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This is a work of fiction. Any people, places or locations within are purely fiction and the product of the author's imagination, or their names are used to add realism and/or for satirical purposes. Their use does not constitute any type of endorsement or agreement, in part or in whole, with any belief or message, expressed, implied or otherwise inferred by the author and the story/story line, nor do they imply any endorsement of the story or author.

This story contains scenes of EXTREME VIOLENCE, mature subject matter and deals with alternative lifestyles. If you are not comfortable with these concepts and materials, STOP reading NOW. If you are under the age of seniority and consent where you live, or if these types of materials are illegal for you to read, possess or download, you must STOP reading NOW and you may NOT download this story. If you are very religious, this work will probably anger you. Do not read it. Do not download it. Hello, nice to see you, GO AWAY. You'll be more comfortable at http://www.disney.com please go there instead of here.

  

Midnight Downloads

by Wendy-J
Wendy-J@KimEM.net

© 1999-2004 Wendy-J@KimEM.net All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized distribution or archival prohibited.

 

Part-30
Friday Afternoon September 18^th
Barb had stopped at a tree and was leaning against it sobbing. Tina slowed her pace when she got close and called Barb's name. Barb looked up and started to run off. "Don't, Barb, please!" Tina called out desperately to the sobbing teen.

"What? You wanna rub it in? It's not bad enough that…" the lithe blonde stated sobbing again.

Pulling Barb into a hug, Tina said, "I'm so sorry. I didn't want this. I didn't want any of it. I didn't want the popularity, the attention, hell; I'm not even interested in any of the pigs that pass for guys around here! I have Sam, remember?"

"Then why…?" she sobbed into Tina's shoulder. "It's not enough to have your pick of any guy in school? You want to…" she broke down, running out of words and steam.

"Because, I saw you run away from that asshole crying; that's why. Where's your car?"

"Tad drove," she sobbed, "I don't even have a ride home!"

Tina's car pulled up slowly with Sam at the wheel. "C'mon, we'll give you a ride," she said motioning to Sam.

Sam cringed thinking about what Tina was doing, then hopped out of the car. She opened the passenger door for the girls and bent to release the seatback. When she hit the release to gain access to the backseat, the whole front seat jumped forward with loud clunk and the twang of a spring. And as soon as the seat came to a jarring halt the seatback flopped forward. The sudden movement and noise caused Sam to jump and bang her head on the top of the doorframe.

"Tina and her…gadgets…gotta have all the latest…" she mumbled under her breath while rubbing the top of her head.

Tina helped Barb into the back seat and then climbed in back with her. Just as Sam got the door closed Tad roared by in his Lexus. "Asshole," Tina muttered.

After calming down some, Barb gave Sam her address and said, "Y'-know, you're really making points with the team, Sam."

"I don't care what they think, Barb," Sam replied. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I just…" she started to weep into Tina's shoulder again.

"Uh…Barb, where's Beacon Street?"

"Maple to Carson, go three blocks and turn right," Tina said, as she tended to Barb. "Do you have a ride to school tomorrow?" Tina asked.

Barb nodded, "Daddy just bought me a new Infinity," she said between hiccoughs. Sam rolled her eyes at the thought of "daddykins and his little kitten."

"Sam, please stop at Cumberland Farms," Tina said, as Barb finally settled down. "She needs something to drink."

Sam pulled into the parking lot and asked, "Coke okay?" Barb nodded. Sam hopped out of the car and went into the convenience store.

"Why are you being so nice Tina?" Barb asked genuinely puzzled. "I mean…you don't even know me."

"Why shouldn't I be nice, Barb?" Tina looked almost as puzzled as Barb did. "You never tried to do anything to hurt Sam or me, did you?"

Barb shook her head. "But I didn't go out of my way to make you feel welcome either."

"So? It's a big school. Imagine trying to welcome every new student personally. Get real Barb."

"But you've got looks, you're smart, you're like, the most popular person in school. Why? You don't need to…."

"Everyone needs to be nice. The world is cold and hard enough as it is. And the only thing I ever really wanted out of that whole list of yours is to be smart. I already have Sam and I made some friends. What more do I need?" Barb looked at Tina as if she came from Mars.

"Here," Tina said handing her the box of Kleenex, "your face could use a little work. Wanna use the visor in the front seat? If you need, I can run in and get some wet wipes or something."

Barb just started to cry softly. Sam got back to the car, looked at Barb and said, "But I thought she…."

Tina shrugged her shoulders and asked, "Could you get us some wet wipes please. There's some money in my purse." With that, Barb started sobbing.

****************************

After dropping Barbara Coleman off at her house Sam put the car in gear and looked for an opening in traffic. "Y'-know," Tina said as they pulled away from the curb, "Barb's right."

"About what?" Sam asked, absently.

"The football team. I think you'd better ask Linda about self-defence lessons if you're gonna be my boyfriend."

"Get real, Tina. Why would…."

"You're in their way. To get a date with me, they have to get through you. You aren't making any friends there by helping Barb and you aren't a jock. Sam, you're fair game."

"Yeah, maybe you're right, but…."

"Can you take Tad on and win?" Tina asked.

"No. He'd pound me good," she said introspectively.

"If you were on the squad…." Tina left the thought unfinished. Sam nodded, getting the implication.

"What were you two talking about while I was in the store?" Sam asked changing the subject.

"Nothing much, why?" Tina replied.

"Well, like, when I went in, you had Barb pretty well calmed down. I come back out with the soda and she's a total basket case again."

"I don't know, umm…she just asked me why I was being nice to her and then she started crying again."

"Huh?" Sam asked. Something's missing here, she thought. Just asking…Tina wouldn't….

"She just asked me why I was being nice to her and then…."

"So, what did you say that started the waterworks?" Sam asked again. It was starting to make sense, but she didn't want to believe Tina could be that naive.

"I just said I felt responsible for…."

"You what?!?" Sam exclaimed. She was incredulous. No, Tina, Tell me you didn't do that, PLEASE! Her mind railed at the thought.

"What? What's wrong with…?"

"You should have just let Ro go over and talk to her at lunch today," Sam said resignedly. She tried to remain calm as she explained it to Tina. "It would'a had the same effect."

"I don't understand, Sam. What'd I do wrong? All I said was that I felt bad because…."

"What else did you say, Tina?"

