Shari Hails the Hero

Velma produced the billfold in question. She held it up for a second or two before tossing it on the desk next to the gym bag and tennis racket. "Yeah, you dropped your billfold in the gym." She said. "CJ found it and we intend to return it." She paused and leaned in very close to Eddie; close enough for the captive woman to smell her breath. "Because I'm not a fucking thief...like you."

CJ bristled. "Velma, I'm sure you can find better words to say--"

"Just what in the hell are you getting at?" Eddie demanded. She sat bolt upright on the edge of the sagging mattress. "You're the one who has my fucking billfold--I never took anything from you!"

Velma looked over at her conspirator and nodded. CJ went over to the desk and unzipped the gym bag. From this, she retrieved a single object; a black leather bound book.

"If you don't give back my goddamn billfold and let me go, I'll scream--"

"For help?" Velma sneered. "But we're right here. Of course, we're not exactly the help you're looking for..."

"Knock it off." Eddie sighed. "Look, I'm not a thief! I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Maybe not in the traditional sense." Velma said. "But you stole someone's trust and their...their..." Her voice trailed off. She was so upset she could barely think straight.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Eddie said.

"Let me help you refresh your memory." CJ said. "Shari Keefer; young lady with blond hair. She's a Social Studies teacher at Talcott."

"Yeah, I met her at the district wide meeting." Eddie said. "Flirty little thing. Last I checked, I didn't see a goddamn ring on her finger!"

"I think this is the closest we're going to get to an admission of guilt." CJ observed.God, even her voice was anal retentive!

"I thought she was interested!" Eddie exploded. "I returned this folder she'd dropped, and I saw her at the Wellness Fair Carnival. We talked some."

Velma glanced at CJ for a moment, then glared at Eddie. She spoke in a low, even tone. "You offered Shari a ride back to North Haskell, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did, and she accepted." Eddie said. "It ain't against the law to offer someone a lift!"

"You felt her up, didn't you?" Velma snapped. "Stuck your hand down the front of her shorts--"

"Nothing happened!" Eddie exploded. "She was smiling and laughing the whole time I was with her! I thought she was interested!" Her cheeks were red. She was flustered. "I kissed her a few times, but she slapped me. I slapped her back and she punched me in the chest. Knocked the wind outta me." Eddie shook her head and exhaled sharply and looked at CJ. "I take it she's your girlfriend?"

"No, she's my wife!" Velma snarled. "You know, Janie Dowd was going to call the police. I wanted to call the police, but Shari begged me not to. You're very lucky."

"Okay." Eddie said with quiet resignation. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to promise you'll never go near Shari Keefer again. I want your solemn word you won't so much as ask her the time of day."

"Is that all?"

"I want you to pray, Ed. I want you to ask God to forgive you for your disgusting thievery. Think you can do that for us? Then we'll hand over your billfold and you can be on your merry way."

Eddie put her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, fair enough." Her voice sounded relieved, almost cheerful. Little did she know, all that was about to change.

CJ held the leather bound tome out and Eddie took it. It was an old King James Bible. The gold leafing on the edge was worn out in spots and the exceedingly fine pages were dog eared from so many years of constant use. "You want me to read something from this?" She asked, hoping to humor her captors.

"Not read; recite." CJ tersely replied. "Out loud." Eddie started to thumb through the pages and stopped. She felt an abrupt sensation against her shin where Velma lightly kicked her. "Stand up and move away from the bed." CJ commanded.God, she's so good at this! Velma thought.It's like she's done this before! "Put the Bible on the floor and open it to Proverbs Chapter 10, verses 2 and 3."

Velma and CJ watched in grim silence while Eddie moved to where she thought was the middle of the room. She was careful to avert her gaze from the bespectacled butch gym teacher leering over her. She opened the Bible after tentatively putting it on the carpet. It was a grimy wash of graying seashell pink and green floral patterns that probably hadn't seen a vacuum since the Truman administration.

Did they have vacuums back then? Of course they did, don't be an idiot! Eddie thought. Her father had put almost 40 years in as a travelling salesman for the Kirby Company.The Schandor probably bought a whole stable of them back in the 40's--

"Pay attention, Ed!" CJ barked.

"What? I'm listening!"

