A Most Unusual Girl Pt. 02

I think my smile answered the question. On the way home we stopped for fuel and as we pulled up to the pump the couple on the other side of the pump was having a very heated discussion. It was a younger black man and woman, she was saying very little while he called her filthy names and berated her publicly. As I stepped from the car it looked as though he was going to strike her until I stepped in and shook my head. As he walked away he yelled, "Make sure you fill it bitch and wash that fuckin windshield, I'm getting tired of your sorry ass."

Joann was around the pump by then watching the girl dig into her purse for a debit or credit card. Jo looked at her hand, no ring, then at her sad looking face, seeming dejected and completely humiliated.

Jo was next to me, gave me a kiss and stepped toward the gal as the girls came begging for a candy bar. I knew Jo was going to intervene which was okay with me.

"Is that your husband? I don't see a ring on your hand. Why do you let him talk to you like that? It aint right."

She responded as she fumbled with the card, "No, he's my boyfriend, but he has other girls as well, so I'm not sure where I fit in. I have to buy the gas and pay for food if we go out. I don't like it at all, but what am I gonna do? I wish I had what you guys have, you look so in love and your girls are adorable."

As Joann was about to correct her, I took her hand and motioned to be quiet, then asked. "Are you serious about having what we have?"

"Yes, yes I am."

Jo jumped on that like a chicken on a June bug. "Then take that card out of the pump and let him buy his own gas. Do you live with him?"

"No, I have my own apartment and car, we're supposed to be going to a party, but I really don't want to."

Joann looked at me and I nodded, I guessed what I thought she might do. Jo took her hand.

"The first thing you need to do is get away from this asshole. Come with us, we'll take you to your house, or you can stay with me if you're afraid to be alone."

I'd given the girls a five for their candy bar, they were at the car all smiles, I motioned for them to get in the back as their mom continued encouraging her to come with us.

She was in tears, "What about the gas though, he'll be really pissed."

Joann being Joann let her have it, "Fuck him and his goddam car, let him wash his own windows. If you're serious about getting away from that fool get your skinny ass in the backseat, we're ready to leave."

I had watched the girls when they went inside and I could see the guy was still in there talking and carousing with two other guys, she looked toward the store, nodded at Jo and slipped into the backseat with the girls. As I drove away dipshit was walking toward the car looking around, Karen, as we found out her name was, scooted down so that he couldn't see her. She wanted to stay with Jo for the night if she was serious about the offer, we went to her apartment where she grabbed clothes and toiletries.

We were about to pull away when dipshit screeched into the parking lot, jumped out all blustery, puffed up and making threatening accusations. I've seen this behavior in other men, black, white, brown, yellow, red, green with blue stripes, they're all the same ... bullies. My past had taught me the way to deal with a bully is head on, and that's what I did. We were fairly equal in stature, I was maybe two inches taller but our body weight was probably within ten pounds of each other, I'm no Chuck Norris bad ass but I can hold my own, I didn't budge as he approached rapidly, arms flailing, acting all tough.

He was within five feet of me when I calmly said, "You'll want to stop there, or get your ass whooped. Your choice."

He halted, looking me up and down, yelling for Karen to get out of the car.

I stepped toward him and spoke with authority, "She isn't going with you dipshit, not now, not ever again. You don't get to treat women like they're trash, get in your car and drive away or let's get it on, once again, your choice."

He studied me for a minute or more in silence, I think he was trying to decide the same thing I was, can I whip his ass if one of us jumps. I calmed slightly as I saw him back down, first in body language, then in action as he backed up turned and went to the car yelling at Karen. Jo had wisely made the girls keep the windows rolled up, as I got in the car she asked if I was okay. I told her yes, not sure how the other guy was though, he looked shook up.

Karen was crying quietly and then spoke, "Thank you. I don't even know your names. I've been trying to get free of him for a few months ever since he started running with the guys from his old neighborhood. But now I'm all alone again, at 26 I want to be married with beautiful kids like yours."

"I'm Joann, this is Luke, the girls are Trina and Tracy. They're chatter boxes, if they start getting on your nerves just tell them to shush, although with their faces full of chocolate bar I don't think they'll talk much."