"Well, I…. She asked me why I was being nice because I had it all. I still don't understand, Sam. What do I have? I mean…I was just being nice to her. She needed a friend today. That's all I…."

"She was saying that you don't have to be nice? That you have it all?"

"Uh huh."

"All, like in looks, brains and popularity?"

"Almost those exact words. Why?"

"What did you say? After she said that, I mean."

"Sam!" Tina exclaimed. "Will you tell me what you're getting at?!? PLEASE!?!"

"I need to know what you said, Tina. Please, what did you say after that?"

"That I didn't want any of that except to be smart because I already have you and Ro and Lee," Tina said in a small voice.

"Great! Just ducky! Now you aren't only one of the most popular girls in school, Tina. Now you're going to be the nicest and THE most popular girl in school. That's why. If you didn't want to be any more popular than you were, it's too late now."

"I told you before, Sam. I'm not going to be a bitch and I won't lie. It's bad enough I have to fake a lot of things because of…." She let the thought hang, not wanting to say it. "If lying and being a cold hearted bitch are what it takes to get along, then forget it."

"I…whatever, Tee," Sam said resignedly. Tina wasn't making any sense to her at all. How can she be so dense? "Think you can give me a ride to work tonight?" Sam asked, changing the subject again.

"Yeah, I guess," Tina said, sounding like she really didn't want to.

"What?" Sam asked. "Don't you love me enough to give me rides?"

"Sure I do. I'm just tired, is all. And I need the car to get to school tonight. So, I get to play taxi when I could be relaxing. I wish you had a car, Sam."

"So do I, Tee. Hell, I don't even have enough to get a clunker and I've been saving almost my entire salary since I got this job! I'll be old and grey before I ever have enough saved up to get a good one."

"So what time do you get off work?" Tina asked.

"Nine thirty."

"I'll pick you up at the parking lot entrance after I get out of school. Okay?"

"Sure, thanks."

They pulled up to the house, but instead of parking on the street, Sam smoothly backed the car down the driveway as easily as if she had pulled it in. "I don't see what you find so hard about backing this thing up," she said with a smile. "Come on miss popularity, I gotta get changed for work. I'm supposed t' be there at five, remember?"

****************************

Donna had a hot meal ready for them when they walked in the door. "You're late!" she said in exasperation. "Hurry up and get washed, you're dinner's getting cold."

"But ma, I'm running late!"

"Then you'll be late. You can't be running off to work on an empty stomach."

Tina smiled. "Thanks, Aunt Donna. Sam, relax, we'll make it. Wash your hands and eat. You're wasting time and energy arguing with her," Tina said as she started washing her hands in the kitchen sink.

Sam rolled her eyes to the ceiling and joined Tina at the sink. "I wish she would…"

"She loves you, Sam. Let her be your mother for once."

****************************

Tina got Sam to work on time and still had a few minutes to review her Stats and Psyche notes -- what there were of them -- before leaving for class at six.

When she started to look for a space by the dorms, the streets looked so dark and foreboding that she decided to park in the pay lot. As she came around the corner of one of the dorms she saw an early 1960's Volkswagen Bug Rag Top. With its caved in door, mismatched fenders and duct tape top it looked like it would be more at home in a salvage yard than on the road. Tina smiled as she thought about what Sam said earlier about a car.

Now that's a clunker, she thought.

A few minutes later, Tina pulled into the brightly-lit student pay lot next to the lecture halls instead of on the street near the dorms with a sense of relief. The incident with Brad had made a big impact on her. Because she didn't have to hunt for a parking space and then walk several blocks, Tina made it to the lecture hall much earlier than usual. She took her customary seat in the back row of the huge structure and reviewed what few notes she had. She watched as the large theatre-like structure filled to near it's three hundred seat capacity. It looked more like an old movie theatre or a high school auditorium with the steep steps leading down to a small stage, than the classroom it was.

Sitting there alone with no-one to talk to, she speculated on how the people arrived. It was really interesting to see how people seemed to come in the door in clumps. It was almost as if they were separate bands or tribes attending the class together as they walked through the doors. More interesting still, was how the clumps dispersed and spread out about the hall after they entered.

Thinking about the why of it reminded her of when she was eight or nine, riding in the car with her father. They'd invariably wind up passing a slower car on the highway and she'd always ask her Dad to pass the other cars in front of them, so that they could be in first place. She smiled wistfully at the memory.

As Tina waited for class daydreaming about her father, a guy in clean, but torn jeans and a ragged looking jacket sat next to her. He wore his hair in a ponytail low on his neck and sported a neatly trimmed Vandyke beard and moustache. His snapped brimmed cap was cocked rakishly and he wore his Franklin styled, half lens glasses perched on the end of his nose. His outfit made him look equally studious and silly. Not paying him much attention, Tina only glanced in his direction as he sat, then turned her attention back to her thoughts and memories of Daddy.

"Whoa, looks like you missed a few classes," he said, looking over at her neatly penned notes.

"Eeep!" she squealed, jumping at the sound of his voice in the hushed room. Then, with her heart pounding from the unexpected intrusion, Tina looked over at him and smiled timidly. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I'm sorry, you startled me. Umm…what did you say again? I was daydreaming."

"Hey, no prob," he said smiling at her. "I do it myself. Probably more often than I should. What I said was, it looks like you've missed quite a few lectures." He had a nice voice. It didn't seem to harbour any of the lust or conceit that Tad and Brad's voices seemed to have.

"Yeah, uh, you know, family problems and registrars flu," she mumbled.

"Hi, I'm Tim," he said, smiling broadly.

"Uh, hi. I…I'm Tina." She said blushing in embarrassment.

"Shy, huh?"

"Uhm…" she blushed deeper.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Look, I…" she sounded like she was giving him the brush-off.

"Relax, huh? I mean, I was just trying to be helpful, okay?" he said, defensively.

He really does have a nice voice, Tina thought as she looked at him more closely.

"I was just gonna ask if you wanted to borrow my notes or somethin'. Looks like you missed most of the classes so far and ol' Prof. Brown doesn't like any of his drones lecturing out of the book."

"I'm sorry Tim, I'm just not used…."

All of a sudden it was like a light went on over his head. "You're the mousy one that used to sit here, aren't you?!?" he exclaimed, stopping Tina mid word. Tears began to blur her vision as she hurriedly started gathering her things. Gently he put his hand on top of hers, keeping her from putting her notebook into her bag. "Whoa, where, do you think you're going?"

