Chapter 8
It had been a while since he’d spoken to Martha. He knew that the others had their own ways of talking to her. Locke simply spoke to her wherever he was. He thought he and Zander were the only ones who went to her grave and spoke to her. Like he needed today.
“I’ve been thinking about you a great deal of late.” He pulled some weeds from the iris’ that covered her grave. They were the same color as the ones on her husband’s grave. His were larger, however. “What was your marriage like? You were so concerned with us being good to our wives that I wonder if your own marriage was a mess. I know also that you blamed your son’s upbringing on your husband. Not to mention his way of treating you.”
August watched as three kids riding their bikes on the pathways between the headstones seemed to know where they were going. They weren’t loud however, each of them had some flowers grasped in their hands. When they were several headstones away from him, they pulled out a blanket and sat on it.
“You’d go over and talk to them. Make them feel good about themselves. For coming to visit their family.” He thought of her charm and grace, how she could make a person feel good about doing the simplest of things. “I miss you some days more than others. Having Jack in my life helps a great deal.”
The kids were removing weeds, talking about the person they’d come to visit. The younger of the three of them wandered off. They kept an eye on him, but not enough as far as he was concerned. When he finally came back, his hands full of weeds, he smiled when the older of them scolded him gently and added his weeds to the array of flowers they’d brought with them.
He enjoyed having the kids. They were a joy and exhausting at the same time. Funny and time-consuming. And he couldn’t love them any more than he did every day. His partner was amazing, and he didn’t think that anyone loved their wife more than he did today and he knew he’d love her more tomorrow and the day after.
“Remember about the second day we were at your home? You sat the six of us down and told us about your son?” he thought about the things she’d told them. “That not only was he stealing from you, but he knocked you around as well. I don’t think we gave him the opportunity again after that, not so long as we were around anyway. Then his wife showed up.”
Martha met her at the door. They never did find out why she was there. They only were aware that she’d shown up because of the sirens in the front of the house.
“There she was, wallowing in the mud, trying to get up with blood on her face and mud on her clothing like she’d bathed in it, screaming about how she was going to get you.” He laughed hard, wondering if there would be a time when it wasn’t funny. “I don’t know that she ever came around us again alone. She hid behind your son when she did like he wasn’t worthless, too.”
He sat there for another hour, talking about his new family and the things going on there. When the kids left, he did as well, still keeping an eye on them when they left. Looking at the grave they’d been at, he was surprised to see it was Mr. Graner, the retired teacher from the high school. They must be his grandchildren.
Making his way home after his visit, he stopped and got flowers for the women in his life and toy trucks for the boys. He was such a sap, as Alex was fond of calling him. But he didn’t care. His brother was just as much as one, if not more, than he was.
They were in the backyard when he got home. The trees were beginning to turn now that it was mid-September, and he was happy about it. The older ones were ready to start school, and they were excited. He was, as well, sort of. He was going to miss them so much while they were gone. However he was excited too for the holidays, too, especially for the kids.
It would be a lot of firsts for everyone. First holiday without Martha around. First holidays with their wives and children. The first for him in putting up a tree. Even buying gifts for everyone. And he was planning to go all out, too. You’d not be able to see the tree for all the gifts, kind of all out. He was home as soon as the delivery of his office supplies arrived. August was tearing down the boxes when Jack showed up without the children.
Locke and Alex wanted the babies, as Dusty and Shipley asked for the five older ones. They were having pizzas and movies.
“They found a distant relative for Martin and Teddy, so they were depressed about leaving. It was Shipley who decided to have them over tonight. It was fine with me. I have some contracts to go over from the attorney.” It was going to be a nice quiet night, it sounded like, and he was thrilled. Also, there are the things on your desk from Zander that Demi sent over, too. And the menu. I looked over the front and found a few mistakes that are going to be fixed. You look over the rest.”
August didn’t mind going over the menu. He couldn’t wait until he was opened. He planned to have a monthly get together meeting with his brothers to get caught up on lives together. The wives would do their thing, too.
There were only a couple of mistakes—the funniest one was prostitutes for potatoes. Then for free Wi-Fi was free wit fries. Stupid autocorrect, he thought. It’s why he called people instead of texting them. There would be no telling what he’d say when he was in a hurry.