My mind was racing trying to keep up, just a few weeks ago she told me she wasn't interested in dating a white guy and here she is acting as if we are married, not that I would mind, it simply caught me off guard. She was in the middle turned to her left with her arm on the back of the seat talking with Karen, her knees were against my leg, her right hand at her side. Karen was asking all kinds of questions about the older car as Joann was rattling off answers as if she'd been in it all her life. Without thinking I put my hand on her knee, she stopped talking, I figured I'd overstepped my bounds and was ready to be put in my place, to my surprise she looked at me with a smile, before I could withdraw my hand she placed her right hand on top of mine. Looking back at Karen they carried on as though they were long lost friends with Karen finally bursting the bubble.

"I want you two to know how grateful I am, but at some point, I'll need to return to my apartment and face Andrew head on, which scares the crap out of me. I don't want to impose or be a burden on you guys."

As we pulled into the apartment parking lot Karen sort of looked around, then piled out with the girls as Jo and I led the way. Inside Jo showed her to Syd's room explaining her mom normally slept there but was gone for the weekend. I could see the wonder on Karen's face as Joann showed her around the apartment, then she addressed the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room.

"So ... where do you and Luke sleep? The bedroom you said was yours Joann only has a twin bed."

Joann smiled as she put her hand on my shoulder, "Oh sweetie, we aren't married, at least not yet. Soon though. Luke lives down the street a few houses, we'll have breakfast with him tomorrow. Won't we hon?"

"Oh, oh sure. Of course, as planned, I'll have everything ready by eight. Karen it was nice to meet you, see you in the morning."

Turning to walk out Joann whispered to Karen, "I'm gonna say goodnight, be right back in."

At the car I turned with a grin on my face and with a chuckle in my voice I asked, "What the heck was that all about?"

"Are you pissed at me? No, really? Then I didn't fuck things up beyond repair tonight? Luke I so wanted to help her and didn't know what else to do. Please forgive me if I've overstepped the boundaries."

I pulled her tight and kissed her hard, letting my hands graze across her ass squeezing softly as they worked upward to her hips.

"She's watching out the window. If I'm being too bold push me back. You didn't overstep any boundary, it caught me by surprise, and that's an understatement. Are you really comfortable enough with me to pretend we're married, cuz if you are you've made me a very happy man. You'd better go in before I get other ideas, well, I already have the ideas, I just haven't acted on them yet."

One last deep kiss from her as she pushed back a bit breathing hard. Using her hands to fan her face she smiled.

"I think you'd better go home Luke or we'll give that twin bed a workout and as much as I like you I aint quite ready for that. We'll see you in the morning."

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, *floating on a cloud*, as corny as it sounds there is no other way to describe how I felt as I idled down the street and into the garage. Gosh I loved this girl, her soft luscious lips, the way her curvy body fit against mine, her long curly hair, I imagined it cascading down across my face as she rode me bareback, our bodies full of sweat, out of breath and still not stopping on our journey to orgasmic bliss. It hadn't happened but I sure wanted it to, I hadn't been this awestruck in ages and it felt wonderful.

Sleep seemed elusive until I realized that though I'd laid in a dream for what seemed hours it was already six AM, time to haul my keester out of bed, shower and get ready for my guests. I had the sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs and pancakes in the oven, the French toast was about done, the aroma of fresh coffee filled the room and the last of the toast was in the toaster when I heard a sound I'd come to love. Trina and Tracy skipping down the road laughing and making little girl squeals as they led the parade, Jo and Karen close behind.

Breakfast was everything I hoped it would be, we ate until everyone was stuffed, the girls were going out to play in the backyard, I topped off the coffee cups and settled into my chair. I could see Karen was troubled.

"Karen, you look troubled, care to talk about it?"

"Going over this situation in my head, even though Andrew is an asshole I don't want to be alone. I know there are nice guys out there, I haven't found the right one yet and it frightens me. I'm 26, self sufficient and settled in life. Why can't I find a guy to marry and have babies with?"

Joann asked what it was that she did for a living. "I run the office for a chiropractor and his wife, they're both bone crunchers. I do all the insurances, answer phones, schedule appointments, screen obnoxious salesmen and whatever else needs doing. They pay me well, I have real benefits, I've been with them almost five years now. What is it you guys do?"

