Message-ID: <34946asstr$1012068606@assm.asstr-mirror.org> Return-Path: X-Original-Message-ID: <00aa01c1a65d$a6822180$2f7df2d0@wards> From: "Bill Morgan" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2462.0000 X-ASSTR-Original-Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 06:36:03 -0500 Subject: {ASSM} NEW from Morgan: BARBARA Part 5 of 6 x-asstr-message-id-hack: 34946 Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 13:10:06 -0500 Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail Approved: Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d X-Archived-At: X-Moderator-Contact: ASSTR ASSM moderation X-Story-Submission: X-Moderator-ID: newsman, gill-bates <1st attachment, "Barbara 5.txt" begin> The following is a work of fiction regarding sexual relationships. If you feel that it is illegal, immoral, or otherwise improper for you to read this, then *Don't Read It.* * * * *_Barbara_ -- Part 5 of 6* Copyright (c) By Morgan, 1994, 2002. All Rights Reserved Please note the original copyright date. This story was basically written eight years ago. As a result, you will likely find obsolete references. I'm afraid you'll just have to live with it; it's too tedious trying to keep up with the latest and greatest. This book is part of the Ali Clifford saga and in time follows Cynthia Martin by about 5 years. Because of the fact that there are other stories that overlap in time, some readers may find references to events they've never heard of. With luck, you eventually will. Incidentally, you will find occasional entries, _word_. The reason for this is that MS Word's Auto Format function puts a word preceded and followed by an underscore in italics; that's my intent. Similarly, *word* results in the word appearing in bold face. If you use Word's Auto Format, it will take care of things; if you don't, you at least know why it's there. More of my works are posted on my site If you like it -- or if you don't -- please let me know at My books are also posted on . * * * *Chapter 34* At eight o'clock Monday morning, Joyce Collier entered the Clifford & Jamison offices with Rajah padding along beside her. Following the instructions Bobbie had given her the day before, she found her way to the conference room that she had been told about. Opening what seemed to be the correct door, she stuck her head in and found Bobbie at the table talking to another beautiful blonde. It was Judy Morris, now stripped to the waist with a baby nursing at her breast. "Hi, Joyce, you look great this morning!" Bobbie said in a voice scarcely above a whisper. Then she said, "Joyce Collier, I would like you to meet a dear friend, Judy Morris, with the youngest Morris, Gail." With a very warm smile she added, "Unfortunately, she's like Kris Clifford. She hasn't learned how to curtsy yet, either. Moreover, you arrived at a time when she is apparently much more interested in her breakfast than in you." "Breakfast, hell!" Judy whispered with a grin. "That was hours ago. This is just a little snack." Joyce remembered that Judy was the mother of Michael Morris and married to a Marine hero. Just then a younger woman stopped to just look at the scene. Looking at her, Joyce was amazed to see that she was crying but for no apparent reason. Judy had just finished nursing the baby and now cuddled her in her arms. The child made a series of noises, all of which were different, but all of which sounded so happy. After telling the girl to wait, Judy carried the baby out of the room and returned alone a few minutes later. As she strode across the room wearing skin-tight Levi's and an unbuttoned work shirt now completely open in front, Joyce couldn't believe her eyes. Here was a woman who was the mother of at least two children who appeared to be barely twenty-one. Her figure was utterly perfect. Rejoining the group Judy said, "Marty, I would like you to meet a wonderful new friend of ours, Joyce Collier. And, although I'm sure you know Bobbie Conroy, I'm not sure you have ever been introduced. This is Martha Bradford, who's normally found in the Leper Colony, downstairs." To the girl she asked, "And what brings you up here this morning, Marty, and, more importantly, why the tears?" Marty Bradford looked enough like Judy Morris to be her twin sister. Both women were five feet eight with golden blonde hair, brilliant blue eyes and perfect figures. The girl just shook her head sadly while her tears still streamed and said, "I came up for some coffee filters, to answer your first question. The answer to the second is the problem is you, Judy Morris!" _"Me?"_ Judy asked in amazement. "What did I do?" "What did you do, you ask?" the girl replied. Although she was still crying, she was obviously trying to smile at the same time. "You married any woman's dream of a lifetime, Mike Morris, for openers. You wallow in his love constantly..." Glancing at her watch she said, "It is now eight-fifteen, Judy Morris. How much time have you spent making love with Mike... in the last _twelve hours!_ And I mean actively -- I'm not even going to count the hours you were asleep with your body molded to his. How many?" Judy licked her lips at the memory, shrugged, and replied softly, "Two? Three? Something like that." "And he took you all three ways, didn't he?" This time Judy just nodded. "And early this morning while Mike was taking you again -- probably after giving Gail her breakfast -- Mikey and Danny came into your room, got in bed and watched their father making love to you, right?" Again Judy nodded along with the warmest smile Joyce had ever seen. "But don't you see, Judy, that's the problem!" "I'm sorry, Marty. I don't see. What is the problem? I don't get it." "The problem is, Judy Morris, you make me feel so incomplete... so utterly useless! You have it all! You have an adoring husband, three children who you adore and who adore you... Judy Morris, you're totally fulfilled as a woman! You really are. Just look at your children! Could you imagine any living souls better than yours? Take little Gail, for example. She can't talk yet, but she doesn't need to. She has the largest collection of happy sounds any of us have ever heard!" Pretending to glare at Judy she said, "I'll bet you five dollars, Judy Morris, you have never heard Gail cry. Ever!" Judy grinned, stuck out her hand and said gleefully, "Pay me! You're wrong, smarty, so there!" Marty found a five-dollar bill and was about to offer it when she said, "Wait! Before I pay, you tell me when and under what circumstances." "Ha!" Judy replied. "That's easy. It happened when I spanked her. Boy, did she yell!" "You? Spank that baby!? Utterly impossible," the girl declared. "I don't believe it!" "It was at the moment of her birth. I understand you need to spank the infant to get its lungs working or something. Anyway, I held her by her feet and gave her a good swat. I guess she has a healthy pair of lungs because she sure let out a scream." _"You?"_ Marty asked, still incredulous. "What was the doctor doing? And besides, how could you possibly do it when you were all doped up." Judy looked very cute as she gave a little shrug and said, "I guess we've mostly given up on anaesthesia. Hell, Marty, you know that when we're about to deliver we look like most women do when they're entering their third month. Delivery? One hard push and it's all over." She grinned and added, "I've had bowel movements far more painful than my last two deliveries. Anyway, when Gail was born, the doctor -- who has a wonderful sense of humor, by the way -- gave her to me still wet from my womb and said that since I had done it all by myself to that point I might as well finish the job." "But don't you see," Marty said with her tears flowing again, "that's the problem. Just look at you! Judy Morris, do you even _own_ a bra?" Judy thought for a moment and shook her head. Marty continued, "Just think! Here you are, a mother of three, with a body that looks like it belongs to a very well-developed teenager. Who ever heard of a woman who has been nursing babies more or less constantly for over six years with tits that are still so firm, and with pectoral muscles so developed, she doesn't need a bra even when her tits are loaded with milk? It's unreal!" Then she wailed, "Judy Morris, I would hate you if I didn't love you so damned much. You're so complete as a woman. And you're an utterly perfect wife and mother to a husband and children who adore you. You feed on Mike's love -- you really need it to live. But then you amplify and focus his love for you on your whole family. That's how you can give 100 percent of your time and attention to Mike, and still give at least 50 percent to each of your three children! And they're still coming, aren't they?" "I certainly hope God continues to bless us," Judy replied softly. Then with a wonderfully warm grin she added, "After all, it doesn't make sense to stop when you're on a winning streak, does it?" Just then a gorgeous green-eyed brunette entered the room. The look on her face was one of overwhelming joy. Bobbie recognized her as the single girl who had made the funny speech at the firm Christmas party the previous year. Seeing her Judy called out, "Pam Smith, did what I think happened, happen?" The girl came over to join them, utterly glowing with joy. "It's happened!" she exclaimed. "God has blessed Gerry and me! I'm pregnant! I'm going to have a baby!" Hugs and kisses were exchanged with all the other women rushing up to congratulate the girl on the wonderful news. When the initial excitement abated, Marty shook her head and said, "But Pam, you've only been married for about four months!" "I know, Marty," the girl replied, "But you don't always get pregnant on the very first try. Of course Gerry keeps my cunt pretty well flooded with his cum all the time, so in case there's an ambitious little egg lying around somewhere, looking for some company..." Then she looked at Marty and said, "But what about you? When are you going to start having children?" Marty, knowing she was being gently teased, replied, "I need to be married first, turkey!" "Oh," Pam replied, apparently bemused, "I guess that's right, too. Well, when are you getting married?" "I don't even have a boyfriend," the girl wailed. "That's the problem!" "Oh, I see!" Pam exclaimed. "It's like that old story: If I had some ham, I could have ham and eggs, if I had some eggs. Lady, do you have anything?" "Hell, no!" Marty exclaimed dejectedly. "Of course not. If I did, do you think I would have been watering the carpet with my tears?" Only then did she focus on Joyce. First she apologized for her tears and her terribly poor manners. Then she snapped her fingers and said, "But you're on the Eleven O'clock News on KNBC with Jack Johnson! Oh, Joyce, we saw your show Friday night and it was utterly marvelous. Could you come down and meet the other girls in the Leper Colony?" Only then did Joyce learn that the Leper Colony was the name given to a new lounge and conference room on the floor below and the offices around it. With the growth of the firm, Clifford & Jamison now occupied the entire 38th floor and half of the 37th. For the most part, the newest associates had their offices on the lower floor, and very recently, in response to their request, a new lounge/conference room had been built. Because all the girls were single, it had acquired the name -- ostensibly because the married women claimed that if they had to continually associate with singles they might catch something and wind up single again, too. But then Marty saw the beautiful ring on Joyce's third finger and her face fell. "Oh," she said in an utterly dead tone of voice, "that story was just to entertain the peasants, I guess..." Shaking her head sadly, she continued, "But it seemed so real! Miss Collier, you really seemed so... so aware of the problems of a single girl..." Whatever she might have been intending to say just died off as she began to cry again. At that point Bobbie Conroy spoke sharply, "Martha Bradford, it _was real,_ damn it!" Then in just a few sentences Bobbie reviewed what had happened to Joyce in just the twenty-four hours following the telecast. "Honey," she concluded, "when you saw Joyce, believe me when I tell you the situation for her was a hundred times worse than yours could possibly be! You see, for Joyce there was only one possible man for her, Jack Johnson, and she was convinced that Jack thought of her as a piece of filth -- which, in fact, was exactly the way she thought of herself." Glaring at the girl she said, "Now tell me you're in that shape. I dare you!" "But... but... but..." Marty stammered, "you mean it was all true? There really is a Rajah?" "Martha," Joyce said softly, "if there hadn't been a Rajah, I would be dead right now or very close to it!" In the meantime Rajah had found a comfortable place under the huge conference table and had gone to sleep. "Rajah Collier, you get your large self out here this minute. There are some people for you to meet." Then to Marty she said with a grin, "This is a new one. Would you believe a 600-pound tiger could make himself disappear in a conference room?" The tiger came out from under the table and then sinuously stretched his muscles. The girl gasped when she first saw him and then covered her mouth when he stretched his body to nearly nine feet in length. Then, in what appeared to be a single flowing movement, he came out of his stretch and ended sitting upright beside Joyce's chair. She put her arm around his neck and nuzzled her face in it, then as his head turned she kissed him full on the mouth. With a little grin she asked, "What's the matter? Didn't you get enough sleep last night?" "As a matter of fact, no," he communicated haughtily. "And it was all your fault, too, Mistress. It really was." "I kept you awake?" Joyce asked raising an eyebrow. "And how, exactly, young man, did I do that?" "One of the world's most beautiful women was lying naked on my chest. Her perfect tits were moving on my fur every time her glorious body moved. Then, whenever I moved my paws the tiniest little bit, she would stretch and I would feel more glorious sensations. Finally, there was the intense heat radiating from her loins -- that certainly didn't help, either." Nodding his head sharply for emphasis, he concluded, "And since the tits, the body, and the cunt are all yours, beloved mistress, it was all your fault. Right?" But then he leaned forward, kissed her full on the lips again and added, "But, of course, I love you more than life itself, so every movement of yours utterly thrilled me. And besides: I can sleep anytime!" Marty Bradford just shook her head incredulously and said, "But... but... but I could _hear_ him! How can that be?" Joyce said, "Miss Bradford, what you just said touches on the primary reason I'm here today. You see, I have a theory that, so far, is holding up." Turning to Judy she asked, "You heard him very clearly, too, didn't you, Mrs. Morris? From the expressions on your face, you must have." Judy just nodded. She was puzzled but not nearly as amazed as Marty had been. Joyce, who had been about to tell them her theory, changed her mind. She said, "Well, we'll see if it holds up. I'll tell you about it this evening." When Bobbie assured her that there would be plenty of time to go down to the Leper Colony and be back in time for the beginning of school, Joyce rose and followed Martha Bradford down a new circular stairway connecting the two floors. Rajah padded down the stairs behind her. Entering the smaller conference room, Joyce was immediately struck by a change in the atmosphere. Then she realized it was like a girls' sorority, with giggles, laughter and general high spirits. Then she realized there was something else: innocence. Mentally, she asked Rajah a question and he replied that, as far as he could tell at a glance, all of the young women were not only unmarried, all were still virgins. It turned out that her Friday-night show was the principal topic of conversation. The instant the girls saw Rajah, they hurriedly said hello to Joyce and then all crowded around the tiger. Every young woman there could easily communicate with him and they were all besieging him with questions. She managed to tell Rajah that she was going upstairs and would leave him with the young women. Going back to the upper floor, Joyce found her way to the classroom and was standing in the rear as Betsy Clifford held the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of _The National Anthem._ Then Bobbie knelt on the floor. All of the children formed a circle with her and joined hands. This was one of the events Joyce was particularly interested in seeing. As she suspected, when Bobbie asked God to bless their work that day and help them to grow in wisdom to better serve Him, there was a soft golden glow, concentrated around Bobbie, but extending around the entire circle and including all of the children. Seeing it Joyce suddenly felt small and insignificant. _Good Heavens,_ she thought, _God Himself, in His third person, the Holy Spirit, has descended on this class to personally assist in the learning process. With the direct help and intervention of Almighty God, anything is possible -- including the brilliant performance of these children._ As time passed, Joyce could do nothing but shake her head in utter amazement. She couldn't imagine as happy a group of young people anywhere else in the world. They went through history, geography, mathematics -- already on algebra -- and practiced their handwriting. Then Bobbie began teaching classical Greek, and Joyce was stunned. In about an hour they covered a term's worth of work! But more importantly, they understood it! Then she joined the children for their daily visit to the healthclub. She and Bobbie worked out on exercise machines while the children worked out on smaller models. It came as no surprise to see each child was an incredible physical specimen. Moreover, all of the children were naked and seemed to take it completely for granted. When they finally went to the swimming pool, the children pounded up and down with the speed and grace of small fish. Bobbie, on the other hand, had the speed and power of a porpoise and seemed at least as much in home in the water as the marine mammal. Once out of the pool they all took showers. Then, to her delight, Bobbie asked Joyce for her help in getting the children fixed up. Having heard from Ann Henry what happened in the courtroom, she was not surprised when five children lined up in front of her while the other five stood before Bobbie. The first child was Betsy Clifford who was a living, breathing doll. The girl curtsied, introduced herself and produced a comb and brush. Very carefully Joyce brushed out and combed her hair, then straightened her clothing and retied the bow of her dress. Then she kissed the little girl, letting all of her love flow through her lips. Finally she told the little girl what a beautiful job she had done in leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Betsy just beamed with joy. It was repeated with the next children in line. The fourth child was Susan Carlson; Mike Morris was behind her. As Joyce was making the part in her hair, Susan's head jerked. Then the little girl turned around and said softly, "Please don't, Mike. You know how much I love to have you squeeze my butt -- it's about the only part of me that is at all feminine -- but I just can't hold still when you do it. Poor Miss Collier will never finish. Please wait?" Then she kissed him passionately. After easing out of the kiss the little girl grinned at Joyce and said, "Miss Collier, with luck that will hold him long enough for you to part my hair." Then with the cutest little grin she added, "I really unloaded on Mike that time. He ought to be in a daze for at least two or three minutes. Is that enough time?" Joyce just grinned and fixed the girl's beautiful sun-streaked hair. When she kissed Susan, again she felt the flow of purest love. When Joyce combed Mike's hair and straightened his clothes it was the first time she had ever touched a little boy. He was standing up straight in front of her looking into her eyes. "You really love Susan Carlson, don't you, Mike?" she whispered. "I am the luckiest person in the world, Miss Collier," he replied. "I have Susan's love!" With his eyes large with wonder he continued, "Can you imagine? To have her arms around me and then put her lips on mine? That kiss she gave me a few moments ago was the very best ever. And she just gets better. And I have this to look forward to _for the rest of my life!_ Golly, what more could there possibly be in the world? She is utterly perfect!" Joyce looked deeply into the boy's brilliant blue eyes. All she saw was the purest love, joy, intelligence and grace. "Michael Morris, Jr., Susan is getting the finest young man alive in the world, too. If you think her kisses are extra special, it's because she knows how wonderful you are and wants to be very sure she doesn't lose you." "Honest?" he asked. "'Cause that's exactly the way I am with her, too. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I can do to make Sue happier. I don't want her even to _look_ at another boy." When Joyce kissed him, she got a jolt of pure love of exactly the same type she had received from Kenny Clifford. Then she looked at him and said, "Mike, you're so cute, I can't stand it! Now," she asked impishly, "could I squeeze one of your buns? After all, you're always doing it to Sue, and you're not a sexist, are you?" The little boy just turned around and looked over his shoulder to watch her. After she squeezed his bottom he smiled and whispered, "Miss Collier, if I had known you wanted to, I would have come to you when I was still naked. As it is, I wanted to take down my pants because it's so much nicer squeezing a bare bottom -- and it feels so much better, too. But since you just fixed my clothes so I would look perfect at lunch..." Joyce just shook her head and said she would be sure to let him know sooner the next time. As they left the club to return to the office, Joyce just shook her head. The children were walking so proudly two-by-two while holding hands. Clearly, these children did not need constant supervision. Walking with Bobbie, Joyce held back a bit to let the children get well ahead. Then she said, "Conroy, I think I'm going to do an expose on you." Nodding her head once sharply, she repeated, "That's it! That's what you need: You need to be exposed to the whole world." "Exposed as what?" Bobbie asked casually. "Why isn't it obvious? As the most overpaid teacher in the world! Jim Perkins was absolutely right." Then her voice changed as she said softly, "Those children are angels! They really are. I just want you to know, Barbara Bradley Conroy, that this morning was the most beautiful and exciting I have ever spent. To have the opportunity just to watch you and those children was utterly priceless! I have never seen children work so hard. And they're doing it because they love you and because they love their parents and want them to be happy and proud." Then she said, "Bobbie, I have another question, and even though it's going to sound strange, I'm very serious. What are you going to do next year? You know, of course, that they are already nearly through with any high school's standard curriculum in English and history." Glancing to her side Bobbie realized that Joyce was indeed being serious so she answered the question seriously, too. "Joyce, I've been giving that a great deal of thought. The advantage we have is the knowledge explosion. Back at the turn of the century it was still possible for a person to have been exposed to all of the accumulated knowledge in the world -- or the Western world, anyway. That's no longer true. "But to answer your question, one of the things I intend to do, after really grounding the kids in the world's finest literature, is to start reading trash. I want them really to see the differences for themselves. "Then there is the whole world of science and advanced mathematics. There's the field of law -- most of their mothers are lawyers, after all." Then she grinned and added, "I think there's enough material to hold them for a couple more years." Then Joyce began to giggle and Bobbie asked her what was so funny. By now she was giggling almost uncontrollably but finally managed to reply, "I was just thinking how funny it's going to be. These children will go on to the finest universities in the world and then go into class on the first day. They will look at the reading list, frown, and then tell the professor that they went through all of it when they were in the first grade! It will be utterly hilarious." Bobbie laughed at the thought, too, and then, commenting on Joyce's original statement, reminded her that she had agreed wholeheartedly with Jim Perkins' statement when he first made it: Of course she was overpaid! The children were waiting in a small group at the elevator bank and they all went up in a car together. As the high-speed elevator slowed for its stop at 38, Joyce heard what seemed like a mental cry. As soon as they entered the firm offices on 38 she heard Rajah's scream for help. Now she realized that, although all the people in the firm had the capacity to hear the tigers, it did require tuning the brain in a fashion