suit. During the introductions while I shook his hand I had butterflies in my stomach. Luke's hand was cool and smooth and I noticed that his nails were freshly manicured. Luke was being groomed to take over when Reverend Scott retired in the spring.

When we walked over to the refreshment table for punch Luke's hand lingered on mine. He told me I was a very pretty girl complementing me on my dress and this caused me to blush and feel light headed.... butterflies.

Luke and I courted for two years and during that time we were never alone together. We were always chaperoned or with other couples, members of our then little church. My parents were elders in the church and they were convinced that Luke and I were the anointed couple and perfect for one another or so it seemed at first.

On our wedding night I went into the bathroom as all new brides do to make myself beautiful and sexy for my husband. I took my hair down out of my bun and brushed out my long blond hair until it shone thick and soft falling to the middle of my back. I was going to grow it waist length for Luke because a woman's hair is her crowning glory and life was glorious on that special day.

Since the revival meeting I imagined how our lovemaking would be on our wedding night. Luke would take me gently into his arms and kiss me and he would tell me how beautiful I was and how much he loved me. I would feel his hands gently caress my breasts and I would taste his lips for the first time. Luke would gently break my hymen with his manhood while kissing me and then slowly bring me to orgasm while spilling his seed into me and making me a soon to be mother. Afterward we would lie there talking about our future and Luke would hold me gently while stroking my hair and finally we would fall asleep in each other's arms.Before we were married we talked about having a big family and Luke wanted at least six children and so did I.

When I came out of the bathroom the curtains were drawn and Luke was waiting for me. I got into bed next to my sexy husband and Luke reached over and turned off the table lamp throwing the room into complete darkness. I rolled over on my side awaiting my first kiss and then Luke roughly... perhaps roughly is not the right word. Mechanically would be better from a cold but handsome wind up automaton man going through the motions.

Luke pushed me onto my back and then inserted his Vaseline covered fingers into my vagina forcefully tearing my hymen causing me to cry out in pain.

We had intercourse in the missionary position that lasted a good sixty seconds and he was lying on top of me with his full weight pushing down and smothering me. He was grunting, groaning and panting with a terrible grimace on his face as if he were in pain. In retrospect the very act of intercourse disgusted Luke; to him sex was necessary for children and nothing else.

When he was done, Luke kissed my cheek and then got out of bed to take a shower. When he returned Luke rolled on his side facing away from me and then wishing me a good night fell almost immediately asleep. That was our love making while on our honeymoon, to make babies and this remained our love making for three years.

On the last night of my honeymoon such as it was we were returning home. Luke decided to stop around midnight at a gas station- convenience store to get us a cup of coffee and use the bathrooms. I was out the ladies room first and sat in the car to wait for him.

While I was waiting a slovenly young man dressed in filthy ripped blue jeans and a sweat stained Heavy Metal Tee shirt driving a rust bucket pickup pulled into the parking space beside me and got out with a can of beer in his hand.

He spat a stream of chewing tobacco juice onto the ground and then stretched while scratching his crotch before drinking the last of his beer, crushing the can in his hand and then throwing it on the ground. He finished by farting and belching while stuffing chewing tobacco into his mouth and then wiped the snot off of his face with the back of his grimy hand and then his hand on his crusty jeans.

I was frightened and disgusted by him. I looked straight ahead while pretending that he wasn’t there and was hoping that Luke would return soon so that we could leave. As I said, Luke was a big, tall strapping man.

Looking in my direction he pushed his lank greasy hair out of his eyes and smiled at me showing his few remaining tobacco stained yellow-brown rotting teeth. He swaggered over and stuck his head in the driver's side window while putting his hand on the roof of our car.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing he-ah all alone this time ah night?

I could smell his alcohol laden fetid breath as well as his reeking unwashed body making me cringes with disgust.

"Do you yah all want some company?"

He added, turning his head and spitting a stream of tobacco juice to the ground and smiling, imagining himself to be charming.

I was too frightened to answer and stared straight ahead hoping he would go away. Leaning farther in and reaching with his arm the vile redneck said.

"You sure have pretty hair."

He stroked my long ponytail with his filthy hand making my skin crawl.

"What do you say about you and me going to the roadhouse up the road and get better acquainted?"

Just then Luke came out of the store carrying two cups of coffee.

"What is going on here, stop bothering my wife?"

The redneck pulled his head out the car window and sized Luke up. He then spit another stream of tobacco juice to the ground.

"Your wife you say preacher boy. I thought she might like to be with a real man for a change. What do you say about me borrowing her for an hour or so?"

This time he spit on Luke's pants legs staining the white linen fabric with tobacco juice mixed with sputum and was smiling through his missing front teeth.

Still hanging on to the coffee cups Luke said. "You had better leave us alone or else."

"Or else what, you'll pray for me?" The redneck said sneering and he knocked the coffee cups from Luke's hands.

"I'll tell you what." He took a crumpled dollar bill from his jeans pocket and stuffed it into Luke's clean white shirt pocket. "I'll even pay for it and let you watch." Luke just stood there with his head down as if he was praying.

A county sheriff’s car pulled into the parking lot driving slow and seeing it Luke straightened his back and stood up to his full height of six-four.

"If I were not a man of God, I would beat you to an inch of your miserable life. The Lord has answered my prayers by giving me strength to turn the other cheek."

