Better Days

Jim and the men picked up the bags and carried them into the house for distribution to the rooms they were to share during their visit. Cheryl and the women disappeared into the kitchen to complete the meal and become better acquainted.

Over the weekend Cheryl became more comfortable with the family. The second evening after Cheryl and her children had returned to her home Patricia and Harold found their father sitting on the patio watching the sun set over the hills. They sat in chairs with him and Patricia said, "Daddy I think that woman loves you very much and her children adore you. Since Momma can't be with you any longer I am so very happy you have found someone to take her place. Harold and I know you don't need our permission to marry her but we wanted to let you know you have it and our approval."

Late the next day Jim loaded his children and their families back into his truck to deliver them to the airport. After their flights departed he drove to the Mall and went to a jewelry store. He spent some time looking at engagement and wedding rings. He found one set he loved and almost bought it for Cheryl. Finally he remembered how adamant she was about the rings and just asked the jeweler to set it aside so he could bring her back to look at it.

Before he returned home Jim stopped in Sam's Club to stock up on supplies. He really wasn't looking forward to unloading and storing them when he returned home but it did save him a trip back to town. He enjoyed his family visiting but he had to admit he was sure exhausted afterward.

When Jim returned to the mill he saw the lights still on. He wondered if Cheryl had forgotten to turn them off when she left for her home or if she was still there for some reason. Jim backed the truck up to the loading dock and wearily walked up the stairs. He opened the store door and then turned to take the first load inside. After he got the supplies stored he knew he needed to start straightening his house. It was not a disaster but it still needed some touching up after the long visit.

Jim was on his second load when the door from his living quarters opened and all three of the Dotson's came out. Cheryl walked up and wrapped her arms around Jim then gave him a soul searing lengthy kiss. She pulled back from him, looked into his eyes and smiled. She said, "I'm glad you're back Honey. I bet you thought I would leave you to do all this heavy work by yourself didn't you? Now come on. Let's get things taken care of so we can get to bed."

After they finished unloading and storing the supplies Jim kissed Cheryl and thanked her for her help. He had to admit, he was just too tired to watch her and the children get into their car. Of course, other than sentimentality, there was no reason to do so. Since Pete and his friends were out of circulation there was no danger at all here in Wilsons Mill. After the hug broke Jim turned and trudged back into his house. He didn't even stop in the living area other than to turn lights out as he went.

Jim was in his shower preparing for bed when he thought he heard voices but he knew that couldn't be. Finally he decided someone was along the stream and he went on with his shower. He was shampooing his hair when he felt a draft then heard the rustling of the sliding glass shower door. Before he could even lower his arms he felt arms slide around his chest and two soft orbs with hard centers poke into his back. A head rested on his back and Jim heard a sigh.

Jim jumped and turned in the shower. Of course he was sure it was Cheryl because no one else had keys to his house. When he saw her he asked, "Cheryl what are you doing here? I thought you and the kids were going to bed...unh where are the kids anyway?"

Cheryl smiled and stood on her toes to give Jim a gentle kiss as she rubbed her breasts against his rippling chest. She said, "Oh, I sent them up to bed. I told them not to bother us until at least six in the morning. Sarah knows how to start the bread dough and I told her to be sure to do so. I want to be up by six to make sure everything is going well but until then, we have some alone time. Do you mind?"

"Hell, I'd be crazy if I said I did but do you think it's wise to let them stay alone in your house? I know Calvin is 17 now and Sarah is 15 but..."

Cheryl laughed and said, "Oh, Honey. I didn't say they were at our old home. I said I sent them UP to bed. Listen." By then the two lovers were rinsed and had turned off the shower. Jim could clearly hear water trickling down the drain pipes from upstairs. He smiled and said, "Oh." Jim pulled Cheryl to him once more and they kissed and fondled each other the entire distance from the bath to Jim's King Sized bed.

They lay next to each other and Jim began kissing Cheryl as his hands began their slow dance across her beautiful body. After a few minutes Cheryl was writhing and moaning in her need. Jim slowly began working his kisses down her body. He stopped for a while at her breasts and gently kneaded them as he sucked her rigid nipples into his mouth. Cheryl was moaning and arching her back as she pressed her breasts toward Jim's mouth trying to get more into it.

