The Virgin, Madonna and Child

Del started the cartoons to see Sal's reaction. Sal didn't look at them for an extended time. An alternate universe was being built in Sal's head. Mary was helping her weave her fantasy. Mary had to disappear into thought many times in the past herself to escape her condition. It had been the hardest when the men used her, with Sal watching. They liked her crying. Why, she did not know.

At noon Del went in to start cooking. By then Mary was holding Sal while they watched the cartoons, both having a great Christmas for the first time ever. The kitchen was too small for two to work in. Del asked if they ate liver and heart -- there hadn't been a gizzard. Mary was in but had no idea about her girl. She had never had them in her life. Del set them aside for a snack later for her and Mary to share. They would find out then if the little girl would eat them. Del placed the bread into a mixing bowl. She sweated down the celery and half the onion, adding a clove of garlic. She had used some bacon fat that Mary had saved in a mug from breakfast. Mary asked if she could help. She could see that there was no room but wanted to offer. Del smiled at her. "Go enjoy Christmas with your girl! I like cooking for others. It's my present to myself. I am sorry I didn't have the money to buy you something. If you want to stay until next year, I will get a nice gift for you."

This last took Mary off guard. She had had no hope for this level of humanity. She had seen so little since she was disowned. Did she really mean she wanted us around, or was she just a very nice person who wanted this holiday to be nice? Mary watched her. She thought she saw once an aura about Del but was sure there were no angels in real life. If there were, Del was almost surely one. Could there be a God of some kind? Her mind was swirling with such thoughts. She had no idea that the song her daughter had enjoyed so much earlier was a prayer that was being answered by the mother of Jesus for her daughter and thus for herself. Sal was rolling with laughter at the old cartoons. She was wishing to stay with this angel of whom she had no doubt. As for Del, she had never enjoyed a Christmas like this. She had to ask one of the Sisters if this could be a personal miracle.

She had the bird and dressing ready -- they contained every flavor she thought would compliment the dinner, including spices. She had all the basic ones anyway. The chicken was trussed and seasoned with salt and pepper. She had rubbed it down with olive oil in the hope it would brown. The cabbage would wait. She fried the bacon and crumbled it for later. Del had kept the dinner simple -- that helped with her timing -- she went in and sat on the sofa to be entertained by the others on the floor. This was so nice There could be nothing to make it better. She could hear the love in Sal's voice for her mother. It was pure as the falling snow.

Sal heard the bells for midday Mass. "What's that?" Del picked her up and set her on the windowsill. She opened the window and the sounds burst in. Salomé stared at the people walking into St. Andrew's church. They were all happy and talking to one another.

"Where they going, Del?"

"Christmas Mass, Sal. Would you like to go next year?"

"Are we going to stay with you, please?"

"If you and your Mommy want to. We will have to work to find money but I think we can make it, sweetie."

Sal jumped down and ran to ask her mother. "Can we stay here with Miss Del, Mom? She wants us! She told me!"

Mary was struck dumb and just looked at Del's smiling face. She leaned over to tell Salomé. "I would like that if you would, Angel."

"No, Mommy. I'm not an angel. Del is! Can't you see it?"

"Yes, Sal. Yes, I can."

Del started the cabbage with the onions in the bacon fat. She tossed in the garlic for about 30 seconds. The entire house was perfumed with the smell of the cooking greens. Mary came over to enjoy it. She wanted to learn how to cook like Del. The cabbage wilting in the pan as it cooked down was amazing to her. It got so small compared to the start, but the aroma was killing her. She had not eaten this well since the first rape. And there had been many. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind. She knew she would have to deal with them at some time but not during a miracle.

"What you cooking, Angel Del?"

"Sal, all children are also Angels. It's cabbage. I hope you like it."

"I like the smell a lot!"

"Mary, will you set out plates and flatware please?" Mary rushed to do the only thing she had been asked to. Del drained the potatoes, putting them back into the pot, and waited for them to dry. She went at them with a masher, adding some butter and milk, salt and pepper. She waved Sal over and had her blow on a taste in a spoon. "Is it good, Sal?" After her tasting, Sal just nodded with enthusiasm. Del put the mashed potatoes in a casserole. She tested the temperature of the chicken and found it done. She put it on a cutting board to rest, pouring the drippings into a fat separator. She put the potatoes into the oven to stay warm. After removing the fat, she made a simple roux with a few tablespoons of fat and flour, poured the drippings back in the roasting pan, adding the remaining chicken broth, and stirred -- she wanted no lumps in the gravy. If Del had been shy or had stage fright, she would have frozen, since Mary and Sal had been watching her every move. As a matter of fact, she was beginning to feel a warmth coming from providing for her family. At least she really hoped they would become her family.

