Two Ordinary People

"You are kidding! That's a real tractor, the genuine John Deere; that'll cut the mowing time in half...which does bring up a touchy subject..."

"I know. You got a real job again. Look, you do a great job and you are as much an integral part of this League's family as anyone. I sold the board on a contract arrangement as opposed to hourly. Flat rate contract which is more than your bringing in now, not a lot but still more and you can get the job done in half the time. Please say yes; this league needs people like you around." Rod said yes.

As the first year anniversary of Rod's new life came around, he rented a equipment trailer and purchased himself an anniversary present. He bought and laid the first log on what would someday be his log cabin home. It was during the weeks leading up to that event that two other things happened that represented major mile stones.

Rod and Shelly had advanced in their explorations on his old couch. Their ardor had dramatically increased as the amount of clothing they ended up with decreased equally dramatically. On one of the last nights in which their activities would be relegated to the couch and after both had shed their final garments he made love to her with his mouth, kneeling at her feet, almost dizzy from the effect of her musky female essence. Without comment she had reversed their positions and taken his hard cock in her warm, wet little mouth. She had teased him...taken him to the edge so many times and brought him back before finally engulfing his painfully hard cock and sucking him dry. He had pulled her to him...making love to her mouth...she had whimpered...her breathing was almost a series of little gasps. She took him by the hand and led him to his own bedroom. And they made love.

Rod and Shelly spent more and more evenings and nights together more often than not on Rod's hillside rather than in her house. Life fell into a comfortable routine. He worked his three jobs and she worked her two during the school year. They became friends with other couples not unlike them, some married, some not. Some of them were friends that Shelly worked with, others friends that Rod worked with. Most often an evening's entertainment occurred at someone's home. Rod had never felt happier or luckier in his young life.

One Saturday morning as he awoke before Shelly after another incredible night together he examined his financial situation as the coffee brewed. Even with three jobs he wasn't making what he once had. Still, his living expenses had dramatically decreased. No more rent due at the first of the month on an over priced apartment. Utilities amounted to electricity and his cell phone. He seldom if ever drank the evening away at Jan's or spent money on junk and toys. Eating out was a thing of the past. He had to chuckle as he realized that in spite of everything he actually had some savings...a new experience for him. He enjoyed his jobs and liked the people he encountered and worked with. He had real friends for possibly the first time in his life. He had a real girl friend...an amazing woman...and it was time to move that relationship up to the next level. Shelly came out of the bedroom. He couldn't help staring.

"I didn't mean to wake you babe. I was going to let you sleep in."

"I never could stay in bed when the smell of fresh coffee was in the air. What are you doing?"

Rod just kept staring. "You are so damn beautiful."

"My legs are too short, my tits are too small, my hips are too big..."

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever known. I love your legs, your tiny tits and your amazing rear. Don't change a thing for me. You're perfect just the way you are."

"You are prejudiced and not remotely objective."

"I love you."

"I love you too baby and I love to hear you tell me that. You do often when we're...fucking. It means even more when I'm sleepy eyed and my hair is a mess and I need a shower."

Shelly settled in beside him on the small banquet with her cup of coffee. "I'm just going over my financial situation. I've actually got a little money saved for the first time in my life. I'm not flush by any means and I'm holding down three jobs."

"Show me." Shelly looked at the numbers.

"I'm impressed! That'll buy a few logs!"

"Well, I was thinking more in the direction of a ring and..."

"No!"

"Huh?"

"Oh I'm not saying no, that getting married to you hasn't crossed my mind. I'm saying no, don't spend your savings on a ring. It's not what's important right now...to either of us."

"But...when a guy and a girl..."

"If you're nudging up your courage to ask me to marry you, you don't need an expensive ring to close the deal. There are a few things you need to know before we get there...some things you don't about me...my childhood."

"I love you. There couldn't be anything about you that would make me not love you."

