Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 The following is a work of fiction regarding sexual relationships.  If you
feel that it is illegal, immoral, or otherwise improper for you to read
this, then *Don't Read It.*

   * * *

   *Cynthia Martin*

   *Copyright (c) By Morgan, 1991, 2001*

   Please note the original copyright date.  This story was basically
written ten years ago.  As a result, you will likely find obsolete
references.  I'm afraid you'll just have to live with it; it's too tedious
trying to keep up with the latest and greatest.

   This book is part of the Ali Clifford saga and is a sequel to -- and
much longer than -- _Call Girls._ If you haven't read it, I urge you to do
so.  Without having read it, the actions in the first few pages will not
make any sense.

   Incidentally, you will find occasional entries, _word_.  The reason for
this is that MS Word's Auto Format function puts a word preceded and
followed by an underscore in italics; that's my intent.  Similarly, *word*
results in the word appearing in bold face.  If you use Word's Auto Format,
it will take care of things; if you don't, you at least know why it's
there.

   More of my works are posted on my site <www.asstr.org/~Morgan> If you
like it -- or if you don't -- please let me know at <morg105829@aol.com.>
My books are now also being posted on <www.storiesonline.net> although at
this writing there are fewer of them than on my site.

   * * *

   *Chapter 26*

   The first thing Cindy noticed when she drove on to the property of
Chicago Steel Company were the other two red Mazdas.  She had talked with
Dan Burke and he agreed to meet her at the plant.  Checking her watch, she
found she was fifteen minutes early.  After parking her car, she walked
over to watch a workman signaling a crane operator who was moving scrap. 
She stood aside and watched in fascination as very small hand movements
from the flagman were translated instantly into very small motions of the
giant track-mounted gantry crane.

   The flagman gave a shutdown signal to the crane operator and started
walking toward Cindy.  While still about ten yards away, the hard hat was
lifted off and beautiful auburn hair came spilling out.  _My God!_ she
thought.  _It's Kelly._ The girl grinned as she walked over and wiped her
face with her sleeve, spreading a big black smudge on her cheek.  Cindy
just stood there shaking her head with a wry grin on her face.  "Don't you
think this is taking customer service a bit far?" she asked.

   Kelly grinned and said, "I just wanted to see what's under the top layer
of junk.  Want to join me?" She flipped Cindy a hard hat and put hers on
again.

   They made their way through a narrow path the gantry had cleared and
reached the center of the pile.  Kelly whistled softly as she saw what had
been uncovered.  The girl pointed out what were obviously parts for steam
locomotives commenting they had to have been put there no later than the
1940's and likely much earlier than that.  As they made their way out of
the scrap pile and headed towards the office shed, Kelly told her that the
electric mill was operating on the north end of the property and the
company was currently only handling scrap sales.  Arrangements had been
concluded to put in a small electric furnace and test the suitability of
the reworked steel for further processing.

   The diversified corporation that owned Chicago Steel was favorably
disposed towards a management buy-out of the facility.  Although nominally
quite valuable because of its lakefront location, as a practical matter the
facility had been written down to a value of zero on the balance sheet. 
Moreover, there were grave hazardous-waste concerns affecting the
salability of the property.  As a result, the facility was considered a
millstone around the corporation's neck and its executives were delighted
at the prospect of getting out from under it.

   Walking into the shed, Cindy was glad she was wearing a sweater.  It was
cold.  There were only a couple of electric space heaters trying to warm
the building that was so flimsy it was almost porous to the cold wind
blasting in off the lake.  As she entered, Cindy saw April sitting in the
corner going over financial information with a man she assumed to be the
chief financial officer.

   A tall brown-haired man came forward with his hand outstretched.  "Hi!
I'm Ted Collins and you must be Cindy Martin.  I've heard so much about
you." Turning to Kelly he said, "I don't believe I've had the pleasure."

   Kelly introduced herself and turned as a cold blast of air came rushing
in when the door was opened again.  Cindy saw Kelly's eyes widen as a huge
man came through the door.  He was over six four and pushing 250 pounds. 
He had black hair, piercing blue eyes and a very friendly smile.

   Ted Collins grinned and said, "Kevin, I'm really glad you could make the
meeting.  I wanted these folks to meet you." Turning back to Cindy he said,
"I'm very happy to introduce you to Kevin Cavanaugh.  I understand from
April you're quite a Bears fan.  If you are, I'm sure you recognize the
name." Cavanaugh was the Bear's starting tight end, and was known as a
fearsome blocker.  Cavanaugh grinned and shook hands quickly, but it was
apparent his attention was drawn to Kelly.

   He walked over to her and Cindy was fascinated by the girl's reaction.
She appeared to be shy and almost fearful.  Ignoring the others, he took
both of her hands in his.  Then he released a hand and gently moved a stray
lock of her beautiful auburn hair away from her face.  "Hi, Irish!  I've
been waiting for years to meet you," he said.  Then he tipped up her chin
and kissed her softly and gently.

   The girl's arms appeared to reach out automatically and link behind his
neck.  Electricity just flowed between them.  Both Cindy and April were
smiling warmly as they watched.

   They both winced a moment later when Kelly stepped back and then slapped
Kevin's face with all her might.  "You have one hell of a nerve, you big
ape!" she exclaimed with green fire flashing from her eyes.

   Kevin Cavanaugh just shook his head and smiled.  "Well, the name is
certainly accurate," he said.  "Only an Irish girl would greet her true
love with a roundhouse right." Kelly started to sputter, Kevin began to
laugh, while both April and Cindy were trying to stifle their giggles.

   Cindy had never seen the tall redhead look so beautiful.  "I'm not sure
it's safe to ask, but where did you two first meet?" she asked.

   "I have never met this ape before in my life!" Kelly exclaimed, "but I
did see him drop a bunch of passes in South Bend before Notre Dame gave up
on him and sent him to the Bears."

   Cindy found she liked Kevin Cavanaugh very much because he reminded her
of a bigger Dan Burke.  Kevin grinned and shook his head sadly.  "Is that
the way to speak of the future father of your children, Irish?" he asked
innocently.  "The fact is there are a number of the Bears who will testify
that I announced I was going to marry you months ago.  I go down to Calumet
City all the time just to see you dance.  You're great!  And you have a
magnificent body, too."

   Suddenly Kelly blushed red as a beet.  "Do you mean to say you have seen
me...  _strip?"_ she demanded.

   "Well, I thought it would help you keep your job if there were customers
in the joint.  I thought you were doing it for customers.  I mean, you
don't need such a public place to strip just for me.  Isn't that the way
you keep your job?  Pack the place with customers?" He grinned at her and
asked, "And is this all the thanks I get?"

   The others just laughed and Ted Collins told them that, aside from being
a professional football player, Kevin was a metallurgical engineer from
Notre Dame, had his master's degree and was well along in his course work
for his Ph.D.  He was considered to be the foremost authority on electric
steelmaking and electric-furnace quality control.  Furthermore, he had been
elected to Tau Beta Pi, the engineering equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa.

   Kelly murmured, "Oh great!  A guy who can only communicate in
equations."

   Kevin looked at the three women together and quietly whistled.  "You
have to be the three most beautiful women in the world!" He grinned at
Cindy and said, "Miss Martin, as beautiful as you are, and in spite of how
much I love blue-eyed blondes, I'll have to take a pass.  You aren't quite
tall enough for me." Turning to April, he shook his head and said,
"Unfortunately, you share Miss Martin's height problem, and I happen to
know Ron Jackson is a very jealous man." Kevin looked sad as he continued:
"He's won too many games for us this year.  I can't afford to destroy his
morale by taking you away from him." He looked at her with his eyes wide
and said, "I hope you're an understanding person, April?  Everyone on the
team says you are.  You do know, it's just in the interest of team unity,
don't you?"

