When It Hits The Fan!

Lorraine B.
© 2003 All Rights Reserved

Chapter 1

I had just finished packing the Class A Motorhome that I was to take on my vacation. I decided on an extended vacation after being forced to do so by my partner that was also my sister in our business. Checking over the fishing gear, I planned on hitting the lake and eventually to drop the proverbial line into it. We, my sister and I, owned two ladies apparel shops and a clothing factory and it seemed that I was always in the stores. All I wanted to do was to see our business succeed, and it has been thus far. I know that the first thing crossing your minds is that I'm kind of kinky, well maybe, but who doesn't have a quirk or two in them. Granted that I have crossed dressed for a time, at school, parties, Halloween and in my younger years but that was where I drew the line, although it isn't too straight of a line. Okay, I have had Bisexual relationships in my past and sexually I am passive. Even though currently I am almost in my mid twenties, five foot nine, still have a good build for a woman. I have all my thick, brown hair and pearly white teeth. I didn't have a woman to warm my bed or me to warm anyone's bed of either gender. Oh well, that in time will happen, although possibilities are very remote.

Locking up the Motorhome I went back into the house and called my sister, Joyce, on the cellphone. We spoke briefly, I secured the house and then I was on my merry way, yeah, sure. While I drove I thought of all the things I'd see and do with this Diesel Fuel Hog I was driving, all forty plus feet of the damn thing. Okay so I wasn't too pleased, but you see this Fiberglas Monster was a birthday gift this year from my sister, her husband, Devon, along with Eddie and Carol, my nephew and niece. For the past several weeks Joyce, Devon and the kids had helped their bachelor, Uncle Marion, check over and pack this damn thing up.

After several hours of driving I arrived at my stop, Magic Lake State Park and Campgrounds. Checking in at the Ranger's Station I paid for a week, got a fishing license and I was given a site and lake map, rules of the park and given directions to my campsite by the lady that was behind the desk that kept calling me Miss. or Ma'am and that angered me somewhat. What was the woman, blind? Or am I too effeminate?

I had to admit I was impressed with the campsite when I arrived having power, water, sewer and local telephone hookups for the Monster. The Camp Ground had all the amenities I could ask for. I also had a bike and feet to walk with to get to the Campground store. I was further impressed that my campsite was so close to the water's edge and had a picnic table and a grill. All I thought of was very little housework, a few dishes, and laundry; now that I could live with. I hooked up everything, pulled out the sixteen-foot, inflatable Zodiac boat, batteries and electric motor and filled the boat up with air from the Monster's electric compressor. It was then I heard the wildlife scurrying in the brush and the fish jumping as they caught their meals in the water. Maybe Joyce was correct that I did need this vacation? Who knows maybe I'll even get laid? I just know that's wishful thinking.

In a few hours I had completed the setup of the campsite to the point of being ready to start fishing in the morning and to cook my evening meal. I was coming back from where I tied up the boat, when out of the corner I spotted something with a bushy tail that was black with a very white stripe and very little. I stopped what I was doing, seeing the critter coming toward me and seeing it was a baby skunk. It had and showed no fear of humans and hissed as it came closer to me. When suddenly it stopped, turned around and raised its bushy tail. When the tail went up I hauled ass into the lake just as it sprayed me. It got the clothing I wore, shorts, shirt, and sneakers, all of it including me. All I want you to know is that it sure as hell wasn't Chanel Number Five, White Shoulders or anything that pleasant it sprayed. Damnit I stunk! That little SOB had the audacity to come to the lakeshore, take a drink of the water, saw my body bobbing in the water as I floated and sprayed me again. I was beyond angry at this point when I saw and heard the laughter of a male Ranger with him saying, "The babies are the worst stinkers, I smelled the odor a mile back and hurried over. The name's Neil Babcock, I'm the senior Ranger in charge here."

I looked toward the voice seeing a good looking, well tanned, physically fit man close to six foot tall, about my age that was walking toward me with me saying, "That little…Ah, stinker got me twice and I really stink." In the back of my mind I thought that if I was a woman I jump his bones, oh hell even as a man I'd jump his bones.

"Yep, you sure do, ma'am. I suggest you bury those clothes, everything. I'll head over to the Lodge Station and get you what we use. In the meantime just throw those clothes up on the bank and head to your shower; don't worry no one will see your bare butt. I'll be back in about five minutes, once I turn over the shift to another Ranger." Watching the Ranger leave, I took off my clothes in the water, every stitch I had on and threw them onto the bank. I then ran back to the Monster hoping I wouldn't be seen. Once inside I turned on the exhaust fans and ran to get some clothes along with a shower.

I found a robe in the bathroom; my sister's robe or like hers, with my robe nowhere in sight. Going through the closets, storage and drawers all I found was women's clothing, accessories and shoes with none of my stuff to be found, it was all Joyce's stuff, I thought angrily. This was not in the least bit funny I thought as my cellphone rang that I answered gruffly.

"Hi Marion, how's the vacation so far?" Joyce asked happily with me saying, "Joyce where the hell are my clothes?"

"In the Motorhome, that's where the kids and I put them last night, I think, why?" Joyce said with me saying, "Sis did you ever take your clothes out of here? Let me answer that, hell no! The kids and you saw the stuff on board and assumed I packed my own stuff, now I'm standing here stark ass naked with nothing available but your things and you know what? Screw it, I'm gonna wear them until I get on the road again to buy some clothes." I said angrily with Joyce saying, "So, they're only clothes, use them and I know they'll all fit you and make that sweet body of yours look gorgeous Sis. Now why the hell are you naked?"

"I found a boyfriend and he just screwed my brains out! Damnit Sis, I was sprayed by a skunk! Hell Sis, I even had to jump in the lake, and then the little bastard got me again. The Ranger went to get some sort of chemical they use for the smell. I might even have to use your perfume tonight." I said as Joyce laughed hysterically with her saying, "Marion Honey, I'm so sorry for the mix up, I should have checked everything myself in what was being done. Just use anything I have in there as you've always have. And Honey, please wear a clean bra and panty set every day, especially for your new boyfriend."

"That was not in the least bit funny Sis, for those remarks I want a complete inventory done, the accounts payable, the new line sketches and I want it all emailed to me." I said angrily with her saying, "We did it Sugar, now be a good girl and get laid. It's been too long for you sweetie to not enjoy life." She said sweetly and disconnected me. Joyce was treating this situation as a joke, a lark, which it certainly was not. At least not for me!

I grabbed the necessary items of clothing from the dresser, then the closets and ran to the shower. I placed all those items onto the sink and walked into the shower; grabbing a bottle of liquid soap and applied it to my body from my face to my toes excluding my pubes, hair and eyebrows. I prayed that the smell would leave or at the very least be somewhat covered up. I smiled to myself not smelling the odor, when suddenly I felt as if my skin was on fire, throwing on the water that turned out to be cold water. I froze my keester off, as the water flowed over my body. But at least the fire was gone and so was my slight body hair, right down the drain. I grabbed the bottle and read it; it was a chemical depilatory! The only difference between Nair and this stuff was it was permanent. I groaned to myself as I watched my hair, what little I had was gone from my body and face, going down the drain. However, at least some of the skunk smell was gone.

There was a knock at the door and the sound of footsteps that stopped at the bathroom saying, "Marion, here's that stuff we use, I'll wait outside for you." How in the hell did he know my name? Oh yeah, the registry I signed, I thought as I grabbed the bottle he left. Opening the bottle, the contents smelled as bad as the skunk spray, but at this point I would try anything. I applied the stuff everywhere noticing how free my body was of the hair I used to have. I could live with anything or at least almost, even my sister!

Following the directions I left the stuff on for ten minutes and used the rose scented liquid soap to rinse it off with the smell predominately gone. It worked, it really, really worked, but now I smelled and felt like my sister does!

I turned off the water, dried off and studied my face and body in the full-length mirror. My skin looked soft and supple with no body hair anywhere except for the pubes, eyebrows and my long brown hair. I saw the mounds of flesh that I've always had on my chest, which I hid. They were always a source of embarrassment since I was a kid unless I was dressed as a female, then I was proud to have them. I recalled one girl broke up with me because my tits were bigger than hers and my penis was so small she called it a clitoris. Oh well, If you've got them, flaunt them! Hey baby, how about oral sex? Hey big boy, how about drilling for Brown Gold?

Opening the medicine cabinet I grabbed the scented bath powder and hit everywhere I could, until I smelled the strong smell of roses. I looked at the container and read the label that said Rose Scented Bath Talc. It was too late to do anything about it now. I dried my hair with the Hair Dryer when it started to curl as it dried. I reached over to the shower storage rack and read the shampoo bottle that said; add the heat of your hair dryer to your hair and you will have the most luxurious perm you have ever had that will last for weeks with repeated use. I was to the point I didn't care after I saw my sister Joyce looking back in the mirror.

Joyce and I have body similarities as do most siblings but the major difference is she is a girl by birth and I'm a… I think, a boy, only by now I have my doubts and have always had those doubts. I have to admit that Joyce is very pretty at five foot nine, brunette hair, brown eyes, one hundred and twenty five pounds, with a 34C-25-35 figure after two kids. She gets a good screwing from her husband each night and is a year older than me. I know for a fact I can pass for her and have done so at social events in the past, after she goaded me into it.

I grabbed the white lace panties and drew them up my legs feeling the satiny and lace material making me shudder. I stepped into the khaki shorts that fit me as well as they did her. I pulled on the dark blue and white stripped pullover blouse seeing the two thin straps on my shoulders and seated my mounds of flesh into the built in bra shelves. I grabbed the one-inch, low-heeled, blue criss-cross sandals with the closed back and slid them onto my feet. I looked into the mirror again seeing Joyce's face and I swore softly. I smiled into the mirror after I saw my cleavage and how well I looked. Going back to the bedroom I used her tweezers to clean up my brows, used her nail kit, polished both hands and feet to a deep red gloss then I used some of her makeup that I remembered how to use from all the times in the past. I used her perfume and went to the front and out the door after getting the bottle of goop Neil brought.

Coming out of the door Neil stood up as his mouth dropped down with him saying, "My lord, she looks like a girl and even smells like one now and not a skunk. I buried those clothes in the woods for you."

"Why thank you, now since you did all those things for me, how about supper?" I said as I handed him back the goop with him agreeing to stay. For some reason, as I cooked and we ate the meal, I became physically attracted to this man. It was to the point of us acting like school kids as we walked the shoreline hand in hand. Let me get one thing straight, I am not promiscuous it's just …….Oh hell this guy was a sweetheart, a real keeper, a real gentleman. When we returned to the Monster he gave me a kiss, not the type of kiss you give a relative, but the type that tickled your tonsils and warmed your insides. We both secured the campsite for the night and he kissed me again with me going inside the Monster and him going back home I assumed.

I sat on the couch and crossed my legs thinking of the past evening; things fell into prospective about my life. We all refuse to think about things we've done, which we shouldn't have done, when suddenly those thoughts come back and bite us in the ass. Neil's wonderful kisses, school, those social events and Halloween parties flooded my brain each and every one of those memories came back into my mind in torrents.

I picked up the cellphone and dialed Joyce's number with Eddie answering and me telling him I needed to speak to his mother. The insolent little shit called his mother telling her that Auntie Marion was calling, I smiled but I was still confused about my thoughts.

In seconds Joyce was on the phone with me saying, "Auntie Marion, huh? Well Sis considering the way I'm dressed and what I did it's apropos for the evening."

"Oh no, you didn't? Not even twenty four hours as a girl again and you got laid." She said laughing as I told her everything I did from the shower to Neil. She was laughing so hard she took the telephone into the bathroom, speaking to me as she used the conveyance in her bathroom with her saying, "He sounds cute, but remember we aren't kids anymore playing dress-up Sis. All men have feelings Girl."

"I know Joyce! I'm so scared that all those hours of therapy were wasted. If Mom and Dad find out about everything it will kill them. This is how I should be and that I fought so hard not to be lately."

"Sweetie, Carol, Eddie, Devon and I are coming there to be with you. The girls will manage at the stores and factory without us. Promise me you won't do anything rash, we'll be there as soon as we can. We love you Sis." Joyce said as I was close to tears.

"Thanks Joyce, I'll try to get some sleep and then get up early to fish. I'll see you when you get here. I love all of you." I said as I disconnected, replaced the phone in the charger and went to the bedroom to undress nearly crying. Oh hell, I bawled, going back to my bedroom

Finding a short pink nightgown and panties I put them on after I took off the clothes I was wearing. Going to the front of the Monster I secured it for the night, went the bathroom and removed the makeup still smelling the feminine fragrance of the perfume. That was when I heard a knock at the door.

Grabbing a robe I went to the door after looking at the security camera monitor seeing that it was Neil. I opened the door, inviting him in him and the mosquitoes out with him saying, "Sorry about bothering you…"

"You didn't, I was still awake, Neil."