Like pushed past him and got into the car and we drove away.

As we were driving, Luke turned to me and said

"He should thank the Lord that the law showed up when it did." My prayers were answered Mary Beth, otherwise there is no telling of what I would have done to him in my righteous anger."

Like the blind fool that I was then I wanted to believe Luke and I leaned over and put my head on his shoulder. Luke puffed out his chest, sitting up straighter in the seat, putting his arm around me and I was content.

After all, I thought, the Bible says: "But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also".

We were home a week and it was Sunday morning and I was up early to make him a breakfast of pork sausage, fried eggs with grits and my famous biscuits with sausage gravy.

As we were sitting at the table eating, Luke looked at me with a thoughtful look on his face

"We need to do something about your hair."

I had fixed my hair in pretty bun as my mother's suggested as is befitting a minister's wife.

"You don't like my hair? What is wrong with it, honey, I put it up for you?"

"Nothing is wrong with your hair Mary Beth, however you are a married woman now as well as a Minister's wife.
It should be shorter and more conservative and perhaps we should tone down your blond hair to a nice respectable brown. You need something that is easier to care for on our busy schedule especially when our babies arrive. Do you remember how that sinner was tempted in the parking lot touching your hair like he did?
I know it was not your fault but only God knows what would have happened if I didn't show up when I did.
You are a pretty woman and pretty women turn men's heads by tempting them and it’s best to remove the temptation to prevent further temptation. I have made an appointment for you with one of our parishioners."

I touched my beautiful hair wanting to please him and I foolishly agreed to keep the appointment on Wednesday. The Bible says a wife shall obey her husband in all things and I still loved and believed in him and trusted him in those early years.

I arrived at the salon thirty minutes early to browse through the pictures in the hairstyle books. I selected a simple chin length bob cut with long eye framing bangs choosing a hair model with rich dark brown hair that complemented the cut.

Mrs. Sullivan the salon owner and my stylist escorted me to her cutting station. I sat in the chair and she placed the cape around my neck while I opened book and pointed to the picture and I said to her.

"I really like this one; I think it would look nice on me."

Taking the book from me, she said

"You are so right dear, that style would suit you just fine."

Mrs. Sullivan took the hairpins out of my bun, letting my hair drop down into a cute sassy ponytail and I sighed because I loved wearing my hair this way the best.

"You have beautiful hair Mary Beth. Would you like to donate your ponytail to the Locks of Love?"

I just nodded daydreaming about how I would curl my hair for Luke when I got home. That is after I bought a curling styling wand of course and I was thinking maybe being a brunette would not be so bad after all.

I assumed that Mrs. Sullivan was going to reposition my ponytail lower at the nape of my neck but instead she took the scissors and started chewing through my medium high ponytail just above the elastic hair tie.

"Mrs. Sullivan, what are you doing?" I cried out in alarm. "I thought we agreed on the bob, now the back will be to short."

She stopped with a puzzled look on her face, but then smiled, replying

"No dear, you misunderstood me; I agreed with you that that style would look nice on you not that I was going to cut it that way. Your husband picked out a nice short haircut on Tuesday for you, I thought you knew that."

After my beautiful blond ponytail was severed from my head she held it up for me to see and then she placed it on the shelf of saying she would braid it later before mailing it.

Taking up the scissors, Mrs. Sullivan cut my hair in a rough bowl cut just touching my ears and I started tearing up. She stopped and brought me a box of tissue while patting my hand and assuring me that I would look cute in my new style but then turned the chair around facing me away from the mirror.

Picking up the electric clippers and snapping a 3/4"(13mm) guard in place, she ran the clippers right up to the bowl, lifting the bowl with a comb as a guide.

She changed the clipper guards five times: 5/8"(16mm), 1/2"(13mm), 3/8"(10mm), 1/4"(6mm) and finally 1/8"(3mm.), running the clippers up the back and sides, tapering and blending, 1/8"(3mm) at my hairline, 3/4"(13mm) at the bottom of the bowl.

Taking me over to the sink she washed my remaining hair and then applied the color and told me I would have to wait twenty minutes for the color to set.

I asked to be excused to go to the ladies room and I locked myself in. I put the cover on the toilet down and sat crying my eyes out. I hated Mrs. Sullivan and hated my husband and most of all I hated that filthy redneck for touching my hair.

Then I prayed calming myself and asked God for forgiveness for hating them and lost track of all time.
Mrs. Sullivan knocked on the door unintentionally startling me and reminded me that my time was up so I washed my face and then exited the restroom.

After the excess color was rinsed from my hair it was back to the chair again facing away from the mirror.

Mrs. Sullivan picked up the scissors and started cutting the bowl, further shaping and blending it into the sides and back.

She combed my hair forward and cut short blunt bangs half my way up my forehead and not the sexy long ones that I wanted. Watching her I was thinking to myself that I have not had bangs this short since I was three years old. I remembered the picture my parents took of me after I cut my hair in the front and before my mother caught and stopped me from doing even more damage.

I always took good care of my hair getting it trimmed regularly and applying hot oil treatments bi-monthly to keep it soft and shiny.

When I was first married my tresses were blunt cut all one length with no layers and I wore it center parted or parted off to the right depending on my mood.

When I was a little girl my mother used to brush my hair and braid it for me at bedtime. It was our special time together and we would talk and tell each other secrets.