   April's eyes were dancing as she very solemnly said that she appreciated
the great sacrifice he was making.  He smiled a beaming smile and said,
"I'm so glad you two girls are so understanding!  I guess that leaves me
stuck with Irish, here.  At about five feet ten, she's more my size,
anyway. You do have a name, don't you?  Something more than Irish?"

   Kelly just glared daggers at him.  Cindy said, "I'm terribly sorry,
Kevin.  I would like to introduce you to Kelly Kathleen McBride.  Like you,
she's a graduate of Notre Dame.  She majored in English and philosophy and
was elected to Phi Beta Kappa." She grinned and added, "Isn't it wonderful
the way God works?  Here she is, particularly strong in the area in which
she believes you're weak.  She can even explain the meanings of some of the
big words to you.  I think it's neat.  By the way, Kevin, have you named
your first six children?"

   Kevin looked at Cindy very solemnly and said, "Only the first four. 
After all, the mother should have some input, don't you think?  I thought I
would let her name the next four and then we'll collaborate on names for
the rest."

   Kelly just glared at him and sputtered with rage.  Finally, she said,
"Kevin Patrick Cavanaugh, I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on
Earth!  My God!  You don't want a wife, you want a brood mare."

   The byplay between Kelly and Kevin stopped suddenly when Dan Burke
entered the tiny office.  Dan looked around and again noticed how beautiful
all the girls were.  He noted there was a new addition to their costume. 
All three girls were wearing identical heavy gold link chains around their
necks like slave collars.  He had heard the story from Janice.  She had had
one made in 18-carat gold for Cindy, claiming all slaves should wear
collars.  The chain was a wide chain-link necklace that was very heavy
because of the weight of all its gold.  Then Kathy Cartwright insisted all
the junior slaves must have slave collars, too.  The result was April and
Kathy formed a small club.  The catch on their necklaces was engraved with
the ornate letters C and S.  Kathy explained with a grin it stood for
Cindy's Slaves.  It was presented to every girl who served naked as a slave
at the Stewart's.  Dan found out that Kathy, April and Janice split the
cost and they were presented to all of the girls who qualified.  He knew
they were worn proudly as a part of the uniform.

   April took the lead in presenting the investment proposal to Dan.  When
she finished the numbers, he was astonished to hear Kelly giving a detailed
operational explanation of the way the steelmaking operations would work.
In response to a question from Cindy, she said she had worked a couple of
summers in a steel mill during college because it paid so well.  That was
when she became skilled in controlling a crane with hand signals.  She
grinned and said, "I was always so damned hot, maybe it got me into
stripping.  Coupled with the fact that the guys on the crew would work
stripped to the waist and razzed me because I wouldn't."

   Kevin said, "Why not, Kelly?  You have a beautiful chest.  What were you
ashamed of?  Or didn't you have your full bust development then?"

   She glared at him and continued with the explanation.  Ted Collins then
introduced the management team, explaining that Kevin was a critical
ingredient because of his knowledge of electric steelmaking.  Cindy watched
with pride as her people made the entire presentation.  Dan then proceeded
to comb it out, asking every kind of question he could think of.  Finally,
he turned to Collins and asked, "Ted, is this something you and your people
really want to do?  Do you or your people have any questions?"

   "I don't, Dan.  We do have one, though.  People: we have enough people
to get started, but I'm a little concerned about staffing up.  Do you have
any ideas?"

   Cindy smiled and said, "That's not a problem.  One of my other officers,
Kathy Cartwright, can line up three full staffs if you ever need that many.
She has a line on top steel men from Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany,
Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom.  There are some Poles she has
spoken to who can't wait to have the opportunity to make the best damned
steel in the world in the best country in the world!" She smiled and added,
"They are really good steelmen and good workers.  Are you interested?"

   "Sam Smith can get you up to 500 blacks he'll personally vouch for. 
They will work!" April added.

   Cindy explained Kathy's language fluency and guaranteed the men would be
ready as soon as they were needed.  Then Collins said, "I guess that takes
care of the staff, then.  Now all we need is the money."

   Cindy said, "The deal we're offering is $500 million.  $100 million will
be for 80 percent of the equity; there will be two investors.  The
remainder will be bank term debt.  Chicago Trust will put up $400 million,
but there's another Chicago bank that may participate with us.  You'll have
20 percent for your management team and we will want to know how you're
going to divide it.  You'll have the opportunity to increase the management
holding to a total of 40 percent within ten years.  How does that sound to
you?"

   "It sounds like I'm dreaming," Collins replied.  "How long will it take
you to line up the money.  And where, in Heaven's name, are you going to
find two people to put up $100 million?"

   "That's the easy part," Cindy said with a smile.  "I mentioned Kathy
Cartwright, who is also in my division.  Half of the money is hers.  The
other half is coming from April's mother." The bankers smiled as they
watched Ted and Kevin's jaws drop.

   Kevin recovered first.  He looked at April speculatively with his eyes
dancing and said, "April, maybe I was a little hasty.  The more I think
about it, the more I realize you're really not _that_ short.  I realize now
I wasn't being fair.  A guy should make allowances for the less fortunate.
And hell, a guy can carry this team loyalty stuff too far."

   April just frowned and shook her head, but her eyes were dancing with
glee.  "You're too eager, Kev...  and too late.  Now I see you only love me
for my money.  I'm sorry.  You had your chance and you blew it."

   Kevin pretended to be crushed.  Ted had recovered by now and was looking
down at the table top, slowly shaking his head.  He looked at Cindy and
said, "I don't know what to say.  You're telling us that two investors and
a bank are willing to put up half a billion dollars!  And the investors are
close personal friends, to say the very least.  Wow!  What a
responsibility!" He shook his head again and asked, "What's the next step?"

   Cindy looked at Dan.  "Dan Burke is the best financial analyst in the
business, Ted," she said.  "Dan, I want to make the loan.  What do you
think the reaction will be in the bank?"

   "Instant approval.  This is a win-win-win sort of deal.  We do something
for the community, for the region and for the people.  How can we lose?"

   The discussion became more general with Kevin discussing the economics
of electric steelmaking.  It appeared they would be able to sell at a
profit with a price just slightly more than half the delivered price of
competition.  Then they took a tour and watched through dark goggles as the
electric furnace turned out a small batch of steel.  Cindy was impressed
with Kevin's knowledge and, surprisingly, Kelly's.

   As they were preparing to leave, Kevin took Kelly in his arms and kissed
her again, soundly.  Cindy shook her head in amusement as she saw the
unmistakable signs of the girl's knees giving way.  Again, they all winced
at the sharp sound as she slapped his face and stalked away.  She saw Kevin
slowly rub his cheek as he watched Kelly move and noted the love in his
eyes as he watched her go.

   * * *

   It was now mid-December and the Bears were playing their last
regular-season game against the Dolphins in Miami.  Surprisingly, Jan and
Peter Stewart decided to go down to see it.  Because Miami was out of
play-off contention and its stadium was so large, getting tickets was not a
problem.  They had chartered a plane and planned to take Dan and Cindy,
along with Susan and April, down with them.

   In spite of her size, Cindy thought Kelly looked very cute and woebegone
when she came into the Stewart kitchen early one morning the week of the
game.  They were meeting to review the loan proposal in its final form
before sending it forward, but Kelly had arrived over an hour ahead of the
meeting.  As usual, Cindy was wearing no clothes and Kelly quickly shed
hers.  They sat at the kitchen table with coffee and Cindy waited for Kelly
to say something.  It was obvious something was bothering the girl.