"To get a drop slip," she said, her voice quaking with emotion as she started to get up.

"Uh, uh, I'll drop first," he said shaking his head. "Sit down. Look, I'm sorry, Tina. I've got a bad habit of talking first and thinking later. I usually sit over there," he said nodding his head in the direction of a corner of the room "I used to think it was a sin that you didn't try and look nicer. I worked up the nerve to come over and ask you out a couple a weeks ago, but…you stopped coming to class."

"L-look, I…." Tina was panicking; she just wanted to get out of there.

His face fell, "I'll leave, okay? I mean, I'm really sorry, I just…." he said. He sounded really embarrassed and hurt. He started to get up, his shoulders sagging. "I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"Stay," Tina croaked, she felt really bad now. "I'm r-really s-sorry Tim, I'm j-just not used…t-to the uh…" she paused as her mind raced, searching for words. She sounded ready to cry.

"Attention?" Tim finished for her.

She nodded. "Yeah," she barely choked out.

"I can believe that. You look nice all cleaned up."

Tina blushed and looked at her hands, the polish gleamed a purplish red in the soft light of the hall. His much larger hand, still on top of hers, was tanned, callused and strong in contrast. He has nice, strong hands, she thought. Then, realising just where her mind had wandered, Tina began to panic. "T-Tim, I…I've already g-got a b-boyfriend."

"I figured it'd be too good to be true," he said softly, removing his hand in what seemed like depressed resignation.

"But I could use a friend," she added quickly, almost too quickly. "Besides, I can definitely use those notes," she finished meekly. She watched his emotions shift and brighten again.

Tim smiled and pointed at the stage with his thumb. "Brown's actually gonna teach this one himself today."

****************************

At the end of the lecture, Tim started to take the notes from the previous classes out of his notebook. Tina remained in place and started to take out her other notebook. "I missed last Wednesday, but I…" When Tim started to talk Tina jumped. "You really are shy aren't you?"

"Yes," she squeaked. "I um…I have last Wednesday's notes. Here," she said as she flipped through her notebook and pulled out the pages.

"So, like, did your Mom and Dad just get back together or something?" he asked.

"Huh?" she asked, not sure she'd heard him correctly.

"Well…I mean…you started class looking like umm…I don't know…uh…you know, like you lived with your father. I mean…like, you know…no makeup, bad hair, like a real tomboy. Y'-know? Then all of a sudden you show up looking like…like wow, y'-know?"

Tina blushed. "No, my uh…my father…he died when I was eleven," she said softly.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I just…."

"It's okay, it was a long time ago."

"Hey, y'-wanna go get a cup of coffee or something?" he said changing the subject in a hurry.

"Can't, I have a Statistics class next and then I have to pick my boyfriend up from work."

"But the only stats class at night is in here and I…I mean…. You used to pack up after psyche," he said in a small voice.

"You really did notice, didn't you?" Tina remarked with pleasant sense of surprise. He nodded shyly. Tina smiled; He really is just trying to be nice. "I usually move a bit closer to the front for that," she said and blushed again.

"I guess you'll need these, too," he said taking out his other notebook. "This isn't exactly a freshman class and you don't look like a junior, how come…I mean…."

"Uh, well, I kind-'a tested out of trig and calc, so…" her voice trailed off, as if she was embarrassed by her abilities in math.

"So what's you major?" he asked trying to make conversation. Damn, she's cute. Her boyfriend's one lucky bastard.

Tina flushed. "I uh, I don't have one."

"Undeclared huh?"

"No, umm…" she hesitated, then took a deep breath and said, "advanced placement." She said it so quietly he almost didn't hear her.

"Advanced…but that's for high school stu…" Tim stopped mid sentence. "Then you're…!"

"Still in high school," she finished in a tiny voice as she looked at her hands.

"Aww no sh…no wonder you got all freaked out when I sat down. Not only did you go from ugly duckling to a swan over night, but you're a child prodigy."

Tina bristled at his use of these particular metaphors. "I am not a child!" she said sharply, her eyes flashed a hint of green. "Nor do I think I look like a member of any of the avian…."

"Look, I'm gonna go back over to my corner and commit hara-kiri, okay?" he said getting up. "I'm sorry, I keep putting my foot…."

"Sit down, Tim," Tina said in frustration with herself. "You gave me fair warning about your mouth and your brain. I just…when you called me a…look, I've had a pretty rough couple of weeks."

"Yeah, I can imagine. Wow, what a change. Y'-know, you sort-'a look cute when…."

"Hey, Tim?"

"Yeah?"

"Put a sock in it. You'll find it's much more comfortable than your foot. Besides, I'm sure it'll taste much better."

"Yeah," he said smiling dumbly, as he took his cap off and scratched the back of his head. They started copying each other's notes while they waited for their next class to begin. After class Tim asked, "Would you like me to walk you to your car?"

"I uh…." Tina really did want him to. Since she was attacked at school -- a place she thought to be safe -- in broad daylight, she felt really nervous about walking alone at night.

"Look, I just thought that…you know…like…since you went from nondescript to 'Ultra Babe' you might appreciate…."

"I do, thank you," Tina said, softly, and started digging her keys out of her purse. Tim watched her closely.

"I take it, it's been more than a hectic two weeks," Tim said knowingly, as she finally retrieved her keys.

Tina nodded her head. Her mind spun as she thought about the previous weeks. You'd never believe me if I told you. "It's been crazy." As they walked to her car Tina asked, "Tim, why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you being so nice? I mean, even after you know I'm still in high school and that I'm not available?"

"Cause, you aren't the only one that can use another friend. That's why. Besides," he said chuckling, "anyone that can test out of trig and calc can be a mean asset come exam time. I can always use friends like that!"

"Thanks," she said laughing with him, "It's nice to be liked for my brain."

Tim raised an eyebrow and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Well, you ain't hard on the eyes, either," he said with a smile. Tina blushed again. She looked at the remote in her hand and very consciously pressed the remote to unlock the doors as she neared her car. Her action drew Tim's attention away from her and to the car. All he heard was the click of door locks and couldn't match them to a car. "So, which one's yours?" Tim asked.

"The red Olds."