Finally we would pray together, and we had a special prayer...a simple prayer that we both said together when it was dark and the moon was out. It was the first prayer that I ever learned and still will say to myself on moon lit nights:

"I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and God bless me."

My mom brushed my hair the night before my wedding and then braided it for me and that night there was a full moon and we said our special prayer.

I was numb as she finished my haircut, she parted it on the right, adding layers and finally thinning the top with thinning shears.

Mrs. Sullivan turned the chair around to face the mirror and I did not recognize the person staring back at me.

Mrs. Sullivan was absolutely beaming and my God forgive my bad thoughts about her because she really was a dear sweet Lady and her intentions were only the best.

"You look so cute with short hair Mary Beth, so youthful. Just shampoo and lightly blow dry, 5 minutes at the most and then you are done."

I was no longer a beautiful sexy blond woman with my hair pinned up in an elegant bun. I was a cute brown haired girl with a short boy’s haircut and if I were not wearing a dress and the minimal makeup Luke allowed me I was sure to be mistaken for a teenage boy.

"No charge dear, the Reverend paid in advance and left me a nice tip."

Leaving the beauty shop I drove to my parent's house to get my telescope and my astronomy books and while I was driving there it occurred to me that my hair was even shorter then my husband's.

When I was eight years old my father bought me an expensive telescope and it came with a heavy gauge aluminum carrying case complete with compartments for all the various eyepieces needed for astronomy, photography or viewing wildlife.On clear nights Dad and I would go to Johnson's Hill to observe the heavens. I used to take that telescope with everywhere and Dad referred to it as my "security blanket.

When I arrived at my parents they comforted me as best they could and I knew that my father was very angry but he explained that it was not proper for Mom and him to interfere. Nevertheless their door was always open for me to talk to them Dad assured me while hugging me.

I always felt very safe and secure around my Dad, he being a Marine Major before retiring as an NCIS field agent. Dad was fearless and would not back down to anybody. But for all that he was always kind and gentle man with mom and me. I can't remember him ever raising his voice to us. When I was thirteen we all went Christmas shopping driving to Biloxi which we jokingly referred to as the big city. After we pulled into our parking space I opened my car and accidentally bumped the car next to us nicking the paint.

The occupant, a young man waiting for his girlfriend jumped out his car and started screaming and cursing at me and Dad stepped in front me and said to him.

"Son, there can't be more than two hundred dollars damage to your car if that and I can give the cash or we can exchange insurance information and settle that way but first you will apologize to my wife and daughter!"

"Fuck you old man and them too!"

I didn't know Dad could move so fast and he hit the blasphemer twice in the stomach knocking the wind out of him and doubling him over. Then he grabbed his wrist and pinned the man's arm behind his back. He gradually applied pressure until that dirty-mouthed young man apologized to Dad's satisfaction.

As I said earlier, I tried everything to become pregnant and finally after three years of trying and with the help of Dr. McCarthy my fertility specialist I was finally blessed. My tests showed I was three months pregnant.

One afternoon during my third trimester Mom and I were decorating a bedroom turning it into a nursery and I left Mom stripping wallpaper while I went to the paint store to pick up and pay for the wallpaper I selected.

On the way home I was rear-ended at a stoplight by a delivery truck and my compact car was demolished.
There were complications and I had a miscarriage which was followed by infections and more surgery and as a result I would never be able to conceive and have children; I was devastated.

When I returned from the hospital more then anything I needed the support and love from my husband and I so desperately wanted him to make love to me and to make me feel desirable as a woman again. After my miscarriage Luke lost all interest in sex with me for any reason. Sure, Luke went through all the motions of pretending to be a supportive husband and he put up a good front for my parents and his congregation but eventually Luke was spending less and less time at home. He was always attending meetings on church business.

When Luke was home he spent a great deal of time locked in his office, the room once put aside as the nursery.
Under Luke's guidance our little church grew over the years and we added a full time daycare center open to the public and a huge recreation hall and he even had his own half-hour radio show on our small local AM radio station.

I was a dutiful wife and I attended all of the Church functions or fundraisers. I was always the charming hostess and gracious public wife; we slept in separate bedrooms.... the hell with him. I went back to my natural color and grew my hair out.

I remained married to Luke for fifteen years attending collage part time and then graduating with a M.A. in Astronomy. I received a substantial insurance settlement six years after my accident and opened a bank account under my maiden name using a portion of the money to pay for my college and making sure that Luke did not have access to this account by making it a joint one. Luke considered the time I spent in college a waste of time and money and to annoy him I celebrated my graduation by getting a dog to keep me company; to love and return my love.

I saw beagle puppies for sale in the local paper and answered the ad. Brandy was a little female beagle puppy colored white, brown and black with white feet. She was a smart, sweet little thing and I had her house broken in a week. Brandy followed me everywhere and loved riding in the car with her head out the window. She slept in my bed with me while Luke ignored her and Brandy soon learned to stay out of his way and his feet.

As all puppies are chewers Brandy was no exception and when she was eleven months old she chewed on one of Luke's old dress belts that he left on the bathroom floor. I was grocery shopping at the time and I may have not closed my bedroom door properly. When Luke came home and found his belt he flew into a rage and kicked Brandy in the stomach.

I found her in my bedroom whimpering in pain and I made Luke drive me to the vets to no avail because Brandy died on my lap on the way and I left Luke a week later filing for divorce and I never looked back.

