August, 1997 The Ultimate End. (Part 2) August 1st, 1997. Often news that arrives is not good, but there are rare exceptions. This telegram happens to be one of them. Actually it is not a telegram, though appearances can be deceiving. Its an Interdepartmental message, that has hopped from one government agency to another until it has found its way to me through personal courier. Strange I must say, strange how when people are looking for me I cant be found but when something from some government agency needs to get itself into my hand, it finds its way to get there. The news, a strange one. Half of it has already expired, but the rest of it has to come to light. Basically the letter says the following: 1) 'On July 30th, Major Chilsom will be court-martialed in accordance to the laws and regulations of the United States Airforce...' 2) 'On August 15th, Sentence will be executed at 0800 hours...' Is seems to me that the Airforce has already decided on Randal's guilt, the court-martial being a mere technicality issue. But deep in the back of my mind, is a fear. The government on all levels likes to play conspiracy cover up games, and if they want to keep Randal as a viable agent for future missions, it would not be hard to address said punishment and reverse what ever immediate damage. Lord knows it has been done with me, even on the smallest of terms. But at least, the letter contains airline tickets to Langley Airforce Base in Virginia, and a civilian pass for myself and a guess if I so to choose one; I find that to be the oddest of things in this package, for things are going too well. That leaves me with 2 weeks to get myself, my belongings and a friend over to Langley. Two weeks to find Juanita (Gloria), apologize for being an outright beast, and hope she will come with me to the end of my 15 year nightmare. Emotionally, I'm in a state of tired bliss, on the verge of collapse, and yet with a strange form of hollow elation. August 2nd, 1997. I call Serena and tell her that I am going to disappear for a while on the week of the 10th. Everyone else can just go figure out what has happened to me, for I really don't care about them anymore than I do about Randal. One day, within the time of the year 2000, many will learn how I feel. August 5th, 1997. Finally got a hold of Juanita (Gloria). It was not easy, as it may been. Going through the chain of people to find the ones I want was very stupefying. Eventually the trail went from Kevin to his wife Juanita and then to Juanita herself, but not after informing every living Shortfellow on the planet that I wanted to speak with her. Sometimes I swear that this presidency of this group is nothing more than just a gossip and rumor mill placed on my rear end to entertain everyone else. Juanita (Gloria), herself, was not happy with me calling her, since that little stunt I did last month to her, but I reminded her that she made me a promise and she will be keeping a promise short of me sending in the FBI and ATF through her house to drag her to my beacon call. At least we made arrangements to meet the day before, spend the night together and deal with the following day as needed. I myself, start to get things together: clothes, grooming, and other personal items. Along the way I have to set things right with the center as the kids will be taking their last-day trips that week and I will not be there to supervise the staff. This year's staff is least to be desired, so I start to notify any parents that want to attend the trip, they are free to do so. Furthermore, I make arrangements with Jorge, Robert and David for a weekend celebration, for it may be the last weekend I will have with anyone in a long time. From David, I will be needing to order especial personal affects, particularly ammunition for my 45 Smith & Wesson. Not just any ammo, but hypersonic, shield penetrating, explosive war head, anti-personnel missiles. The smallest that can be found that fits my gun. I know it will expensive, and take time for some modifications need to be added. Only both he and I know the recipe, and I trust him to get the job done right when paid the proper price. Dave is a good man, a mercenary at heart, but a good man I can trust on those times of special need. August 8th, 1997. Cashed another one of my Board of Ed checks, and added it to my secret account. Also calculated that even with the secret account, this little excursion will be a strain on my finances. But a strain that will be well worth it if a conclusion to this mad dream comes to an end. The only though that seems to be haunting me is the possibility of Randal getting out this ordeal with so much as a bite taken out of his ass but he would be alive by any measure. August 9th, 1997. Got together with the boys for a wild weekend of hard liquor, Cuban cigars, bad Chinese food and women of ill repute. Once in a while a man has to let loose of his vices and the hell with everything to enjoy the time he has at the moment, even if it means that in the end it may kill him. A weekend to remember? Perhaps so. Considering the complaints NYPD received, and when they arrived- to meet 4 guys that had probably out gunned the precient by a factor of 4 to one. But the problem did not lay there, for we were all men with some power within the government structure. To have a cop out ranked by any means is an embarrassment they would not to undergo, but did. In short, we were unarrestable, but to make up for showing up in a huge show of force, anyone within the rubbernecking crowd who got out of line, was immediately arrested to the point where when the police left we remained with our little party group and the crickets chirping into the night. August 12th, 1997. Final preparations are being finalized as the days go by. Suit case packed, gun loaded, identification in wallet, and the best clothes I have ready for me to dress into the next day so I can leave quietly into the night. No one needs to know where I am going or when- if ever shall I return. August 13th, 1997. I take my bag and other personal belongings with me to the airport. Knowing that I would have problems with my firearm, I have it shipped to the hotel at Hampton Virginia. Hopefully I will get there before it does. A final phone call to Juanita (Gloria) confirms our meeting is still a go for tomorrow. For her its only a couple of hours drive, but for me, its a flight and a half. Jumbo Jets I don't mind, but unless I'm the pilot, I try to avoid those dual prop jobs outside of a DC3. Smaller air carriers have a higher rate of accident than those who's planes carry hundred's of passengers. I make it to the airport without any problems other than traffic delays. But I knew enough to leave a couple of hours ahead of schedule to get there, so I would not be late. The flight was in the best- interesting. At best, the Coney Island Cyclone Roller Coaster was probably a smoother ride than what this crate had to offer. After 2 hours of flying, I did a Pope Ritual of kissing the ground once I put my feet on them. The cab ride to the hotel was what I would consider normal, and for a lengthy ride, very low in price. Well, New York is a very expensive town, and certain habits are hard to break. Whatever was consider as payment, I double with the tip, and still kept the expense under $20. Hotel check in was not a problem, nor was getting into my room. I informed the young lady behind the desk that I would be expecting a package sometime to tomorrow and to hold that package until I pick it up. She saw no problem with that. Once in my room, I locked the door behind me and started to unpack. Dinner at the local steak house was good, though my senses were thrown off by the clean air and plant pollen. TV was least desired, the local stations did not have the same shows as they did in New York. But there was cable. Sleep came easily, though the dreams disturbing. Even under my lucid controls of the dreamscape, things were a bit stranger than normal. perhaps is was the turbulence of the plane ride still had me on the edge of my nerves. August 14th, 1997. Like almost every morning, the sun rises through my window and shines itself on me, forcing me to wake up and curse at its existence. Eventually it wins out and I haul my carcass into the shower to get dressed and breakfast. Later in the day, I meet up with Juanita and take her to the room, unless she decided to have her own room, which I already took cared off by booking the two adjacent rooms. As my senses get used to the cleaner environment, things seems to be more clear. Lunch at the local Burger King seemed tastier than those at New York. At 3:00, I go to the train station to wait for her there, as planned. Not seeing her, I sit down on the bench closest to the ticket rotunda. I don't have to wait too long. The dropping of bags next to me puts me on my guard. "Long time, no see- dear.", she said as she stands there with her arms crossed. She did not seem to be happy to see me. "Long time....", I said as I got slowly up. She steps over her bags and pounces me with a hug. All I could do was keep myself from falling. "You know I'm still pissed off at you for last month's little stunt", she whispers in my ear. "I'll make up to you, tomorrow.", I tell her, as I reach out to hug her back. She pulls away to stare into my eyes, "Why not today?" I could only look away for a moment, trying to think of an answer, "Because I'm still tied to certain things, Juanita. Tomorrow though, I promise- tied or not, I will do anything for you." "So what's the plan for today?", she asks. "Well... first get you to the hotel and get you unpacked, then dinner and an movie...", I tell her. "How about dinner and then go to bed.", she says. "Fine. Hotel, dinner and bed...", I say to myself almost complaining. But at least, it would mean that I would have a peaceful night and be well rested for tomorrow. We take a cab to the hotel, and she rested her head on my shoulder through out the whole ride. We got to the hotel in a relatively short amount of time. Having the keys, we did not have to check in, though they were helpful with taking her bags. We go into the room next to mine and put her bags on the floor, and tip the bell-hop before he leaves. I close the door behind him, locking it out of mindless reflex reaction. I take a couple of steps back to the room, finding Juanita (Gloria) still standing there in her short dress suit. I wonder what the people around here are thinking, a couple on a business trip having a little hanky-panky perhaps. But what bothers me is what Juanita is thinking, has the connection between us reformed again? How long has she been in my mind? Do I want to get into hers? No. I take a couple of steps further into the room keeping a few away from her, feeling awkward. "I wont bite.", she says. "I know you wont.", I answer back. "Then, come here, will ya?", she asks. "What if I don't want to?", I ask. She takes the few steps that separated us until there was just inches of space between us, before reaching around me and giving me a hug. I return the gesture and nervously hug her back. Unfortunately for me, my blood pressure rises, and when that does, so does my erection, which at this moment she can feel against her crotch straining against my pants. She looks up at me, and smile, "I'm glad that you're thinking of me all this time.", almost laughing. "I think I better go to my room...", I said quietly and embarrassed. "We're not sleeping in the same room?", she asked. "Look- both rooms have a single bed in them, unless you want to sleep together in the same room on the same bed, this will be your room.", I quietly explain, trying to step out of our hug. "Then, where's your room?", she asks. "Next door.", I answered. "Alright then, lets go to your room.", as she steps away and reaches over to her bags. "You sure you want to do this?", I asked almost nervously. "Do what? Sleep with you?", she toys wit the question. "Yes.", I answer. "Fernando- we slept together before, and on many occasions. I still not see why you have to be so nervous about it.", she explains. "I just am, Juanita. I just am...", as I trail off into silence. She steps away from her bag and back close to me. She takes me by the hand and closes the space between us again, leaning her head against my chest. "Fernando, after all that we been through and all that we feel for each other, I don't want you to ever be nervous about being with me.", she explains quietly. "Juanita, I don't want to end up in a situation where I might end up hurting you.", I explain softly, mainly to myself. She looks up at me, "There is nothing you can do that would hurt me." "Why you think that?", I ask her. "Because, in your heart, I know that you would not.", she explains. "What about tomorrow?", I ask. "What about tomorrow?", she asks. "Well... Tomorrow will be the day in which I will get the revenge that I so seek for oh so many years.", I said tiredly. She just looks up at me, and hits me on the chest with the side of her fist, "That's uncalled for..." I try to take a step away from her but am not able too. She take my arm as I try to step away and pulls me back to her subtlely, but just enough to tell me that she's not letting go. "Well Juanita, it you want to be in my room, then lets go.", I tell her. I start to pull away from her and head to the door. "Ahem!", she says trying to get my attention. "What is it?", I asked opening the door. "My bags.", she saids pointing at them. "You take one...", as I step out and unlock the door to my room, and push the door open so that it remains ajar. I walk back into the room and see her still standing there, "I'll take the other." I reach for the larger of the 2 bags, picking it up and taking it to the other room. She stands there slightly miffed at the whole ordeal. Eventually she picks up her smaller bag and heads to my room, though I had to go back and almost get her. Once in my room, we put her bags next to mine. Though still early in the afternoon, I get up on the bed to sit and turn on the TV, after taking off my shoes, suit jacket and tie. She does the same in similar fashion and sits next to me, leaning her head against my shoulder. The TV had nothing much worth of interest, but we watched a few historical and science documentaries. And we continued to talk, filling in the gaps of silence here and there. "Seriously Fernando, about tomorrow?", she asks. "What about it?", I answer with a question. "Nothing, but at the same time- everything. What's going to happen to Randal?", she asks. "I really don't know. He may get life in prison or he may get death.", I answer her. "What about you then?", she asks. "What about me?", I ask in return. She turns to me and sits half way on me, putting an arm around my neck for balance, but keeps it there for the mean-time as she looks into my eyes. "Everything.", she answers. "How so?", I ask. "Be honest with me, Fernando... I know you have killed in defense in the past, and you felt very uncomfortable with it. But if Randal is put to death tomorrow, it will be through your actions that he got here- killed for revenge. How would you feel about yourself after that?", she asks. "I wont know until I get there.", I tell her, "But in the mean time, I consider it justice, Juanita..." "Justice?", she asks. "Juanita- remember, this is a man that killed somebody we both cared about, and sooner or later would have started to kill the rest of us. Remember- the letter. Now somebody- that vile and that despicable, such an evil should not be allowed to live, no matter the cost of ending it for in not ending it, the cost would be much higher. You willing to pay a higher cost because of him?", I explain and then ask. "No. But I'm worried about you, more than anything.", she explains. "Juanita if its a price I have to pay, then I'll pay it.", I tell her, though unsure about myself. "What if I don't want you to pay that price?", she asks. "You're not going to stop me from doing my job of saving the world again...", I tell her. "It never was your job in the first place.", she complains. "Can you honestly say that- Juanita?", I ask her, "For me to never gone to Tech, stayed in Richman, and somehow to survive, where would that leave you and the others?" "I would not know.", she answers. "Give it a try... First Cathy.", I tell her. "Why her?", she asks. "Because Randal killed her.", I explain. She sits there in silence, looking into my eyes for an answer that is hidden deep inside. "As per se the events without me, she would have married Randal and divorced him for abandoning her- like before. But this time, whether he kills her or not remains to be seen because I was not here. Who knows, knowing Randal, he would have kidnapped