similar to tuning a radio to be able to hear it. Bobbie heard his screams, too, and looked at Joyce in alarm. When Joyce told her that she had left Rajah in the Leper Colony, Bobbie grinned and said she thought he would probably still be alive. After rushing down the stairs, she opened the door to the lounge and peeked in. All of the young women were now naked and Rajah was virtually buried under a mountain of nubile bodies. Only his head showed from under all the girls who had swarmed over him. Two girls, a blonde and a brunette, were standing side-by-side in front of him with their legs spread wide. The brunette was saying, "Please, Rajah! Please drink at my fountain again. I'm sure that when you do me this time you'll agree how much sweeter my cunt juices are than Karen's. And besides: my cuming runs in such rivers! Please, darling Rajah? You can do it just once more. Please?" Realizing his mistress had come to save him, the huge animal got to his feet from his supine position. As he did, he unceremoniously dumped about a dozen girls on the floor. Reaching Joyce he tried to hide behind her as he told her what had happened. "Mistress!" he exclaimed. "It was unreal... it was inhuman! They've been torturing me ever since you left. Making me drink at their fountains... All of them! I don't think my poor tongue will be the same for weeks... Making me wash their legs, while I was being constantly assaulted. Do you know what they did? They used their own hair brushes on my coat! I doubt if I have any fur left..." Joyce wrapped her arms around the animal's neck and whispered, "You big sissy! They are only girls, after all. They weren't threatening you..." "But Mistress, there are so many of them! I needed help so desperately!" His words gave Joyce an idea. Glancing at her watch, she noticed it was nearly time for lunch. First, she asked the girls if they would like animals like Rajah and was almost deafened by their screams, "Yes!" When she then pointed out that it was nearly lunch time, there was a very funny scramble as they all started sorting through the piles of women's clothing now scattered around the room with clusters in each of the corners where their owners' activities had landed them. Joyce shook her head in amusement as she realized that, without a single exception, these were the most beautiful young women she had ever seen. Each could easily win any beauty contest around. When she asked how they would be able to sort out all the clothing in time, one of the girls stopped her search for a moment, shrugged and replied, "We don't even bother. All we do is look for a top that goes with a bottom. Hell, one bikini is like all the others -- it doesn't really matter." With the cutest grin she added, "We're always accused of being interchangeable parts -- Clifford & Jamison standard -- and I guess we really are." With that she continued her rummaging while Joyce led Rajah up the stairs. While making her way to Ali's office she asked Rajah how he had come to be trapped. He told her that the door was always latched and he certainly didn't want to break it down. And his dear mistress already knew that he had a difficult time turning a doorknob. When she found Ali Clifford in her office and told her what happened to Rajah, Ali flung her arms around his neck, kissed him passionately and said, "You poor dear! What can I do to make it up to you? My lord, it was felony assault... In fact, it was attempted rape. One young man held hostage by fourteen oversexed, horny young women..." Shaking her head she said, "Oh, the shame of it all..." Then she kissed him again and said with a cute giggle, "Dear Rajah, it appears you survived. There doesn't appear to have been any permanent damage done... and your coat absolutely glistens. They've been brushing it, haven't they?" He agreed and grinned back. After telling Ali her idea, the woman wasted no time. She immediately picked up the phone and began to translate the idea into a plan and then the plan into action. She already knew that the previous night's performance was the last one the circus had for the season and was the last for Gabel-Williams as well. When she reached him, she confirmed a suspicion: Because he had the only wild-animal act using tigers all of the animals were going to be consigned to zoos around the country and around the world. After explaining her idea, he was wildly enthusiastic. Arrangements were immediately made to bring all of the remaining seven tigers to the office that afternoon. After hanging up the phone Ali thought for a moment, looked up a telephone number and placed another call. When Joyce realized what she was doing -- ordering seven minivans to be delivered that afternoon -- she just shook her head. Clearly, Ali Clifford was a brilliant woman who instantly thought through the entire process and then handled every detail. When they left the office to go to lunch, Ali told her that she was in for a rare treat: Kathy Carlson was doing the cooking that day and she was -- without any doubt -- the finest cook in the world. Entering the room, she saw Kathy at what appeared to be an incredibly complete kitchen built into the wall of the conference room. Four naked young women were beginning to serve. When she asked Ali why they were nude, she was told with a laugh that it was a part of the firm's new training program. "You met Pam Smith this morning, I understand?" When Joyce said that she had, Ali told her with a grin that it was all Pam's doing: How, at the firm Christmas party the previous year she had complained that they were not taught anything useful -- like serving a formal dinner nude. "She pointed out -- accurately, it turns out -- that when a girl learns to maintain her aplomb while serving naked, her self-confidence is strengthened to a degree that permits her to be comfortable -- and look it -- in any conceivable setting. "It's quite valuable, really. Moreover, when they're serving while naked it's far easier to critique their style. There are no clothes to hide poor posture, for example." After having her first bite of the food that looked so beautifully appetizing on her plate, Joyce put down her fork and exclaimed, "Ali, this is unbelievable! I thought the dinner served Saturday night was the finest food in the world, but... but it's not even in the same class as this!" "You're right, dear," Ali replied, "but then I warned you." Then with a little giggle she added, "Incidentally, Michael Morris is going to be in heaven for the rest of his life. Susan is only six but it's already clear that she has her mother's talent for cooking. By the time they get married... Yum! She will probably be even better! Can you even imagine food better than this?" After agreeing that she could not, Joyce returned to the enjoyment of her marvelous meal. After lunch, Joyce told Bobbie what she had found downstairs, triggering an explosion of laughter. Then Bobbie hugged Rajah who had looked hurt when she responded to his tale of woe with laughter. Bobbie hugged and kissed him, then looked right into his eyes. "Rajah Collier, you're a pretty good actor, aren't you? Terrified? Abused? Hah! "But don't I look sincere?" the tiger asked. His crack caused Bobbie to howl with laughter. Then Joyce told her about the plans for the other tigers. She agreed to come down with Andy and Ken to bring the tigers up in the freight elevator. "Good grief!" Joyce exclaimed. "Ali forgot something! She didn't tell the building management. What will the owners say?" Bobbie grinned and replied, "It's _the_ owner -- singular. And she obviously loves the idea. Her name is Allison McGrath Clifford. Any more questions?" Then Bobbie explained that Ali hated to pay rent so she had done in the building what she and Bill had earlier done with the Beverly Wilshire: she bought it. At three o'clock, the four of them were waiting at the building's receiving dock when a tractor-trailer belonging to the circus was carefully backed into position. Gabel-Williams got down from the cab, greeted Bobbie, Joyce and the children, and then supervised the unloading of the great cats. Each was in his own cage and was delighted to be free. Before taking them upstairs, though, Bobbie carefully explained what was going to happen to them. The tigers, who were sitting in a semicircle in their house-cat positions, listened very attentively. When the cats were all up on the 37th floor, Bobbie said to Joyce, "It was your idea, darling, so you take it from here." Leading the way with Rajah at her side, Joyce opened the door of the Leper Colony. When she did, she found Ali already there waiting for them. She whispered to Joyce that she expected the subsequent scene to be very funny and so it proved to be. The young women were naked again and were standing in a row in front of the window in nervous groups of two. Their eyes widened as, one after the other, seven huge Bengal tigers stalked into the room. Then the big cats paced back and forth in front of the women while communicating in a form unintelligible to humans. Although unintelligible, Joyce knew what they were doing and Rajah confirmed it: They were making their selections. Suddenly the pacing stopped and the cats sat down in a row facing the girls, spaced at the same intervals the girls were. Marty Bradford and Kelly Maguire each had an arm around the other's waist. It was for mutual support, Marty knew. Her eyes widened as she looked at the cat sitting opposite them. His green eyes were wide and he seemed to be looking at them hungrily -- _Are we his next meal?_ she wondered. Then simultaneously the tigers got to their feet and covered the short space to where the girls were nervously waiting. "My name is King," the huge animal communicated. "May I have the pleasure of serving you? What are your names, Mistresses?" With a great sense of relief, Marty wrapped her arms around the animal's huge neck, kissed him and replied, "My name is Martha Bradford, but everyone calls me Marty. This is my roommate and best friend, Kelly Maguire." Kelly kissed him, too, and now both girls had their arms around the animal's neck. Kelly was also five feet eight inches tall and was constantly teased about being the younger Ginger Conrad. Like Ginger, she had magnificent auburn hair, brilliant green eyes, a glorious figure and, like Ginger, the very rare complexion for someone with red hair, one that tanned. Then Marty asked, "Darling King, what do we do now? Do you know?" "I think we get acquainted," he replied tentatively. Then looking at each beautiful girl in turn -- he already thought them to be two of the most beautiful girls in the world -- he asked, "May... may... may I drink at your fountains? Please?" It seemed to be what all of the other tigers were about to do as well. Just then Joyce said in a voice loud enough to get their attention, "Girls, I have news for you. I know you're all intact virgins and I also know that the tigers are about to lick you at your source. You should know that in just a week or so they will have taken off all of your pubic hair. Since I see you all have the cutest little beavers -- they are all beautifully plucked -- are you sure it's what you want? Of course, being virginal and pure, receiving your husbands with bodies utterly devoid of any body hair could be a major-league turn-on, but..." Martha Bradford and Kelly had spent hours working on one another's pubic area so Marty looked down at hers with some dismay. Then with a grin at her roommate she said, "Good-bye, beaver! It can always grow back someday, I suppose, if I want it to." Then she said, "But Joan Clifford has always looked so darling..." Then to King she said, "My darling King, my love fountain awaits." She spread her legs and then stifled a scream as she felt his tongue penetrate her vaginal lips. As the tigers were finishing their first round of licking, the door opened. This time it was Kris Bradley with Sasha. The girls all gathered around, then sat on the floor while leaning back against their animals, and listened carefully as Kris began to tell them some of the things she had learned in the first thirty-six hours of her life with a tiger. Joyce left the room with Rajah and rejoined Bobbie and her class. At the end of the day, the mothers came in followed by the young women with their tigers, along with Kris and Sasha. Bobbie smiled and said, "This morning we started on Greek and this afternoon, on Latin. Well, the children decided that we should have a school song. They appropriated one and would now like to sing if for you." The children lined up in two rows and began to sing the Latin student song, _Gaudeamus Igitur._ The mothers and guests were utterly thrilled. Then Bobbie said, "I see that my thieving twin sister has joined us. And she can sing... at least a little. Kris, feel like singing?" The girl came forward with a guitar she had brought with her. In addition to having a fabulous singing voice, she could play a wide range of musical instruments with virtuosity, including the guitar. Coming forward, she told the children that if she had to work, they did, too. The only way she would sing would be if they sang with her. What followed was an impromptu folk concert which ended with a beautifully moving rendition of _Shenandoah._ Then Kris stood up -- she had been kneeling for the entire concert -- and said, "It's time for the Bradley with the good voice -- Bobbie -- to join in." Having seen April and Ron Jackson enter the room she added, "And I would like Casey Jackson to join us. We are going to sing _The Battle Hymn of the Republic._ Casey?" The little girl stood in front of the two young women and began to sing in a beautiful voice while her tears began to flow, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..." Singing softly at first and backed by Kris' and Bobbie's brilliantly clear voices, Casey sang. At the first chorus the remaining children came in. At the final chorus, everyone in the room was singing but still Casey's brilliant voice, now filled with emotion, rose above them all singing, "Glory, glory, hallelujah..." When the hymn ended, Casey ran to her parents who she had seen standing in the back. To her dismay she found her father crying. She apologized for singing so badly it had made him cry. Dropping to his knees Ron Jackson hugged his little girl and cried, "So badly? My darling, that was the most beautiful singing I have ever heard!" He kissed her tenderly and added, "Case, there is one thing of which I am certain: your grandfather in Heaven is smiling down on you right now! To hear his beautiful granddaughter singing our song of freedom with the beauty and power and emotion that you did... Darling, I have never heard anyone sing it better." The little girl just glowed in the praise from her parents. When she looked up at her mother, she saw the most brilliant smile on her face that she had ever seen. April scooped her up and said, "My darling daughter, I cannot tell you how happy you have just made your father and me! I just can't! But darling, there are no parents who have ever lived who could possibly be prouder of their child than we are of you!" The family left with Casey between them holding each parent's hand as she began to bubble over while telling them what she had done in school that day. When the school ended for the day, Joyce asked Ali if she could meet with the firm's senior partners. For some reason Joyce felt that she should be particularly careful with her appearance for the upcoming meeting so she went into the ladies room, washed up and brushed out her hair. When she entered Ali's office with Rajah pacing proudly at her side, the women were sitting around a table waiting for her. There were Ali, Ginger Conrad, Kathy Carlson, and Sandy Benson. In addition, Joan Clifford, the firm's director of administration, and Judy Morris, the director of operations, were there, too. Rajah's subsequent behavior did not surprise Joyce in the least. In fact, it provided the last piece of confirming evidence for her thesis. Now she was certain that her idea was correct. On seeing the women arrayed around the table Rajah dropped flat on the floor, closed his eyes and just lay shivering with fear. "Ladies," Joyce began, "Rajah has just provided the last bit of confirmation I was looking for." Then to Ali she said, "Would you please tell Rajah that it is all right for him to rise, even if he is in the presence of six empresses!" Ali's eyes widened in amazement but she did as she was asked. With apparent reluctance Rajah rose from the floor and sat beside Joyce who hugged him and whispered that everything was fine. Then she said, "You see, I have finally solved the mystery of Clifford & Jamison!" Turning to Sandy Benson she introduced herself and asked, "Sandy Benson, I have a question for you. In what significant way could your life be better than it is right now?" Sandy was utterly dumbstruck by the question, but recognized that Joyce was serious. She sat and thought, then began slowly to shake her head. "How could it possibly be any better?" Joyce asked. "You have a husband you utterly adore and who adores you. You have three children who would melt the hearts of a marble statue... What more in life could you possibly want? Oh, yes!" she added, "Health! Well, that's part of it, too. You see, Mrs. Benson, while your driver's license says you're in your forties, the fact is you're physically about twenty-two. Do you feel tired? Do you feel menopause closing in? I think not. Am I right?" Sandy sat, stunned. What she was hearing made no sense at all, and yet... and yet she did feel better than she could ever remember feeling. Judy had mentioned Marty Bradford's comment about not wearing a bra and Sandy realized that, in spite of her constant nursing, she didn't ever wear one, either, nor had she ever felt the need for one. Finally she stammered, "But how...? why...?" "Now I know the answer to that question, too," Joyce replied with a note of triumph in her voice. "But before I answer it I would like all of you to strip naked. Please?" The women did as she asked and in just seconds all of them were bare. Joyce stripped off all of her clothes, too. After forming them in a circle Joyce instructed them to look at one another's bodies very carefully. While the women were certainly used to being naked around one another, they had really not looked carefully at one another in years. As they did, Joyce could see eyes widening in surprise. "Now look at your feet, your elbows, your hands... Do you see any signs of aging? Ali, you're the oldest. I guess you're pushing fifty. Any signs of it? Drying skin? Wrinkles?" Of course there were none. Ali's golden skin had the smoothness and softness of a teenager's but without the pimples. Ali just shook her head in bewilderment. "Last question," Joyce continued. "Have any of you incurred any injuries after the age of... oh, let's say twenty-five... that left a scar? How about you, Ali?" Ali admitted that when she was making films she did many of her own stunts and wasn't always as careful as she should have been. One stunt had resulted in a compound fracture of the tibia; the bone end had driven through her calf muscle and exited in the rear. When she turned her back so the others could see the scar and looked down, she couldn't find it. "How old were you then?" Joyce asked quietly. Ali, now in a state of near-shock, could only shake her head. Finally she remembered she had been twenty-three or twenty-four. "Don't bother looking, Ali," Joyce continued. "It isn't there. Why? Because physically you're not twenty-three yet!" Then she moved on and asked, "Now, how about your husbands? Again, I'm going to pick on Bill Clifford because he has to be pushing sixty pretty hard. What about the love of your life? Does he have any trouble getting his cock up to enter you? Do you have to work on his organ with your mouth to help him get an erection?" Ali just grinned wanly and replied, "It's very hard, Joyce. Honest. Bill says that for him to get hard I have to be within 500 yards of him -- or 1,500 yards if I'm upwind." "Signs of aging?" Joyce persisted. "Thinning hair? Receding hairline? Liver spots? Anything!?" "Bill's hair is very full and thick. In fact, I tease him about it. There are just the two small bits of gray at his temples. Physically?" She just shook her head slowly and murmured,"Yum!" "That's because he is no older than his late twenties," Joyce explained. "My guess is between twenty-five and twenty-eight." Then to Ali she said, "Darling Ali, everyone says you look younger and more beautiful now than you did when you were making films. Why? Because you are! We talked about being younger. What about beauty? You are much more beautiful because now you are fulfilled as a woman. Now you're complete. You have a husband who you adore and who adores you. You have three of the most beautiful and loving children a person could dream of. Of course you're more beautiful!" "I could go over each of your bodies in detail, but I won't," Joyce said. "Instead, I'll address the questions Sandy asked. How? Through the direct intervention of God in His Third Person, The Holy Spirit. After all, for God, the Creator of the universe, what I am speaking of is child's play. Why? Because of _who you are!_ "I said that Rajah provided additional confirmation when we came into the room. Then you provided the final confirmation with your own bodies. But how did Rajah confirm The Holy Spirit? By treating you as the empresses you all are in his eyes. But what is an empress?" She smiled warmly and said, "Before I answer that question, there is something else you need to know: Rajah and his friends are direct agents of the Holy Spirit on earth. Honestly, they really are. All of you can communicate with him, but the only people who can are those whose souls are as pure as snow! You women are so pure, when I came in this afternoon I looked and now realize what I was seeing. You see, there is a golden glow over you all. You're blessed by God Almighty! You're among His perfect creations. Everything about you and your lives is a constant paean of praise to God and all His works. We speak of the Holy Family. You're all members of holy families, you see. In every single thing you do, you're receiving more blessings from God!" She laughed and shook her head, then continued, "I started to see it when I first met Bobbie on Friday. Never... _Never!_ do you think of yourselves. Everything you do is for someone else. Remember the greatest virtue, charity? "This whole story -- which, unfortunately, will never get out of the can -- began with my idea to see how Bobbie ran her school. After all, I wondered, how can six-year-old children accomplish what these children have? The answer: the same one. This morning when Bobbie prayed to God for His blessings and His help that her children could continue to grow in wisdom and grace, The Holy Spirit came down upon them: Her prayer was immediately answered! "So what did they do? Not a lot. They just covered first-year Greek this morning, and first-year Latin this afternoon. Along with the usual assortment of other course material, of course. The most important, by the way, is religion. You see, God is a very real presence to your children as He certainly should be. After all, where else in the world is there a school in which the Holy Spirit Himself works directly with the kids to help them to learn and understand? "Then, there is the Leper Colony. Those are all adult women who are as pure and holy as your children." Turning to Ali she asked, "The firm is growing. How much money is it making? And have you _ever_ lost a case?" "The answers are, yes, we are growing," Ali replied. "In fact, we're growing as fast as we can. By that I mean whenever a young woman comes in who we believe would fit in, she's hired on the spot. Money? Too damned much! We're drowning in it." Then she looked embarrassed and dropped her eyes. "The firm has lost only one case in its history: mine. That was when Sandy Benson sacrificed her career and was prepared to go to prison to lose the divorce action I had initiated against Bill Clifford. Of course, had she won, I would have been dead in just a matter of weeks." Then she looked up and asked, "Charity, again, right? Sandy acting solely in the interests of others and willing to sacrifice her own life in my interest." She paused and then continued, "I think I heard it first from Mike Morris. Sandy insisted she was a shit and should never have been allowed to live. Mike said she was an utterly beautiful woman whose surface beauty was the least of it. Her real beauty is her incredible goodness shining around her." Looking at Joyce she said softly, "The Holy Spirit, again?" "Of course!" Joyce replied, exultantly this time. "You see, this whole firm and everyone in it is blessed but in different ways. I'll bet that your girls turn out ten times the work in a fraction of the time of any other lawyers alive. Moreover, legal work of the highest possible quality _to serve your clients!_ Right?" "Damn!" Joan Clifford murmured, "And I always thought it was my great computer support." The girl at five feet four was one of the smallest in the firm. Her body was that of a well-developed teenager with the perkiest tits Joyce had ever seen. Now pretending to glare at Joyce she said with her voice completely flat, "Joyce Collier, I hate you!" Then she added with a very warm smile, "But I don't know what to do now. You see, my daughter, Betsy, is convinced that you're an angel come to earth. She simply adores you!" Then she sniffed and concluded, "And all you did was fix her hair for her, too! That wasn't so hard, was it?" _"Hard?"