After going over it twice more, making notes on the contract as to why not to sign it, he was finished up for today. Since it was only two, August decided to get a jump on tomorrow. He’d been putting off keeping up over working hard for several weeks now.
When Jack came to get him for dinner, he couldn’t believe how late it was. It was going on seven-thirty, and he was starving. They were both so happy for pork chops, mashed potatoes, and a green salad. There was also apple brown betty for dessert. His all-time favorite fall cake.
“The charity event for fall supplies is coming up next week. Since that’s your baby, I was asked to see if you’re still on board with cutting their funding by half?” August asked her who had asked. “Dusty. He said he’d only supply the backpacks and nothing more. Something about missing cards and unused money.”
He told her what had happened. She told him she’d not donate anything after that. Then he explained about how families would suffer if they just stopped. To not donate anything would be hard on even the shops they buy from. He was still going down a list of who would be affected by them not donating when she told him to stop.
“Are the people still working there? I’m assuming they’re not, then donate as before, but with the stipulation that if there is any wrongdoing, it will vanish. I mean all funding for everything.” He told her she was brilliant. “I don’t know that I’m that somewhere down the line someone will get it in their head about free money, and that will be it for them.”
They talked about other charities that they helped, and he decided to have her as his sounding board from now on. She was good at not seeing things that one-sided; she saw all sides of the picture, and that was what made him love her all the more. If that was even possible, he thought.
While they spoke, he started taking notes about some ideas that she had about charities in which he was involved. Even ones that his family did things for. He was thinking that she could double the amount that they got without anyone being pissed off too.
“If you really want to make a difference in charitable work, work at the soup kitchen once or twice a month. Those people are in the trenches, so to speak, and more than likely have ideas and how to make them work as well.” He told her he would do that.
She did not look like she believed him. He found that he was all right, too. August was fine with proving people wrong about himself. He called his brother back and told him what Jack had said, even about the kitchen part.
“That is a great idea, too. I think they’re nightly at the civic center. I’ll go with the two of you. I think it goes without saying to not dress up.” He told his brother what Jack had said. “All right, business casual. I can even understand her reasons, too. If we overdressed then we’ll be unapproachable. Too dressed down, they will still think us unapproachable but also trying too hard to be one of them. She’s brilliant. I hope you told her that.”
“I do but you tell her too. It’ll mean more to her if you say something to her.” He said that he would and would call back with information. After getting a call back from Dusty with the time and location, even the kids wanted to be a part of it. But no press.
No one from the local paper was notified. After about four hours of helping then serving food, August thought he had enough jobs to keep himself busy for years. Some overlapped, but with help and that of his family, he’d be able to get it done over the next twenty years, he thought with a laugh. All in all, he thought it was a good idea and was looking forward to doing it again.
“The first thing that we should work on is getting more people to donate their time. Also, some monetary donations. There are enough businesses that we’ve helped out that could return the favor.” He asked him if that sounded like blackmail. “I guess it does, but whatever goes on in their mind isn’t my concern.”
While he liked the idea, he was sure that people were going to be upset about it. But like his brother said it didn’t matter so long as it got done. Then he mentioned free medical advice. He thought Locke would be the one to get that going for them. The ideas were bouncing in his mind all over the place. He even wanted to start tonight, but he knew it was much too late. Going to his office, he found Mandy waiting for him. He realized she’d been there a while, too, if her sleepy eyes were any indication.
“I want to adopt my nephews. I know I’d need to get a job but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be able to have them with me.” He asked what it was she’d done before. “I was a store manager for a large department store. I was in charge of the online purchases.”
“You’re hired.” She looked at him oddly, and he told her about the things that Jack was doing. “So you see, you’d be a perfect fit working with her. She’s been talking to a lot of people to see how it would work out. A lot of the elderly have very little to no experience on a computer. She is basically starting from scratch.”
“I’d love to help her. I was even responsible for the delivery service as well.” She smiled at him. “Thanks so much for this, but what will your wife say?”
Jack walked in, and they explained to her what was going on. She was nodding and grinning at the same time. When they took off to Jack’s office with their heads together, he had to laugh. They’d be up all night now. He was happy for them both.