her and forced her to remarry him.", I start to explain. "You so sure about that?", she asks. "That and more, like you.". I explain. "Me?", she asks. "Well, you and I are telepathically connected, so either a) you'd go insane or b) you'd find me.", I tell her. "And then what?", she asks. "I don't know- you tell me.", I tell her, almost demanding for an answer. "Well, if I were to go looking for you... that would mean that I would find you and followed you around for months.", she explains. "Why would you follow me for such a long time?", I ask. "Just wanted to see if you had a girlfriend.", she explains. "I see... and what if I didn't have a girlfriend, from what you can tell?", I ask. "Then my only alternative is to make you my boyfriend.", she says. "But what if you found out I have one?", I said trying to negate her statement. "Well, I don't have much choice but to get rid of her and work my way into your heart.", she explains. "Then why have you not done that with Cathy?", I ask. "Its because she was my friend and she got seriously hurt in order to save me from getting raped.", she explains. "And because she was in love with me?", I ask. "Well, we were both in love with you, but she got to you first.", she explains. "And?", I ask. "And?... the rest was history.", she saids. "What about the others?", I ask. "Well... without you- Annie would have committed suicide, Raul would have too after her funeral. Denise would have married John and who knows from there. Kevin would have been killed by Todd or would have killed Todd in self defense. Juanita would have sold herself into prostitution because that was where she was heading too- running away from home and all so many times.", she continues to explain. "OK, now what about the others, and the Shortfellow Secret?", I ask. "Don't know, Denise would have taken the money and spent it all, and everyone would have tried to go after her for it. But being mixed up with John, she would somehow get involved with the mafia and things would get worse from there.", she continues explaining. "That's an interesting point of view, what makes you think that?", I ask. "Its in your head, already pieced together like some puzzle.", she answers. "Up to your old tricks again, I see.", I said. "Yeah, but that silver laced neural network you have runs faster than mine, so you just put together the pieces while I got them to put in there.", she explained. "Did not know that thought manipulation was part of your abilities.", I said. "Its not. But putting the words into your ears, it gets into your head faster than everyone I know. So you're able to piece together the clues before you become aware of them, its just a matter of me going inside and picking them.", she explains. "Well then, what do you think is on my mind right now?", I ask her. "Besides nailing me here and now? Nailing me good and hard.", she saids. "Ha ha, very funny.", I tell her. "You guys are so predictable.", she says. "Honestly, Juanita. What am I thinking right now?", I ask. "Besides the obvious?", she asks. "Yeah, besides the obvious.", I said. "You got a lot on your mind right now. First, I accept your apology, the one that floating inside your brain somewhere. Then you want all this to be over with as soon as possible. And finally... you do want to make love to me?", she says until reaching her final part, unsure how to accept it. "I think you hit one of my fantasy area.", I try to lie. "Fernando- I know of your fantasies, and this does not fit your pattern. Besides, I can sense you're lying.", she explains. "Well, fantasies change when one grows older.", I continue lying. "Fernando- be honest with me, no secrets like before, like we used be with each other. Do you want to make love to me?", she asks. "Yes, but...", I start o say. "No Buts- Yes or No.", she tries to be assertive in getting an answer. "Yes.", I answer her. She sits up, getting on my lap and putting our foreheads together. "Now then, what's the problem?" I let out a sigh before answering, "Randal is one thing. Hurting you is another.", I tell her. "Hurt me? How?", she asks. "I don't want you to be an accidental target of my wrath if I should get angry for one.", I explain. "That's not going to happen.", she saids. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea on how I love you.", I explain further. "Fernando- you love me more than life itself, I know that. Or how else why would you continue looking over me and the others?", she asks. "But, I don't....", I start to explain. "No buts Fernando.", she interrupts me, "Let me tell you something; if we were to end up doing something that we are not supposed to with each other, then its because we love each other that much to share in each other. Just being with each other right now says something within itself.", she explains. "I know that, but I also don't want to mess with your feelings and we get the wrong idea.", I explain. "Fernando- one thing that I am sure is this: You love me as much as I love you. If we end up having sex, its because of that love, and no matter what happens afterwards, even if my feelings get hurt for some reason, I know you meant not to let it happen. So, you cant hurt me even if you tried.", she explains. "I sense there's more to it.", I tell her. "Its just my husband. ", she saids quietly. "Problems?", I ask. "Its not of your concern, dear.", she saids. "Why not?...", I ask "Right now, I'm just happy to be here with you. Like old times, together.", she saids. She places her head on my shoulder, relaxing a bit. "You scared?", I ask. "A little.", she answers. "Of?", I ask. "You. Us. Mainly you.", she saids. "Why me?", I ask. "Because, you know we're just going around in circles with this subject.", she saids. "You keep bringing me up...", I complained. "I'm that concerned about you.", she answers. "And what about us?", I ask. "Well, like you said- you're worried about hurting you, I worried about hurting you .", she explains. "Hurting me- how?", I ask. "I know you males are much more emotionally fragile than us females, I'm worried about hurting you that way.", she explains. "Again- how?", I ask. "Fernando- if we were to make love to each other right now, what would it mean to you?", she asks. "It would mean things that I could not describe, but perhaps in all, like you said- its because of that love we have held for each other for so long.", I answer. "That's all?", she asks. "Like I said- its something more than I can not describe.", I explain, "What about you, what would it mean to you?" "A dream come true, for one.", she begins to say. "A dream come true?", I ask. She tries to hold back her laughter, only letting out a small giggle, and then a smile, "Yeah." "Pray tell what that dream be?", I ask. "Just the dream any girl has- to make love to their dream lover.", she explains. "I'm not such a dream lover, Juan.", I tell her. "I know you have your little problems and deficiencies. But from what I know of you, you have always over come them every time.", she explains. "Let me guess- Cathy told you all this- right?", I ask. "Not just Cathy, Kristen too.", she explains. "Kristen? When?!!", I almost yell out. "It was during the 2nd Shortfellow tribunal where she tried to hang you for every penny you were worth.", she answers. "But.... how...?", I asked, almost not wanting to know the truth or its details. "Remember- she accused you of rape and on-going sexual and emotional abuse. Well, Cathy wanted to hang her at the time, but instead we- Cathy and I forced a taped confession out of her, and we did it with Girl-Talking her into it. Cathy still wanted to kill her though.", she explained. "And?", I asked. "Well, she said that were you were the best she ever had, though, you were her first, she was not faithful to you as she said she was.", she explained. "I did not wanted to know that detail.", I said. "Well, you left the tribunal too early before Denise's decisions, but I admitted to the tribunal that we slept together. You should have seen the look on everyone's face when I did.", she explains. "You lied. Why?", I ask. "No one was going to believe Cathy, so, for you, in their minds, I lost my virginity... which as everyone now thinks, was why Cathy was late to her wedding, because you were taking me places where I only dreamed about.", she explains "Juanita...!", I try to hold back everything. "But, I know you will fulfill those expectations...", she saids. "Juanita, You and I are not going to have sex anytime soon.", I tell her. "No, we may not, but we are going to make love here, like we did the week when Cathy disappeared...", she explains. "We did not have sex back then.", I try to explain. "You missed my point. Like your friend Serena used to tell you, 'there is more to love than just penetration.' And you and I are just going to be here in this bed, and make love to each other even though we don't have sex.", she saids. "Then can I ask why?", I asked. "Because... Anytime, anywhere. You need me now more than ever, even if you wont admit it...", she saids. I reach around her and hold her snug against me, putting my nose on top of her head, sniffing her hair for a second. She slowly turns slightly and puts her free arm around me. I don't know how we stayed like that, but after a while, my stomach started to remind me of its other priorities. "Juanita? You hungry?", I ask. She looks up at me for a second, "Yeah. Room service?" "I was thinking more like the steak house not far from here. Found it when I arrived.", I said. "How far is it from here?", she saids. "Just next door.", I tell her. "When do you want to leave?", she asks, separating from me and sitting up on my lap. I reach forward to her, she remains still, as I slowly reach to the buttons on her blouse. Starting with the top one, I unbutton three of them, stopping at the fourth which was at her breasts. She leans over to me and whispers into my ear, "Don't stop..." I give her a quick peck on the cheek, and then start kissing her towards her ear, and down the nape of her neck. She lets out a tiny moan as she takes my hand that was on her button and holds it tightly. I give her another kiss by her shirt collar. Then I pull away from her to see her reaction. She slowly takes my hand off her blouse, and holds it on her lap. With her free hand she unbuttons two more buttons, exposing her dark blue lacy bra and cleavage into view. She continues on with unbuttoning her blouse until he was at her stomach, where I take my other hand and take hers, stopping her from unbuttoning any more buttons. She stares into my eyes for the moment before leaning over to kiss me on the lips. A kiss that seems to have lasted an eternity. We separate, if only for a moment. Though her hands were on mine, I found mine around her most intimate of places. Unsure, I slowly remove them from their places. But as I begin to remove them, she holds on to them fast, not wanting me to stop what we have started. "I think we should stop, Juanita.", I whisper to her. She stares into my eyes only for a moment, and then down at her body, finding one of my hands held in place at her breast by one of hers, and my other hand with hers inside her thigh and half way up her skirt. She slowly looks back at me. "Juanita?", I speak a little bit louder, just above a whisper. "I don't want you to stop.", she says just above a whisper. "I don't want to either.", I softly tell her. "But we must, don't we?", she asks. "Yes, we should.", I say to myself, "Or else..." But at this close range, she heard my comment, "Or else what?" "I'm sorry, I did not mean anything bad by it. Just that...", I start to explain. "Go on...", she saids. "Well... its that we may continue into something further that we may later regret.", I finish explaining, as I slowly pull my hands away from her. "If we ended up doing the worse thing here with each other, I would not regret it.", she says as she takes my hand, and slowly draws it back on her breast while she leans over to me and kisses me on the lips. Then she slowly pulls away from me. "What do you think is the worse thing that we could do?", she finally asks. "Having sex right now, would be the worst thing we could do right now, Juanita.", I tell her quietly. Taking my hand off her breast but still holding on to it, she uses it to get some balance as she turn her body to face mine, straddling me on my lap, needing to lift up her skirt to her waist, revealing the dark blue panties that matches her bra under her nude-coloured pantyhose. She then slowly inches herself in me until our groins meet as she takes my hand and put it on her breast again and then undoes the clasp that is in front of her bra. Putting her hands on my shoulders she slowly lower herself towards me and rest her head besides mine. "What if we do everything short of having sex?", she whispers in my ear. "What if we continue and eventually have sex, do you have that control? I know I don't", I quietly tell her, as I slowly let the bra drop from my hand and slowly message her firm breast. "I trust you to stop...", she says in a 1/2 sleepy tone. "Can you stop from crossing over that line?", I quietly ask her in her ear. I then follow with a kiss just below her earlobe and trail my tongue half way down her neck. "If you want me too, yes.", she saids letting out a soft moan. I pull away from her a bit and push her just softly enough to as to not ward her off. "How about we stop now?", I ask. She stares at me with those sleepy bedroom eyes of her, I can sense that she does not want to stop. "Why?", she asks. "Because I answered. I slowly bend down to where my hand was messaging her breast and slowly take my hand away. Holding on to her hips, I lean forward until I was able to put my lips on it and give it a slow and wet kiss. I can hear her breathing heavy as she arches her back slightly to rise her breast to a more higher angle. Putting her nipple between my lips, I suck in it lightly for a second and then start rolling my tongue around it. I take my hand and place it behind her head, and start to pull her upright again once I stopped playing with her nipple. "Why did you stop?", she asks. "I think we should, at least for now.", I tell her. She just stares at me for the moment in silence. I reach out with my other hand to her breast and fasten together her bra and start to button up her blouse. Once I get to the button where her breast were at, she puts her hand on mine. "Alright, we'll stop for now.", she saids, giving my hands a gentle squeeze. "Dinner then?", I ask staring into her eyes. "Yeah.", she saids with a smile. "I need you to get off me then.", I tell her softly. "But I don't want too.", she replies. "I don't want you too either, but its the only way we're going to go get dinner.", I explain to her. She leans over to me and gives me a quick peck on the check before slowly getting off, and sits on the edge of the bed. Once she's off me, I slowly start to slide next to her, in some pain. It seems that the way she was straddled against me limited the blood flow to my legs to a great extent that they both fell asleep on me. No big deal, but its only 1 or 2 positions that does this to me, I can deal with the pain, once I can get my legs stretched out and the blood flowing to them. "OW....", I say to myself, realizing that the pain was greater than what I anticipated. Instinctively I fall back on the bed and lay there, as the sensation of pins and needles rack themselves all over my legs. "You alright?", she asks as she turns to me. "Yeah, I will be.", I tell her, trying to be confident. "What's wrong?", she asks. "My legs are asleep.", I explained quietly, trying to hold back the pain as it intensifies. "How....? Oh... I'm sorry.", she says, as she leans over to me. "Don't be, it rarely happens, and I did not stopped you in the first place.", I explained. "Well, at least blood was flowing somewhere...", as she leans over to kiss me almost smiling while she slowly reaches over and softly grabs the large bulge in the groin of my pants. I take my hands to her shoulders and push her away from me as softly as I can. "Juanita, just give me a while to recover. Please- you're not helping...", I tell her as I hold her above me. "Alright...", she saids with a smile. I slowly shift her weight away from me, and she eventually gets back on the bed, holding onto my arms. With her help I sit up on the edge of the bed and start looking for my shoes that were just a few feet away from me. Moving my legs to take them with my feet was painful when I started, so I immediately stopped for the moment. Putting on her shoes, she sees that I have not yet to do the same. She gets up and with her foot, slowly slide my shoes closer to me. She then takes my suit jacket