chapter = 14
author = Dwparsnip
Rating = AP15
Type = Romance
fanfic = The next morning the alarm went off at 0645, and Lisa turned it off with a scornful tap. She turned her head to look at Rick and her heart skipped a beat when she found that he wasn’t beside her.
She sat up quickly and called out anxiously, “Rick.”
He poked his head through the bedroom doorway and said, “Good morning, beautiful. Up and at ‘em.”
He walked toward her as she fell back on the bed and said grumpily, “Why are you in such a good mood?”
He knelt down on one knee beside her and as she turned her head to look at him he said pleasantly, “Why shouldn’t I be in a good mood? I spent yesterday with my wife and son and last night making love to said wife. And on top of that, when I woke up this morning her beautiful face was the absolute first thing that I saw. I couldn’t possibly be in a bad mood after all of that.”
He smiled and reached over to kiss her. He broke from the kiss, stood up and said, “Stay right there, Sleeping Beauty.” He hesitated as if realizing something and amended, “Well, okay sit up, but don’t get out of bed.”
As he disappeared out the door, she sat up in bed and wondered, ‘What in the world is he up to now?’
He came back a few moments later carrying a tray in his hands, and on the tray was a cup of coffee and Lisa’s favorite breakfast, blueberry pancakes smothered in syrup. Also on the tray was a beautiful arrangement of red flowers from the Botanical Gardens.
He gently placed the tray across her lap and carefully sat down in front of her on the bed. She smelled the flowers and said playfully, “Amanda is going to kill you.”
She meant the botany guru aboard ship, Assistant Chief Engineer Amanda Fraser. In her spare time over the years, Fraser had painstakingly planted and grown dozens of earth flowers in what was now the ship’s botanical garden. It had taken so long because the seeds didn’t seem to want to grow in the Tirolian soil, so everywhere the REF went she would pester someone to obtain soil samples for her to test. She finally found a compatible soil and planted the seeds. She watered the plants, she weeded the plants, she talked to the plants, and rumor had it that she even tucked them in at night. Years later, the gardens were lush and ripe with various earth plants, especially Fraser’s favorite flower, the King Humber Red Canna Lily, of which several specimens now graced Lisa’s breakfast tray.
He folded his arms across his chest. “First of all”, he said indignantly, “what makes you think I didn’t ask her first?”
Lisa fixed him with an appropriate ‘are you kidding’ look and said, “Because I know you, Rick.”
“Okay”, he conceded as he unfolded his arms. “What makes you think she’ll know it was me?” He thought for second, remembered the last time he raided the gardens and said, “You’re right, she’s going to kill me.” He thought for another second and said, “Then again, she really likes you, so when I tell her that they were for you, she may spare me. Besides, I’ve known Fraser for a long time, and God knows if she wanted to kill me she would have done it before now.”
Lisa laughed heartily and asked, “Aren’t you having something?”
He shook his head. “Already had mine. You go ahead and eat while I hop in the shower.”
He got up and took a couple of steps toward the bathroom, but stopped when he remembered something. He turned around and went back to Lisa and gave her a tender kiss.
He looked at her and said with a smile, “I love you.”
Holding his gaze she said, “I love you, too.”
With that he was ready for his shower and proceeded to the bathroom.
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Sue Graham sat in the chair in her living room and looked at her friends on the couch. Grace and Marques had come over before going to work to discuss their plan to get Rick Hunter to be with Graham.
”Alright”, said Graham. “Admiral Lisa Hunter’s escort squadron has been set for over a year. The same pilots fly in it, no matter what. When she goes off ship on official business, they fly escort.” She paused to make sure that her friends were following her, and when they both nodded for her to continue she did. “She has several trips planned for the upcoming months, mostly to Tirol. One of those Tirol trips would be the best chance for success.”
“I’ve looked over the list of names Sue, and I’ve picked the target”, said Grace mischievously. She pulled out a personnel dossier and read from it. “Lieutenant Scott Montgomery. Twenty-three years old, average build and average height. Not drop dead gorgeous but not a troll either. Psyche profile indicates a tendency to keep to himself, despite his best attempts to the contrary. I’ve already introduced myself to him and I shouldn’t have any problem with getting to know him better. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be able to get the escort procedures and so forth.”