"Well, I've broken a hell of a lot of rules today being with you…anyway, I have the next several days off…Ah, did I tell you I'm a single Daddy of two, my mother takes care of them while I work." Neil stuttered bashfully with me thinking he looked like a certain actor of old, Gary Cooper. I felt so sorry for the man after all he did was try to help me saying, "Honey, I've been your girlfriend for over a year and your children are always welcome to be with us and you'd better tell your Mom." At that Moment I had dug my grave deeper when I saw his smile with him saying, "Miss Marion, thank you…"

"Yeah well, it's just Marion Morrison. Tell your mother and the children to come see me. However I intend to be out on the lake early for a few hours, a girl has to eat." I said as I kissed his cheek and smiled at the poor man giving him my cellphone number. I swear the man perked up immediately, gave me a hot kiss and ran from the Monster with his feet a foot off of the ground, as he ran to his SUV. Re-locking up the Monster I reset the security monitors, turned off the lights, went back to my bedroom, took off my robe and climbed between the pink satin sheets and fell asleep.

I dreamt of many years ago of Joyce and I as we played together as children. We had a tea party and I was dressed in her red multi flowered dress, red tights and black patent Mary Janes. I held a doll in my arms while sipping Kool-Aid from the toy plastic cups with my hair into a ponytail held by a wide red ribbon tied into a bow. I saw my face that had the look of being content as we conversed, as two little girls with each other. The bedroom wasn't familiar at first until I remembered it was in our Dad's parent’s home and I heard the front door open and close. I heard the heavy footsteps go into the kitchen and we became excited. We both ran from the room to the kitchen to our Gramps that just came home. I forgot how I was dressed and did the same things Joyce did to him, such as a big kiss and a hug. When I saw his facial expression go from confusion to anger and back to being just Gramps with him saying, "Marion, boys don't wear dresses…"

"I know Gramps, I do because I'm not a boy." I said seeing his face grow red and Grams keeping quiet, as Joyce and I left the kitchen going back to the bedroom. I heard the argument they had and then him calling Dad and Mom telling them what he saw as he yelled into the telephone at them. I was called a multitude of names over the telephone that made me go to the corner and cry, not even knowing what they meant. Joyce closed and locked the door, came to me and held me to her, as the tears flowed down my cheeks and into the material of the dress I wore. We both heard the angry words of more adults that sounded like Momma and Daddy with someone trying to get into the room finding out it was locked. Joyce saw my terror and held me closer to her when the door crashed open splintering the wood and Daddy came inside the room followed by Momma. He came to us and picked us up into his arms, carried us from the house and placed us into the car's back seat saying, "Smooth out your dresses ladies, I'll be right back." Daddy left us with Momma coming to the car, she flashed us a motherly smile when Daddy came back holding his bloodied nose. Momma made him sit in the passenger seat and drove us all to the hospital. After several hours Daddy came from a room with bandages on his nose, came to us, smiled and nasally said, "I love you all, now let's go home."

In the car going home Momma asked me questions while Daddy listened and Joyce sometimes answering for me with Daddy nasally saying, "Marion honey, Momma and I feel that if you're this way now no matter what we say or other's might say, you'll always be the girl we see now. I want you to remember that there are very mean and cruel people around but Mommy and Daddy love you both very much."

"Is Gramps one of those people? We heard the fighting on the phone that made my sister cry." Joyce said with Daddy saying, "I'm afraid so kids, he broke my nose because I had to protect you from his words and anger. You see Gramps grew up during a time that there was no open-mindedness about people and their differences, back then either you were a boy or a girl, not a girl pretending to be a boy or a boy pretending to be a girl…"

"But Daddy I am a girl! I've always been a girl!" I said emphatically with Mommy softly saying, "Baby we know, it's just that some people can't understand why a boy would want to be a girl or the other way around. All Daddy and I care about is you and Joyce being yourselves. Dress any way you want at home or when we go out, but right now for school you have to wear what I lay out for you."

Chapter 2

I awoke with a start as those and many repressed memories poured forward as I lay in the bed drenched with perspiration. Looking at the clock I saw it was time to get up any way. Getting up from the bed I made my way to the galley, made my coffee while I turned on the television for the morning news and weather from the satellite dish on the roof of the Monster.

Leaving the news feed on I collected my clothes for the day and placed them into the bath area. Going back to the galley I turned off the television seeing the same old crap was being transmitted. Turning the weather radio on I heard the day was to be close to perfect. Then I tuned in the stereo system finding a station that played soft rock. That was when I noticed the several deer grazing nearby, as I raised the blinds in the living room seating area. It was a wonderful sight to watch these shy, timid creatures as I smiled watching them. It was going to be a perfect day, not too hot and not too cool, I thought as I went to take my shower.

Taking off my nightgown I looked in the mirror seeing Joyce in it and then realizing it was I that stood before it. I looked down after seeing my pitiful manhood knowing I could never help to conceive a new life yet that was my choice when I was a child of ten.

I was possessed to become a girl to the point of self-mutilation, which I succeeded in doing that brought me to the couch of many psychiatrists. Anyway Momma's mother had Passed On when we all had to clean out her house for the sale of it. Much of her things were given to Joyce and me from her clothing and jewelry to the many footlocker and steamer trunks that contained clothing from Mom, Grams and Great Grams. I had to laugh as I saw flapper dresses, wool skirt suits, silk pantsuits, lounge wear and much of the other things a woman and girl would wear from the nineteen twenties to the styles that seemed to come from the future. Okay, as children, Joyce and I were in dress-up heaven as we explored those trunks. It was then I found many books about herbal drugs for women. We found many boxes that contained female hormones, birth control pills and sexual devices that I hid and kept.

I read all the books, as I ingested the pills after I read about what they would do to my body. I saw my body changing at the onslaught of puberty into the mirror image of Joyce and Mom's bodies lacking only just the indoor plumbing and the entrance to the baby maker. I hid these physical changes and physical pain from everyone along with the pain I had mentally in my quest. I hid the mental changes from the shrinks knowing full well they would tell all those in my family world what I had done. I was adept at forging the notes from school and doctors names for the physicals I never had but said I did, until one Halloween when Joyce had a date to a party with a boy she cared about. However she had to find a date for his friend. That boy was Devon and I went through hell from Joyce to the point I finally agreed with her plan, as all of her girlfriends left her high and dry saying emphatically no to any Blind Dates.

It was three months before the party, the theme of the party was the Roaring Twenties and damn did we have the clothing for that period from Flappers to Auntie Mame style loungers, gowns, suits and lingerie. Sis wasn't the greatest seamstress but I always watched Mom and helped her in the sewing room making sure I learned as I watched. She was such a good teacher that I even went as far as designing and crafting clothing for the plays in grade school much to the amazement of many teachers, that kept quiet about my skills. It was decided a long time ago when we got the clothing that they would be stored and never used except to copy the designs from. In our achieve I found the right style of Flapper dress for her and came across a delightful silk pant lounger creation of the deepest magenta, with the most delicate of embroidered flowers and lace that I had ever seen before. It was two pieces, one essentially a body or jumpsuit at the top that had very little back and a very deep vee in the front to show off a ladies assets that was made in closed eyelet lace. It flowed from the waist creating the façade of a dress or evening gown, that were in fact slacks made of silk material. The cover up was essentially a cocoon style duster that went to the floor with batwing sleeves, but the arms went into sleeves of feminine lace that gave the illusion of the lady wearing opera style gloves if she wore the gloves I found.

I got to work making the basic flapper dress in an emerald green color and heavy gold in a brocaded fabric, but the fringe was all hand made with designs of glass beading of clear, green, silver, gold, dark blue, red and black. When the lady that wore the dress stood still the fringe showed the designs of many male peacocks with their plumaged unfolded to attract a mate. The hem was four inches above the knee and the bodice was deeply cut to show a great deal. I surprised Joyce by even finding the shoes made in a similar brocaded designs and color for her. I added smaller glass beaded peacocks to the toes and beaded her a clutch purse and feathered headband with those same peacocks. Later I added a second pair of shoes that were three inch, high heeled, suede, Mary Janes doing the same beadwork to them as the brocaded shoes. I added a green, feathered boa to the creation to be wrapped around the neck or draped on her delicate shoulders and flapper head dress. It was a work of art when I finally had her try it on that made her cry and Mother moan at the sensuality of the costume knowing if she wasn't careful she'd lose her virginity to any boy around.

Once I had finished Joyce's creation I began mine but I needed Joyce's help with my measurements. I made her promise that what she was about to see she had to keep quiet about or I'd take the scissors or a razor blade to her costume. When I said that she knew I was serious and something was up. I undressed before her taking off the loose clothing I wore exposing the white, high cut legged panties. She saw the almost flat front I had, but then as I took off my sweater and she saw the bindings around my chest and she softly cried for the pain I must have had from the bindings. She helped me remove them and took my measurements with us seeing that my dress size was the same as hers along with much of everything else. In that short amount of time Joyce and I spoke like very close sisters to her disclosing that she wanted babies and Devon to be their father. I wasn't at all shocked by her revelation, not after she had practically begged for my help because of Devon. I was getting dressed when she slipped from the room and came back with a sports bra, just as I was beginning to rebind myself. She took the bindings and helped me into the black sports bra and matching panty and then kissed me on my cheek. I knew my secret was safe from that moment on or so I thought.

I worked hard on my costume that included a modified electric blue, laced bandeau bra, panties with that I embroidered vibrant colored tropical parrots on the bra cups and the panties. I used stretch lace for the bodice, in black and then constructed the flowing pants in a shiny nylon and rayon fabric. My duster was the proverbial pain in the ass! But then when I completed it, it was breath taking, having created a complete jungle aviary scene from glass beads. Two very large Toucans stood on their tree perches on each side of the duster in front, as the jungle came alive around the duster with the body of a black panther on my back, taking a break from hunting for a meal near a stream and drinking the cool water, dipping it's tongue into the water. I found a pair of sequined multi colored sling backed pumps with a two-inch heel. I then designed a flapper style hat that went from my forehead peak to the neck and used the sequined pattern and colors of the shoes. Then I beaded a small purse with a toucan sitting on a branch. Once the outfit was finished I was pleased with the results that I hid from everyone in the house.

One day I needed some final measurements and I had my breasts bound with Joyce in the room. I undressed again when Joyce saw me bound up. She began to cry again that was when Mom heard her in the kitchen. Mom came back to the sewing room, she looked at her and me, as we held each other when she closely saw the bindings on my chest and the mounds that were flattened and left the room. When she returned she held a pair of bandage scissors with rounded tips and a bra. She cut those bindings from my body saying, "Marion, how…" I sat down and cried as the pain from my breasts receded and they both stood in their majestic beauty of all womanhood before them. Mom kept quiet as she placed a lacy brassiere on me giving me the support I really needed.

"Mom, it's just…Damnit Mom I'm a girl!" I said finally composing myself with her saying, "Sugar, do you think I'm blind? I need to know how you did it, not the whys of how you did it? And dear we know you are a girl." I told Mom everything, from the pharmaceutical stash I had, to the research I had done on the subjects of hormone replacement. I also included the forgeries of signatures that I had done. There was no yelling at me just that look of your butt is mine now sweetie.

She and Joyce hugged me with her saying, "Girl, when Daddy comes home I think that little rounded butt of yours is going to be so warm you'll be able to start a fire without the kindling. Why on earth didn't you come to me so we could talk?"

"Mom that psychologist does nothing but have me talk to him and he's getting rich from us. I saw how Joyce's body was changing and how she was starting to look like you, that's what I wanted! I thought you wouldn't listen, I'm tired of all the talking and that fool trying to change my mind about who and what I am."

"Okay, that saves us the co-payment for the insurance company and that psychologist's bull to us, but don't you realize that the risks you took…"

"Mom I knew the risks I took and I feel they were well worth it. I felt pretty lousy from hiding everything, but I'm as close to being a girl as I can get without the surgery. I was tired of all the words and I wanted action."

"That young lady is what you have certainly got, action. The damage, I think is done from what I can see. Tomorrow we, all of us girls will go see our Gyne. Right now I want to see both of you in your costumes, that I know my seamstress and creative daughters have completed." Mom said giving us both a kiss and leaving the room. I knew I was beyond the point of screwed but Mom was always the one to make Dad see clearly any judgments we made, good or bad.

Joyce and I went into her room carrying the costumes I had made for us. I helped her into the emerald green satin and lace lingerie I made for her, from the panties to the half-slip, which included black silk seamed stockings I found and then embroidered the peacocks at her ankles. I heard her moans of excitement as she drew her stockings on and up her curvaceous legs, all the while smiling at me. I saw her surprise when she saw the peacocks I sewed into her stockings.