   Finally, still looking into her cup and idly stirring the coffee, Kelly
said, "Cindy, I have a great favor to ask: Could I come down to Miami with
you?  I would be happy to pay my own way."

   "Of course you can, honey!" Cindy replied, "but that's not what's on
your mind, is it?"

   "It's Kevin," she said softly.  "What should I do?" Cindy noticed that
tears were rolling down her cheeks.  In spite of it, she looked lovely. 
Then she started to cry in earnest.  "Cindy, I'm a filthy stripper! 
Everyone and his brother-in-law has seen me, has seen my cunt, and I've
tempted them.  I don't deserve a guy like Kevin!  But, God, I love him so!"

   "How long have you been in love with him?" Cindy asked quietly.

   "Since the first time I laid eyes on him," she replied with a bitter
laugh.  "In spite of the way I acted and what I said, I always saw him when
he came into the club.  He's pretty hard to miss," she said with a tiny
smile.  "I think those were my very best nights.  Whenever he came in I
danced for him alone.  I would think about going to bed with him and having
him make love to me." She looked at Cindy for the first time and said, "I
think our lovemaking will be exactly the same as yours.  You and Dan are so
beautiful together!  When are you going to get married?"

   Suddenly Cindy's face crumpled and she started to cry.  The younger girl
took her in her arms and Cindy buried her face in Kelly's shoulder and just
bawled.  Kelly just held the girl and could feel her shoulders shake with
her sobs.  Their breasts were in contact and Kelly realized what a strange
sensation it was.  Both girls were in perfect physical condition and had
very full, firm tits.

   Slowly Cindy regained control and said, "I don't know when we can get
married, Kelly.  Years from now, I'm afraid.  I'm going to be a slave
forever!" Then she brightened and said, "But I apologize.  I have him in my
bed every week and the experience is exquisite.  I guess I'm better off
than you are." She eased away and looked into Kelly's green eyes and said,
"You're still a virgin, aren't you?"

   Kelly's eyes widened for an instant and then she nodded her head.  "I'm
a complete virgin, Cindy.  I have never had a man anywhere." Then she
looked at her boss and said, "Cindy, I've been thinking.  When I come out
here as a slave, I should be paying you.  You and Dan give a course in
lovemaking.  What amazed me is the way you take him in your mouth and in
your ass.  Both appear so easy for you, yet he's so huge!  I didn't think
it was possible.  You really like it, too, don't you?"

   Cindy nodded and smiled.  "I sure do!  It's funny, Kelly.  The first
time I took Dan, it was in my mouth.  I think it was almost like doing
penance or something.  We used to fight like cats and dogs, and I thought
he was the dumbest banker in the world.  Then I found out he's really the
smartest, and I wanted to make it up to him somehow.  Then I used to see
Peter Stewart taking Jan in her ass.  She actually seemed to love it, so I
insisted Dan take me that way, too." She looked at Kelly and smiled saying,
"Now I want him any way he'll take me.  All I know is he can play my body
like an organ.  I guess it keeps me in shape.  The other thing I can't live
without is sleeping with my head on his shoulder.  I just adore it."

   Kelly just smiled softly, shook her head and said, "I just can't wait!"

   Then the others started to arrive and soon after they began their review
of the lending agreement.  While April was concluding the presentation,
Cindy's mind wandered.  When the girl finished, Cindy just shook her head
and smiled, although her eyes were gleaming with tears.  "You three are too
much," she said finally.  "There's not a lending unit in the industry as
good as you are.  I just sit around, practice my cooking, and nod wisely
once in a while.  I just thought it was about time to acknowledge what you
all are doing."

   She turned to Kelly and said, "As for you, McBride, you're receiving a
raise to $85,000 a year.  You also get a bonus of $60,000 and a promotion
to vice president." She shook her head and added, "It's a good thing you're
an English and philosophy major and don't know a damn thing about banking,
or I'd be out of a job."

   April looked at the girls beside her and then reached across the table
to take Cindy's hand.  "Cindy, you're too much.  You really are!  'Nod
wisely once in a while' I think you said?  Speaking for myself, I didn't
know what a loan was when I started work with you and that was less than
six months ago.  Kathy has less time than I do, and Kelly even less than
that.  Kathy is the only one with any training." She turned to her friend
and asked, "Kath, how much of your graduate education have you used?"

   _"Used?_ You two had a big advantage: You started off knowing nothing. I
had to start by unlearning most of what I thought I knew!  All I know about
lending you taught me, Cindy.

   "But there's so much more!  You know Jane Keller was transferred to the
Trust Division.  Did you know she set a requirement for accepting a
transfer?  She did.  In spite of skipping her from assistant treasurer to
vice president, she would only take the job if she could wear a modified
Special Lending Division uniform.  She wears a jean skirt and a jean jacket
along with her slave collar.  At the first opportunity she tells anyone who
is interested what it is and what it means.  It means she's one of Cindy's
girls!  That's the highest distinction in the bank.

   "Incidentally, she stood the Trust Division on its ear.  She has at
least half of its customers clamoring to be assigned to her, including all
of our very largest.  Why?  Because she learned from you what customer
service means." Kathy looked into Cindy's eyes and said, "Are you starting
to get the picture?  You're the finest senior officer in the whole bank. 
How do you measure performance?  Loan production?  We're tops by a mile. 
Loan quality?  The next dime we lose will be the first.  People?  You have
the best people in the bank and they all love you.  Promotability?  Our
only problem is retention because Cindy's girls are in such demand around
the bank.  On the other hand, it takes dynamite and double promotions,
usually coupled with a few threats, to get them to move.  Leadership? 
Cindy, you're one of a kind.  Your people, top to bottom, love you and
worship the ground you walk on.  They would follow you anywhere."

   April picked up and said, "Cin, I don't think I ever told you this:
Emily Amelia called you a little twit the first day I met her.  But before
she died, she told me how much you had changed and what a wonderful person
you are now.  She couldn't believe the torture you so obviously suffered
with no bitterness at all!  I came to love and deeply respect that woman,
Cindy.  I can only agree that you changed between the time she first formed
her opinion and the time I met you.  I guess you know I love you like a
sister, except as I told someone, if you and I were sisters we would fight
one hell of a lot more." There were tears streaming from April's eyes as
she concluded, "I love you, Cin."

   By this time Cindy was crying.  She looked at April and said, "Do you
remember a promise you made me make to you when you started?  You made me
promise to throw your black ass out of the division and out of the bank
when you couldn't cut it?" She straightened up in her chair and said, "Well
damn it, Jefferson, it isn't going to happen.  You know why?  Because
you're the best damned lending officer in the bank and, while technically
you're deputy division head, we both know you run the whole damned division
in your spare time.  April, thank you.  The bonus I promised you is in the
works.  It will be one of the biggest bonuses the bank will give this year.
I promised, remember?  There's still a problem, though.  I want yours to be
the biggest bonus in the bank, but Dad and the directors will only agree to
one of the biggest."

   Then, with an effort of will, she grinned, dried her eyes, and said,
"Thanks, guys.  You're too kind to me.  You really are.  But what the
hell...  It's supposed to be fun, isn't it?"

   Kathy smiled and said, "Speaking for all of us, Cin, I don't know if
it's supposed to be, but it certainly is fun working for you." She grinned
and added, "Bill is starting to worry.  He says I'm much too eager to leave
his bed in the morning.  He thinks I have something going on the side.  I
guess he's right, too.  I have a golden-haired, blue eyed dream that I love
to be around.  Cindy, you're a lot of fun!"