"Sssshiiiit, nice ride," he said appreciatively, looking at the gleaming coupe. It looked spectacular in the artificial illumination. The flawless multi stage paint and alloy wheels reflected the light in miniature starbursts. With the smoked glass and low profile tires in the multiple overhead lights of the parking lot, it looked almost like a show car in a magazine ad.

"Thanks, umm…can I drop you off someplace? Like your car maybe?"

"After seeing yours, I'm not so sure I want you to see mine."

Tina opened her door and said coyly, "Really? Hmm…" you could see the light come on in her head as she smiled. "Let me guess, it's the faded red Vee-Wee, that has a crushed passenger door, with one yellow and one green fender and a rag top that's more rag than top with duct tape holding it all together, right?"

"You got it!" he laughed. "You noticed. I'm flattered."

"How could I not," she giggled. "Besides, it fits. Hop in, I'll give you a ride, you parked half way across campus." He just shook his head then ran around the car and got in.

****************************

Tina was sitting in her car, waiting for Sam outside The Under-World in a nearly empty and very dark parking lot. Sam came out the door at nine thirty on the dot and trotted over to the car, smiling. Her smile faded as soon as she sat down. "So, who was he?" she asked.

"Huh?" Tina asked, genuinely puzzled.

"The guy that was in the car, that's who," Sam said sounding slightly hurt and more than annoyed.

"And what makes you think I had some guy in my car?" Tina asked with a demure smile.

"Unless you've started wearing Old Spice Musk, you had a guy in here. Who was he?" Sam asked, trying to mask her feelings.

"Jealous?" Tina pressed.

"Nope, I know better," Sam said feeling a bit better. If Tina was teasing, then everything was fine.

"Liar," Tina said smugly.

"Okay, yes I'm jealous," Sam said in frustration.

"Well, so long as you're being honest, I guess I should be, too," she teased. So, Tina told Sam about Tim. "I must be crazy, Sam. I mean…I even gave him a ride to his car. Well, what passes for his car, anyway."

Sam was laughing. "And you were going to drop the class to avoid him?" Tina nodded her head. "I don't believe you."

"I was scared Sam. I mean…he recognised me."

"Yeah, sure. He recognised you. Tina. Not Ernie," Sam said with a smile.

"I know. That's what bothers me."

"Why? You want to be Tina, don't you?" she asked.

"Yeah, but who else is gonna make the connection that the mousy person that was Ernie is now me?" Tina said worriedly.

"Oh…yeah…I see what you mean," she said, the thought sobering her right up. "What if someone from central recognises you?"

"So how did you know what after-shave he wears?" Tina asked flatly trying to change the subject. She didn't want to think about the consequences of being recognised. Both girls were scared of the prospect.

"It's the same one my father likes," came Sam's dead response.

"Oh."

They rode the rest of the way home in silence.

****************************

Saturday Morning September 19^th
The next morning, Sam woke Tina with little kisses all over her face. Tina smiled as she opened her eyes. "I could get used to this," was her almost incoherent response.

"I gotta get going, Honey," Sam said, smiling sadly.

"I know. It's that four-letter word again. Take the car, Linda will be here soon so…."

"Don't you have an appointment today?"

"Nope, next week. We pushed it back because of the all day session. It's next Saturday, the twenty-sixth."

"Will you ask Linda about some self-defence classes for me?"

"Yeah, maybe we can take them together."

Sam smiled at her. "Okay, Doll, I love you," she said and kissed Tina on the tip of her nose. "Meet me after work?"

"Only if we come straight home, I've got a ton of stats homework to catch up on," Tina mumbled.

Sam frowned and stuck out her tongue. "Spoil sport."

Tina started to sit up. "That's me, 'Marian, Madame Librarian,' " she said, quoting the line from the song in the musical The Music Man as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"See you at four Sweetie, I love you," Sam said, and kissed Tina.

"I love you, too, Sam," she replied as Sam stood up. "Have a nice day, okay?"

****************************

Sam ran down the back stairs to the kitchen. As she burst into the room smiling Jan asked, "Well?"

"She volunteered her car before I could ask," she said and then kissed Jan on the cheek. "I gotta run or I'll be late." Then she leaned over and kissed her mother. "Love you! Bye!" She called back over her shoulder as she hurried to the door.

Just as the front door slammed closed, Tina shuffled in wearing her terrycloth robe. "You people that get up with a smile disgust me," she mumbled as she made her way to the coffeepot and her life's blood.

"When you're awake, I want you to look at something," Jan said with a smile.

Tina groaned. This usually meant reading some dull, dry article in the paper that her mother thought was important for her to know about. Tina sat at the table and absently picked up a piece of toast from a small plate in front of her and started munching. Donna had taken to making it for her in the mornings.

"You're spoiling her, Donna," Jan said smiling.

Donna smiled and kissed Tina above her left eye. "And I'm loving every minute of it," she said.

Jan pulled a slip of paper out from under the napkin holder and passed it to Tina. It was an automotive repair bill. "Think she'll like it?" Jan asked excitedly.

Tina stopped chewing and stared at the sheet in her hand. "A '95 Monte Carlo?" Jan nodded smiling. Knowing that a car's appearance was as important as it's mechanical condition to her mother, Tina said, "That's as nice as mine! Nicer! She'll love it! But…"

"It's a welcome to the family present for her. After all, she can't be asking for rides all the time."

"Wow, some welcome!" Tina said beaming. She started reading the sheet aloud. "Inspect, test, and evaluate for purchase: Sport package, alloy wheels, power everything, rebuilt five speed transaxle," her enthusiasm seemed to be fading. It really wasn't, she was just geeking out again. "3.6-litre twin dual overhead cam…. That's not original…" she muttered.

"Pete said it's a 'Target Engine.' Is that good?" Jan asked concerned.

"Yeah, GM makes extra engines for their cars as replacements," she said thoughtfully. "Target engines are what they call those replacements. But that engine was only used in Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs in the early to mid-nineties…at least, as far as I know. And that transaxle is endemic to the Olds Cutlass and military version of the Humvee…. It's the same combo that's in my car. I wonder how they mated it to the chassis? The wheelbase is different between the…" she trailed off.

"Tina," Donna said quietly, getting her attention, "Girls aren't supposed to know about…."

"I know, Aunt Donna, but, jeez! I mean I wasn't always…" she trailed off. Then, with a smile as big as all outdoors she continued, "Maybe I was and just didn't know it. I'll try to remember that, though. Thanks," she said winking at the woman.