It was show time! She carved the bird as expertly as she could. The drumsticks were all that were left whole. All the other meat was sliced and neatly arranged on a platter. She offered Mary and Sal a taste of the bird to savor and placed the rest of the dishes on the table. Delores began Christmas dinner with a prayer of thanks to God for bringing them together this Christmas. It was the best of her life. The dinner was not fancy but it was wonderful to Mary and her little girl. To them it was a feast they had gotten most of their food from trash cans. Del pulled the whipping cream out of the icebox and whisked it to soft peaks. She brought out the pie, sliced it, and placed a slice on a plate, topping it with the cream. Sal's eyes grew as big as saucers! This was so new and looked so good! And it was! She was so full, so happy! She wondered at Del's ability to make such a thing happen

After dinner Del and Mary washed the large mess of dishes. Since the food had cooled, they wrapped it up and put in the refrigerator. Then Del brought out the dominoes and showed Sal and Mary how to set them on end in a line and have them all tip over. They did it over and over again, Mary acting like the child she had been before the first rapes and her banishment. Del wanted to know all about Mary and Salomé's life as much as they wanted to forget it. Before bedtime, while the little girl took her bath, Del and Mary finally talked.

Delores couldn't hide the horror she felt at what they had been forced to endure just to live -- the hunger and fear, which she had expected, but also the repeated degradation at the hands of predators. This tore at her soul. Mary had been used sexually by men, and sometimes women, at almost every place she had stayed. The men enjoyed making Sal watch as they took that which was not freely given. Women had also forced her but they did not want the girl to have to see it. That had hurt Mary less. Mary found such relief in talking to Del about it. Here she was discovering a soul who was pure, for the first time in her life. She had a feeling she had not had since she was Sal's age, and she felt her frozen heart thawing. She found herself hoping that she and Sal might finally live in peace and love.

After they retired and Sal fell deeply to sleep, Mary let her hands touch Del in a way that invited her to roll over. She wanted to show the wonderful lady how she felt. Soft ethereal touches flowed over Del's nightshirt, spiced by butterfly kisses and looks that told her story of love. Del was so innocent she did not catch on and just enjoyed the closeness, something she had lost when she left her mother's home. She had few friends, most of whom were nuns. Mary's caresses were having an effect on her; she began to warm and noticed feelings in her groin. There was also a feeling of dampness that she had not felt before.

Del had never been aroused before, and had never craved it as others did as they became addicted to it. Now she felt it and it was awakening her need. Mary's hands tugged at her clothing, trying to get it off without frightening the older woman. Del sat up and pulled it off, not truly understanding why. If Mary wanted her nude, she would get so. After she was done she slipped back under the bed clothing. Del felt soft hands all over her. She was losing control of herself, giving in to the magnificent attention she was receiving. Moans came involuntarily from her and her hips started rocking for no reason she could fathom. She caressed her partner in return. Mary undressed quickly, voluntarily for the very first time, eagerly, with anticipation of what was to follow. Her fingers found Del's privates, covered with the soft curls of womanhood. For a short time, she stroked it like a kitten, listening to the sighs of her partner.

Del had never felt anything like this! It was marvelous and intoxicating, and she was swimming in the surreal sensations. She felt a finger slip under the hair and onto a very sensitive nub. Her hips snapped forward to get more sensation, but Mary knew her needs. She had felt the hymen and knew she had to slowly lead her love to the temple of womanly release. The finger started to circle the nub. Del was trying not to wake Sal with her shaking and all the noise, but she could not stop. This didn't continue for long. With a smile of joy Mary brought the woman she had fallen for to climax. To Del it was glorious! She saw flashes of light and collapsed on her partner's chest.

Del somehow understood she had a responsibility to offer the sensations to Mary in return, and even in her total ignorance, she did. For Mary it was the first orgasm that someone else had given her. The spinning in her head was matched by the leaping in her heart and soul. She could not hold back the tears of happiness. When Del saw them she thought she had hurt the girl and started to apologize. She was halted by a finger pressing on her lips.

Mary pulled her close and whispered in her ear. "Del, I love you so much. That's all."

Del could not believe this young beauty could love plain old her, but she was in love, too. "And I love you, and Sal, too." They fell asleep in each other's arms.

This was the first of many holidays for the new family, and life smoothed out for the better. Del got work at a store that sold women's wear. With her discounts, everyone was well dressed. Mary took over the church-cleaning duties, and Sal helped in the years following. The nuns loved the girl! Her voice in song would ring out in the empty building from the choir loft, where Salomé liked to wait for her mother to finish. The Sisters often gave Sal food and treats. They all had heard the stories of the horrible times she had suffered. When the time came, she was schooled by the nuns at the Catholic school, and Sal worked very hard, treasuring every opportunity she was given.

The two lovers fooled no one, but they also did not flaunt their relationship. Thus, they were loved and assisted by the Church. Mary started a small business making beaded neckwear. At the suggestion of the Mother Superior, she learned to make rosaries, which the priests then blessed. There were several local shops which sold her wares.

Del's mother, Miranda, loved the two girls that her daughter had taken in and taught Mary dressmaking and sewing. Mary learned to make quilts and made one for each of the Sisters to thank them for all the help they had given them. After graduating high school as valedictorian, Sal was recommended for and matriculated at Loyola, where she studied pre-med. She went to medical school at Duke. Her mother and her Angel grew old together and brought as much pride to their "daughter" as she brought to them.

Thus ends this story of love and redemption.

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