and tie and lays them next to me as she starts to put hers on. I start to put on my shoes, though painful my legs were in with every move they make. As I finish put on the second shoe and put my foot to the floor, she takes my tie and put it on me, doing the knot slightly different than what I'm used too. "Juanita, you don't have to do that.", I complain quietly. "You did not have to button my blouse or re-hook my bra, but I did not complain.", she adds. "OK, you got me there.", I say in defeat. "Think you can get up?", she asks. "You think you can lift up 200-odd pounds? I'm gonna need a little help.", I explain to her. She steps back and takes hold of my hands, leaning back for some leverage, she pulls hard as I force the commands into my legs to get me up. But like a door on very rusty hinges, my legs reluctantly replies. As I slowly get up, the pain intensifies even greater on an exponential scale until I am standing at my full height again. The pain seems to travel in waves along the length of my legs. Juanita stands there staring at me, almost sensing the pain I'm holding back through our telepathic connection. "You think you can walk?", she asks. "Not that I think I can, I must. Its the only way to get the blood flowing again.", I explain quietly to myself. She reaches over to the bed to take my suit jacket. Standing in front of me, she throws it so it lands opened on my shoulders. "Sorry...", she begins to say as she looks into my eyes, holding onto the lapels of my jacket. "I'm not complaining.", I tell her as I put my hands on her waist, pulling her closer to me. She closes her eyes, expecting a kiss which I give to her lips, then on the tip of her nose and lastly on her forehead before resting on her head. She lets out s small sigh. "Anything wrong?", I asked, resisting the urge to say 'dear'. "No...", she answers, holding something back. "Well, lets start heading out to go to dinner...", I said, sensing the final stage of my sleeping legs slowly kicking in. "Fernando- what would you say if I wanted to spend the rest of forever with you?", she asks. "Juanita- Its usually the guy that asks that.", I explain, as I gently push her away from me. "I know... but could you answer that for me?", she asks. "Forever for me may not be no more than 10 years, with each year getting worse than the one before, Juanita. Why would you want to do that?", I asked. "Explain to me how, please.", she saids. "What we went through just now, maybe be an everyday thing. Then after a year or two of that, then you will be helping me to get into a wheel chair and then worse- be changing my diapers and spoon feeding me like a baby again.", I explain to her, "Do you really want to go through that with me?" She stares into my eyes for a long time, with a tear beginning to form in them, "There is still no cure?" "Juanita- dear, my condition is genetic. There is no cure, and furthermore, all the research that was there to cure it and all neurological disease are now doing HIV/AIDS research for a cure. So, even if there was a cure, I wont be able to get it. Besides, I accepted this to be my end a long time ago.", I explain to her. "That is so unfair.", she says, "But for you, yes, I'd do all those things for you." "Why?" I asked, "Every year I'm just going to get worse, not just in body but in mind as well. After a while I'll be saying things that will hurt you..." "But I know you wont mean them.", she interrupts me. "I'll accept them but on one condition.", I tell her. "What's that?", she asks. "You give your husband and family a chance first. I will only accept you only if your husband dies first, not divorces you.", I explain. "Why?", she asks. "First, I don't want another person getting in between us...", I start to explain. "You don't want another Cathy... that's what it is.", she says. "Yeah- I don't want another Cathy with you.", I echo back. "And?", she asks. "I want your children to have the best mother you can be to them.", I tell her. "I try.", she saids. "I know you do.", I answer. Felling that my legs are almost back to normal, I ask, "ready to go?" "Yeah.", she saids, but does not lets go. I push her further away from me and then put my arms through the sleeves of the jacket, and putting my arm around her waist, lead her to the door. We walk to the elevator, and I check on my watch. It is a few minutes after 8pm, but the sun was still out in the early evening hours. The door opens, and we walk in together. Once on the first floor, we walk through the lobby and outside to the drive way. I turn to my right and see the restaurant sign just a couple of hundred yards away. "There it is.", as I look in its general direction. "It look far away.", she saids. "It only looks that way.", I tell her. We start to walk there in silence, exchanging only thoughts between us. We take our time getting there, watching the sun fall behind the horizon. We finally stand in front of the restaurant's doorway, watching the last bit of the sun fall behind the horizon and as the sky starts to change colours from orange to red. Then we walk inside. The hostess ask for the number of placements for our table, which I hold up two fingers. She leads the way for us to a table towards the back of the restaurant. We sit down. A waiter quickly comes to our table and hands us the menus. I take them and hand them back to him. "You don't want to order anything?", he asks. "I have already decided, what we want.", I tell him. He stares at me puzzled. "2 filet minion, medium rare for me, Juanita?", I ask her. "Uh?", she looks at me surprised. "She'll take her medium-well. And a bottle of your finest champagne.", I tell him. He gives me a really strange look at this point. I slowly grab his tie and slowly pull him towards me- "Look I don't care if I ordered a burger and fries in this place, I ordered it- you go get it, and if you cant get the champagne- run to the liquor store and go get one. I'll also give you a hint: The older it is the better... now, my money is good...", showing the bright red of my glowing eyes. Then I let him go, and he walks away very quietly and quickly. "That was not very nice.", Juanita says, but trying hard to hold back the laughter. "But you're worth it.", I tell her, reaching for her hand. "No I'm not.", she saids. "No? Then why are you here?", I ask her. "Because you ask me to be here.", she answers. "And if I ask you to do anything, would you do it?", I ask her, as I rub my thumb gently on her fingers. "I would do anything for you.", she answers. "Don't make any promises you cant keep.", I tell her softly. "I know you would not ask me to do anything that would put me in any danger.", she answers. "What if its something you can not or will not do?", I ask her. "There is almost anything that I will not do for you.", she says. "Well, I wont put you through a test, but for now just promise me that we wont do anything more than what we were doing.", I tell her. She stares a me for the moment before answering, "OK then. Can I ask why?" "Let me go through what I need to take care of first, then I can go and take care of you.", I tell her. "Fernando- answer me this: how much is all costing you?", she asks. "Too much, but considering that the bill will be taken cared of, the rest is up to me.", I tell her. "Working for he CIA again?", she asks. "Unfortunately, yes.", I tell her. "I see.", she replies. The waiter arrives with two fine wine glasses and tries to open the cork on the champagne. He has some difficulty until the cork suddenly pops out of the bottle loudly and almost invisibly towards Juanita at a high rate of speed. I reach over at reflex speeds and snatch the cork in mid flight with just inches remaining between it and her face. I just slowly turn to see him, he just stands there as the bubbly champagne starts to flow out of the end of the bottle as it fizzes away. "You know your tip will be reflected by the shitty service you're giving.", I tell him as I slowly sit back down. He nervously pours the champagne into our glasses. Leaving the champagne bottle on the table, he quickly leaves. "Your forgot the ice!", I yell at him. "Fernando- that was not necessary.", Juanita (Gloria) says in a loud whisper. I hold up the cork between my index and thumb, showing it and the red bruise it left on my palm to her. She looks at it intensely for a second. "It would have hit you if I was somebody else.", I tell her. "I know, it would have. And I would have dealt with it.", she saids. "You would have been knocked out if it would have hit you.", I explain. "Then I would have been rich...", she saids. "I doubt this place makes enough for you to live off it comfortably if you would have sued.", I tell her. "Well... we wont know because you had to stop it.", she says, complaining with a smile. "I will not ever let any harm come to you...", I start to say. "Or anyone else you love, I know.", she finishes for me. I take one of the champagne glasses and hand it to her, and take the other. We both stare into each other, before clicking the glasses together. We slowly drink from our glasses and put them down when half done with them. She smiles. I take the champagne bottle and refill our glasses. "Trying to get me drunk?", she asks. "No, but if it makes you happy...", I tell her. "You get me drunk you're going to have to take me home.", she says playfully. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you get home safe.", I tell her. "Good, I don't want to end up in some stranger's bed.", she adds with a smile. "Well, you wont end up in a stranger's bed, I promise you that.", I tell her. She smiles back as she takes her champagne glass and take another sip. The waiter comes back nervously, probably to tell me of some bad news about our meal. But I don't give him as chance as I turn to look at him with one of those 'if looks could kill' stares. He was about to make his statement, but then quickly leaves back to the kitchen. "You should stop doing that.", she saids to me, almost smiling. "Why? Its his job to make sure that we get what we ordered. I don't care for excuses, just for my date and food.", I explain. "Yeah, but you're making him nervous.", she saids. "If he spills a meal, that his problem. If he spills that meal on me, then its my problem that he is going to have to deal with.", I explain. "But seriously Fernando, we should be having fun. Not scaring away the locals.", she says. I reach over to my glass and take a sip. My watch slips out of the sleeve, exposing the minutes past in large numbers and the date in a smaller font on top. '8/14', it saids. And I realize something that has been in the back of my mind for a very long time. "Juanita?", I asked her. "Yes?", she answers. "What is today's date?", I ask. "Why, your watch should say what it is...", as she looks at her watch, realizing the same thing I just did. "It cant be.", she saids. "But it is.", I said, "I just remembered it just now." Juanita (Gloria) squeezes down on my hands, "How long as it been?" "If she would have lived- 15 years.", I explain. "Happy Anniversary, then, dear.", she saids. "You're not her to say that.", I tell her. "No- but I'm saying it for her.", she says with a smile. "You're also a day early." I tell her. "Its only a few hours left to the end of this day.", she saids. I just close my eyes for a while and think, putting the glass of champagne to my forehead as I rest on the table. I try to hold back the emotions, not wanting to let go but at the same time not wanting to be shown. "Fernando?", Juanita (Gloria) asks. "Yes, dear?", I answer. "You OK?", she asks. "No, but that's besides the point.", I explain to her. "What's wrong dear?", she asks. "Its just that things seems to fall into place and click, and yet we don't pay attention to it at all.", I explain. "How do you feel?", she asks. "Tired... very tired.", I tell her. I can hear the waiter walk to us, being slightly heavier in his steps, meaning that he is carrying something with him. I slowly got up from the table and sat up straight. He continues to walk to our table and stops by its edge, slowly bringing down the serving tray off his shoulder and onto the table's edge. He looks at the two steak plates on the serving tray and at us. He picks up the medium-well, looking at the both of us, "Medium Well?" I just give a quick glance towards Juanita (Gloria). He in turns reply, "For the Lady...", as he puts the steak dinner plate in front of Juanita (Gloria). He then puts the other steak dinner plate in front of me without say much as a little word between us other than eye contact. He gives in first, quickly looking away as soon as he put the plate down and starts to walk away. "That was not nice...", Juanita (Gloria) saids. "If he does not like his job, then he should leave.", I explain to her, before putting my fist onto my eye and rub it. I then start to reach for the fork and knife, so as to start cutting the steak into bite sized chunks. "Another thing... about this steak...", Juanita (Gloria) starts to ask. "I know what you're about to say, but a well done fillet minion is like an old dried out hockey puck. You cant eat it. But medium well, its juicy, and edible.", I tell her. "I'll take your word for it then.", she mildly complains. "For what its worth, trust me...", I tell her. "Right now, I trust you more than anything.", she saids. "Well, That is more than what I can say.", I said to myself. "You always say that, why?" she asks. "I don't know, perhaps its my inner demons slipping the words onto my tongue.", I said. "I can trust you, why can't you trust yourself?", she pushes the boundary a bit more, probing for an answer. "Look Juanita, don't push the limits of my emotions. Believe it or not, I am frayed into tatters, and until tomorrow, there are certain things to keep in mind...", I explain almost quietly, "...no disrespect to you." "I know what condition you're in, which is why I'm telling you- Anytime, Anywhere, I'll be there for you.", she explains. "But what if I wanted to be left alone?", I ask her. "Too bad, no such luck will be played out here.", she saids. "Just enjoy the steak...", I said, wanting to change the subject as quickly as possible. I jab a piece of steak with my fork and put it into my mouth. She looks at hers for a moment and starts cutting. We start eating our meal in an uncomfortable silence at first, almost not wanting to look at each other or to say a word between us. For good or bad, it does not last longer than just a few minutes. I take the glass of champagne to my lips and take a sip, to wash down the steak I just swallowed and to refreshen the pallet. "Juanita?", as I put down the glass, "I'm sorry." She stops struggling with her meal for a second to look at me. "What for?", she asks. "For being an idiot.", I tell her. "I'm already used to it, Fernando.", she start to look down at her meal and chooses a new angle of attack to cut the steak with. I think about what she said, and almost feel insulted by it. But I have to wonder for a second, what would be the appropriate course of action, and finding that for now it would be best to do nothing about it. She starts to look at me slowly, almost smiling. "Now Fernando, you would really bad if you took what I said seriously." "Yeah, I had to think about it for a moment.", I silently tell her. "Fernando- what do you want to do after this?", she asks. "Well, I was thinking of a movie or something, but it's getting late and we, I, need to get up early tomorrow....", I start to explain. "Shhh.... I don't want to hear about tomorrow. What do you want to do tonight?", she continues, interrupting me. "Sleep.", I tell her. "No TV or anything?", she asks. "Well... it depends.", I tell her. She take a piece of steak and puts it into her mouth, chewing on it for a while and then swallowing it. "Fernando, no matter what happens tonight or any other night between us, wont change what I think about you.", she saids. I give her an odd look for the moment trying to decipher what she said. "I'm just letting you know that, between friends, you and I.", she continues. "What if I raped you?", I asked. "Fernando- for as long as I've known you, you're not capable of rape.", she saids, adding, "And if you and I were in a situation where sex would be involved, its because I allowed it and wanted it as much as you did." "Juanita, I'm capable of some very vile and despicable things- including rape. But... I don't know what I'm trying to say.", I trail off into silence. "I understand what you're trying to say... and as a man with a penis between your legs- yes, you are capable of rape. But I know you would not do that, especially to somebody you care for and when she cares for you back.", she explains. I cut the