_ Joyce exclaimed. "This has been the best day of my entire life! To be able to hug and kiss those children -- your children -- was inspirational. I kid Bobbie, but it's not a joke. She is the highest-paid teacher in the world: She has the adoration of those children, all of whom are angels. "But this brings me back to where I started: Barbara Bradley Conroy. Did any of you ever wonder how a girl, nineteen years old, could teach _Greek? Latin?_ I asked and it came as no surprise to find out that Bobbie had never taken either one. How? One guess: The Holy Spirit come down with all of His power to bless her every endeavor. "In the same fashion that he gave the apostles the gift of tongues -- when people from all over the world each heard an apostle's preaching in his own language -- He builds on her goodness and adds knowledge and wisdom for Bobbie Conroy is truly doing God's work. She is advancing those children in wisdom, love, kindness, grace... everything!" Then to the astonishment of the women Joyce dropped to her knees and then prostrated her upper body on the floor, thanking God for his revelation and dedicating her body to His service. As they watched a golden glow appeared, first around her head and then slowly spreading as they watched to include her whole body. When she was completely encased, the glow began to shimmer and then pulsate with each pulsation brighter than the one before. Then after a momentary blinding flash, it disappeared. Ali was first on her feet dashing to the side of the girl now lying unconscious on the floor. Lifting Joyce's head she rested it on her lap and just held her tightly. A few minutes later after blinking a few times Joyce opened her eyes. "How do you feel now, darling?" Ali asked softly. "Utterly filled with joy," Joyce replied in a weak voice. Then she asked, "What happened?" "Darling, the Holy Spirit came down upon you and said, in effect, that everything you have said to us this evening is the absolute truth." Only then did Joyce realize that Ali was kneeling upright and holding her head cushioned in her lap. She said, "Ali, you, of course, are the model for the whole thing. As I said before, I'm not sure you're even twenty-one! And Bill Clifford is not yet thirty. Don't you find him incredibly virile? When you carry your babies in your womb, do you feel like a middle-aged woman? Of course you don't! Because you're not! Good heavens! Seeing you with Kristin at your breast, with your tits so proudly free standing and self-supporting even with the weight of all your luscious milk... How can you look younger than you did in Vietnam nearly twenty years ago? It's simple. You are younger. No wonder you can take your grandchildren out for ice cream and look like a teenaged babysitter! You might still _be_ in your teens!" Ali didn't reply. Rather, she helped Joyce to her feet and then just looked at her partners. Without a word being said they all rose from their chairs, came over to Ali and knelt in a circle. Ali reached out to Joyce who dropped to her knees beside her. Then they joined hands and quietly prayed, thanking God for all of his blessings that he had been showering down upon them. Rajah had been sitting silently in the corner watching. As they concluded their prayer a golden glow appeared in a circle and behaved exactly the same way it had behaved a few moments earlier with Joyce alone. It formed first around the women's heads, then spread to include their entire bodies. It shimmered, then pulsated, then flared blindingly. He sat motionless and watched. Minutes passed and then, one by one the unconscious women recovered. Joan was sitting with her back to the sofa while trying to regain her wits. Nevertheless, her irrepressible humor came back first. "Well, I have heard of news stories being confirmed, but this has to be a first..." While the women were quickly slipping back into their clothes Ali asked Joyce to please stay for a few moments. There was something she wanted to speak to her about, alone. When the other women had left, Ali motioned towards the sofa. After retrieving a thin file folder from her desk, Ali sat down beside her. Joyce was immediately concerned by the look of seriousness on Ali's face, and her concern was not allayed by her first words, "Joyce, I... I... I don't really know how to begin. You see, I'm undertaking a very unpleasant task for my sister, Vangie." She shook her head and muttered under her breath, "Isn't that just like a sister? Sticking you with her dirty work?" Then when she looked Joyce straight in the eye, she could see tears at the corners of Ali's eyes. She took a deep breath and bulled ahead. "Vangie needs a favor from you, Joyce. A very big favor! So big, in fact, that she didn't have the nerve to ask you herself." Then she just looked into Joyce's eyes while tears began to stream from her own. After swallowing hard, Joyce said softly, "I will do anything for Evangeline Bradley. Absolutely anything at all! What is it? Would she like me to be a surrogate mother? To have a fertilized egg of hers implanted in my womb? A... An organ transplant?" Sitting up straight she said, "I will donate my heart to her if it would save her life. For that, though, I would expect a large payment. I would demand a kiss. As we lay side-by-side on the operating tables I would want her to kiss me full on the lips just before the doctor opened up my body to remove my beating heart to replace hers. If possible, I would like it done without anaesthetic so I could feel my gift to the fullest!" Ali could see the love in Joyce's brilliant green eyes and knew the woman was completely serious. She would gladly sacrifice her own life if it would save Vangie's. Now her tears were flowing in twin streams but she managed to say, "Thank you, Joyce. I'll tell my sister what you just told me. But Joyce, it... it will be very hard for you to do. And I can't... I can hardly bring myself even to ask..." "I'll do absolutely anything Vangie asks of me!" Joyce exclaimed. "Absolutely anything! I swear it. Now, for heaven's sake, Ali, what is it? Tell me!" "You swear?" Ali persisted. "You're absolutely certain?" Ali could see tears in the corners of Joyce's eyes now, too, but she was certain they were tears of frustration. Shaking her head and reminding her that she was sworn to grant Vangie's wish, Ali reached into the file folder, removed a check and passed it to Joyce saying, "The favor she is asking, darling Joyce, is for you to accept her small gift on the occasion of your engagement." Joyce looked at the check, noted the amount and started to choke. "But I can't! It's... it's impossible! This is a cashier's check for _ten million dollars!_ I can't! I won't!" she exclaimed as she handed the check back to Ali. Ali now had her hands behind her back and just shook her head saying, "Joyce Collier, you swore you would do anything Vangie asked. All she's asking is for you to accept her little gift." Then Ali unleashed her sunshine smile and said, "Darling, the real reason she did not give you the check herself is that she and Ed are floating back to Chicago. Since the prevailing winds are in that direction, I'm not even sure they are bothering with a plane. You see, darling Joyce, this morning my sister called, so excited she could scarcely speak. She's pregnant! Vangie is expecting a baby." Then she added, "Please don't say a word to anyone. Right now there are four people alive who know: Vangie, Ed, you and me. They particularly do not want you to say a word to Bobbie or Kris. They want to tell their children all together at Christmas." Looking at Joyce she asked, "You will respect their confidence, won't you?" Then Ali continued, "Is there a relationship between her blessed event and your gift? You bet there is! It was at your engagement party that Vangie lay on Sasha's belly. She said she felt a strange sensation in her loins when the tiger held her and she is convinced that the sensation was the removal of whatever impediment had been preventing her from conceiving." Now with merriment in her eyes Ali said, "But back to your gift. Maybe... maybe, in view of its importance to the Bradleys, it's inadequate. Is that it? Because if it is, I have the authority to have a new one issued. Would you feel better if it had another zero? Two? Perhaps you're superstitious and would rather the number begin with a number other than a one?" Joyce just shook her head with feigned sadness and said, "Allison McGrath Clifford, you're a piece of work! You really are. Those tears: they looked so real! And the cracking in your voice--" "Joyce, dear, I used to be an actress, after all," Ali interjected, "and one must take advantage of the occasional opportunities that come along to try to maintain one'sskills..." "Thank you, Ali," Joyce said simply. "I will offer prayers of thanks to God for hearing and granting our prayers." Then with a note of suspicion she added, "Is there anything else?" "No, there's not," Ali replied with a grin. "Of course, there is something that affects me, the bank, and Bobbie, though. Vangie made me promise to offer the next senior jobs in our new bank out here to Cathy and Ken. She is bound and determined that her grandchildren -- all of them -- are going to be taught by Bobbie Conroy! And after what we learned from you this evening, I'm certainly not going to fight her on that one." After obtaining Vangie's address and telephone number from Ali, Joyce kissed her softly. With Rajah pacing at her side she left the building in a mental fog. The events of the day had turned out to be as overwhelming as those of Friday had been. *Chapter 35* Ten days had passed and King had truly settled in with Marty and Kelly. They had just returned from the office to their apartment and Kelly Maguire, after quickly stripping off all of her clothes, licked her lips saying, "I'm first tonight." Then to King she said, "My fountain awaits your pleasure, my darling!" The tiger lay down before her, raised his tongue to her labia and began to work on her slit. Looking down at her loins across her flat belly she realized that she no longer had any pubic hair at all. Now, except for the hair on her head, her entire body was devoid of hair and as smooth and soft as a baby's bottom. Tonight, she vowed, she was going to maintain consciousness. So far, ever since the first afternoon, every episode resulted in Marty or her ending up flat on the floor, unconscious. In an effort to retain consciousness, Kelly decided to focus her mind on other things, so she mentally reviewed the events of the last ten incredible days. Following their introduction to King the girls learned that Ali had purchased minivans for each pair of girls, claiming the vehicles were the minimum size necessary to transport a tiger. Then Joyce Collier had asked Marty and her to come down to the ground-floor plaza for an interview. When they did, they found a KNBC camera crew waiting with Joyce. They were asked questions about their jobs -- both were litigators working with Sandy Benson -- and their trial records: neither had ever lost a case. (Even ten days later Kelly had no idea that their answers had helped strengthen the case Joyce had later made to the senior partners.) The interview ended with King and Rajah touching noses while Joyce wished them the same happiness with King that she enjoyed with Rajah. Then Kelly gasped as the first orgasm took her. Sasha had told all of his friends how wonderful it was to try to form the tips of their tongues into pencil points to penetrate the vaginal cavity. King had taken the advice to heart and was now able to do it any time he wished. Kelly admitted to herself that each episode of lovemaking -- drinking at her fountain, King called it -- was better than the last. Then she thought of the Eleven O'clock News they had seen their first night together. The news was the only show King wanted to watch so when he lay down in front of the TV set, she and Marty had laid down beside him. She remembered how everyone had laughed -- including King -- when the show opened with another cheery wave from Rajah. After the headline news, the studio cut to a two-shot with Jack Johnson and Joyce Collier. He took her hand in his and then said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Joyce and I would like to make a very personal announcement. Late last Friday night, after our show went off the air, I received the most joyous news of my life: Joyce Collier agreed to become my wife! We are now engaged to be married." Then looking at her he said, "Joyce?" "Thank you, darling." Then the camera came in tight on Joyce alone as she continued, "First, I want to apologize to all of you women who saw the show Friday. I want to assure you that it was all real: When the show aired I knew... _knew!..._ that I would be a spinster for life. "How did I know? Because there was only one man alive I ever wanted to marry: Jack Johnson. But I knew that he wouldn't touch me with a ten-foot pole. Thus: spinsterhood. So what happened, you wonder? The answer:" The camera pulled back while Joyce looked down and said, "Rajah Collier, you get up here this instant! It was all your fault, after all." Again the animal put his feet on the news desk and looked into Joyce's eyes while she looked into the camera and continued, "You see, Rajah kissed me. Then he communicated that he hoped I liked his kiss although he knew I couldn't possibly like it as much as a kiss from the love of my life, Jack Johnson. "You see, the problem is that Jack hears Rajah's communications, too. Well, the next thing I hear are words I never thought I would ever hear: Jack said he loved me more than life itself, and had loved me from the first instant he saw me, years ago!" With the camera again in tight on Joyce she continued, "So now I am the happiest woman on the face of the earth! And look what Jack gave me! Isn't it gorgeous?" The camera came in tight on her slim hand with her diamond flashing under the studio lights. Following the announcement there was a follow-up story to her original from Friday. Joyce announced the story of her attempted rape and its aftermath, followed by the trip to the police station. She even showed a letter that had been received at the studios at ten o'clock that morning from a William Smith abjectly apologizing for using unseemly language in the presence of a lady. Joyce looked into the camera with her eyes gleaming and said, "Willie, I think this is a very thoughtful apology. More importantly, Rajah thinks so, too. But, Willie," she added, "Your handwriting really needs some work!" The next story was Jack's on their meeting with the Animal-Rights people. When he finished, he produced two letters. One was from Nathan Wiesman. Although the hand doing the writing had been shaking so badly it was very hard to read, it was -- unquestionably -- an apology for his behavior at the circus Friday evening. The second letter -- a series of three, actually -- was from Cohen, Crawford, and Higgins. In them they stated that the tigers at the circus were the best, brightest, healthiest, best treated animals alive in the world. They were truly magnificent specimens of their breed. Hearing the words, King purred and held his head up even straighter after first ensuring that both Marty and Kelly had heard the words and taken notice. Kelly had hugged him and assured him that he was the very best of them all. After going on to more news, the last item was the story Joyce had produced that day. She and Marty both squealed when they appeared on camera with King. The segment closed with Joyce's wish that they be as happy with King as she was with Rajah and showed a very cute shot of the two tigers rubbing noses. With the camera back live on Joyce in the studio she had said, "Folks, one point to keep in mind with respect to that last shot: male tigers hate each other! Normally they wouldn't be within fifty miles of another male. Yet these animals love each other. Honest." Then with a grin she added, "You have just met Martha Bradford, Kelly Maguire and their tiger, King. In addition, there are six more pairs of young women who also have tigers. So, if in the next weeks you see a pair of beautiful young women on the street -- they are all outstanding beauties, by the way -- just remember they are all friends of Rajah's. "Also remember, please don't make them angry. It's really not a healthy activity. In fact, sooner or later there will be a Surgeon General's Warning: Making a Bengal tiger angry could be hazardous to one's health." Then she looked into the camera with a puzzled look on her face and asked, "I wonder where they'll make us print it?" Kelly and Marty had both applauded wildly when the closing shot showed Joyce melting her lips against Jack's while Rajah stood beside them giving his cheery smile and wave, and then blew another kiss to the camera. Even King purred loudly at the sight. Again trying to focus her attention away from her cunt, now moving with a life of its own -- Kelly couldn't count the number of times she had cum but already it had to be a number greater than ten and increasing fast -- she thought about other changes in their lives. Her relationship with Martha Bradford, for example. While before they had been close friends, now they were closer than sisters. Neither had been in her bed since the day King appeared. Now, every night when they were ready for bed, the girls lay on King's massive chest, embraced, and then shared a kiss that kept increasing in its flow of pure love. While they were kissing, his huge arms would enfold them and, while still locked in each other's arms they would fall asleep. To Kelly -- and, she believed, for Marty, too -- it was indescribably heavenly. The least movement caused her nipples to rub against Marty's and stirred the glorious fur they were both lying on. The warmth of Marty's beautiful body was reinforced by the warmth of King's. Then there was daily living. Ali had not missed a bet. Early the next morning, when she opened the door to pick up the paper, Kelly found it, along with a huge covered container of raw meat -- King's food for the day. Later that day they had found out that Ali had made arrangements for daily deliveries to each of the girls' apartments. After having their coffee, she and Marty had put on shorts, put King in the van and driven to the nearest big park. There all three had run together until the women were tired. Then Kelly had gotten on King's back and lay down while Marty sat under a tree and waited for them to come back while King had his opportunity to really run. Now, although her head was reeling with dizziness, Kelly was still conscious as King licked up the last few drops of her cum. "I did it!" she exulted, "I didn't faint! And, Martha Bradford, it was so scrumptious. Could a man possibly be any better?" "Of course, Mistress," King replied. "A man -- the right man -- can take you to Heaven in his arms. And if I have my way you both will soon have that experience. Then you may begin on your true mission in life: being loving wives and mothers." King's eyes widened as he asked, "Mistress, my words did not upset you too much, did they?" Kelly assured him they did not. After working on Marty -- she did faint again -- the two girls talked about what to do that evening. Ever since King had moved in with them, their lives had revolved around him. They really had not even left the apartment except for their exercise in the park and to go to work. Finally Marty said, "Kel, let's face it: Why did we get a tiger? Answer: To be able to go to places where we have always been bothered by creeps, right? Well, how about if we try it again tonight with King?" The girls grinned at each other and then shook hands. When it came to dressing, they decided to wear the Clifford & Jamison casual uniform: worn Levi's and work shirts with the sleeves torn off. Around their necks they wore something new that Ali had purchased for everyone in the firm who had completed basic training: rebuilding her body to the firm model. It was a very heavy 18-carat gold slave collar with the C&J initials engraved deeply into the catch. In much smaller letters their names were each engraved on the backs of their respective collars. They decided to go to Clancy's, a bar with some good-looking guys and good music. After parking the van, they found they had a long walk to reach it. King paced proudly ahead of them and both women could feel the intense pride the animal was feeling to be escorting two women as beautiful as his mistresses. Entering the lounge, they caused an immediate sensation. When King asked them where they wanted to sit -- they decided on the bar -- he paced to where he could see the bar, then decided which were the best seats there. Going up to the two men already seated on them, it took only a very low growl to suggest to them that they had really wanted to stand anyway. Fear was obvious in their eyes as they paid their bill and then went down to the end of the bar as far from King as they could get. When a waiting couple made a move for the vacated stools, another low growl instantly convinced them that they really didn't like that location at the bar at all. It was all Kelly could do to keep from falling down laughing. Suppressing her giggles she said, "Marty, who would have ever believed it? After all, poor King can't really talk, but he does seem to be able to... communicate... That's it!... to communicate his wishes." Then with her eyes wide she asked, "What do you suppose it is?" Then she snapped her fingers and exclaimed, "I know! It must be our collars, right? That's why those guys were so eager to give us their stools and why that waiting couple weren't interested in them, either." With her eyes bright but with her expression bland, Marty agreed that Kelly must be right. It was the gold collars they were wearing. Now that they were seated, the two girls ordered beers and then wondered what to do next. Meanwhile, King was sitting, looking over the crowd, totally unconcerned -- and apparently totally unaware -- of all the eyes focused on him. He communicated to the girls, "What's wrong with these people? Do you suppose they've never been to a zoo? They act like they've never even seen a Bengal tiger before." Kelly assured him that it was a reflection of the decline in the American educational system. They probably had never visited a zoo, and, worse yet, may never have even _heard_ of a Bengal tiger, let alone seen one. King smiled happily and agreed that was probably the answer. He asked them if any of the guys looked interesting, but the girls both just shook their heads. At that King rose to his feet and began to pace around the club. He looked at each man but was looking for a certain thing: an aura that told him the man was pure of heart and thus might be a candidate to meet his divine mistresses. He was amused to see the people part to let him pass as the Red Sea parted for Moses. In the farthest corner of the room he sensed something and went closer. He found two men sitting at a tiny table barely large enough to hold their two glasses. Although they were seated, they seemed to be large enough and their features were regular enough that his mistresses might find them interesting. Moving through the crowd he reached their table, sat down across from them, and just looked at them politely. The two men were Don Garfield and Jim Callahan. Their conversation stopped as the huge tiger sat down just a foot away from them. Garfield swallowed hard and with his voice cracking said weakly, "Hi." Then he almost passed out when he distinctly heard, "Hi! My name is King. What are your names?" Garfield stammered out introductions and then King said, "Since your table is so tiny, may I assume you gentlemen are here alone? You do not have dates?" When assured that they did not, the tiger smiled -- to Don Garfield, it really looked like a smile -- and said, "Wonderful! In that case, I would like you to come with me to meet my mistresses." Then King backed up a short distance to allow them room to get out. Don and Jim looked at each other, swallowed hard, and agreed they had no choice. Neither wanted to provide an early snack for a tiger. When they were on their feet, after leaving money on the table for their bill, they followed the tiger to the bar. There was no need to push their way through the crowd -- the normal way of getting around in Clancy's -- because the people parted leaving the widest possible space as King approached. Kelly's eyes widened as she saw King return. In his wake were two utterly gorgeous young men each about six feet three. "My God!" she whispered, "What did King do this time? It looks like he manufactured a couple of dates for us." Marty didn't answer. Instead she just murmured, "Yum!" Returning to his mistresses, King sat up attentively and looked at the four young people. Garfield and Callahan were so scared they didn't notice anything except the back of the tiger leading the way. Only when he sat down and looked at them attentively did they look at anything else. When Don Garfield saw