"I am only going to say this once, Ed, so listen up." CJ's voice was a bit calmer, but still curt. "You will read the passage on your hands and knees. Place your hands flat on either side of the Bible so that you are standing still with your arms stiff and your elbows locked. Then you will read from Proverbs chapter 10, verses 2 and 3. You will read only these verses, out loud, clearly so that we can plainly hear you. Do you understand?"

"Are you serious--?"

"Shut UP, Ed!" Velma pushed the words through her teeth. "A good supplicant does what they are TOLD, so they don't go to hell. You don't want to go to hell...do you?" Eddie didn't answer. "Good!"

CJ slowly walked behind the captive butch woman on her hands and knees. Eddie couldn't see that the bespectacled woman had retrieved her tennis racket. "What does the passage in front of you say, Ed? Start reading." There was a quiet sound of a zipper followed by a brief rustling as if the woman behind had removed something and tossed it aside.

"Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked."

"Okay, that was pretty good, but I think you need to read it again." Velma said. "Louder, please, so the entire class can hear."

"Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked." Eddie sighed and looked up at the towering woman standing just inches away. "Is that loud enough for you, Miss Blount?"

"Read it again, Ed." CJ's voice commanded from behind. The captive woman read the verse from Proverbs again, and again, and again. Each time she re-read the passage, the command from behind repeated. After the sixth time, Eddie heard CJ Treadway's voice prickling uncomfortably in her ear. "That's right. Keep reading. Understand that a thief and an adulterer will wind up in hell as long as you continue to covet what does NOT belong to YOU!"

Wow, she sure is good at putting the fear of God in a person! Velma thought.Maybe a little too good. Always knew CJ was nuttier than squirrel shit...

Eddie re-read the Proverbs passage three more times. "Shari Keefer asked us not to call the police, and while I strongly suggested that we should, we've decided to respect her wishes." CJ said from behind. Now Eddie felt something touching her ass--actually prodding it. "But Shari never said anything to Velma about...punishment."

"What're you wanting to do, CJ, fuck me in the ass?"

Miss Treadway bristled again, though Eddie couldn't see it. "You know, I really don't appreciate the language, Ed. I'd wash your mouth out, but I seriously doubt the bathroom in a place like this has any soap." Velma laughed at her conspirator's lame attempt at a joke. "That mouth of yours is going to get you into some real trouble one day. But thankfully, we're here to help. For that, you've earned a spanking."

Velma let loose with a loud guffaw. A spanking! She saw the stupid gym bag and tennis racket, but she certainly wasn't expecting this! "A what--spanking?" She asked her companion. "You've done this before...haven't you?"

"QUIET!" CJ barked. "Read it again, Ed."

"So this is what you get up to with Birgitta?" Velma asked. "Look, I'm not gonna judge, but--"

"We are NOT here to discuss my--or Birgitta's private life, Velma!" CJ snapped. "Read it again, Ed!"

The captive woman exhaled loudly and re-read the passage. "Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked."

A quietswoosh! sliced through the air and made contact with Eddie Neal's ass.SLAP! The captive gym teacher lurched forward and her eyes bulged comically. A strangled cry emanated from her mouth as the racket hit its mark again.SLAP! CJ issued the command to read it again and Eddie complied. "Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked."SLAP! Another cruel blow rained across the captive's backside.SLAP! SLAP! Eddie let out a moan. Was she...enjoying this? Velma couldn't tell, but by the looks of things, old uptight CJ certainly was.SLAP! SLAP!

"Repeat after me, Ed." Velma said. "I will not take what does not belong to me."

"Ugh...I will not--"SLAP! "...take what does not--"SLAP! "...belong to me!"SLAP! "Ever, ever again." Eddie wearily added.

One moreSLAP! was followed by aCRACK! "Well, that's broken." CJ said with a hint of disgust in her voice. She'd been using the sweet spot to make contact with Eddie Neal's ass. It lessened the impact of the blows, but it caused the strings to break away from the grommets. Velma had another good laugh at that. "Looks like CJ broke her racket on that last swing." Then she got an idea. "Stand up, Ed." She turned to her companion. "Hand that over here, CJ."

Velma took the broken racket and dropped it on the dingy carpet in front of Eddie. "Time to move onto our next lesson. Gonna make this real simple, even for you. On your knees, Ed." She pointed to the racket.