I then put on my lingerie from the Electric Blue, laced, bandeau style bra that hooked at my waist giving me the bareback look that I wanted to the laced garter-belt I wore to the Electric Blue high cut, laced and satin panties. I drew up the electric blue, silk, back seamed stockings attaching them to the laced Garter Belt now knowing exactly how Joyce felt in their sensualness. Joyce did our hair and makeup and then helped me get into my jumpsuit/lounger and I helped her into her dress. Next was the jewelry of emerald colored stones for her and sapphires or blue stones for me: that I had found in several resale and antique shops. The last items were her headdress, gloves, and boa. Then it was my chapeau that I had added a finely woven veil that went to my mouth and attaching the removable lace sleeves and lace kid gloves. We were ready in an hour with her and I being pleased at the results of my hard labors and her makeup skills, as we placed our shoes onto our feet and picked up our purses.

Mom was in the living room when she saw us come from the bedroom as her jaw dropped to the floor with her racing to the telephone and making several excited telephone calls. She took numerous pictures of us in various poses, some demur and others risqué all the while marveling at my created works.

The doorbell rang several times as she took the pictures with several close neighbors coming inside. The final coup de grace was our Grams and Gramps that we had not seen since Daddy's broken nose episode. They both looked us over very closely as they came closer. I was about to go run, but Joyce held my hand firmly into her hand when Gramps came and kissed both our cheeks with me being the first saying, "You made those costumes, huh Marion? I can see you get your talent from all the women in the family young lady. Both you girls will be a hit with all the boys on that night." Did I hear the old bigot correctly? I was at a loss for words and then said, "But Gramps the last time I wore a ……"

"A dress, I know I went crazy. I hurt you all and physically hurt your Dad. We all hurt each other that day. Grams was going to divorce me unless I learned to be tolerant. Damnit girl, I saw shrinks, I read anything I could and I learned. Your father, mother, Grams and I all learned that word tolerance together because of you girls." We smiled and kissed our Grandparents with Mrs. Beyers, a close neighbor saying, "Andrea dear neighbor of mine and very close friend, if Marion and Joyce did those outfits I want one, I don't care what they charge for it." With those words all the women gushed and The House of Fashions was born.

I had to admit that that we were beyond ourselves when Daddy walked into the house. He was used to seeing me in Mom and Joyce's clothes as well as my own clothing, but the real shock to him was seeing Gramps and me together. He came over to us offering his hand to Gramps, which he took and pulled his son to him and hugged him. The family war was over but the peace was breached over and over again later, but at least for now the family was intact. I complied with Mom and the Gyne, was placed on a Hormone regimen and got a shot in my butt; after she saw the results of my blood tests and my body. Screw that psychologist and his garbage talk about reverting. I was at last happy!

I was distressed when we arrived home from school one day after Joyce had showed the Home Ec, Mrs. Stempic her teacher, our costumes for a grade on them. I should say I was dragged into that classroom later in the week kicking and screaming, since it was Joyce's class and not mine. Mrs. Stempic was amazed at the quality of the work and the thought that had gone into their design when Joyce spilled the beans that all she did was help me. She sent Joyce after me with a note to Mr. Vickers, the art teacher to read.

In minutes she was at the door with him seeing her, turning over the class to a practice teacher. He went into the corridor and spoke to her for several minutes. I was then called from the room with him escorting us to the Home Ec room with no words being said. On entering the room a young woman was seated with her being Mrs. Stempic and saying, "I want to see those costumes on you and not the dummies." I saw the smiles of all the girls, every last one of them in that class and the looks of disbelief on the two teacher's faces. I was about to bolt from the room! It was only Joyce's hand on my shoulder that stopped me as a few of her friends, like all of the girls, volunteered to help us get ready in the girls' bathroom. I was dragged forcibly by no less than twenty girls into that powder room and I left the heel and toe marks of my shoes on the floors to prove I was dragged. If I could have used my longish, claw like nails to stop my forward progression I would have done so. Up until that time only the family and my doctor had ever seen my body and now I was about to become the laughing stock of the school.

Once inside the girls blocked the doors making my escape impossible as they tore off my clothes seeing my pink panties and my bandages about my chest. A few girls giggled and laughed with one calling me a faggot, as I was thrown forcibly to the floor on my back, until my bandages were cut off. That's when they all exhaled deeply with Susan one of Joyce's friends saying, "Damn those knockers are bigger than most of ours. I am so jealous! Marion they are gorgeous!"

"Yep and they're both home grown ladies, now kindly help me up from the cold floor and allow me to dress." I said smiling as hands came from everywhere to help us dress from our lingerie to our makeup just as I helped Joyce many times before. The hands flew at speeds unbeknownst to normal man or woman, as the hair, nails, makeup and jewelry was done and we emerged as butterflies from the cocoon we shared. There was one girl later that entered the Powder Room after we were dressed and whispered into Susan's ear. I saw the looks of envy and shock as we stood before those girls with Susan saying, "Girls I think we have some very serious competition for the boys. Marion if we, any of us, ever catch you in those Grunge clothes again that little round butt of yours is ours." Gee, is this déjà vu? I seemed to have heard those words before somewhere. Well out of the closet and into the dress shop! I was scared shitless, as the old saying goes as we walked out of the powder room.

I was led by the girls past the Home Ec room and through the back doors of the assembly hall where all of the school plays were performed. I heard the principal speak when I asked the girls saying, "What's going on?" I tried to flee when I was forcibly held in place with Susan saying, "Now, stop it! Joyce you’d better tell her the surprise." I was told that much of the staff and administration had seen the costumes I made and what Joyce had said was a ruse. Several other teachers had called other school Home Ec teachers in the district and they in turn called the Press, as nowhere had they ever seen the handmade designs and craftsmanship that was done anywhere by a student.

"Marion, just go out there and be all of the girl your sister is and make us proud. I swear no one knows your secret and if anyone tells they'll answer to all of us girlfriend. Oh and we meant that about you dressing like us too." Susan said smiling with all the girls nodding with my knees knocking, just as Mrs. Stempic came from the other side of the curtains with her coming to us saying, "Hey kids, Marion I thought it was only fitting that everyone should see your creations. Joyce had told me last year about everything but I had no idea how much girl you really were and are. Since I do the costumes for the school plays, guess who's going to help me Marion and Joyce? After the mayor finishes…"

"The mayor? What the…but I'm a…" I was saying as Joyce said, "Shut up Sis, it was a surprise but you're listed now as a girl in the school records. It was a joke that backfired on us after we were caught last year and I was reminded that I could be prosecuted for it unless I helped, like right now."

It was then that the curtains drew back, loud techno music was played, and a bright spotlight blinded me with much applause filling the hall. The lights changed to softer lights when I saw Mr. Vickers standing at a podium, and Joyce moved out from backstage to a runway that was built that was never there before. I saw the flashes of cameras and the lights of video cameras that were filming the event. I shuddered when Joyce came back to the stage and waited as Mr. Vickers read of the descriptions of the clothes Joyce wore. Then with a hardy shove at my back or a kick to my butt I moved and then began to walk and mimic my sister's moves. I relaxed a bit as I heard the hoots and hollers of the people in the audience to the end of the runway and then I heard the applause as I opened my batwings. I then turned my back walking back toward Joyce showing the Toucans, Parrots and Panther. I didn't hear any of the bad words I once heard from anyone there. All I heard was the appreciation of the long hours I spent sewing with Mr. Vickers describing everything. I stood next to Joyce in awe, as the entire audience stood and applauded. For some unknown reason I curtsied low to the audience with Joyce following my lead. The Principal and District Superintendent came out of the wings with a bouquet of flowers for each of us, when I was asked by Mrs. Stempic to remove the duster and allow the Press to photograph it. I removed the duster when the lights lowered and the music began and as they say, I worked the catwalk. Those people that were leaving went back and seated themselves as the press videotaped everything. The circus finally ended with us thanking everyone but all I wanted was a hot bath, a very hot feminine bath.

We, meaning the girls, all walked through the halls, back to the powder room. On entering I saw that my clothes I wore earlier were nowhere to be seen and neither were Joyce's clothes. I was beyond pissed, as we all looked around the room when Mrs. Stempic said, "Thankfully the purses were locked in the classroom but your wallet was in your pants Marion. Susan take Marion to the office just as she is for a new ID, tell Principal Meyers what happened and Officer Brandt. Joyce, come with me and we'll find something for you both, meet us back in the classroom." Great! I had no ID, no pocket money for bus fare; did the word screwed, pop into your brain.

The other students greeted me as a celebrity as we walked through those halls. When we arrived at the office Mr. Meyers was standing at the desk, when Susan presented to him my problem. Mr. Myers readied the camera as Susan brushed out and styled my hair without the duster and chapeau. I was then taken into the back room as another photo was taken with my ID in hand. I saw Officer Brandt in the office after giving him my ID card and a report of the theft was filed.

While walking back to the classroom I glanced at my new ID reading the name of Marion Andrea Morrison, my birth date was correct but the sex read female. I was in shock as I looked at the picture seeing that my hair was braided in French braids with a royal blue colored bow holding it all together with the braids over my shoulder showing the ultra-feminine bow. I stopped walking when Susan grabbed my arm and yanked me into the classroom. The shades were drawn over the windows as I saw my sister dressing in the back of the room when she called me over to her. Next to Joyce was a pile of clothes, very feminine slut clothes I might add, left over from the production about a French hooker; need I say anymore?

Mrs. Stempic and Susan helped us by hanging up the costumes and packing the accessories but out of the corner of their eyes they watched silently in glee, as I got dressed in the red panties, and strapless bra, red fishnet pantyhose, black mini skirt and red stripped, low cut, sailor's blouse. I saw the shoes and cringed with them being red, strapped sandals that buckled around the ankle that had a three inch spiked heel. The jewelry was a black plastic bead necklace and bracelet, black circled plastic earrings, red beret and a red shoulder bag. I groaned loudly as the three females laughed with me saying, "If I walk home like this I'll get arrested for indecent exposure, impersonating a female and soliciting for sex."

"Hey Sis maybe for impersonating a male, but never a female. Damn you look HOT!" Joyce said with Mrs. Stempic saying, "You're not walking or taking the bus, I'm driving you home, if we can all get out of this school in one piece. Marion can you walk in those heels?"

"Hell she can run in them and I've seen her do it." Joyce said as I groaned wanting to hide further in the embarrassment I was suffering. Mrs. Stempic went for her car and would park it near the closest exit. We all would run out to it once she came inside and got us. I heard the bell sound for the change of classes and the noise, as the students took to the halls. I sat on a chair and crossed my legs with Susan saying, "Damnit Joyce, she does that so slow and seductively. If she does that at the party we better have some really big bruisers to hold her date back before he nails her pretty, laced panties to his wall collection."

Susan, I couldn't possibly do what you suggest since I don't have a vagi…"

"Sweetie, I hate to tell you, not all of us girls have oral or vaginal sex they take it up the butt." Susan said laughing as Joyce agreed with her by nodding her head as I squirmed in my chair. Mrs. Stempic came back and motioned for us to follow her with Susan closing the door behind us. It was then I heard the wolf whistles and very lewd remarks with us all running to the waiting car with me beating all three of them to the car and inside of it first. While we pulled from the curb burning rubber Joyce said, "I told you she'd outrun us, even in those heels!" We all laughed as we drove down the road in safety.

I turned off the water, dried off, did my hair in a very curly ponytail and applied my makeup as I smiled I got dressed in light blue panties, blue denim shorts, red tube-top, and tying off a denim shirt off above the waist and below my breasts. I slipped my feet into new white, slip-on, canvas sneakers. I checked my image in the mirror and went out to the galley for coffee.

After I poured the cup, made a snack and packed bottled water for myself to have later. I collected two rods, a nine-foot Fenwick fly rod with a Martin reel and an Eagle Claw backpack combo rod with an old Garcia Mitchell 300L-spinning reel. I put on my khaki fishing vest checked all the pockets for my first aid and snake bite kit, lures, hooks, leaders and flies and I finished my coffee. I pinned the license to my vest, retrieved some live bait from the fridge, collected my gear and locked up the Monster. I picked up the oars along with a flotation device going to and loading my boat, checking everything over along with the two batteries and trolling motor. I was in heaven as I left the shore, found a good spot and dropped the anchor.

Chapter 3

The sun was rising as I casted out the first line using a right handed, side arm cast with a dry fly on a two-pound leader. I whipped the line back and gave it more length when I got a strike and what a strike it was. The fish fought like hell as I played it in, seeing that it was a good and fat rainbow trout. This was the beginning of a very good and productive morning, as I caught my daily creel limit of the elusive Rainbow and Brown Trout, Northern Pike and Large Mouth Bass. All were way above the weight, girth and length limits, not trophies but damn I was going to feast that night possibly.

Looking at my watch, I saw I was only on the water for three hours as it was a little after nine when I tied the boat up, taking my gear and stringer of my fish up to the Monster. In no time I had them all cleaned and in the freezer humming a happy tune when I felt the slight sunburn on my legs and arms.