After living with my parents for a month I rented a small house with the option to buy approximately fifty miles from my hometown and I found a full time job as a waitress and hostess. The tips were good and I received a small monthly dividend from investments of the insurance settlement. I had sent my resume to the Planetarium hoping eventually to get a job there when there was an opening

Now at thirty- five years of age I was still considered a pretty woman although my figure had filled out over the years. Ben refers to my figure as voluptuous and tells me I am a much-improved version of Marylyn Monroe. My blond hair was well on the way to being waist length and I would wear it up in a bun at work or sometimes a French braid but always loose or in a ponytail at home.

I had been working at the Pegasus Dinner on the day shift for about eight months when my boss, Mr. Poppadopalus asked if I would do him a favor and work the midnight shift for two weeks as well as my own. I agreed and it was then where I first meet Ben.

After the bars close we generally get very busy in the early morning hours before it slows down to a crawl. I lived two miles from work and always walk to work during the day but I drove those nights.

I had a table of college boys, jocks. They have been coming in the past three nights always sitting in the section of tables assigned to me and that evening the cook and third waitress called in sick and the boss was not answering his telephone.

One young man in particular, John, considered himself God's gift to women and he constantly flirted with me.
He tried to get me to go out with him and I always declined causing his buddies to make fun of him. I believed they had some sort of bet going on involving me and I was insulted but I really needed this job and the generous double time I was being paid to work nights. John was used to getting his way and didn't take well to the teasing his buddies gave him.

Not that he was merely good looking; he was gorgeous at six-three, slim with thick blond hair and blue eyes while also being vain and obnoxious.

Besides, I was not sure if I ever wanted a man in my life again except for my father.

With a date with me not being an option John changed tactics and every time I walked by their table he kept asking me to take my hair down while his buddies encouraged him. When that didn’t work he actually offered me money to do so if I would do it in front of his pals and as the evening progressed John kept upping the ante and I became more insulted with each offer.

The third night was the most rowdy but finally tired of their game all of John's buddies left except for one huge hulk the jocks nicknamed him Diesel and he was the loudest and largest of the bunch.

After the buddies left, the two jocks, Alice, another waitress and I were the only people in the restaurant aside from a man drinking coffee in her section. He was dressed in nondescript clothing and he was of average build and height. The poor dear was walking with a cane or at least that is what I assumed to be the case and he was sitting alone at a corner table he seemed to blend into the background. Come to think of it I do not remember him coming in or how long he had been there.

I was sitting in a booth on my break having tea and a small salad while Alice was covering both sections. John walked over and sat down next to me uninvited and blocking me in. He placed five hundred dollars on the table and then his buddy Diesel sat down across from me, smirking.

"There are ten fifty dollar bills the table and that is more money then a low class stuck up bitch like you makes in a week." John announced. "You should have gone out with me when you had the chance because I might even have done you a favor and allowed you to give me head or better yet I might have given you a sympathy fuck and I have already asked you nicely to take your hair down."

John stated putting a pair of scissors on the table and pushing them in front of me.

"But it’s too late for that now and I have decided that you are going to sell me your ponytail. Shall you cut it off or shall I?"

John asked, reaching for my bun and I could see the lust on his face and was afraid he wanted more then my hair.

Suddenly there was a loud bang coming from the booth next to us and startled we all looked in that direction. The handicapped man had walked up to us quietly unnoticed and then hit the tabletop with his cane to get our attention.

"Now that I have your undivided attention, I strongly advise you boys to leave... now!"

The man said, the one that I now recognized from the corner having coffee.

"But first, you will apologize to the Lady."

He was now leaning on his cane and I could tell from his accent that he was not from Mississippi.

"Fuck off Yankee, this is a private party and you're not invited. This bitch is interested in real men not some old cripple like you!" Diesel declared.

"We are conducting a business transaction and it's none of your concern. If you don't want your ass kicked up between your shoulders leave now." John added, hitting our table with his fist.

With practiced ease the man slid his hand down the shaft of the cane almost to the ferrule and with one quick motion used the rounded handle to pull the money and scissors from the table to the floor and then he slid the cane through his hand again grasping the shaft in the middle.

Diesel got out of the booth saying "I'm going to stick that cane up your ass” he then threw a roundhouse punch at the man’s head.

The stranger moved to one side and easily avoided Diesel's fist, not a cripple at all and obviously skilled in cane fighting. Taking advantage of the Diesel's imbalance and momentum from the wild punch he hooked the jock's ankle with the cane and pulled him off his feet and Mr. you know what Yankee crashed hard to the floor, hard and dislocated his shoulder in the process but slowly got up using his good arm for support and the jock managed to stand. Diesel's right arm was hanging limp and useless at his side so the Yankee then drove the tip of his cane into Diesel's solar plexus, doubling Diesel over and knocking the wind out of him.

"Have you had enough, boy?" The stranger asked.

Diesel turned and was holding his stomach and was gasping for air while his eyes were pleading with his friend John for help.

John was looking down and refusing to make eye contact with him and I observed that John had the same expression on his face as Luke's fifteen years ago. The same expression when the dirty redneck confronted Luke in the parking lot as I just sat there and did nothing. This time there was no sheriff's car in the parking lot to save me and Alice had locked herself in the Ladies Room.