Eddie, deciding to say nothing, slowly went to her knees. The polished wood shaft had Billie Jean King's signature across it and the rim had a visible crack. Its solid, slender presence was felt instantly through Eddie Neal's kneecaps. A low grade and irritating wave of pain radiated up the butch woman's thighs, but she kept quiet.

"Heard something about you and Kris Bennett bringing one of the English teachers at your school up here one time. You two must like the Schandor a lot. Real romantic place, huh, right up your alley."

"Are you nuts?" Eddie sneered. "It wasn't my idea! Kris was seeing Miriam Collier. She and Miriam had some little thing going between them--rough stuff. Kris asked me if I'd join and I was game, that's all!"

"So you just thought you'd swing by the Schandor on your way to North Haskell to 'pick up your billfold.'" Velma's fingers hooked, making air quotes when she spoke. "You really are lucky, Ed. I wanted to call the police. But when Shari asked me not to, I decided that maybe she's right. We're not here to ruin your life and put you out of a job, but we are here to leave an impression on you."

Believe me, you are! Eddie thought. She tried to move her knees a little to shift her stance. The pain against her knees intensified and she grunted. Velma took the Bible from CJ and started thumbing through it. "How's it feel, Ed, to be on your knees like that?"

"I guess you want me to say it hurts."

"I imagine it does." CJ observed. "Bruised your ego some, like you did with Shari."

Velma found the passage she was looking for. "Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed." She read the passage from Isaiah, then motioned at Eddie. "It's getting late and I'm getting bored with this anyway." Velma handed the billfold over to Eddie. "Everything's safe and sound. Including your 25 dollars. Remember your promise and that pain in your knees."

Eddie Neal nodded. "Thanks, Velma." She stuffed the billfold into her pants pocket without opening it to see if her money was still there. She went out the door and shambled down the long, dimly lit hallway to the elevator. The twin stripes of pain across her knees, once sharp, faded to a dull pulsing ache.

*****

It was very late by the time Velma made it back home. Shari was sitting on the sofa watching TV. She exchanged the blouse, slacks, and dress flats ensemble she'd worn at school earlier for one of her wife's old t-shirts. Velma could see that she wasn't wearing anything underneath the shirt other than her light blue panties. As always, she looked absolutely adorable.

"The game at Harmony ended hours ago." Shari noted. "I wish you would've called to let me know where you were. I was starting to worry about you."

The towering butch went into the kitchen. "Oh, I asked CJ if she'd help me take care of a little business after the game." Shari heard the sound of the fridge open and shut. There was a clicking sound, like metal against metal. "We stopped off at the Schandor Hotel. I should've called to let you know." Velma, beer in hand, sat beside her young wife. She'd already drank nearly half the bottle. "Oh--did you want some?"

Shari shook her head no. "What business were you taking care of so late?" She got up and switched the TV off. Her eyes widened when it began to dawn on her. She'd been so busy the last week and a half with lesson plans and the big U.S. History project with Mr. Lightcap's class, she'd forgotten all about the business with Miss Eddie Neal. Velma decided to watch the North Haskell Varsity volleyball game against Harmony. "So, you asked CJ and Birgitta if they'd help you get back at Miss Neal. I hope you didn't do anything stupid."

Velma finished her beer in one last gulp. "I'll have you know that I'm a professional!"

"Please tell me you did not do anything on school property!"

"I did no such thing, Shari berry." Velma reached for the blond beauty, embracing her. "Eddie Neal gave us her word she'll never bother you again. And the only thing we hurt was her pride!"

"What did you do?"

"I'll just say that we taught Eddie a lesson and made it stick. The rest isn't really important."

"I don't know whether I want to slap you or get you another beer." Shari teased. She looked directly at Velma now, and a smile spread across her beautiful full lips. The sparkle returned to her eyes. Velma pulled her in close and planted a soft kiss on the girl's brow. She held Shari like this, burying her fingers in those long light blond locks. God, Shari looked so beautiful, so...sexy with that t-shirt riding up and exposing her shapely panty clad ass. An alluring light floral scent filled the butch woman's nostrils. She must've showered earlier. "Come with me." She said in that all too familiar gruff voice. She took the girl firmly by the arm and steered her down the hall to the bedroom they both shared.