Once again Jim began kissing down her body until he reached Cheryl's by now wet pussy. He leaned his head back and admired her drooling pussy for a moment as his hands still gently caressed her. Cheryl continued to writhe as he worked on her, moaning constantly. Her hands moved to her breasts and she began rolling her nipples between her fingers.

Jim watched the trickle of clear liquid run out of Cheryl's pussy and drain down the cheek of her ass. He took a deep breath and smiled at the smell of his aroused woman. Jim bent forward and his tongue made its first gentle lick along her pussy lip. He scooped up as much of the liquid as he could and savored it before swallowing. Jim moved to the other pussy lip and repeated his lick and swallow.

The next time Jim placed his tongue on her taint and licked upward in her crack, pressing his tongue as deeply in her cunt as he could. When he reached Cheryl's sensitive pearl he wrapped his lips around it and gave a gentle suck. He released the pressure and flicked her clit with his tongue several times. Cheryl moaned and her hands left her breasts. She grabbed his head and pulled Jim's face tightly against her crotch as her pelvis tilted upward.

"Oh GOD," Cheryl moaned. "Please don't stop Honey."

Jim smiled and began a rapid fluttering with his tongue as he slapped it against her clit repeatedly. Cheryl's hips began thrusting upward driving her clit toward the tongue pleasuring it. She screamed and pulled Jim's head as tightly against her crotch as she could. Her thighs came together and she almost suffocated Jim as her orgasm roared through her. All the while her cunt was contracting and relaxing, fluttering and throbbing as the pleasure infused her body.

Jim finally managed to lift his head enough to see Cheryl's face. Her eyes sparkled and her face glowed. Cheryl smiled at Jim and reached for him. She grabbed his head and pulled Jim upward. Her knees splayed farther apart and her pelvis tilted upward once more as she readied herself to receive Jim's cock.

This was an almost perfect copulation. Jim felt the head of his cock slide along Cheryl's thigh. He adjusted his aim slightly and felt the wet heat of her center. He adjusted his knees and felt the head of his cock slot into her hole. Cheryl smiled upward at Jim once more and he felt her hips lift slightly and she pulled him downward with her hands on his hips.

Cheryl moaned again as more of Jim's cock slid into her cunt. Jim reset his knees once more and thrust forward slowly, steadily and felt Cheryl's thighs tense. He was about to stop and withdraw thinking he was hurting her when Cheryl's grip on his thighs tightened and she slammed her pelvis upward. She drove the remaining inch or two of his cock deeply into her clasping cunt.

When Jim's pubic bone slammed against Cheryl's clit she screamed once more and he felt her orgasm roar through her once more. Her pussy walls squeezed and caressed Jim's cock like a velvet glove. He held himself inside her until she relaxed slightly then began his withdrawing and thrusting. He was so excited he knew he wouldn't last long. In fact, only three more minutes did him in.

Jim picked up the speed and began thrusting hard, harder than he had thrust before as he drove his cock into Cheryl. Jim slammed into Cheryl a final time and held himself as tightly to her as he could. She felt his cock spasm and a warm feeling spread in her belly as his cock throbbed and released pumping his seed into her.

When Cheryl felt Jim seed her she locked her ankles behind his thighs and slammed upward against him also. She thrust and relaxed, grunting, "Unh, Unh, Unh," over and over. As Jim's orgasm was ending Cheryl felt her last one take her. She slammed her pelvis upward once more and held herself tightly against Jim, keeping him inserted as deeply inside her as she could. She groaned out, "OHHHHHH" and her cunt gripped and released Jim repeatedly, milking the last of his seed from his rapidly deflating cock.

Finally Cheryl relaxed her muscles and allowed her hips to thump back onto the mattress. Her legs splayed apart once more and her hands fell off Jim's hips to land on the bed beside them. Cheryl raised her arms once more and pulled Jim's head down for a final gentle kiss.

After they broke the kiss Jim rolled to the side and they moved together once more. Cheryl threw a leg and one arm over Jim and laid her head on his shoulder. She looked up at him once, smiled and then settled her head more comfortably. Both lovers drifted off to sleep.