last piece of steak in half, jabbing it with the fork and swirling it around the liquid remains of gravy and cooked blood. She takes her larger piece and cuts it into four or five pieces, arranging them in order from which she would eat them. I take the piece I was playing with and draw it to my mouth. she take her smaller pieces and eats them faster than I do. Taking the fork to the second and final piece, I jab it, sliding it across the plate, trying to mop up the remains of gravy and cooked blood off it. Then I put the fork down, reaching to the glass of champagne to drink from it. "You know, I don't ever remember you being this moody.", Juanita (Gloria) says. "I just got a lot on my mind.", I tell her. "Most of it about tomorrow...", she saids. "That's only a major portion of the problem, its the lesser one that are bothering me now.", I explain. "What other problems are gnawing at you?", she asks. "Well, our 15th Anniversary.", I said. "And that she's not here to share it with you... I can see how that might hurt.", she saids. "Stuff at home, the job, many things, Juanita. Many things.", I explain. "But I'm here with you know- anytime, anywhere... like I promised you a long time ago. All you need to do is just call.", she saids. "I know.", I answer her, looking around for our waiter, "You done?" She looks at her plate at her last two smaller pieces of steak. "Yeah.", as she jabs them with her fork and draws them to her mouth. I continue to look for the waiter, finding him in the far off corner of the restaurant. I signal for him but he ignores it. I take my last piece of steak and eat it, and take another sip from the champagne from my glass. We both take our napkins and clean up after ourselves. She almost laughs at our unified gestures. "What?", I ask. "Its what we did- together.", she saids. "What was that?", I ask. "You know- take the napkins and clean up.", she saids. "And what's wrong with that?", I continue asking. "Its that we did it together and the same time.", she saids. "Oh... I still don't get it.", I answered. "And perhaps you never will.", she saids with a smile. I continue to look around for the waiter, almost wanting to get up and drag his rear end to the table. He walks by the table next to ours, taking an order to them. I continue to observe his actions. He begins to get up and walk away. I rise my hand to get his attention, and again he ignores me. I slowly get up, putting my clenched fists on the table. "Fernando, don't make a scene.", Juanita quietly saids. I just had to stare at her for a second and smile, before turning my attention to him. Drawing a deep breathe, I yell out, "MANAGER!" The crowd freezes, and silence falls like a dead body just shot through its head. The manager, assisting the hostess at the far end of the resturant, turns around to see what just had occurred, finding me staring down the waiter. He starts walking at our direction, quickening his pace the closer he gets. In just a few seconds, he traverses the distance between us. "What seems to be the problem?", he stands there between us looking at us both. "I've called to him twice and he has refused to serve me, twice.", I complain. He looks at his employee, "What is your excuse in this?" "I was busy with other costumers, sir.", he explains himself. "He was at this table taking an order, and when I saw he was done, I called for his attention- yet he refused to serve me.", I argued back as I pointed at the table next to ours. "I was taking care of his order.", he repeats himself again. "And we're done with our meal and would like the check; but since you refuse to serve us, we dont have to pay. Lets go Juan.", I said. She stares at me, almost not wanting to go. I reach for her hand. She slowly and reluctantly takes it, but remains seated. "Please wait a minute, sir.", the manager states to me. "What do you propose?", I ask looking at him "I'll take care of your bill.", he said as he takes the ordering pad from the waiter. "Take a break now.", he adds to the waiter. I reach into my suit jacket, pulling out my wallet from the inside pocket, pulling out the credit card from within the wallet. "Tell me how much.", I tell him as I hand the card to him. He takes it from me, eyeing the table at the empty plates and almost empty bittle of champagne. He thumbs through the book and finds our order. "Two steaks, and Champagne; thats it?", he asks. "Yes it was.", I answered. He rips the reciept out from the book and heads of to process the bill. He returns in just under a minute with the reciept and credit card. "Sing here please.", as he opens the reciept book on the table and offers a pen. I take the pen and scribble my signature onto the reciept. He hands over my copy of the reciept along with the credit card. I fold the reciept and shove it into the wallet with the credit card, putting the wallet away in the inside pocket of my suit jacket. "Thank you sir.", he saids, followed by a snapping of fingers and a a scurry of waiters coming to clean up the area. One of them reach for the nearly empty bottle of champagne, but I managed to grab it before he does. "Will there be anything more?", he asks as I help Juanita (Gloria) out of her seat. Once she was standing, I examine the 1/3-filled bottle. "Yeah, send another one of these to my hotel room.", I tell him. "I will see what I can do for you, sir.", he answers. "Thank you then.", as I pull on Juanita (Gloria)'a arm lightly to start on our way out of the establishment. We all walk our separate directions. He reaches the door to his office at about the same time we reach the exit to the alcove. In the distance I can hear a door slam, followed by a muffled yelling. We continue out through the door, and onto the parking lot. "That was not very nice.", Juanita (Gloria) complains. "He deserved it.", I answer her back. "I dont think he did.", she saids. "Why? If you work in the service industry, then you must serve in a timely fashion and not ignore your customers like that idiot did to me.", I explained. "But he was busy with customers.", she adds. "You have not been to New York in a long time- waiters there check on you every 5 minutes, and immediately answer when you call on them- even if they are dealing with other customers, they finish take their orders and go to you for your needs.", I explain. "Well, this aint New York.", she saids, trying to get the upper hand on this loosing arguement. We stand in the thin concrete sidewalk outside of the resturaunt, looking around. The hotel was not too far away, less than a 1/4 of a mile away, but a very dark 1/4 of mile. "Want to walk?", I asked her. She looks at the distance, having walked it before on the way to the resturant, but this time without the light of the setting sun to guide us. "I dont think so.", she saids. "Then we wait for a cab, and who knows how long that would take.", I explain. "Not really, you have the resturaunt call for one.", she explains. "I dont see why we must call and wait to pay to be taken when we could take 5 minutes to walk the distance.", I complain. I start taking a step onto the asphalt, keeping a tight hold on Juanita (Gloria). "Let me go so I can call for the cab.", she complains. "How about I pick you up and carry you there.", I tell her. "You would not dare!", she says. I reach down under her legs and pick her up and start carrying her. Though she puts an arm around my neck, she hits on my chest with the other, complaining. I take large steps to hurry the pace to get us there. Half way down the distance, I stop. I let out a quick sigh, trying to catch my breathe. "Serves you right!", she says in the sternest possible voice possible. "Look girl, if you would stop fighting back, I would have gotten us there by now.", I tell her. "Sure you would.", she mocks me. "Look, not only am I going to carry you to the hotel, I'm going to continue until we get to our room.", I tell her. "I bet you wont be able too.", she says. "Bet? Like what you got bet with?", I ask. She lays there in my arms in silence for the moment, thinking. "Looser does what ever the winner wants.", she saids. "Alright then. Consider that butt of yours as my slave then.", I explain to her. "Who says you're going to win?", she asks in a mocking tone. With a flip of the wrist, I toss the champange bottle onto the fold of her lap and toss her a couple of inches into the air to adjust her onto a more comfortable posistion in my arms. Once cathing her, I start off race walking o the hotel, closing the distance rapidly. She complains the entire length of the way. It takes about a minute to finish off the distance, and stand in front of the hotel doors. "You are not going to help, are you?", I asked her. "Go to hell.", she says in a miffed off tone. I slowly slide my arm under her and reach for he door handle. Once I have a grap on it, I flick my wrist violently to open the door. When the door reaches the apex of its travel swing, I plant my foot against it to keep it open to adjust ourselves so we could fit through the doorway. We walk through the door, through the lobby and towards the elevator. Some of the couples there complain to their spouses about why cant they get the same treatment. A crowd stands in front of the elevator doors. The closest of the doors to open to us, I rush on and press 'Door Close' and the floor number. A few people manage to get hold of the door and get it to reopen. "We want a little privacy, so stay out.", I tell to the crowd of onlookers with a 'looks can kill face,' as I press the 'Door Close' button again. For a moment, everyone backs away from the door as it closes in front of them. Still carrying her for the elevator ride, I realize that it would be difficult to get the room key out to open the door. But I think for a possible way to solve this. The elevator stops on our floor, and yet I have not figured on a solution. I step off the elevator with her in arms and walk down the hall to our room. Once at our door, I stand there looking at it, still thinking of a solution. "OK, you won.", Jaunita (Gloria) admits in defeat. "Not quite. I have to get you inside and onto the bed.", I tell her. "No- you won... now put me down.", she argues. "I know I said that I take you to the room, but we're not inside it.", I explain. "Your arms cramped up, haven't they.", she says, almost wanting to laugh. "Well, how about a little help here then.", I ask for some assistance from her. "Why should I help you?", she mocks me. "Well, I could drop you here on the floor or drop you on a soft bed, which would you prefer?", I tell her. "You wouldn't dare.", she saids. "Juanita, you can fell my arms trambling- right, now open the door.", I tell her. "Aright, where's the keys?", she asks. "I think in my left pants pocket.", I said. She gives me an odd look, "How am I supposed to to get them from there?" "Let go of my neck and put your hand inside the pocket.", I explained to her. "But you're gonna drop me.", she says in a overly playful tone. "Just Do it, damn it.", I say, trying to hold back as much as I can. She slowly lets go of my neck and leans against me, slowly reaching down into my pants pocket, lifting the suit jacket to get there. She feels around and finds the keys inside. She can also fell me behind the layers of cotton between us. She laughs, "I found the keys.", as she gives me a slight squeeze. "Juanita...", I said in an angered tone. "OK, OK...", as she takes her hand out with the room's key, holding them to my face. "Open the door then.", I tell her. She puts her am around my neck again, "Well, let me think about it for a while." "Think and I'll drop you on your ass, girl.", I tell her. "Alright, spoil sport.", she says as she takes the key with the other hand and unlocks the door, openning it. I plant my foot against the openned door as she removes the key from the lock. I take her into the room and onto the bed, dropping her onto it. "Hey!", she complains, "You're supposed to let me down softly!" I lean against the bed massaging my bicepts, which were in a lot of cramping pain. Turning to the door, I walk to it and examine the lock from the distance, finding it locked. Walking back to the bed, I sit on one of the corners. Juanita (Gloria) crawls over to me from where I dropped her and looks over my shoulders. "You OK?", she saids with concern in her voice. "I'll be fine.", I tell her. "Seriously Fernando- in you pulling off that stunt, did you hurt yourself?", she asks. I slowly reach over to her hand and take it to my bicept, "Just squeeze lightly.", I tell her. At first she does as I tell her softly. But unsatisified with the physical answer, she presses down a little harder with every passing second for the time she was feeling them. Her eyes widen, trying to make sense of what she is feeling. "Fernando- is that you?", she saids in a surprized tone. "Consider my biological make up, then you'll understand.", I explain to her. "But, Fernando, that is not humanly possible. Its like there's concrete or something in there.", she saids. "Why do you think I sink in a pool? Silver-laced muscle fibers, cramped up into a ball. Of course its going to feel harder than normal.", I explain to her. "I've known you for a long time, and I never seen this happen before.", she saids. "Juanita, not many of you have. I have not excerted so much in such a long time.", I said, trying to take off the suit jacket, finding it a bit painful to achieve. "Here.", as she helps me out of the jacket, having to crawl next to me on the bed to do so. Once off, she takes it and places it on the adjecent corner of the bed. I start to unbotton my shirt, and she finds my undoing the tie first. She reaches over and takes the tie from my hands and starts to undo the tie for me, stopping when the knot has been undone. We stare into each other's eyes for a moment, before slowly leaning towards each other until our lips meet. We kiss for who knows how long. Seconds? Minutes? Cant tell. The only thing stopping us was the knock on the door. We separate for a second and look at each other, as who ever was a t the other side, knocks on the door again. "I'll get it.", Juanita (Gloria) says. "Better if I do.", I tell her. "Why you say that? You're in no condiction to fight, let alone get up.", she states. "But...", I try to answer back to her But it was too late as she jumps off the bed and runs to the door. "Who is it?", she asks. "Room service, with a delivery.", a voice says on the other side. She opens the door slowly, finding a hotel worker on the other side with a wrapped bottle and a pair of drinking glasses in his hands. "Complements of the Steak House.", he saids as he hands over the items to her. "Thank you.", she saids as she takes them from him and brings them inside, closing the door behind her. "What's this?", she asks as she walks back to the bed. "Champagne I ordered from the resturaunt.", I said. She sits down next to me on the bed and leans on my shoulder. "What's it for?", she asks. "For us.", I state the obvious. "Besides that.", she says in a complaining tone. "We still have the rest of the other bottle to finish", I tell her, as I put one foot behind the other and push off with it to remove my shoes, first one, then the other. She crawls over on the bed and puts the bottle and glasses on the nightstand. Finding the other nearly empty bottle on the bed, she picks it up and places it with the other. "Juanita, did you tip the delivery guy?", I asked. "Uhm... no, was I supposed too?", she asks. "Oh well, I'll take care of it when we leave.", I say to myself. She crawls back to me and leans on my back, with her head on my shoulder. I continue unbuttoning my shirt, with some difficulty from my cramped arms. The pain is subsiding and with enough rest, things will be back to normal. She reaches over and holds on to my bicept, pulling on my arm lightly, "Let me take care of that for you.", she saids softly as she reaches over around me and unbuttons my shirt. She gets to the bottom buttons, and starts to unbuckle my belt to get at my shirt that is tucked away into my pants. I take my hand and grab her hands to stop her from going further. She leans over, looking down at me and at my pants. "Dont you want me to finish?", she asks. "You shouldn't be doing this.", I tell her. "I should not be here, but for you, I'm here....", she starts to say. "I know, but. I think we should limit ourselves from our togetherness before we end up doing something...", I try to explain, interupting her. "Lets not get into that again...", she saids, interupting me. "Lets just be honest with each other- OK, Juanita?", I ask, interupting her. I reach around me and get her to get in front of me until we're sitting side by side, facing each other. I reach