Charlie's Pain And Healing

"After he ate her to an orgasm he crawled over her and..." Amanda began crying harder. Charlie put his arm around her and held her until she stopped crying. Amanda turned her head to Charlie and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. She said, "Thank you. I'm sorry I dumped on you but that poor woman... I just remembered all the hurt again. But I got that Bastard. I took pictures with my phone and used them in the divorce."

More beer and more snacks were consumed. Charlie once more staggered back to his truck but this time he and Amanda were holding each other up and laughing uncontrollably. Charlie clambered up into the bed and lay back on his still inflated air mattress. He felt something wasn't right. Finally he grinned and sat up. He fought with his boots until he had them off then lay back with a sigh.

The next morning he felt strange when he awoke. He was on his side and there was something pressing him back against the cool wheel well. Charlie had his typical morning wood and it was pressed into something soft. His left hand was cupping a.... Charlie lunged up and back as far as he could. He had been holding a very nice breast! At least they were both clothed!

When he jumped Amanda woke. She turned on her back and stretched her arms over her head. She turned her head and looked at Charlie and grinned. "What's the matter cowboy?" she asked.

Charlie felt his face burn and he said, "I... How did you get here? I'm sorry; I just used to do... sleep like that with someone else. I don't even know how you got here I just woke up and..."

Amanda broke out in the sunniest peal of laughter Charlie had heard in several months. Through her laughs she managed to say, "Oh Charlie you're the best. I remember us trying to climb into the truck so you could go to bed. I helped you get your boots off then I don't remember much until I woke up in the middle of the night. We were sleeping like we were when you woke up. I needed to pee and I was going to go back to my truck after. When I tried to get up you held me tighter and moaned. I finally told you I had to go to the bathroom and I would be right back. You seemed to relax. When I came back you grabbed me and held me again. We went back to sleep."

Amanda looked at Charlie once more then said, "Charlie, who's Charlene?"

Amanda looked scared when Charlie's face clouded up and he choked out a cry. She reached for him and he held up his hand. He said, "She's my deceased wife. Why?"

Amanda moved beside him and pulled him to her. She said, "Charlie when I started to get up last night and you were holding me you said, 'no, don't leave me please Charlene.' Like I said, you wouldn't let go until I promised to come back. Charlie I'll listen if you want me to."

Charlie looked at her for a moment then began to tell her the story of Major Charlene Fielding. He didn't realize he was talking so loudly but when he got done he heard murmurs and looked up from Amanda's teary eyes. There must have been 25 people standing around his truck listening. Most of them walked by the truck and told him they were sorry before they left.

Charlie and Amanda stayed at the festival until it ended. He checked on Sophie twice a day but the rest of the time he and Amanda enjoyed the festival. Now everywhere he went people would call him Doc and many of them would comment on how sorry they were about Charlene. Unless he insisted he didn't have to pay for anything else during his stay.

On the last day of the festival Charlie found himself strangely hesitant to leave. He and Amanda stood outside her truck talking for a couple of hours. Sophie had already been loaded but they couldn't seem to part. Finally he leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. "It's been fun," he said. "We have to get on the road or we'll be here this time tomorrow."

Amanda felt the tears in her eyes when Charlie turned to walk off. She yelled, "Charlie. You promised to call me. Don't forget." Charlie turned and waved. He got into his truck, powered it up and with a wave he was gone.

Amanda sighed, entered her truck and followed him down the highway. They were headed the same way. They both had to drive through Yellowstone. Charlie had intended to spend some time in the park but when he got there he decided to just drive straight through. He noticed Amanda followed him.

Finally Charlie could drive no longer and pulled into a campground. He had gotten a spot and started to get into his truck when he stopped in shock. Amanda had pulled in beside him and was looking at him with a strange look on her face. She said, "Hey Cowboy. I'm looking for a good place to camp tonight. You got somewhere I can lay down my bedroll?"

Charlie smiled and said, "Yeah, I guess I do. Sure hope you weren't planning on a fancy meal though. The larder is a little bare."

Amanda grinned and replied, "Oh, I think we can work something out. Lead on to this soft rock you have scoped out."