Ashamed of myself I pushed John out of the booth and I walked past him and his friend to stand next to the Yankee and to help him if necessary.

He glanced at me and smiled but then turned his attention to them.

"I won't ask again, boy, have you had enough?"

Diesel turned and nodded yes, looking down.

"Put your drivers’ license on the table and then stand in that corner and face the wall." The Yankee pointed to a corner with his cane and Diesel meekly complied.

He sighed leaning on his cane and shaking his head "We are waiting?"

"Listen dude. I..."John started to say.

That's Mr. Yankee to you...boy!"

Mr. Yankee interrupted and I stifled a laugh by covering my mouth with my hand and I was thinking, "Mr. Yankee?"

"You wouldn't be so tough without your cane." John said with false bravado. “You have a weapon and I don't and it wouldn't be fair fight."

The stranger straightened up and stretched and then smiled as he tossed the cane at the jock's feet, ordering.

"Pick it up!"

John looked at the cane not moving.

Sighing again and shaking his head, the Yankee said in a mocking southern drawl.

"Boy, the best part of you ran down your mama's legs even before you were conceived and the man you think of as your daddy wasn't even there at the time although I sure all the men in town were with her one time or another.”

Then he reverted back to the way he really talked.

"Under the circumstances I decided that I'm not going to allow either of you to soil this Lady's ears with an apology.

He said taking my hand and squeezing gently. His hand was warm, strong and callused and I didn't want him to let go. I nodded my head, yes, no longer frightened and I waited to see what would happen next.

"Put yours driver's license on the table next to your friend's and then sit down” and John did as he was told.

Diesel let out a loud moan and fainted sliding down the wall to his knees and after all that had just happened my Yankee went over to Diesel and rolled him to a sitting position and then leaned him against the wall.

"I'm going to put your arm back in place, son and it's going to hurt, do you understand?"

My Yankee advised him kindly and Diesel just nodded with the sweat was pouring off of him from the pain. Mr. Yankee put his hand on the jock's shoulder and pulled popping his shoulder it back in place and for whatever else that he was Diesel took it like a man.

Walking back to where I was standing my Yankee took my hand again and I let him.

"You both can leave now but remember, boys we know who you are and where you live."

Diesel just nodded and got up slowly from the floor.

Walking over to the cane he put one hand up in the air as if asking for permission and using only his thumb and index finger bent down and picked it up slowly with great deliberation and put it on the table with a solemn, serious look on his face; Diesel nodded and my Yankee nodded back.

As they were walking toward the door, John reached for the money and Diesel took it away from him and put it back on a table.

"Hey! What about my money!" John exclaimed.

"Leave it" Diesel barked, pushing John roughly toward the door.

"But he still has our drivers’ licenses!" John whined.

"Shut the Fu...” Diesel stopped not finishing his sentence and then slowly raised his hand again.

"Shut your mouth, John, It is over and so are we."

"Diesel you don't understand, I...." John started to say.

Diesel backhanded him in the mouth with left hand and John staggered back, holding his mouth and nose and blood was dripping between his fingers and he had shocked look on his face.

"I understand all right, John, you didn't help me. You aren't even worth a punch in the face. I heard what he said about your mother and you wouldn't even fight him without his cane. Mary Beth really must be something special and a real Lady because her boyfriend was willing to take us both on."

Diesel grabbed his former friend by the shirt and headed for the door.

"Diesel” I called after him “Apology accepted."

Diesel nodded his head, closing the door behind them and then my Yankee let go of my hand and we watched Alice come out of the bathroom as if nothing had happened and go into the kitchen to clean the grill.

Turning to really look at him for the first time I saw that he was around my age in his mid-to-late thirties. I would guess his height to be five-seven, a good 2 inches shorter then I was and he weighed about one hundred fifty pounds while both of the jocks were at least 100 lbs. heavier and 5 to 6 inches taller. Ben had a receding hairline much like my father's and sensibly had it cut his hair short to the scalp.

This Yankee who Diesel assumed to be my boyfriend was not what you would call a handsome man and he was charitably plain looking at best while bordering on homely and most women would not have given him a second glance. I used to be one of those women and when I was seventeen not even a glance. Perhaps his nose is a bit large but Ben's light gray eyes were warm and kind and his eyelids wrinkled on the sides now that he was smiling at me.

Ben is somewhat shy around women until he gets to know them, however he is strong and assertive around other men and I still can make him blush when we are alone. I love it when he hugs me and I still have to remind him that I won't break. Ben loves to touch me and be touched...something I never got from Luke and he is a thoughtful gentle lover and will always pleasure me first and then he will cuddle with me afterwards.

After they left I thanked him for what he did

"I am pleased to meet you kind sir." I said smiling, unsure how to thank a strange man from saving me from God knows what.

"Do you make a habit out of saving women in distress?"

I felt a little foolish after I said that, but I couldn't just continue to just stare at him. Ben blushed and smiled looking down and then up. I could see then he was a little shy and not accustomed to being praised and I found this to be so sweet.

I watched him gather his courage and when Ben held out his hand and introduced himself I noticed how his eyes His smile was a glad to meet you smile, genuine and warm. But mostly it was his eyes and the way he was looking at me. Ben had such expressive eyes, as if he was looking into my soul, but sad at the same time. I have never met a man who could convey so many thoughts or emotions just with his eyes.

