1, 2, No 3rd Strike

Because the courts would not care that Michael was not the father of the minor child, because he would be saddled with the debt of providing for the child, Michael was requesting visitation with his daughter. In his own words, it was not right to harm Gabrielle because of the sins of the mother.

Deidre cried as she put the pages down; the words were too blurry to continue reading. The music, the lights, the taste of the alcohol, the smell of cologne and perfume and sweat had all conspired to seduce her. But Deidre knew she had willingly allowed herself to be seduced.

Deidre did think briefly of placing a pillow over her daughter's face, of smothering her precious baby, then tying the hotel garbage bag over her own head and suffocating to death. With a horrified gasp, Deidre silently begged the sleeping child to please, please forgive her.

Sunlight and coffee and two sticky doughnuts and apple juice for Gabrielle did bring about a brighter outlook on the day. Michael answered his phone on the second ring and agreed that Deidre could come get her car.

"Michael, I know, I know just saying I'm..." Deidre started, but the phone beeped letting her know Michael had terminated the connection.

Returning to the room, Deidre signed the papers then called for an Uber. Gabrielle still thought this was all a grand adventure and excitedly waited for their ride.

'Keys are on front tire,' Michael texted.

'Will put signed papers in mailbox,' Deidre responded.

Great Oak Savings & Loan financial institution hired Deidre Dumella and she fit in well. Gabrielle Bremmer loved her new school; she was a big girl going to pre-Kindergarten now. She easily made friends in school and in the trailer park she and Mommy lived in.

And every other Friday, she and Mommy drove to Lake Charles, to the Cracker Barrel and they had supper with Daddy and then she and Daddy would go to Daddy's house for the whole weekend and then on Sunday they would have dinner at Cracker Barrel again and she and Mommy would go home to their trailer.

"I know I've said it a thousand times," Deidre would say after their lunch on those Sundays, "But I really am, I am just so sorry."

"No strike three," Michael would say flatly. "Bye Pumpkin, bye-bye, Daddy already misses you. You be a good girl for Mommy, okay?"

Nearly a year after Deidre's indiscretion, Gabrielle shattered her hopes of an eventual reunion; at the Sunday dinner, Gabrielle talked incessantly about the upcoming wedding and she had her flower girl dress already picked out and Miss Irma was real nice and said Gabrielle was going be the prettiest flower girl ever and...

Through the haze of tears, Deidre could see the look of empathy on Michael's face. He was not gloating or mocking; he truly did know how Deidre was feeling.

"That, that's how you felt, when, when I got into that car?" Deidre whispered as Gabrielle paused in her monologue long enough to scoop up some ketchup with her French fries.

Michael didn't answer. Deidre fought hard against bursting into sobs when he gently reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

Thursday of the following week was the fifteenth of the month. All the tellers and customer service personnel knew it was payday for a large portion of the Oakleaf County populace. As expected, there was a bit of a run at the lunch hour and another run near the close of the day.

Deidre smiled as Glen Kennedy, a handsome older man allowed a young woman to go ahead of him when Penny called out her availability. Deidre finished her transaction with the young man at her window and waved Glen forward.

Glen Kennedy was handsome, dressed very well, and had a deep rich voice that sent tremors through Deidre's spine. She'd politely rebuffed his attentions in the past, hoping against hope that Michael would forgive her. But, now that Michael was moving on...

"Hi Beautiful, ready to run off to Mexico with me?" Glen asked as he presented his commission check and deposit slip.

"Why don't we go out on a couple of dates first? I'd hate to get all the way to Mexico and find out I don't like the way you snore," Deidre suggested.

"I, you serious, uh, well, yes ma'am, yes ma'am," Glen stammered, delighted that his favorite bank teller was finally warming up to him.

On their date, a fun evening at Tokyo Gardens Japanese hibachi restaurant, followed by ice cream sundaes at Holland's Hand cranked ice creamery, Deidre held nothing back. She admitted she'd been a bit of a slut in high school and in her one year of college before pregnancy dictated she drop out and get gainful employment. She was open and honest about why her loving and devoted husband had filed for divorce.