   After the review, Cindy signed the loan recommendation along with April
and sent it along to S.  Stratton White, the senior vice president in
charge of the heavy-industries lending group.  It was going to him for
information since the present corporate owners of Chicago Steel were his
customers.  From there it would go to the Board for final approval.  There
was no decision yet with respect to a participation for Northern National.
Cindy had decided not to make a recommendation, but to leave it up to the
Board for a top-level funding decision.

   * * *

   The weekend in Miami was bright and clear.  By now the Saturday
afternoon touch football games with April and Susan playing Mike and Ron
had become well known to the team and around the league.  A Bears assistant
coach had made inquiries and the Dolphins had found them a small park with
a field suitable for their game.  Because it was sunny with the temperature
in the 80's, the girls decided to buy white bikinis to wear for the game.
Kelly was with them at the store and bought one, too.

   When they met at the park, Kevin Cavanaugh was waiting with the guys. 
Mike said to Susan, "I'm tired of trying to throw to a guy who's trained to
bat passes away.  I want a guy who's paid to catch them for a change."

   Sue introduced Kelly who asked, "If that's the case, Mike, what did you
bring this ape for?  Notre Dame finally fired him when he couldn't catch
one.  But since he's so damned big and takes up half the field, I can see
how he might be useful as a blocker once in a while, though."

   When asked, Kelly immediately agreed to play.  Susan knew that all of
Cindy's girls were in fantastic physical condition and she had heard about
Kelly and Kevin Cavanaugh.  The game shaped up to be fun.  The girls
whispered together, and Sue grinned.  On the first play, Sue rolled right
after an apparent fake to Kelly who loped out to the left flat.  Sue
appeared to get in trouble.  Her feet slipped and Mike and Kevin pounced,
but she didn't have the ball.  Just then Kelly lofted a left-handed pass
that reached April running in full stride.  She had appeared to slow down
when Sue was in trouble, but then blew by Ron to catch the pass and take it
in for a touchdown.  When she scored, there was a great cheer from the
sidelines.  Almost the entire Bears defensive unit was there to cheer for
April.  The cheers were mixed with whistles because of the beauty of the
girls revealed by their tiny white bikinis.  The girls gaily waved to the
sidelines provoking even more cheers.

   The afternoon was a long one for the guys.  Susan was in Mike's face all
afternoon, disrupting his timing.  When he did get the ball away, too often
it had far more loft than he wanted but he had to throw high to clear her
up-stretched hands.  On one of his lofted passes, Kevin had to stop to wait
for the ball.  As he prepared to catch it, Kelly leaped high, batted the
ball with her finger tips and then caught the deflection.  She easily
outran Kevin down the field.  As Ron was about to tag her, she lateraled
off to April who ran it in the rest of the way for a touchdown.  It turned
out Kelly was as adept as April at catching the ball and ran just as fast.
The result was disastrous for the men.  Sue had a great time with two
targets to throw to instead of only one.  The result was the men's worst
loss of the season: when they stopped the game, they were down by five
touchdowns.

   As they were relaxing with their beer after the game, Mike looked at
Susan with real respect.  He asked, "Sue, I'm serious now.  How in hell did
you set up those pass plays?  When we were back, you threw in front of us.
When we played tight, you threw the bomb.  How in hell did you know what we
were going to do?"

   "I didn't," she answered with a grin.  "We just set it up the way you
described.  If a guy was playing tight, I threw by him and if he was
playing back, I threw short.  Isn't that what you're supposed to do?" she
asked innocently.

   That night the guys hosted the girls at the girls' victory dinner.  Mike
grinned at Kevin and said, "Cavanaugh, welcome to the team.  You joined us
just in time to pick up your share of the check.  In fact, Ron and I
decided your share is half.  We're poor.  We have these two vultures for
agents.  How would you like to try to live on two dollars a week?"

   The girls laughed and Sue said with a sniff, "It's good for you.  It
keeps you out of the bars and out of trouble." Then she took Mike's hand
and said, "Because this is a special night, Mike, I'm even making a special
rule.  I won't even smack your face tonight.  Aren't you lucky?"

   Mike grinned and winked.  Kevin said, "Thanks a hell of a lot, Sue. 
That gives my Irish terror a license to really work me over.  As it is, she
has nearly broken my nose and loosened two teeth!" He leaned over and
kissed Kelly gently.  He heard her make warm, happy sounds deep in her
throat and then very lightly tapped his cheek with her hand.  "What
happened," he asked.  "I know damned well you can hit harder than that."

   She smiled and looked at him with love in her eyes.  "I'm sorry, Kevin,"
she said softly.  "That's the best I can do tonight."

   The three couples were later joined by Cindy Martin and Dan Burke and
the four couples spent the rest of the evening dancing.  Because the game
was not scheduled to start until four o'clock the next afternoon, the men
didn't even have to be back at their hotels early.

   The first time Kevin held Kelly in his arms on the dance-floor, it was
like Heaven.  She was very light on her feet and just rested her cheek
against his shoulder.  Finally he asked, "Are you happy, Kelly?" She just
murmured softly and snuggled against his chest.  "I love you very much,
darling," he whispered.  "I always have.  Do you think you could ever come
to like me?  At least a little?"

   She looked up at him and her eyes were glowing.  "Kevin Cavanaugh, I
have always loved you.  When you came to see me dance, I was dancing only
for you.  I wanted you to know how badly I wanted you -- how badly my body
needs you.  Like you?  Cavanaugh, I love you desperately." Then she buried
her head in his shoulder and started to cry.

   Kevin eased her towards a dark corner, stopped dancing and just held her
close while he felt her shoulders shaking.  Finally, she looked up at him
and he gently wiped her tears away and asked, "What's wrong, darling?  Why
the tears?"

   "Because I'm being too easy.  You know I'm a stripper and that's at
least two strikes against me.  Honey, I really want to sleep with you
tonight.  I can't tell you how badly." She tried to smile, but her tears
had started to flow again.  "But honey, I'm a virgin.  I really
honest-to-God am.  I want to save it for our wedding.  Do you mind?  I've
dreamed of you taking me on our wedding night for years." Then she managed
a small smile and added, "What are the names you picked out for our first
four kids?  I already had my four picked out.  I wonder if there are any
duplicates?"

   He grinned and just shook his head.  "I thought you accused me of
wanting a brood mare?" he asked with his eyes dancing.

   "I did," she replied softly.  "I guess it's because that's what I want
to be.  Honey, I so desperately want to carry your children in my belly. 
She looked at him and just shook her head.  "Can you imagine a basketball
team of our very own?  With our genes, the kids will all be giants." Then
she winced and rubbed her abdomen.  He asked what was wrong and she
replied, "I can see them now weighing twelve pounds at birth.  Oh, my
aching birth canal!  But what the hell, this way I can buy maternity
clothes in wholesale quantities."

   "Maternity clothes?" he asked in mock astonishment.  "What maternity
clothes?  What's wrong with flour sacks?" He leaned down and kissed her
softly and then harder.  Her arms locked behind his head as she crushed her
lips against his.

   When he released her she whispered, "I'm sorry!  I lost my head.  Naked,
barefoot, pregnant, and with at least one child nursing at my breast. 
Kevin, I'll love it!" She looked up at him and whispered, "Isn't that a
terrible thing to say?"