But they were so cold.... like a glacier, frigid, overwhelming and unyielding when he confronted those boys but now Ben's eyes
were melting like a spring thaw, pure and clean water washing over me.

"I pleased to meet you Mary Beth. My name is Ben Ward and you are my first since I retired from the NYCFD."

We sat and had tea together and I found out he was originally from New York City and was a retired fireman and currently working at the hospital as a certified EMT. Ben told me that he bought his house here complete with 5 ½ acres for the taxes two months ago and after having lived in a studio apartment all of his life and he was looking forward to a slower more laid- back lifestyle where he could spread out. He also said that he always wanted to fish for our huge catfish found in the Mississippi and after doing it a few times on vacation he fell in love with our State. I also found out that Ben grew up in a Catholic orphanage and actually went to the seminary to become a priest and thank God he didn’t. I also found out that two of Ben’s favorite books are Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Ben is also the first fireman that I have every met that was fluent in Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Aramaic.

"The place needs a lot of work and that's a fact but the price was right, Mary Beth and I have already gutted the inside and everything is now down to the bare studs. Next week I will be having a new casement and pump installed for my well."

Ben told me his address and I was surprised to learn he lived two roads over from me. I told him a little bit about my divorce and how I loved astronomy and that this job was only temporary.

"I guess I never found the right girl but I'll know when I find her and she will know it too."

I saw the sadness in his eyes then but that passed when he changed the subject and talked about his dog and Ben's face lit up with his warm smile.

"Sophie has been with me 13 years now and sure she's slowing down a bit but that's all right. She is eating well and is still able to get around."

"What kind of dog is she, Ben?"

"Sophie's a beagle and was abandoned because she is deaf: I got her at the animal shelter and I guess nobody wanted her... much like me, but I really love the old girl...... "Did I say something to upset you?"

Ben asked and I was thinking about my Brandy and he must have seen it in my face.

"No, it is nothing and will you look at the time, and I have been sitting here almost 30 minutes and the boss will be here soon."

I said getting up to clear the tables.

"Mary Beth, wait!"

I turned to look at him. Ben swallowed and then stood up taking a deep breath.

"Do you think we could have dinner together sometime or even for just a cup of coffee and dessert. It does not have to be here but it can if you want it too."

"I'm sorry Ben; I am not ready for that yet, I'm not sure that I will ever be."

I could see the hurt in his eyes even though his expression did not change.... except for the wrinkles near his eyes.

"Of course, I understand perfectly with your divorce and all. It must have been really hard on you. I hope you get your job at the planetarium."

Ben said extending his strong, warm callused hand for me to shake when he deserved a kiss on the cheek at the very least and I took his hand and shook it.

Damn him, why did he have to be so nice.

"It was a real pleasure meeting a fine Southern Lady like you, Mary Beth."

Ben picked up his cane and rapped the tip once sharply on the floor and I let him walk out the door.

A couple of weeks had gone by since that incident and out of curiosity I took a different way home and drove out to Ben's place. Just to look I told myself and besides I was not ready yet until the right man came along and we couldn't possibly have anything in common. Ben told me he was Catholic, an orphan raised in an orphanage by nuns and I was a Baptist. There was no car in the driveway and that was good since he probably was not home and I didn’t to give him the wrong idea if he was.

It was a large house set back about 300 yards from the road sitting on 5 ½ acres and it was three stories and not much to look at being weathered gray with no paint to be seen. The wraparound front porch was sagging with holes in the floor. The porch's was roof falling in with columns missing and the front steps were completely gone. Most of the windows were boarded over and there were holes in the roof covered with plastic tarp and plywood.

Ben's property was overgrown with vines and weeds and although I could see he had started to clear a small section around the house and his barn had collapsed completely and was overgrown with vines. No wonder Ben bought the property for taxes because nobody wanted it and the house had probably been vacant for years.

I never saw Ben again in the restaurant after that day and seven months later I was interviewed for a job at the planetarium and then finally got my dream job. I made some female friends and a few male acquaintances and one of my male coworkers made a pass at me on my first day.

A year and a half had gone by since leaving my husband and I decided to test the waters and I went out on my first date which was Dutch treat with a man he girls from work fixed me up with.

I let Marcus know from the start that I was not ready for a relationship and only wanted to be friends and he agreed but Marcus was so tall and handsome and he knew how to dress. He was six- three with an athletic build and he had thick black hair and blue eyes and he had two dimples in his cheeks when he smiled.

We went for coffee and desert and then on our next date we went out for lunch, Dutch treat of course and then it was dinner and dancing for which he absolutely insisted on paying. It was late when he dropped me off home because we stopped for drinks and since I don’t drink had club soda with a twist of lime. Marcus had quite a few and concerned I invited him in for coffee to help sober him up and by coffee I meant coffee.

I had just closed the door behind us and he was all over me. He had his arm around my waist and was groping me and trying to kiss my mouth and I told him to stop and he wouldn't telling me

"You know you want it, Mary Beth, so stop being a tease."

I screamed the first thing that came to mind “Ben, get in here!”

When Marcus turned to see whom I was calling I kneed him in the groin and then pushed him out the front door, locking it behind me.

"Leave or I'm calling the police." I shouted through the door as he staggered to his car.

I took a long hot shower feeling violated and dirty and then I went to bed. The next day, I confronted Rosie and told her about her brother.