Finishing the report on the car Tina gave her mother her opinion. "This is some package Mom! Sam's gonna flip when she sees it. So how're y'-gonna give it to her?"

"Well, you two come home right after work. We'll park Donna's car in the garage and say that she ran to the grocery or something. Then, once you're in here…."

Donna sat there giggling as Jan explained her plan for giving Sam the car. It promised to be an interesting evening.

****************************

Donna was at the neighbour's house across the street peeking out their front window. "Jan and I really appreciate this Alice," Donna said excitedly to the older woman.

Donna was talking to Alice Kelso, an older woman in her seventies with almost pure white hair. But instead of looking like someone's grandmother, she looked closer to Donna's age and very athletic. Donna was so keyed up she literally vibrated with enthusiasm.

"I think it's absolutely wonderful Donna. Her first car, how exciting! But are you sure you want to give her something so…sporty?"

"She has a good head on her shoulders, Alice. I'm not worried about that, so much as I am the other drivers on the road. Her father taught her well. She can handle it. I might need some help getting it over there, though. I don't think I'll be able to see around the bow."

"As long as I can be there when she sees it," Alice Kelso laughed, "I'll guide you."

Donna laughed again. "Of course you're going to be there. It's going to be just like kringle. A new car, all the new furniture came, I can't wait to see their faces!"

"Here they come!" Donna whispered excitedly when she spied Tina's car rounding the corner.

Alice started laughing. "Donna, they can't hear you. You don't have to whisper." They both broke out in a giggle fit.

****************************

"Aww, c'mon, Tee," Sam whined. "Why can't you just drop me off at Ro's"

" 'Cause, Mom said she wanted us to come straight home. Wanna bet the furniture came today?"

"But…."

"Just let them have their fun, Sam." Tina was having a hard time not spilling the beans.

As the pulled up to the house Sam saw Linda's car across the street. "Linda's here, I hope my Dad's okay," she said worriedly.

"You know she comes by to mooch dinners from Mom. Relax, would you?" Tina parked the car and they went inside.

"Hi, Mom!" she called from the foyer.

"We're in here honey," Jan called from the kitchen.

****************************

The garage door opened across the street and Alice, acting like a member of an airline's ground crew, guided Donna -- in the gleaming, jet-black car -- across the street and into the driveway. Donna had her head sticking out the window, trying to see Alice and her arm movements. The huge silver-white bow on the hood of the car coupled with the gigantic gift card made it almost impossible to see anything in front of her. It looked like a humongous birthday or kringle present. The two women were giggling maniacally.

****************************

"Hi, Aunt Jan, Linda. Wha'sup?" Sam asked as she and Tina walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Honey." Jan chirped happily.

"Hi, Sam. Hi, Tina," Linda said with a Cheshire cat grin.

Tina walked up to her mother and gave her a hug and a kiss. She repeated the gesture with Linda whispering, "Hi Aunt Linda."

When Tina stood back up Linda said, "I love that skirt on you."

"You've been saying that all day," Tina remarked, blushing. "I think I'm gonna throw it out if you mention it again," she teased. It was a knee length broomstick skirt in a multi coloured print. Tina raised an eyebrow and almost imperceptibly nodded her head at Sam. Linda winked.

"Is my Dad, okay, Linda?" Sam asked still a bit worried.

"He's fine, Sam," Linda said, her smile just as wide as ever. Tina started giggling; she couldn't control herself any longer.

Sam, smelling a rat asked, "What's going on? Where's Mom?"

Linda burst out in a fit of giggles to match Tina's. Jan, struggling as well, said, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Honey. Your mother's running a few errands. She should be back any minute." She was trying to sound sincere, but she couldn't keep the giggles out of her voice.

"You…all of you, you're…." A horn blared from the driveway. "What the…what's going on?!?" She was exasperated and becoming angry.

Jan burst into giggles. "Why don't you go and find out?" she barely managed.

"You people are crazy! You know that? Crazy!" she fumed as she marched back into the living room. Everyone ducked out the back door as quietly and quickly as they could and ran to the car. They were just in time to see Sam peek out the front window. They were all waving at her, pointing at the car, laughing and smiling. Sam rushed outside, stopped just short of the car and stared. Then she began to cry.

Jan walked up to her, kissed her on her forehead and said, "Welcome to the family, Sweetheart."

Sam grabbed her and held on until the tears stopped. "For me? It's really for me?" she asked in a tiny little voice, still not believing her eyes.

"Aren't you even gonna sit in it?" Linda giggled at her. She was holding a camera.

"You didn't…."

"I sure did," she said, grinning, "and I want one of you in it, too! Now come on! Get in your new car!"

"Come on, Sam!" Alice chimed in. Sam looked at her quizzically. "I'm Mrs. Kelso from across the street. Where do you think they hid it?"

"Hi Mrs. Kelso," Sam was too stunned to say much else.

While Sam stared at the car, Alice walked over to Tina. "It's about time you faced facts, Tina."

Tina flushed. "Uh…Mrs. Kelso, I…."

"Just be yourself, Honey," Alice Kelso said warmly putting an arm around Tina's waist and hugging her. "You'll be happier that way. Welcome to the neighbourhood."

Sam walked the five or six feet to the car almost as if she expected it to bite her. Then, she just ran her fingertips over the edge of the roof, assuring herself that it was real. It's just a car, she told herself. It was her first car and it looked new. When she finally managed to get her fingers to work, she opened the door and sat in the pale blue-grey tweed of the cloth covered, bucket seat. She grasped the leather-covered wheel and started crying all over again.

Tina got in beside her and said, "Still want to go over Ro's?"

"Bitch. You knew, didn't you?" Sam said through her tears.

"Yep, it was the hardest secret I ever tried to keep, too."

"It isn't real, it can't be…" she mumbled as she sat there and continued to cry.

Tina pulled her into a hug. "I'm glad you like it," she giggled as she held on to Sam.

****************************

It was hard to get Sam away from her new toy. But after she'd finally calmed down and was promised that she could "take it for a drive in a little bit," she acquiesced and went inside. "So what's so important that I have to come up here?" Sam asked standing outside of her room. "The desk came right?" Alice Kelso, Jan and Donna started giggling. "You know, you guys are starting to sound like a bunch of very irritating parakeets," Sam said in frustration. Donna pushed the door open grandly, allowing Sam to look inside for the first time since she'd left for work.

