All Novel Sweet
164
Everything was a blur as you grabbed my hair. I wanted to grab on to you so you would save me, but, the pain made me grab your hand so you would release my hair. Then you pushed me onto the sandbar and now the chilly air paralyzed me. All I could do was watch as you built the fire and warmth slowly returned to me.
Then you ordered me out of my clothes and I had another flashback and I wasn’t going to obey you. Then you yelled at me and I knew if I didn’t take off my clothes, you would rip them off me… and then rape me… and I knew I had no choice… so I sat there paralyzed… waiting for you to dominate and abuse me… then I sat huddling as you approached and began stripping… and then you sat down and finally began to warm yourself.
Each second gave me new hope that I would be okay and then I had a moment of serendipity when I realized you were you and not my monster from the past. I started to feel ashamed of everything I projected on you and I started crying and you came over to me naked. You sat right next to me and cradled me in your arms and I felt protected.Content © copyrighted by NôvelDrama.Org.
An hour before our mishap if you had touched me I would have screamed at you. Now we were both naked and I felt safe in your arms and I wonder why it took me this long to realize my mistake!”
Once again, Gayle had devolved into full blown weeping and I managed to get my arm out of the blanket and around her and I tried to comfort her and held her silently as the fire continued to die out.
When I woke up I felt her stirring awake as well and we both saw the sight of an unbelieving Robert looking down at us.
“I wouldn’t believe this if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes! Can someone tell me what the hell our boat is doing in the marina? And why wouldn’t either of you answer your phones?”
Gayle and I untangled and painfully stood up. Gayle looked at me expectantly. I knew what she was asking.
“You have to tell him. I’m going to go get our boat and I’ll come right back and then we will decide what to do.”
As I left, Gayle and Robert were walking to the kitchen table to tell him all the secrets. I managed to placate the irate owner of the marina with an apology and a $100 dollar donation which included the staff loading the boat onto my trailer for me.
When I got back to Robert’s, he was still sitting at the kitchen table, pale and trying to digest the events. I asked where Gayle was and he told me she was taking a shower. We started discussing things from our perspective when Gayle appeared before us.
“NO!” I shouted, “You are through paying a penance you don’t owe! Get upstairs and put anything else on but that!”
Gayle was shocked at my reaction seeing her still donning her college logo, still wearing her badge of shame. As far as I was concerned that was over. She came down hesitantly wearing a flowery blouse that complimented her. I reacted by opening my arms and she smiled and rushed to hug me. Damn, my ribs still hurts!
Then she looked at Robert and he invited her into his arms and he hugged her for a long time. Then he insisted on taking us to the hospital to be checked over. It turned out my ribs were severely bruised and were wrapped tight to mend. Various cuts were cleaned and prescriptions ranging from antiseptics to painkillers were prescribed. Luckily, other than suffering from exposure, Gayle had no residual physical injuries.
We made plans to drive to College Station the next day. Gayle went into the police station escorted by us and gave a complete statement to the assigned detective naming the culprit. Then we met with Gayle’s roommates and they heard the story in its entirety. They all rushed to show the love and affection they had for their friend. I was hugged as well and I knew that I would have to take a few extra painkillers to compensate for the emotions these women showed in their hugs.
Gayle asked if her friends could get her the name of a therapist that lived close to her grandfather. Ten phones appeared simultaneously to find her that information. Since Robert had to drive us, I was allowed the front passenger seat for my comfort. Gayle continued to huddle over me and asked how I was doing on the drive.
When we got back to Robert’s house she insisted that I stay in the spare guest room. I had no business staying in that small trailer with no one to look after me, she said. I couldn’t wait for her to say something like that in front of my grandmother.
Naturally, they got along great when they met for the first time. Gayle offered to drive me to the visitation since I was still on the painkillers and had no business behind the wheel. It was a welcome change of pace to have someone to talk to on the drive and for that awful hour of anticipation.
By November I was off the painkillers, but, Gayle still wanted to come with me. So again, she served as a welcomed distraction to my anguish. In December after the fruitless visit, she helped load up the gifts back into my truck. I had purchased the items on the off chance they would appear. Gayle suggested taking the gifts to a charity to be distributed to a needy family.
Things were rolling along for Gayle. Her rapist had been arrested and a warrant was served forcing him to provide his DNA. It was an exact match. Another warrant was served to search his phone. He had videotaped the entire disgusting act on his phone. He and his attorney had decided that rather than stall they would ask for a quick trial. The reason being that given Gayle initial reluctance to cooperate, she would be more likely to fold from testifying now rather than having a year to prepare.
She calmly appeared on the witness stand and described in detail the horror she underwent. The jury came back in less than an hour and gave him the maximum sentence on every charge. The bailiff told me that they would have been back quicker, but, they were trying to find a way to give him even more time than allowed.
Things moved at a comfortable pace with our relationship. I was asked to participate in some of Gayle’s sessions and I made it be known that I would do whatever I needed to do to help Gayle. The therapist assured me that Gayle was already aware of that.
So the months passed until we were in late Spring and Gayle and I were back on the Red River recovering the data we had originally lost. I insisted that she wore a life jacket the entire trip. She wouldn’t tell me what were in the large boxes in the stern that Robert had loaded on the boat.
As we approached that fateful spot where she fell in back in October she told me she changed her mind and wanted to go to our sandbar. I complied and we landed there and she hopped off and asked me if I would build her a fire. I went and got some old wood and took out my refurbished Zippo lighter and soon had a fire going on the exact spot as before.
Then she asked that I start unloading the items in the boxes. First, I took out a tent. So I went and constructed it where we had huddled together. Then there was an air mattress with an electrical blower. So I had it plugged up on a power converter on the boat and soon it was filled with air. I placed it inside the tent along with the sleeping bag for two.
The food fare was atypical campfire food. Hot dogs and marshmallows and sodas and bottled water. And a bottle of champagne chilling in the ice cooler. We sat by each other enjoying the simple pleasure of our outing as we talked and interacted with a familiarity that had been alien to both of us the previous Fall.
I reached over and gently moved my hand through her gorgeous auburn curls. She reminded me that I had been a lot rougher with her the first time I did that on the sandbar. I told her I was sorry and asked how I could make it up to her. She told me I could kiss her.
I leaned in and softly kissed her. As I slowly broke away from the kiss, she commanded another one and another… and another. Our hands began to explore each other’s body and I enjoyed the sensation of hearing her coo from my caresses.
When she was ready, she stripped off her T shirt and I saw her full bosom jiggling as she threw the shirt aside in the approximate area where the clothes had dried. That led to a cascade of clothes being shed and thrown in a mutual pile.
Acknowledging a practical desire for comfort I spread the oversized picnic blanket over the sand and laid beside the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Her flawless alabaster skin, her deep blue eyes like sapphires, those luscious full lips begging to be kissed. Hell, her entire body deserved to be kissed. And I proceeded to do so from the top of her head all the way down to her toes.
Of course, some areas got more attention than others. But, I figured after forty or fifty years it would all even out. Now, there was a particular area I intended to mine for treasure and I soon directed all my attention there. The sighs, gasps, and moans were rewards enough as my tongue continued to probe. Each lick brought on a plea for another which I would eagerly comply with until I felt her shuddering into a climax.
Kissing all around I advanced up until I was looking directly into her eyes as I kissed her. I felt her grope down and soon she had my erect tool and placed it exactly where she wanted it. Her legs were splayed open to accommodate me. Not wanting to discomfort her I moved her atop me and Lordy, she took to riding cowboy in style.