Marty, he just gasped and said softly, "My God! Who are you? You... you're not human! You're a goddess come to earth." Marty stood up and extended her hand saying, "Hi, my name is Marty Bradford. Who are you?" Garfield just shook his head. Then with a wry grin he said, "I don't know. I used to know, though. In fact, I used to know it as well as I know my own name." Then he grinned broadly and said, "Hi, Marty. I'm Don Garfield and I can't tell you how happy I am to meet you!" When he was introduced to Kelly he said, "Oh, shit! Here's where Maguire and Callahan retire from the conversation and just talk to each other in Gaelic for the rest of the night." Then with a broad grin he asked, "Well, Callahan, are you happy now?" "How could I possibly be happy," Jim replied. "I'm having the best dream of my life and everyone knows you're only happy when the dream is over." Then to Kelly he said, "Kelly Maguire, you're the most beautiful thing the Good Lord ever put on two feet!" Kelly frowned and said, "Bradford, I don't know about these guys. I just found out that poor Jim Callahan here is disabled... Oops! I guess it's 'differently-abled' these days, isn't it? Anyway, he's blind!" "Blind, am I?" he demanded. "Well, maybe that's because we're so far apart." With that, to his amazement and to Kelly's, he took her in his arms and kissed her. Instantly there was a flow of electricity, joy, and the purest love. As he held the kiss, Kelly's lips began to flow with passion that burst over him like a crashing wave. "My God!" he murmured softly as they parted slowly, "Who are you? Who are you really?" Kelly assured him she was just another worthless lawyer. The sudden kiss and its aftermath convinced King that he had made a good choice. At least Kelly seemed delighted and he had seen the flow of passion between the two young people. When Garfield made a move towards Marty she just held up her hands and said she was driving. They might try later. Deciding that the two men would be joining his mistresses, King looked to their right and left and selected two men sitting to their right. A very low snarl quickly convinced them that they would be much more comfortable someplace else, too. Kelly just shook her head. After she and Marty moved down one stool, the two men took stools flanking them. Kelly had finally recovered from Jim's kiss but her eyes were still shining. Looking at King she said, "Darling, for this I have to do something extra special." Then she snapped her fingers and called the bartender over. She told him to call the nearest Domino's and order a large pizza with extra pepperoni and extra cheese. "Tell the guy it's for King." Then she asked, "Do you serve lemonade here?" When told that the bar did, she told the man to make about a gallon and put it in a bowl on the bar. Although the bar did serve pizza of its own, it was a bar pizza that was closer to cardboard than it was to food. And with King staring at him, the man was not about to argue about ordering a pizza from Domino's. When he came back with a huge bowl of lemonade, Kelly and Marty moved their stools aside to give King room. Effortlessly, he extended his body upward and then rested his paws on the edge of the bar while he very neatly began to lap up his lemonade. He just took a couple of sips and then said he would leave the rest until his pizza arrived. The man from Domino's presented the pizza to King with great ceremony. He placed the box on the bar but left it with its top closed and covered. Then he asked King to get up on his hind legs to see. When the tiger did what was requested, the man lifted the paper covering the top of the box. There was a large seal on the lower left corner. Kelly read it and began to howl with laughter. The center of the seal was a very happy smiling tiger -- Rajah, she thought. Around it was written the words, "Domino's: By appointment to their majesties, the Royal Bengal Tigers, purveyors of pizza." While the girls got acquainted with the guys, they continued to feed pizza to King. As usual each girl got a hurt look from the tiger every time they stole a bite. With a grin at Jim Callahan Kelly said, "I would give you a bite, too, but I'm really not sure how King would react. He might open your belly up with a claw and take it back!" When he finished his pizza, King smiled appreciatively. By now the noise of the club was getting to the young people, so Kelly and Marty enthusiastically accepted the men's invitation to have dinner. The guys knew of a good restaurant just a couple of blocks away. With King pacing alongside, the foursome walked along the sidewalk. Don Garfield was both surprised and pleased when he reached for Marty's hand and found that she took his eagerly. Her hand felt so smooth and cool and wonderful. As they walked Garfield wanted to shake his head in utter amazement. First, at six feet three, he was used to having to take mincing steps when walking with a woman. He realized Marty had beautiful long legs and a naturally long stride, too, so she easily maintained his natural pace. When they were about halfway to the restaurant, Marty suddenly stopped. Since she was holding his hand, she stopped him suddenly, too, causing Jim and Kelly to almost walk into their backs. She said, "Shit! Kelly already knows, so I might as well end the suspense and find out, too." With that she put her hands behind Don's neck, pulled his head down and began to kiss him. The kiss began with a flow of pure love and electricity but then -- as had happened with Kelly and Jim -- there was an increasing flow of pure passion. Don was initially shocked and his hands were at his sides. Then he put his arms around her and held her. As their passion mounted, he pulled her closer until her breasts were being mashed against his chest. All it did was to evoke wonderfully warm, happy noises from deep in her body. Then Kelly, not being one to waste an opportunity, did the same thing with Jim Callahan. Their kiss, with nothing to distract them, was far better than their first. Meanwhile, King had stopped, too. When he saw what was happening, he just sat up attentively and waited while feeling his mistresses's wonderful sensations. As he watched he felt warm and wonderful; Marty and Kelly were such wonderful girls and deserved the love now flowing to them. When Marty broke the kiss, she just nuzzled her face into Don's neck while he continued to caress her body. "That feels so wonderful," she said softly. "Please, Don, don't ever stop!" Then, having recovered from her emotional shock she pushed away, grinned and added, "Except to eat, of course!" Then she surprised him again when she said, "I hope you and Jim have a lot of money or a lot of plastic. I'm starving to death, and Kelly is, too!" Reaching the restaurant, again King caused a sensation. By now, though, the tigers were widely known in Los Angeles, even if not yet widely seen on the streets. In addition to KNBC, there had been major newspaper features on them as well. They were immediately seated, with the women and King being treated as celebrities. When the waiter came to take their dinner order, Don found that Marty had not been kidding. She and Kelly both ordered huge meals and then proceeded to eat every scrap of food that appeared. Finally he just shook his head in amazement and said, "Marty, where on earth are you putting it all?" Patting her flat belly she said, "Right here, of course. Where else would it go?" Then she told him how, in addition to running with King every morning, they had heavy daily workouts in the health club. She did not tell him of the physical results of King's drinking at their fountains twice a day, though. She concluded by saying that the result of all the exercise was very healthy appetites. While eating, the girls learned that the guys had started an investment management company with just the two of them. They were growing rapidly because their investment performance had been outstanding. When Kelly mentioned that they worked for Ali Clifford, both men whistled softly in appreciation. "From everything we hear," Don said, "she is the very best there is! And I guess she's running nearly twenty billion now between the Clifford money and money she runs for friends." He shook his head and added, "That is really big time! My God! To get the results she does, running the amount of money she does, is utterly incredible. Good results when you're running a few million isn't really very hard. But twenty billion? Wow!" Kelly asked them where they had met since Don was from North Carolina and Jim was from South Dakota. The two men looked at each other and shrugged. Clearly, they were going to reveal something that they feared would endanger their budding relationship with the two young women. Don nodded and Jim blurted, "We met in Kuwait during Desert Storm." He sat up straight but his face was impassive as he added, "We're both majors in the Reserves. We commanded M1A1 heavy tank battalions and our two units were deployed side-by-side on the line." Kelly and Marty were impassive as they learned the guys had fought in the war. Then they reacted in an utterly new way. The boys had been used to trying to hide their military careers because previously it had always resulted in the women recoiling in horror. This time the two women jumped from their chairs, sat across the laps of their respective men and melted their lips together. The kisses were the very best yet. When Kelly pulled away she whispered, "Thank you, darling. You were utterly wonderful! We were so very proud." Then she looked at him with concern in her eyes and asked, "Were you wounded or anything? Did you get hurt?" When he assured her that he didn't get a scratch, she kissed him again lightly and returned to her seat. "I don't understand you two," Jim said, now utterly bewildered. "You're like no women Don or I have ever met." "It gets worse," Kelly replied wryly. "You see, Martha Bradford and I are untouched virgins. Can you believe it? Two women, twenty-five years old, who have never been in bed with a guy?" Then she swallowed hard and continued, "It's obvious that you two were reluctant to tell us about Desert Storm. I suppose you've heard all the garbage about militarists, and the rest of that shit. Well, I suppose I might as well tell you our ground rules, too. That way we can just split the check and go our separate ways." Sitting up straight in her chair she said, "Jim, anything goes except penetration. You're welcome to roam your hands anywhere on or in my body you would like. And in spite of being virgins, Marty and I are certain that we are both intensely passionate. Our love juices can flow like rivers at flood stage. But we don't give test drives. I'm afraid if you want to find out what I'm really like in bed, you'll have to marry me first." Then with a little grin she added, "Oh! And be prepared for a very sloppy wife screwing up the honeymoon by soaking the bed with her blood on the first night. Yuck!" "I am, too," Jim said so softly she scarcely heard him. "Am too, what?" Kelly asked, not believing she was hearing what she thought she was hearing. "A virgin," Jim said. He sat up straight and looked at her with his embarrassment causing him to blush as red as a beet. "Me, too," Don Garfield said. "I guess you think we are the weirdest turkeys you've ever hooked up with." To Jim he said, "Partner, let's bail out of here before we end up looking like total idiots." When they moved their chairs back from the table preparatory to leaving, both girls jumped. Plopping onto Jim Callahan's lap, Kelly wrapped her left arm around his neck while with her right hand she hurriedly unbuttoned her shirt down to the waistband of her Levi's. The girls' sudden movements had attracted the attention of nearby diners until King's eyes grew hard and he let out a quiet but threatening low-pitched snarl. Instantly the people who had been looking at the girls found other things to occupy their attention. "Jim," Kelly whispered in his ear, "I can't wait any longer. Please run your hands over my body. Please? Feel my tits. Are they big enough? Firm enough? Too firm? I so hope you like small nipples. Mine are really tiny but I think they're sort of cute. Do you like them? Please look and feel, then tell me!" Then she pulled her shirt wide to expose as much of her chest as she could one-handed. Callahan's big hand reached out and enveloped her left breast, then he used a finger gently to stimulate her nipple. In an instant, it became as hard as a little pebble and began to protrude from her tit. "Oh, darling," she breathed, "your hand feels so good!" Then she giggled softly and added, "There's something else I forgot to mention: I don't even own a bra... No! That's not true. I guess I still have a few left over from before I joined the firm... But they wouldn't fit, now, anyway. My shoulders are broader and my tits are much bigger." She grinned and said, "You know, I may try one on someday when you come over. I think the thing would just disintegrate." Then an expression of concern returned to her face and she asked, "What do you think?" "My darling," he replied softly, "I think you're just perfect! That's what I think. I forgot your questions, but it doesn't matter. Even if I had written them all down, I'm so dazzled by your incredible beauty I couldn't read them anyway. Do I like firm tits? Hell, yes! Small nipples? Yours are so cute I couldn't imagine anything being nicer. But your skin! It's like golden satin." Then he looked into her eyes and said, "You're golden all over, aren't you? There are no marks anywhere, are there?" "And except for the hair on my head, I am totally bare, darling," she added. Then she told him about King and what he did for Marty and her. Finally she said, "And, of course, that's how I know that I really am passionate and can -- and do -- cum in a flood, while going off like a rapid-fire cannon." Finally the girls got off the men's laps and returned to their own seats. But their only concession to modesty was to tuck in their shirt tails while refusing to button a single shirt button, thus leaving their bodies bare in a wide swath running from their necks down below their navels to their hips. When asked by Jim, Kelly just replied that her nipples were covered so what difference did it make? She daintily stuck out the tip of her tongue. Then she motioned to a waiter and ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon along with four glasses and a soup plate. He came back and poured the glasses. Then she poured some into the soup plate sitting between Marty and herself. Raising her glass she said, "Guys, to us! And to two wonderful guys... And the wonderful guy named King who found you for us!" With that the two girls drank while the men just smiled shyly. Then Jim raised his glass and said, "To the girls of our dreams... But speaking for myself, I never in my life ever had a dream this good!" Looking to King he said, "Will you join us in this one, big fellah?" Forgetting how King had introduced himself, the men recoiled when they heard King clearly communicate, "Gladly!" Then he added, "I cannot tell you how happy I am tonight nor how happy you two are going to be. These two women are as close to utter perfection as God has ever created. They are brilliant, athletic, funny... But I could go on and on. There is so much more. Let me only say that the height of their ambition is to find men to whom they can give their undying love and for whom they will, through the grace of Almighty God, bear many children. "These children, you see, will become the focus of the incredible love they share with their husbands and will honor their parents and the love they receive from them by developing in wisdom and grace to bring credit on the parents they love so much. Gentlemen, to Martha Bradford and Kelly Maguire, two of God's most perfect creations." Then he carefully licked up some of the champagne from his soup plate. After drinking the toast Callahan asked softly, "Was that true, Kelly? What King said about your role as a wife and mother?" She just nodded her head while looking down at the table. "You mean that two girls with absolutely everything... With faces and bodies any man would kill for, with law degrees and brilliant careers, want to be wives and... and mothers?" When she raised her head and sat up straight he could see her eyes glistening with tears but she ignored them and said, "Darling, King was absolutely right, of course. My highest ambition is to give birth and nurse babies at my breast. To love them and nurture them. To teach them about God. To give them all of my love." She was silent for a moment and then said, "It's all true, Jim. I'm sorry if it offends you. Maybe you were right. I guess we should be going." Callahan just slowly shook his head and then looked down at the table himself. Then speaking slowly and softly, even cultivating a Western drawl, he said, "Kelly, Don and I have talked about it. It's why I had been thinking of going back to South Dakota. There are still a couple of girls left back there who want to be wives and mothers. They ain't terribly bright, o' course, and their looks ain't great, but..." He just shook his head in utter disbelief and said, "But here in Los Angeles? Gorgeous, brilliant, professional women? Utterly impossible!" Then he looked straight into her eyes and said, "But it happened, didn't it? That's really the way you are, isn't it?" With a sigh of relief she grinned and said, "It's the way we all are, darling." Then she quickly told him about the Leper Colony and more about Clifford & Jamison. The foursome sat around the table talking and finishing their champagne. It was only when some lights were turned off that they realized they were the only customers left in the restaurant and the manager was waiting to close. Sheepishly, the men paid the bill and left a big tip. It had only been after Kelly's threat to ask King to explain the advantages to him that he grinned and accepted her money to pay for the champagne. Upon leaving the restaurant they realized they had quite a walk ahead of them. It was several blocks back to Clancy's and their van was parked several blocks beyond that. The two couples walked hand-in-hand, totally absorbed in one another. There were so many things that each wanted to ask the other about subjects ranging from politics to sports teams. They were utterly enthralled to find that their mate -- and each already looked on the other in those terms -- felt the same way they did. Realizing that they wanted privacy, King was hanging back to keep out of their way. Suddenly five men leaped out from a dark alley and surrounded the four. Two of the men had guns while the others were brandishing long knives in their hands. The apparent leader -- one of the two with guns -- said, "I guess I'll just shoot this dude here to show the others we're serious. It will sort of get their attention. "And girls, while I do that, why don't you both just strip? Then you can lie down on the sidewalk, spread your legs wide and wait for the fun to follow!" With that he aimed his gun at Don and started to squeeze the trigger. The weapon was a double-action revolver. As the hammer came back towards its firing position, King leaped. In an instant he was 600 pounds of unleashed fury as one of his paws with its claws fully extended came down in a flash across the man's wrist. A moment later there was a shot when the gun, with his detached hand still around it, hit the sidewalk and fired. The second assailant fired at the golden fury and his bullet grazed King's skull just before he was savaged by the tiger's claws and then ripped by his great teeth. The other three -- gang members all -- let their gang bravado get the best of their common sense. Instead of fleeing, the three attacked King with their knives. In seconds, all three erstwhile rapists had been ripped to shreds. Jim Callahan's heart turned over as he held Kelly tightly in his arms. Although she was pale as a sheet, she did not avert her eyes. Instead she looked impassively over the human debris King had strewn around the area. He could feel her swallow hard and he realized in an instant why. Not a single body was intact. In one way or another King had ripped huge chunks out of each of the men. Obviously, they were now all dead. The great animal had been cut twice and the bullet crease in his skull was making him dizzy. "Are you all right, my darling mistresses?" he asked woozily. When they assured him they were not even scratched, the great animal fell to the sidewalk unconscious. As the girls dropped down beside him with Don and Jim, they could hear the sound of approaching sirens. While they couldn't see everything -- King was lying on his side and they couldn't move his huge bulk -- they did see the bullet crease on the top of his skull between his ears and a couple of knife cuts that, although bleeding, did not appear too serious. Three police cars pulled into the curb with their blue lights coloring the neighborhood. As had happened with Joyce in the KNBC parking lot, the first officer to reach the scene took one look at the carnage and became violently ill. His partner, still in the car, radioed for a big ambulance and the morgue wagon. He explained the need for a large vehicle because one of the tigers was down, but only after spreading pieces of the attackers all over the sidewalk. Barely able to control his voice he told the police dispatcher, "I think there are five bodies, Sarge. I get the number by counting heads. Beyond that there are just pieces all over the place..." Then he cut off his transmission, opened the cruiser's door and vomited onto the street too. Minutes later, an unmarked cruiser pulled up along with a KNBC mobile unit that had picked up the call on the police radio. It turned out to be a camera team with Ann Henry, returning from a late assignment. By this time Don and Jim had put their coats over the girls' shoulders and were holding them tightly to control their shivering. With the camera rolling to record the incredible carnage, Ann came up to the foursome and introduced herself. She, too, was pale as a sheet having seen the mess, but she said, "Well, here's another good reason for watching the KNBC news. These guys didn't pay attention." Looking down at King, she could see his chest moving in and out. His respiration seemed strong. Kneeling quickly, she felt for his great heart and, when she found it, could feel it pumping powerfully. Standing again she said, "I assume that this is one of Rajah's buddies. Which one is he?" As Kelly answered her questions, they were joined by a plainclothes officer who introduced himself as Lieutenant Patrick Collins. He had looked over the pieces on the sidewalk and asked, "Did these clowns threaten rape?" When Marty told him about the late leader's instructions: strip, lie down and spread their legs; Collins just shook his head. "I guess these were what the schools refer to as slow learners. I thought Rajah had done a pretty good job of communicating the idea that the big cats get upset at the idea of rape -- particularly when their mistresses are the targets." Then he explained that he had covered the earlier case at the KNBC studios. When the ambulance arrived, two EMTs quickly checked the victims and then looked over King after being assured by the girls that they would be perfectly safe. With the help of three police officers, they were able to get King onto an oversized Gurney and get him into the ambulance. The lieutenant drove the four young people to where their cars were parked and then led the way to the hospital where King was being taken. The girls arrived just in time as King was beginning to recover consciousness. He was about to growl, wondering what had happened to his mistresses, when they appeared and reassured him. With the girls beside him, he told them that there was just the skull crease and the two knife cuts. The cuts were sutured and bandaged by the doctor while he merely put an antibiotic on the bullet crease to guard against possible infection. Then he asked with a grin if King had Blue Cross. The girls simultaneously reached for their checkbooks and asked how much they owed and who was to be paid. "I'm just kidding, girls," the doctor said holding his hands up in protest. "This one is strictly on us and it is a real pleasure." Then he added, "There are too damned many rape victims brought in here. I think your large friend here might persuade at least some would-be rapists to look for some other form of recreation." By the time they finished at the hospital and then finished with the police, it was after three. Don and Jim insisted on following the girls to their apartment to help with King. When they entered, Jim let out a low whistle. It was the most tastefully elegant apartment he had ever seen and he said so. Then Kelly Maguire realized what time it was and offered to make breakfast for them. Even though they had eaten a big dinner, that had been over six hours earlier. She began to make a huge breakfast of steak, eggs and waffles while the others moved to put King to bed. That provoked a flat refusal from the huge cat. "I saved you from one rape tonight, Mistresses, but my task now is much more difficult. Now you have men that you invited into your apartment. Messrs. Callahan and Garfield, you're the very first men to