"That's not the story I heard, Mary Beth, you lush. Marcus told me that you were drunk and all over him and then changed your mind. If you didn't want it, why invite him in?"

"I invited him in for coffee!”

"Right, Miss innocent” Rosie said sarcastically "So pure and chaste and once married to a minister. As far as I am concerned you are nothing more then a cheap holier then thou tease. I bet you never put out for your husband either you lush; no wonder you are divorced."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was so upset that I went to my supervisor and asked to take the rest of the afternoon off and since I had a week of vacation coming Nancy suggested that I take it now which I gratefully did.

I drove to Ben's house intending to talk to him and apologize and accept his invitation for dinner. Again there was no car in the driveway and I was having second thoughts. I parked the car on the road and walked up the driveway while admiring the complexity of its pattern that he had laid out with the bricks.

You wouldn't know it was the same house. Ben had removed the hard packed rutted crushed stone driveway and replaced it with a brick driveway two cars wide and it extended right up to and wrapped around the front of the house up to the huge restored porch and he had replaced the previous wood steps with brick. Now the porch had wide brick steps and heavy wrought iron railings leading to the front door. The restoration to house was almost complete roof to basement and the wood was primed ready to be painted.

I also noticed that there was nothing on that magnificent porch except for one oak rocking chair with Rosary Beads hanging on a spindle and a folded red wool blanket on the floor. The old barn was torn down and there was a ditch around the field stone foundation and it was being repaired and restored with new drain tiles where before there was none.

I got into my car and drove over to the next road, parked and then getting out walked through the field and into the tree line until I could see Ben's house through the trees. I found a fairly level piece of ground for a tripod, perfect; I had a clear view to the front of his house.

For the next two weeks I drove by his house and always at a different time and soon determined his schedule and routines. One late afternoon before dark I set up my telescope to watch the stars, but mostly to watch Ben.

I observed that Ben worked hard at cleaning his property in the late afternoon when it was cooler and he worked right up until dark while his little beagle followed him around the yard. It was obvious that Sophie was having trouble walking and at the end of the day Ben gently picked Sophie up, carried her up the front steps and then kneeling put her down on her blanket. Ben would bring out her dinner and then his. They would eat together and Ben always saved something from his plate to give her. I started bringing my dinner with me and waited to eat with them while watching from the stand of trees.

Then they would sit on the porch and listen to the radio until about midnight and I watched them for about a month wishing that I had gone out to dinner with Ben, just once. Wishing that I were sitting on that porch, wishing......................

One Friday evening it was overcast and Ben was not following his usual routine and the weather forecast predicted a 40% chance of rain by midnight. Ben was working in the yard but he didn't seem himself. Perhaps he was ill and I noticed that Sophie wasn't outside with him. It was obvious that after watching Ben for a month that he enjoyed the hard manual labor of clearing his property and after living in a studio apartment all of his life his place must seem huge to him, a place where he could spread out. This evening Ben seemed to be dragging his feet as if he was tired or his heart was not in it and he would pause often to look at the house.

Around 10:00 PM he went inside and then came back outside. Ben was carrying a small bundle in his arms wrapped in a red wool blanket as if he were carrying a baby or a small child. I watched him kneel and put his bundle gently on the ground and then he left and returned with a shovel…. he started to dig his beloved Sophie's grave.

My heart was breaking watching him and I thought about my loveless marriage and the time I wasted with Luke. I realized how lonely I was and how lonely Ben was with no family at all and now everything that he ever loved was gone and I started to cry.

It was raining lightly and the wind started to pick up and still I watched wanting to comfort him and share his grief.

I watched him kneel and place Sophie gently into her grave and then stand up. It was raining harder now but at least it was a warm Mississippi rain. Ben picked up the shovel looking down into her grave and he stood there like a lost soul.

The telescope was useless now as the rain was now coming down in buckets distorting the image and I hurriedly started putting things away while watching him stand there and everything was getting wet and slippery. I slipped on wet leaves and fell knocking over my telescope and tipping the case and causing the various eyepieces to spill to the ground.

I was on my knees sobbing in the dark groping for the last eyepiece. There was a roll of thunder and a flash of lightning followed by another flash and crying out his name I looked in Ben's direction.

The lightning flashes illuminated him as he dropped to his knees and he reached down into the hole coming up with his Sophie wrapped in her red blanket and he held her tight to his chest. Ben was rocking with his face pressed against his precious bundle and Sophie was no longer there to return his love.

Sobbing uncontrollably now I fled the stand of trees abandoning my telescope and the branches were hitting me as I frantically pushed through them trying to get to him and as I was running I prayed.

I ran up his driveway falling on the slippery bricks, skinning my hands but I was oblivious to the pain while still praying when I finally reached him. I felt as if a burden had been lifted from my soul as I ended my prayer. I calmly knelt beside him in the mud and touched his shoulder.

"Ben, it's me Mary Beth. Let me help you Ben, let me you as you helped me."

"She's gone Mary Beth. I am truly alone now."

Moving to the other side of the grave and reaching out with my arms, I said.

"Let me help you, Ben. Let me help you put Sophie to rest."

Ben lifted his head looking at me and he extended Sophie in his arms for me to take across the way. Putting my hands under his we slowly laid his precious Sophie to rest. Then I took his hands and squeezed them looking at his beautiful, homely face.