Once again after he set the camp up Charlie sat watching the sun go down. From time to time a hiker would say hello and many would stop to talk before passing on. Twice he was sitting watching Amanda prepare the meal and someone would say "Hello Doc." He would just smile and answer back. If they wanted to talk he talked.

To his surprise just as he and Amanda were finishing supper a large RV stopped and the passenger window rolled down. Donna stuck her head out and yelled, "Hello Charlie. Where ya been?"

Charlie smiled and said, "Why don't you come over for a beer and we'll talk about it?"

"OK. Be back in a few minutes." The RV rolled on.

While they were gone Charlie explained to Amanda who Donna and Jack were. She said, "Wow they sure sound like nice people. Do you think they'll mind if I'm here?"

Charlie laughed and stood up. "Why don't you ask them? Hey Jack, how's it going?" he said. Charlie walked a couple of steps forward and stuck his hand out for Jack to shake. When he let Jack's hand go Charlie was knocked back because Donna leaped at him and gave him a big hug.

"Oh, Charlie," she said. "It's great to see ya again. Now who's this?" she asked when she turned toward Amanda.

Charlie laughed and said, "Jack, Donna this is Amanda. I helped her out a little around Rock Creek Montana and since we're heading in the same direction she decided to camp with me tonight."

Amanda grinned and stuck out her hand for a shake as she walked up to Jack. She did the same for Donna but got a quick hug instead.

Everyone was on their third beer when a scraggly looking couple walked past the camp. They stopped and returned. The man stood for a minute and then grinned. He said, "Hey Doc. Ya been stompin' any more snakes fer tha little lady? Sure was glad ta see ya put ole Snake in his place. Well we gotta go. We're over there if ya need anythin'. See ya around."

Charlie had waved and said hi when the couple walked up but hadn't said anything else before they left. He sat there sort of surprised. Donna picked up on that and asked, "Charlie why did he call you Doc and what was that about stomping snakes?"

Charlie looked embarrassed and started to answer when Amanda broke in. She said, "Now Charlie you just hush. I get to tell this story. You just sit there and look brave."

Amanda proceeded to tell the story from the time she met Charlie until they had met Jack and Donna that night. She murmured, "Oh, Charlie I'm so sorry but it gets better" when Amanda told her about him holding onto her when she tried to get up to pee.

Donna laughed again hard enough she spewed her beer when Amanda told her about Charlie's antics on awakening to find her in his arms in his truck.

Charlie looked at Donna when Amanda stopped talking. He saw some tears running down her cheeks. Jack also saw the tears and reached out to pull her to him. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and gave her a gentle kiss. Donna sighed and leaned into Jack's embrace.

Donna looked up at Jack then turned to Charlie and Amanda. She began talking. She said, "Charlie Jack is my second husband. We've been married almost thirty years but I still feel the pain of my first husband's death. Stan was one of the last casualties of the Viet Nam War. It took me several years to begin to live again and to be ready to accept another man into my heart. I have been so blessed with Jack. Not many men-or women for that matter-could accept or understand the love you will always have in your heart for your first deceased spouse. I was so blessed when Jack came along and I'm doubly blessed that he understands the pain that is still there. He knows I don't love him any less and at times I hate myself for putting him through the pain with me but he is my rock. I know I would die if he ever leaves me. I..."

Donna looked sharply at Amanda and furrowed her brow. She stared a moment longer and said, "Honey you remember this when Charlie has one of his spells years from now. You remember he doesn't love you any less. He just didn't get to say good-bye properly to Charlene and it hurts. No longer than I have known him I know he's one of the good ones. You treat him right and you'll have a wonderful life together."

Donna stood and reached for Jack's hand. She said, "Now come on you old fool. Let's let these kids get to sleep or whatever!" She looked back at Charlie and Amanda and laughed.

Amanda was sitting there with her mouth open. Her face was scarlet. She kept moving her lips then finally she squeaked out, "It's not like that. I... We're just friends traveling together."

Donna laughed and said as they walked down the road, "You just keep on telling yourself that honey. I've seen you watching him all night. You are already noticing what he needs and jumping to get it for him even if you don't realize it. You don't convince me but you just keep on saying it. It'll come back to haunt you on your wedding day."