be here, ever. But it's much worse, you see. These are two men you already adore. My task now is to save you from yourselves!" The four howled with laughter. When the breakfast was served, again the men looked at the girls in amazement. The food was superb and they said so. The girls just cutely stuck out their tongues and said the food should be good: They had been taking lessons from the world's finest cook for almost a year and a half! After cleaning up the kitchen, the girls stripped off their shirts so their men could really see them. Standing up straight with their young breasts so proudly upthrust, they were utterly magnificent. Then Kelly snapped her fingers and ran from the room. A few moments later she came back with a wrinkled bra in her hand. She had found it at the bottom of one of her drawers. Jim couldn't control his laughter as Kelly made a series of very funny faces as she strained to get the bra on. First, her breasts completely overflowed the cups; apparently she had gone from an A cup to a C. Finally, stretching the bra's elastic to its limit, she managed to attach the hooks. Then, when she said, "At last!" and took a deep breath, it exploded. In addition to the elastic snapping, one of the shoulder straps ripped off, so the remains were just hanging on her left shoulder. She took off the remains and gave it to Jim saying, "You can keep this with the souvenirs of your other conquests." Then she looked at him with her eyes wide and said, "But gee, Jim, did you have to rip it off my back? Couldn't you have just un-clipped it? Or were you really that... eager?" The other three dissolved in laughter. Kelly added to it when they noticed the puzzled look on her face as if to ask what was so funny? After a period of necking on the sofa, the men reluctantly left after exchanging addresses and phone numbers. That night, for the first time since King arrived, the girls did not sleep on him. Instead, they put him in the middle of their large bed and the two women snuggled close on each side. In moments they were all asleep. *Chapter 36* Marty and Kelly were at their desks working when Susan Carlson and Mike Morris came into their office followed by King. Since the seven tigers had appeared at the firm offices, they often spent a lot of their time during the days with the very young children or in the school while their mistresses were working. They were always in the school during nap time where they took the place of the no-longer-used sleeping bags. Now Ken and Andy always slept in each other's arms while being held by Prince. Susan and Mike always slept the same way on King. Charley Conrad rotated and slept with a different member of his harem each day, while the remaining girls paired up or slept with Bobbie on one of the other tigers. Kelly's desk was closest to the door and she realized that Susan was crying while Mike was trying to suppress his own tears. When asked what was the matter, Susan said, "Miss Maguire, we need to be punished. What Mike and I just did was utterly inexcusable!" "But what did you just do?" Kelly asked. Marty had stopped work and was now listening intently as well. "Mike and I deliberately tortured King. We were supposed to be sleeping. I don't know what came over us, but we decided we would pull out the hairs of his chest fur one by one, in a way to cause him the greatest possible pain. Can you imagine? Doing a thing like that to an animal as good and sweet and pure as King? An animal that saved your lives less than two weeks ago at great sacrifice to himself?" She stood up as straight as she could and said, "Mrs. Conroy punished us, and then sent us out of the room to see our parents. Then our mothers sent us down to see you. Since King is your friend and protector, you must punish us first." Then she looked at Mike and gripped his hand saying, "Ten of the hardest spanks you can manage for each of us," Susan said. "I'll go first." At that Mike Morris moved in front of Susan and said, "Please, Miss Maguire and Miss Bradford, I would like to accept all the punishment for Susan and myself. It was my idea--" "It was not, Michael Morris! That's a lie," Susan exclaimed. "The idea was all mine! If anyone receives all the punishment, it should be me." "But, Sue," Mike protested. "I just went along. I made no effort to talk you out of it..." "That's because you love me too much for our own good, Mike Morris," she said softly. "You're incapable of saying no to me about anything." Then she glared at him, pulled down her pants, pulled up her skirt and went to lie across Kelly's lap. Kelly was dumbfounded and didn't know what to do. Susan looked up at her and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Maguire, really I am. I know how hard this is going to be for you." Then her eyes brightened and she said, "But they better be hard spanks. If they're not so hard that they make me cry out, you'll just have to do them all over again. Clear?" Kelly just nodded her head and then looked at the little girl's bare bottom. Only then did she see that it was already bright red. When she mentioned it, Susan merely reminded her that Mrs. Conroy had already punished them. Swallowing hard, Kelly began to spank the girl as hard as she could. After three strokes, Susan rolled over and pointed out that she was using her wrist, rather than a full arm stroke. "Don't use your wrist, Miss Maguire. You might hurt it. Now start over again at one." Doing what Susan said provoked involuntary cries with each spank. When she reached ten and stopped, the little girl climbed off her lap, took her right hand in hers, kissed the palm softly, and then licked it. "I'm so sorry you hurt your hand on my hard little ass, Miss Maguire," the little girl said tearfully. Then she extended her arms and Kelly lifted her up to her lap. When she sat Susan down, the girl screamed and jumped up. Then she knelt on the chair straddling Kelly's legs and began to kiss her all over, concentrating particularly on her eyes and lips. She concentrated on kissing away Kelly's tears. Only when she moved her lips on Kelly's did Kelly taste something salty. Pulling away, she found that the girl's lip was bleeding. Susan just said that she had bitten it to keep from crying out while being spanked. When Kelly grinned wryly at Marty and said that it looked like she was going to get to punish Mike, Susan pulled away and said, "Oh, no, Miss Maguire! I guess I wasn't too clear. You each punish both of us!" Then she looked concerned and said, "But do you think ten apiece is really enough?" Then she looked at King and said, "Isn't there some punishment we can get King to inflict on us directly? He was the one we hurt, after all. When we asked him before, he just flat refused." At this point King entered the conversation. "Miss Susan, you and Master Michael are making me very angry! Hurt me? Utterly impossible. What overweening egos you two have! Do you honestly think that the two of you, weighing about ninety pounds total, could possibly hurt me, weighing 600? Actually, your little fingers pulling at my fur felt sort of funny. It's not something I would like all the time, certainly, but it didn't hurt. "But now I am getting very angry! Why? Because of what you're doing to my poor mistresses. Why are you mad at them? What have they ever done to hurt you? Yet you're hurting them terribly! Why?" Suddenly the little girl broke down completely. Crying her eyes out, she stumbled blindly towards the giant tiger. While sitting up on his haunches, King extended his paws, caught the little girl and pulled her close to his chest where he just held her tightly while he listened to her uncontrolled, hopeless-sounding crying. Meanwhile, Mike was standing before Marty and said, "Please, Miss Bradford, as a very special favor -- and I know I certainly don't deserve one -- please spank me as hard as you possibly can for as many strokes as you can bring yourself to do? _Please?_ I know exactly what King means, and he's right, of course, but I couldn't live with myself if I stood by and watched Susan being beaten without ever suffering anything myself. I know how hard and painful it is for you to do, but please? As a very special favor?" Marty was crying herself, but she just nodded her head. The little boy pulled off his pants and positioned his bottom where she could most comfortably hit it. He lay there silently while she beat him fifteen times. By that time she was crying so uncontrollably, she could do no more. Then he took her hand and kissed it, then climbed on her lap to kiss away her tears all the while thanking her for the tremendous favor she had done for him. Then King growled, "That's enough of that, Master Michael! Now get over here where you belong and comfort your love. She needs you so!" Then King lay on his back while Mike took the still-crying Susan in his arms, then climbed up on the tiger's chest while holding Susan tightly. He was kissing away her tears when King enfolded them both in his huge arms and began to purr softly. "What do you think, roomy?" Kelly asked softly. "I think it's going to be awfully tough being a mother sometimes, is what I think," Marty replied through her tears. "That was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Imagine! Spanking an angel." While she watched the children, now almost completely covered by King's huge paws, she said, "What did you think?" "King," Kelly said, "please continue to hold and cherish those two cherubs. They have just given us another invaluable lesson in how to be a mother. I once watched one of the mothers crying her eyes out in the conference room while being held in the arms of another and being comforted. The woman was crying because she had just spanked her child while the other tried to comfort her and tell her she understood how hard and painful it was. I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever seen! "Well, it wasn't and it certainly isn't. The mothers all know that it is essential for their child's sense of security to know where the boundaries of acceptable behavior are _exactly!_ Since children are always testing, that means they get spanked once in a while when they go over the line. Strange as it seems, it makes the child feel better. He or she feels more secure because he or she knows the boundary is real and it will be enforced, although they recognize how hard it is for their mothers to spank them. "It truly does hurt the mothers far more than the children, but that's a price of motherhood, I guess." Then to the tiger she said, "King, darling, when the children calm down and we fix them up a bit, let's take them back to their mothers, okay?" Then Kelly had an idea. She whispered it to Marty who dashed out of the office and then Kelly whispered it into King's ear. He smiled and communicated that it might work and was certainly worth a try in any case. When Marty returned, she had a large bowl of ice cubes. Then King told the children to take off all of their clothes and then bend over the seat of Marty's now-vacant chair. Although bewildered, the two children did exactly what he had told them to do. Marty then set the bowl of ice close beside the two children and King licked it. One reason a cat's tongue is rough is to permit the animal to lap up water using its coarse surface to hold the water drops. After licking the ice to get his tongue cold with ice water on it, he carefully licked the fiery red bottoms of the two children. Licking Susan's small bottom first, the little girl exclaimed that it felt so cool and wonderful, but then she began to cry again. Although she obeyed him and didn't move, she said, "Thank you King, for inflicting the harshest possible punishment on us. You're making us -- who tried our best to torture you -- lie here while you ease the pain of your tormentors. "Oh, King, I love you so much! But why don't you beat me or claw me or something! Will you? Oh, no! Instead you're being so wonderful by easing my own pain and making me feel so terrible while you're doing it!" The two children stayed bent over the seat of the chair while King continued to work until all of the ice was gone. By then the fiery red color had receded to just a bright pink. Through the entire time Mike had his arm around his love and tried to comfort her. Kelly just shook her head and said, "Marty, I guess we really did hit them hard. Did you see how red their bottoms were, in spite of both having deep golden tans?" Marty just nodded and clutched at Kelly's hand. Finally, King finished and told the children to get dressed. They were going up to see their mothers. However, first Kelly insisted on cleaning the children up and so escorted them to the Leper Colony shower-room. There, she and Marty first carefully washed their faces and then shooed them into the shower. The two young women just shook their heads in wonder as the two children so carefully soaped and washed each other's body. Mike carefully washed Sue's slit while she as tenderly cradled and washed his small penis and scrotum. When the two children came out, Kelly caught Susan and Marty caught Mike and dried them off with huge terry bath towels that were bigger than the children. Then, wrapped in the towels, they returned to their office and watched as the children dressed. The women noticed how gingerly the children put on their pants but then completed dressing without further incident. Finally Susan stood in front of Kelly and gave her a comb and brush while Mike did the same thing with Marty. When Kelly retied the big bow on Susan's pinafore and had her glorious wavy hair styled the way she knew Kathy Carlson always fixed it, she took the little girl in her arms and kissed her. Holding the little girl tightly in her arms, she realized how incredibly sweet-smelling her little body was. Then she kissed her gently and could feel a river of the purest love, innocence and joy flow from the child's lips to her own. When she released the girl, Susan said softly, "Miss Maguire, may the Good Lord bless and keep you. May He make His eternal light to shine upon you, and may He bless you and Jim and your posterity, unto the end of time! Almighty Father, I ask this in the name of your Son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen." Suddenly Kelly felt light headed and then felt a remarkable sensation in her loins. "What just happened?" she asked softly. Susan gave her the most beatific smile Kelly had ever seen and replied, "Darling Mistress Maguire, God, our Almighty Father has heard my prayer and answered it. He has just blessed you and all of your eggs. You will give birth to the most beautiful, the best babies in the whole world! Miss Maguire, they will be God's personal gift to you and Mr. Callahan." Then the girl's face clouded and she asked, "I hope you don't mind?" _"Mind?"_ she exclaimed. "How, on earth, could I possibly mind? But what you're also saying is that God Almighty is blessing my union with Jim Callahan. You mean that too, don't you?" The little girl just nodded and said very softly, "Yes, Miss Maguire, He is. You will have a marriage filled with countless joys. You will achieve a level of happiness in his arms that is almost unknown in this world. Yes, Miss Maguire, God has blessed your commitment to Mr. Callahan and his commitment to you." Then the children, accompanied by Marty, Kelly, and King, went up the stairs to look for their mothers. They found both Judy and Kathy in Kathy's office. When the two mothers glared at their children, King quickly told his story. He ended by saying that the children had done enough damage for one day -- although none at all to him. But they had already made life miserable for Mrs. Conroy, Marty, and Kelly, and there was absolutely no excuse for them to make their parents miserable, too. With tears in the corners of their eyes, the two children asked their mothers for forgiveness. Kathy held Susan in her arms and then said, "My darling, you smell so wonderfully sweet and look so lovely, in spite of your spanking. What happened?" "Miss Maguire happened, Mommy," the little girl said. Then she told how Kelly had fixed her up and how Marty had worked onMike. When she told her mother about asking God's blessing for Kelly and Jim Callahan, Kathy asked about Marty and was assured that Mike had done the same thing for Marty and Mr. Garfield, and achieved the same result. "Mommy, they are going to be such exquisite brides and they are going to be so happy! Isn't it wonderful?" Listening to her daughter, Kathy was reminded of Joyce's words: They always ask for other people, never themselves. Then she took her daughter in her arms, kissed her lovingly, and told her how thoughtful she had been and how proud of her she was. Only then did Susan pull away and ask her mother if she could go down to Camp Pendleton for Thanksgiving and spend it with Mike's grandparents. Kathy smiled warmly and told her that she and Mrs. Morris had been talking about it. Instead, her parents and the whole Morris family were going to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Carlsons. After Thanksgiving dinner, Susan could drive down to Pendleton and spend the rest of the weekend there. Susan was delighted. When the children left the office to return to their schoolroom, Marty and Kelly exchanged glances. Marty nodded and Kelly said, "Kathy, since you're having a big Thanksgiving, could Marty and I please come out to serve? We have completed all the courses and I believe we're competent. We will be naked, of course." Then she swallowed hard and said, "But could... would..." "Let's knock off the shit, shall we?" Kathy interrupted. Her head was cocked, her eyebrow was raised and there was a grimace on her face. Then she said with a warm smile, "The answer is yes. If I can, I will. Now what do you and your sister want?" Her smile became even warmer as she continued, "You and Marty now think of each other as sisters, don't you? You're so close." "Kathy, you don't know the half of it!" Kelly exclaimed. "Ever since King has been with us, I have watched Marty standing with sweat pouring off her magnificent body while her loins spasm in ecstasy. At night, we sleep in each other's arms while we're both cradled in King's huge ones. Whenever Marty moves, I feel her glorious tits move against mine and smell the marvelous fragrance of her natural body perfume. Kathy, I'm in heaven -- constantly!" Then she blurted, "Could Don and Jim be your guests on Thanksgiving, too? Please?" Before Kathy could open her mouth Marty had taken Kelly into her arms and was melting her lips on hers. There was an instantaneous two-way flow of the purest love. Then Marty whispered, "I adore you, too, sister. How do you think you make me feel? Darling, your body is so incredibly pure and sweet. And every morning I awaken in your arms while enveloped in your fragrance." She smiled warmly and said, "Jim Callahan is an incredibly lucky guy! Imagine! Having you in his arms all the time. How lucky can a guy get!" Kathy just feigned sadness and shook her head. When the two girls separated from their embrace she just said dryly, "As I said earlier, if I could, I would. Since we can easily handle two more, of course you can invite them." Then she grinned and added, "You two will be doing all the work, after all." * * * When Susan Carlson came downstairs early Thanksgiving morning, she was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She was still feeling wonderful because that morning, for the first time ever, her parents had allowed her to help with their lovemaking. Susan had placed her father's huge cock at the mouth of her mother's vagina while her mother was on her knees waiting to receive it. Now they were sleeping again with her younger siblings in the bed beside them. Since she was hungry, she had come down to fix her own breakfast. Entering the kitchen, she was both surprised and pleased to find Marty Bradford and Kelly Maguire already hard at work. Both were naked and looked magnificent. Going up to Kelly she said, "Good morning, Miss Maguire! How are you this morning?" Kelly spun around, startled, and then dropped to her knees to give the girl a kiss. When they broke the kiss, Susan slipped out of her bathrobe, turned around and said, "Miss Maguire, you gave me the best spanking I have ever had! Do you realize it was almost ten days ago, and my bottom is still black-and-blue? Just look." Poor Kelly was almost sickened by the sight of the still-so-painful looking bruises now showing all the colors of the rainbow. Then Susan added, "Better still, I can't sit comfortably even now! You were just wonderful!" Then she grinned and said, "Boy! Your children are all going to be very good... Or else their bottoms are going to be very sore!" When Susan ran over to the corner to give King a big kiss, Kelly interrupted her dinner preparations and fixed a breakfast for the little girl. Then, when she came over to the range to fix herself breakfast, Kelly just pointed to the table where she had just placed it. Susan protested, but Kelly said, "It is part of a slave's duties, Mistress Susan. And today you will address me as Slave Kelly, while my sister is Slave Marty. Okay?" After devouring her meal, Susan ran up to her room and returned moments later wearing shorts and a top so she could take King out for a run. Kelly grinned and said it was a good idea. It would get the big lug out from underfoot while she and Marty prepared the huge dinner. At two o'clock, the first guests to arrive were General Jeffries and his wife, Susan. They were Judy's parents and had driven up from Camp Pendleton. Stanton Jeffries eyes widened when the door was opened by a beautiful naked woman who was almost Judy'stwin. "Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome, General and Mrs. Jeffries. I am Slave Marty and will be serving you today. Won't you please come in?" Marty was wearing only her gold collar and a large white bow on the back of her head holding her ponytail together. Shortly afterward, Mike and Judy Morris arrived along with Mike, Danny and little Gail. Again, Marty opened the door. Little Mike hung back in the hallway to thank Marty for the best spanking he had ever had. "If I weren't all dressed up, Miss Bradford, I would take down my pants and show you..." "Master Michael, you had better not!" she exclaimed with an eyebrow raised. "Besides, I already saw the bruises on poor Susan." Then she added in a whisper, "And today I am Slave Marty! Hear?" "Yes, Slave Marty," he replied. "But you spank much harder than Slave Kelly does. My bottom looks much worse than Susan's!" When Jim Callahan and Don Garfield appeared, both girls were at the door to greet them. Seeing the naked girls in their fully revealed beauty, the men were stunned. "Kelly..." Jim began, "Kelly, I don't know what to say! You're utterly incredible!" "One thing you can say is to call me Slave Kelly. That is my name today and is all that I may answer to. But why is your mouth open, Mr. Callahan? Haven't you ever seen a naked slave girl before? Surely in Saudi Arabia..." Then she winked and grinned. The girls took drink orders. When they served the drinks, they were sitting on a large tray sitting on King's back. The huge animal glided so smoothly that there was not even a ripple showing on the surface of the liquids. Then Kathy Carlson announced that they would be doing something different for Thanksgiving. Believing that turkey was a bit overdone as the Thanksgiving main course, a menu had been prepared to give the guests a choice of entrees. She stressed that it was quite easy to accommodate multiple choices; a guest need not order only one item. Then she gave Judy and her mother a tour of their new house -- the Carlsons had been in it less than three months. Although Ken Carlson had started work at a law firm following his graduation from law school, he found he much preferred the construction work he had been doing. Now he was a senior vice president of PHA Construction and had supervised the design and construction of their new house. Kathy's tour began in the kitchen with its restaurant-scaled equipment. Judy's eyes widened as she realized that it could easily handle multiple food orders for all of the guests and for many more people besides. While the women were out of the room, Michael Morris went over to Ken Carlson and stood up straight in front of him. When Ken looked at him, it was apparent that something very important was on the boy's mind so he was very serious as he said, "Hi, Mike. Is there something you wish to say to me?" "Yes, sir, there is," the little boy began. "I... I am desperately in love with your daughter, Susan, sir. My intentions are completely honorable. I wish to make her my wife. But sir, first I need your permission to continue to see her now that you know that we are no longer just friends." The little boy swallowed hard and continued, "I am not presently employed, sir, and I know that counts against me. But I am getting a very good education and am working very hard. I am confident that I will be able to support Susan in the style to which she has become accustomed." Then, with his eyes wide, he asked, "Mr. Carlson, may I have your permission to continue to see her?" When Mike began his little speech, Ken instantly knew what he was going to say. Looking beyond him, Ken could see Susan standing behind him, wearing her very best dress and