I Will Love You Forever Pt. 2 Ch. 07

"Just imagine all of the men we could save while they're incarcerated!" her aunt Rhoda gushed that morning at breakfast.

"Yes Lord!" her uncle Leroy exclaimed.

"Are you set for the first bible study?" Rhoda asked as she poured Leroy and then herself another cup of coffee.

Becca only half listened, the only thing that she cared about was that she didn't have to go. She kept staring at the clock; Robbie was due to pick her up in an hour for a picnic. "Maybe today." she thought to herself. She couldn't remember the last time that she had gone so long without a cock. She tried to pleasure herself but sharing a bedroom made it almost impossible and there was usually someone around.

As soon as breakfast was over, Becca packed a picnic lunch with the help of her aunt Rhoda who took it upon herself to step into the role of mother.

"I'm so glad that you're making friends and that Robbie is such a nice boy! But be careful. This isn't California...."

"So everyone keeps reminding me." Becca said cutting her aunt off.

"I'm just saying that you have to be careful of ...."

"Aunt Rhoda, I get it, can we just drop it?"

Rhoda huffed but let the subject drop. She knew all about Becca's type, years ago she had been Becca. It took being saved and the love of a good man to turn her around. It was her hope that the same thing would happen to Becca and just maybe Robbie would be the one to bring her around and into the church.

Rhoda was well aware of Nancy's feelings toward Robbie but truth be told, she never thought them a good match. Whenever Nancy mooned over him, she had just listened with a sympathetic ear and made suggestions about other boys that she considered more Nancy's type. She also noticed the tension between the cousins but hadn't intervened choosing to let them work it out between themselves. But it had been about a week and the girls still weren't talking. She decided to give it a few more days and if they hadn't resolved their differences, she would intervene.

Becca heard the knock on the door and knew that Robbie had arrived. She ignored Nancy's glare and ran down the stairs not wanting to keep him waiting. She heard her telling her aunt that they would be going to the creek just behind the church for the picnic.

"That sounds so nice!" Rhoda gushed making Becca roll her eyes.

"Hi Robbie!" she said interrupting any further conversation between her aunt and Robbie.

"Hi Becca, don't you look nice?" Robbie said when he saw her. "Are you ready to go?"

Fifteen minutes later they were parked at the church and sitting by the creek. It occurred to Becca that she hadn't thought about home and Andrew for several days instead thinking about the next time she would see Robbie.

After lunch, she sat by the creek with her toes skimming the water. Robbie was sitting next to her with his feet completely immersed in the cool water neither of them speaking.

"Becca?"

"Yes?" she replied hoping that he was going to ask her for permission to kiss her.

"Why do you think you have to act like a slut?"

"Wh...what?" she asked shocked.

"You're a very beautiful woman and you don't have to act like that." he said.

"I don't...."

"I've wanted to talk to you about it but didn't know you well enough to say anything so I've been trying to get to know you."

Becca was speechless. This wasn't a conversation that she thought that she'd ever have with a man. All she could do was stare at him shocked and listen as he talked.

"We've been out three times and each time you make some comment about what you can do for me. I don't know...."

"If you're going to say that this isn't California save it!" Becca snapped as she stood up.

"Becca wait... I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings." Robbie said.

"I'm surprised that you even want to be seen with the slut!" She retorted.

"I didn't say that you were a slut, I said that you act like one." Robbie said standing next to her and touching her arm in a purely platonic way. He looked at her and then moved his hand as if he understood for the first time that Becca had feelings for him, feelings that he didn't return.

His sole interest in her was friendship and he could easily see how she would have thought otherwise.

"Becca, I'm sorry."

"Take me home." Becca said and walked to the car. She understood. Robbie had used her to get another star in his crown for saving a heathen.

Robbie threw the remainder of their lunch into the basket and ran to his car where Becca sat waiting with her arms crossed over her chest and looking out of the window not looking at him when he called her name. She had nothing to say to him.

When they arrived at the house, Becca jumped out of the car and ran into the house without a backwards glance. A feeling of déjà vu hit her as she slammed the door shut behind her. The last time she had seen Andrew it was like this with the big difference being Robbie hadn't threatened her with bodily harm.