Short of the beige carpeting and antique white of the walls, the room had been completely re-done. There was a new dresser and chest of drawers in a heavy, dark, antiqued oak. The hope chest had been replaced with an antique looking sea chest. A valet stood in the corner where there was once a simple Shaker chair and flowered seat cushion. A grand, six-foot long desk in the same heavy oak style as her dresser stood against what had been a bare wall. Beside it was a brass-trimmed lawyer's bookcase. Along with her antique computer, there was a huge leather and green felt blotter, with a brass and green glass lawyer's lamp on its top. A beautiful desk set of ebony rounded out the accoutrements. The headboard, footboard and nightstand of the king-sized bed matched the rest of the furniture. The curtains and bed linens, once done in whites and pastels were in brown and green earth tones. Sam stared in shock.

"Oh. My. God. What did you do?" Sam asked, her jaw resting on the carpet somewhere between her feet.

"Don't you like it?" Donna asked, her voice small and nervous.

"It's prefect. But where are all my…."

"In your sea-chest, Honey," Jan said. "For some reason they didn't look quite right on the bed," she smiled. "We wanted to make it look as masculine as possible for you."

"Wow, Sam!" Tina exclaimed. "It really looks great!"

"We've got a surprise for you, too, young lady," Linda said giggling.

"You didn't…!" Tina blurted, a look of horror on her face. Linda started giggling while Alice and Jan smiled goofily. "Oh, no," Tina moaned and bolted for her room. Throwing the door open, she ran inside and stopped in shock after taking only two steps into the redecorated room.

A huge canopied bed bedecked in satin, lace, ribbons, bows and ruffles dominated the space. It was the frilliest, most feminine thing she'd ever seen in her life. The curtains matched the bed linens in white and shades of lavender and pink.

Gone was the colonial styled furniture; in its stead was what could only be described as a blond, delicately carved, French provincial suite of furniture. Her biggest worry, the monster, sat nestled on, in and around it's old home, untouched. Its replacement residence stood in the centre of the open floor. It too matched the bedroom suite. In a corner stood a full-length mirror mounted in a frame that allowed it to be tilted up or down. Her bedroom looked like the home of a fairytale princess. The lighted vanity stood next to her bed. It was almost as big as her desk and had a beautiful ruffled bureau. The ruffles and lace of the bureau matched the bedclothes and drapes that adorned the windows. The new curtains allowed the afternoon sun to fill the room with its warm glow while allowing privacy.

"You'll have to move that computer of yours so we can get that desk out of here," Jan said. Tina slowly picked up her favourite doll from its new home on her new dresser and sat on the down-lined mattress of her new bed in awe. She hugged the doll to her as she started to cry silently.

When Sam saw the room she said, "Now this is cause for nightmares. Aunt Jan, what did you do?!?"

Jan crossed to her daughter and sat beside her. "Don't you like it honey?" she asked putting her arm around Tina. Not answering her, Tina just cried into her doll's hair and leaned into her mother.

"I went too far?" Linda asked. Tina shook her head no and continued to cry. Jan held her and let her cry herself out.

When she could finally speak, Tina said, "But why?"

"I know it's a bit young for you, Honey," Linda remarked, "but every little girl needs to feel like a princess once in her life. And it's just not fair that you should miss that…" her voice trailed off. It was Linda's turn to cry.

Sam sat cross-legged in the middle of the floor looking around in horrified amazement. "Gods, Ma, I'm glad you and Dad didn't feel that way about me! Jeez!" Tina stuck out her tongue. "Again with the promises she never keeps!" Sam shot off, before thinking about where she was and just whom she was with. Then, reality dawned. When she realised what she'd said she clapped her hand to her mouth in wide-eyed horror. Everyone burst out laughing.

"I take it you like the room then?" Linda finally asked.

"Oh yes, Aunt Lin, I love it," Tina gushed. Sam groaned.

****************************

After everyone was settled down Tina asked what happened to the "old" furniture. "It's up in the attic," Jan said. "I'll need something to put back in these rooms when you two finally move out." The smile on her face was a sad one.

"Well, I don't think that'll be happening any time soon, do you Sam?" Sam shook her head emphatically. "Aunt Lin?" Tina asked in a small voice.

"Hmm?"

"Remember what I asked you at lunch?"

"You mean about you and Sam…?"

"Uh huh, umm…were you able to arrange…?"

"Joanne said you should both go to the offices after one tomorrow. She's agreed that you both need to learn to defend yourselves…properly."

"Thanks Linda!" Sam said excitedly. Then she turned to Tina and asked, "When did she become your…?"

"Put a sock in it, Sam. She's always been my Aunt. I thought you wanted to get over to Ro's?"

At the mention of going somewhere, Sam's interest perked up. "I'm driving, right?"

"Well, going over there at this hour would be pointless otherwise," Tina said smiling. "Give her a call."

"Aren't you two going to stay around for dinner?" Donna asked.

"MA-AA! I just got a new car! I just have to show it to someone!"

"Donna," Jan said laughing, "let them go. Don't you remember your first car?"

Donna smiled, "Sure I do, but…. Have fun and drive safely!"

Sam jumped up off the floor and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Ma, I'll be careful." And she ran into her own room to call Ro.

Tina looked into the mirror in the corner and exclaimed, "Eeep! My face!" and she ran into the bathroom.

Donna, Jan and Linda started laughing. Alice, Donna and Jan started out of the room.

"Coming?" Jan asked.

"I want to talk to…" she hesitated over what she was going to say for a moment. Linda looked like she wanted to cry. "I want to talk to my niece, first," she finally said in a firm voice. "I'll be down in a bit."

When Tina came out of the bathroom she spied Linda sitting on the edge of her bed. She walked over and sat beside her. "Thanks. It's so…."

"Do you really like it, Sweetie? I mean, really, it's so frilly and…. I can have them pick it back up and deliver something a little more, umm, grown-up if you want."

"It's perfect, Aunt Lin, really," she said hugging the woman. "Ever since all this started, I've had dreams about a bedroom just like this. I mean…I know it sounds so silly, wanting a room that's so…frilly and…I don't know, fluffy I guess. I mean…at my age!" she giggled. "And then you just go out and buy it for me. It's almost as if you'd been seeing my dreams or something."

"I had to let my little princess…." She started to tear up.