looking very scared and anxious. Mike was still looking up at him wide-eyed, waiting for an answer. Then Ken said, "Michael Morris, are you sure you love Susan?" The boy replied instantly, "Sir, I love her more than life itself. I would cheerfully give my life for her." Ken looked at him thoughtfully and said, "Mike, I believe you. I really do." Then he said, "Michael, your father is the most decorated man in the entire proud history of the United States Marine Corps. Your mother is my wife's dearest friend. You're the grandson of the most respected senior officer in the Marine Corps. Michael Morris, Jr., what more could I possibly say? Of course you may continue to see Susan, and Kathy and I can't wait to welcome you into our family as our new son!" Then extending his hand he asked, "Can we shake hands on that?" The little boy took the hand and, in spite of the vast difference in sizes, managed to squeeze Ken's hand firmly. Then he said, "Mr. Carlson, you have just made me the happiest man in the world. And sir, you commented on my family. You spoke of my father being the most decorated man in the history of the Marine Corps. But, Mr. Carlson, you're the most decorated hero in the history of the United States in any service. I can't tell you how proud I would be if you and Mrs. Carlson were to think of me as your son!" At that, Ken lost control. Sweeping the little boy up in his arms he hugged him tightly and whispered, "Mike, Kathy and I love you and always have. You didn't mention that I am already your godfather and she is your godmother. You didn't mention that we have known you literally from the day you were born. You didn't mention that your family is one of the very finest on the face of this earth! Now, since you're still a few years away from getting married, could you still give me a kiss?" Mike melted his lips against Ken's and then scrambled down from his lap. Susan was still standing alone but looking so much happier now than she had been. Mike took her into his arms and just melted his lips to hers. Jim Callahan and Don Garfield had not known what to make of the scene they had just witnessed, but when they saw the two children kiss, Jim whispered, "Don, this is no joke! Those kids are madly, desperately, passionately in love. Just look at them! They are small but their behavior is so adult. My God!" When they broke their kiss, Mike took Susan by the hand over to his grandfather and said, "Granddad, may I present the love of my life, Susan Carlson? I have just received her father's permission to continue to call on her, and it is my intention to make her my wife. I hope, sir, that we have your approval, as well." Stanton Jeffries took Susan's hands in his and just looked into her eyes. There he saw what he expected to see: the purest love, joy, innocence and grace. In addition she was one of the most beautiful girls alive and today was so beautifully dressed. He slowly shook his head and saw fear and then tears appear in the little girl's eyes. Quickly he said, "Susan Carlson, my grandson has really said it all! Just imagine! As a granddaughter I will have the daughter of the greatest hero who has ever lived. Pleased? I am overjoyed! Do I approve? How could I not? There is no person alive I would rather see with my grandson than you." Then he asked, "Could my brand-new almost-granddaughter give her granddad a kiss? Just a little one?" With a squeal of delight, Susan hurled herself into his arms. While being held tightly in his arms, she placed her lips on his and proceeded to work them with all of the skill at her command to pour out the love she felt for him. By the time she stopped, Jeffries was feeling lightheaded and realized he had almost passed out. Then Susan said softly, "General... Granddad, I can't tell you how happy you have just made me. I know it will be years before Mike and I can get married, but would you mind if I think of you as my grandfather, now, anyway? You see, sir, both of my parents are orphans. I have never had any grandparents. It... It would be so wonderful if you would allow --" _"Allow?"_ he exclaimed. Then, as his wife returned from her tour, he said, "Sue, guess what? We now have a brand-new granddaughter. I know how much you drool over the cute dresses they sell for little girls, and how you long for Gail to grow up so you can start buying some. Well, now you can, for your newest granddaughter and Mike's future wife, Susan Carlson! What do you think?" "Stanton Jeffries!" Susan exclaimed. "That was the all-time, all-galaxy dumbest question you have ever asked! What in hell do you think I think? I think Michael Morris, Jr., has just done the near-impossible. He will be marrying the finest girl alive in the whole world!" Then she reached out her arms and said, "Do you have a little kiss left for your grandmother, darling? Or are you all kissed out?" Again Susan squealed and launched herself at the older woman. For the rest of the cocktail hour Susan just remained in Sue Jeffries' arms and snuggled, hugged and kissed her. By the time dinner was announced, Sue was in a daze caused by the cumulative power of all of the little girl's kisses that she had absorbed. Jim and Don couldn't believe the way their two girls were moving around so naturally. Moreover, in spite of serving on their knees and hence constantly popping up and down, they appeared tireless. When Kelly served Jim a fresh drink, she told him that, as slaves, they were completely available to the guests for any purpose whatsoever, except for vaginal or anal penetration. Anything else, though, was not only accepted, it was expected. Jim's eyes widened but he reached out a hand, grabbed one of her firm tits, squeezed hard and whispered, "Can I do that?" When she felt his hand on her tit her eyes partially closed and there was a wonderful warm sound from deep in her body. "Of course, Master," she replied. "Did you notice how my nipples instantly hardened when you did?" "How about this?" he asked, squeezing one of her very tight buns hard. Again there was the warm sound. She told him it felt so wonderful and expressed the hope that he liked firm buns. "What about this?" he continued as he ran his finger up her slit. When he did he was surprised to find how wet it was. Then he slid it up her vagina and found it drenched with her cum. Removing it, he licked it off and said, "Yum!" Again she said he was more than welcome, but then surprised him when she took a champagne glass from the tray on King's back and gave it to him saying that love juices were particularly elegant when washed down with champagne. In the meantime, Don had been doing similar things to Marty and had been receiving identical reactions. The two couples continued until Kathy asked in an acerbic tone, "Are you slaves here to serve the guests or to satisfy your own sexual appetites?" Then she commented to the other guests, "You know, it's impossible to get decent slaves these days. With that damned British blockade of the Slave Coast..." While everyone laughed at her crack, Marty and Kelly laughed loudest. When the two families with Jim and Don sat down at the table, Ken quietly asked if they could all join hands. Marty and Kelly knelt on each side of Kathy. With all heads bowed, Ken prayed, "Almighty Father, we gather here today as families and close friends to give thanks to You for all of Your works. We give thanks for our families, for our friends, and for our freedom to worship You and serve You in every way we can. We are gathered here today to give particular thanks for all that we have received in the past year from Thy bounty. We thank you, dear God, in the name of your Divine Son and Our Savior, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen." There were quiet Amens from everyone sitting or kneeling around the table. When dinner was served, it began with a magnificent assorted seafood cocktail, followed by a marvelous petite marmite. Individual entrees were then served, with Don Garfield having tournedos Rossini, while Jim had braised sweetbreads and calves liver, Basel style. Marty and Kelly were watching anxiously from the corner as they tried their dishes, and weren't sure when both men closed their eyes. Then Jim said, "Mrs. Carlson, I have never had better. They don't make liver this good in Basel itself! And the sweetbreads! Utterly magnificent." Then he continued, "Kelly has been telling me that you're the finest chef in the world. Well, I certainly believe it. But frankly, I didn't realize it was possible to be so much better than whoever is in second place!" Don immediately began to make similar comments about his tournedos when he slowed to a stop realizing that Kathy, sitting at the end of the table, was just sadly shaking her head. "Thank you for the kind words," she said, "but don't direct them at me. Don, Slave Marty personally prepared your tournedos and, Jim, Slave Kelly prepared your sweetbreads and liver. You'll have to complain to them, not to me. I had absolutely _nothing_ to do with any of it. They even bought the food!" Both men were stunned into silence. Jim was the first to recover his voice and said, "Good grief! Kelly made steak and eggs with waffles the first night and it was great. But _this?"_ Turning to her he asked, "Darling, is this your usual? Honest?" After first getting Kathy's permission to reply she said, "Usually it's better than this. I'm sorry, darling, but today I was so nervous, neither dish really came out the way I wanted it to. But I promise to do better in the future." The men couldn't believe their good fortune. With all of their brains and beauty, the women they loved were also spectacular cooks. After serving the salad course, the two young women cleared the table before dessert. Looking at Judy, Kathy winked and said, "Judy, after working our fingers to the bone and slaving in the hot kitchen for days the way we did, I suppose we might as well finish the job and serve the desserts, too." Then she grinned and added, "The girls have everything ready -- the pies are baked, the ice cream is ready, the cheese trays, the fruit..." But then her eyes widened as she added, "But we'll have to carry them all the way out to the table _by ourselves!"_ Rising from her chair Judy pretended to stifle a groan and said, "I suppose so, dear Kathy. After all, a woman's work is never done..." Once in the kitchen Kathy told Marty and Kelly to get dressed instantly. Their slavery was terminated, forthwith! "And then get your tails into that dining room and into chairs next to your lovers, where you belong!" It took only an instant for the two girls to slip on near-duplicate white sleeveless silk dresses that featured their perfect figures. After bringing out the array of desserts and setting them on a sideboard, Judy placed champagne flutes at the table and even included glasses for all but the youngest children. When Mike asked his mother about it, she put her forefinger in front of her mouth and said, "Just pretend it's ginger ale. Dad and I will never tell." Marty and Kelly were looking around wondering what was coming next. Their abrupt dismissal coupled with the order to dress and join the other guests had come as a complete surprise. When Kathy and Judy were again seated, Jim looked at Kelly and said, "Kel, I have something important to ask you. Am I correct in assuming you're no longer Slave Kelly?" The girl just nodded and waited. "My darling, will you marry me?" he asked softly but loud enough for him to be easily heard by everyone. Hearing his words King, who had been asleep in the corner, popped up and sat up beside the table watching attentively. Jim continued, "Will you be my wife and the mother of our children? Please?" "Oh, my darling, yes!" she screamed exultantly, "Oh, thank you, dear God! Yes!" With that he took her into his arms and the two melted together in a sustained kiss. While they were kissing, Don looked at Marty and said, "My darling, I so badly want you to marry me, too. But I have a serious handicap that Jim doesn't. You see, I'm a Southerner." Marty didn't say a word. Instead, in a powerful crystal-clear voice she sang, "Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton, old times there are not forgotten, look away, look away, look away Dixie land!..." Marty's pure and powerful singing voice came as a shock to Don. After completing _Dixie,_ without pausing she began to sing, "We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing. We chasten and hasten his will to make known..." Everyone except the youngest children immediately joined in to sing the famous hymn of thanksgiving. When it was completed, she said, "Darling Donald, of course I will marry you. And I will rejoice if God blesses us by allowing me to become pregnant so I may give birth to your children. Oh, God, Don! Yes, yes, yes!" she screamed. Then it was his turn to take Marty into his arms and melt his lips to hers. While they were still in their embrace, Kelly and Jim were easing apart. It was clear, when they did, that both were in a near-daze as a result of the power of the kisses they had exchanged. Jim fumbled into his pocket, took out a ring and slipped it on her third finger. "I hope you like it, my darling," he said softly. "But it is so pale and drab against the brilliance of your emerald eyes!" Only then did Kelly look down at her finger. When she did she gasped and exclaimed, "Jim! What have you done? This is huge! It's gorgeous!... Good heavens! It's so big it would even choke King." Reaching for him blindly -- she was blinded by her tears of joy -- he took her in his arms and concentrated every bit of love he could convey into his lips. Suddenly he felt her go limp in his arms. Kelly had fainted. Don then did the same thing to Marty and achieved the same response. When the two girls began to recover consciousness, they were still in their fiances arms, but both men were laughing so hard they almost dropped the girls on the floor. Glaring at Jim Callahan -- or trying to -- Kelly demanded, "James Callahan, _what's so damned funny?"_ Jim was still laughing so hard he really couldn't speak. Finally he said, while still chuckling, "Kathy, Judy, and Mrs. Jeffries, I think you all will appreciate this! Just a couple of weeks ago this woman in my arms was almost raped and murdered. She saw five men totally destroyed by a furious Bengal tiger." Turning to King who was listening attentively, he said, "King, I meant to mention it to you at the time: That was really not your cleanest, neatest set of kills. In fact, I guess I really have to say it: King, you really made a mess!" The tiger put his paws up to cover his eyes and ears, pretending to feel ashamed. Everyone at the table howled with laughter at his posturing. Then Jim continued, "At any rate, there were pieces and parts of bodies lying all over the place. I heard the reporting patrolman tell the dispatcher that he thought there were five bodies. Then, obviously responding to the dispatcher's question, he said that he arrived at the number by counting the heads on the ground. Then he got violently ill just from looking at the scattered body parts. "What does the love of my life do, when faced with the prospect of rape, murder, and then the bloodiest, messiest carnage you could imagine? Well," he said slowly, "She really did turn the tiniest bit pale." Looking around the table Jim was nodding his head and repeated, "Honest, she did. She definitely looked a bit pale. Then tonight? Tonight I kiss her. She is in my arms and still sitting on a chair. What does she do? Of course she faints. She's a weak woman, right? So of course she faints -- when there is absolutely nothing at all for her to do except eat her dessert, but there's no big rush to do that." By this time Kelly appeared to be so furious, emerald-green sparks were flying from her eyes. Just as she yelled, "James Michael Callahan--" he took her in his arms and kissed her again. Initially her arms were waving in the air as she appeared to struggle. Then the waving slowed, then stopped. Then her arms came around his neck while their love just flowed. "Don't you dare say one little word, Donald Pierce Garfield, unless you want to have the shortest engagement in history--" Then Don did to Marty what Jim was doing to Kelly and achieved the same result. When they finally eased apart, all four were breathless. Kathy was looking at them with expressionless eyes and finally said in a completely flat tone of voice, "Are you done yet? Can we get on with it, or are we still going to be sitting around this table tomorrow morning?" Ken winked and poured Dom Perignon for everyone, even pouring some into a soup plate for King. Raising his glass he said, "I would like to propose a toast: to two wonderful couples, Kelly and Jim; Marty and Don. May you be as happy in your marriages as we are in ours!" Everyone drank after cries of "Hear! Hear!" Then Kelly raised her glass and said, "I would like to offer a toast on behalf of Marty and myself to our best friend, our lover, our protector, and the best damned date-hound in the world. To King!" Everyone drank the toast enthusiastically as well, although King dropped his head down to the floor in embarrassment. Although King had been introduced to the Jeffries, he had spent the whole day helping the girls or staying quietly in a corner. He had said nothing. Now he communicated loudly and clearly to the momentary astonishment of Stan and Sue Jeffries. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to offer a toast, too. However, my remarks are directed at the two young men sitting across from me -- the bridegrooms-to-be. I speak as the creature in this room who knows Martha Bradford and Kelly Maguire better and more intimately than anyone else here -- particularly including the prospective bridegrooms. Gentlemen, you're the most fortunate of men. I cannot begin to list the talents and accomplishments of these two young women. But for openers, you learned in just the last hour or so that each is an accomplished _cordon bleu_ chef. "Mr. Garfield, you learned to your amazement that Miss Bradford has a brilliant singing voice. She does. She is also an accomplished musician on a number of musical instruments. Mr. Callahan, Miss Maguire is, too. In fact, if there is an Irish folk ballad that she does not know, it would have to be terribly obscure. She can accompany herself on a guitar, a piano, or a number of other instruments. Her voice is probably a little better than Miss Bradford's. Oh! She is also fluent in Gaelic, if you should ever be interested. They are athletes, scholars, comediennes... I could just go on. They are also the most passionate virgins in the world. "As a word of advice, please spend every waking moment between now and your weddings working out. Otherwise..." King just sadly shook his head. "You see, coupling their passion with their virginity, these two have been saving up. They are just waiting to unload. And you, sirs, I'm afraid, are their chosen victims." King paused, looked at the men and looked sad for a moment. Then he mused, "Why is it us tigers always get a bum rap? Before we attack we at least warn our victims with a roar, a growl, or a snarl. These women haven't given you any warning at all. I haven't heard a single roar." Then to the two girls he asked brightly, "Mistresses, that is a question I never thought to ask either of you. Can you roar? Or snarl? Perhaps growl? Maybe even a sort of quiet one?" When everyone around the table roared with laughter, King looked around with an apparently puzzled look as if to say, "What's so funny?" When the laughter died down, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast to two of the finest young women in the world, my beloved mistresses, Martha Bradford and Kelly Maguire. My darlings, I rejoice in your happiness!" Marty and Kelly blushed while everyone else enthusiastically joined in King's toast. Then Kelly said quietly, "Darling King, we cannot ever thank you enough! For everything!" Then she asked with her eyes twinkling, "But could we sort of share custody when we're married? Sort of spend alternate months? Even though we've only been together for just about a month, my darling, I'm really not sure I could live without you. You're our love, and you're everything Joyce Collier and Kristin Bradley said you might be, but so much more! Darling, we adore you!" *Chapter 37* It was the week following Thanksgiving, and Marty and Kelly had been doing some shopping for their upcoming wedding. They had decided to be married before Christmas and would honeymoon on Maui over Christmas and New Year's. Although virtually the entire firm would be out there, too, it was the only place they wanted to go. After the five-man attack on them, the press and the TV stations gave a big play to the young women and their protective tigers. KNBC, of course, had the exclusive because of Ann Henry's arrival on the scene. However, when her footage aired, substantial portions were electronically obscured because three news people had become violently ill just viewing the unedited tapes. It was now generally conceded that even the most dim-witted, ill-informed felons in the land knew of the dangers of attacking any woman accompanied by one of the Royal Bengal tigers. As a result the girls now took it for granted that they could go anywhere at any time, in complete safety. Now it was late -- after eleven -- and they were in a rather seedy part of the city. It was, in a word, a slum. As they walked along the sidewalk with King pacing ahead of them, they were engrossed in their conversations and didn't notice that there was no one else in sight on the street. Coming to an intersection, they were waiting for the light when they heard a scream of pure terror that sounded like it was coming from a woman. Marty pointed to the right and the two women sprinted towards the next block. When they reached the intersection with the parallel street, they looked down the block and were horrified. There was a black woman, absolutely naked, lying on her back in the middle of the street. Two young black men were guarding the block at the intersection to head off any cars that might turn into the street, while two others were in sight at the end of the next block doing the same thing. Surrounding the woman were about ten other black men talking loudly as if they were bragging to the whole neighborhood. They heard one say, "Gloria, you're not going to disappoint us like the last one did, are you? We have you figured for at least three rounds apiece, and we've only done one." Then shouting to the houses he said, "What's wrong, folks? Have you called the cops yet? Because they won't come! We _own_ this city! We do what we want. Now we want to fuck the ass off this dumb broad." Then to the woman he said, "Give me your hand." The woman slowly lifted her right hand. The thug took it and then stubbed out a burning cigarette in her palm. The girl screamed in pain while the man shouted, "See how environmentally aware we are? We don't just drop cigarettes on the street. We put them out first." Then to the girl he said, "On your knees, bitch! I want to take you from behind this time." The girl moaned but rolled over on her stomach, then slowly raised her body to a kneeling position with her knees spread wide and waited. Marty looked at King who was looking up at her, while obviously shaking with rage. She said fiercely, "Get 'em, King! And make a big mess!" The huge cat was off with a bound. The two guards at the girls' end of the street were standing close enough together that King could reach them both. Leaping with his paws out and his claws extended, he raked both men from head to waist but didn't even slow down. The man who had been doing all of the loud talking had just dropped his pants and was taking his position behind the crying woman when, with a terrifying scream of sheer rage, King clawed him and took a huge bite from his neck at the jugular. In the next seconds the girls, who were still standing at the end of the block, could only see furious flashes of gold and black as the tiger slashed and bit at anything within its great reach. In just seconds, all ten of the men were down and King proceeded to dismember their bodies with his slashing claws. The two men guarding the other end of the street had enough sense to run away as fast as they could while the tiger was occupied with his victims. Finally, with blood running in rivers towards the curb, King stood up on his hind legs, pawed the air, and let out a thunderous roar of rage and victory. Now for the first time there were sounds of windows opening along the street and people began to look out. Most ducked back inside as quickly as they could when they realized that large pieces of bodies were lying all over the street. Meanwhile, Marty and Kelly ran up the street to the naked girl who was still lying with her face on the street and her hips in the air waiting for the next vaginal assault. "My God!" Marty cried as she realized that the inner surfaces of the woman's thighs were bloody and blood was continuing to run from her ravaged sex. Dropping to her knees, she ripped off the windbreaker she was wearing, then gently lifted the woman from the street. After slipping the jacket over her shoulders she took her in her arms and held her tightly. "You poor thing," she murmured. "They hurt you so terribly!" The woman lifted her eyes and saw Marty for the first time. "You're a golden angel! And you rescued... _me?"