"Shit!" she swore as the door banged shut. She didn't want anyone to know that she was home. It was a minute or two before she realized that no one was home. She ran up the stairs, into the bedroom and slammed the door shut behind her. Tears ran down her face as she pulled her suitcase out and began to pack. She was going home no matter what her father said. Facing the people at home was preferable to having to face Robbie and again and having to come up with an explanation for Nancy as to why she and Robbie were no longer seeing each other. She counted the money in her wallet pleased to see that she had more than enough money to get her home if she took the bus as opposed to the train although the bus would take her longer.

She called a cab, wrote a note explaining where she was going and waited for the taxi to arrive.

*******************

The day of the cook out had finally arrived. Patricia was both anxious and excited. This outing would be the first time that she and Kenji were invited anywhere socially as a couple or separately. She stirred the bowl of homemade potato salad that consisted of a recipe that she and Ralph had concocted together, covered it and put it in the refrigerator to chill.

She backed up into Kenji and yelped. "How do you do that?" she asked laughing.

"There is no secret." Kenji replied hugging her, "you were so intent on what you were doing and didn't hear me." he replied. "Are you nervous?"

"Yes." she replied, "Are you?"

A small smile played on his lips as he admitted that he was. He had been thinking the same thing that she had been.

"Kirei do you realize that this is our first social invitation?" he asked hugging her tighter.

"I realize that, why do you think I'm so nervous?" she replied returning the hug. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you kirei and I am proud of you."

"Patricia?" Hattie called from the living room, "we're here!"

"We're in the kitchen mama!" Patricia called back.

Hattie went into the kitchen followed by John and hugged both her and Kenji.

"Where are the babies?" she asked.

Patricia smiled; proud of the way her parents were coming in their studies. She had started teaching them to read and write months ago. John had been resistant at first but Hattie had joined the cause and seemed to enjoy it so he joined in.

"They're in the back yard with Joel." Patricia replied.

Hattie and John went to the back yard to see Joel and the children. Kenji and Patricia went to the window to watch the children greet their grandparents. She watched as her father picked Marie up, kiss, hug her, and then do the same with Ralph. She noticed with sadness that neither of her parents moved as quickly as they used to and neither did Abby for that matter. She said a silent prayer that all three of them would live long enough to see her, Kenji and Joel graduate from college and then medical school.

Taking her hand, Kenji led her out to the back yard. The neighbors now used to seeing them usually spoke if they saw them. That the conversations didn't go beyond hello didn't matter, saying 'hello' was a start.

"You be good for gramma and grampa." Patricia said when it was time for them to leave. Kenji got the bowl of potato salad and reiterated the instructions that they were to behave. The instructions were meant more for Marie than Ralph, as she was becoming stronger willed and prone to do as she wanted.

When Patricia mentioned that to Kenji smiled at her.

"What?" Patricia demanded not seeing the humor.

"Kirei, she is her mother's daughter." Kenji replied still smiling at her.

"I am not... Oh." Patricia replied when she saw Kenji's raised eyebrow.

At last moment, Kenji sat the bowl of potato salad down and called Marie to him.

"Come here pretty one." he said softly taking her hand when she reached him. He bent down to eye level and pulled the girl into his arms.

"Will you do something for me?" he asked.

"Yes papa."

"Will you help gramma Hattie by being a good girl?"

"Yes papa." Marie replied solemnly.

"Good." Kenji replied kissing her on her cheek.

Ralph stood back watching and approached only when he knew that Kenji was done with Marie.

"I'll be good too." he said quietly.

"Thank you Ralph." Kenji said hugging the boy. "Is there something else?" Kenji asked.

"Will I go to school too?"

"Yes you will and soon." Kenji replied wondering what had prompted the question. Ralph's schooling was a topic that had come up several times but they had yet to make a decision on whether to go with home schooling or sending him to school although both of them were leaning toward sending him to school.

"He will need the contact with other children." Kenji told Patricia during one of their last conversations. Patricia agreed but was worried about how Ralph's treatment by not just the students but also the teachers. "We will deal with that if and when it happens." Kenji told her.

"We will talk about school soon but for now, will you please help care for your sister?"

"Yes papa." Ralph replied.