“Nice, Andrea.” She looked at Marques and asked, “What about getting assigned to be her medic on trips off ship?”
Marques said, “I’ve submitted the necessary requests and talked to Dr. Grant about it. The final decision falls to her and she doesn’t have a problem with it. She told me she’d let me know soon.”
“Did she ask why you requested the assignment?”, asked Grace.
Marques nodded her head and said, “I just told her I needed a change in routine. She seemed to accept that.”
“Good”, said Graham.
Marques looked at Graham and asked, “How’s the flight training coming along?”
“Great actually”, was her reply. “The pointers and lessons you gave me have enabled me to go ahead of everyone else a bit. The instructor said if I wanted to try the certification test in a few weeks I could.”
“That’s really good, Sue”, said Marques, impressed yet again by Graham’s ability.
“Thanks. Everything is coming together nicely. Fleet Intelligence has learned of a Tirolian explosive that’s untraceable, and I have found a fool proof way of obtaining a very small amount.” She added ominously, “Enough for the shuttle and the diversion.”
Marques shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
Her discomfort didn’t escape Graham’s attention. She looked at her and asked, “Something wrong, Angie?”
She looked at Graham and said sadly, “I’m afraid people are going to get hurt, Sue. Comrades. That bothers me a little, yes.”
“If you’re having second thoughts, Angie”, said Grace beside her, “now is the time.”
Marques shook her head and said emphatically, “No, I’m in all the way.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Just my medical training bugging me I guess.”
“Okay”, said Graham, “that’s enough for now anyway. Soon be time to head into work.”
“Me too”, said Grace as she got up. “Angie?”
Marques shook her head as she too got up off the couch. “First day off in three weeks, and I have no idea what to do.”
As she headed for the door, Graham looked at Marques and suggested, “The Botanical Garden. They say that Fraser has done wonders up there. Check that out.”
“Maybe I will”, said Marques as the women headed out the door.
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Rick wanted to be with Lisa for as long as he could before he went to the Situation Room, so he decided to walk her up to the bridge. His left hand held her right hand, and as they approached the door to the bridge Rick slowed their pace to a slow crawl.
Ten feet from the door he stopped her, looked into her sparkling green eyes and said, “Call me if you get a chance?”
Her left hand came up to caress his cheek and she said softly, “I’ll make the time to call you. Don’t overdo it, okay Rick. Promise me?”
He smiled his best ‘don’t worry’ smile and replied, “I promise.” He moved forward and kissed her. The love in their kiss ran like an electrical current that warmed them both, and when they stepped back from each other all thoughts were gone from their minds except that love.
Slowly however, reality came back to them.
Lisa said very slowly, “You better get out of here while I still have some control over my actions.”
He smiled and said, “Alright. Love you.”
He turned and started walking back towards the Sit. Room and she said loud enough for him to hear, “Love you too.”
He stopped and turned around to take one more look at her. She brought her hand up to her lips and blew him a kiss. He blew one back to her and as she turned to go onto the bridge, he turned to head to the Sit. Room.
Lisa entered the bridge and was welcomed by the ‘Admiral on the bridge’ call.
“As you were”, she announced to her command crew.
Captain Forsythe approached her and said with a smile, “Welcome back, Admiral. I’ve been keeping your chair nice and warm for you.”
“Thank you, Captain.” She sat down in her chair, looked at her executive officer and asked, “What have I missed?”
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Around the same time that Lisa entered the bridge of her ship, Lieutenant Angela Marques entered the Botanical Garden. She was truly amazed at the plant life that thrived in the room, like roses, lilies, lilacs and dozens of other flowers. The fragrances varied from section to section, but all were pleasant. She walked around and took in the sights and smells, enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the place.
As she approached a section that was marked as containing a variety of lilies, the peace was shattered as she heard a flabbergasted voice exclaim, “I’m going to kill him! No I will not calm down, this time he’s gone too far!”
Curious, Marques edged closer to the disturbance, hid behind a big rose bush, and watched and listened as Amanda Fraser talked to one of her volunteers, Lieutenant Tori Hogan. Fraser was a small woman who’s long blonde hair waved back and forth as she opened her arms wide to encompass the scene in front of her as she spoke.