Joann jumped on that, it was then I learned she was working for me.

"He writes books, I do his art work and help around the place like a house keeper, as mom says, *it keeps me out of the taverns*."

With that comment we all laughed, I had an idea that I wanted to bounce off Karen and decided it was the right moment.

"Karen are you serious about finding a guy and settling down? If you are, I want to propose something to you." She nodded while Joann looked at me quizzically. "I have a friend who lives in Gulf Breeze, he used to live in Panama City but last year's hurricane wiped him out, he took the insurance money and opened his business in Gulf. This may sound outlandish but here goes, he told me a few months ago he's done with the wild life and is looking for a wife, one who wants to have kids. Would you like to meet him?"

She stammered and stuttered, "I, I suppose, maybe, I'm not sure. What's he like? Is he kind, you said he wanted to quit the wild life. What does that mean?"

"Okay, I'll give you the short version, if you meet him, he can fill in the blanks. He owns a motorcycle repair shop, a big repair shop, he employs eleven people. Yes, he's nice, he's kind and considerate, took him a while to get there, but he is. As for living a wild life, well, he was a biker before he was a businessman and he isn't proud of all that entailed. His mom died four years ago, it was her death that shook him loose and made him realize he was wasting his life."

"You said he was looking for a wife, as if that's some sort of commodity."

I knew I needed to clear this up, "If you knew him, you'd know what he means. He's tired of the nightclub and bar scene's, he's looking for a woman who's as ready to settle down as he is, that's what he means when he says he's lookin for a wife."

"Is he black? In case you haven't noticed I'm black. Are you sure he'd even want to meet or date a black girl?"

Shit, this was complicated, I decided to try anyway. "Well, yes, he's sort of black. His grandma was black and married a Korean guy, they had a mixed race daughter who then married a white guy which produced him, so you could say he's sort of black, Korean and white. If you're talking skin complexion, he's light, but it's obvious he has a black bloodline. I guess it's my turn to ask, does that really make an ounce of difference?"

I continued, "I mean, does it make a rats ass what color his skin is, or yours for that matter? Shit, I thought it was about the heart, not what frickin ethnicity you were from."

I knew I sounded a little pissed, and I was. Why the fuck did it always come down to this bullshit? I'm sitting next to a black girl that I'm head over heels crazy about and this twit brings up race. Joann took and squeezed my hand trying to comfort me at the same time telling me to shut the F up without uttering a word. I'd seen my mom do it to my dad hundreds of times, that or squeeze his knee, it was nothing new to me. I breathed deep and shut my mouth. The awkward quietness was broken by Jo.

"Well Karen, the balls in your court. Do you wanna meet this guy or not, what do you have to lose? You can always tell him to take a flying leap if you don't like him."

Karen thought, then asked, "When would I meet him? I'd like it to be somewhere neutral and safe."

It was my turn, "You can meet him this afternoon. His name is Theodore but call him Ted, he gets really pissed when people call him Theodore. I took the liberty of inviting him for a late lunch in the hopes that you'd agree to stay, maybe Jo has a swimsuit you can wear, if so, we can splash around in the pool for a while."

Joann gave her the one eyebrow cocked kind of look with a smirk plastered on her face. Karen asked if she was going to be present.

"Damn right I am. You think I'm gonna leave him with some fine ass chick like you in a bikini and me not be here to protect my interests? Not a chance sugar. The girls and I will be present to chaperone, mom called and said she wanted to stay with her sister until Wednesday so you can bunk at my place a few more nights. Let's help Luke with the dishes before I take you back and see if one of my bikini's will work for you."

Walking them to the door Jo stopped for a kiss as the others went ahead.

"Joann, she's a little bigger than you. How is she going to fit into your bikini?"

"She's not, she's mom's size and mom got a new bikini, it's conservative so she ought to feel comfy in it. Mom hasn't worn it yet and I'll buy her a new one after Karen wears it, it'll all be okay. See you about two sweet cheeks."