I poured more coffee and went directly to the tried and true Noxzema that was in my bathroom, applying the white, cooling, soothing cream to my legs and arms. I felt the immediate results as I rubbed it in and went back for my coffee and sat down onto the couch. Taking a sip of the brew I drifted back to that day I had returned home dressed as that poor French whore. Entering our house Mom was in the living room with Grams and Mrs. Beyers. I just knew we would catch hell from them all.

"Why Marion, how utterly venal you look. Have you been to the waterfront trolling for sailors?" Mom asked with Grams saying, "Or was that going after that poor old bus driver, dear?"

"Kid, I hope you used a lubricant and a condom for your Johns and took your Pill this morning for that fast C-note." Mrs. Beyers said when they all broke out laughing at my expense. My cheeks were on fire as I blushed before them, as my sister was rolling on the floor laughing. But no mercy was shown toward her either as they got ever raunchier with her.

I sat in a chair as they hammered away at her and then I crossed my legs just as I had in the school when Mrs. Beyers smiled and said, "Girl if you do that when my husband is around he'll yank that virginity away as quick as you can uncross those beautiful gams of yours."

They then had resumed their verbal assault on Joyce with me knowing when the time was right to flee, as I grabbed our costumes and ran into the bedroom we now shared. I changed into pink shorts, white canvas sneakers and a pink, short sleeved, modestly cut blouse and used our bathroom. While using the bathroom I heard applause. I quickly finished what I was doing and went into the living room seeing the television on with Joyce doing our catwalk routine. Not a word was said until after the television was turned off and Grams spoke saying, "Ladies, all I will say is I am not biased that my granddaughters have talent, beauty and skill. You completely owned that catwalk! You both mesmerized that audience and the Press with your grace, charm and saleswomanship." Joyce and I blushed receiving that praise from Grams when Mom said, "Mom is right and she does know about those things. Girls, all I'll tell you is Grams was once a designer in the garment industry and believe me she knows talent." Mom said as she hugged Grams.

We were both at a loss for words but then I had often wondered how that they knew about all those secrets and things they showed us about garments. Grams was not the type of woman to keep quiet about exorbitant prices along with shoddy clothing in the stores. She made her feelings well known to the owners, managers and the buyers of some major stores. Many stores had lost business when she started her tirades on the floor as she looked for a dress for Joyce or Mom as well as me. It was then she settled upon making the garment for them that was ten times better made and prettier than the one they saw and liked on display.

I returned to reality from my thoughts as I heard a knock on the door and went to open it seeing Neil with two adorable children, a boy and girl that I brought into the Monster immediately. I did a double take when I saw them both and they ran to me yelling Momma. I must admit that sounded good especially with the hugs and kisses they gave me. The girl's name was Tammy or Tamara and she was six years old and the boy was Nicky or Nicolas and was four almost five years old. Both of the children were in shorts, tees and sandals and I swear looked like me, now you know why I did the double take.

We sat at the dinette and I made them all breakfast, Corn Fritters and sausage, since the babies said that they were hungry. Tammy and Nicky made me sit with them and I complied to their wishes, as Neil smiled. The kids ate hungrily as did their father, when Neil softly said, "I am shocked that they took to you like they did. Of course any woman they see with Brunette hair is their M-O-M-M-Y, yet you do look like her in many ways." I looked at him after I gave another Fritter to the kids saying, "I don't mind, in fact I feel honored, besides they're adorable."

"Yeah, well wait until they're underfoot, want something they can't have or sick and I know you'll change you mind. Ah…. I need to speak to you alone for a minute." Neil said impatiently with me looking at the kids saying, "Tammy take care of Nicky for just a few minutes so Mommy can talk to Daddy. If you're both good Mommy will get you a toy or book tomorrow." Tammy agreed and I kissed them both and took Neil' into my bedroom. Once inside I closed the door saying, "So what's the urgency?"

"I dropped the word to my relief you were my girlfriend like you said. He saw us walking along the lakeshore and the kisses we shared. This morning, Mom’s and my telephone was ringing off the hook. It seems that somewhere along the line we became engaged." Neil said as I sat slowly upon the bed saying, "Look Neil, I mean I think you're really a nice guy and all but…"

"Mom and I have lived here in this area all our lives, these people are ruthless in their rumors and can ruin me and the kids for life. Mom said as a favor to her to ask you to play along and wear this." Neil said, as he pulled a small box from his pocket. He opened the box showing an engagement ring that had a pink marquis cut diamond in a gold setting. My mouth dropped as he took the ring from the box, kneeled and slipped the ring onto my left ring finger. I was at a loss for words when he kissed me, when my voice returned saying, "Honey, it's sweet of you but you really don't know me, I'm a mess inside my head and my body is just as bad."

"So, just spend some time with me and the kids. Meet Mom and play the game for appearances. You're already Mommy to the kids so…"

"Neil, that's not the point I came here to get my head on straight, oh shit, I know I'm going to regret this but okay. You do know you're going to have to stay here along with the kids for several nights, also I'm a pretty bad cook." I said with him kissing me like a man possessed with me hearing those bells and whistles, I never heard before. My body tingled, as I realized I wanted this man, badly. We embraced tighter and broke our kiss as I tried to catch my breath with him saying, "I'm sorry I got you into this mess, I owe you a great deal for this tactical maneuver." I pulled him down to me and kissed Neil silencing him and then breaking the kiss I said, "Well Daddy, Mommy has two little darlings to take care of; maybe later Mommy will take care of Daddy too."

"Darlin', I have to get to a seminar for the day. My Mom said she'd be here later and thinks it would be a good idea for you to spend time with the kids." Neil said with me saying, "Well since I am wearing your ring I'd say that those telephone wires will be red hot. You go to that seminar but when you get back we'll have dinner. We have to talk and you're spending the night." He kissed me as an explosion of fireworks rocked my world. We broke our kiss and went out to the children holding hands with Tammy saying, "Mommy, did you kiss Daddy?" I sat next to the kids smiling and said, "Yep, that's what Mommies do, they kiss Daddies and their babies." Leaning over I kissed the children and then went to the bathroom. I heard Neil telling the kids to be good for me as I used the commode, cleaned up and repaired my makeup. Walking back out to the galley, I cleaned the kids taking the kid's hands and walked with Neil out to his SUV. We kissed as he got into it, drove off with just the kids and I standing, waving goodbye.

I wanted to think about what had happened but the kids had other ideas. We went for a walk along the shore of the lake, waved to the people on boats. We saw all types of animals, and threw rocks into the lake and walked back to the Monster. Once inside I cleaned up the dishes, as the kids watched the television and then I joined them getting them both sitting on my lap and holding onto to me. It was their need to be held by an adult. They trusted me to protect and share whatever love I had in me with them. I looked down at my finger and saw the ring on it, I liked Neil, but these children were special to me. They proved to me I was suited to be a mother. As they both fell asleep after I fed them lunch, sat together, talked and played games. I picked them both up and took them to my bed, found some soft music on the radio and closed the door partially with me leaving them to their dreams after I kissed them both.

Chapter 4

I sat down at the dinette with an Iced Tea I had poured earlier, but never had an opportunity to drink. I sipped at the liquid, found my sketchpad and a pencil drawing clothing designs. This was me, the real me; drawing clothes for men, women, teenagers, girls, boys and babies, this was the element of the Rag Trade that I truly loved, and for months I hadn't been able to do it. I did several designs from a wedding dress to a work suit when I heard a vehicle door slam shut and there was a knock at my door.

I got up reluctantly, stretched and open the door to see a woman that was my height, plus sized, with long blond hair and blue eyes, talon fingernails painted a deep red, in blue jeans, a short sleeved plaid shirt and cowboy boots smiling, handing me two bags and saying, "Hi Darlin', don't you give you mother-in-law a kiss? I brought you the clothes for our babies that you called me about." I bent down from the Monster, smiling as I kissed her cheek, taking the bags from her with her coming inside the Monster with me saying, "Hi mother, Tammy and Nicky are asleep in the back." I had her sit at the dinette while I fixed her an Iced Tea. On turning she was looking at the sketches I had done smiling with her saying, "These are damn good girl. I love the Wedding Gown, so when're you going to marry Neil? It's been over a year, hasn't it Sweetie?"

I must have had that look that women get when they're shocked on my face with me recovering and saying, "Ah…yeah mother, all I can say is soon." She was smiling as she took my hand as I sat down in shock with her saying, "Good girl, Neil needs a girl like you. Darlin' please turn on the Air it's getting' warm; I'll help you close the windows.” We both stood up and closed all the windows in the Monster and I turned on the air conditioning cooling down the Monster immediately. I turned on the stereo to soft music and sat back down, she apologized to me for being so forward taking my hand into hers but another Ranger that was out for Neil's job followed her.

"Sorry ma'am for acting so stupid." I said with her saying, "Honey, when Neil came to my home last night he was a changed man. He was and is happy now since he found you. That bitch, Sheryl he married, gave him the sweetest babies in the world, but she was a whore. She broke Neil's heart after Nicky came. Neil and I caught her in their bed with another woman and a man. Neil threw them all out of his house, filed for custody of the kids and divorced her butt with her getting zip. That Ranger that's after my son's job is telling the bitch everything that goes on or so we think. Just be careful of Ranger Mike Thorp. Darlin' the name's are Dora or mother whatever you prefer."

"The name Mother seems to fit us, Dora, that's what the babies call me." I said sweetly with Dora saying, "You do look like the bitch, no offense honey I like you a whole lot more and I don't even know you. I never liked the bitch from the Moment I met her, but you I like. Neil called me on the way to that seminar and told me how the babies reacted to you. They never liked their own mother, but you Sweetie, they took a shinin' too. Neil has that sense about people like I do, but how he screwed up with her I'll never know. So what's going on inside that pretty head of yours?"

"I like them too. I came out here after being forced to do so by my family. My sister and I own two stores and a factory that design, make and sell clothes called The House of Fashions." I said with Dora saying, "I've been to one of them, they're really nice and the clothes are a woman's dream when they fit right. Are those sketches some of the new product line?" Dora picked up the sketchpad with me saying, "They could be, and those are the first sketches I've done in months."

"Sounds to me like boy or girl trouble? Darlin' I don't care who you go to bed with as long as you love that person. In Neil's case he'd screw a skunk as long as it loved him and the babies." Dora said smiling with me saying, "We met because of that skunk or baby skunk. Dora, I like Neil and the babies but the baggage I have in my mind is something only I can work out."

"You mean like being a boy? Sweetie all I see is a woman. I know because I have a friend that's the County Sheriff and I'm the on-call dispatcher. I ran the plates of the Motorhome that said you were all girl, I then spoke to a reporter friend of mine confidentially that did some digging with the stores and employees. I suggest you get rid of Michelle; she has a big mouth. Anyway, my gut instinct says you were never a boy." Dora said squeezing my hand with me saying, "Damn that woman! We built up the stores since we were teenagers and have a good name to protect. Okay Dora, all my life I've been a girl, dressed as a girl, dated as a girl and loved men as a girl does. After High School I had a few relationships with men but they only wanted one thing from me and that was sex. I've had hypnosis and psychoanalysis done to revert me and you know… I was miserable! My Dad and Gramps even had a fistfight over me because I wore dresses. I learned the Rag Trade skills from my Grams and Mom that my sister had a tough time doing yet I could do. The Shrinks took our money but they didn't do a damn thing for me. This body I have, I created before puberty with the books and the medicines I took and then later through my Gyne to keep me on the right path. For the past few years I confused everyone including myself, I was set for the final surgery, I became scared when a Shrink came to my room and said you aren't a woman, you're an abomination to god, you can't conceive and they're going to cut it off in the morning; then they'll give you a hole so a real man can screw you into oblivion and reroute the plumbing so you can pee from a hole. I was so scared I ran and up until yesterday I haven't worn a bra, dress or a skirt. My loneliness has made everyone miserable and I can't be lonely any more. This is me Dora! I am and always have been Marion Andrea Morrison and I love the old me."

"Sweetie, like I said I like this lady sitting across from me, she has moxie. I'm glad I came and we had this chance to speak as mother and daughter-in-law. You're more woman than that bitch could ever be. Take care of my son and grandbabies, mother Marion. Oh Sweetie, that wedding dress you designed would look lovely on you, just remember your mother-in-law needs a dress too for your wedding." Dora said standing up and giving me a kiss to my utter amazement after what I had said to her with me giving her a kiss as the tears ran down my cheeks and me saying, "After all I said, you still…"

"Darlin' Sweetheart, our Marion, you are a lady, as honest as they come. Be that wife to Neil and companion he deserves that loves and you love. Be the mother to Tammy and Nicky that you love and they love and deserve. Honey, Neil is going to ask for your hand soon, take his hand into yours with honor and pride being the woman you are. Now I'm gonna call my lovesick son and tell him you're special to our family, which you are, and to get a wedding ring on you fast or you're gonna get away." Dora said with me saying, "Mother, is it that obvious to you? I mean I want to be courted, married and then made love to, or so I thought. I never believed in that love at first sight trash…"

"It is, you will and I do believe in it." Dora said as she kissed me again with us walking from the Monster holding hands after she gave me her cellphone number. I glanced over at a wooded area seeing a Ranger's SUV as she climbed into her pickup truck. I gave her another hug and a kiss before she drove off with the Ranger's SUV following her.