to her blouse and start unbuttoning it. She takes my hands within her and hold them tightly, stopping my from going further than the button that is in front of her bra. "What's wrong?", I ask. "You wont let me finish yours, so you should not be doing mine.", she answers. "But my last three buttons are tucked in my pants.", I explain. "And this button is at my breasts.", she explains, adding to the arguement. I try to pull my hands off her blouse, but she holds them firm in place. She leans over to me and kisses me in the lips, slowly loosening her grip on my hands, but pressing them against her breasts. Eventually she lets go of them, and reach down to my pants, unbuckling my belt. She unbuttons my pants and unzips the zipper, pulling them open, she reaches inside, finding the last set of shirt buttons, which she slowly undoes. The last button was at the very bottom, where my groin was at. She pulls my shirt out of my pants and puts her hands on my shoulders under the shirt and slowly pushes it off, having it slide down my back. She leans over to me and whispers in my ear, "Dont trust me?" "No, its not that.", I tell her softly. "What are you afraid of?", she asks. "Nothing...", I start to say. "Then why you haven't finish unbutton with my blouse?", she asks. "No reason.", I tell her. "You dont need any specail permission, you know.", she explains. "Well, I was about too, and then you pushed the shirt behind my back, and, uhm... I'm stuck.", I tell her. She almost begins to laugh, holding it down to a giggle. "So you're helpless right now?", she asks with a smile, as she begins to unbutton her blouse quickly. "Not totally helpless.", I try to answer with confidence. She leans over to me again, with her blouse open. "Lets put it to a test then...", as she slowly puts her lips against mine. Then she slowly puts her hand into my openned pants and slides them into my briefs. Holding her by her sides at first when she leaned over towards me, I begin to push her off me, failing due to the limited movement my shirt has pinned my elbows behind my back. She pulls away from me for a second and stare into my eyes with a smile, and my penis in her hand inside my briefs. She whispers to herself, "Wow...", as she sits back up on the bed. "Do you mind not doing that...", I tell her witth as much authority as possible as I put my arms behind me and start pulling the shirt off my arms. For a moment I get stuck because the cuff buttons have not been undone, but with a little struggling, I get them undone and take the shirt off. "I see you gotten yourself free...", she saids in a playful tone. "Juanita, I think we should stop where we are.", I tell her as I take her hand out of my briefs. I then slide myself further onto the bed and take of my pants and toss them to the edge of the bed. I take a glance at the clock on the night stand, finding that is saids '10:12' on its digital face. I take off the t-shirt and lay my head down on the pillows. Juanita finishes taking off her clothes and lays down next to me when she has nothing on more than just her panties. She crawls over to me and lays on my chest, with an arm around me. "Does it bother you that much?", she asks. "I dont know what it is, Juan.", I try to explain, "But something inside tells me not to allow us to do anything." "But you want to?", she asks. "Part of me wants too. Part of me does not.", I tell her. "Well, if you want to know- you're a lot bigger than my husband.", she says trying to cheer me up. "I didn't wanted to know that.", I said to myself. "Why not? Dont guys like to be told how big they are by girls?", she asks. "Yes, but for me, my ego does not need to be pumped up.", I explain quietly. "Just take it as a compliment, then.", she tells me. "You know that we got to get up early tomarrow.", I said, trying to change the subject. "I know. Want to go to sleep now?", she asks. "Juanita, you connected to me again?", I ask. "Yes, everytime we get together...", she starts to explain. "OK then.", I said quietly. "You got too much on your mind, dont you.", she saids. "Yeah.", I answered. "Want to nail me?", she asks, trying to change the subject. "Juanita...", I said with a tiny bit of anger in it. "I know you do. But I also know you're confused about a lot of things, so I'll leave it alone.", she says. "Juanita, you're an excellent lover...", I started to say. "How would you know? We never did anything.", she says, interupting me. "No... you missed the point.", I tell her. "You mean, 'there is a lot more to love than just penetration'?", she asks. "Yeah, you got it.", I answered. "So are you dear.", she says. "Me?", I ask. "You're the best lover I ever had.", she answers. I hold back the laughter. "What makes you say that?", I eventually ask. "A lot... not counting your penis size, that is.", she saids. "How so? Everytime we're together is because of something bad happening to me, and I'm usually at my worse when we are.", I explain. "You're not with me.", she saids, "In fact, you hold yourself quite well around me." I lay there in silence, thinking. She crawls up to me so we're face to face with each other. "You behave as a husband and a lover should... never taking the negative stuff out on me, and from what I can tell, you never had on the other ones lucky to have shared a bed with you.", she explains. "I try to be nice to who ever is with me at the time.", I tell her. "You're too perfect- you know that.", she saids. "I know...", I answer her. I give her a kiss in her forehead. She smiles back and returns the kiss onto my lips. "Want to go to sleep, dear?", she asks. "Dont want too, but yeah.", I answer. I close my eyes, though still awake. "Sweet dreams, dear.", she saids. "Only because you will be in them with me, dear.", I whisper. Sleep takes its time to fully a hold on us both. But being telepathically connected, we share in on the dreams we had that night. August 15, 1997: The End of a Monster. 6AM, the day begins with Juanita's alarm clock ringing louder than what I believe it should be. Both body and mind does not want to wake up, but today being an invited day, we must be prepared for the events that will unfold. Or at least I must. Juanita (Gloria) can remain sleeping through the rest of the day as far as I care. I wake up, though I don't want too, laying on my back and staring at the ceiling. The Sun has already pierced the veil of the curtain, and shines upon a tiny corner of the room. She continues to sleep on top of my chest, with little more on than her t-shirt and underwear. I take my hand and put it on top of her hear, feeling the course kinky straightened hair of hers. Leaning a bit downward, I kiss the top of her head. But deep down inside, the evil that I posses begins to swing its demonic tail. "Juanita...", I whisper in her ear. "hhmmm?", she moans in her sleep. "Juanita.... its time to get up dear.", I whisper into her ear again. "Must we?", she says, so unlike her some 15 years before when she was the first to wake up and get some things done during that crazy week of Christmas '83, while I complained about trying to stay sleep. "Yes dear, we must be there before 9 o'clock...", I explain. "How about another 1/2 hour?", she saids as she nuzzles back to sleep. I take my hand, and though not wanting to do it, smack her on her rear end. She jumps up into the waking world and supports herself over me with her arms outstretched. She looks at me, like a skittish doe does the nearby lion, and smacks me across the face. "Sorry, Juan. But I had to wake you up somehow.", I said, trailing off towards the end. She slowly gets off me and lays on her side, one of her hands rubbing her butt cheek where I slapped her. "That was not nice... and I'm gonna be bruised down there because of you.... how do I explain that to my husband?", she saids. "I did not mean to hurt you, Juanita...", I tell her. She crawls over to the side of the bed away from me. I sit up where I laid, looking around. The clothes were still at the edge of the bed at the corner. I slowly get out of bed, trying to stretch out the early morning pains my back gives me every now and again. I get on all fours and crawl to Juanita, talking softly near her ear, "I'm sorry." "Don't ever let that happen again.", she complains. "I wont.", I answer her back, "You want breakfast in bed or downstairs." She sits there quietly, thinking. "Better to get it downstairs.", she saids, "If we have it in bed, we wont get out of it." I slowly hop off the bed and head to my suit case; looking for a change of shirt and underwear, and place them on the arrest of the chair that stands next to the TV. Juanita follows my actions and does the same, but putting her stuff on the cushion. She continues on searching for other items, as I start to itemize my dirty clothing with the clean ones. From her bag, she pulls out a shower cap and towel and runs into the bathroom. Meticulously, I place my dirty clothes onto separate zip-lock bags and put them into a separate compartment of my suit case. I look around me, and hear that she has started with her shower. It gives me a chance to go deep inside my suit case and check on my gun: its magazine of cartridges laying next to it, the gun itself on safety and the trigger lock on. I take out a key and undo the lock from the trigger, and insert the magazine into its compartment. I slide back onto the loading mechanism, putting a bullet into its place in the firing chamber. Continuing on with searching the suit case, I find my shoulder holster, and put the gun inside it. "Fernando?", Juanita (Gloria) saids from inside the shower. "Yes?", I answer back. "Come here for a second?", she calls. Closing the suit case, I proceed into the bathroom. She was in the shower stall, washing away the dirt and filth that tends to build on one's skin. "What is it?", I ask. She slides the shower curtain over, sticking herself out, "Why don't you come in?", she asks. She reaches out to my arm and pulls on me. I almost fall into the shower stall, just barely holding on to the edge of the wall. "Do you mind?", as I look at her wet and enticing body, almost wanting to pounce on her. "Fernando- we showered together before....", she saids with a smile. "Well at least cant you wait for me to take off my underwear?", I complain, interrupting her. "No...", she says out loud. I proceeded to take off my briefs before stepping in. The water was neither hot nor cold, but somewhere in between. She steps out of the flow of water and allows me to get wet. She steps behind me and starts to rub me down with the soap from behind. I just stand there for the while with my forehead on the wall, letting the water to flow down my back. Though I wish the water was hotter, for the stream would be more relieving to my chronic back pain I've been suffering all my life. But for now, this will have to do as I think to myself. Juanita pulls on my arm a bit, and I turn around to face her. She smiles at first, and then reaches behind my neck, making me bend down to her. Getting closer, she kisses me on the lips for a second. I in turn hold her close to me. She pushes back after a few seconds, and starts to lather my chest with the soap, working her way down. She gets as far as my pubic, and I take my hand to stop hers, taking it away from the area. She takes her other hand and puts it behind me, taking a step forward until our bodies met. I take the soap from her and start lathering her shoulders and work my way down her back. She steps back a tiny amount, reaching behind her to get my hands and guide them to the front where her flat stomach was and with my hands in hers, start to lather her front, slowly working our way up to her breasts. She lets go of my hand as I hold on to her breast with it, feeling the firmness of it in my palm. She takes her hand onto my groin and takes hold of my semi erect penis, slowly massaging it in a teasing way. It becomes fully erect in her hand. She leans her head against my chest and looks into my eyes. Something inside me tells me to stop this little shower scene before we end up having sex in the shower. I take a step back against the wall, letting the water go through my hair for the moment and then take her hand off my private area. She takes a step forward stopping when my penis pokes her just above her public area. She tip-toes for a second, giving me a quick kiss on the chin, but also trying to sense how high she needs to get to put me in between her legs. Between my height and length, she was not able to put me on or in her sensitive area. Taking my hand with the bar of soap inside, she takes the soap out of my hand and places it on the soap tray on the wall. She tries to step in front of me, but I hold out my arm to keep her distance from me. Stepping to the side, I step out of the shower and grab one of the hotel towels and start wiping myself down. inside, she turns off the flow of water and slowly step out behind me. I wrap the towel around my waist, and get another for her. I turn around to her and unfold the towel, placing it in front of her and wrap it around her chest and body. She take the towel off and starts wiping herself dry before rewrapping herself again with it. I step out into the room, walking to the bed and sitting down on it with my shoes next to my feet. Juanita steps out shortly afterwards, sitting next to me when she reaches the bed. "You want me, don't you?", she asks. "I think we're both in each other's heads, pushing certain buttons.", I said. "What do you mean by that?", she asks. I slowly turn to her, "You mean you don't know?" "Know what?", she asks. "Telepathic mirroring.", I explain to her. She drops the set of underwear she had just gathered together, "What?!!" "Telepathic Mirroring is when one is inside another head, and start to pick up on that other person's emotions, thoughts and ideas until the one that is inside the head forgets who they are. But in our case- we echo each other so much that we become reflections of the other.", I explain to her. "And you think that is happening to us?", she asks. "To you. I can control it more than you can, but you are becoming a reflection of me, Juanita. and not that I don't want it... believe me- having a female version of one's self is a male's dream...", I start to explain. "What do you mean by that?", she asks. "Simply put, a female version of a male would have the same sex drive of that male. In my case- you should already know the answer.", I finish explaining. "So you're thinking that I want to make love to you because I'm picking up those feelings from you?", she asks. "Something like that.", I say with a sigh. She smacks me on the back of the head. "You think I'm not capable of my own emotions, Fernando? Is that it? That the ones I have of you are yours misguided ones directed towards me? Get real Fernando- I've been holding back on these feelings for such a long time that they are beginning to hurt for quite sometime now.", she saids, holding back the tears with anger and hostility. I could only raise my head up from the blow she gave me and stare at the wall as she throws each word at me. "WELL?!!!", she yells at me. Between remaining to be silence, and saying something towards my defense, I make the mistake of choosing the latter. "My feeling, my emotions are that of my own, forever tied to that one person who should be here right now in my place, not me in hers. For love transcends both life and death, for it is forever. And to those who think that the feelings in their weak hearts is that of love, I'm telling you now, 99% of all humanity is wrong. For it starts in a place beyond the here and now, and continues onto the there and forever.", as I slowly get up and start to walk around, gathering my stuff and piling them onto the opposite corner of the bed. "Now, if what you think you have inside of you for me is love, then yes- damn it all, it hurts. It hurts because the object of your desire hurts. Now, understand that no one is going to be able to get to me until I am finished with the job I have to, and I don't care how good the sex is or anything else involved. So for now if you will excuse, I have a job to do; and believe me, opening the gates of Hell is not an easy task.", I continue to add. She sits there in shock, wondering what to say, let alone how to respond. I drop the towel nearby, but within her view of my nakedness. Not as a show, but to proceed with getting dressed, a process we have done in front of each other who knows countless of times. My feelings for her are almost equal to those of Cathy in both depth and dimension. But when someone starts to question my motives and emotions to fulfill their petty questions, then they end up on my shit list. If anyone starts