“Ma’am, you don’t even know if it was him”, Hogan said nervously. She hadn’t been there the last time he raided the flowerbeds, but everyone knew that Fraser gave him the biggest kind of tongue-lashing with threats of bodily harm should he do it again.
Fraser looked at her with narrowed blue eyes and said, “It was him. He’s done it before. I warned him…”
“Ma’am, he outranks you”, tried Hogan.
“I don’t care if he’s the archangel Gabriel! I’m going to kill him!”
Marques wasn’t sure if Fraser was serious or not, but she was glad nonetheless that she wasn’t who Fraser was mad at.
Hogan was about to say something else when a masculine voice entered the conversation. “Come on Amanda, it was only a few flowers.”
Rick had decided that before he did anything else he should apologize to Fraser, although when he overheard what she had said he had some second thoughts.
Hogan saluted nervously and vacated the premises as quickly as she could. Fraser looked at Rick, pointed the spade she had in her hand at him and said with blatant anger in her voice, “You! I ought to…”
“I’m sorry, Amanda”, he said with genuine remorse. He stepped closer to her, despite the fact that she still had the spade pointed at him, and continued, “I just really wanted to do something special for Lisa this morning before we went back to work, and for looking after me when I was injured during the MED.”
Her expression softened a little bit. Everyone knew of the epic love story of Lisa Hayes and Rick Hunter, and she had been around long enough to see it from the beginning aboard the SDF-1. She had always pulled for them to get together, and when both Rick and Lisa asked her to join the REF and the SDF-3, she was genuinely touched. “Admiral”, she began with barely controlled fury, “you broke into the Botanical Garden, you ravaged through my flowerbeds and stole some of my favorite flowers.”
He nodded and admitted, “Yes ma’am, I did.”
After forcing herself to calm down a bit, Fraser looked at him suspiciously and asked, “What did you do for Lisa that was so special?”
Rick looked at her and knew that he had already won. He had known Fraser for a long time, and Lisa and he even considered her a very good friend. “I got up before the alarm went off and cooked her favorite breakfast for her. When she woke up I brought the food into the bedroom on a tray, decorated with those beautiful lilies, so that she could have breakfast in bed.”
“That’s it?”, she asked with her eyes wide open in shock.
Rick ran his hand through his hair and said, “Well, it was sort of the icing on the cake for yesterday. I took her down to Tirol and surprised her with a visit from our son, and then took her to see those vertical waterfalls that she wanted to see so much.”
Fraser was about to comment when Rick said, “You should have seen her face when she saw Roy, Amanda, she was so surprised and so happy. We had the perfect day yesterday.” He winked at her and said quietly, “And the perfect night too.”
Behind the rose bush, Marques narrowed her eyes. ‘Wait until Sue hears about this.’
Fraser looked at him and smiled. Then however, as though she remembered she was supposed to be mad at him, her eyes darkened. “But Rick, my red lilies!” She stepped closer to him, and when he glanced fearfully at the spade that she still had pointed at him she lowered it and said pleadingly, “Just promise me the next time you want to give Lisa flowers, come and see me. I’ll give you what you need, but just let me know. Don’t invade my garden and tear up my flowers.”
He smiled the widest smile and said happily, “Deal.”
Fraser looked at him, shook her head and asked in a defeated voice, “Did she like the flowers?”
Rick put his right arm around her shoulder and said, “She absolutely loved the flowers.”
He released her and moved to sit on a nearby bench. When Fraser joined him he said, “You know Amanda, Lisa and I haven’t exactly had a problem free relationship…”
“No kidding”, quipped Fraser.
He ignored her comment and continued, “But we always came through those hard times stronger than ever. Even with…with what we just faced, it’s the same thing.”
Fraser was little a lost. ‘ Another problem? Lately? What happened now?’
Rick paused for a second then said, “If you had asked me this time last year if my love for Lisa could get any stronger, I would have said no. But here I am now, and I know I love her more today than I did a year ago. Hell, I love her more today than I did yesterday. Even after all this time. Does that make any sense?”