"Aunt Lin, unless you want me to go get your purse, you'd better stop that now. My colours are all wrong for you."

"I wore waterproof makeup today," Linda taunted. "But you are such a little shit!" Linda teased tickling Tina. "Did you know that?"

Tina squealed with Linda's touch and laughed an, "Uh huh!" Then Tina hugged Linda close and whispered, "Thank you so much…for everything."

"I'd better get going on my face, Sam's gonna want to leave ten minutes ago."

"Mind if I watch?"

"Nah, go ahead. I don't do anything special," she said as she started smoothing a thin coat of foundation over her skin.

Fifteen minutes later, Tina was done. "You've gotten pretty good at that," Linda said admiring the job Tina did and the time it took her to do it. "I think maybe we'll have to give you some advanced lessons at the salon. You're ready."

****************************

"I don't believe that room of yours," Sam said as she drove her new car over to Ro's. "Gods! How can you stand it?"

"I like it," Tina said defensively. "Slow up, her house is the second one on the right, in the next block"

"How is it that you always know where someplace is, even when you've never been there?" Sam asked puzzled.

"I memorized a developer's and zoning map of the city when I was nine," she said matter-of-factly. "There she is, what'd you do, tell her to meet us outside?"

"Yep."

Sam pulled up in front of Ro and rolled down the tinted glass window on the passenger side. "Hey, Ro! Like the new ride?"

"Hey Sam! Hey Tee! When'd y'-get the new ride Tee?" Ro asked Tina seriously.

"It's not hers!" Sam exclaimed in protest. "It's mine!"

Ro started laughing. "Gotcha!"

"You're worse than Tina!" Sam complained. "Wanna go get Lee and grab a slice of pizza?"

"Sure! Le'me go tell my mom. Be right back!"

Ro skipped out of the house laughing a minute later. "What's so funny Ro?" Sam called across the front seat.

"Well, my mom," she started giggling so hard she couldn't talk. Tina catching on to what happened started to giggle, as well.

"Does someone want to let me in on the joke?"

"Umm…Sam," Tina managed between giggles. "Ro's mom and Dad are a bit old fashioned. They want to meet the boy that's taking their daughter out for pizza."

"You gotta be shitting me," Sam said disbelievingly.

"Nope!" Ro laughed.

"Uh, Ro?" Sam looked scared. "What do I do?"

Between her giggles Ro started to explain the duties of a boyfriend. "Just go in and tell them who you are, where we're going and agree to whatever time they say to have me back. That's all." Then Ro started laughing. "Umm, Tina, they want to meet you, too. I tried to tell them that you're Sam's girlfriend, but they want to meet all my friends."

Tina started to laugh. "Sure, let's go," she said, but she didn't move.

"Well, aren't you going to get out of the car?" Sam asked half way out of the car.

"Uh, Sam, they're watching us from the window. If they're old fashioned, you should open the door for me."

"What?!?" Sam exclaimed. Then with a sigh of resignation said, "Okay, hold on a sec." Tina and Ro giggled.

"You're cold, Tee," Ro managed before Sam got to the door. Tina just nodded, still giggling.

Sam hopped out of the car, trotted around to Tina's door and opened it. Then she held out her hand for Tina. Taking Sam's hand, Tina used it instead of the door, for balance as she daintily climbed from the car. Then surprising both Sam and Ro, she bowed deeply at Ro. Ro returned the bow with a smile and a wink, then led Sam and Tina, now walking hand in hand, in through the front door.

When the trio entered the house, Tina noticed that Ro's father was Japanese and her mother an American. For some reason, she'd thought it would have been the other way around.

Ro bowed and spoke to her father, essentially ignoring her mother for the time being. "Papa San, these are my friends. Sam Boone and Tina Wilson."

"Hai!" Mr. Akira bowed slightly. She's up to something, he thought as he played along.

Ro turned toward Sam and said, "Sam, Tina, this is my father Akira Hiroshi."

Sam stuck out her hand and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you sir." Her voice quavered with nerves.

Mr. Akira shook her hand, looking at her critically and somewhat disdainfully. The bruising on her face was still greenish yellow and looked painful. He said nothing. Then he turned to face Tina.

Tina surprised everyone by saying, "Konnichi wa, Akira San, hajimete o-me ni kakarimasu." as she bowed deeply. She never looked him in the eyes.

Mr. Akira bowed deeply and then he started to laugh. "Arigato gozaimasu, you honour me, Tina. I'm very well thank you. And you?" His English was flawless and without an accent.

"O genki desu, domo," Tina replied with a smile.

"I may be old fashioned," he glared at Ro shaking his head, "but I'm not as stuffy and arcane as some of my ancestors were. Please, meet my wife, Dorothy Akira."

"It's a pleasure, Mrs. Akira," Tina said bowing slightly.

"Hello, Tina," she said pleasantly. Then Mrs. Akira looked to her husband and said "Kawaii, ne?"

Ro started to giggle and said "Mo-therrr!"

Tina smiled and said, "Domo arigato."

The look of surprise on the Akira's faces was priceless. Poor Sam, she just stared on in a mixture of fear and bewilderment.

"I like your friends, Ro," Mr. Akira said around a chuckle. "But next time, just bringing them in will be fine, this…show…." He shook his head and fought back his laughter. He let the subject drop. Then in a desperate attempt to stave off the laughter that was bubbling up he spat out, "Have fun, be careful, and be home by twelve."

Ro beamed a smile back at him and kissed him on the cheek, saying, "Thank you, Daddy."

"And you, young man," he said looking at Sam. Sam flinched. "Drive safely," and as an afterthought he added, "and next time, duck. That had to hurt." Ro and Tina just giggled. Then in his best Japanese accent Mr. Akira added, "Best defensive move is not be there, when happen."

"Daddy!" Ro protested. Sam and Tina started laughing.

"Yes sir," Sam said smiling nervously. "I'll try to remember that, Sir. Mrs. Akira, it was a pleasure," she continued. Then looking at Mr. Akira she finished, "Twelve o'clock, safe and sound, I promise." Mr. Akira smiled.

"Bye, Mommy," Ro said as she kissed her mother on the cheek.

"Have fun, Honey," Mrs. Akira said as she smiled back.

Then Tina bowed to both of Ro's parents and said, "Dozo yoroshiku. Oyasumi nasai."

Everyone laughed hysterically while poor Sam looked on with a puzzled look on her face. Then Ro gave her a shove and the teens filed out the door.

