A Religious Experience - Afterward

This is a work of fiction. All characters and incidents portrayed and names within are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character or history of any person is entirely coincidental. All places mentioned are only used to provide a framework, not to imply anything in this story actually occurred in those places. Although everyone is a fiction of our imagination, any sex within is among persons over the age 18.

Foreword

Not much of the following tale will make sense unless the reader is familiar with the original story, "A Religious Experience" and with the characters within that story. Although that was a complete story, we were never quite comfortable with the way it ended. The tale below starts in the third person, but switches to the first person because we wanted John's voice to carry it to the end - to make it more personal. We know some of our readers are upset when the POV changes; if you're one of those – please stop reading now.

To recap: In 'A Religious Experience", Toni Beck, the wife of John Beck and mother of Jason Beck became involved in a cult-like church headed by a Reverend Holland. Toni had recently miscarried and needed comfort, the reverend provided it. Holland turned out to be a charlatan, using his charismatic personality to seduce women. Both John and Toni are recovered drug addicts, clean for years. Instead of turning to drugs to elevate the pain, she allowed a co-worker to convince her that Holland would ease her pain; Toni was eventually seduced by Holland.

At the Reverend Holland's urging, Toni took Jason and fled to another 'church' in New Jersey. Within weeks of arriving at the Reverend McMasters' compound, Toni realizes that both 'reverends' are sexual predators and only interested in using her body, not saving her soul.

John and his father, Tom Beck, hired a detective agency to find John's wife and son; which they did in the New Jersey compound. Both Jason and Toni were freed. With his son safe; John finds it impossible to forgive Toni and they divorce.

For the past two years, Toni has lived in Utah near the Four Corners, teaching on a reservation. John has custody of their now ten-year-old son, Jason, and lives in Houston near his brother TJ, sister Kelly and their respective spouses and children.

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A Religious Experience - Three Years Later

On the outskirts of Bluff, Utah

Toni looked at the display of the incoming phone call. Whenever she saw the number, her heart felt like it skipped a beat, she always answered while practically holding her breath. It was John's number and meant he needed to discuss something related to their son Jason; or it could be Jason calling to talk with his mom, usually some school or sports activity. Sometimes Jason wanted to tell Toni about the 'A' he received, sometimes it was his latest home run.

This didn't stop Toni from worrying the call might be John calling with something more upsetting: "Toni, Jason's been hurt." or "Toni, I'm getting married."

Neither of these ever happened – so far. But; neither did the one call Toni prayed for, "Toni, come home."

Toni pressed the green buttoned and said, "Hello."

It was John, not Jason. "Toni, hi. Something has come up and we need to talk."

Here it comes, thought Toni.

"Jason has been selected to the elite baseball team. He'll be the back-up second baseman and shortstop; he's pretty excited about it."

Toni let the air out of her lungs before answering, "That's great news, John. Jason has been telling me how much you and TJ have been helping him with his catching and batting. He must be very excited."

"He is; especially since he's the youngest kid on the team."

Now it was John's turn to hold his breath before continuing.

"Toni, there is one problem. Jason's team will be spending three weeks in June traveling and then the summer here in Houston hosting other teams. If he accepts the offer to be on the team, it means he won't be spending time with you in Utah."

Toni never thought of this. She knew there would come a time when Jason wouldn't want to spend his summers away from his friends; but this was a few years sooner than she anticipated.

John interrupted Toni's train of thought. "Toni, would you consider spending those three weeks the team will be traveling as one of the chaperones? They need a few adults and I can't get away from work."

Although Toni would love to spend the time as a chaperone, there were practical considerations. "I'd love to John; but who pays for the parent's hotels and meals?"

"The parents, these elite teams are hard to get on; but the parents end up spending a fortune for the privilege."

"Then I'll have to decline; money is tight now. My car is on its last leg and I don't know how I'm going to afford to replace it."

John knew the reservation school where Toni taught fifth graders paid less than most public schools; he never asked Toni regarding her financial situation. Being divorced, he didn't think it was his right to ask.

"Would you consider it if I paid the travel expenses? I think Jason needs to see you this summer and this is the only way he can play ball and see you."