Fraser looked at Rick and said with a warm smile, “Sure it does, Rick. Isn’t that the way love, true love, is supposed to be?”
He looked at her, smiled and said, “Yes it is. Thanks.” He looked around at the foliage and said, “I better head to the Sit. Room. My first day back to work and I’m late. Sorry about the lilies, Amanda.”
She looked at him and said warningly, “Get out of here before I…”
He got up, began a quick march out of the garden and said over his shoulder, “Bye, Amanda.”
Fraser laughed as he left in a hurry and turned her attention to the crater that once housed her lilies. She looked at the hole and screamed, “Agh! Men!”
Marques slipped unnoticed out of the gardens and began to walk home. As she walked, her mind went over Graham’s ideas, but something that Rick had just said kept finding it’s way into her thoughts: ‘I love her more today than I did yesterday’, he had said.
‘He truly loves her’, she thought to herself, sadly aware that she had never felt anything that even remotely resembled what she just heard him describe.
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“Admiral on Deck!”, exclaimed Vince Grant as Rick entered the Sit. Room.
“As you were”, said Rick as he walked up to Vince. He wagged a finger at Vince and said, “I thought I left a standing order not to do that.”
Not even pretending to look concerned or embarrassed, Vince said contentedly, “Sorry Rick, I couldn’t help myself.”
Rick put his hand up on the big man’s shoulder and said light heartedly, “I’ll forgive you this time, Vince. What’s on the schedule for today?”
Vince handed him a list. “Meetings, meetings and more meetings, Admiral.”
“Great, great and just great.” Rick screened the list and said, “I’m going to go and hide in my office for a while.”
He heard Vince’s laughter as he closed his office door, and when he sat down, he looked on his desk and found the picture of him and Lisa on their wedding day.
And he smiled.
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Angela entered the infirmary and walked up to the main desk. She looked at the nurse on duty and asked, “Hi Betty. Is Dr. Grant around? I just got a message that she wanted to see me.”
Nurse Betty Reynolds replied, “Yes, Angela. Take a seat in her office and I’ll let her know you’re here.”
She headed to Jean’s office, saying over her shoulder, “Thanks, Betty.”
She entered Jean’s office and sat in the visitor’s chair. She looked around the office and for the hundredth time read the numerous diplomas and commendations.
Jean Grant had been perhaps the single biggest influence in her adult life. It was a visit from Grant at the training academy that prompted her to become a medic, sort of. Angela Marques was on the fast track to become one of the best fighter pilots in the REF. She more than had the skills and attitude necessary for it, and all of her instructors pushed her in that direction. Then, one day, a guest lecturer opened her eyes to the world of medicine. Jean Grant had been so passionate about medicine when she spoke, so emphatic about how it contributed to the REF, that it moved Marques to seriously think about medicine as a career.
After her lecture, Jean had remained behind to answer any questions that the cadets may have had, and Angela listened to everyone’s questions, and more importantly to her answers. She was kind, honest and warm to each and everyone one of them, and for reasons that she never fully comprehended, especially her.
Angela had asked her question after question, but the smile never left Jean’s face and the patience never left her voice, even when Marques told her that she wanted to fly and that medical school was just too long a wait.
She remembered Jean’s response to that. ‘You don’t have to be a doctor. Look, if you want to fly and practice medicine, be a field medic. You’ve almost finished your flight certification. Finish it and then do the medic course. Medics who can fly are rare and would definitely be an asset. There are some things you won’t be able to do, but for the most part you’ll have the best of both worlds. And if for some reason you want to choose either or later, you can quit one and concentrate on the other.’
And that’s what she did. She never could choose outright though. She was primarily a medic and more than happy about it, but she kept her flight status activated and her certification up to date. Just in case.
She credited Jean Grant with changing her life for the better, and she felt indebted to her, though she never expressly told her that. Graham and Grace were her closest friends, but Grant almost meant as much to her, and there wasn’t anything that Angela wouldn’t do for her if she asked.
“Hi Angie. What have you been up to on your well-deserved day off?”, asked Jean as she sat down at her desk.
Angela looked at her and said, “Not much. I went to the gardens a little while ago. It’s beautiful in there.”