****************************

In the car, Ro was having a giggle fit in the back seat. Tina just sat there blushing and smiling enjoying the joke. Sam pulled away from the kerb sullenly.

"I don't see what's so funny," Sam said as she drove to Lee's house. "What were you saying in there, anyway?"

"I just said 'good evening honourable Mr. Akira. How do you do?' " Tina said.

Ro burst out laughing again. "Yeah but, when my mom…." Her thought was lost in the laughter.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Her mom said I'm cute," Tina blushed.

"Yeah, but," Ro choked and giggled at the same time, "you weren't supposed to understand her!" and she burst out in laughter. "She was talking to my Dad! And…and…and then you had to say thank you!" she lost it again. "Gods that was great! And…and…then she had to say pleased to meet you and goodnight! That was truly epic!"

"When did you learn to speak Japanese?" Sam asked.

"I read a book on it when I started watching subtitled anime," Tina said matter-of-factly. "I really only know a few words and phrases."

"Well, we'll have to work on your pronunciation a bit, but that was great!" Ro said with a grin.

"Right at the next block, Sam," Tina said.

"Right, Jepson," Sam retorted.

"No, they mostly do airline and airport charts," Tina said sweetly.

"What?" Ro asked.

"Miss know-it-all swallowed a map, too," Sam quipped. Ro giggled again.

****************************

Leticia was sitting on her front steps as they came down the block. Sam pulled up lowering the window as she stopped the car.

"Hey Tee!" Lee called out as she ran up to the car. "Nice ride! When'd y'-get it?" Tina and Ro lost it.

"It's MY car damnit!" Sam yelled as she banged her head on the wheel.

Tina got out and Lee climbed in back. "What's with Oscar the Grouch?" Lee asked as she flopped into the back seat.

"Ro asked the same question," Tina explained through her giggles. "Mom got it for her today, as a welcome to the family present and everyone's been asking me when I got the new ride."

"Poor Sam," Lee said, almost sympathetically. She was giggling too hard for it to sound sincere. "I like the ride, bud, like, totally Khuehle. So wha'sup? Where we goin'?"

"I was thinking we could go over Angelo's and grab a slice or two," Sam said. "Then you two can go look at the nightmare on Elm Street that her room became this morning. Gods! The thing gives me the creeps just thinking about it."

The girls in the back seat looked puzzled.

"My mom, her mom, and my Aunt Linda…" Tina tried to explain.

"I still want to know when she became your Aunt Linda," Sam said.

"As I was saying, our moms and my Aunt Linda decided to give our rooms a, umm…face lift."

"Oh, no…they didn't, did they?" Ro asked, starting to giggle again.

"Ro, it's like living with Belle, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White combined," Sam lamented.

"Well at least mine doesn't look like an advertisement in field and stream!"

Lee started giggling. "The Fairy Princess and the Fairy Prince?" she asked through her mirth. "No way, no-one's that cruel and demented."

"You gotta see it to believe it," Sam said. "There's more ruffles, lace and satin than I've ever seen in my life! It's disgusting!"

"I want to know when you're gonna get the mallard decoy for your book case," Tina said. Everyone roared with laughter as they pulled into the parking lot at Angelo's.

****************************

Inside the pizza shop they took a booth and ordered a large pie with extra cheese. Since everyone liked cheese, but they couldn't agree on any of the other toppings, it was a plain pie.

"So," Lee started in, seeing a chance at some fun, "either Ro stopped at your place, which I doubt, 'cause her parents almost never let her have the car, or you picked her up. And that means you met her parents."

Ro started to giggle; Sam and Tina just blushed. "It was truly epic, Lee," Ro said between snickers. "You should have been there!"

"What?" Lee asked, her amusement building. "Sam get the third degree or something?"

"Best defence is not to be there in first place," Ro said in a credible Japanese accent.

"Oh no…." Lee looked like she was turning purple trying not to laugh. "Not the…."

Ro was bobbing her head furiously, "Right outta Karate Kid, I told them my parents are kind of old fashioned and…." Ro started to tell the story leaving nothing out. Everyone had a good laugh.

Lee was laughing so hard she started to choke. "Daijobu desu ka?" Tina said and started pounding her on the back.

"Hey!" Lee protested, as she caught her breath. "Not so hard!"

"Gomen nasai," Tina replied contritely and stopped.

Ro just lost it. "Yeah, just like that, bad accent and all!"

"You're just as bad as Ro," Lee said, still chuckling. "So, does she know what she's saying?" Ro nodded her head. "Daaaaamn!"

"What did you just say, anyway?" Sam asked.

"I asked if Lee was okay and then I said I was sorry," Tina replied giggling.

"Hey, we done here?" Lee asked.

Sam looked at the empty platter in the centre of the table and said, "Looks like, wanna bolt?"

"Yeah, I gotta see these new bedrooms," Lee giggled. "A fairy Princess set up? This I gotta see."

"I'll call and let mom know we're bringing friends home," Tina said.

"Damn, Tee, sounds like my house," Ro said.

"Oh, I guess I don't have to," Tina said thoughtfully, "but if I don't, Aunt Donna will prolly have a cow because she didn't have sodas or something ready."

Sam groaned. "Hey, it's okay, Sam," Ro said brightly. "Having 'June Cleaver' for a mom can be pretty cool sometimes."

"Yeah? How'd you like to have your mom refer to your friends as…?"

Ro put her hand on Sam's arm stopping her and said, "She loves you, Sam. She just needs to show it to you. Let her be 'June Cleaver' once in a while. She needs it. Besides, it's probably the only way she knows to show how much she cares."

"No, Aunt Donna," Tina was saying into the phone, "we just had pizza. I don't think cookies and milk would go down very well. Sodas and chips sound good though."

"Okay honey, I'll put a bowl out for you. Are you sure Sam will…?"

"She'll be fine. I love you, Aunt Donna."

"I love you, too, Sweetie. You tell her to drive carefully."

"I will. See you in a bit. Bye!"

****************************

Continued in Part-31

 

"Midnight Downloads" can be found at the following wonderful sites:
Crystal's Story Site. http://www.storysite.org
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TG - Fiction.net - http://www.tgfiction.net
Thank you Kim & Piper.
Please visit them to read other delightful stories that you cannot find at Crystal's StorySite.

  

  

  

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