They finally agreed Toni would chaperone and John would pay. Next came the topic of where Toni would stay while in Houston. Again, John insisted she stay with them, there was a spare guest room in the house.

The truth was, for the last three years John never stopped loving Toni. What he found hard to believe was the woman who claimed she loved him could have had sex with so many men during the months she spent with the Reverends Holland and McMasters.

And although Toni explained why she took Jason away to New Jersey, the fact that she did it still weighed on his mind. That issue was becoming less of an issue; for the past two summers, Jason visited his mother during vacation breaks and never once in those two years did Toni hint at keeping Jason longer than the scheduled visitation.

John also knew Toni spent a couple of the past years in therapy; dealing with the loss of their unborn daughter and her subsequent involvement with the Reverends. So, all in all, John was looking forward to any days Toni would spend in Houston before the three weeks traveling as the team's chaperone and for any time she'd spend after they returned home.

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Houston, Texas

As I sat in the airport cell phone lot waiting for Toni's flight to land, I was more nervous than any time in the last two years. My pits are sweating, even though the AC is on and I checked to confirm they didn't smell. It would have been the wrong day to forget my deodorant.

Neither Toni nor I ever discussed our love lives since the divorce. I knew she had a male friend who lived nearby her home in Utah; but I had no idea how serious their relationship was at present.

Me? Toni never asks, and I don't volunteer anything about my love life; which consists of a date or two every other month with women met through an online dating service and the occasional sex with a 'friend-with-benefits'. Just enough to take the edge off. In fact, I got laid the night before.

My 'friend', Barb, came over and spent what might end up being our last time together. Barb is taking a job in Atlanta and wanted to have a 'good-bye' session. Barb knows about Toni; that's probably one of the two reasons I wasn't invited to join her in Atlanta. The other reason? Barb is one of those highly independent women who, as she puts it, "doesn't need a full-time man".

But; boy can that woman turn you inside out. She was especially on fire last night in order to leave me, "with something special to remember me" by.

Sex with Barb is always special; but this was unworldly. Jason was spending the night at his cousin's; thank goodness. Barb and I were on the back patio when she sat down on my lap and started to kiss me. Her hands unbuttoned my shirt, I took off her top; not surprised to find her braless. Barb got off my lap long enough to pull my shorts down and her shorts followed. She sat back on my lap; carefully, because now I was sprouting wood and she didn't want to break it.

Barb's right hand caressed the back of my neck; her left hand found my hard cock and she squeezed until a few drops of pre-cum oozed out. She used that to lubricate the head and began teasing it with her open palm.

In the meantime I was busy tweaking one nipple between my fingers and had the fingers of my second hand doing the same thing with her clit. One thing about Barb; she cums fast and she cums often. Barb gently bit my lower lip as she came for the first time.

I rose off the chair with her still on my lap and turned to seat her in my place. I kneeled between her spread legs and dove face first into her sex. Barb grabbed my head with both hands and made damn certain I wasn't going anywhere for a while. Not that I had any intention to leave this spot until I was rewarded with her nectar.

With two fingers inside her pushing on the spongy area near her g-spot and my tongue and teeth teasing her clit, Barb gave me my reward. Her legs clamped the sides of my head, her fingers pulled my hair, she let out a long groin and arched her back as she filled my mouth with sweet fluid. When Barb let go of my head, I rose off my knees and gave her a kiss so she could taste herself.

Barb stood up, turned us around so I was sitting on the chair and proceeded to sit on my lap. My cock was rock hard and pointing up when she grabbed it by the base and aimed the head at the entrance to her cunt. She was so wet and I was so hard that I immediately sank inside, fully embedded within that velvet tunnel.

"Fuck me, John."

I grabbed her waist and did my best to slam into her over and over again. We fucked like that until I couldn't hold out any longer; I held her down, our pubic bones smashed together, as I unloaded inside her. I think Barb came, too; but really couldn't say for certain; I was too busy concentrating on my own pleasure at that moment.