Amanda sat staring after Jack and Donna for several minutes. Charlie was shocked too so it was a very quiet camp for a while. Finally Charlie said, "Well, I guess I'll turn in. See ya in the morning."

Amanda looked at him and whispered, "Nite." She sat there and watched Charlie inflate his air mattress, place it in the bed of his truck and lay on top of his sleeping bag. She blushed when she saw his pants and shirt come off to hang over the bed rail. He then rolled them together to make a pillow and settled in.

When she walked past the rear of his truck Amanda glanced at Charlie. There was a large bulge in the front of his underwear and his ass was so tight! She felt herself blush once more.

Amanda could not get comfortable lying on her ground cloth. Her air mattress had sprung a leak at the testyfest and she had not replaced or patched it. Finally with a muttered curse she gave in to the temptation and gathered her sleeping bag in her arms. She quietly walked to Charlie's truck and climbed into the bed with him. She spread her bag on the bed beside his and settled in for the rest of the night.

The next morning Amanda and Charlie were awakened by a big blast on an RV horn. When he woke he was once again nestled spoon fashion with Amanda, his left hand cupping her breast over her shirt. They both raised their heads and saw Donna and Jack smiling as they drove past and out of the campground.

Charlie looked down at Amanda and raised his eyebrows. She blushed and said, "I couldn't sleep. The ground was too hard." Charlie grinned and said nothing, he just got out of the truck and rummaged in his bags until he found his toilet kit and towel. He began walking toward the rest room and showers.

Amanda once more rolled onto her back and stretched her arms over her head. Her breasts thrust up and strained the buttons of her shirt. She smiled while she thought of Charlie. Finally she forced herself to move. She was busily making breakfast when Charlie came back to camp clean and freshly shaved.

Charlie stopped and watched with appreciation while Amanda moved around. He hated to admit it to himself but he really enjoyed her company. She was so beautiful to watch and she didn't even seem to know it. So many beautiful women were high maintenance that he usually didn't even give them a second look.

After they had eaten Amanda asked if Charlie would clean up while she took care of Sophie. She had only gotten a short walk and rubdown the night before so Amanda wanted to take more time with her that morning. Charlie said, "Sure. No problem. Before I do that though why don't I come with you and check on my patient. I want to make sure that injury is healing OK."

Amanda smiled and walked toward the trailer where Sophie was tied. Charlie followed her and caught himself admiring the way she moved. She seemed to just glide over the ground and her ass moved in such a beguiling manner, her ponytail wagging from side to side with her steps. When Amanda reached Sophie she turned and looked over her shoulder. She smiled when she saw Charlie was watching her.

Amanda calmed Sophie while Charlie checked her injury. After he looked at it closely he said, "I think it's fine now. I still don't want you riding her for another week though. If she has any more problems you need to have your Vet look her over.

Amanda smiled and turned to face Charley. She reached out and placed her hands on his hips. Before he knew what she was doing she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a fast gentle kiss on the lips. She stepped back, smiled a gentle smile and said, "Thank you so much. Sophie is so special to me." She turned and began rubbing Sophie with a currycomb.

Charlie walked back to his truck and finished his assigned task. By the time Amanda was done with Sophie Charlie was packed and ready for the road again. He watched while Amanda loaded Sophie into her trailer and latched the door.

Amanda walked up to Charlie and stood facing him. She took a deep breath and said, "Charlie I know you're on your way home but... Well, I would sure like it if you would come by our place on your way down to Durango. It's not much out of your way since you said you were going to go west to Glenwood springs to pick up the road to Montrose. We're only a few miles off the road to the east... Please? I want Mama and Papa to meet the man that saved Sophie and saved me from the Snake. We'll fill you with home cooked food and I'll show you some of my favorite spots on the ranch. C'mon. It'll be better than camping. We have a nice soft bed you can use and everything."

Charlie thought a while then said, "Sure, why not. I don't have to get home any time soon and I intended to stop from time to time to sight see. I think I'd like that."

Amanda felt the tension drain from her body when Charlie agreed to come meet her parents. She smiled a sunny smile and said, "We better get going. It's a long days drive or a short two-day drive. What do you want to do?