He loved having a family. There wasn’t anything more important than them. But what he really loved about them was the way they came together on things like projects and help. It occurred to him then how much his own parents missed out on being selfish and just plain old mean. He couldn’t image a life with them in it and was thrilled that the two of them weren’t a part of their lives. It was their loss, and he was happy they weren’t.
~*~
Careful not to wake August, she hurried to the bathroom and was headed back when he turned his light on. Telling him it was fine, he looked at her with an odd smile.
“I want to bury my cock deep inside of you and never leave.”
“What are you waiting for then?” He chuckled at her. “August, it would be wonderful if you just did something. I’m really needy right now.”
His grin was evil she decided and got the covers off her body. When he ran his finger along her thigh to her apex and down the other side, she wanted to brain him. You didn’t say that to a person and then act like it was nothing. But when he got off the bed, she thought about getting up and getting her gun to make him finish her off. The damned man was—
“I want to be naked, too.” She watched as he unsnapped his pants and pulled the tiny tab of his zipper down slowly. “I want to be able to come on you. Mark you with my cum. Are you all right with that?”
“Come inside of me.” She wanted to cry when he shook his head but was distracted again when he pulled his pants off. His boxer briefs showed her every curve, every vein of his shaft as well as the small wet stain on the tip of where his cock was.
“I’m going to take off my briefs. When I do, would you lick me clean?” She nodded, not capable of speech. The image of what he’d said made her more needy than before. “I don’t want to come down your throat just yet, but I do want to feel your tongue on me.”
He took off the briefs and moved toward her, stroking his cock as he went. She sat up slightly and opened her mouth for him. The tip of his cock was so thick, she took him in and swirled her tongue around him. Christ, he tasted delicious.
August rocked into her mouth, and she gagged when he touched the back of her throat. But as she got used to his girth, she was able to take more and more of him in. When he pulled away and took a step back she reached for him, she asked him what was wrong, had she done something to him.
“No. Christ, you’re good. Better than good. I love you.” He stroked his cock a few more times as he moved back to the bed and settled back on his heels. This time when he touched her, he slid his finger into her pussy and thumbed her clit. Nothing could have prepared her for the reaction of her body to his movements.
The climax was quick. It took her breath away and made her heart feel as if it had stopped for several seconds. As she was trying to recover from the blast of pleasure, she cried out when he suckled her clit into his mouth.
Her body soared up and over without giving her any warning. August continued to eat at her until she thought she’d die from it. Even when she begged him to stop, to let her breathe, he continued. She wondered fleetingly if a person could die from this much pleasure.
Jack looked down at her body and watched him look at her. Even as he slid his hands over her hips and to her pussy she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes from him. When he spread her open, her thighs wide over his shoulders, she watched. When he lifted his head, she thought for sure he was going to take her.
“I want you to come again. Come hard for me so that I can get my fill of you. Although I don’t think that’s remotely possible.” She nodded as her juices stained his lips. “When you come this time, I’m going to come all over this pretty pussy and make you come again.”
“Yes, please. August, please fuck me. I want to feel your cock inside of me. Please, I’m begging you.” He stared at her for several seconds before he sat up again.
“I don’t want to hurt you any more than I think you ache now, but I can’t resist you.” He crawled up her body slowly, nipping at her here and licking her there. Her nipples were suckled as his cock teased her entrance. She wanted to wrap her legs around him and pull him deep but was reminded of his words. She moved so that he could do anything he wanted to her. “I need to fuck you too badly to wait.”
August took her mouth as he entered her. He was filling her, fully and completely. His tongue, tasting of her, evaded her mouth as his cock did her body. In and out, he stroked her until she knew that when he touched her sweet spot again, she was going to come.
He tore his mouth away and commanded her to come. She was so close anyway that it was no problem for her to obey. But when she came, it was as if she came apart for a few seconds and then came back together. She grabbed for something to hold onto and felt her nails dig into his chest. Blood pebbled in the tiny cuts, and she found herself wanting to taste it. Leaning up, she licked her tongue along the four tiny cuts and came again.