_ "No, dear," Marty said softly. "I didn't. King did. If you want to thank someone, thank him." By this time King had padded back and was looking at the woman with deep sympathy showing in his eyes. The woman looked at the tiger and just managed to say, "Thank..." when she lost consciousness. "Can... Do you think... Will they be able to save her, Mistress?" King asked. "I tried my very best..." "King," Marty said softly, "you were utterly perfect! If anything happens to this woman it would only be because we didn't get here soon enough. Darling, they did nothing to her -- _nothing at all_ -- from the time we arrived on the scene." By then the sounds of approaching sirens could be heard coming from all directions. In moments police cars converged on them from both ends of the block. Marty and the woman, along with Kelly and King, just stayed where they were, although they were now illuminated by the headlights of six patrol cars. Only then did Marty realize she was kneeling in a giant pool of blood as she held the girl in her arms. Then she realized she really didn't care. Nor did she care at all about the gore all over the area, nor about the body parts spread around the block. It did not affect her in the slightest. As she knelt in the street, she could hear more police cars arriving every moment, but she didn't care about that either. Then she said, "Kel, why don't you take King home as soon as you can? I'm going to stay with this girl. Okay?" Kelly started to protest, but just swallowed hard and nodded her head. When she looked up, Marty found herself looking into an array of drawn handguns. "Hey, guys! How about holstering the hardware and getting an ambulance here, fast? This girl has been raped by ten different guys. She's bleeding profusely from her vagina and is in bad shape." Then her voice became harsh and commanding. "Get off your dead asses and move! She's the victim, for Christ's sake!" Then she could feel the girl in her arms begin to regain consciousness. "It hurts..." she murmured. "Oh, dear God! It hurts so badly..." When Marty whispered in her ear that everything would be all right, the girl's eyes cleared and she asked, "But you're still here! Why are you here? Who are you, anyway? You're a golden angel come to earth!" "Honey," Marty whispered, "my name is Martha Bradford and I'm as far from being an angel as a person could get. I am a lawyer. In most people's regard, we rank right down there with skunks and sharks... But I think I've met much nicer skunks and sharks..." In spite of her pain, the girl giggled. Then she managed to say, "You're the funniest lawyer in the world." After pausing to build her strength she added, "But lawyers aren't supposed to be funny..." Her voice faded and Marty was sure she had lapsed into unconsciousness again when she continued, but in a much weaker voice, "...or to be so beautiful. Miss Bradford, you're an angel come to earth." Again there was a long pause but she continued, "But why as a lawyer...?" This time Marty could feel her go limp in her arms. Just then Lieutenant Collins appeared. "You again!" he said gruffly. "What happened this time?" "Another rape, Lieutenant, but completed this time. This poor girl has been raped at least ten times. For God's sake, where is the ambulance? We're going to lose her!" "In a moment, Marty," Collins replied. Then he added, "What happened? Did you, Kelly, and King stumble across a rape in progress?" Marty just nodded quickly. "Well, I guess KNBC has another story. It seems the tigers take a dim view of raping young women -- _any_ young women!" Just then a patrolman came up and asked the lieutenant what to do about all the body parts. "Call Sanitation and have them get one of their street sweepers over here. Let's let them take care of the garbage. It's their job, after all." Before he finished speaking, an ambulance screeched to a stop with its howler still running. Two EMTs came running with a Gurney. After a quick check of the victim, one shook her head. They put her on the stretcher and ran with it towards their vehicle. Marty ran after them and jumped in the back just before the rear doors were slammed shut and the vehicle began to back up towards the intersection. Once there, the driver wasted no time. Turning on every flashing light the large vehicle had, he hit the siren and roared off towards the hospital. Marty had one hand on a hanging strap while she held the girl's hand with her other. Later, she was thrown toward the forward bulkhead when the driver slammed on his brakes and then backed fast into the receiving dock at the hospital. The doors crashed open and a trauma team from the hospital took charge racing with the Gurney to the nearest emergency operating theater. No one took any notice of her as Marty followed along behind. She just stood at the door of the surgery and waited. After a while a doctor appeared and just muttered, "Oh, shit!" When she asked what the problem was he said that the girl's blood type was AB positive and the blood bank was out of it. The girl needed blood, and needed it fast. "Type me," Marty said. "I'm AB positive." In just minutes a technician had drawn a blood sample from her and raced for the lab. Minutes later the phone rang with the lab report: Marty was a perfect blood match. * * * Two hours later Gloria Smith opened her eyes. Looking up, she saw the very complex apparatus of a transfusion machine in operation. Looking to her left, she saw the same woman who had rescued her, now with a needle in her vein. Suddenly she realized that this woman was giving her her blood. Gloria wanted to stop the process but didn't know how. Quietly she said, "Please stop this. Do you know how?" Marty had her eyes closed as she felt her blood being pumped away. Already four pints of the approximately eight pints of blood in her body had crossed over and entered the body of the woman beside her. Although there was an IV tube entering her left arm to replenish fluids while her blood was drawn away from her right, she was feeling weak. Hearing the girl, Marty opened her eyes and looked across the very short distance to the girl. "Yes, I know how. But no, I won't stop the flow," she said softly. "But... but... how much have you given me?" Gloria asked. "About four pints, I guess," Marty replied softly. "I'm good for at least one more." "But... but... I heard somewhere that the body only has about eight," the girl cried. "You have already given me half the blood in your whole body. What are you doing?" "Trying to save your life," Marty replied simply. "But I don't have an awful lot more blood left to give you. What is your name, by the way? I suppose I should at least know the name of the woman whose life I am trying to save." Gloria told her and then Marty asked, "Please do me a favor, Gloria. Feel your cunt and tell me if it's still bleeding." Marty knew that the hospital had run an MRI on the girl's abdomen and the results were very bad. The repeated rapes had horribly ripped up her insides. Gloria felt herself and then said quietly that she was still bleeding. The whole cot was already soaked with blood spreading from beneath her crotch. "I was afraid of that," Marty said softly. "You're leaking it away a lot faster than my body can make it." Then she said, "Gloria, please do me a favor. Close your eyes and confess all of your sins to God. All of them. Please? For me?" When Marty asked the girl what she did for a living she replied that she was a prostitute. Nevertheless, the girl did as Marty asked. So much time passed that Marty thought the girl had passed out again, but then her eyes opened. When they did, Marty could see they were wet with the girl's tears. "You are truly sorry for your sins, aren't you?" Gloria said that indeed she was. "Well, here goes nothing," Marty said. Marty reached out her right hand, took Gloria's left hand and held it in a tight grip. Then she said, "Oh God! Please help this poor woman. Although herself a sinner, she did nothing to warrant the pain inflicted upon her tonight. Please spare her life so that she may grow in beauty and grace and devote her life to glorifying Your name and all Your works. I ask this, dear God, in the name of our Redeemer, Your Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. And remember, dear God, Your Son forgave the sins of Mary Magdalene who later became one of the great saints of our Church! Dear God! Please help this poor woman! I pray, please! Amen." As she prayed she had been squeezing Gloria's hand hard and held her eyes closed tightly. Opening her eyes she looked across at the girl and smiled. A golden glow was over her entire body. It grew in intensity and then began to shimmer. Then it began to pulsate like a strobe lamp. Finally, after a brilliant flash of intense golden light, it disappeared. At the moment of the flash, she saw Gloria's body go limp. Marty just smiled and increased the rate of flow of blood from her body to Gloria's. Marty set the machine to turn itself off after transferring five and a half pints of her blood. As the transfer neared five pints, Marty could feel herself weaken and then she passed out, too. Marty was awakened by the sound of voices around the beds. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw that the two cots were now surrounded by doctors. When the senior physician saw her eyes blinking, he glared at her. "Martha Bradford, what in hell were you trying to do? Commit suicide? Do you know you transferred over five pints of your blood to this woman? And you only have eight? What in hell are you living on?" he demanded. "Hope?" she replied weakly. "Prayers?" Then she asked, "How is she, Doctor?" All he did was to shake his head sadly. Then Marty said, "Doctor, please do another MRI on her. I'll pay for it personally. Please! It's very important." Although the doctor argued, Marty prevailed. The girl's Gurney was wheeled out of the room and Marty dropped off again into a state between sleep and unconsciousness. When she dropped off, the senior physician ordered that the rate of flow of replacement fluid into Marty's arm be tripled. The nurse just nodded and opened the necessary valves. When next Marty opened her eyes, she looked around and found Gloria was again beside her although the transfusion equipment was no longer there. Marty had only a single needle in her left arm feeding glucose, she guessed. Looking at the girl she said softly, "Hi! How are you feeling?" Instantly Gloria opened her eyes and looked at Marty. With an incredibly warm smile she said softly, "I feel like a truck ran over me!" Then she grinned and added, "Happy?" At that Marty reached up, turned off the valve controlling the fluid, and then pulled the needle out of her arm. Gloria's eyes opened wide with surprise as the woman sat up on her cot and then swung her legs towards her. After quickly pulling tubes from Gloria's arms, as well, Marty said brightly, "Okay, turkey! Off your ass and on your feet! We're going to do some running." _"Are you crazy?"_ Gloria exclaimed. "Have you lost it completely?" "Of course not," Marty replied. "Looking at you it's easy to see that you need more exercise. Now move it!" When the girl wailed that she had no clothes, Marty conceded that it created a small problem. Getting out of bed, she went to the closet and found her clothes hanging there. "We're all set," she declared. "Here!" she said, "Wear these." With that she threw the girl her bikini and slipped on the Levi's and work shirt she had been wearing the night before. She completely ignored the fact that the pants legs of her jeans were stained and stiff with dried blood from the knees down. When the girl said it was indecent only to be wearing a bikini with a skimpy hospital gown, Marty reminded her that she had been a prostitute. "But that was for money!" Gloria wailed. "I didn't give it away." "Pretend you're on the beach," Marty said flatly. "You're wearing the bikini and the hospital gown. Now move it!" Marty was at her side to catch her if she fainted but Gloria only shook her head and got out of bed. After making their way out of the hospital, the two women began to run barefoot in the park across the street. As they ran -- with Gloria protesting every inch of the way -- Marty asked the girl about herself. She learned that the girl had been plying her trade when three guys had come up to her, met her price in cash, and led her away -- to where seven more men were waiting. The first thing they did was to take all of her money -- including the money that the three men had paid her -- and drove to the block where she lived. That was where the rape had begun and it was where Marty, Kelly, and King had found her. Then Marty learned that there was a hearing scheduled for ten o'clock that morning. Gloria was being brought up on her third prostitution arrest and was facing seven to ten years at the state prison for women. Suddenly Gloria stopped dead in her tracks. After taking a few more strides Marty stopped and looked back at the woman. "What's your problem?" she demanded. "What are you doing to me, honkie? I can't run. I don't know how!" Gloria protested. "It's easy," Marty replied casually. "Just put one foot in front of the other and keep doing it. You were doing fine. Now move your black ass! We have to get back to the hospital." Gloria just shook her head in amazement and started to run again. Once back at the hospital, Marty made two fast telephone calls, then got on her cot and went back to sleep. With the combination of her blood loss and her exercise, she was asleep almost instantly. When she awakened, Marty found the two beds were again surrounded by doctors. "What did the second MRI show?" she asked casually. The doctor just shook his head and said something was very wrong. "You mean that she is fine. Her internal organs are all exactly the way they should be. And she is again an intact virgin. Right?" "But how could you possibly know that?" the senior physician demanded. "Because I made it happen, you idiot!" Marty exclaimed. Then she flung the covers off her cot, completely ignoring the fact that she was stark naked, and said, "Gloria, move your fat black ass! We're going to be late." "I _do not_ have a fat ass!" the girl protested, but jumped off her cot, moving doctors out of her way as she did. The women ignored the medical protests and, utterly oblivious to the spectators, dressed in the same clothing they had worn earlier. After getting into a taxi waiting at the hack stand in front of the hospital, Marty gave the driver the address of the Clifford & Jamison offices. Leaning back in her seat, she took the opportunity to study Gloria closely. Only then did she realize what a stunning beauty the girl could be. Her skin was clear, smooth and the color of chocolate ice cream. Her eyes were a brilliant warm brown while her hair was long, black and wavy. Gloria did the same thing with Martha. She was utterly stunned at the incredible beauty of this golden girl sitting beside her. Then she said softly, "This has gone far enough, Miss Bradford. You have already saved my life, for which I should be very grateful. I wish I were, but I'm not." Noting the look of shock in Marty's eyes she explained that, when she was sixteen -- the oldest of five children, each by a different father -- her mother had ordered her to get pregnant or get out on the street. Her mother had pointed out that Gloria's friends had started getting pregnant at thirteen, and what was taking her so long? "There are far too many fatherless black children," she said simply. "I didn't want to add to the number. Well, I got a prescription for birth-control pills, went out on the street and sold my virginity. That happened over three years ago and I've been selling my body ever since." Then she sat up even straighter on the seat and continued, "Do you know what was going through my mind last night while I was being raped?" Marty just slowly shook her head. "Oh, it hurt terribly, but I was exultant! Why? Two reasons: First, my miserable life was at an end. You see, Miss Bradford, what I always really wanted to do, beginning when my mother threw me out, was to commit suicide. But... but... but that was a sin I could not bring myself to commit. But those... those _savages_ were doing it for me. The second? Like all macho black men, those idiots were using no protection. What I knew, but they didn't -- or didn't care if they did -- was that my insides were rotting with every sexually-transmitted disease known to man. Now do you see?" Marty was utterly appalled but said, "My God! You would be ending your life -- something you had wanted to do anyway -- but at the same time punishing your attackers from beyond the grave with the diseases that you knew they would get from you. Is that it?" "Exactly!" Gloria exclaimed. "Do you know what else? Although it hurt so terribly each time one of those beasts took me, I rejoiced when I heard that they wanted to take me three times each. It would increase to a near-certainty the chance of them all being infected." "But what about school?" Marty asked. "You speak very well and your vocabulary is large. Why did you quit?" "Because of the environment I lived in, I guess," Gloria replied. "Doing any work in school, let alone getting good grades -- God forbid! -- was for Oreo cookies. You were trying to be white -- you weren't a real blood!" The girl was crying now but she still held her head up and said, "But I did like it! I loved school. There was so much to learn!" Then with a harsh laugh she said, "Do you know what I spend all my money on? All the money I make with my filthy cunt? Books! I buy books... and I read them. Some -- the really good ones -- I read over and over." Marty then learned that the girl had, in effect, given herself a Great Books education. Then Gloria shook her head sadly and asked, "But what now?" Then she began to weep and wailed, "You've ruined my life, Martha Bradford! What am I going to do now? I... I can't even go back on the street! I could barely bring myself to do it the first time when I was both innocent and ignorant. Now?" She slowly shook her head and added, "And then there was what you did. Through you, Martha Bradford, God Almighty has forgiven my past sins! He did, didn't He?" Marty just nodded. "Well, what now?" Then she smiled weakly and added, "Maybe they'll let me work in the library at Tehachapi. I guess that's the women's prison I'll be sent to." Marty did not tell the girl about the phone calls she had made. Instead, as the taxi pulled up to the curb at her office building, she gave the driver a bill and hauled Gloria like a rag doll behind her to the elevator and then to her own office. Since it was only a little after eight o'clock, Kelly had not yet arrived. After ordering Gloria to take a shower and wash her hair in the Leper Colony shower, Marty ran up to the conference room, grabbed some clothes from the closet, and quickly returned to her office. Stripping off her Levi's and shirt, she padded into the shower and joined Gloria. After fixing their hair, the two returned and found Kelly and King in the office. Kelly just watched while shaking her head in amusement as the two women put on identical white sleeveless silk dresses over white lace bikinis. As she dressed, Gloria realized that she had never touched, let alone worn, a dress as fabulous as the one she was now wearing. Then she caught a shoe box Marty flipped towards her and was amazed to find that the shoes fit. Then she was again hustled off, this time accompanied by King, down to the basement garage. In moments, they were on their way to the courthouse. Checking the court calendar, Marty was delighted to learn that Gloria's trial was scheduled before Judge John Callaway. She knew Callaway was now a very good friend of the firm's. In fact, Marty had heard, his granddaughter was scheduled to join the school next term. After escorting Gloria to the defendant's table, Marty introduced herself to the young assistant district attorney who was prosecuting the case. The girl, Jane Carter, looked up in dismay. It was clear to Marty that the girl did not like the idea of trying the case against a Clifford & Jamison lawyer. _Well,_ Marty thought, _Jane is about to get a very pleasant surprise._ At the stroke of the hour, the bailiff called for all to rise and Callaway entered the courtroom. When the case was called, Gloria was asked to rise and Marty stood up beside her. Carter said that Gloria was being charged with common prostitution and was asked how did she plead. As the girl asked the questions she was looking around the courtroom to see if her witnesses were present. No Clifford & Jamison client ever pleaded guilty so she was going to have to try the case. Moreover, she knew that against any of those lawyers she was terribly overmatched. Worse yet, she knew of Martha Bradford, by reputation, as one of the firm's very best young trial specialists, rapidly climbing into the class with her mentor, Sandra Harris herself, who was spoken of in trial circles in hushed and reverent tones. Harris was the very best in the profession. Then, to Carter's surprise, instead of pleading her client not guilty, she heard Bradford ask the judge's permission to approach the bench with the defendant. Permission was granted and Marty said, "Your honor, my client intends to plead guilty to all charges. However, before she enters a plea, we would like permission to speak to you alone in your chambers." When Carter jumped to her feet to object to being excluded from any meeting, Marty gave her a warm smile and said, "Jane, I give you my solemn word we will say nothing to the judge regarding my client's past offenses, or the offenses now charged. The meeting I requested involves only statements my client wishes to make to the judge, in private, regarding the future. Is that okay?" Carter, hearing the intended plea, was in a state of near shock. She was about to make history. She was about to become the first attorney ever to win a case from Clifford & Jamison. "The State has no objection to any such meeting, Your Honor," Jane said. "And Miss Bradford enjoys the finest reputation for personal honor and integrity in the entire bar, sir. I certainly accept her word." "Thank you very much, Jane," Marty said softly. "Those are very nice words to hear." Then she added, "There is one additional thing, though. Jane, will you stipulate that Miss Smith was the victim of a savage rape last night? That she was raped repeatedly and nearly killed?" Jane said, "That is true, Your Honor. The State will so stipulate." "Thanks again, Jane," Marty said, relaxing for the first time. Unfortunately, Marty did not realize the extent to which she had been running all morning on pure adrenaline. The least relaxation did her in. Before she could say another word, she crumpled to the floor in a heap. "Call an ambulance!" Gloria screamed. "She's dying! Oh, dear God! No! Please no!" Then to the judge she exclaimed, "I'm guilty as sin, Your Honor. Please just send me to prison, but get this girl to a hospital!" Then, although nearly incoherent she said, "She has no blood! She gave it all to me! Less than four hours ago this girl gave me over five pints of her own blood! She doesn't have even three pints left. She's going into shock. Please help her!" she cried. While she had been gasping out her story, she had dropped to the floor, lifted Marty's head and now had it cradled in her lap. She could feel the cold clamminess on Marty's face that came with the shock. King had jumped up from where he had been lying under the table and was now standing beside his mistress. Communicating with Gloria -- she was so shaken by Marty's collapse, she didn't even notice -- he asked that Marty be laid across his body so he could carry her to the judge's chambers to wait for help. In moments, assisted by Jane Carter and the bailiff, they lay her across King's back and went back to his chambers. After laying her out on the sofa, he grabbed a pillow and blanket from his closet. Callaway put the pillow under her head and wrapped the blanket around her. Then to his surprise Marty's eyes blinked open and she said disgustedly, "Well, that was a first! I apologize, Your Honor. My behavior was a disgrace." "Did you transfuse nearly six pints of your blood to this young woman, Miss Bradford?" Callaway asked sternly. With her eyes wide, Marty just nodded once. "Why?" he demanded. "To try to save her life, sir. Gloria had been so savagely raped and beaten... She was bleeding to death and I was the only one around whose blood matched." Then she added, "Please cancel the ambulance call. I really am fine. What I guess I should have done is what I meant to do back at the office: Drink a gallon or so of orange juice. Could you get me some?" Callaway asked the bailiff to get as much as he could as fast as he could. Then, with a quirky little grin Marty said, "Sir, I guess I might as well take advantage of this opportunity to tell you what I had in mind." Then with a weak smile she asked Callaway to forgive her for speaking to him while still lying down. Seeing Jane Carter standing beside the judge she said, "I guess you might as well hear this, too, Jane, but I'm relying on your honor with regard to anything you hear." Then