When I got inside I shut the Air off and opened the windows just as Tammy came from the bedroom. I took her to the bathroom with her saying, "Mommy, I heard Grandma before." She did her business and I helped her clean up saying, "Yes sweetheart, Grandma was here but she had to get going, so little girl it's just you, me and Nicky. How about a snack?" I said as she gave me a hug and a kiss saying, "Mommy I love you very much and Daddy too." I bent at my knees and held this sweet little girl to my breast as my eyes teared up saying, "You know what? I love you and Nicky too."

Tammy and I went to the galley with me getting her a glass of milk and two cookies having her sit at the dinette. I went to my cellphone and dialed Joyce's number that she answered by saying, "Hey girl, so how's the boyfriend?" I smiled sitting down on the couch, crossing my legs saying, "Oh, my two boyfriends and girlfriend are doing fine." It was then I spoke softly and told Joyce what had happened all day, everything. I also told her to terminate or transfer Michelle to the factory, as she was a security leak to our business and our designs.

"Sis we'll be there soon, we're going to pick up some barbeque ribs and chicken before we get there. I assume Neil and the children are there so we'll bring plenty. Devon sends his love to you and so do I, along with Eddie and Carol. They said they can't wait to terrorize their aunt and play with their cousins and Uncle Neil.

"Yeah, well, tell those two little hellions that Auntie Marion said that their Uncle Neil is the Senior Park Ranger and he'll put their little butts in the hoosegow. Sis, I wish Mom and Dad were coming with you, I need the entire family to sort out this mess. I want to cry so bad but… "

"I know sis, we got the campsite right next to yours and Devon said he's going to be a pain in your ass." Joyce said with me saying, "So what else is new? This was going to be a vacation."

"Hey Momma, no one says that being a Mom is fun all the time. Hey put my niece on the phone Mom, if she's awake." Joyce said as I called Tammy to me and explained to her who Auntie Joyce and Uncle Devon were, along with Eddie and Carol. She was excited as she spoke to Joyce, Devon, Eddie and Carol as I held her onto my lap and hugged her to me when she handed the phone back to me with dead air on the phone. I disconnected and laid the phone down as Tammy and I just held each other, that was when my cellphone rang.

I answered it with Neil saying, "Hi sweetheart, I spoke to Mom and decided…"

"Whoa there big boy, your Mom told you to call me, didn't she? By the way Tammy is up and keeping me company. Oh, your new sister-in-law and brother-in-law will be parked right next to me and we're having Barbeque for supper. Your niece and nephew can't wait to play with their cousins. Does your almost wife get to play house with her almost husband tonight?" I said smiling with Neil saying, "Damn girl, Mom said you worked fast but…"

"You'll see just how fast I work tonight in bed darling. Neil Honey, I love your Mom, your mother told me everything…"

"Mom did the same to me Honey, look I'll be there in an hour and then we'll talk." Neil said with me saying, "I'll wake Nicky, drive safe I want you in my bed tonight." I said as I disconnected and Nicky came from the bedroom with me telling him to use the bathroom first and running after him. I got his pants down and got him to the commode and lifted the seat just in time with me saying, "Sweetie I spoke to Daddy and he said he loves you and you know what, so do I." Nicky's smile went from ear to ear as he cleaned himself up, pulled his underwear and pants up all by himself. I was amazed that this baby did that and praised him for the feat after we washed him up. We went into the galley after I picked him up and placed him onto the dinette seat. I gave him the same snack his sister had with him pulling me down to him and him saying, "Thank you Mommy, I love you."

Crossing my legs, I watched as he ate the cookies and drank his milk while I had the television on for Tammy. I had to say I never thought those words of Mommy or I love you from another person were ever going to grace my ears. Yet they did, by two wonderful children that I was growing very fond of second by second. I asked the children to be good while I changed clothes and ran to the bedroom leaving the door partially open.

I stripped my clothes off. I found and pulled on a pair of khaki colored Capris, a red, short-sleeved cotton blouse and red mules with a two-inch heel. I left the bedroom going into the bathroom, redid my makeup and then found the perfume and gold jewelry back in the bedroom. I used a gold rope necklace, bracelet, added two gold studs and one gold hoop earring in each ear and a gold anklet along with several rings to accent my fingers and my engagement ring. I ran a brush through my hair and smiled after I did my lips sticking the tube into my pocket. I looked into my mirror smiling that this night was going to be special. Oh yeah, it was indeed going to be special.

Walking back to the seating area hearing my heels on the galley tile, I cleaned the dinette area as the children watched me and smiled with Tammy saying, "Mommy, will Daddy be here soon?" I smiled at her and nodded yes as I sat down onto the couch with the kids climbing onto my lap as they watched the television.

I began to think back of the day of the party, with Joyce and I going crazy. We both were allowed by Mom to go to the beauty shop with Mom telling the ladies to give her daughters the full treatment. I was in heaven as my hair, nails and makeup was done, as was Joyce. We left that shop feeling like we were adult women promising the ladies we’d bring a picture for them of the costumes. The days before were crazy after our creations were unveiled we received job offers to offers by people wanting those costumes for display. I had to admit that going to school in a skirt or dress was wonderful and the way I was treated by everyone was great, from the typical loner I became popular by the boys and girls. Susan and Joyce kept me focused along with Mom, Dad, Grams and Gramps, but school came first.

Joyce and I were taking our baths then I heard her scream as she soaked in the tub. I was out of the tub with a towel wrapped around me beating Mom through her bedroom door and her bathroom seeing Joyce reading a magazine and saying, "This asshole stole our designs, or your designs. He said in the article we stole them from him and intends to sue us." Mom was furious as she grabbed the magazine from Joyce and ran toward the kitchen.

Joyce and I discussed the matter deciding that we were the owners of the costumes since I had all the original drawings, notes and a progress journal of the work being done, and how it was done on a daily basis. Mom came back into the room and smiled saying, "Grams's lawyer is going after this moron and the magazine. Girls, Grams also had the costumes registered with someone with your company name The House of Fashions. Marion dear, I intruded on your privacy, I'm so sorry but I found the drawings and notes you made, I showed them to Grams and she registered the designs since she saw some new innovations to the work you did.Grams says to go have a good time, don't worry and no sex." My thoughts were Yeah! Sure, I want a boy, now, please! Okay what was said made sense but Joyce was ready for Devon to take her.

We dressed in our costumes, went to the party with our dates having a great time. When we returned home we found a war council waiting for us with a man we had never seen speaking to our parents and Grandparents. We found out that man in the magazine was suing us for several million dollars along with a cease and desist order to display or wear our costumes, as he said it was his. I heard Grams call that man a greedy, little, no talent bastard. That was when I knew Grams knew the man. The man that was there that we didn't know was the attorney for us and he had hired several Private Investigators after he read my journal. Our court date was in one week but we were ready and I was ready to crush the liar's testicles.

During that week we had meetings and depositions with the attorney and went to school. I wasn't in a good mood as I sat through those classes but everyone that read the printed garbage said the man lied. Mrs. Stempic was subpoenaed as a witness as was Mr. Vickers and Meyers for us. In order to pass the time I drew and then beaded two Magenta colored, pantsuit jackets with the scenes of Vipers such as Diamond Back Rattle Snakes, Black Mamba, Cobras and a few others. I beaded the outer seams of our flared slacks in black and the collars of the jackets for an accent in black and added a cobra to the lapels in a strike positions. I was finished the day before the trial was to begin.

The day of the trial we wore the pantsuits with a white sleeveless shell and black pumps with a three-inch heel. Mom and Dad laughed as they saw us knowing that this display alone would show the judge the jerk suing us was a liar.

It was a Media Zoo as we entered the courthouse when Grams saw the guy he turned many colors and lowered his head. The attorneys made their opening arguments to the judge, as this was to be a bench trial. Documents were submitted but when the registration of the costumes was submitted the opposing attorneys wanted a recess, which the judge granted until the next day. Both companies were also ordered to submit the costumes to be examined. For three days the Fencing Match continued when I was called to the witness stand. I was sworn in and seated after I gave my legal name of Marion Andrea and my age. I told the truth that what I beaded was a composite of several photos I had once seen detailing the amount of time I had spent on the costumes. I was tried to be discredited by the other side when I said I had hand beaded the costumes and they said it was impossible to do. That was when I told them it was and I had documented the times for the costume and the pantsuits that I had done for the first day of the trial. Next was the determination of several garments that were machine beaded and several that were hand beaded. I was correct each time because the machine garment was too perfect, too sterile, too clean in the stitches and was cold in its character and depth or lacking there of. The hand beaded creations show character, wasn't always perfect in the lines and not always neat and clean in the stitches. I also stated that the man suing me always used beading machines to mass market his thefts of ingenuity and creative license. That remark was stricken from the record.

Grams was even worse than Joyce or I on the witness stand. The thief actually worked for her at one time and stole several designs or parts from other designers and tried to pass off the works as his own. She called him a no talent thief and that wasn't stricken from the record. She stated that she trained Mom and Mom trained Joyce and I in the art and I had the best creativity, speed and work she had ever seen in all the years she was a designer with a proven Design House that she had once owned.

The PI's had found numerous employees of his that corroborated the date of his so called creation of two days after the designed costumes were shown on the television news. Signed affidavits were then submitted to the judge.

I saw the defeat in the other side's eyes when the Judge recessed for a decision.

For two days we waited for a decision and were finally called back into the courtroom with the judge finding for us and against the thief. He declared the designs were legally ours and ordered the thief and the magazine to pay a substantial amount to us for damages and slander. There was to be no appeal of the decision as the findings were final. We won, with the courtroom spectators applauding. Grams went to the other side saying that he was finished in the Rag Trade and that was a promise.

Tammy shook me back to reality after hearing a knock at the door. I looked at the security monitor seeing Neil and went to let him in. Once inside he handed me a bouquet of flowers and gave me a kiss that made me want him more than I already did. The children jumped into his arms when we finished our kiss with Neil loudly saying, "Where you both good for Mommy?" When they both said yes Neil gave Tammy a new doll and Nicky a toy car with them both going to play on the rug and Neil taking me to the couch bringing me closer to him softly saying, "Mark Grissom was at the gate when I came in and saw me. He hates Thorp but you never know who your friends are. Damn you smell good! Where you serious about tonight?" I pouted a bit and said, "Excuse me Neil, yes I meant it. Besides Mom and I had a nice long talk about everything and tonight you get to meet my side of the family. Darling, did you bring your running shoes?" He looked at me, kissed me and said, "I sure as hell did Darlin', your man has to be fit to service you from what Joyce told me."

"How in the hell…those damn forms I filled out! Okay, my first rule for us is to always be honest with each other. I guess I'm first so many years ago a baby was born…" Neil kissed me to silence me saying, "If you think that story is going to keep me from having my way with the woman I love forget it. Sweetheart, I was told by my sister-in-law and Mom, what's funny is I swore off anything that had hooters, I worked hard, love my kids and now I have you. I feel as if I've been with you for years and years."

"Well Honey, you have. Seriously, I feel the same way as you do, I told your Mom I came out here to get everything on straight and to fish." I said as I crossed my legs with Neil watching my movements and then saying, "Oh please tell me they're all legal."

"Go look in the freezer if you doubt your wife's sincerity." I said as I pulled him from the couch to the freezer. I opened the door showing him the daily limit I had with him saying, "I'm impressed, now you and I…

"And Dev will be leaving at five AM. Make sure you have your license and no more skunks dear." I said when I heard a motorhome parking. I looked out the window seeing three motorhomes parking that were identical to mine in color and length. I knew exactly who owned those other two, Mom and Dad plus Grams and Gramps. I looked at Neil saying, "Are you up to being grilled by the In Laws?"

"Sweetheart, you put up with my mother and she's the best in getting in your business. Hell Joyce and Dev were real cordial to me." Neil said with me saying, "Sweetie, Daddy and Gramps are different, Mom and Grams have fangs and claws. I'm the baby of the family, just don't let them get to you, if they do I give you my permission to Mace them." I said making Neil laugh with us getting the kids and going outside.