In that spirit of openness, Glen talked about his fourteen year marriage to his high school sweetheart. Days before their fifteenth anniversary, two months before Gloria's thirty fourth birthday, Gloria decided to come out of the closet.

Deidre was impressed with Glen's maturity regarding his ex-wife. Her deception had obviously wounded him, yet he did not call his ex-wife derogatory names. He did not use profanity when he spoke.

"But, you know, it really did make sense, why she never wanted children," Glen smiled sadly, then brightened. "But tell me about Ms. Gabrielle; she's in kindergarten, right?"

Their second date was Bully Burgers then ice skating. Deidre found out she was a natural at ice skating and happily told Glen she couldn't wait to take Gabrielle to the rink; she was sure her little girl would be a professional ice skater in no time.

That date ended up in bed at Deidre's trailer.Lauren Kennedy had taught Glen well and Deidre silently thanked the unknown woman as Glen tongued her to a grunting, thrashing orgasm.

A month after their first date, Glen accompanied Deidre and Gabrielle for Friday dinner with Michael and Miss Irma. The men bonded immediately as they talked about the lack of decent coaching at the local collegiate level. Irma had that unmistakable glow and Deidre shared her memories of her pregnancy with Gabrielle.

"No, no, unless you're in the Big Ten or the SEC, forget about getting a coach," Michael agreed.

"Big tablespoon of honey with the prune juice?" Deidre advised. "Oh, and watch the sugar. I mean processed sugar. Believe me, I know how bad you going want them Tornadough Doughnuts; don't. Don't do it."

"I've got a meeting with Craig Goodwin tomorrow morning," Glen said casually as his drove west on I-10 while Michael and Irma and Gabrielle drove east.

"Oh? He's not going buy that Ferrari?" Deidre joked, naming the glossy black Ferrari she kept 'begging' Glen to buy for her.

"Hmm? No, no, he's going sell me a house," Glen smiled.

"A what?" Deidre asked.

"Yeah, figured, it's about time I moved out of that matchbox apartment," Glen said, slowing to allow a truck to pass them. "And, it's time get you and Gabrielle out of that trailer y'all are in."

"Do what?" Deidre asked.

"So, need you come with me so you can help pick out our home," Glen said.

Since they would be meeting with Craig Goodwin in the morning, Deidre stayed at Glen's small apartment that night. Their first fuck was just a quick dirty fuck. Their second joining was a slow, loving coupling.

"I...I love you," Deidre said, safe and warm in Glen's embrace.

"Finally!" Glen whispered triumphantly into Deidre's ear. "I finally got you to say it."

The End

**Author's Note: I write these stories for my pleasure; I post them here for your enjoyment. I sincerely thank you for reading my stories.

I especially thank those that take the time to leave comments, good and bad. I likewise thank those that take the time to rate my words, those that 'Favorite' my works.

Cheryl Savoie, the DJ of Vermillion is a minor character first introduced in 'Five Trailers: Lot B' in the Romance category. Her job as a DJ, and her boss, Randy Paul are introduced in 'Do You Want TO Dance?' in the Group Sex category.

Deidre Bremmer is introduced in 'Never That Bold Ch. 03' in the Lesbian Sex category. In that particular story, her name is Deidre Dumella.

Peter Neulin's place of employment, the law firm of Banks, Chastaine & Greene is established in 'Is This Seat Taken?' in the Lesbian Sex category.

Glen Kennedy, the Superior Motors salesperson is a minor character introduced in 'Tequila Ch. 03' in the First Time category.

"Eddy" instead of 'edited' and 'microwave' instead of Microsoft in the **Disclaimers were intentional mistakes. Some people just ain't happy 'less they gots something bitch 'bout. Y'all welcome, hear?

Have a swell day. And some of you, have a swollen day.