Letting go, I started pushing the wet soil and mud into the grave with my hands and discarding the shovel Ben did the same. We finished by smoothing the top and patting it level, our hands touching as we worked.

Taking his strong muddy hands in mine, "I never really thanked you properly for saving me." I leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"I'm afraid, Mary Beth."

"What are you afraid of Ben?"

"I'm afraid of being alone for the rest of my life.”

"No Ben, you are not afraid of anything. I won't let you be afraid my brave Yankee."

I held his beautiful homely face in my muddy hands and I kissed his mouth.

"Will you spend the night, Mary Beth?" Just having you in the house with me tonight will be enough."

"Of course I will stay, Ben."

Looking up I noticed for the first time that it had stopped raining the full moon was peeking through the clouds.

"Look Ben, a harvest moon, isn't it beautiful?"

"Not as beautiful as you, Mary Beth”

And now it was my turn to blush.

"Mary Beth, there is something I need to say so that I will know...so you will know."

Ben put his strong muddy hands around my waist and looking into my eyes, said

"I see the moon and the moon sees me.........................

I my arms around his neck while looking into his kind gray eyes finishing the prayer

"God bless the moon and God bless me."

"And we knew.... we had finally found each other, soul mates.

We went into the house together holding hands.... holding hands at our age and he took me upstairs to his bathroom to clean up and when I was finished went in to do the same. My clothing was soaked through and Ben gave me a terrycloth robe to wear while he hung my clothing over his kitchen chairs to dry.

We sat on the porch sharing a pot of tea and he talked about Sophie and about Brandy and many other things watching the sunrise together as we watched our harvest moon disappear.

Ben brought me to his bedroom and insisted that I sleep there. Beside the kitchen, his bedroom was the only furnished room in the house with the most magnificent and massive carved poster bed that I had ever seen and it could comfortably sleep two with room to spare. He insisted that I sleep there and that he would sleep on the floor in his sleeping bag in the next room.

"Ben, please close your eyes first, I want to show you something."

When he did I quickly undressed dropping everything on the floor and then stood naked in front of him

"Do you think that I am pretty, Ben?" And he inhaled sharply.

"I think that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me Mary Beth, as well as the most beautiful."

No longer hesitating, Ben stepped forward and put his arms around me and then he kissed my mouth long and deep stirring feelings in me that I had not had since I was a teenager.... a teenager of seventeen again with butterflies in my stomach.

"I'm not going to break and you may hold me tighter. Would you take my hair down, I would do it myself but it would be so much nicer to have my lover do it for me."

Ben reached up and deftly found and removed every hairpin holding my bun in place as if he had done this hundreds of times for me. Then he pulled off my elastic hair tie without pulling at all and smoothed my long blond hair slightly damp from the rain over my shoulders and down my back. Burying his hands in my hair and then closing his eyes and sighing

"You have such beautiful hair, Mary Beth. It is soft and thick and silky, a gift from God and spun from heaven's gold which shines like a heavenly halo, your halo of sunlight to rival an angel's hair.

And then he opened his eyes and looked into my soul.

"Promise me that you will never cut it short for that would be a sin... please promise me, my precious Lady.
Because you truly are my Lady now; the harvest moon and our prayer has confirmed us.... you are my blessing from God."

Ben let me undress him and my hands lingered on his arms and shoulders. He was compact and solid having long ropey muscles with small scars from cuts or healed burns all over him that no doubt that he received during his career as a smoke eater. I would find out later from my Dad still that still had countless connections that Ben was always the first one in a burning building and the last one out. He has numerous Medals for Bravery awarded to him for above and beyond that he was too modest to display and keeps locked in a drawer. Dad also told me that Ben is most proficient in the Martial Arts
particularly judo and stick fighting. Daddy was impressed him and for my father that was saying something. I am still fascinated on how close he became to taking a vow of celibacy and becoming a priest.

Ben was very gentle with me taking his time and his hands were touching, stroking and caressing everywhere; my face and neck and the small of my back; my buttocks and legs, gently but firmly and everywhere; Luke hardly touched me at all even when we were courting.

Ben's kisses were indescribable, warm and sweet but so masculine. He was devouring me with his mouth and his kisses and I was aroused beyond anything I dreamed possible.... he did everything right... my soul mate and I had my first oral sex with him. Oral sex with his tongue, licking and probing my flower, my clitoris, it was shear ecstasy.... he was keeping me on the edge
of orgasm, my sweet and final release.... teasing, cajoling and encouraging and then the dam of my desires pent up for all those years burst forth washing over me making me cry out his name.... and then simply cry.

My brave Yankee patiently held me while holding back his own urgent need and he was stroking my hair. I cried softly in his strong arms until my river of tears were finally spent. We were then lying there, face to face and then we made love; his manhood was probing and caressing my flower while our lips and tongues were lovers unto themselves.

Ben actually timed my second orgasm with his. Before I thought my orgasm was the elusive nirvana... but now as his hot seed burst forth and seared into me, it was not merely waves of ecstasy as before, but a tsunami of pure orgasmic molten love and ecstasy overwhelming us and it melted our souls together….our very beings.... nirvana was but a trifle to what I experienced with him..... And afterward, we fell asleep fused in each other's arms.

I will have to wake him soon to get ready for the ox roast but when we get there I’m secretly hoping a certain someone will bite off more than he can chew….

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