Jean smiled. “It sure is. Commander Fraser worked miracles for sure. Now, about your request. Is that really what you want?”
Angela hesitated for a second, but finally said, “Yes.”
Jean nodded and said, “Okay. I’ll approve it immediately.”
Angela silently released the breath she had been holding in and said appreciatively, “Thank you Dr. Grant.”
Jean smiled at her. “Don’t mention it, we all need a change every once in a while.”
Angela returned her smile and said, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Alright, go enjoy the rest of your day off. I’ll see you tomorrow, and give you the details for your new duties then.”
Angela nodded, got up and headed for the door, but stopped when she heard Jean ask, “Are you okay, Angie?”
Puzzled, Marques turned to look at her and simply said, “Ma’am?”
Jean looked legitimately concerned. “You seem a little preoccupied. Everything okay?”
“Yes, Doctor. I’m fine. Thanks for asking. I’ll see you tomorrow, ma’am.” She smiled and walked out the door to Jeans’ office, and seconds later out the door to the infirmary.
She looked at one of the clocks along the corridor and realized it was almost lunchtime, and she had agreed to meet with Sue and Andrea in Graham’s quarters, and that’s where she headed.
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Lisa sat in her office going over some of the reports she had to get through, when she noticed it was almost time for lunch. She put down the report and punched up the Situation Room channel on the communication system. When the screen came on she saw Vince looking at her.
‘Situation Room, Commander Grant.’
She smiled and said, “Hi Vince. Is Rick around?”
‘Hi Lisa. He’s in his office going over some reports.’ Vince smiled and winked at her. ‘I think he’s in there avoiding work.’
Lisa laughed for the first time since she left Rick in the morning and said before cutting the connection, “Just like him. Thanks Vince.”
She punched in the channel for his office and much to her surprise, when he answered he looked like he was actually reading a report.
He saw her face on the screen and instantly smiled.
‘Hi baby’, he said lovingly. ‘How are things on the bridge?’
She held up the report she was reading and said ruefully, “About the same as things down there, apparently.”
Rick laughed and said, ‘Grin and bear it, I guess.’ He put down the report he had been reading. ‘I went and apologized to Fraser.’
Lisa fixed him with a bemused expression and said with her best melodramatic whisper, “And she let you live?”
Again Rick laughed. ‘I told you that when she found out they were for you she’d be gentle.’
There was a knock on Lisa’s door. Rick heard it over the line and said, ‘We’ll talk later.’
She nodded, broke the connection and told whoever had knocked to come in.
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Marques sat down on Sue’s couch and watched her friend as she prepared some sandwiches and drinks. They were in Graham’s quarters and almost halfway through the lunch hour there was no sign of Grace.
Sue brought the tray of sandwiches and drinks into the living room and placed them on the table. She looked at the clock and said, “Dig in, Angie, there’s no telling where Andrea may be.”
Knowing that Graham was right, Angela laughed and picked up a sandwich and took a bite. When she swallowed that much she said, “Good news, Sue. Dr. Grant gave me the assignment this morning. I get the details tomorrow.”
Graham’s face lit up and she said, “Great. The pieces are coming together nicely, Angie.”
Angela nodded. “I have to confess, Sue, when you first came up with this scheme I was a little bit…skeptical. But I have to hand it to you, it seems to be doable.”
“No Angie. Not me, us.” Graham paused. She knew that Marques was having doubts about parts of the plan, so what she said now would have to put a dent into those doubts. “I couldn’t have done this much without you and Andrea, much less finish it. I don’t know how to thank you guys.”
Marques, uncomfortable with emotionalism, avoided Graham’s gaze and said, “Come on, Sue, you know we’re here…”
“That’s the point, Angie, I do know. You guys, you are more than just friends to me Angie, you’re sisters. Family.”
Angela ran over those words, and to a point they were true. Over the years they had become more than friends. But still…
She looked at Graham and said, “Well, speaking for myself, I feel the same way about you.” She raised her drink in a salute and said, “To family.”
Graham imitated Marques’ actions and repeated, “To family.”
By the time they were finished their lunch, it was time for Graham to get back to Fleet Intelligence. They left the tray on the table and left Graham’s quarters.