"Thank you Ralph." Kenji said hugging him.

**********

Patricia twisted her hands anxiously. Her anxiety grew the closer to Dr. Nichols' house they got.

"Kirei, it will be fine." Kenji replied not showing any of the nervousness that he showed earlier.

"I hope that you're right." she replied and looked back at Joel who was looking as nervous as she was.

"There it is." Kenji said as he pulled up to the address on written on a slip of paper.

He parked in front of a large home that had palm trees in the front yard and looked at the house. They sat there for a few minutes not wanting to be the first ones to arrive but Kenji's innate hatred of lateness prevailed.

Penny answered the doorbell and ushered them in.

"Good! You're the first ones here and you passed the first test.," she said as she took the bowl of potato salad from Joel.

"Excuse me?" Joel asked.

"Dr. Nichols hates lateness and this was your first test. If you're going to be late you'd better have a damned good reason for it." Penny said. "Come on, the kitchen is this way."

A short round man who could have been anywhere in age from forty to sixty was at the kitchen sink cutting up fruit when they got to the kitchen. He washed and dried his hands before turning to greet them.

"Welcome all of you!" He said shaking Patricia's hand first, then Kenji and Joel's. "I am so pleased that you came and that you're going to be a part of my summer group. Joel, I hope that you don't feel like an afterthought, I'm sure that Penny told you that you were on the list but I could only take six or so I thought and as it turned out, one of the original six dropped the program already."

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to join the class." Joel replied.

He turned to Patricia and gave her a warm sunny smile. "I hear that you're an excellent student as well, maybe in a few years you'll be going through my class too."

"I hope so." Patricia replied her nervousness disappearing.

"And you young man." Nichols said turning to Kenji, "I have heard great things about you. Paul Mynt swears by you and he is a hard man to please but your grades alone made you a prime candidate for this program and I am very pleased that you accepted the invitation."

"Thank you for inviting me." Kenji replied with a slight bow.

"Can I help you with something?" Patricia asked.

"Oh no my dear, it's finished. All we need is for everyone else to come with their dishes." Nichols replied with a cheerful grin. However, Patricia could tell that he was indeed irked that no one else had arrived. "Let's go out back shall we?" He said as he picked up the bowl of fresh fruit.

"I'll stay here and get the door." Penny said.

"I'll wait with you." Patricia said. She had the feeling that Nichols wanted to talk to Kenji and Joel alone.

The next guest arrived fifteen minutes later with a cake. Patricia was surprised that Penny didn't say anything about the lateness but then surmised that it would be addressed on the first day of class. After handing Penny the cake, the student handed his jacket to Patricia.

"Hang that up will you?" he said without really looking at her.

"Excuse me." Penny said her tone terse. "But she isn't a servant but a guest. This is Patricia Takeda wife of one of our classmates and you are?"

"Oh shit... I mean... I'm sorry." the student stammered. "I'm Barry Lavender and I am so sorry!" he said taking his jacket back from Patricia, his face a bright red.

One more student made the same mistake, one didn't acknowledge Patricia at all and the remaining one spoke to her before Penny had a chance to introduce her.

"Their all finally here." Penny said taking Patricia by the arm. "Can you grab the potato salad while I grab the lemonade?" Penny asked.

Only the student who wouldn't acknowledge Patricia showed any displeasure at her presence but later in the evening she would find out that it just wasn't her presence but Penny's as well that had him scowling. Penny and Patricia both heard the comments made by Russell Cook.

"What in the hell is this world coming to?" he grumbled to Clark Wilson the student who had introduced himself to Patricia.

"I'm sorry but is there a problem?" Clark asked.

"You don't see the problem?" Russell asked.

"I'm sorry but I don't."

"First of all, there's a black woman here or do they prefer to be called Negroes? Then there's a woman occupying a spot that should have gone to a man! What in the fuck is that all about?" Russell asked.

Clark didn't know how to respond so he said nothing at first.

"And then we have a Jap taking another spot that should have gone to one of ours." Russell continued.

"By one of ours I'm assuming that you mean a medical student? Because if that's what you meant then Mr. Takeda is exactly where he belongs. A word of advice if I may." Clark said. "I would advise you to keep your views to yourself. I'm sure that you heard about the professor who lost his job for some of the views that you've just expressed and for the record, I think it's great that women are getting into the medical field as doctors and it's about time we put aside our prejudices."