Marty told the judge about the events of the previous night: How she and Kelly had heard Gloria's screams and found a savage gang rape in progress. She told of some of the leader's comments suggesting that these rapes had become a _modus operandi_ for the gang. She told how he had bragged about bringing the victim back to the neighborhood and the very block where she lived and then raping her to death while shouting to the neighbors exactly what they were doing. "They were so confident, they dared the people to do anything or even to call the police!" Then she told what happened at the hospital: How an MRI showed Gloria to be terribly torn up internally and how, while Marty was transfusing her, she was still bleeding heavily from her vagina. Then she looked at the judge and said, "Sir, that is when I asked her to confess her sins to God and, after she did, I prayed to God to spare her life. He did. Believe it or not, sir, Gloria Smith is again an intact virgin! Not only did God spare her life, he restored it." Then she told them about Gloria's story of being thrown out of the house and choosing prostitution over breeding welfare babies. There was a look of horror and pity on Jane Carter's face as Marty told them of her reaction to her awful rape: How it would free her from life and, result in diseases ultimately taking their toll on her attackers. "But sir, the Gloria Smith you see before you now is not the Gloria Smith who was a prostitute. Please don't send this woman to prison. Instead, please put her on strictly supervised probation for five years." Looking past the judge, she saw April Jackson standing at the doorway. "And, Your Honor, my choice for her probation supervisor has just arrived." When Callaway looked around he instantly recognized April Jackson as one of the mothers from the school. April shook hands with him and with Jane Carter, then ordered Gloria to stand up straight. Marty, still lying down said, "Gloria, you asked me what you could possibly do now. Well, for openers you can be April Jackson's maid. The pay is fifty dollars a week plus room and board. It's quite a comedown from what you've been making, though." After telling April what Gloria had been through, she could see tears at the corners of April's eyes. Then April asked, "Smith, yes or no. Do you think you're good enough to be my maid? Do you know anything?" "No, ma'am, I do not," Gloria said simply with her head up straight. "But I believe I am intelligent and can learn quickly. I will accept no money from you until I consider myself competent. I will also consider that I will also owe you an additional $300 a week for the room and board that I will not be earning. However, I would be proud to be your servant if you will allow me to try." "We'll talk about the money some other time," April said warmly. "In the meantime, if the judge permits, let's get you home and into bed where you belong. Judge?" "The State has no objection, your honor," Jane Carter said. "But I would prefer that no plea be entered. I know it's irregular, but could this case be continued for five years? If, at the end of that time, I see what I now fully expect to see, the State of California will drop all charges against Gloria Smith." Listening to the girl while she lay on the sofa, Marty's eyes widened. "But why, Jane? Why would you do such a thing?" "For two reasons," the girl replied with her head up proudly. "In the first place, Martha Bradford, as a trial lawyer you're so damned much better than I am, I'm not even fit to shine your shoes! In the second place, I'll be damned if I'll be a party to my colleagues in the DA's office crowing about finally beating Clifford & Jamison, when the case is this one. "You destroy the most vicious gang of rapists and murderers in the country, and then give nearly all of your precious blood to save a client's life. Is that all? For Martha Bradford? Of course not! She persuades God Himself to forgive this woman her sins and restore her body!" There were tears in her eyes and her voice broke but she said fiercely, "Separation be damned! If God Himself forgives this woman, who in hell is the State of California to continue its prosecution!?" Then to Callaway she said through her tears, "I'm sorry, Your Honor. I'll resign as soon as I get back to the office." "And why would you do that, Miss Carter?" Callaway asked with great warmth in his eyes. "Then you'll miss the chance to beat Marty fair and square. And you're the woman who can do it,too!" Marty reached out her arms to the tormented young woman. Jane dropped to her knees beside the sofa on which Marty was stretched out. Putting her hands on the girl's head, Marty pulled her face down to hers and then kissed her with all of her love flowing. When she released the girl after a tremendous flow of pure love poured through her lips and her eyes were glazed, Marty said softly, "He's right, you know. You will beat me." Callaway ordered the case continued for five years. Before she left, Gloria dropped to her knees, took Marty in her arms and melted her lips on hers. When they eased apart, tears were flowing from Gloria's eyes and she said, "Marty, I owe you my life -- such as it is -- and everything else besides. Isn't there anything I can do for you?" "There sure is!" Marty exclaimed. "Get me my damned orange juice!" *Chapter 38* Marty Bradford and Don Garfield, along with Kelly Maguire, Jim Callahan, and King had just finished an early dinner and were returning to the Clifford & Jamison offices. For the two men it would be their first visit. The date was December 16, it was a Friday evening, and it was the night of a Christmas show that Bobbie's children had planned and staged. Initially, it was going to be just for their parents. But then the younger children said they wanted to see it, too, as did the girls in the Leper Colony. Moreover, Joyce Collier had gotten wind of it and wanted a crew present to tape it. The result was that the younger children had seen the dress rehearsal run in the afternoon while the evening performance was for everyone else. For Kelly, Jim, Marty, and Don, it was the beginning of an incredible weekend. Saturday night, the firm was having its Christmas party. As in the previous year, Ali had decided to take over the restaurant for the night and have a closed party. On Sunday, the two couples were being married, and then were flying out to Maui for their honeymoon. To his great joy and astonishment, King had just learned that he would be going with them out to Maui, too. The two men whistled softly at the rich furnishings throughout the firm office as they walked through. The girls led the way to what was normally the classroom. For the evening's performance, though, the partition separating the classroom from the adjacent playroom and nursery had been removed, opening a large area in which chairs had been set up for the audience. Although Jim and Don were somewhat skeptical -- the idea of seeing a show produced and handled strictly by six-year-olds didn't thrill them -- since meeting Michael Morris and Susan Carlson, two of the ten, they weren't so sure. Certainly Mike and Sue behaved like no six-year-olds either had ever encountered. They were even more impressed when they were greeted at the door by Betsy Clifford, acting as an usher. She curtsied to each of the men, then extended her hand and said, "Good evening, Mr. Callahan and Mr. Garfield. Welcome to our Christmas show. We are delighted that you chose to come." Then with the brightest, warmest smile she added, "And, sirs, may I please extend my warmest wishes on the occasion of your marriage on Sunday. Miss Maguire and Miss Bradford are such wonderful women! I'm sure you will be very happy." The girl just looked up at them wistfully and Marty said, "You won't be able to attend our wedding on Sunday, will you, Betsy?" The girl just quickly shook her head, so Marty said, "Then that means I won't get one of your delicious kisses, doesn't it? May I have mine now? Please? And I know Don would love one, too. But I know something he doesn't know. I already know how wonderful your kisses are. May I?" The girl just beamed with pleasure. It was exactly what she wanted but didn't dare ask. First Marty and then Don went to their knees and kissed the small girl. In each case she worked her lips on each of them trying to communicate all of her love and the joy she was feeling at the prospect of their happiness. Don almost fell over under her onslaught. It was then repeated with Kelly and Jim. As they were being shown to seats Don whispered, "My God! Who is she?" Marty replied airily that she was just a little six-year-old girl, like all of the others -- nothing special. Don just softly whistled. They found themselves seated next to John and Kelly Callaway and her six-year-old daughter, Kirsten. Callaway grinned and said there were two reasons for their being there: first, the children had asked him to come; his decision had saved their school. Second, Kirsten would be attending it in January and was so anxious to meet her new schoolmates. As they waited for the performance to begin, they noted the three TV cameras spotted around the room ready to tape the show. The show began with Charley Conrad coming out from behind a curtain with a large book. He said, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for coming to the Clifford & Jamison School Christmas show. We all hope that you will enjoy it." Opening the book he began to read, "The Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, according to Saint Luke, Chapter 2, verses 1 through 16: 'And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed...'" When he mentioned Mary and Joseph going to Bethlehem, the curtain opened with Andrea Cartwright as Mary on the back of a tiger, serving tonight in place of an ass, being led by Ken Clifford as Joseph. While Charley continued his beautiful reading, Ken helped Andy down from the tiger's back. When he did, it was obvious that her belly was distended in the last days of her pregnancy. Don whispered to Marty, "I don't believe this! Those costumes are miniature, but completely authentic! Who made them?" "The children, darling," Marty replied blandly. As Ken helped Andy to a bed on the straw of a stable, she cried out. He helped her down and then lifted her skirts, obviously preparing to help deliver the child. Then all of the other children began to sing _Silent Night,_ but first they sang it completely in its original German. They followed with _O Holy Night,_ but similarly sang it first in its original French. The men couldn't believe the incredible power and beauty of the children's singing. Meanwhile Charley continued, "'And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son,...'" At that instant Andy screamed in exactly the manner a woman would in the excruciating pain of childbirth. Ken reached between her legs, lifted up a tiny naked infant, and then spanked its bottom hard. The tiny baby was surrounded by a strange golden aura as he held it. When the infant screamed, Ken wrapped it in a diaper and so-tenderly gave it into Andy's upraised arms. The girl parted the top of her dress and placed the infant against her breast. "My God!" Don exclaimed. "That's a real baby!" "So was the Christ Child, darling," Marty replied, still in a bland tone of voice. "But just watch. It will get better." Charley continued, "'And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:'" As Charley said these words, Mike, who, along with Susan, Betsy, and Laura, were playing the role of shepherds, were all bathed in a golden glow. Continuing, Charley read, "'...and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'" At those words the remaining children, including Ken and Andy who were now off the stage, began to sing, joined by the voices of Kris Bradley and Bobbie Conroy. The two women's voices soared out majestically singing, _"Gloria in excelcis Deo."_ They sang _The First No0/00l,_ and then _Angels We Have Heard On High._ Then as the shepherds moved toward a light -- the star of Bethlehem -- they majestically sang _O Come All Ye Faithful_ but first sang it in Latin as _Adeste Fidelis._ When they sang, "...O come let us adore Him," they had reached the stable. There the infant was lying in a manger wrapped in a receiving blanket while Andy and Ken knelt on opposite sides of his crib. When the shepherds knelt before the crib to adore the Christ child, the infant extended its arms to each side in blessing. Again there was a brilliant golden glow surrounding it, but this time it transferred to all of the others as well. Then Charley Conrad, who had left the stage, reappeared dressed as a shepherd boy with a drum. While he played his drum beautifully, the cast, except for Andy and Ken, sang the ballad of _The Little Drummer Boy._ He left the stage to great applause which was followed by sharp intakes of breath. Coming down the side aisle were three tigers, this time taking the place of camels, bearing the three wise men. The gasps were caused by the children's costumes. Karen Chan was wearing the most exquisite set of Chinese robes anyone had ever seen. Cindy Cartwright was wearing a Siamese costume, while Casey Jackson was attired as a Nubian princess. They sang _We Three Kings of Orient Are_ and then dismounted at the stable. Each presented her gift and each was rewarded by the infant's blessing. Again the wonderful golden light appeared. At that the curtain slowly closed and the room was left in darkness. Then the curtain opened wide again with all of the children now together on the stage. Ken Clifford and Andy Cartwright were in the center and the girl was still holding the infant in her arms. They all sang, _We Wish You A Merry Christmas_ and then _The Twelve Days of Christmas._ Their singing was utterly magnificent. After taking their bows, Andy carefully handed the infant to his mother and returned to stand beside Ken who was now obviously the spokesman. He asked that the houselights be raised and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all so very much for your very warm applause. We appreciate it very much." Then he looked around and said, "Today is also the last day of school for us before Christmas, so it is the day for us to exchange gifts." Turning toward the wing of the stage he said, "Mrs. Conroy -- Bobbie -- please come out here and join us." Reluctantly, Bobbie came out and stood with her pupils. Ken continued, "To whom would we present a gift? One person, obviously: our teacher, Bobbie Conroy. But what to give her? Well, we'll see. Betsy?" Betsy Clifford gave her a beautifully decorated paper heart and kissed her. One by one, each of the children did the same thing. With the second, Laura Benson, it became clear that while each child presented a heart, each was different from the others and, although the audience could not see them in detail, each appeared to be a small work of art. In fact, each was a one-sheet scrapbook prepared by the child with his memories of the first few months of school and his or her personal tribute to Bobbie. Finally Ken presented his and then said, "Bobbie, we have each given you a heart. They are our hearts. I suppose it isn't very clear to you, though, just what it all means. Perhaps it would become more clear to you if you read each of them carefully, but you can leave that for a later time. What we are giving you, Bobbie, are our hearts... that is a call on each of us for anything we have, including our beating hearts to be transplanted into you. The only way we can try to communicate the depth of our love for you is to give you our lives. Darling Bobbie, we are yours -- now and forever more. We adore you." Bobbie was standing in the middle of the children slowly shaking her head. "You can't be serious! You just can't be!" she exclaimed but even as she spoke she fully realized that they were. Then she knelt down, gathered all the children around her and said, "A Christmas present? From you? What on earth for!?" Smiling the warmest smile anyone present had ever seen, she said, "For me, Christmas is every day! Can you possibly imagine the joy you give me _every single day of the year!?_ I have the most wonderful children in the whole world. I am allowed to work with you and help you. I get to see you learn and understand and grow! I know your hopes and your fears, your joys and your sorrows. And yes, I even get to spank you once in a while. Then you climb on my lap, kiss away _my_ tears, and hold me tightly. "My darlings, that is utterly priceless! There is not a living soul who receives the love and enjoyment I do every single day!" Then she shook her head and said, "Darlings, I will accept only one thing from each of you: I will accept with all my love and deepest gratitude the love for me you expressed by the time you each spent and your beautiful work making me these hearts. I will cherish them always as a remembrance of the best class of students any teacher has ever had. Darlings, thank you so much, and now let's all have a very merry Christmas!" At that point all of the parents came up and stood behind their child as Bobbie introduced each one. Finally she said, "Folks, aren't these kids wonderful? Have you ever seen better? Have you?" As they were leaving to go home, Don asked Marty, "Hon, what on earth was that strange golden light? How did they do it?" "Darling," she replied softly, "I think you have just seen the secret of the Clifford & Jamison school. That was, I'm virtually certain, God Himself come down to join in His birthday celebration. Darling, it was really more of a re-enactment than it was a play. Honest, dear, what you saw was real!" He looked at her and just shook is head. "Darling," he said in an awe-filled tone of voice, "I think you might be right!" * * * It was early on Sunday morning -- their wedding day -- when Marty and Don, Kelly and Jim returned to the girls' apartment with King pacing beside them. In spite of the importance of the day, and the very late hour, they all wanted to see the TV special that Joyce Collier had prepared using the tape from the previous night's children's show. Since they were just returning from the Clifford & Jamison Christmas party -- the finest party any of them had ever attended -- they had set the VCR to record Joyce's show. Since they were being married later in the day and would then be leaving on their honeymoon, they all wanted to see the show before they left. Ignoring the fact that they were all in formal wear, they flopped on the floor in front of the TV and used King's huge back as a community pillow. Kelly had rewound the tape, then rejoined the others and hit the remote unit's play button. After a brief flicker the screen came to life. Timing had been perfect. The first frames were the end of the between-shows commercials. Then the scene opened on Joyce, wearing a gorgeous Christmas-red dress, with Rajah sitting alertly beside her. She began, "Good evening, and Merry Christmas to you all from KNBC." Turning to Rajah she said, "Raj, do you want to say something, too?" The huge tiger smiled and waved the way he usually did. Then he reached down with his paw, picked up an enormous Christmas wreath that had been on the floor but outside of the camera's field, and put it over his head. Again he smiled, but this time from inside the huge wreath. Joyce kissed him soundly and said, "Honest, folks, this was entirely Rajah's idea. He wanted to make a Christmas card to you from him!" Then she said, "Tonight we are presenting a show that you do not expect and may not even believe after you see. Many of you may remember the trial a couple of months ago in which the State of California tried to close down a tiny school being run on the premises of Clifford & Jamison, a law firm in downtown Los Angeles. The State lost its case and the school is still in operation. It is very small. There are only ten students, all of whom are only six years old. Tonight, folks, KNBC is proud to present the school's Christmas show. It has been produced, staged, and costumed entirely by the children themselves." From the vantage point of the expensive cameras, the four young people were now able to see far more detail than they could when they were present at the show. This time they could see the sweat on Andy's face when she was in labor, and heard her scream of mixed agony and triumph when she forced the infant through her birth canal. They could clearly see the incredible detail in the costumes the children were wearing. Marty and Kelly gasped as they realized that the infant's scream when Ken spanked it was, in fact, the scream of an infant taking his first breath. "My God!" Kelly exclaimed softly, "It's even wet from her womb!" The singing had been recorded and now replayed in startling fidelity. The foursome realized that they were hearing the finest religious singing ever -- and the children's love of God was very tangible. They were truly celebrating the birth of the living God, come to earth in human form. In the scene with the shepherds, the singing of the heavenly hosts was ethereal and truly angelic. They marveled at the pure and powerful voices of Bobbie and Kris soaring to the top of the soprano range and holding notes for incredible periods. But suffusing it all was the ethereal golden glow over everyone. When the picture cut to the crib scene they saw close up what previously they had only seen from a distance: the infant was smiling and blessing the children! Suddenly, Kelly moved back from King, knelt and prostrated herself saying reverently, "Christ has come! He has come to save the world!" The others did the same thing. Now it was so clear: Marty had been entirely correct: God Himself had come to celebrate His birthday. The show closed with a scene obviously produced for KNBC. The children sang the _Pater Noster,_ and then _Ave Maria,_ both in Latin. Finally, Joyce introduced each of the ten children with their parents. The closing scene cut back to Joyce standing alone with Rajah again at her side. She said softly and reverently, "I don't know what you saw in your living rooms. I am a trained reporter and I'll tell you what I saw. I have just witnessed the rebirth of Christ, Our King! If that offends any of you, I'm sorry. However, that is what I saw. Thank you for watching. Merry Christmas from all of us at KNBC, and good night." The screen went dark as the tape continued to run, now on still-blank recording tape. The four people just watched. Kelly was the first to move. She shut off the machine and said,"Wow!" Then she looked at Jim and said, "Darling, if it wasn't clear to you before, that is where our children will be educated. My role in life? It is to be a baby factory. That is all I want to do and all I ever want to be. I want to be your adoring wife producing children from my womb to know, love, and serve Almighty God. Darling, that is the limit of my ambition. If that is not what you want..." "My darling, it is!" Jim exclaimed. "Oh, dear God, it is!" Marty and Don had a similar conversation and then Marty said, "There's just one small thing... You have seen us... _all_ of us. But we don't really know what we're getting. Of course, when you hold me tight I feel a great thing bulging into me..." Then with a salacious gleam in her eye she said, "It will be later today when it's for real, but right now could I just have a peek? Please?" "Mistress!" King exclaimed. "What are you trying to do? I have managed to preserve your virginity until now, and I will not allow you to lose it just a few hours before your wedding..." "Oh, pooh, King Bradford-Maguire! You're an old fuddy-duddy. Besides, haven't you ever opened at least one present before Christmas? Haven't you ever sneaked a look? Can't I even _look?"_ With that Marty dove for Don's groin, unzipped his fly and reached inside. "Oh, God! I am blessed among women," she exclaimed as she freed his now throbbing cock and his huge cum-filled balls. With the greatest gentleness she held them cupped in both hands. Don was so big it required both of her hands to hold him. Then she dove down and kissed the throbbing tip causing the immediate release of a small amount of cum. After carefully licking it off, she as carefully put his sex organs back in his pants, then pulled herself up to melt him with her kiss on his lips. Then she sat across his lap and watched as Kelly did the same thing with Jim. When he was also zipped back up, Kelly's eyes were starry. Suddenly Marty jumped off Don's lap, yanked him to his feet, and started pushing him towards the door. "Hey!" he protested. "What's going on!?" "I'm getting you the hell out of here so I can use what little is left of tonight for my beauty sleep. After looking at what I just found, it's pretty damned clear I won't be sleeping at night very much for a long time to come!" To be continued... * * * Comments and constructive criticism are sincerely welcome. Let me hear from you. morg105829@aol.com *Barbara* (c) 1994, 2001 by Morgan. morg105829@aol.com All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic means, including photocopying, recording or by any information and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author. <1st attachment end> ----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------ Notice: This post has been modified from its original format. 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