"Maybe...maybe not. You listen and I'm going to talk. You might have noticed that I don't talk about my family...my parents very much. You need to know that I have no idea, nor do I really care any more who my father is or was. My mother had me out of wedlock; she was a tramp, plain and simple. She had other issues dealing with life. She would dump me off on relatives for long stretches of time. I even spent time in foster care. She seemed to get her life together and wanted me back; she had finally found a man to marry her. That man..."

Shelly's eyes filled with tears. "Baby, it's okay." Rod said holding her.

"It's not okay, Rod. My stepfather began to touch me at a young age...he raped me the first time when I was only thirteen. She knew it was happening and didn't do anything to stop it. I tried to talk to people about it...teachers and such but no one seemed willing or able to do anything. There was only one person that seemed to believe me and offered any kind of help. There was a resource officer at the school, a cop, a much older guy, older by at least a couple of decades than my mother. He put me in touch with someone at children's services who listened and gave a damn. You know how it works...he said, she said...unless there is proof...catch him in the act...medical examination immediately following. The resource officer gave me his phone number...told me to call him night or day. My stepfather started drinking every night and beating on mom. Usually that would be followed by a trip to my bedroom...he'd rape me repeatedly...sodomize me...make me do very bad things. Then one night, just after my sixteenth birthday I made the decision to stop being a victim...I..."

Shelly was almost sobbing. "This isn't easy Rod; it's been years since I talked about it."

"Go on, sweetheart... it's okay."

"That night he had beaten dear old mom badly...split her lip...both eyes swollen shut...broken bones...he came to my room...leering...telling me I was just another slut like my momma. To make a long story short I ended his life with six inches of a fish cleaning knife straight through the heart. I called the resource officer...then 911. He got there about the time the cops and the EMTs arrived. Mom was obviously in terrible shape. They were going to arrest me for murder. The woman from child welfare showed up. It wasn't like I hadn't told people what was going on. I was never charged. They were going to put me in foster care. The resource officer and his wife offered to take me in. Child services let them. I never saw my mother again...don't know or care if she is dead or alive. Just before my eighteenth birthday, more symbolic than anything, they adopted me. They are my parents...they're getting on in years but they're the only parents I've ever known and I love them more than you can imagine. I want you to meet them; they live about an hour from here. I couldn't let you meet them until I told you the truth."

Shelly paused to regroup and collect her thoughts. "Rod it was a long time before I even considered or attempted a relationship with...with a man. My early attempts were ill fated. Sex is part of a loving relationship but sex for me hadn't ever been about love. I dated some losers but even when I went out with decent guys one of three things happened. I pushed them away, the sex didn't work or, they couldn't deal with my history. Then you came along. You didn't push me to go to bed with you. You were caught up in your own inadequacies, didn't think you were good enough for me. I made the first move, as I recall, almost nine months into our relationship. I was scared to death, terrified that the old demons would come back. They didn't. You made love to me...tender...special...magic...no man had ever done that before. With you, the sex became not just something I 'had to endure' but something I enjoyed...looked forward to...needed. Shelly paused again. "Still sure you want to put a ring on this little girl's finger?"

"Don't move! I'll be right back." Rod went into the bedroom returning with in a couple of minutes.

"Baby, I can't even imagine the horrors you endured. I was never molested as a child but nor was I exactly a planned or desired addition to the family. I've long since reconciled my feelings for my parents. I don't hate them. We're not terribly close but neither are we estranged. I was fortunate in that my grand parents doted on me and loved me in a way that my parents...just didn't seem to be able to do. They raised me for all practical purposes...both have passed on. I have only one thing of value from my family. My grandmother gave it to me on her death bed. She never took it off. It's not terribly valuable but it means a lot to me...I want you to wear it if you will. I want to put this ring on your finger. Shelly, wear this ring...accept this from me...from my heart...it's the only thing of value I have other than you...I love you...I'm begging you to marry me...be my wife..."