   He just grinned and slowly shook his head.  "I think it's wonderful,
Kelly.  I really do." Then he shook his head sadly and it was her turn to
ask what was wrong.  "What chance do the poor kids have?  They'll be born
with the map of Ireland on their face!  By the way, I love the name, Kelly,
for a girl." He pulled her tight and kissed her again.  He could feel the
electricity and the love flow between them.  _God, I love this girl!_

   The next day the Bears demolished the Dolphins.  Mike connected with
Kevin for five passes, three of which he took in for touchdowns.  It was
his best game as a Bear, and established him as yet another offensive
weapon.  The defense held the Dolphins to just one field goal and were very
annoyed when they got that late in the game with a near-record 58-yard
attempt.  A very happy group of Bears and their fans headed back to
Chicago.*Chapter 27*

   On the Friday night before the Dolphins game John Smith was in the
pantry studying.  He had come to love the Jeffersons deeply in the months
he had been working for them.  Knowing how bright and well-informed Mary
and April were, he had vowed to complete his college degree.  Tonight was a
very different night at the apartment: For the first time he was alone with
Mary.  April had gone to Miami and even Ronnie was away for the weekend. 
The little boy had been invited to spend the weekend with Kathy and Bill
Cartwright.  Instead of going to the zoo, a movie or the circus, they
planned to spend the weekend walking around the ethnic neighborhoods where
Kathy was so much at home.  Quite by accident, they discovered Ronnie had a
facility for languages and loved the strange sounds and smells of the
ethnic neighborhoods.  He alternately walked or was carried in Bill's
strong arms.  Smith smiled at the thought.

   Then he heard a strange sound coming from the library.  It sounded like
a woman crying.  He thought about putting his butler's uniform back on but
decided against it.  Wearing slacks and a sweat shirt, he padded through
the apartment to find out what was wrong.  As he moved toward the library
he heard the sounds more clearly.  His first thought had been right: It was
Mary Jefferson crying.  He found the door almost closed, but pushed it open
quietly with a feeling that he was prying into her personal affairs. 
Looking around the door, he saw her huddled in a leather chair.  She was
wearing a bathrobe that had opened wide at the bottom fully revealing her
beautiful slender body below her waist.  As he watched her long slim
fingers running up her slit, the tortured sound of her weeping caused his
heart to turn over.  She was so lonely and so wanting.

   Almost without conscious volition, he went into the library.  It was
significant that in spite of his giant size, Mary seemed to be unaware of
his presence as he came towards her.  Hearing her tortured sobs was tearing
him up inside.  This woman, more than anyone else, had saved his life.  He
would do anything for her, including sacrificing his own life if necessary.

   John went to his knees in front of the chair and spread her bathrobe
wider.  Gently he stroked her skin.  As he knew it would be, it was like
chocolate-colored satin, vibrant and warm to his touch.  Gently he stroked
the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs and watched her legs spread wide
for him.  He had no clear idea of what to do, so he just continued to
stroke her thighs.  In no time he could see her breathing speed up.  In
moments, her pelvis started to jerk as his mere touch on her sensitive
flesh was enough to bring the poor woman to orgasm.

   Watching, he saw moisture appear between her cunt lips.  He thought she
was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.  She was clean limbed and
almost hairless except for a very small dense patch of silken pubic hair.
He touched it with his fingers and found it did feel like silk.  Letting
his fingers roam, he gently ran them down her slit, evoking a gasp from the
woman.

   By now Mary knew what was going on, but was powerless in the face of her
wanting.  Without thought she reached down with her slender fingers and
parted her nether lips for him.  Revealed now was her beautiful pink slit
and her clitoris, now rigid and waiting.  With a soft wordless cry he
lowered his mouth to her crotch and started to lick her slit and tongue her
clit.  Whenever he made contact with her clit, she cried out with wanting.

   John Smith had never gone down on a woman before.  He had grown up in a
macho ghetto culture which held women to be subservient to men.  It was up
to the woman to prove her fertility and her womanhood by becoming pregnant.
With welfare, marriage was never even considered.  Now with Mary, his world
was turning upside down.  He wanted to worship her.  Dimly he recalled
reading about tribes in Africa headed by women.  In the tribe, the men
served the queen and Mary seemed like such a queen.

   He continued to lick her cunt and found it was exquisite.  It was so
clean and sweet-smelling, and her juices tasted so good.  She came again
and again and again.  Finally, as she approached an even higher peak of
sexual excitement, he bit her clit lightly.  As her cunt exploded in a
flood of juices, Mary screamed and fainted.  Very carefully, he licked out
the juice and chased down every drop.  Then picking her up like a baby, he
carried her to the sofa.  Then he sat down and rested her across his lap.
After carefully closing her robe, he just held her close and gently stroked
her hair.

   After a few minutes, he saw her blink and look up at him with a weak
smile.  What came next amazed him.  She pulled his head down and kissed him
softly on the lips.  It was like no kiss John had ever imagined!  It was
soft and gentle, yet filled with unleashed passion at the same time.  He
could feel electricity flow between them.  Gently she disengaged, got off
his lap, and knelt on the floor between his legs.  Then she loosened his
belt and waistband, unzipped his fly and worked his pants off him.  John
was shocked when she carefully removed his underpants and released his
giant cock, now in a raging erection.  It had been years since he had been
with a woman and the previous events hadn't helped.

   She just looked at it and whispered, "John, you're beautiful." Then she
lowered her head and began to worship his sex with her mouth.  He couldn't
control himself.  Try as he would to control himself, he still had an
involuntary release of semen.  Although it embarrassed him, Mary seemed to
relish it, licking it all off the head of his penis.

   Then she started to use her mouth as a vagina.  She started to move her
mouth up and down on the giant black rod.  It was so big around, she could
scarcely get her mouth around it.  Nevertheless, she worked with a will. 
To his astonishment, she finally had taken him in to his full length, and
began to run her mouth up and down its length.  To him it felt like a
vagina except he could feel the suction as she worked on him.  He could
feel himself nearing release and didn't know what to do.  He would choke
her, he feared.

   Meanwhile, Mary was gently kneading his testicles and relishing the
feeling of all of his semen trapped in the sac.  When she thought he was
about to explode, she squeezed his balls and started to knead his testicles
hard.  He exploded!  In spite of swallowing as fast as she could, some of
his cum still forced its way out of her mouth and began to run down her
chin.

   After what seemed like hours, his pulsations slowed and then stopped. 
She rocked back on her heels and looked up at him with a woeful look and
said, "I'm sorry, John.  I thought I could swallow it all, but I couldn't.
I hope you don't mind too much?"

   He lifted her up like she was a baby and put her back on his lap.  Then
he began to lick the cum off the side of her face that her tongue couldn't
reach.  "Mrs.  Jefferson," he asked softly, "why did you do that?  It's not
right for a queen like you to do a thing like that."

   She just nuzzled his shoulder and said very softly, "John, thank you.  I
apologize to you.  I'm sorry you heard me weeping, but I couldn't help
myself.  It's been so long -- over twenty years -- since I've been with a
man.  Tom was a real man and you are, too." She looked up at him and said
softly, "Will you take me to bed now?  I had almost forgotten what it feels
like to be a woman.  And John, please call me Mary."

   John was nonplused.  He didn't know what to do.  He rose from the sofa
and easily carried her into her bedroom.  She shrugged off her robe and she
lay on her bed waiting for him.  For his part, he just looked.  She was
utterly spectacular as she lay there looking at him.  He realized she had
the body of a girl twenty years younger.  She lay back on the pillow with
her legs spread and reached out to him saying softly, "Please, John? 
Please take me."

   He got into bed with her and she took him in her arms.  Moving between
her thighs, she put his rod between her legs at the entry to her vagina. 
Lifting her hips, she moved her body downward in the bed and partially
impaled herself.  He could take it no longer and began to move inside her
very tight cunt.  The feeling was like nothing he had ever experienced in
his life before.