We sat for a minute catching our breaths; it was a relatively dark night, as dark as it gets near an urban metropolis like Houston; the brighter stars in the sky were visible and I looked past Barb to enjoy the rare sighting of the Big Dipper.

Barb interrupted my search for the North Star.

"Let's take this inside, John; I think I'm getting bit."

So much for outdoor sex in Houston.

We did move straight to my room. Barb immediately jumped on the bed and got on all fours.

"Get that cock over here and let me get you hard again."

I stood next to the bed, right in front of her face. She swallowed my cock, it was already semi-hard, and kept a steady rhythm as she moved it in and out of her mouth. It was hard in no time. Barb turned around, her ass now pointing at me.

"C'mon; get on the bed and fuck me." It was a command, not a suggestion, and I did as instructed.

I began pounding into her while grabbing the cheeks of her ass when Barb surprised me again.

"John, pull out and put your thumb in my pussy. Get it lubed up with our juices."

I did it; wondering where this was headed.

"Now, pull your thumb out and stick your cock back in me. Yes! Now stick your thumb in my ass."

This was kind of a shock; Barb and I never did any ass play before. In fact, I never played with anyone's ass before. But, I figured, "What the hell!" and pushed my thumb right in there. It felt strange, what with the tight grip her ass had on my thumb.

"Fuck me hard now, John!"

With my thumb in her ass and my other hand alternating between squeezing and pinching her ass cheek, Barb turned into a whirling dervish of orgasms. Thank goodness the windows were closed because Barb just kept up a loud chant, "Fuck me, John. Fuck me, John." over and over as I kept up the pounding.

Finally, Barb had enough. "Cum, John, cum. I can't take any more. Please cum."

My heart was beating as fast as it does when I run any race; sweat was pouring out of my pores, wetting Barb's back, and I was getting tired. I slammed into Barb two or three hard strokes and came for the second time that evening.

After cumming, all I wanted to do was collapse on the bed; but I needed to wash my thumb off first. I jumped in the bathroom and decided a shower would be nice.

Barb jumped in the shower with me and we used all the hot water as we washed each other from head to toe. When we finished drying off, I asked Barb if she was spending the night.

"No, John; it's time for me to go. You have a big day tomorrow."

I wasn't about to argue with her; I was thoroughly sated. "Let me drive you home."

"That's all right. I'll call an Uber. You get some beauty sleep."

Barb got dressed and within ten minutes she received a text that the Uber driver was outside. At the door, Barb turned to me, gave me one hell of a passionate kiss and said, "Goodbye lover; thanks for the past year. Good luck with Toni." She turned and walked away. All I could think was a line from one of my favorite Westerns, "And she walked out of our lives forever."

Barb moved to Atlanta with a few weeks, I never saw her after that last kiss at my front door.

I slept well, woke up in the morning with a smile on my face; as Barb stated, today would be a big day. Last night helped make certain I wouldn't jump Toni's bones out of horniness. "Which would be so easy." I thought to myself as the call came through that her flight had landed and I could pick her up from in front of the luggage carousel. Toni and I hugged as soon as I was out of the car to help get her luggage in the back. Toni's smile practically melted my heart.

My sister, Kelly, planned a family barbeque for the day Toni arrived from Utah. Dad and his wife Sarah were in town from Pensacola. I felt sorry for Toni and while driving back from the airport, gave her the option of skipping the picnic. "Sorry. If you're too tired from the trip, I can just call and tell them we can't make it."

Toni laughed before replying. "You think too little of your sister. She called me last week and made certain I'd be OK with this get-together. I'm looking forward to seeing your family again."

We spent the half-hour drive to Kelly's home discussing Jason and what was happening with the various family members. Toni couldn't take it any longer. "Tell me about you, John. How's work? How are you?"

"Work's great. They tried to give me a supervisory position, but I refused it. It would mean I'd be herding cats and sitting in meetings instead of writing code and fixing problems. I think my boss was secretly pleased with my refusal. The company gave me a new title and a raise, senior analyst, which is largely a symbolic title; but shows they care about me and I still get to do what I'm best at."

I felt Toni place her hand on mine. "That's wonderful. I know how much you like it there."