to question my past feeling of Cathy, then they will end up pinned to the Gates of Hell until I decide to release them. The briefs goes on, before the deodorant, cologne and t-shirt. Followed by a quick trip to the bathroom to brush the teeth, and other basic personal hygiene routine. Coming back out, I put on the watch, shirt and pants. Putting on the shirt, Juanita (Gloria) takes her cue to start putting on her clothes, getting up to drop her towel to put on her panties and bra, then the deodorant, and pantyhose. She puts on her blouse before going into the bathroom to continue with her personal hygiene routines. While she is in the bathroom, I walk over to my suitcase and take my shoulder holster to put it on, checking the gun inside: fully loaded and safety on. To hide it from her, I put on the suit jacket and get on the bed to put on the socks and shoes. I quickly hop of the bed, and get in front of the mirror and examine myself and my clothes. Juanita (Gloria) slowly walks out of the bathroom, as I look at myself in the mirror- which she knows is a very odd thing for me to do for I do not do this. Its not part of my psyche or my persona, for when teens were growing up and start to look at themselves in the mirror, I was blind and never developed the habit when my sight returned. So she stands there to study me for the moment that I check myself out in the mirror. Stepping away, I give myself a final look over before heading to the room's chair and sit in it. She leans against the bathroom doorway, continue to stare at me. "Well, what you looking at?", I ask. "Never have you done that in the entire history of your life.", she saids. "And what's your problem with it?", I ask. "Listen, Fernando, I'm not here to fight you. So cut out the childish act...", she beings to say. "...before what? One of us gets hurt? No Juanita- it will not be I who will get hurt. Remember that.", I tell her. "Is that a threat?", she asks in a challenging tone. I put my hands together, fingers to palm in a form of an airball and close my eyes for a moment. The space between my hands and fingers begin to glow brightly. I remove the upper hand and hold out a ball of energy with the other to her. "You know I don't threaten.", I tell her. She stares at the ball of energy, though small in size, she knows that within it contains enough energy to devastate anything it impacts with. "You would not dare use that on me.", she saids, with fear trying to be held in its place outside of her voice. "Would I? Question my emotions or my motives, past or present , of those to yourself or those of Cathy, then you will be in the receiving end of it.", as I close my fingers around the ball, light beams flashing out brightly from between the fingers. She bows her head slightly, and walks to the bed, slowly getting her items together and continues on with dressing herself. I get up out of the seat and head to the door. "I'll be back, just have to make sure that my arrangements are in order.", as I open the door and stand in the door way. "But, why don't you just call them on the phone?", she asks. "I'll be back.", I said as I step out into the hall and close the door behind me. I can hear her call for my name, but I take a couple of quick steps into the emergency exit stairways and head down the stairs to a lower floor. Once on a lower floor, I take the elevator to the lobby, and make my way to the reception desk. "May I help you?", a lovely young female behind the desk asks. "Yes, I will be needing the services of a private car service, like a small limo or something like that to pick me and a friend at 8 o'clock to take us to Langley Airforce Base by 9 o'clock, and to return us back here at an undisclosed time.", as I take my wallet out and put a credit card onto the desk. "Uhm... Langley Airforce Base?", she asks as she take the credit card and looks at it. I reach into my wallet again and pull out the CIA identification card and put it on her desk. Blindly she takes it and looks at it thinking it to be another credit card, and looks at it for a moment, frozen as if she was sprayed with a super cold liquid. "Holy Shit...", she says to herself, holding the two cards in her nervous hands. "Is there going to be a problem with the request?", I ask. "Uhm... I'll do my best for you sir.", she says in a quiet tone. "Thank very much then. Uhm... is the Hotel Diner open for breakfast?", I comment and then ask. "Yes it is sir... mind if I hold on to these to fulfill your request?", she asks. "It would be better for you to go into the main office and make a photo copy of them. But I'll be back with my friend for breakfast, I'll get it then.", I explain to her. "I'll have everything ready by then.", as she takes the cards and holds onto to them with a clenched fist. Reaching over, she drags her keyboard closer to her and start typing. "Thank you so much, miss.", as I start to step away from the desk and walk back to the elevators. Paying a little attention to my hearing, I can hear the desk managing supervisor approach her and ask her why she was nervous, followed by a loud thud of the supervisor fainting against the floor. I step into the elevator, and smile as I press for my room's floor. Getting off the elevator, I walk to the room and open it. Juanita (Gloria) was still on the bed, still 1/2 dressed, and towards the end of her crying. I walk to the night-stand by the bed and take the box of tissues to her on the bed. Standing in front of her, I stand over and bend at the knees to lower myself to her level, ending up lower. I take several tissues out of the box and reach within her arms and she hold her head, slowly taking them away from her face. She resists at first, but slowly, she allows me to take away her hands and arms from her face, and start to wipe the tears off her cheek. "What's wrong?", I ask, perhaps in too strong of a voice. She remains in silence, trying to stop crying in a sudden stop, but has to coast down into calmness instead. "Juanita, what is wrong?", I ask her in a calmer tone. She looks at me, with tears slowing forming in her eyes. "You want to go home?", I ask. "You must hate me.", she saids silently. "Why do you think that?", I ask her. "Because of what you said and how you been acting around me.", she saids. "No- I don't hate you, not in the very least, Juanita.", I begin to explain, "I do love you; but you have to understand that I have my ghosts and my problems." She looks at me trying to hold back the tears. "You want me to have sex with you, is that that point of you being here? Or are you here for me, no matter what happens between us?", I ask. "I'm here for you...", she saids quietly. "Now if we end up having sex- its alright with you?", I ask, interrupting her. "Yes...", she answers quietly. "And we made love to each other, that's alright with you still?", I ask her. "Yes...", she answers quietly. "Then we already made love many times over.", I said. "How?", she saids. "You're not thinking with your head on straight- Love without Penetration, dear..." , I tell her. She sits there looking at me for the answers, giving a couple of final sniffles as I wipe the eyes from her eyes. "Would you ever make love to me?", she asks. "Juanita- its not that I did not wanted too, believe me, I do. But until I take care of these ghosts and problems, I cant, I wont, have sex with you... because... my own head is not straight on that. So- this is not a promise, but if that is want you want from me- then we will before we leave for home. Understand that with or without penetration, its still love.", I tell her. "You promise?", she asks. "Like right now- as always- love without penetration. But if you think we are ready for the next step, and have sex, look Juanita- I have needs and urges too, but I want to make sure that what ever we get ourselves into wont get defiled by the wrong reasons. I know, I'm acting like some dumb virgin right now, but it has to be right. And with this stuff inside my head- it can not ever be right. So be patient with me, and I promise not to be such a meanie to you... OK?", I explain, ending with a question. She nods her head in agreement, but does it slowly. Almost unwanting to agree or to answer, I'm unsure of which. "Look we got a long day ahead of us. So lets get ready so we can eat and be on our way.", I tell her as I slowly get up. The pain in my knees and back remind me that its too early in the morning to be over excerting myself. Her eyes follow me as I get up. I take a step back, taking her hand and gently pull her up onto her feet. She is reluctant, but eventually gets up. I take her into my arms and give her a hug for a few seconds, but nothing more. She responds back with a hug in return. I start the separation, and take a look at my watch. It just a couple minutes past 7AM, but for me, it means that we are going to be late. "What you would like for breakfast?", I ask, separating and heading to the phone. "I don't know...", she said "What you used to eat when we were together last?", I ask, "Oh yeah, an omelet and home fries..." I take the phone and call for reception desk. "Hello?", a female voice answers, its the voice of the lovely lady I seen earlier. "Its me again, you have my cards downstairs... could you get a table for two ready for me and my friend, and our order is going to be steak and eggs easy over for me and an omelet with home fries for her. We're running a little late here.", I tell her. "How soon would you like this to be?", she asks. "Immediately, as soon as we can get ready to go down, to be served in the minimum time possible. That's why I'm calling now.", I explain. "Alright sir. And I have that car ready for you, it will be waiting at 8 o'clock.", she explains. "Thank you. We should be leaving in about 5 minutes.", I tell her. "See you later then.", she replies before hanging up the phone. I hang up the phone after her, and turn to Juanita. "We don't have much time.", I tell her as I start to walk to her. She stands there with one arm holding the other against her side. I take my steps toward her until I was by her side, facing the bed, looking about and find the last of her clothes on the opposite corner where she sat before. I reach over and take them closer to the edge where we were. I pick up her skirt and hand it to her as neatly as possible. She takes it and holds on to it for the moment, putting it on when I bend down to look for her shoes. The only thing that remains was the matching jacket to her skirt which was on the bed where the skirt used to be. She looks behind her to see what I was doing as I reach down to get her shoes. She then checks on her skirt before needing to go to her suitcase and search around inside, pulling out a large safety pin from inside. She takes the waist of the skirt and opens its, unfurling it like a blanket before she wraps it around herself, buttoning the only button it has on the top and then uses the large safety pin to hold down the rest of it midway down by her left side. I turn to sit on the bed, watching her, putting her suit jacket on my lap. She stands before me, eyeing for my approval, for which I have no complaints. "Well?", she asks as she takes a spin around, sending her skirt outward and upwards for only a second. It wraps itself around her when she stops, and bounces back to its shape again. "Its fine", I said without paying attention to her, other then holding out her matching suit jacket to her. She takes the jacket and puts it on. I bend down to get her shoes and hand it over to her. She takes a step towards me and places a foot on the bed. I take her by the ankle and hold firm as I gently lift her foot off the bed, putting the shoe on her foot with my other hand and put it back on the bed. She examines her foot inside her low-heel pump. Taking the foot off the bed, she reaches for my shoulder and holds on for balance. She switches to the other foot, having it hover slightly over the bed for me to put the other shoe on it before putting it back on the floor. She turns her back to me and sits on my lap, holding onto my neck for support. "Thank you.", she saids as she gives me a quick peck on my nose. "What for?", I ask. "For helping me put on my clothes.", she explains. "Can I dare ask why?", I ask. "Why?.... because not even my husband helps me get dressed.", she explains. "Why not?", I ask "Because we don't...", she saids trying to explain. "That's kinda dumb.", I said to myself. "Why you say that?", she asks. "Because in any relationship, one must help out the other.", I explain. "Wait- you mean that you used to dress Cathy...?", she asks. "Everyday we were together.", I answer. "But then tell me, why not with me that Christmas week.", she asks. "Well, we were snowed in, either in our underwear or pajamas, and I was either passed out or burying my head under the pillow from the headaches.", I explain. "But if things were different...", she starts to ask. "If things were different, I would be dressing and undressing you everyday- OK?", I tell her, "Look, we're running late, so lets go." I tap her on the bottom, and she reluctantly gets off. I get up and head towards the door, she follows. Opening the door, I hold it for her to go through first, trying to be ever the gentle man that I am. She walks through, as if she always walked with a sexy gait to her walking steps, I never noticed until now. But deep inside, I want to take my demon's tail and tie her up with it and have my way with her. Something deep inside my evil stirs inside. But she's always walked that way, as far as I can remember. Together we walk to the elevator, she taking my arm in hers. The wait was not long, probably because were the only ones up and around, or in the least, everyone who lives there and works had left for the day. Either way, we took less time to get there than it took for her to get dressed. We walked through the lobby, the receptionist calling me by my mispronounced name when I was with in her site. I turn to face her, she signals to me to approach the desk. "Juanita, the table and breakfast should be ready for us, just go in while I take care of the bill and other accommodations.", I tell Juanita. "Can't I go with you?", she asks. "As soon as you sit down, we can eat. We're running behind schedule.", I tell her, slowly taking her and off my arm and turn her to the dining area. With a slight push I send her on her way. I turn about and head to the reception area, and speak with the lovely girl behind the desk. She tells of the arrangements she made for me about the limousine. After signing a few receipts, my cards are returned and I head back to the dining area. She sits alone at a table, breakfast already served. She has started the meal without me. I approach her quietly and take my seat across from her and start eating. For me, breakfast, no matter how large, gets wolfed down in a matter of minutes. The secret is having to cut everything into lesser than bite sized prices, mix it up and shovel everything into the mouth. Perhaps not the most healthiest way to consume food, but its a method my body has been accustomed to for many years. I start cutting the eggs and meat onto small sizes, and devour the mean bit by bit, with a occasional gulp of juice, water or coffee slowing my pace enough to come up for air. Juanita takes hers as little as she can, eating a bit here and there of her omelet, toast or juice. I finished off my meal before she could hers- actually she finishing off what she would eat and leaving the rest behind. I sit up, wiping my hands and face with the napkin that was set aside. Juanita (Gloria) takes a few more bites before doing the same. We look at each other for a second or two before making our next move. "Bathroom, before we go?", I ask. "Uh? yeah...", she answers. "Its going to be a long ride, so we might as well go now.", I explain. "Yeah, we should.", she answers. Not needing to answer for a bill, I get up and walk to Juanita, helping her out of her seat. We leave the dining facilities for the nearest rest rooms, and later meet at the lobby. I walk out of the men's room and wait for Juanita (Gloria) at the lobby, looking at my watch which says 8:03 AM. Though we don't have to be military precision, I do prefer to get ready and leave on trips as on time as possible. Though it does not seen as a long time, 1 minute can seem to drag onto an eternity. She walks out of the lady's room, unaware of our need to get to where we are going. She takes her time walking and eventually makes it to where I am at. "You done?", I ask, holding back the anger from being delayed in the slightest but. "Yes.", she answers. "Good. Lets go.", I answer. I turn to step towards the door way with Juanita about a