Velma left the light switched off, deciding instead, to pull the bedroom door partway closed. The light emanating from the bathroom next door cast a broad, dim ribbon of light on the floor. She could see Shari perfectly fine though everything was shrouded in darkness. It was just the right enough for the mood she was in. She pulled Shari in for another embrace and kissed her tenderly. "I'm home now and it's the weekend. It's so good to see my Shari berry smile again." Velma whispered. "I never touched the switch and you light up the whole room!"

Shari looked up and their eyes met. "I love you." She sighed.

The towering butch leaned in and Shari tilted her head slightly to the side, anticipating her lover's next move. Their lips brushed softly together and their mouths met. The lovers shared another kiss with tongues colliding. Neither of them spoke much after this. There was no need for words between them beyond the unspoken language of love that strengthened the bond between them. And with each passing year, their bond grew stronger. "You are mine, and I am yours." Velma said softly. "And as long as I live and breathe, no one will bother you or hurt you again."

Soft laughter rose in the air between them. "Shhh..." Velma gently grasped the girl's small chin and leaned in to share another kiss. The butch woman's large hands moved slowly over Shari's arms. They continued on to the girl's small, taut waist, tracing along the curves of her supple little frame. She looked so beautiful in that shirt. Honestly, she looked beautiful in anything she wore. But that shirt would definitely look a lot better on the floor. A throbbing sensation brimmed started brimming in her groin when her palms made contact with Shari's breasts.God, such perfect little tits! She cupped and gently squeezed the firm, fleshy little globes. "Hmmm..." She heard the girl's sighs, indicating pleasure, while her hands fondled and caressed the braless swells.

Seconds later, the t-shirt and panties were on the floor. The shirt fell in a crinkled puddle by Shari's feet and the panties were tossed somewhere near the closet. The gorgeous young blond was in bed now, naked and completely vulnerable.Just the way I like it. Velma thought. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Shari watched Velma undressing. The towering butch fished her billfold out of her pocket and deposited it on the dresser amongst the clutter of sports trophies she'd earned over her decades as an athlete, teacher and coach. Velma freed her shirt from the waistband of her track pants and pulled it off. The shirt fell to the floor, illuminated in the bar of golden light cast from the hall. Her plain white bra came next, revealing the twin pale swells of her middle aged breasts. She was quicker with the rest of her clothes, and soon joined Shari in bed. She took the girl in her arms again, holding her. They shared a few kisses, loving the feel of skin against skin.

Velma kissed Shari again. This time, the kiss was slower and deeper. An effervescent tingle surged between them when their mouths met and their tongues brushed together. The scintillating stir fueled her desire. In her mind's eye, she relished the way she and CJ forced contrition from Eddie Neal in that dingy hotel room, while one kiss became two. Each kiss they shared was more urgent, more insistent, than the last.

Shari's lips parted again, welcoming Velma's probing tongue, and the girl softly whimpered. She could feel the enormous palm of her butch lover's hand closing over first the left breast, then the right, rubbing and gently squeezing. Shari's hand went to Velma's, feeling the bones and network of veins bulging on top and over the bony knuckles. She softly stroked the skin, silently encouraging her lover to continue.

"Velma..." Shari whimpered her lover's name. "Shhh, baby..." Velma whispered back. She kissed the girl again. This time, the kiss was hard and aggressive. "You're mine, honey. I wanna fuck you...make sure you're mine..." The old dyke gathered Shari's hair and gently moved it aside to expose the sinuous, graceful curve of her neck. Her lips brushed against the fair skin, feeling her warmth and filling her nostrils with the fragrance of flowers and spring even though it was early fall. "Unghh!" Shari let loose with a moan as the butch woman kissed a trail along her young wife's neck and across her collarbone.

"My baby's so wet...I can feel it!" Velma seethed. She'd slipped a hand between the girl's slender thighs, cupping her sex. Shari let out a startled cry and moaned into the old dyke's mouth as they came together for another kiss. Velma's fingers stroked the triangle of blond public hair and traced along the cleft slowly, opening her up. "Ah!" Shari gasped. "Relax." Velma whispered reassuringly. Her fingers strummed the slick inner petals, spreading the girl's juices. Shari felt a disturbance and saw that Velma had brought her fingers to her mouth, licking them clean. "Here." She adjusted Shari's pillow and told her once more to relax.