   Mary was feeling sensations she had forgotten even existed.  She started
to move her pelvis in tempo with John as he drove into her and finally
buried his shaft to the hilt.  Slowly he started to move in and out of the
woman.  In almost no time at all she was reached her first orgasm, then a
second, and a third and a fourth.  Soon, Mary realized her body was
drenched in sweat as her muscles moved out of control.  Finally, she went
over the crest and could feel a flood of hot semen flood her vaginal
cavity.

   When they recovered, she kissed him slowly and lingeringly.  Then she
asked him, "John, could I try something April told me about?  It's the way
the Stewarts always go to sleep.  Mrs.  Stewart puts her head on Mr. 
Stewart's shoulder.  He cups her tit with his hand, and she just snuggles
close.  Could we try it?"

   It sounded like fun to the big man, but beyond that, he was incapable of
saying no to Mary Jefferson about anything.  They turned out the lights and
she rested her head on his broad shoulder.  When his hand cupped her
perfect breast, she just made warm sounds of pleasure.  In moments, they
were both asleep.

   * * *

   With the late start of the Dolphin's game, it was long after midnight
when April returned to the apartment.  Ronnie was going to be brought home
by Kathy Monday morning on her way in to the bank.  The apartment was dark
as she opened the door, but she heard sounds from her mother's room. 
Making her way quietly, she found the bedroom door ajar.  She saw her
mother on her knees taking John Smith's enormous cock in her ass.  The
noises she was hearing were sounds of intense pleasure.  Smiling, she
carefully closed the door.  Her mother was happy again at long
last.*Chapter 28*

   When the Stewarts and Cindy returned home to Deerfield, there was a
package waiting for Jan from the bank.  She opened it and flipped through
the material.  Most was routine, but there was a sealed envelope for Cindy
which Jan passed over to her.  Cindy opened it and scanned it quickly.  It
was from S.  Stratton White, saying that the loan to Chicago Steel had been
turned down.  He indicated he would be available to talk about it at two
o'clock Monday afternoon.  Cindy was furious as she got ready for bed.

   The next morning she confirmed her meeting with White for two o'clock
and then called April and Kathy.  She asked them both to be ready for the
meeting.  Cindy was starting on her chores around the house -- she could
now do everything in about an hour -- when Jan asked her what she was going
to wear for the meeting.  Cindy was taken aback.  She hadn't given it any
thought at all.  "Are you suggesting our uniform might not be appropriate?"
she asked.  Then she just shook her head and said, "It doesn't really
matter much; I don't have anything else to wear, anyway."

   Jan grinned and disappeared, returning a few minutes later with a lovely
blue dress.  "Try this on, Cin," Jan said.  "I think the color will look
good on you."

   As usual, and despite the fact that it was almost the first day of
winter, Cindy was naked.  She slipped the dress over her head and Jan
zipped it up for her.  Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw the color
exactly matched the blue of her eyes.  She smiled at her image in delight,
but then frowned.  "Where did this come from, Jan?" she asked.  "I can't
recall ever seeing you wear it."

   "It's something I picked up for my older sister, Cin," Jan replied
softly.  "Since it's early in the day and your brain isn't functioning too
well yet, she is you." Smiling warmly she added, "Pete and I don't know
what we're going to do when you leave.  You've spoiled us, you know. 
Cindy, you're the most giving person we have ever seen or heard of." Tears
came to her eyes.  "Honey, I wake up sometimes crying.  I think of what I
did to your glorious body.  You'll carry those scars forever, and it's all
my fault.  Can you ever forgive me?" Now Jan began to cry in earnest.

   Cindy took the woman in her arms and held her close, whispering, "Jan,
Dan and I talk about it, too.  He touches the scars and I tell him how
happy I am that they're there.  Without them I would still be in the
running for the title of the world's most obnoxious bitch.  Except I
probably would have retired the trophy by now.  Darling Jan, you changed me
for the better.  I'm still skeptical, but a lot of people are saying they
think I'm pretty nice now.  I just hope they aren't all wrong."

   Then she eased Jan away from her and grinned.  "But if you don't turn
off the damned waterworks, you're going to get tears on my beautiful new
dress.  Then I'll really kill you," she said.  "You know something? 
There's something to be said for being naked all the time.  I never have to
worry about tear stains."

   Jan worked on Cindy's hair and fixed it the way Henry Hall had done it
months earlier.  When she was finished she grinned at Cindy and said,
"Slave, you cheat!"

   "What did I do now?"

   "You're using makeup.  At least, you're using two bobby-pins which are
practically the same thing," she replied with a grin.  "Cindy, Henry Hall
said it all.  Your hair is truly exquisite and all you do is wash it, brush
it, and hold it in position with just two dumb pins."

   Cindy frowned and then shook her head sadly.  Running her fingers
lightly over Jan's golden hair she said, "Oh, the poor girl!  Jan, you're
right.  If your hair were not the color of new-minted yellow gold, if it
didn't have its glorious body and wave, and if it didn't straighten itself
when you just look at it, it would be dull, mousy and uninteresting.  You
poor thing!" She rose and hugged Jan saying, "Janice Stewart, I love you
very much!"

   Cindy then called the other girls and told them she was wearing a dress
that day for the meeting.  When she was ready to leave, she was a vision.
She was delighted that the neckline complimented the only jewelry she was
wearing, her gold slave collar.  When Jan asked her about it she smiled
warmly and said, "It reminds me of whom I belong to."

   Driving into Chicago, Cindy focused on the upcoming meeting.  She hadn't
seen Stratton White since the fateful day in what was then Horace
Paterson's office.  White was one of the division heads Paterson had
brought into the bank.  She remembered that she had considered him to be
the model corporate lending officer at the time.  Then she reflected on the
way her opinions were now 180 degrees away from what they had been in the
spring and wondered what the meeting would be like.

   April and Kathy were waiting for her in her office.  She looked at the
two girls and began to laugh.  "You two should see yourselves," she
giggled. "You look like two 8th-graders going to their first dance with
boys.  Two girls who are far more at home in jeans, finally putting on
dresses for the first time!"

   The girls looked sheepish and then grinned back.  Both looked like they
could pose for a bank advertisement showing female lending officers at
work. Kathy was wearing an expensively-simple gray wool dress, while April
was wearing a tan cashmere suit.

   Cindy thought of the image and started to laugh.  When April asked what
was so funny, Cindy said, "Just look at us.  We could pose for a bank ad
for affirmative action or some such bullshit.  Three women: one black, one
Oriental, and one white." She laughed and said, "I ask you?"

   The girls looked at one another and then joined in her laughter.  April
smiled softly and said, "Cindy, you do know that's what we love so much
about you, don't you?  I really haven't thought about being black or even
female since I started to work for you.  I'm convinced that you don't know
or care.  You care very deeply about the kind of job I do.  I have learned
more in six months or so with you than I could have in ten years anywhere
else." Even though there were tears in her eyes, she smiled and said,
"Cindy Martin, you're just plain great!"

   Kathy said, "I don't know about that!  I admit you're senior to me,
April Jefferson, but what have I received from this deal?  I mean, after
all, I _do_ have an MBA.  All I have to show for my four months is a
vice-presidency, a husband who I adore and who adores me, a few hundred
million dollars, and an incredible family.  Where are all the benefits we
were supposed to get?  I'll never be a success at this rate!"

   Then her expression changed and she said, "Cindy Martin, it's all your
fault, too.  I have one question, though.  Bill asked me about it.  We want
to name our first child after you but Bill and I agree that Cynthia would
sound a little strange as the name for a boy, even if the poor kid is going
to be Eurasian-American to start with." Then she appeared to brighten and
said, "On the other hand, odds slightly favor it being female and Cynthia
Cartwright would be a lovely name for a girl, don't you think?"

