I Ask For It

"Are you okay?" I asked as I held it fully inside her.

"Yes, oh god that feels so good." She pushed up with her hips.

I began to slowly move in and out of her. With each push she sighed, "Oooh, oooh, oooh, aaah, aaah, yes, yes, AAAH." She pulled me to her, a series of shuddering movements went through her body before she sank back on the bed. It was at this time that my cock erupted, filling the condom with my first climax.

We lay together for some minutes until he had subsided. I withdrew from her and peeled the condom off, tying a knot in it, I placed it on the bedside cabinet. Taking her in my arms I kissed her. "I don't know that I've ever felt anything like this. The books never prepared me for how I'm feeling right now. Chantelle, I love you so very much."

"No more than I love you." We kissed and lay beside each other for some time, her hand on my cock, until he began to get hard again. "Do you have any more condoms?"

"Yes."

"Good, I want this again."

"I only have one more."

"Then you'll have to get more, won't you?"

"I, we need to discuss this, I love you very much and love that I was the one to take your virginity, and pleased that you were the one to take mine. I feel the urge to shout from the treetops that Chantelle and I are lovers, but that would not be a good move. We need to keep this moment to ourselves and treasure it. This moment will never happen again. Don't get me wrong, we will make love again, as often as possible, but we must be careful, we must, for the time being, tell no-one. Our friends, especially our church friends, must not find out that we have done this, after all, we are taught that we have to save the moment that we have just taken until we are married."

"I know Darling, This was everything that I had hoped for. It didn't have the bells that the romance novels told me that it would have, it had much more. You, Geoffrey Thompson, and I Chantelle Prescott, are spiritually the one person. We are married in spirit but not in name. I could not imagine that I could be happier than I am now. But now I have to take this towel and soak it in the laundry tub. I will have to wash it so that it's dry before my parents get home."

While she rinsed the towel and put it in the washing machine I disposed of the used condom and got the other from my pocket in readiness for our next lovemaking.

Chantelle made a sandwich and coffee for us and we played house, making believe that we were husband and wife relaxing over a light lunch on Saturday after a hard week at work, and in preparation for whatever we had planned for this evening.

We made love once more, every bit as good as the first, and I bought a pack of condoms on our way home for dinner. Dad and I chatted about the house and what I would need to do, while Chantelle and Mum were in the kitchen getting dinner ready.

"Chantelle, I know that it's not for me to question the decisions that you and Geoff have made, but you will be careful, won't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You have been making love, haven't you?"

"How...?"

"It was obvious to me as soon as you walked in the door, you had a different look. Don't worry, I'll not let on to anyone, just be careful, I don't want you getting a bad name. Oh, just so you know, I'm happy for you, both of you."

"Thank you, we thought about it for a long time before actually doing it and I don't think that it could have been more perfect. We wanted to do this because we felt that it would bring us closer together."

"And, did it?"

"Oh yes, I have never been this happy, and it's because of this decision that we both made."

"Come on, let's get the men fed before they start complaining."

"What were you two talking about in there?" Dad asked, "we could have died of starvation while you were chatting away in the kitchen."

"Just girl talk, you wouldn't be interested." Mum said.

After dinner, we sat around and discussed what we needed to do before we actually got married and how much time we needed before the 'big day'. We set ourselves nine months to get everything done with the house and a garden established so that we would have little to do after we moved in.

We spent most weekends working on the house. Chantelle pitched in, not scared of getting messed up by dust and paint. We spent some weekends going from second-hand shop to second-hand shop, buying essential things like cooking appliances, cutlery and crockery. We bought a bed and christened it, resulting in a decision that a new mattress was in order.

Our friends at the Youth Fellowship had accepted that we were going to be the first of the crowd to take the plunge. When the time came, Barry and Jim had agreed to be my Best man and Groomsman, while Chantelle had Tracey and Jan as her attendants.

Someone must have said something to Reverend Oliver because he took Mum to one side after church and asked her if she had any concerns about the amount of time that we had been spending 'unsupervised' while working on the house. It was a new experience for Mum, this biting of the tongue and avoiding saying exactly what she was thinking. "Geoff and Chantelle have been working very hard on the house that they have bought, there was a lot of work to be done, and if you had seen them at the end of a hard day you would know that they had no energy left to get into trouble. My husband and I, and Chantelle's parents are well aware of the temptations that they could have quite easily given in to, but we trust them enough to know that they have the strength and not given in to them. Now if you feel that they have done something that would prevent you, as their minister, someone that they respect, from officiating at their wedding, then we will have to go somewhere else, after letting people know why you have made your decision."

"Oh no, I don't have a problem, it's just that it was mentioned to me. I know them and know that they would do nothing wrong, I told that to the person that raised the issue."

A week before the wedding I was beginning to rethink my decision of having Barry as my Best man. He was getting on my nerves telling me how he'd support me when Chantelle gets cold feet and doesn't go ahead with the wedding. "Mate, all she has to do is to look around to realise that she could have done a lot better than you as a husband."

"I suppose that you think that you're the right person for her?"