Charlie smiled and said, "Let's just go for it. If we get tired we can still stop somewhere. You lead the way and I'll follow." Amanda smiled again and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she scurried to her truck and they began the long drive.

After several stops it was nearing ten p.m. when they finally turned off the road onto a dirt trail. Amanda stopped and skipped back to Charlie's truck. She gave him a quick kiss when he rolled down the window and said, "It's only about ten miles now. There are a couple of rough spots but I can make it fine so I'm sure your rig will do OK."

While he followed her down the dusty lane Charlie thought about what he was doing. He was beginning to wonder about Amanda. It sure seemed like she was kissing him a lot and he remembered what Donna had said. Could it be? Naw, heck Amanda was just that kind of woman. It probably didn't mean any more than when Donna hugged him those few times. Still, there was something about Amanda?

By the time they had unloaded Sophie and put her in her stall all the lights were on in the house. As Charlie and Amanda walked up the porch steps an older man and woman opened the door and came out. The woman reached Amanda and enveloped her in a tight hug. The man stood looking at Charlie with a questioning look on his face.

Amanda introduced Charlie to her parents, Homer and Annalee Stiles (she had taken her maiden name back after the divorce). After the introduction Amanda said, "Momma, Daddy, Charlie is my savior and I had to bring him home to meet you. Sophie jumped wrong and stabbed a broken branch into her leg. It got infected and she was getting really bad but Charlie fixed it. He is a veterinarian and took good care of her."

Amanda got a sheepish look on her face and continued, "He also... Well there was this biker and, well Charlie had to get a little rough with him. He didn't know how to take no for an answer..."

Annalee frowned at Amanda then turned her sunny smile on Charlie. Homer stared at Charlie as if he was taking notice of him for the first time. He started to say something when Annalee beat him to the punch. She said, "Well then Charlie you're triply welcome in our house. Why don't you come in and we'll get you set up for the night. It's late and I know you kids have had a long drive today."

In no time Charlie was settled in a large airy bedroom just down the hall from Amanda. He took a quick shower and settled gratefully into bed. He didn't move until early the next morning. He heard a knock on his door and was rising on his elbow when Amanda burst through the door and sat on the side of his bed. She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss then said, "Get up sleepyhead. Mama says breakfast will be ready in five minutes."

Charley was struggling out of the bed when he realized he was nude like he usually slept. Just as he began to pull the covers back over himself Amanda grabbed them out of his hands and threw them back. She gasped and blushed. Her hands flew to cover her mouth and she began stammering out an apology.

Charlie was trying to cover himself when Mr. Stiles knocked on the open door frame. When he turned into the room he began talking, "Annalee says you two kids need to hurry before it gets..." He stopped and stared at Charlie until the covers finally covered his crotch once again. He glanced from Charlie to Amanda and back. He cleared his throat and backed from the room.

They could hear him walking down the stairs once more. Charlie looked at Amanda. She was still scarlet and had her hands covering her face. He started laughing and grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands from her face. He laughed harder when they heard Amanda's father say, "Annalee I think you'd better put the kids breakfast in the warmer. I don't think they'll be comin down any time soon."

Amanda blushed a deeper shade of crimson if that was possible and Charlie laughed harder. He said, "Well now miss peeping Thomasina. Look at the mess you got yourself into this time. Now why don't you just scurry along while I get decent and we'll try to straighten this out?"

Amanda looked at Charlie and gave him a little grin and said, "Yeah, I guess we need to don't we? See you downstairs."

When Charlie walked into the kitchen he saw Amanda sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in front of her. She was still pretty red but her mother was smiling gently. Charlie heaved a sigh of relief when her father looked at him and gave him a quick wink. He said, "Well now if the horse play's all over with how about we get to breakfast. I have a lot of work to do today."

Over an excellent meal Charlie and the Stiles got to know each other much better. They were sorry for his loss and told him so. They were thankful for what he had done for Amanda. Again they told him so. Charlie didn't go into any more detail than he had to about his family and their operations. He merely said they owned a company that operated a Feed and Farm store and a fishing resort in southwest Missouri. He was going back home to start over and open a new veterinary clinic in his hometown.