step behind, she catches up quickly and takes my arm again. Together we walk to the front exit of the hotel and through its doors. In front waiting was a black stretch limousine with its driver waiting by the rear passenger door. "Mr. Gutchearrez?", he asks, mispronouncing every syllable of my name along the way. "Yes.", I look at him, more like through him. The acknowledgment was enough for him to open the door for us. I help Juanita in and she slides over to where she is comfortable. I remain standing outside to verify a few items. "Langley Airforce Base?", he asks. "Yes, and don't ask any more questions. Once you arrive at the gate, tell the guards to see me for I have all the paper work. Then you will follow them to let us out and then to park the car. Afterwards, you will be escorted to bring us back here.", I explain to him as I pull out my wallet and show him my CIA ID card. He stares at it for a while, nervously at first, then regaining his composure. "I'll get you as quickly as possible.", he says in a proudful manner. "We have to be there by 9AM, though quickly maybe be suited for the cause, I want to get there safe. Drive cautiously, especially when approaching the Airforce Gate.", I instruct to him. "Will do.", he saids. I nod to him in an agreeable manner before getting into the vehicle. He closes the door behind me. "Where are we going?", Juanita (Gloria) asks. "You know both where and why, so why you ask?", I ask of her. "We're going to go see Randal at a military base, why the limousine?", she asks. "They're not going to let civilians just drive up to the base.", I explain to her. She leans over to me, holding my arm once again. "Is it going to be a long ride?", she asks. "Long enough.", I tell her. "Long enough for what?", she asks, sinking into the chair just a little deeper. I slowly turn to her and stare into her brown eyes, putting my hand on the inside part of her leg by her knee. I slowly work my hand up the inside of her thigh, leaning towards her, whispering, "Anything you want..." She uncrosses her legs and opens them a little for me to slowly reach a little higher up into her skirt. She looks back at me with half sleepy bedroom eyes. "Anything?", she whispers back. Taking my nose behind her earlobe, I take my tongue and lightly lick it for a second. She in turns reaches for my crotch and grabs at the bulge that is there before starting to unzip my pants, spreading her legs a little wide as my hand goes up deeper into her skirt. "Juanita?", I ask her. "Yes, dear?", she answers. "Just one thing...", I said to her softly, with my wrist at the safety pin that held her skirt together midway. "You can unclip it if you want...", she saids. She already has her hand inside my pants and is working her way through my briefs, pulling them down slightly to get at my manhood. "I think my watch is caught on it.", I say, lying step every word I said. "Oh...", she replies in a whisper, almost smiling. She has to talk her hand out of my pants and reach down to her skirt where the large safety pin held it together. She quickly opens it, removing it from her skirt and pulling on its overlapping flap away, revealing everything underneath. The underlying part just covers the top of her thigh. "Is that better?", she asks. I slide my hand up to her crotch, messaging her sensitive areas gently with my fingers tips. "Better", I whisper back to her. She starts to softly moan from pleasure on the initial contact, and goes back to into my pants to work her way through my briefs. She brings over her other hand to undo my belt, which is quickly undone in a few seconds. "Juanita?", I ask her again. "Yes dear?", she answers. I gently nudge my head against her, to get her into a more comfortable position until our foreheads touch and we're eye to eye with each other. She doe not resist to comply. "Sweet dreams dear.", I tell her softly. "Sweet dreams?", she asks. I smile at her at first, then close my eyes for a moment to concentrate hard and deep, unleashing a mind blast into her brain. For the moment her neural network short circuits and she passes out. I fell sorry having to have done that to her, but for the time needed, it has to be done. In the least I do her the favor of implanting a very racy sex scene into her memory for her to dream about for the rest of her life to enjoy, a memory she would think to be real and have only done so only with me. The only difference being that it never happened, and only a gynecological exam would know for sure. I reach down into my briefs and pull out her hand which the fingers had begun to wrap themselves around my penis. Once out of the way, I fix myself up and then work on her, fixing her clothes to be neat and form fitting on her as they already were. After fixing ourselves up, I lay her on the out stretched chair of the vehicle and use my arm and lap as a pillow for her to support her head. Before sitting back myself, I kiss her on the forehead. Though smooth, it was a long ride to Langley. Before getting there, I make a clean and slow attempt to jump start her mind. The first attempt puts her into sleep mode; which is far better than leaving her in a psychic shock wave induced coma. The second attempt wakes her up gently. "Fernando?", she asks. "Yes, Juanita?", I answer. "What happened?", she asks. "You don't remember?", I ask. "Yeah, sort of.", she answers. "Then what do you remember?", I ask her. She slides her hand down to mine on her stomach and holds on to it tightly, "Something wonderful.", she responds. "Then something wonderful it was.", I answer her back. she looks up at me and smile, trying to draw my hand to lips. But I hold fast, holding onto her. The partition window rolls down. "Excuse me sir, are arriving at the gate.", the chauffeur saids. "Remember, when they ask you questions, tell them to direct them to me, and them follow them.", I remind him. "Yes sir.", he says. The partition slowly rises back up again. The car slows down to a crawl before stopping. I can hear words being exchanged between the guard and the driver before the window on my left side start to roll down, another guard stand by it with arms ready as he leans towards the window. He see that we were the only two occupants inside, before stepping away from the window. He nods approvingly at an approaching individual who also leans towards the window. "Identification and business.", he says as he looks at the two of us. Juanita (Gloria) looks up at him from her position of laying down with her head on my lap, smiling and then waving at the officer at the window requesting the information. I signal to him to wait for a moment before going inside my suit jacket and pulling out a thin leather document holder and pass it to him. As he takes the document holder and opens it, I pull out my wallet from my rear pants pocket and hand over my CIA identification card. "Sorry. You will not be allowed to enter...", he began to say as I stuck my CIA Identification card to his face. He looks at for a second before taking I from my hand. I pull out my cell phone and go through its data base, finding General Lattenburg's personal cell number in it, I press the call button. He above all others will be there for Randal today. "Hello", the general answers. "Good morning General," I answer to him, "I'm not being allowed into the base." "What gate are you at?", he asks. "I believe the southern one.", I explains to him. "All right then, I'll take care of it for you.", he says before he hangs up the phone. I sit there and wait, hanging up my cell phone and put it back in to my pocket. The guard leans towards the window of the vehicle, handing me my paperwork, "I'm sorry sir, but you will not be allowed to enter." "Answer that.", I tell him. "What?", he saids. "I said, 'Answer that.', as in go answer the phone at the gate.", I explain to him. "You got 30 seconds to put this vehicle in reverse and be on your way.", he says, signaling to the other guards around him who point their weapons towards the car. In the distance, a phone rings, the phone in the guard house. The guard inside answers it, and after answering a few questions as to the activity at his location, gets an ear full. He runs out of the guard house yelling. "Let him through!", the guard from the guard house yells. "What?", the guard that was speaking to me gets up to say to the other. "Its the visiting general, he's expecting a visitor to be arriving, he's that visitor!", the guard from the guard house says loudly as he points to the car. "I don't believe you.", the guard says, as he walks to the guard house to speak with whom ever was on the phone. He comes out less than a minute later, pale and sweating, almost nervous. He gives out orders to a couple of guards who jump into a jeep and position themselves in front of the gate and wait. He then walks to the driver's window and explains to the driver what he is to do, which is basically to be escorted to my destination point and then to a waiting area. He then finally steps away from the vehicle and tell the remaining guards to open the lift gate to allow the limousine to go through, following the jeep through the base. We drive for a couple of minutes, keeping at a respectable speed of 15 miles per hour. Eventually we stop in front of a large white building. The guard who was the passenger in the jeep walks to the limo rear door on my side, and opens it. I signal to Juanita (Gloria) to get up as to allow me to get up and out of the car. I reach my hand in for her to grab it and help her out of the car. The guard closes the door behind us and walks with us into the building. The limo drives away, following the jeep to a waiting area. The inside of the building resembles that of a cheap office building, more like a low-budget school. But as far as military building are concern, appearances are not the chief concern, functionality is. We continue to walk by many office doors through a maze of corridors until we reach to the end of a dead end hallway with three doors at the end. The guard opens the door on the right and tells in to go in. It is dark like a movie theater, with 4 rows of seat, 10 across, facing a large glass window. Looking through the window is a lone seat, with leather belts attached at various locations on it. But as for the room we were in, we were not alone. For several minutes, it remains empty. A solider enters the room with a rolling cart of rifles. Ancient carbines from the looks of it; M1's- used since the second world war and up until the Viet Nam war. Ancient, but in excellent condition. The solider goes through the motion of examining each gun, putting in 1 shell casing into each rifle, with his back towards us. I counted that he repeated his motions 7 times, for 7 rifles. But in standard military tradition, only 1 of them will have the killing bullet, the others will be blank rounds. This is so that the firing squad members will not know who shot the killing round, and absolving them from their sins, as per military law. The solider leaves the room, leaving the guns on the cart. A few minutes later, 7 soldiers enter the room and stand at attention in front of the cart. Three more officers enter the room, 1 general and 2 lesser officers. The lesser officers takes turns examining each weapon before handing them off to the soldiers, as the general explains to them what is their duty. Standing at attention with their weapons in hand, before they leave, the lesser officers examines the weapons for the last time, putting them into firing-ready condition. All the soldiers have to do is point and shoot. The reason as to why this is done, is to make sure that the soldiers don't discover which gun has the killing round. The soldiers leave through a different exit from the one they entered with the lesser officers. Another minute passes by. Two more lesser officers and four soldiers walk into the room, Randal in the middle of the group. A PA system is turned on in the room, allowing every word, every noise from the other room to be heard. The soldiers step away into the far corners of the room, guns ready at Randal's position if he were to do something stupid. The lesser officers walk up to him and begin to undo his handcuffs and shackles. When the securements are removed, they are placed onto the cart and rolled to the other doorway. Somebody on the other side opens the door and removes the cart from the room. He stands there at attention, awaiting execution of his punishment, standing proudly as in defiance to all that is going on around him. "Major Randal James Chilsom, as by the power invested in me by the United States Armed Forces, I do here by commence execution of your punishment for your crimes as deemed by your Court-martial.", the general says out loud. "Number One: For Abandonment and taking absence with leave which lasted 15 years, you are to be stripped of Rank and File from the your commissioned post within the United States Arm Forces.", the general out loud. "Number Two: For the crime of murder of a civilian and of an United States Citizen during Time of Peace and Non-Military Action, you are to be executed. Sentence will be commuted here, today at 0930 hours.", the general saids out loud. I look at my watch, it says that it is 9:25AM. I fumble with it and put it on stop-watch mode. "Sit down.", the general orders Randal. He readily complies without word. The two lesser officers return to Randal, securing him to the seat through the leather straps that are on it. Randal takes a deep breathe when they are done tying him to the chair. "Do you have any last words?", the general says. Randal answers 'no' by shaking his head negatively. One of the lesser officer walks up to him and stands in front of him, and asks him a question, "Blindfold?" Randal nods yes. Figures that the chicken shit bastard would be too afraid to watch his own death come. Another steps in front of him and asks him another question, "Cigarette?" Randal nods his head yes, and the officer places a cigarette to his lips. The two lesser officers step away into the corners of the room with the other guards. The General stands in front of Randal, bending down to him and pins a tiny cloth red heart to his chest. He then gets up. The general asks one final question, "Do you have any last requests?" Randal sits there silently. After a minute of not answering, The general walks away. A priest and a doctor enters the room and stand with the general. Everyone in room with Randal stuff ear plugs into their ears. Looking at his watch, the general rises his hand, shouting each command with several seconds between them, "Ready!.... Aim!.... Fire!" The room echoes with the loud explosion of gun fire and smoke. To my hearing, I hear 6 similar explosions of gun fire and one slightly louder than the others. Randal seemed to have arched back for a second before slumping down on his seat. The cloth hear on his chest seems to be ripped to shreds, and wet from blood that it pouring out from the wound. I press a button on my watch, activating the stop watch. The doctor walks to him first, checking a feel for a pulse and then puts on his stethoscope and puts it on Randal's chest next to the wound. He then steps back and declares that Randal is dead. Less than a minute has gone past at this point as I take note. The priest then follows after, saying a small prayer and does the sign of the cross. Less then 15 seconds had passed. The General signals to the lesser officers to open the door, where a medical team waits to remove the body. In our room, another door on the opposite side opens, and a lesser officer tells us to step outside to wait. Another 30 seconds has passed by as I stand by the doorway to keep looking through the window to see what exactly was going on. Others had started to walk by me, mostly military personnel, but also included were a couple of civilians. Two of them were Kevin, dressed in his former Airforce uniform and his wife Juanita. The third was Randal's brother Charles. Of the group, General Lattenburg and his lesser officers were with us. Charles stands in front of me, trying to stare me down and stand his ground. I ignore him, as I continue to look on the activity of the other room, as Randal is removed off the seat and placed on a gurney. "I hope your ass is satisfied.", he growls at me. By instinct, I reach out with my right arm and grab him by his neck and lift him off the floor, pinning him to the opposite wall. "No I'm not, so don't fuck with me little man- for I did not pull the trigger that killed him.", I growled back. Kevin grabs onto my arm and yells, "Let him go- Gutich!" "Or else what?", I growled back at him, staring at him with my eyes beginning to glow. "Just let him