As Marques walked with Graham towards Fleet Intelligence Sue asked, “By the way, how’d you spend your morning?”
“Well, before talking with Dr. Grant, I visited the Botanical Garden. It’s very nice up there. Fraser has done an awesome job.” She hesitated.
Sensing her hesitation, Graham asked, “Anything else?”
Angela Marques looked at her friend as they reached the door to Fleet Intelligence, made a decision and said, “No, nothing else. I’ll see you later?”
“Absolutely”, said Graham. “See you.”
Marques nodded and walked towards home, and for the whole trip one thought echoed in her mind. ‘What are we doing?’
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At 1648 hours, Lt. Andrea Grace knocked on Commander Sue Graham’s office door, and after hearing Graham give permission to enter she opened the door and walked in.
“Where the hell were you?”, asked Graham, not bothering to hide her displeasure.
Grace sat down in the visitor’s chair and leaned back. “I was getting to know our Lieutenant Montgomery better.”
Graham’s eyes were as wide as golf balls. “Wow, you do work fast.”
They laughed and Grace said, “I walked along by the Mess on my way to meet you and Angie and saw him sitting alone inside, so I went in and asked him if I could sit with him.”
Grace stopped talking, obviously enjoying the fact that she knew something tantalizing that Graham didn’t.
“And?”, Graham nudged.
“We got along famously. He actually seems like a nice guy.” Grace leaned forward and said naughtily, “I’ll have him eating out of the palm of my hand in no time.”
Sue laughed and said teasingly, “He won’t know what hit him.”
When the laughter died down, Grace looked at Sue as if there was something she wanted to say but didn’t know how. “Sue, what about Angie? When are you going to tell her about…?”
Graham leaned back in her own chair and sighed. “Not until I have to Andrea. You saw her this morning. She doesn’t want people to get hurt. But I’m playing to win and if people get in my way, they are going to get hurt.”
Grace nodded. “And Hunter?”
“Lisa won’t be hurt, Andrea.” At Grace’s disappointed expression Graham leaned forward and as she put her hands on her desk she added, “At least, not until she sees that Rick loves me. After that…” Graham shrugged her shoulders, leaned back in her chair and laughed.
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Rick staggered through the door to his quarters and looked in the living room, kitchen and bedroom to see if Lisa was home. After not finding her he plopped down on the couch.
‘What a day!’, he said to himself tiredly. ‘I hate meetings.’
His entire day had consisted of everything he hated most in his job: meetings and reading reports. The only bright spot of his entire day had been when Lisa called, and that had been way too short.
He reached over and toggled the communication panel and dialed up the bridge.
‘Bridge, Forsythe here.’
“Good evening, Captain. Is my wife still up there?”, he asked.
Forsythe sounded amused by the question. ‘Sorry Admiral, she left here about an hour ago. Said something about wanting to be home before you got there.’
Rick narrowed his eyes in thought. “Okay, thanks Captain.”
‘Aye, sir. Bridge out.’
‘I wonder where she is?’, he thought.
It was just as he finished asking the question to himself that he heard water splashing around in the bathroom. ‘Of course’, he thought somewhat embarrassed at his oversight. ‘The only room I never checked.’
He slowly walked to the bathroom, opened the door and peeked inside. What he saw got his hormones raging so out of control that he thought his head was spinning. Lying down in their oversized tub was his wife, covered in flower-scented bubbles. She looked at him and grinned devilishly.
“Well hello there, handsome”, she said in her sexiest voice.
He looked into her green eyes and got lost in their sparkle.
Knowing she had gotten his attention she asked, “Are you just going to stand there with your mouth wide open, or are you going to join me?”
In record time, Rick was undressed and in the tub leaned back with his wife leaned back against him so that her back was against his chest. His head rested against the side of her head, his arms were around her waist, and his hands held hers as they rested on her stomach.
He sighed, kissed her neck and said quietly, “This is the life.”
She moved a little and turned her head to look at him. Green eyes found blue eyes, and she whispered, “It sure is.”
Their eyes sparkled in unison as their lips took control over everything else and decided that they wanted to meet.
State = Continuará/To Be Continue
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email = dparsnipAThotmail.com