"Now that you mention it, yes."

"Dream on. She has chosen me, end of story." But he didn't let up. We had a bucks night and he got really drunk and began to shoot his mouth off to our friends. Jim took him aside and told him to shut up. He told Jim to get lost, actually, that wasn't what he said, but I'm not going to use the language that he did.

He apologised to me and to Jim the next day and promised that he would say no more. He admitted that he had been jealous of me and Chantelle, he thought that he was in with a chance before she chose me.

The big day arrived and the church was filling. With five minutes to go before she was due to arrive we, Barry, Jim and I were standing in front of the altar.

The time came but no Chantelle. Five minutes passed and still no Chantelle.

I don't think that Barry was joking when he said to me, "See, I told you that she'd get cold feet."

"No, she hasn't."

I was concerned when, five minutes later, Jim went to the front door and looked outside. There was a worried look on his face when he came back. "Tracey and Jan are out there, but there's no sign of Chantelle."

"See, I told you." Barry said, gloating.

Fifteen more minutes had passed and even I was having disturbing second thoughts. Some of the guests had left, not wanting to be there to see my disappointment, while those remaining, continually turned to look at the front door.

Please don't feel sorry for me, it's my own stupid fault for falling in love with her. Sure, the fact that she singled me out for attention was flattering, to say the least, and I loved it. I loved the look on my mates' faces when she came over to me during the church youth fellowship dance and dragged me onto the dance floor.

"Get a grip Geoff," I told myself, something must have happened to her.

The smirk disappeared from Barry's face when the front door was flung open and Chantelle burst through, running down the aisle followed by Tracey and Jan and a policeman.

She flung herself into my arms, sobbing, "Oh Darling, something terrible has happened." I noticed that her dress was splattered with blood.

"Geoffrey," the policeman said, "There has been an accident, her father is badly hurt and is on his way to hospital by ambulance. Chantelle wanted to go with him but he told me to bring her here, 'The wedding must go on,' he told me." He turned to Reverend Oliver. "It is Mr Prescott's wish for the wedding to proceed."

"Very well." He looked at both of us, we nodded, "Ladies and gentlemen we are gathered here in the sight of God to join together this man, and this woman, in the bonds of Holy matrimony. Who gives this woman?"

"I have been asked to stand in for the father of the bride." The policeman said. He placed her hand in mine and stepped back.

The wedding, instead of the joyous occasion that we had planned, was a sombre affair, sure there was confetti showering on us as we left the church and the obligatory photos, but as soon as they were out of the way, Chantelle and I got into the police car and, with siren blaring and flashing lights, we were driven to the hospital and taken to the emergency ward. "How is he?" Chantelle asked.

"I'm not going to sugar coat this, it doesn't look good." The treating Doctor told us.

"Can we see him?" I asked.

"Only for a minute or two, we just about to take him to the operating theatre."

"Daddy," Chantelle said as she laid a hand on his shoulder, "Daddy I'm here, with Geoff, we're married."

His eyes didn't open, his lips moved and he whispered just loud enough for us to hear, "That's great . . . " Chantelle kissed him on his cheek as he was wheeled out of the cubicle.

Our mothers arrived together. "I explained the situation and told the guests to head for the reception and start without us and that we'd get there as soon as we could. Now, what's the latest?"

"He's just been taken into surgery, we know nothing more at this stage, except that it doesn't look good." I told them

"We bought your going-away dress," Mum told Chantelle, "why don't you find somewhere to change and get out of that dress that's dripping with blood." Trust Mum to exaggerate.

"No, I'll stay in this, for the time being, it's my day, my wedding day, and I'll wear my wedding dress for as long as I like." Chantelle had a real purpose in her voice that I'd only heard a few times, usually when she was asserting her position on something.

A nurse came in, "That's a nice dress, on your way to a wedding?"

"No, we were when the accident happened. It was my father's wish that we went ahead with it, but here we are, now, waiting to see what happens next."

"It will be sometime before we know anything, why don't you go to the reception and have a good time, there is little that you can do at this time. If you like we can call the reception venue if we have any news before it finishes."

Some of the guests had got into the spirit of the free food and wine and were having a good time, but many were in a sombre mood, including the wedding party, and this included Barry who again apologised for running off at the mouth.

Mum disappeared for about fifteen minutes and when she came back in she revealed just what a tower of strength she was, "I have cancelled and re-booked your flight for when you're ready when we should have a clearer idea what's going on. I've spoken to the hotel in Hobart and they have been very good. The room that you had booked has been upgraded to a suite for whenever you get there and for however long you stay. The tours that you had booked have been cancelled and will be re-booked when we know more. Please, I know that you don't feel like it, but try to forget this for a while and enjoy your wedding day. I know that your hotel booking for your first night is in Hobart, but for tonight I have booked the Bridal Suite at the Hilton. I had thought of taking you home with us but decided against it, I wanted to get some sleep and I don't think I could have it with you two going at it in the next room."

"You didn't have to do this." I told her.

"The two of you are in no condition to be making decisions, now go, enjoy yourself."