Just then, we pulled into Kelly's drive. Toni stepped out of the car and was instantly hugging Jason, who ran out the front door to greet his mother. Behind Jason came the rest of the family, no one waiting until they were in the backyard before greeting her. Toni was crying, people were hugging, words were flying. I watched the entire circus from the front seat of my car. Mostly I watched my ex-wife; she was wearing a simple sundress that was conservative, but still flattered her body. "How does she stay in such great shape?" I wondered.

I followed as everyone went into the house; me still checking out Toni. My brother-in-law was standing in front of the open fridge, taking beer and soda orders. I decided to save my one daily beer to have with dinner and grabbed a Dr. Pepper.

Chaos is the only way to describe the next three hours. I couldn't help but think of the parable of the prodigal son. It's a parable I've always had trouble understanding. Why reward the son who left, had a great time, then comes home to a feast; but downplay the efforts of the son who stayed behind and worked his ass off in the family business? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

It was thoughts like these that still haunt me. Could I ever trust Toni with my heart again? It was also these thoughts that took every ounce of my will power not to start drinking; if only to receive temporary respite from the loneliness and aching.

The next few days went by quickly. I was busy at work, which was the reason I couldn't travel with Jason's team. When I came home from work each evening, I'd find a home-cooked meal on the table. The three of us would sit down for a family meal, then watch something on TV until it was time for Jason to go to bed. Despite my reluctance to renew our intimacy, I had to admit to being disappointed because Toni never attempted to seduce me. She wore conservative clothes and she'd go to the guest room soon after Jason went down each night. I knew she was still awake; I'd see the light on under the door as I passed later, on the way to my room.

What did I want? Did I want her to make the first move toward reconciliation? Would I accept her attempt if she tried? I decided we would have to have it all out when she returned from the trip.

One thing I learned within a few days of their leaving for the tour; I missed them both and missed those wonderful family meals.

On the morning of the day before Toni and Jason were due back home, I received two unexpected visitors at my office. Both showed me their badges from the U.S. Marshal's Office.

The female, a stout woman with short dark hair took the lead. "Mr. Beck, we've been trying to reach Toni Beck, your ex-wife. The local post office in Utah lists your address as the temporary address for forwarding mail. We went out to your home this morning, but no one answered the door. Do you have any idea where she is?"

I was stunned; why would two U.S. Marshals being looking for Toni. "Can I ask what this is about?"

"Of course; but I can only give you an abbreviated version. The Dallas office called us; they have one of Reverend Holland's past associates, a Mr. Glen Jackson, in custody on a variety of charges, including drug, weapons and rape. It seems the DEA picked up a drug dealer who is giving up his customers and suppliers in order to receive immunity. One of those customers is Jackson.

"From everything we read within the original FBI report; your ex-wife was most likely one of the women given the drug cocktail in order to reduce her inhibitions. The DA wants the maximum sentence for Jackson to keep this scum-bag rapist off the streets for the rest of his life."

The news hit me like a punch to my solar plexus and I could barely answer. "Toni is with our son, she's a chaperone with his traveling baseball team. She's in Waco tonight and due home tomorrow."

"Could we make arrangements for you to bring her to our offices soon after she arrives home? The sooner the better."

"Of course. I have no doubt she'll want to talk to you. Whether she has any information of value, that I don't know. But we'll be there tomorrow afternoon; if that's all right."

"Tomorrow afternoon would be great; here's my card. Call me when you know what time we can meet. Thanks for your help."

As the two officers left; I was still in a state of semi-shock. Toni may have been drugged? It didn't explain all her strange behavior three years ago; but it did put more pieces of the puzzle together. I decided to take the next day off and drive up to Waco to give Toni a heads up about the marshals. It would also give me a chance to watch this evening's game in Waco. I told the admin I was leaving early and wouldn't be in tomorrow.

After collecting a change of clothes, I made the drive to Waco in just under three hours. My 67 Camaro still runs great and it took a whole lot of will-power to keep the speedometer under ninety. There was one close call half-way to Waco; luckily, I saw the brake lights of the cars in front of me and slowed down before the speed trap and didn't get pinged.