"You don't need to beg, baby. I decided a long time ago that if you ever got around to asking the answer would be an unequivocal---YES! The ring is beautiful...what it means to you is even more beautiful...thank you."

Rod and Shelly held each other for a long time. Shelly spoke first.

"Take me back to bed...make love to me...fuck me...now!"

As special and tender as their love making had become, this time it was even more special as both lovers finally let go of their fears and doubts and allowed the last vestiges of their inner being to be completely revealed.

Life continued for the newly engaged couple and with each passing day both knew that providence had allowed them to find each other. A couple of months later they were again together early on a Saturday morning.

"Rod, there are people who would spend good money to spend their honeymoon on this beautiful hill side. The time will come down the road when we will go on a belated honeymoon. Let's save our money now. Speaking of money...here...I was going to just deposit it in our joint account but..."

"What is this?"

"It's silly for us to have two homes; I mortgaged my house and rented it out. Hell, the rent covers the mortgage and it's kind of an investment. Most of my stuff is already here in the trailer anyway...the rest is in a storage unit until we have room...I'm moving in---officially. With what you have saved and this I think we might just be able to buy more than one log this time."

"Honey, your house...you'd paid it off for gosh sakes...it was so important to you..."

"Not remotely as important as that one that you and I have been dreaming about...the one we're going to live in...raise a family in..."

That evening Shelly and Rod were invited to dinner at his builder-boss's house. The two couples had become good friends. Shelly was telling his wife about their plans to finally put a sizable down payment on the log home. They were so close to the asking price but a few thousand dollars short.

"Shelly, exactly who are you planning to buy it from?"

Shelly told her.

"Shelly I'm sure we have some connection with those folks; they also sell pre fab metal structures which we use around the country. We must have some kind of a deal with them. Call me at the office Monday."

Shelly called her Monday during her lunch hour.

"Shell, let's me be sure I have the correct model number and such." The numbers agreed. "Here's the bottom line---not delivered---but I'm working on that. Can you swing it?"

"That's much less than we were told. Yes! Yes with a little left over for interior work. How..."

"You were being offered retail—this is at wholesale. Look, here's my contact. It turns out that we do a lot of business with them. Here's the address; write the check and get it in the mail and I'll get back to you when I find out more about what delivery will cost."

Shelly was so excited that she couldn't wait to tell Rod. At the last minute she decided to surprise him. Tuesday the builder's wife called back.

"I got the delivery worked out. You two better hurry up and set the date for that wedding. My husband just gave you an early wedding present; he's handling delivery. It will be about four weeks; they don't have them just sitting around---they make and assemble the kit when they get the order."

"We just did; not very formal but we're getting married after the service at our church in three weeks. We're sending out the invites this weekend."

Three weeks later, Rod and Shelly were married. The elderly couple who had raised her as their own flesh and blood attended. Rod invited his mother and father and was surprised when they accepted and attended. Everyone from the county office came as did a surprising number of people from the youth league. Shelly's friends from school attended. A number of builders, tradesmen and homeowners who Rod had gotten to know were also there. In all over two hundred people were there. The reception was at Jan's pub. There would be no opening of wedding presents. Rod and Shelly had clearly indicated on their home made invitations---no gifts. There really wasn't anything the newly married couple felt they needed or had room far. There actually was something and several of the reception attendees, their good friends, whispered conspiratorially about just what that might be. The old gentleman who ran the youth league did give the couple a special present; he cut the grass himself the day before so that Shelly and Rod could have the day of their wedding for themselves.

In the early evening back at the trailer the two lovers explored each other's naked bodies with a new found sense of wonder and excitement. It was every bit as magic as the first time...and would continue to be so for a long, long time. Monday morning both went back to work. The builder called Shelly late on Friday as she was driving home from school.

"I've got it! It's all locked up in my secure lot. I'm thinking it makes sense to bring it up first thing in the morning. Is that okay with you?"

"Absolutely! We're early risers."