When August threw back his head and roared out, she came again, her body responding to his as if they were one. She felt his cum splash against her womb and felt his cock thicken incredibly more. She held him to her throat as he licked at her pounding pulse. And when his teeth sank deep, so deep she knew he’d drawn blood, she came again. This time, she felt her vision narrow to a pinpoint before she blacked out.
When she woke up in a tangle of blankets, Jack had to get up and pull everything off the bed to start again. August smiled at her and helped her get the bed put back to rights. While she didn’t hurt all that much, her body reminded her she had some incredible sex. Just like it was every time with the two of them. She wondered briefly if all of his brothers were that good, then decided she was never going to ask. They would tell her, no doubt. But she’d never look them in the face again.
Thinking about how much she loved August, she knew it was the forever kind of love. He’d not have an affair, nor would he look at any other woman the way he did her. It melted her, his long gazes, the way he touched her with his hands or eyes.
Rolling over to look at him she looked too at the scars that he had. He’d told her once that his father was abusive, so she figured that he was responsible for most of them. He winked at her when she looked at his face. She asked him how he’d gotten the big scar on his left nipple.
“My father. I was about eight at the time. We each had chores to do. Anything that kept him in beer and out of work, basically. It was up to me to take out the trash. I think, too, that it kept me out of range of his fists and belt. That was the plan anyway. As I was coming into the house by way of the back door, I slipped on the ice and knocked the can into the table, spilling food and milk on the floor. He screamed at me for wasting his hard-earned money—which wasn’t his money at all but ours. He picked up the butcher knife off the table and threw it at me. Like a dart, it came at me, sticking into my chest about an inch.” He rolled to his back, taking her with him as he continued the story. “We didn’t have a cell phone and rarely a phone when we had the money to pay the bill, so one of my brothers ran next door to call the police. They were used to the fights we had, and an ambulance showed up as well. The first and last time, he looked terrified when he hurt one of us. He wasn’t afraid that he’d killed us, he told the officer, but afraid he’d have to go to jail.”
“Good lord. I hope you’re kidding.” August told her that he wasn’t and he had far worse stories than that. “I don’t think I’d like to hear them. Christ. Where was your mother during this?”
“I believe she was in bed next to me at the hospital. He’d hit her for feeding us the leftover food from breakfast. It had been about seven in the evening by then. I couldn’t go home for a week. But I saved what I could for the others, pudding and graham crackers. Whatever I got, they did as well. I think the staff understood what I was doing and brought them other things in as well. He laughed then, and her heart ached for the child he’d been. “To this day, I can’t stand a knife on the table unattended. Nor do I eat pudding or graham crackers. Our father spent six weeks in jail, and we hid money stashed all over the yard and trees that we got in odd jobs all over town. Fat lot of good it did us. The neighbor told him about what we were doing, and he took all of it.”
They spoke about other times, holidays, and birthdays. She was dismayed to hear that they’d not had presents or a tree until moving in with Martha. They’d not celebrated anything until then. She wished that she’d met the elderly woman. Without her influence, there was no telling what would have happened to them. She knew they’d not be the charming men they were. Nor she thought they’d be as close as they were now. Doubtful, they’d be as generous as she knew them to be.
They made the bed and got the kids up. That was when she noticed something else he and the others did. They each cleaned their plates, and they had a sweet tooth. Mostly, it was for hard candies that would last longer, she thought, and they’d take fruit over chocolate no matter what it was. Plus, when they left the house, no matter how far they were going, they had something in their pockets to munch on. Now, the kids were no different.
Jack decided that holidays and birthdays were going to be epic, and she was going to simply send out cards for no reason. Yes, she thought, every day was going to be special for no reason at all. Maybe just because they survived their childhood against all odds.
When they got back from the mall after clothing, she wrote out a card and posted it to August. She wanted him to know he was forever first in her heart. After putting it in her purse, she did wonder if they’d make fun of her and she found she didn’t care. Who knew she was a romantic after all.
That night, when the house was quiet, she started looking at things for Christmas. After writing down names, she left places for the other brothers and their wives. That alone took up nearly a full page. That got her looking at decorations and blow-up toys for the yard. There were ones for all occasions, too. She hoped August didn’t mind but his yard was going look decorative year round.