go.", Kevin responded in a calmer tone. I reach into jacket with my left hand and remove my gun, placing it to Charles's nose, "Remember this for all eternity, boy: For if anything happens to me, my friends or the Townsend family, I will personally hunt your family down and cut off their existence forever." I then drop him to the ground, leaving him crumpled on the floor, gasping for air. I step away from him, looking into the room, seeing that Randal has been taken door. I glance at my watch, seeing that a total of 3 minutes and 12 seconds has past. A door slightly further away from us opens, and a gurney rolls out into the hall way towards our direction. We're told to stand at either side of the hallway to allow the gurney to roll by. I stand at the furthest end. The gurney stops by us for a moment. From behind, the general walks through the guards and stops at the gurney to make his statement. "Officers, Ladies and Gentlemen, Justice has been commuted and served.", the general saids, and then asks, "Who here among you is to recover the body?" Charles raises his hand and makes his presence known. "You follow me.", the general says. The gurney begins to rolls down again, but I stand in front of it, causing the staff to stop. "General, sir, we got a problem.", one of the gurney men says. The guards stand at readied position to shoot me where I stand. I put my foot against one of the bottom rails of the gurney and switch the gun to my right hand. I then raise my left arm to look at my watch. Four minutes has just passed by. "Step away from the gurney", the voice of the General can be heard in the back of the crowd. "In two minutes, I will step away sir.", I yell back. In the back ground, I can hear a solider sliding his firing mechanism into firing mode. "Two minutes?", the general yells back? "One minute 48 seconds.", I yell back. "What the hell for!", he yells back. "In six minutes, his brain will be damaged beyond medical repair, and any attempts to save his ass in secrecy will all but gone.", I said. "What in hell are you talking about!", the general yells back. General Lattenburg, adds to the commotion, "Fernando - there is no CIA conspiracy going on here... sentence has been served, its over." "One minute and 5 seconds, we can wait for one minute and 2 seconds.", I yell back. "Who the hell is that? Take him down!", the general in the back orders. "Halt!", General Lattenburg yells. Sliding mechanisms on many rifles can be heard sliding into firing mode. "Fernando- just step away from the gurney and allow them to proceed.", General Lattenburg saids. "First person I see run with the gurney, I will shoot...", I yell back to the crowd, seeing that there was 45 seconds remaining. They start slowly, rolling the gurney until the crew reaches up to me. I put my gun to one of their chest. They stop. I reach over and pull down the white sheet that covers his face and stare at it. "See you in hell, motherfucker.", I said loud for all to hear. I am damn well sure that even he heard it and registered within his dying brain. Looking at my watch, I step away from the gurney and allow them to proceed. Twenty seconds remain as they slowly proceed. The general stops in front of me with his guards. "Who in hell do you think you are?", he sneers at me. "Your worst nightmare.", I sneer at him back. "Fernando Don't....", General Lattenburg saids from not far away from us. The general turn around and sees General Lattenburg and his men approaching him. "Is he one of yours?", the general asks. "I wish he was one of mine.", General Lattenburg saids, "This is Fernando- known as CIA operative Elfen Magix." "What kind of a gay ass name is that?", the general saids. "It does not matter how gay ass his code name is, its what he can do, he worth more than your base's selection of best operatives; and who without, we would not be here today.", General Lattenburg explains. "I see. Guards, escort this individual outside my base!", the general yells. "Delay that order!", General Lattenburg yells. "You over stepping my authority?", the general said to the other. "No. But he is here because of me, I will escort him out your base.", General Lattenburg explains. "Then you better see to it that you get it done immediately.", the general says. "General, if I may so speak?", I ask from within the group. "What the fuck you want?", he yells at me. "Nothing.", as I reach into my pocket and pull out a folded sheet of paper which I hand to him. On the paper, is his personal information, place of residence, family details, and his access codes to various sub-systems. He stares at the paper in awe as he reads it. I start to walk away, remembering where we came from and walk through the hall ways. Juanita (Gloria) stays with Kevin and his wife Juanita, and notices me leaving. "Guitch!", Kevin shouts out and runs towards me. For the moment, I stop. "Well.", I said, "If it isn't the Shortfellow's fly boy." "Lets not kid ourselves here...", he saids as the girls catch up in their slower pace. "Well, what is it then?", I ask. "How did you know to be here?", he asks. "Who in hell do you think arranged it?", I tell him. "It was not you.", he says. "Don't mock me, Kevin. You have Airforce Clearance- Level 7, right? Access my dossier from there.", I tell him. "You are not that good or powerful in rank.", he explains. "And you are not an enlisted personnel. Want to go to prison for impersonating an officer?", I tell him. "You would not get away with it.", he tells me. "Oh really?", I ask, "Just like I did not take away Juanita (Gloria)'s virginity away from her.", I claimed. Juanita (Gloria) could only stand there, shocked from my statement. Juanita whispers to her, "Did you and him had sex...." "Yes we did.", Juanita (Gloria) saids, interrupting her from finishing the question. Juanita's jaw dropped. "Lets leave it alone.", Juanita (Gloria) saids to her. "But...", Juanita tried to interject. "I said to leave it alone.", Juanita (Gloria) said. "Lets go home girl...", as I look at the two Juanitas, Juanita (Gloria) starts to step towards my direction as I start to walk away from everyone. "Gutich!", Kevin yells as Juanita stands by his side. I stop and turn to face him, "What." "Keep in touch.", he yells. I turn around to ignore him and continue on walking. "That was not very nice.", Juanita (Gloria) says silently. "Why did you agree with my statement?", I ask her without looking at her. "Why not? Even if its not true, we might as well keep the mystic that surrounds you shining brightly.", she saids. "But now, it will seem like I had sex with you back in Tech...", I explain. "So? Let them think what they want to think. You were right- most of them are self-centered idiots who all they care about is themselves. And if we did have sex, its because you were the only one worthy of me giving my virginity to.", she explains. "How can you say that?", I ask her. We stop by the door that leads to the outside. We walk out and stand on the steps of the building, where a guard stand there and looks at us, and then talks to his radio. "You of all people should know better than to ask.", as she grabs me by my arm and holds on tightly. We stand there in silence for a while. "You feel better now that it is over?", she asks. "No.", I answer. "Why not?", I ask. "It seems to unreal, its like a hollow victory.", I explain. "Look, I don't like death and killing, and definitely when you are involved, but this was not revenge Fernando. Like the general said- this was justice being served." "How can you say that?", I ask her. "Simple. You stood for Cathy when nobody else would. And knowing that he would go after us if he were to have been freed, you did your best to put him in his place.", Juanita (Gloria) saids. "All this meaning?", I ask her. "It means a lot to me, Fernando. And if I was not married to somebody else right now, I would marry you.", she saids. "But I am not as Church as you are... and our conflicting religions...", I try to explain. "That is what love is not about- you know that with Cathy- to go beyond all that and do what's right. I don't care that I go to church alone or that we do things differently by our culture. What I do care for is that you are willing to put all differences aside to do the right thing for others.", she saids. A jeep rolls up to the building with our limousine behind. They stop in front the building. The guard that was standing next to us, walks to our vehicle and opens the door. I help Juanita to sit down in the car before I step in myself and take my seat. The guard closes the door behind me as we switch seats inside, so I am behind the driver. Juanita lays down the chair, with her head resting on my lap. I put my arm on her stomach again. She puts her hand on top of mine. The guard walks to the jeep and takes his seat again. Together we roll through the base to the exit gate from which we entered. The limo is stopped from at the gate, and the guard stands by our window. The window rolls down and the guard leans in, looking at the both of us and then through the rest of the vehicle. "Have a good day sir.", he saids before stepping away from the vehicle and allows us to go through. As we drive by, I look through the rear window, and notice a hearse has pulled up to the gate, and the guards stand around it to perform a visual search of the vehicle. "Fernando?", Juanita (Gloria) asks. "Yes dear?", I answer. "Want to make love to me again?", she asks. "Why?", I ask. "Well, its a long ride home.", she says. "Once was not enough for you girl?", I ask jokingly. "Honestly- No...", she answers. "I'm not exactly in the mood, Juanita.", I tell her. "Anything I can do?", she asks. "Its not that- I'm just emotionally tired. That's all.", I explain to her. "Want to talk about it?", she asks. "Not really. But you already know...", I tell her. She slowly turns onto her side and gets up onto her knees on the chair, reaching around me and gives me a hug. I slowly reach around her hug her back. A tear starts to roll down my cheek, as I try hard to hold back on my emotions. Juanita (Gloria) slowly pulls away from me and looks into my eyes. "What's wrong dear...?", she asks. "Its over.... I cant believe its fucking over...", I try to say, though choked up with emotions of gladness, joy and great sadness. She embraces me again. Two hours have past when we finally get to our hotel room. Though I carry Juanita to through the threshold and put her on the bed, I sit down and remain quietly. She kneels on the bed and removes my suit jacket and unbuttons my shirt. I slowly turn to her hand hold her by the side of her head and kiss her on the forehead. I then get up for the moment to remove the rest of my clothes and get back onto the bed and under the blankets in my briefs. She continues to kneel there and start taking off her clothes until she was in nothing more than in her panties before crawling under the blanket with me. She lays there with her head and arm over my chest. And though it was the middle of the day, we both go to sleep. Monday, August 18, 1997: Three Days After. The sun rises up and shows itself against the room's window, shining onto my face. I try to rise my left arm to cover my eyes, but cant. I slowly turn to see the reason why, and find Juanita (Gloria) laying partially on me. "Oh my god.", I think to myself, as I tried to remember the events of the days and nights of the weekend before. But at the same time, not wanting to remember. I slowly reach at her and kiss the top of her head which was on my chest. She starts to slowly wake up. She slowly turns to me, opening her eyes for the first time since we probably went to sleep together the night before. Looking into my eyes with her still half asleep, she smiles. " 'morning love.", she says as she yawns and starts stretching. "Jaunita?", I asked. "What is it dear?', she saids as she returns to laying on me. "About this last weekend...?", I began to ask. "You were wonderful...", she saids with a smile, climbing up on me to be face to face. "What?", I asked, trying to hold back the anxiety and nervousness. "If I knew you that were that good, I would have done it back in high school and made you mine...", she explained. "Jaunita?", I ask trying to change the flow of the subject. "Yes, Fernando?", she finally asks. "What happened...?", I asked. "You don't remember?", she asks. "That's the problem, I do remember.", I start to say, "I just wanted to make sure that its the same thing that you remembered." She lets out a heavy sigh, and then puts her elbows on my chest to prop herself up to look down and me with semi-opened fists at either side of her jaw. She smirks a tiny bit as she looks down at me. "Fernando?", she begins to ask, "Did thisa weekend meant anything to you? "Yes, it did. A lot. A lot more than I could dare admit.", I say, hesitating between sentences. "How much more?", she asks. "Truthfully?", I asked. "Yes- truthfully.", she answers. I let out a sigh before answering, "More than enough to say that I love you , lets get married right away." I slowly put my arms around her waist. "That's what you say, but I want to know what would you do.", she explains, almost demanding for an answer. "What would I do for you?", I start saying to myself to find an answer, "Juanita, I would do anything from keep hurting you. But I'm afraid that I may already have." "Oh?", she answers in surprisingly. "Fernando- I want you to understand that you were the only other person I have ever made love to, and wanted to since before I met my first." "Juanita, I just don't want you to throw yourself away on the count of me.", I interrupt her. She stays there silently and closes her eyes for a second. Somewhere she walks inside my mind, trying to find an answer that does not exist. "I think I know what you're trying to get at.", she begins to say, "But Fernando, I want you to understand this one thing from me; if I had to repeat everything, I would have done so with you a long time ago... Hush and listen to me. I would have because you are so special in so many ways, its like I would not be worthy enough, but to be selfish about it, I would at least try. You've done a lot for me, in the name of friendship and love, how can I ever repay you? Sex- is meaningless, Fernando. But Sex with Love is something so special, that I would give to you just for asking. And Fernando.... this weekend was more than just special to me because of you." "Juanita, I don't know how to explain it- I feel guilty about it somehow. I really do, and I cant shake off that feeling.", I try to explain. "I know how you feel, but understand, I love you and I know you love me back or what happened between us would not have been as special as you made out to be.", she says before breaking out in a tiny smile. "Juanita, how can I...", I start to ask. "Hush Fernando- understand this from me- you have finally taught me what it is to have a lover, and not just a partner or a husband or boyfriend. Because what happened last couple of days and nights between you and I came out of here. And never had I had that much given to me, that I had to give back.", she says as she taps the center of my chest. "Juanita?", I ask. "Yes dear?", she answers. "Thank you.", I tell her. "For?", she asks. "Thank you for being there for me again.", I explain. "You always been there for me, and most of the time I never knew you were to be there.", she explains, "Only fair that I return the favor." I look up to the ceiling and close my eyes, putting my free arm over them. "You alright, Fernando?", she asks. "Its my coffee headaches.", I explain quietly. "Want me to call room service and get a little breakfast?", she asks. "Yeah, please.", I tell her. She starts to get off me to sit up and get the phone. "Something else is wrong, what is it?", she asks. "Its just that eventually we have to leave and separate and go on with our lives...", I explain. "I know...", she starts to say, "...and believe me, I don't want to leave either." "So what does this mean for us?", I ask. "Like you wrote in your high school dairy on the entry where Cathy tried to kill herself- 'Once upon a time, there was a boy and a girl, and for while they were together, they were happy and in love...' Until we meet again, dear- I want you to keep this memory treasured like you do the others.", she says. "What if we never meet again?", I ask. "We will. I promise you that...", she says. After a quick breakfast, and an aspirin for my headache, we stayed in our room for a while, making love to each other that day another few times before we eventually left on our separate ways. But not before saying what it seems to be our final good bye's.

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