"You sound as if you approve of all of this." Russell said.

"It sounds that way because I do approve now, if you will excuse me." Clark said and walked away. He wanted nothing to do with the likes of Russell Cook.

Russell stared after him, turned around and saw Patricia and Penny looking at him. With a sinking heart, he realized that they had probably heard the entire conversation with the other student. He wanted to make a smart assed reply but bit his tongue and walked away. He spent the rest of the evening wondering whether he was going to be asked to leave the home and the program. By the end of the evening, he decided that Clark was right. He had to keep his views to himself at least until he was done with school.

********

Joel kept watching Penny hoping for a chance to catch her alone. His chance didn't come until the evening was almost over.

"Hello." he said shyly.

"Hi! Did you have a good time?"

"Yes," Joel replied, "and thank you for talking to Dr. Nichols about allowing me to join the group." he added.

"You're welcome; I'm glad that it worked out." Penny replied as she walked around picking up dirty dishes.

Joel swallowed hard, his mouth dry, "would you... I mean could I take you to lunch or dinner sometime?"

He waited for what seemed to be forever before she answered.

"I would like that." she replied with a sunny smile that made Joel's heart skip a beat. "You have my number call me."

"Ok, Penny? You know that I'm Jewish right?"

"Yes I know is that a problem?" she asked not really seeing why he brought it up.

"No! I mean no." he replied. "I just know that some people...."

"Joel I'm not most people and if you change your mind about wanting to have lunch with me that's fine but it won't be fine if you think it's because I care about your religious beliefs. I don't care about that any more than I care that Kenji is Japanese and Patricia is black."

"Thank you." Joel said softly. "Is tomorrow too soon?"

Penny laughed at his eagerness, "Tomorrow is fine. I'll write down my address when I get into the house."

An hour later, they were on the way home. Patricia debated whether to say anything to Kenji about his classmate and decided to wait. The afternoon and evening had been so pleasant that she didn't want to ruin it by talking about something unpleasant. Instead, she turned to Joel.

"So what were you and Penny talking about?"

Joel told them about his conversation with Penny.

"So we're going to have lunch tomorrow."

"Joel that's wonderful!" Patricia exclaimed, "We're not going anywhere so you can use the car if you want."

"Thanks."

"Congratulations Joel, both Patricia and I like her." Kenji said.

Later that night when they were in bed, Kenji cuddled Patricia close.

"It is really happening." he said kissing her head. "In less than four years I will be a physician and you will be starting medical school."

Patricia hesitated and then spoke. "I've been thinking about Ralph and what happened to him."

"I miss him too." Kenji replied.

"Kenji, I want to know if there was anything more that we could have done to help him. I want to know what caused the stroke and if there's anyway to prevent them. I don't know if it's possible but I think that I want to go into neurology."

Kenji waited for her to finish.

"I know that you've been planning on us practicing together and its not that I don't want that but... do you understand?" she asked exasperated that she wasn't stating her position clearly.

"Kirei you know that I want you to do whatever makes you happy." he said. "And yes I would love to work with you and maybe we still can. Children have neurological issues too so why not do both? The question is whether it is possible and if it isn't now, it may be later."

"You don't mind?" Patricia asked her voice filled with excitement.

"Kirei, if you told me that you wanted to be a brain surgeon, you would have my support." Kenji replied.

Patricia kissed his cheek and then his lips as her hand slid under the sheet to stroke his cock, which hardened as soon as she touched it.

Kenji moaned into her mouth and pulled her tighter against him. He skimmed her back with his fingertips lingering on the sensitive spots like the base of her spine until she wiggled against him. Then in one smooth move, his body was covering hers and he was looking down at her. "You are so kirei- beautiful." he murmured as she kissed her and slid inside of her.

Patricia gasped and then moaned at the painstakingly slow way that he moved inside of her. She closed her eyes and forced herself not to move. They could last a long time if she could keep still and if Kenji didn't kiss her neck. As if reading her mind, he did just that and then gently nipped at the spot that he had just kissed.