Chapter 5

We stood on the roadway as the motorhomes lowered the load leveler jacks and then extended the living and dining room areas just as I had done before. I asked the kids to sit at a table while Neil and I hooked up the motorhomes to the conveniences of water, electricity, sewer and telephone just as I had. When everyone came out and swarmed first on poor Tammy and Nicky, then on Neil and me with Gramps saying, "It's about damn time I have my granddaughter back. Neil, she's a Heller, get a good whip and chair boy." Grams and Gramps kissed and hugged us both, as Mom and Dad watched with them doing the same with Mom saying, "At last I have my Darling other daughter back…" When Joyce screamed and ran to me grabbing my left hand showing my ring to everyone with Mom softly saying, "My Lord, she's back in skirts not even twenty-four hours, has a fiancé and is the mother of two babies. Oh crap I'm a grandmother again!"

"Andrea what are you bitchin' about, we're great Grandparents again. You know I kinda like it." Grams said chuckling as I called Tammy and Nicky to me introducing the kids to the family. They were a hit with the family with Carol saying, "Oh Auntie Marion, I like you better this way, please don't ever change on us." I hugged my niece to me and hugged Eddie then saying, "Hey Sis, get the food I have three people that are hungry, make that four. Tomorrow we have fish that I caught today for supper." It took us a while but we managed to have a feast that my family brought with them. Neil and I had coaxed Dora to come and we fed the entire shift of Rangers with me bringing Mark Grissom over to our side yet I sensed that Thorp was beyond slimy with some of the rangers opening up to me.

After we cleaned up the children that climbed up onto my lap, as I spoke to my family and Neil's Mother, Dora, with her being a hit. Mom and Joyce watched me closely as I held the babies and kissed them a great deal. Several times Mark Grissom stopped by the campsite to discuss problems in the park with Neil and each time he observed me closely with the children. It was one of those times that he managed to speak to me saying, "Marion, I know you saw me watching you, but we always thought that Neil's fiancé was a product of his imagination since his divorce. Raising kids as a single parent is rough especially when the ex-wife is behind the scenes stirring the pot of hate and distrust. I've seen Neil close to the brink after the breakup, the only things that kept him going was the love from the kids, his Mom and the times he spoke to you on the telephone or the visits." Wait a minute here, I thought to myself, up until yesterday I never spoke to the man or saw him; with a non-expressive face I said, "I met Neil through his mother at my shop and things just clicked for us. I've had a difficult time getting away and they would come to see me. I love Neil and the children very much; all I can say is if Mike and Sheryl want to cause trouble for us they have to get through me first. I have a ton of lawyers at my disposal that can be used to ensure my family is safe and secure. Neil, Dora, Tamara and Nicholas are my priority. A mother protects her young and a wife protects her husband along with being a woman honoring her mother's wisdom and love. I suggest Sheryl moves on and makes a new life, as for Mike to find another posting or they will surely be destroyed legally and politically. Have you ever stepped on a twig or branch? You know the sound you hear, the snap, tells you the wood has given way and was broke by your weight. Sheryl and Mike are now those twigs and they will be broken by me." Okay I stretched the truth but since I grabbed the bull by the balls I wanted the message conveyed that I would castrate that bull and give a hysterectomy to the cow.

"I get the message loud and clear, they'll get it also. Neil is the best boss we ever had, he knows his stuff, along with getting the respect from the staff and personally I think you're the best thing that could happen to him and the kids." Mark then turned and walked from me with Dora and Mom coming to me. I told them what had transpired and saw the smiles on their faces with Dora saying, "She's a gutsy thing ain't she, Andi?" as they both drew me to them with Mom saying, "Oh yes, from the first fight we all had, she's a scrapper. Dora, my little girl, is kind, loving and caring but don't ever cross her, that pussy cat turns into a puma that's hungry."

It was getting late as we all went back to the family with me taking Tammy and Nicky into the Monster after they made the rounds to say goodnight. I gave them a bath, pulled out the convertible bed that was also the couch and made it up for them. They got into their PJs after I dried them, and then as the Mommy I was relegated to read them a story, which I gladly and lovingly did. I found the book in their bag, as they got ready for bed. I read them a story but didn't finish it, as they were both fast asleep. I tucked then both in, turned around seeing Neil, Devon and Joyce smiling with Joyce softly saying, "We, Devon and I came to say goodnight when this stranger just kind of followed us. Damn if I wasn't married I'd jump his bones Sis or is it Mom?" We all went to the dinette and sat down after Joyce and I got iced tea for everyone with me saying, “You know you asked me a question and my answer is, Mommy will do."

"Sis, you drove us all crazy before, we all needed a break from that creature you became. I missed the kind, sweet and loving sister-in-law I had before, I missed the girl and woman that we took to parties and stood up as Joyce's Maid-of-Honor. The kids missed their always smiling aunt, their best friend and Godmother. “Devon said with Neil saying, "Dev, if she reverts, she has to answer to the kids and me. Marion I swear…" I leaned into Neil and kissed him deeply making him forget his train of thought. We broke our kiss with Joyce dragging Devon from the Monster with me going to the bedroom and Neil locking and drawing the shades of the Monster.

I found and took the things I needed into the bathroom area closed the doors and removed all my clothes. I used the commode, prepared myself internally and externally and applied the briefest of makeup. Opening the doors I walked into the bedroom, turned down the lights and lay onto the bed wearing a sheer and lacey, white nightgown, white garter belt, white seamed stockings, white G-string and white open toed mules with a three inch heel. I called Neil saying, "Darling, the bathroom is yours, take a shower and come join Mommy in bed." The dear man spouted wings, did what I asked and joined me in the queen-sized bed. I saw he was ready for action as he saw me and entered the room. He turned off the lights, closed our door as I set the intercom to listen for the kids. He came into my waiting arms, kissed me and thrilled me the entire night. Oh what a thrill it was!

The man was not shy as he took control of me; I have had lovers in the past that never seemed to fulfill me but Neil was an exception. He was gentle, soft-spoken and knew what buttons to push to start me purring. I had learned through the women in our family what men liked and wanted, from being the passive and then dominate woman to oral, the vaginal and anal sex we shared. I regretted I did not have that vagina but I indeed shared what I had. I was on cloud nine as I had orgasmed just as I have heard Mom and Joyce speak about it. Those orgasms I had made me want him more, with me never wanting to revert back to a sexless male or eunuch. I was content to be a woman, his woman. I wanted to be Neil's wife and lover! I desired to be a mother to his children and wanted even more babies. We eventually fell asleep into each other's arms for the shortest and best sleep I ever had.

It was still dark when I awoke. I showered, did my hair and makeup and got dressed in a black string bikini after taking care of a slight bump, khaki explorer shorts and khaki short sleeved blouse that I tied under my breasts. After slipping on my canvas sneakers I went into the galley and started the coffee and then into the bedroom. I gently kissed Neil awake with the sheets tenting and me almost losing my clothes with me saying, "Dear if this keeps up we're going to have to get married." I pulled him from the bed with him taking me into his arms saying, "Why, because of the sex? In my case I know I love you. I loved you from the first time I saw you swimming in the lake. I want you and I want to love and worship you even if I have to suck your toes, oh sorry I did that last night. Anyway, I'm overjoyed and so are the kids, we found you. Now since you have my ring will you be ours, Mommy?" I was speechless and stunned to say the least avoiding the answer to his question telling him to take a shower and dress. I went back to the galley after I found the clothes for him and the kids for the day and laid them out on the bed after I made it, with fresh linens. I heard his happy humming as he showered and I smiled. I poured my morning coffee checked on the babies when there was a knock at the door and then it opened with a key with Joyce coming inside smiling and me saying, "Don't tell me you have a key for this Monster?"

"Yep and all the other ones also. If you want a set, I need a bribe for them." Joyce said with me handing her a cup of coffee and me saying, "How's that? I expect three sets in that drawer by tomorrow." I pointed to my junk drawer with us laughing and sitting down with her saying, "By the way you were standing and walking I'd say you had an active night?"

"By the way you're walking and that awful fish stench I'd say you have your monthly friend." I said countering her question as she frowned and then giggled saying, "Damn it's nice having my sassy sister back. I see you've been working." Joyce picked up my sketchpad drawings and was looking at them with me saying, "A little bit, they have to be refined. I want our photographer up here to take some pictures of the wildlife and scenery. I need you to go to town and look around and then to the lodge and get whatever postcards you can find. How's the holiday line coming?"

"Sure, I'll take all the kids to town with Mom and Grams. The holiday line is shaping up, the managers want to computerize the beading, and they said it would cut costs."

"Nope, if they don't like my decision they can go somewhere else to work. Our beaded lines are all handmade; they're all one of a kind garments with the best materials in those garments. That's what people want and are expecting from us, not that assembly line, plastic garbage. We have people that work hard and are proud of the sewing skills and craftsmanship they have, we refine that and we teach them." I said just as Neil came from the bathroom in his birthday suit. He calmly went to the coffee pot, poured a cup, kissed me and went back to the bedroom to dress with Joyce saying, "Where can I trade Devon in for a model like that? After seeing that attribute I'm surprised you can stand, walk or talk. Hell girl, I'd be squirming and orgasming all over the place if I took all of him in me."

"Let's just say I did squirm, orgasmed and smiled a great deal." I said as we both laughed with Neil coming from the bedroom dressed in shorts, pullover shirt, and runners with him then sitting next to me after a breathless kiss we shared.

"Well meat man, I think welcome to our ditzy family is in order. I commend my sister for taking the whole salami, she’s an asset to all womanhood for getting you off of the streets with that weapon." Joyce said smiling with Neil not even turning red from embarrassment said, "Yep Sis, my Darlin' here is quite a girl, but damn she even got the wolves howlin' last night in her lust for my salami." Neil leaned over and kissed me with me saying, "I've been had! You both set me up! Just for that Neil the answer is yes and not until I say so."

Neil was so happy he almost carried me back to the bedroom as the confused eyes of my Sister watched us with her saying, "All right you two, oh crap, it just dawned on me Neil asked you to marry him." Joyce squealed and hugged us both, with me saying, "Neil asked me when he gave me the ring, or at least kinda, then again last night. You know I was in a mental quandary but spending the day with the kids, last night in Neil's arms or impaled and then as I checked the babies I was sure that I was a woman and nothing else. I'm proud to say I love Neil and our babies."

"Well Ranger sir, it had to take a Mountain Man like you to tame and bring Sis back to us. I haven't seen her smile like this in ages." Joyce said with Neil saying, "Hey, my salami will put a smile on anyone's face…"

"Yeah or hit the high notes as I did last night. Joyce, can the family forgive me for the hell I put them through?" I said with Joyce saying, "Sure we can and did, but can you forgive me for the practical joke with the clothes and everything else? Honey we were desperate to have Sis back, that skunk was just what we hoped for."

"However I do have a washer and dryer along with cash and credit cards. I have to admit I have a man and kids now that I missed for all those years. So my answer is I forgive everyone. Neil, please take the babies to Joyce's Motorhome and get your gear. I'll lock up, Sis tell Dev to get the batteries off the charger and wake up the old folks." I said chuckling with everyone doing as I asked, and then smiling as I put on my fishing vest.

We had five boats out on that lake and one of those boats wasn't ours that shadowed us. We all made sure that our catches were legal that we kept and those we didn't keep went on living for the joy of another fisherman to catch. By eight o'clock Neil was beyond angry when he called the patrol boat over to our group. When the boat came closer to us he asked the two Rangers what they thought they were doing. The response was they were ordered to observe us by Thorp and report any discrepancies of any rules to him.

That set Neil off and sent the Rangers back to patrolling the water and to keep off the radio. We, Neil and I, headed back to the campsite with him running back to his truck and leaving me at the Monster. Several hours later he returned while I sat at the picnic table sketching, he was smiling. When he was close enough he picked me up and began twirling me in a circle. I was so dizzy when he stopped, I fell to the ground and laughed with him falling on top of me with him saying, "Thorp is gone for good and Sheryl is almost in County Jail with him. That bastard was sitting at my desk, snorting lines of coke and broke every lock in my office except for my office door that he had locked." Neil said telling me that Sheryl became a dealer and hooked Thorp on the crap he was shoving up his nose and sex. The dumb bastard tried to shoot Neil when he opened the door; Neil overpowered him and arrested him. Linda at the reception desk called the Sheriff's Office on hearing the shot and requested backup with the Sheriff and the State Troopers answering the call to help. A field analysis was done of the powder on Neil's desk with the results being that the powder was cocaine. A search of Thorp's state vehicle had given up an ungodly amount of the Snow, that's when Thorp gave up Sheryl to the DEA Feds and the State boys we called in. He had to file his report when I saw that a Ranger SUV was coming running his lights. Neil gave me a kiss as the Ranger's smiled, ran to his SUV and roared away toward the front gate, while I stood in the roadway.