Neither Jim nor Cheryl woke during the night. Jim was rousing from his slumber and becoming angry. He couldn't move his right arm and it was tingling, heavy, as if it was asleep. There was also a loud pounding on his bedroom door. He could hear yelling coming from the other side of the door.

Finally he woke enough to remember the past night and to know what was going on. Someone was trying to wake them. He was just about to answer when his door slowly opened and Sarah came a step into his room. She was saying, "Mom. Wake up. You told me to get you up at six. I came and woke you but you didn't come out. Now get up I don't know what to do next. I MOM! WHERE ARE YOUR CLOTHES??"

Sarah blushed and turned sharply away from the bed. She ran out of the room. By then of course Jim and Cheryl were finally awake. Cheryl was blushing also as she jumped from the bed. She grabbed a robe Jim had not noticed the night before and rushed from the room. After he dressed Jim walked into the store. He saw Cheryl sitting in her chair hugging Sarah. Jim walked to the already prepared coffee and poured a cup for himself and Cheryl.

Jim handed Cheryl her cup and sat in his chair beside the two women. Cheryl spoke quietly to Sarah once more then turned to smile at Jim. She said, "Well, now that that's settled I need to get dressed. I'll be right back."

After Cheryl left Sarah sat in her chair and looked over at Jim and blushed. She said, "I'm sorry I busted in on you Jim. I just never...I mean when I have to wake Mom up at home sometimes I have to go into her room there too and..."

Jim smiled and held out his arm for Sarah. He said, "Come here Honey." Sarah moved to him and he pulled her onto his lap and hugged her. After he released her she continued leaning on his chest. Jim said, "Sarah Honey. I know you didn't intend to see us but you need to realize your mother and I are a couple now and we are deeply in love. We sleep naked and we do what married people, people in love do. We're not angry with you this time. I know and I am sure your mother knows you didn't intend to catch us in anything and that you were trying to do what you were told to do. You just need to THINK before you take action—ANY kind of action. You knew your mother and I were in my, our, room together and you should have thought about what you might see or interrupt. Just think how you would have felt if your mother or I had walked in on you and your boyfriend and caught you naked together or making love."

"I know Jim and that's just about what Mom said. I'll be more careful next time, I promise."

"Fine. That's all we ask. Now young lady, why don't you scurry over there and start making us a nice breakfast. We're already behind on the day and need to get this show on the road."

The first weekend of October Jim and Sarah got married. Calvin gave her away and Sarah served as Maid of Honor. Jim's son was his Best Man. It was a small wedding—NOT! It started out to be a small wedding for just family but then it snowballed. Jim had already made many friends in the area and Cheryl was born and raised there so she knew everyone almost. As the weeks before the wedding wound down Jim and Cheryl found more and more of their local friends asking if they could come to the wedding also. Then the REAL fun started. Jim began getting phone calls from friends of his that he was in the army with. To a person they informed him they had heard he was getting married and hinted they wanted to attend the wedding.

By the time the wedding day arrived the guest list had swollen to almost 200 people. Jim and Cheryl got married alongside the millpond but they had to move the reception to the Fielding's Resort. Jim got married in his uniform because that is what Cheryl wanted. Of course when the military guests found out about that they all decided to wear their uniforms also.

The local paper published an article on the wedding and even had a photograph of the guests as the bride walked down the aisle. There was more brass there than at many military funerals. There were three General Officers, five full Colonels and three Lieutenant Colonels and four Majors. There were also 15 assorted senior enlisted men and women and one Chief Warrant Officer. Cheryl's head was spinning by the time she had been introduced to the distinguished guests and it was spinning even more after she had been regaled with stories of Jim's exploits during his Army Career. She cried when she heard the story of how he won his Silver Star and quaked at the thought of how close he came to 'Buying the Farm' on that mission.

It was four days after the wedding before all the guests from out of town had departed. The Fielding's Resort had been filled to overflowing with wedding guests and some had stayed in Cheryl's old home. Jim's family stayed with him.

After the last guest departed Jim and Cheryl met in the living room of what had been his old quarters and hugged each other. Without talking they moved to the couch and cuddled as they relaxed together in the peace and quiet of their home. The children were staying in Cheryl's house for the next week so the couple could have time together.