I smiled as I readied the chicken and burgers for the grill, I wanted to marinade the chicken and make up patties ahead. My mind began to ponder the earlier conversation, particularly what Jo had said to Karen. According to her statement I guess I'm her interest, apparently she's decided to take me up on the offer to work with me, and then there was *sweet cheeks*, no one had called me that in who knows how long. Maybe there will be time to sit and talk this afternoon, no, on second thought I need to make time to sit and talk. I needed answers, solid answers not simply comment's and could-be's.

Ted rumbled into the driveway on a bright red soft tail fat boy, I was expecting to see him on his older sportie. He was probably a half hour early which I knew he would be, it was simply his nature to be early, his motto was *I'd rather be twenty minutes early than twenty seconds late*.

Ted is a big man, six four and a solid two fifty, he and I go back to grade school, the teachers used to say what mischief one doesn't think of the other one will. We weren't malicious or mean, we were boys being boys. After graduation I'd gone off to tech school and he joined the Marines spending nearly all his duty in the middle east, with the corresponding PTSD and the nightmares that accompany being in battle for a lengthy period of time. Last I'd spoken with him he had most of the demons under his foot with only a periodic dream here and there. My Uncle Joe had done two tours in Nam and I recall he went through some of the same issues. I recall a preacher saying something years ago that stuck with me. The demons of war never change, they just have a new face with each war. How right he was.

I met Ted in the driveway with a man hug, slapping each other on the back and shaking hands profusely. Neither of us did fist bumps, we grabbed each other's hand and held on like we weren't gonna let go, it's what we'd always done. Joann texted saying they'd be a half hour late, which actually fit into my plan nicely. Nursing a beer by the pool I brought up his love life scenario, was he dating, did he have someone he was interested in, all kinds of nosey shit I'd get away with asking because of our long lasting relationship.

After ignoring me a few minutes he tilted his head back, "Nope, nobody. Gettin kinda tired of waitin, I wanna find a girl and start havin kids. Shit, I aint getting any younger."

I brought up his past, was he ready to truly settle down, was this a phase or was he sincere. Finishng his beer with a chug he glared at me, "Serious as cancer motherfucker."

That in turn opened the door for me, "Would you like to meet someone? I'm not trying to be a matchmaker, but my girl and I know someone who wants the same thing you do, to settle down and raise a family. She's in her mid twenties and is tired of the specimens she's been dating."

That statement seemed to pique his interest, "So tell me a little bit about her. Does she have a nice personality?" I nodded. "Is she ugly?" I shook my head. "Does she have tits and a pussy?" I nodded again. "Then hell ya I want to meet her."

"Okay Ted, one final thing. My girl is black and so is Karen. Does that affect your decision?"

"Fuck no. Like my drill sergeant used to say, pussy is pussy, they all look the same upside down. Luke you know I don't give a flyin fuck what color her skin is as long as we click. You say her name is Karen?"

As I was about to answer I could hear the girls sweet little voices coming across the yard. "Yes, it's Karen, and clean up your mouth, these are ladies and little girls not a troop of whores."

Jo and the others walked through the screen door, the girls were on my lap asking if the pool was ready, I nodded and they jumped right in. Joann bent over to kiss me as I rose, taking her in my arms I squeezed her tight, patted her butt through the sarong and moved to introduce the two strangers.

"Ted this is Karen, ... Karen, Ted. I'll get the grill started, either of you need a drink?"

He was about to give me shit in one of his foul mouthed answers when I gave him the look of death, he got the message and asked Karen if she would like a beer. Joann told them she'd get them they should sit and get acquainted. After taking them their beer Jo stood by my side at the grill where we were out of ear shot as we talked.

"Damn Luke, you didn't tell me he was Hercules. I think Karen about creamed herself when she saw him, my God he's handsome." I looked at her questioningly. "Nowhere as cute as you though Romeo, she can have him, I got my sights set on another hunk. They look good together don't they, she is hot as hell in that bikini."

Truer words had not been spoken, she made that conservative looking bikini stand out like a piano in a marching band. It hugged her in all the right places and accentuated every God given asset she possessed, she was not only hot, she was smokin hot, if Joann hadn't been what my heart and body longed for, I'd certainly pursue someone like Karen. They hit it off from the git-go, smiling, laughing, softly touching hands or a graze of finger tips on the forearm, I was proud of Ted, I hadn't heard him cuss once. He typically didn't care, he obviously liked Karen.