I then returned to the picnic table and my iced tea. I was alone and sketched when I thought of Joyce's wedding. It took me six months of work to finish her dress, undergarments and veil but the work was worth it when I saw her smile. Only three people worked on her dress, Mom, Grams and me. She originally chose some mass-produced, off the rack creation with a designers name on it that was over priced and looked hideous on her. While the clerk took her measurements I made two copies, one for me and one for the bridal store. Joyce placed the order and I cancelled it the next day. I was determined that Joyce was going to have the best gown by the best designers their ever has been, us. The gown that we made was made in the finest materials of antique satin, lace and silk we could find. Joyce had always liked one particular wedding gown in our archive that I found in a resale shop so that's what we did; we made her that gown. Grams made her three sets of corsets and panties of pure white satin and lace, I embroidered in colored silk, six pairs of white silk seamless stockings with the designs of intertwined wedding rings, kissing doves and wedding bells on the outside of the legs until the stockings got to the knees when it got racy. At the knee all the way to the reinforcement, I embroidered men and women in various sexual positions. Mom did her veil with my designs, except of course the risqué ones.

It took forever to build that gown due to the layering of the multiple skirts but we managed. From the dummy it went on the other dummy, me, as Mom and Grams made adjustments. I must have donated several pints of blood that day with all the pinpricks I received. On the bodice, we used white lace, lined with off white silk for the modesty panel that went from her v line to just to her nipples with the lace going to form a high neck and surround it. The sleeves were made of the same lace as the bodice that ruffled at her wrists. Mom made a satin bustle that looked like two wedding bells, bowed them at the top of the bells and added silk streamers to the clappers and turnbuckles with a fourteen foot detachable, multi-layered silk, lace, and satin train. Next was more embroidery on the bodice, pearls and crystals. On the stomach, in white silk thread I embroidered two small doves holding wedding rings in their beaks as they sat next to each other on a tree limb; I did the same to the center of the train in a larger version. I embroidered a red rose at her cleavage and small red roses at her wrists. We found her shoes, which were made of white silk straps that formed a delicate, feminine bow and an ankle strap to hold the shoes onto her feet.

While I did some of the finishing touches to the gown Grams and Mom did the Bride's maid dresses in deep red satin and silk that were backless and strapless and the woman that wore them could not be breastless. They made matching wide brim hats and a face veil that only went past the nose. They went all out even making the matching lingerie such as red lace panties, slips and red lace garter belts. Our shoes were similar to Joyce's except in red. Talk about the Red Light District!

Before the wedding I threw her wedding shower when she remarked she hadn't been called in for a dress fitting and she was worried. I handed her several boxes and threw Devon from the room and locked the door. Joyce opened the boxes and cried when she saw the dress and her accessories. There must have been over a hundred women in that room when they yelled out for Joyce to try on the gown. What the hell, Joyce needed a fitting and I was tired of being stuck in the butt by pins. Susan and I dressed Sis from the corset, which was super tightened to the stockings when Susan said they looked strange. Joyce looked at them and blushed when showing Susan a woman giving oral sex to her husband and he doing the same to her on a bed. I was called a pervert, as they looked at all my work and then given a kiss on my forehead. The slip was lowered on Joyce and then the dress when Susan saw the fully assembled dress, bustle, train and veil, she cried.

We took Joyce into the room and the room shushed. There is no such thing as a quiet room with over one hundred women in it, it just doesn't happen, but it did. It was then that everyone converged on poor Sis until we managed to get her out of that room. Susan and I undressed Sis and helped her to dress in her street clothes, when she broke down and cried. When she composed herself I told her that if she disliked the dress we'd get her another gown. I explained to her we did it for her because she was always giving herself to the family and we wanted to give her something to pass on to her daughter and later on her daughter. She finally said through her tears that they were from the joy and love we all shared as a family. Then I was yelled at for canceling the other gown order and losing the deposit. I walked to my purse, withdrawing an envelope and walked back, handing it to her. She opened the envelope and there was cash in it for the amount of the deposit and a note from Grams, Mom and me. The note simply said to have a loving wedding day and to use the money on the Honeymoon.

I heard the running of little feet and the yelling of Mommy, Mommy that brought me back. Standing up and then bending at my knees, two babies ran into my arms and kissed me with everything they had, as Grams, Mom, Joyce, Carol, and Eddie came over to me as I held my kids to me. Yes I said they were and are my kids with Mom saying, "Gee, I remember doing that to two other little girls a long time ago. Why aren't you on the lake Sweetheart?"

"Mom, I'll have Neil tell you later. He just got called back to the office, there was a problem, and the guys are still fishing." I said with Joyce saying, "Those new designs are marvelous, especially the three wedding gowns." Looking at the sketchpad I saw ten designs and three of them were wedding gowns.

Chapter 6

Staring at the sketches I was at a loss for words when I closed up the pad and suggested we all go to the swimming area. The kids all screamed their approval while the other older women groaned with Grams taking the pad from my hand and looked at them saying, "Traditional, modern, nouveau, Deco, such depravity and I like them." She smiled with Mom saying, "Oh Joyce Honey, I hope you packed a swimsuit………"

"Oh Mom, I have plenty thanks to Sis, I'll loan her one." I said with Joyce saying, "No thanks, I have a few of my own but I think yours will look great on you." I slid my shorts down my legs and took off my blouse exposing the string bikini I put on earlier as Joyce's eyes popped out of her head and our elders clucking. It was then I heard a wolf whistle close to me. I was about to run when I was kissed on my neck. I turned around into Neil's arms with him saying, "Hmmmm…Daddy likes the suit. Do you intend to go to the beach like that? If you do the new District Inspector will have to notify the paramedics of possible heart attacks by the male populace." I looked at him strangely with him further saying, " I was promoted, there are four districts and I have this one now. I hurried away before because I had a call from the Superintendent of State Parks. I applied for the job over a year ago, was interviewed, tested and got the job finally. Of course we have to move to the big city, the kids and I in six weeks. Ah…Darlin' can we go home with you? but…"

Here I stood practically naked and I kissed the man that held me, silencing him. The landlord of the house I rented wanted to sell it to me before so now I guess I would have to buy it, build a few more rooms onto it. We broke our kiss when I heard Daddy's voice yelling at me saying, "Marion Andrea Morrison get those ass cheeks and breasts covered, young lady!"

"What a prude! Daddy that's the style, besides she's going to be a married woman and her husband doesn't seem to mind from what I can see." Joyce said as I felt something jabbing me. I giggled seeing his monster trying to get free of his pants with Gramps saying, "Holy Smoke boy, that's a dangerous weapon in those drawers! Marion, how in the hell…"

"Tobias! Leave the children alone, I'll tell you about the Birds and the Bees later when we're by ourselves." Grams said as she winked to Gramps and him smiling with Joyce and I giggling making Neil blush.

Devon was soaked and wet as he brought all the stringers with the fish they caught, when I counted five stringers. Let's see now; Gramps, Dad and Devon, now that's three. Oh crap, Neil and I were included! My eyes went wide when I heard Neil softly say into my ear to be quiet, it happens. I relaxed but I seriously thought they'd all go to jail or pay a fine for exceeding the fishing limit.

As Devon cleaned the fish we found out he fell into the lake while fighting a Northern Pike, his first Northern. He was so excited he tipped the boat over in shallow water, held onto the rod and fought the critter with Dad netting it. On measuring the fish it was a quarter of an inch from being legal and let it go. Devon was initiated just as any fisherman worth a damn has fallen into a river, lake or stream but landed his fish. Normally when this happens the person that fell in has to buy the booze and clean the fish. Devon's gear was all recovered and the boat turned over and re-outfitted with everyone helping Devon. While the fish were being cleaned Mom told the guys about Neil and his new job with Gramps saying, "Uh oh, Son, I think we're busted." With Neil saying, "Why? Gramps, we gave you those stringers before we left so that they'd be fresh after we caught our limit. All I can say is, I'm sure as hell happy this isn't deer season with you guys or we'd be eating venison for months." We were all laughing when Dora came by in her pickup truck.

The kids ran to her, smothered her with their love and she brought them back to me saying, "I think these belong to you Mommy. Neil Babcock, how many times do I have to tell you, you clean what you catch? Don't even tell me that poor boy was initiated? All you men get in there and help, right now!" The men all hurried over and helped Devon with Grams saying, "Hey, I like her style, Dora come home with us and I'll let you train Gramps. Devon Dear, take the kids with you and go change. Joyce will tell you everything later." Devon took all the kids with him with Dora looking around saying, "Darlin', they got the bitch! They got all of her shit and she's spilling her guts out to the Feds, she's looking at seven to ten years, maybe more. Your buddy Thorp has Fed and State charges pending, possession on state property, possession with intent to deliver on a wildlife refuge, attempted murder of a Law Officer namely a District Inspector and Park Ranger. He's screwed! Who's taking over?"

"I recommended Mark, he knows the job." Neil said with Dora saying, "He'll work out, the poachers all hate him. Marion, why in the hell are you dressed in that thing girl. You'll cause a traffic accident! Besides the men out here don't know how to drive anyway."

"Maybe I wanted to shock myself in what I could wear. Oh Damnit Mom, Joyce did it as a joke. All the suits I have are like this, your son and his spear is at the ready to nail his wife." I said as everyone laughed with Dora saying, "Sweetie pie, I say no showers with my boy, no closed areas without an escape route, don't bend over at the waist to pick anything up, never wear dresses or heaven forbid thongs with a dress anywhere near this boy. He's as endowed and as Horney as his Daddy was, and damn did that man makes me happy. One other thing girl, get plenty of lubricant for that flagpole, you'll need it" Dora said as she hugged Neil and me to her.

Gramps, Neil and Dad finished cleaning the fish with me putting them into the freezer. Neil started the grill and I lowered the sun awning on the Monster. The moods of everyone were happy including Devon wearing dry clothes with all the children playing. I watched as Carol and Eddie took care of Tammy and Nicky. We had grilled hot dogs and burgers, potato salad and chips for lunch with Mark Grissom stopping over to thank Neil for the new position, which he starts after the property inventory and turnover by the former supervisor that was Neil. I had to leave the conversation as Nicky and Tammy had fallen asleep in my lap after eating. I carried the babies inside and laid them onto the bed, closed the windows and turned on the air condition. I covered them up, kissed them both and went to the living room. I turned on the television, straightened up the kitchen, dining area and living room when I heard Neil's name on the news. I ran to the door and called him inside with everyone following. The reporter gave a blow-by-blow account at what had happened, who was arrested by whom, what was found and the enormous list of charges against the arrestees. It was then I saw that the station was a cable news station and told Neil. My thoughts were that our peace and solitude was over as they gave Neil's new title. Now that I was used to this half assed camping stuff the Press was going to be a pain in our ass. Neil must have sensed my thoughts and took my hand.

When the report ended Mark said, "I'll be damned! Hey Inspector sir, I'd better go check on our people. We'll keep track of the Press."

"Mark, if the Press want a statement hand them over to the superintendent's office, no one gives any interviews to anyone, not even the guests. Tell Linda to restrict the use of cameras in the lodge or near the offices. Oh and keep a sharp eye on any of Thorps friends, put them all on the day shift. We'll do the turnover tomorrow and I'll be on vacation with my wife and kids." Neil said as Mark smiled, gave Neil a salute and left us.

We continued to watch the news programming with me getting bored. I went outside taking my cellphone with me not even realizing I was still wearing the String Bikini. I pulled out a lounger from the storage compartment, set up the lounger, grabbed my sketchpad and lay down upon the lounger. I opened the pad and stared at the designs. I was impressed at what I drew then and didn't remember doing so. I pulled up my knees finding a blank page, began to draw and then I thought back of all the grief and confusion I had caused everyone. I stopped drawing and called my landlord Mrs. Ruth Price with her answering I said, "Ruth, this is Marion Morrison.

"Hello dear how is your vacation? I do hope you found a man?"

"Ruth you have no idea, Joyce, her family, Mom, Grams, everyone is out here." From that point on I told Ruth what had happened to me. She was a sweet lady and the house I rented from her was her first house that she and her new husband Alvin used to live in. It was an old small two bedroom, English Style Tudor brick and timber cottage that sat on fifty acres of land on the outskirts of the city. I had flower and vegetable gardens, along with an orchard that provided me fruit. I had a modern kitchen to prepare food in, a den that was a bedroom, a library that was a sitting room, dining room to entertain in, a gorgeous, cozy parlor with a fireplace and the large master bedroom with a very large attached bath, two large powder rooms, a large patio, a small pond, an almost barn or large garage and this was my heaven, country living in the big city.