The next several months were hectic to say the least as the children moved into the mill with Jim and Cheryl and they rented out her old home. By now the children were helping in the mill enough that Jim and Cheryl had several hours a week free time. Calvin had learned how to grind the grain and Cheryl had taught Sarah how to make the bread and meals.

When the children were out of school they helped run the operation. By now Jim had signed a contract to sell his branded corn meal and flour to a small local grocery chain. He had contracted with a local farmer to purchase grain directly from him for grinding. The mill ran almost constantly from breakfast until closing time at night. While Calvin and Sarah were in school they hired some young people to help during the busy times of the day.

The week before Calvin graduated high school he and Sarah came into the living room after the family had supper. They sat facing their parents and began fidgeting. Finally Jim couldn't take it any longer and said, "Ok you two. Something's up. Why don't you just spit it out so we can all relax again?"

Calvin looked at Sarah then over at Jim and his mother. He began talking. "Jim Sarah and I are almost out of school now and we've been thinking about the future. We know we need to get more education and we will have to work after school. That's not the problem. We have both talked about it and we just don't want to leave home to find a job. I like to operate the mill and Sarah likes the café and store. We've been talking and we wondered if you would consider expanding the business and hiring us to run it for you or with you."

"I know we can't grind much more grain with the setup we have but I think I, uh, we can increase production some by adding a couple of small wheels in the equipment room and maybe even working longer hours if we needed to. I will need some work during college and I can work some weekends and the summer to help there."

Jim was sitting watching the children. So far what Calvin had said surprised him but now he got the real surprise. Sarah began talking. She said, "Jim, Mom, I love running the store and talking to everyone. When I graduate high school I want to go somewhere and learn to cook better then I want to see if we can serve evening meals here also. I was thinking maybe Friday and Saturday nights and have a good meal on Sunday noon. I know that would run the café and store seven days a week but I would be willing to take weekends so you have time off Mom."

"Almost ever since you began serving food people have been asking about evening meals. I have talked to some of the café owners in Prineville and Steelville about their business. They say breakfast and lunch are the big meals Monday through Thursday but their Friday and Saturday evenings are great. I think I can put out a better meal weekends and take some of their business plus pick up some from areas they don't pull customers from. I know we can't expand much more here because of the space but I was thinking we could maybe add a small kitchen and dining room on the end or use this entire space for dining and add a small store on the end of the mill building."

"Either way would work I think but I think we could maybe get more tourists to eat with us if we let them eat in an authentic old mill..."

Jim sat and looked over at Cheryl after Sarah quit talking. He raised his eyebrows then turned to Sarah and said, "Well, you two seem to have been thinking about your future but I'm not sure you really know what you're asking here. Your mother and I are getting older. I know we're not old yet but I don't want to expand and find out when we get older and want to travel or just sit and rock that the business owns us and we have to keep working until we die."

"Your mother and I will talk this over some. Before I will do anything I want you two to do more work on this idea. I want you to find out what it would cost to expand, get price estimates on building materials and furniture. Try to do more research to find out if we can expand to evening meals successfully and what it would cost to do that. I also want you to think real hard about what you have asked me as far as working goes. If we do this you kids will not have much time to date or socialize because I would only be doing it for you. That means you would have to do the majority of the work and that would cut into your personal time. We will not discuss this again for a month. When we meet back on this I need you to give me your answers on everything we've talked about this evening."

Two years after they married Jim found Cheryl sitting in the store after the breakfast rush. She was looking out the window watching the traffic with a blank expression on her face. Jim became worried and he sat beside her. "What's the matter Honey? You've acted strange for the last several days. Have I done something to upset you or are the kids having some kind of trouble?"

"No Jim but I've been thinking. We have a wonderful life now and I love you to pieces but there's something missing. You have your children and I love them as much as I can. I have my children and I know you love them but Jim WE don't have OUR child. I have been wondering what it would be like to have a baby for you. I want to have a baby by you but I didn't know if you would do that for me. Oh, Jim, I want your baby with my whole heart. Can we please have just one more child?"