The next morning as Rod was having his morning coffee and trying to make sense of his bank statement, Shelly joined him. She had heard a large truck slow down and make the turn up the winding dirt road to their trailer site.

"Honey, according to this statement..."

"Come outside with me and I'll fill you in."

At a little after six in the morning, he heard it too and then saw it.

"How in the world...?"

"We have very special friends, Rod...very special friends. One of them got us a deal on the house...wholesale...there's even a little left over. You're going to be very busy today and every Saturday for a while I would think."

If you've never seen a house on a truck delivered, it's pretty fascinating. The driver backs up, raises the bed and as it starts to slide off, drives forward hopefully at exactly the right speed so that the building materials plop to the ground softly with little more than a little stirring of dust. The driver knew his job and put the sixty foot cargo down without a whimper. They thanked the driver who refused a tip and moved their chairs out to the big pile of logs to finish their coffee.

Both heard a vehicle coming up the dirt road at the same moment. They walked out to investigate. It was their special friend, the builder and his wife. And then another pickup truck came up the dirt road...and another, and another and within a few minutes close to a hundred trucks and vehicles of every assorted size were massed in front of their trailer. Shelly and Rod were speechless as several of their very special friends walked toward them grinning from ear to ear.

"You said no wedding gifts, but that ain't right. A bunch of us started talking at the reception at Jan's...she'll be here a little later with food for everyone. I think we just might have picked out the right wedding gift and it ain't a toaster oven or a wok. The guys at the building department are all here; people you work with at the youth league, parent of kids you've coached. A bunch of my tradesman who really appreciate the fact that you handled all of those little problems that they didn't have to deal with. Several other builders and contractors that you treated decently on the job who wanted to pay you back for being a straight shooter. A bunch of people from Shelly's school—even a couple of homeowners you helped out. Get your boots on son...we've got a house to build."

How long does it take to build a prefab log cabin of around fifteen hundred square feet? With over a hundred people almost all of whom have construction skills, well, it takes a day. Rod and Shelly's eyes stayed decidedly moist for most of the day. The workers brought their most valuable assets, their skills and the time. Some also brought building materials, a left over load of pipe, a pallet of sheet rock, a roll of vinyl, a load of ceramic tile, a pallet of unfinished red oak floor boards. An incorrectly ordered fireplace assembly...plumbing fixtures...studs, insulation, doors, a water heater...A rental truck from Home Depot showed up with a furnace---top of the line. The driver of the truck was the old "big boss".

"It was the least I could do when I heard about this...I'm not very good with tools but pretty good with a check book. Rod, I'd really like you to come back to work for us...not what you were doing before. Look, you were right on target. The outsourcing has been a dismal failure---for exactly why it struggled when you were doing that crappy job. We're bringing it all back inside...redesigning it...your old boss has left to pursue other opportunities. I'd like you to come back and head up the department. Who are all these people, anyway?"

"Friends, Doug, very special friends who got together and decided to give up their Saturday to give us the most special wedding present we could have imagined. Doug, I appreciate the offer; it's very tempting. I'll talk to my wife about it...she's that grinning and adorable blond standing over there. My gut says no...I'm pretty happy with my new, 'post corporate America' life."

Doug the former "big boss" stayed the rest of the day to help out. He wasn't very handy with tools but was a hard worker and by the end of the day a passable builder's gofer. Rod filled Shelly in as they broke together for a quick lunch.

"You said no, didn't you?" She inquired.

"I said probably no but I needed to check with you first."

"It's your call."

"It's our call, Shelly, we're husband and wife. I want to say no, you have to know that but it's a lot of money."

"Do we need that money?"

"Well, I've got the woman of my dreams sitting next to me, half a dream house in front of me and more friends than I knew I had. I've still got three jobs but I confess that I enjoy all of them. I don't need any toys; with our combined incomes we're putting a little away every month...I'm thinking for a nursery, next. No, we don't need it...we're pretty rich if you ask me."