Ruth kinda laughed at what I told her about everything I had said with her saying, "Marion sweetheart, tell Auntie Ruth the truth dear. Do you love the man? Can you manage being a mother to someone else's children? Are you prepared to be a woman and wife after pretending to be a man? Darling if the answers is yes…"

"Ruth, the answer is yes to everything." I said with Ruth saying, "Dear the house is yours along with the additional acreage that the city wanted for a park. The city wanted everything but they were going to tear down the house and we said no to the deal. Alvin and I will sign the promise note and a sellers contract to sell you it all, but the house has to have its charm intact with the additions. We get a garden area for ourselves for life and we get to visit you often. Two further items, be a good mother and do have that surgery. Alvin has been angry with you! He missed the young girl that we rented our house to, I am sure he will be pleased that, that young lady has returned with a husband and children." I said my thanks to her and disconnected with Gramps and Daddy coming from inside of the Monster with Daddy saying, "You know Dad, I told your granddaughter to cover her ass cheeks and breasts so she sits on her young butt and covers her breasts with a sketchpad."

"I know son, it seems as if kids don't want to listen to their elders, it's very disrespectful. However she is dressed for swimming but hasn't gone near the water." Gramps said as the two of them grabbed my feet and arms and picked me up as I squirmed and screamed bringing almost everyone out of the motorhome. Gramps and Dad carried me to the shoreline; they swung me back and forth as I screamed harder, finally throwing me into the lake. Just as I came up from the sandy bottom of the lake heading to the surface another body hit the water, it was Joyce. As I hit the surface I saw Mom being thrown into the lake and then both Dora and Grams as I watched the guys tackle them as they tried to run. It was pitiful to see all the women in my family get thrown into the lake and the guys laughing but knowing how devious Grams and Mom were I'd say the guy's asses were grass and we were going to be the lawnmowers.

I was the first to swim onto the sandy shoreline when I saw my old little friend with the white strips come from behind a tree. I froze watching it go behind the men and look at them. I motioned for the women to look at the skunk when they saw Stinky, they stayed right were they were. I dived into the water just as I saw Stinky raise its tail. When I surfaced all I heard were the men swearing, my smelling Stinky and them diving into the water of the lake.

"Damn you guys stink!" Joyce yelled out laughing so hard I thought she peed in the lake. This was better than when we were babies taking baths together when I took a crap in the tub and she thought it was a toy.

We all watched as stinky brazenly waddled to the shoreline and to the water and drank the water. It was then I saw the door to the Monster open with Carol and Tammy coming down the stairs. We all yelled at them to stay away when Tammy saw Stinky, ran to it saying Kitty, Kitty, and damn if Stinky didn't go toward her. All I thought about was Tammy and Carol as I swam to the shore when Tammy picked up the baby skunk and was holding it.

"Tammy Honey, put the kitty down and come to Mommy, Carol get inside please." I said as Carol ran into the Monster, I slowly walked toward Tammy with her saying, "But Mommy I want to play with the kitty, can we keep her?" My thoughts were, yeah when hell freezes over. I was about five feet away from Tammy when that little stinkpot hissed at me and Tammy dropped it. I grabbed Tammy's hand and ran like hell with Stinky following us at a trot. We just barely got inside the Monster when that tail went up again and I closed the door.

Carol and Tammy were both wailing, Eddie was laughing his butt off and I grabbed a cellphone. I was consoling the girls, yelling at Eddie to stop laughing as I dialed the Lodge when a sweet voice answered. I told her the problem and where everyone was with her laughing and putting me on hold, just as the circuit came alive the cellphone went dead.

I was pissed at my nephew and the girls cried their eyes out when I saw Neil grab Stinky by the tail and held it up to the window. I was not about to leave the Monster or allow the kids to do so when we heard the sirens, the screeching of brakes on the gravel and the uproarious laughter. Opening the door, the smell of Le Odeur de Skunk number three was very heavy. I told the kids to stay inside and close the door as I went outside. There were Rangers and vehicles everywhere with Neil placing Stinky into a pet carrier on a pickup truck bed and covering the cage with a tarp. When Mark saw me he said, "Damn boss I can see why you want to marry her." I saw the other men drooling as they roamed over my body with their eyes,

"Have the Vet check Stinky over real good. I want you all to know that because of Marion, Tammy wasn't bitten and we were able to get this little one and make sure we don't have any rabies in the park. Skunks and raccoons get it first and it travels like wildfire to some of the animals. This little critter showed no fear to any of us. It came to Tammy when she called it. Put out some traps for other small animals and check that breeder, Murdock, see if any of his critters got away." Neil said as I wrinkled my nose with me saying, "Darling, I hate to tell you but you really do smell bad. Mark I hope you brought a few gallons of that goop and many shovels?"

"We sure did Marion, Neil your lady is right, go take a shower, please." Mark said with Neil saying, "Hell no! I'm going over to the Lodge, sit at my desk, light a cigar and make everyone run like hell."

"Neil, Linda will have your hide after that last time, it'll be hanging over the fireplace. You did that cigar bit once before and everyone was sick. Not even that goop as Marion calls it in liquid form worked to get rid of the smell in the Lodge. Marion please for all of our sakes, talk some sense into the boss." Mark pleaded with me saying, "Ah Darling, please drop those smelly drawers, Mommy has something for you." I was about to grab Neil’s flagpole when I held my breath and kissed Neil with the others around us really kicking up a fuss that the boss was getting smooched on. When we stopped kissing Mark said, "I know who's gonna be the boss in that house and she wears skirts."

"Mark, I just can't wait for you to marry Linda, I will be your shadow as I videotape everything for Headquarters to see, especially when you wear that wedding gown down the aisle. Hell. I'll even ask my wife to make it for you, won't you Marion?" Neil said winking his eye with Marion saying, "I sure will dear, along with matching lingerie and honeymoon outfits. Mark looks about a size sixteen, no problem." The blood in Mark's faced drained as the Rangers started on him and then left us leaving several gallons of the goop.

Dora took charge making all the guys strip near the beach as we all smiled broadly at their embarrassment. When Dad looked at Neil and exclaimed by saying, "Gee Dad, I feel like a midget next to Neil. Marion, how in the hell do you…"

"Edward! We'll talk later, then we'll find a microscope to measure your thingies." Mom said laughing making us all laugh with Joyce saying, "Dora, are all the boys…"

"Damn I hope not, some of the gals around these parts couldn't handle a fire hose, besides I see nothing for these men to be ashamed about. I see all of you gals have kids, you seem happy and you don't seem to be lacking a bed warmer." Dora said with Mom saying, "I'm happy with what I have Dora and it's been years since I've seen Marion happy. Let's you and I go bury these things and talk, coming Joyce, Mom. Daddy, Edward, Neil and Devon move those sweet cheeks and use that stuff. Edward Dear, I want a sweet smelling man in my bed." Damn could those guys move fast once they realized that they could be seen in the raw from the road and the promise of them getting something from Momma.

I went into the Monster first with the goop as Neil stayed at the back of the Monster outside. I checked Nicky first, found clean clothes for Neil and closed the bedroom door. Putting the goop into the bathroom, I called Neil inside as I kept the kids occupied and we spoke together about the skunk with Tammy saying, "Mommy can I have that kitty? I'll take good care of it, please." My jaw dropped to the floor and then saw the tears in Tammy's eyes. I could just imagine what my house would smell like. I'd get to hear that varmint hissing at me as I got next to Tammy. Oh, Show and Tell would be a big hit at school. I could see fifty-five gallon drums of the goop we used stored in my garage, the gardens and in the house. I looked at and brought Tammy to me saying, "Sweetheart, I have to ask Daddy first, if he says yes then I'll say yes. Carol and Eddie please bring my cellphone inside, put it in the charger and take your mother's phone to her and tell her to charge it and keep it charged. Tammy you can go with your cousins, while Nicky sleeps." I saw the smiles appear on their faces as the kids scurried and left the Monster as I went back to speak to Neil.

I sat on the commode, bending the top portion of my body foreword and crossed my legs saying, "Oh darling we have a very big problem, that's smelly too." I told him about what Tammy asked for a pet and he laughed saying, "Honey I had everything from raccoons to snakes along with minks growing up, but that's the country living and we're going to be living in the city." I didn't like the answer and told him about the house and land that seemed to surprise him. My concern was to make Tammy be a happy little girl with me saying, "Okay, here's the deal, that child your daughter and mine want's and I quote, that kitty. I will not lie to her, nor have you do it for me, to tell her the kitty died. I know that all or most wild animals are classified as exotic….

"Dear that skunk is an American musteline mammal that typically ejects an intensely foul-smelling fluid when it's startled; it's also in some classifications put in a separate subfamily called Mephitinae in other words it stinks and sprays…

"Dear as I was saying; de-scent Stinky, teach it manners so it doesn't hiss at me or make me stand on a chair, litter box train it and Tammy has her kitty. I want you start a program to let city and town kids to see these gorgeous animals up close and personal that aren't in a zoo type atmosphere."

"But…"

"Listen to her Neil Harvard Babcock, she has an idea that worked in other states. I think the kids of any age would love it. You moron you're a zoologist that specializes as an ethologist, a conservationist as well as a Game Warden and Cop." Dora said smiling as she came into the bathroom with me smiling and saying, "Hmmm…Neil Harvard, huh? Honey, I can't break Tammy's little heart and neither can you. If it's money that's needed we'll find it, but I never saw a hell of a lot of the critters until Joyce and I were old enough when we learned to fish and respect nature's creatures. Start the ball rolling with Stinky."

"There's a raccoon kit that was orphaned and adopted us at the Lodge maybe…"

I looked at Neil's body outline in the shower hearing the excitement in his voice and nodded my head yes, saying, "That's a good one dear, Stinky and the Bandit. They are both to be in pet carriers and never let loose in the house without us being around. And you my dear get to clean the litter boxes." I walked softly into the bedroom, checked on Nicky and had just taken the top of my bikini off when Dora walked in.

I blushed with her saying, "Darlin', it just us girls and a very little boy that's asleep in here. Get dressed and we're goin' to town, jus' you an' me so we can talk and shop." I had Dora sit on the bed as I took the bathing suit off and dressed in fresh pink bikini panties, a pink strapless bra, a pink tube top, Khaki colored cargo shorts and a Khaki colored, short sleeved bush jacket that I left open. I put on white footies and white sneakers. I did my makeup with Dora softly saying, "Sweetie, I can see why Neil loves you and I'm his Momma speaking to you now. You're smart, talented, beautiful, and love the babies. You love life. You love him and have the womanly skills to control your man that he doesn't see he's been manipulated. The bitch he divorced had no control or any idea of how to control a man but in your case my dear, you do."

"Mother, that was not always the case…"

"Sweetie I know, you had your demons, and we all do. All I want is for the babies to be happy and their mother and father happy." Dora said kissing me as she led me from the room and to her pickup truck after I told Neil I was leaving and to watch Nicky.

Chapter 7

Neil had his shower and smelled human again when I came back after going to town with Dora. We walked around the local stores and the touristy shops. Okay so one type of store the locals shopped at and the other were geared toward the tourist clientele, you know tourist traps. In each store we went to Dora introduced me to people as Neil's new wife and I was treated like royalty. But I swear that woman is part Indian shaman, one minute she was next to me and the next she was gone like a puff of smoke. I purchase a few items called Dream Catchers and several sets of wind chimes for the Monster and home. I did some grocery shopping since there were now three added mouths to feed. We visited the toyshop and bought them out from dolls to stuffed animals, even water blaster squirt guns for the big boys.

We drove back to the Campgrounds in a happy frame of mind when the Ranger at the gate stopped the truck when he recognized Dora and said, "Hi Dora going back to the camping area?"

"Yes Taylor with my daughter-in-law…"

"Oh sorry Mrs. Babcock, the Inspector is waiting for you with Ranger Grissom and the kids." Taylor said with me saying, "Relax Taylor, I'm just Marion to all of you and the Inspector is still the same man you worked with, Neil." I said smiling as the Ranger waved us through to where the camping sites were at smiling, with Dora saying, "You just made that poor rookie a very happy boy, dear. He'll go home tonight think of you and whip his Willy to death." We both laughed and kept laughing when we came to the campsite where we saw the Ranger SUV parked. Dora parked alongside the SUV with us seeing the family sitting at or near the picnic table. The kids were on the ground playing with something when I saw something furry and moving.

I got out of the truck and walked quickly to the picnic area seeing a baby raccoon that was maybe about six weeks old and sucking down a baby bottle that Tammy held for it. I looked at Neil and tapped my foot impatiently on the ground with my hands on my hips waiting for an answer with him coming to me and giving me a big sloppy kiss. We broke the kiss with him saying, "I thought it might be a good idea to see how…"

"Neil Harvard Babcock, are you mad! That's a baby, it has to be fed at night and the damn thing stays up all night when it gets…"

"Oh put a sock in it, Sis! It's cute and cuddly…"

"That's what husbands are! Girls, cut the crap or I have a hairbrush that has your imprints on it when I used it last on your butts before and it's in our RV." Mom said with everyone nodding their agreement with me saying, "Neil please go unload the pickup and I'll be in the galley. Mom, please watch the children so Neil and I can talk." I said as I turned around and was closing the door as Dora