   The girls went up to the Heavy-Industries conference room.  Cindy was in
the lead and was the first to see Stratton White.  When she did, her
stomach turned over.  He now appeared to be overweight, obsequious, and a
man who hid behind committees -- in short, all of the things she had come
to detest.

   She shook hands and was introduced to the group of people he had
assembled.  In addition to all of his senior executives that she expected
to be present, there were representatives from Public Relations and
Community Relations.  White was seated at the head of the table with all of
his people sitting down the table to his left.  They reminded her of a
group of penguins arrayed in their pecking order.  She sat between April
and Kathy to his right, and across the table from his staff.

   He began the meeting by sliding the loan recommendation down to Cindy.
He smiled a hearty smile and said, "Cynthia, I'm sure it's obvious to you
why this proposal cannot be approved.  It's ridiculous.  It makes no sense
at all."

   "It is not obvious to me, Stratton," she replied coldly.  "Suppose you
tell me why you feel it makes no sense."

   "Well...  I mean...  What will the other banks think?  What will the
mayor think?" Then looking at her meaningfully, he added, "What will SHOVE
do?"

   April Jefferson replied, "Why do we care what other banks think? 
They're competitors.  What does the mayor know about anything besides ward
politics?  And who gives a damn about SHOVE?  Mr.  White, perhaps you
should know that my mother threw him out.  Civil-rights leader?  Hah!  He's
great at enriching himself at the taxpayers expense." Cindy glanced at the
girl and saw that her eyes were steely as she continued, "Suppose you tell
me what the bank should do?"

   "Well," he said with an expansive smile, "That's easy, and it's what the
bank is going to do!  We're joining the SHOVE consortium that's going to
reopen the entire steelmaking facility.  It's going to provide jobs for
welfare people, maintain our city's steelmaking capacity..."

   "That's bullshit, Mr.  White," Kathy Cartwright interjected.  "What you
mean to say is you hope to line up government guarantees and at least get
an origination fee out of it.  We both know there's no chance of operating
the steelmaking side of that facility again, ever!"

   White had recoiled at Kathy's statement.  "Who in hell are you, young
lady?  I expect an apology, immediately!"

   Cindy began to laugh and shook her head.  "I wouldn't do that, if I were
you, Strat.  Who is she, you asked?  Her name is Katherine Chang
Cartwright. She may be the largest depositor the bank has.  If it's not
her, it's her sister, Jennifer Chapman, or her other sister, Janice
Stewart, or possibly her mother, Allison Clifford.  Let's just say she's
directly related to the ownership of about 96 percent of the bank.  Now
what was that about an apology?"

   The man turned gray, verging on white.  He just sputtered.  Just then,
Homer Biggs from Community Affairs said, "But we have to back SHOVE!  If we
don't, they'll picket the bank.  They're standing by and their pickets will
appear at three o'clock unless I call Horace and tell him we'll go along. I
have to call within the next ten minutes." The man was so nervous, he was
visibly sweating.

   As he was speaking, the door opened and Dan Burke came in.  His first
words were, "Then I guess we'll have some people picketing outside, won't
we?"

   Turning to White he said, "Sam, we're making Cindy's loan.  The board of
directors unanimously approved it this morning." As he was speaking, he
stood behind Cindy's chair and started gently to massage her neck, although
his fingers were hidden by her long hair.  She was stunned.  She knew from
his first words that the speaker was Dan, but with his strong hands holding
her she was unable to turn around to look at him.

   Dan continued, "Sam...  I should apologize, Sam.  I know you like S. 
Stratton these days, but to me you'll always be Sammy.  Anyway, your
actions over the last couple of days have cost you all your jobs.  Don
Martin and I were wondering what you folks...  all of you folks...  have
been doing for a living lately.  Now that we find out, we don't like it at
all.

   "Sam, do you realize the profit from Cindy's division substantially
exceeds your gross divisional revenue?  It does.  Don and I are old
fashioned.  We believe in backing winners, so let's look at the track
records, shall we?  First, loan production: Starting from zero, her loans
for the last six months exceed your total for the last three years.  Loan
quality?  The next dime we lose on one of hers will be the first.  I don't
want to embarrass you by talking about yours.  People?  Cindy has the
finest staff in the bank.  Every person was handpicked and personally
trained by her or her senior deputies who are here with her today.  They
tell me she trained them personally.

   "When one division head attempts to overrule the decision of another in
the other's field, he's sticking his neck out.  He had better be right! 
Sam, you couldn't be more wrong, so you're finished as of today.  You may
clean out your desk now.  As for public relations and community relations,
Cindy handles those in her spare time with no additional effort.  She just
performs.  Therefore, gentlemen, you're also expendable." Turning to Biggs
he said, "Homer, maybe Horace Washington will give you a job.  I hope so.
Good-bye."

   The heavy-industries people and the others filed out of the room in a
state of shock.  April winked at Dan and left with Kathy, leaving Cindy and
Dan alone.  He pulled up a chair beside her and held her hands.

   She looked at him and tears were streaming from her eyes.  "Who the hell
are you, Daniel Burke?  What just happened here?" She reached for him and
he lifted her onto his lap.  She nuzzled his shoulder and softly sobbed
while he stroked her hair.

   Finally she looked up at him and he said, "Cindy, will you forgive me? I
guess I have been terribly mean.  The fact is I'm executive vice president
and chief lending officer.  You have been working for me for quite awhile
now.  I just didn't want you to know it.  Do you mind terribly?"

   Her eyes glinted as she said, "Do you mean to say that all my work
trying to find an inexpensive apartment has been wasted?  You're really
making enough to support a wife?  You have been all along?  Even when I
bought dinner, and felt sorry for you when you walked all the way out to
the house because you spent all your money on my flowers?"

   "Honey, I have never lied to you," he protested.  "I really did walk out
because I didn't have any money." He grinned and said, "I didn't tell you
there was none in my bank account, though.  I really did spend all the
money I brought."

   He kissed her lovingly and added, "As for the rest, you've been doing
such an incredible job all by yourself.  I thought it would be a boost to
your self-confidence for you not to ask me for advice.  Do you really
mind?"

   "Not really, Daniel Patrick Burke," she replied with an impish grin. 
"Just remember, though, I _will_ get even.  I don't know how or when, but I
will.  Bet on it!"

   Just then the conference room phone rang.  She answered it and found it
was a call for Dan.  He picked it up and in a moment his face turned
serious.  He said, "Just watch the doors.  I'll be right down."

   Turning to Cindy he said, "Biggs didn't lose any time.  Washington and
his pickets are starting to gather across from the bank right now.  The
first television news crew just arrived."

   When they reached the lobby, through the glass doors they could see
numbers of people gathering across the street with professionally-prepared
picket signs.  Then they saw something else: People of all types were
starting to gather in front of the bank.  They just stood and faced the
pickets across the street.  As Dan and Cindy watched, the crowd continued
to grow.

   * * *

   Across the street from the bank's main entrance, Conrad Jensen, the
evening anchor for Channel 7's Eyewitness News program, was at his
microphone.  He was describing the unfolding events.  They were taping, but
an engineer was standing by in the newsroom at the studio prepared to
interrupt regular programming with a live report.  He had just finished
describing Horace Washington and his SHOVE people, and said they were about
to move into position to surround the bank.