We did but we didn't. We did go to the hotel but we didn't enjoy ourselves, neither of us felt like making love so we went to bed and held each other, taking strength from our closeness.

The next day the news from the hospital was not good. He had several broken ribs that made it difficult for him to breath, he had a depressed fracture of the skull that had put pressure on his brain, he was in a coma and on a respirator. An intravenous drip provided nutrition and medication while a catheter disposed of the bodily wastes. Doris looked terrible but refused to go home. The staff had tried to make her comfortable with little success.

"Mum, you should go home and try to get some sleep. Geoff and I will stay here and let you know if anything changes."

"I can't leave him, I promised that I would stand by him in sickness and in health. He needs my support now more than he has ever needed it. I cannot abandon him now."

"But we'll be here, we are as much his family as you are, let's just say that you have delegated us as you representatives to watch over him."

"I'll be back in a minute." I told them.

A minute later I returned. "Mother is coming over and if anyone can get her to go home it'll be her."

Mum didn't let me down. She sat with Doris and whispered to her for several minutes before both of them stood up. "I'm taking her home with me, I'll bring her back after she has rested and had something to eat. You will let us know if there's an improvement."

I knew that she had caught herself before she said 'development', chosen to go with a positive word.

They left Chantelle and me to hold the fort. We sat as close as possible, me with my arm around her and her with her head on my shoulder.

"I thought that you two were supposed to be on your honeymoon." It was a nurse that was here when he was admitted.

"We couldn't leave Dad here, he needs our support. The honeymoon will just have to wait. We wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway."

"But the anticipation of your first night as husband and wife, you'll miss out on that."

"We want that to be perfect." I said, kissing Chantelle. "The making love for the first time, let's just say that's no longer possible."

"Ah, so you've already done it, good for you. I don't believe in all that hype about saving yourself for marriage. The first night is too late to find out that the performance doesn't meet expectations."

"Our first certainly met all of our expectations, and then some." Chantelle said, kissing me.

"Seeing you together I don't doubt that. Now I've got to check on your father." She went in and fussed around him, checking his vital signs and writing results on the folder at the foot of the bed. "He's doing as well as we'd expect, given his injuries and it looks as if he will make a full recovery, in time. We'll be checking him hourly unless one of the monitors tells us otherwise. Why don't you go downstairs, there's a cafeteria where you can get something disgustingly fattening to raise your blood sugar levels."

We stayed where we were. "This isn't how I saw the beginning of our life together." Chantelle said.

"We began our lives together when we first met. It was as if Him up there," I pointed heavenward, "predetermined that we were to be together."

Later in the day, they operated on him to repair the damage to his skull and relieve the pressure. Once that happened regained consciousness. Chantelle and I were there when he came around and he was glad to see us and even more so when we told him that the wedding went ahead as he requested and that we were husband and wife.

He was released from hospital a week later, still having problems breathing. That would take time for the ribs to heal. Mum's organisational abilities were put to good use and Chantelle and I left on our belated honeymoon.

We stayed in Hobart and took in the sights of what was originally a penal town populated by involuntary immigrants and their gaolers. The architecture was old by Australian standards (200 years) and quite interesting.

We went up to the top of Mt Wellington but the view was disappointing, we passed through thick cloud on the way up and all that we could see was the tops of clouds. We spent the next day on the Tasman Peninsular, passing through the dog gate at Eaglehawk Neck where the isthmus was a mere thirty metres wide and dogs were chained across it to stop prisoners from escaping the penal settlement of Port Arthur. A few did.

The old buildings were a testimony to the harsh conditions that the convicts were subjected to. It was no wonder that they wanted to escape.

We arrived home a week later to find Chantelle's father much improved.

Someone and I suspected my mother, had been in our house readying it for our moving in. There was food in the cupboards and the fridge was stocked, Towels were set out in the bathroom along with toiletries including Chantelle's favourites and my shaving gear.

Our first night in our own home was exactly what we had hoped for. We shared cooking and washing up duties, we shared the shower cubicle, it was a tight fit but that didn't bother us, we enjoyed soaping each other in preparation of the anticipated first official use of the matrimonial bed.

When Chantelle pulled back the sheet we found a towel spread out and a note attached. 'I know that this is not necessary, but you can pretend that this is your first time'. We left it there to soak up the mess that we made. I did not use a condom because Chantelle told me that it was her 'safe time' but wasn't worried if she fell pregnant, so, in fact, it was our first time, without protection.

She didn't fall pregnant, so we used condoms until the birth control pill became available.

Chantelle taught in a Primary School for five years before circumstances caused her to resign. Three months later our son Alyd was born, followed eighteen months later by our daughter Rachel.

Family life is good for us, we see our parents often and the kids love their grandparents and vice versa. Chantelle's older sister Michelle returned to the fold, along with our niece Brianna, who is a little cutey.

In a turn up for the books, Barry and Michelle got together and their wedding is in a week's time. I am to be his Best man and I've already told him that there will be no mercy shown in my speech. That's not true but I can't resist the opportunity to watch him suffer.

I pity a world without love, without the romance of love.