   Then he noticed a change.  Speaking into his microphone, he said,
"Something very strange is going on here in front of the headquarters of
Chicago Trust.  People -- hundreds of people -- are gathering in front of
the bank.  More are arriving as I speak to you.  I have never seen anything
like it.  They are people from all walks of life standing shoulder to
shoulder and surrounding the bank.  They look like...  like they're
protecting it!

   "Wait!  I see a group of very big men all wearing Chicago Bears warmup
jackets.  I recognize Mike Cassidy, the quarterback, but he has a lot of
company.  I see steelworkers, mechanics, grocers...  Folks, I don't know
what's going on!  These can't be customers of this bank.  Jane Edwards is
here with me and is moving in the crowd.  Jane, can you hear me?  What's
going on?"

   The picture cut to Jane Edwards, a Channel 7 reporter, standing with
Henry Kwan, the Korean grocer.  She said, "Conrad, I'm here with a man
named Henry Kwan.  He's a Korean immigrant who claims to be a depositor at
Chicago Trust.  He's here to protect his bank.  Mr.  Kwan, why do you call
it your bank?"

   Henry Kwan was very dignified as he replied, "Miss Martin and Miss
Jefferson trusted me.  They loaned me the money I needed to expand my
business.  They are friends of small business.  Miss Martin is a division
head and Miss Jefferson is my lending officer." He beamed with pride and
added, "She was recently promoted to vice president.  My family is very
pleased."

   "But Mr.  Kwan, Chicago Trust doesn't lend to small business people.  It
only lends money if you don't need it...  if you're rich.  Horace
Washington says..."

   She was interrupted by Sam Smith who towered over her.  He said, "Horace
Washington doesn't know (bleep)!  That's wrong: He sure knows how to take
care of Horace Washington." He looked at the reporter and said, "You're
Jane Edwards, aren't you?" She nodded and he continued, "My name is Sam
Smith.  I served time for armed robbery.  I'm sure not proud of that fact,
but I sure am proud of April Jefferson, Cindy Martin, and the whole damned
Chicago Trust Company.  Would you lend money to an ex-con?  They did."
Tears came to his eyes as he said, "Do you know what just happened?  I'm
now a trust customer of the bank.  They're managing my retirement plan. 
Can you believe it?  An ex-con with a bank like this helping me set up my
retirement?  And they really are!"

   Edwards was visibly shaken.  She moved to where she had seen Bears'
warmup jackets.  She found Charley Hodgins, the giant 290-pound defensive
tackle of the Bears, and introduced herself.  She asked why he was at the
bank.  With the camera whirring he said, "Because it's my bank.  My bank
officer is April Jefferson." He beamed and said, "She's my agent, too. 
She's really taking care of me and so is the bank.  I heard they needed
help, so I came down."

   Just then the SHOVE group started to cross the street to where
microphones had been set up for the "spontaneous" demonstration.  The group
around the bank building gave way only enough to allow Horace Washington to
reach the mikes.  He didn't know that his supporters, many of whom were
being paid to come out, failed to follow, so when he began his speech he
realized he was completely surrounded by unfriendly faces.  His eyes
widened as he realized his people were still across the street.  As he
watched, some put their signs in nearby trash bins and started to steal
away from the scene.

   But Horace Washington hadn't worked himself into his present position by
walking away from a fight.  Whatever else he was, he was not a coward.  He
began his speech: "Today we're here to protest the racist, elitist lending
practices of Chicago Trust Company.  This bank deals only with the rich. 
The people of Chicago made this bank.  What has it done for the city
lately? All it does is hold the money made by generations long dead for the
benefit of people who are the parasites on our economy.  They just take --
they never give!

   "We wanted them to help with the reopening of Chicago Steel's great mill
on the lake.  Would they help?  No!  Would they talk with us?  No!"

   Washington was standing with his back to the building, facing the TV
cameras on news trucks parked across the street.  As a result he didn't see
the crowd part behind him, forming a corridor from the main entrance of the
bank to where he was standing.  Cindy had returned to her office when she
saw the crowd gathering.  Finding April and Kathy waiting for her, she
quickly told them what was happening and they changed into their uniforms.
Because of the cold weather, they were all wearing parkas.  When they came
out of the door of the bank, there was an immediate murmur of recognition
from the people nearby.  Guessing what Cindy intended, they moved back to
create an aisle for them.

   Cindy was standing on the steps of the bank as Washington started to
speak.  She heard the first words of his speech and guessed what he
intended to say.  The hood of her parka was down and her golden hair was
flowing free as she walked up behind the speaker.  As they walked, Ron
Jackson and Bill Cartwright emerged from the crowd and followed them.

   When Washington stopped for an applause line in his speech -- because
his supporters had left, there was none -- Cindy spoke up.  "I beg your
pardon, Mr.  Washington.  Did I hear you say our bank has made no loans to
the people of Chicago?  My name is Cynthia Martin.  I'm a senior vice
president and head of our Special Lending Division.  I think I see a number
of our customers all around us."

   Speaking into the microphone she shouted, "Would anyone who borrowed
money from Chicago Trust in the last year please raise his hand?"

   Suddenly, almost every hand in the crowd was raised.  There was a
tremendous cheer from the people as they did.  Washington was visibly
shaken.  She continued, "Did we give Mr.  Washington money ostensibly to
reopen that museum of steelmaking on the lake?  Hell, no!  What we just
did, though, was to make available $500 million to install an electric
furnace and start making steel from scrap.  I want you all to know that
Chicago Trust arranged the entire financing package with no government
money or guarantees.  Not a penny!  I want you to hear from my deputy,
April Jefferson.  April is a vice president and my deputy division head. 
She led a group that did all of the work to create a _modern_ steelmaking
facility here in Chicago.  April?"

   April went up to the microphone and looked around at the crowd.  She
asked, "How many of you have received financial help from SHOVE?" There was
no response.  She persisted, "Surely someone here in Chicago has received
money from the organization.  I know the Federal government alone gave them
almost $20 million.  The other banks provided millions more.  Didn't anyone
here get any?"

   A middle-aged black man pushed his way through the crowd to the
microphone.  April glanced at Washington and saw he was looking scared. 
The man said, "I borrowed money from SHOVE.  They were charging me 30
percent interest paid weekly.  They had bone-breakers who would come around
and collect.  I have a little furniture store in the community.  We sell
inexpensive things the people can afford.  Miss Jefferson, you came in one
day.  You lent me the money to pay off SHOVE.  I'm paying the bank a
floating rate three points over prime."

   Looking around the crowd he asked, "How many of you know what three over
prime is?" There was no response.  He continued, "I didn't either.  It
started with Miss Jefferson who bailed me out of a jam.  I couldn't afford
the interest I was paying.  Then her people came around.  They worked with
me on my business.  They explained what a floating-rate loan is.  They
helped me!  You all know who they are.  They all dress like these women
here.  They all drive those red Mazdas."

   He paused and then stood between Cindy and April and put his arms around
them both.  He shouted, "Who are these young women!?"

   There was an immediate response from hundreds of voices.  The media
didn't know what was going on, but they heard an immediate roar, "The
Twins!"

   The man continued, saying, "I'm Henry Jones.  You all recognize these
women.  They are 'the twins who aren't'!  Have you ever seen two more
beautiful women together?  One is white and the other is black.  Have you
ever seen a hint of racism?  Have you ever seen a hint of charity?  All
I've ever seen is a sincere desire to help.  Do they make money?  I hope
so."

   He held his head up and said, "Do you know what makes me feel so good?
The money is not charity!  It's not because I'm black or in spite of being
black.  It's because they think it's good business.  I can't tell you how
proud this makes me, and looking around I can see a lot of others who are
just as proud!" He turned around and said, "Horace Washington, you are a
disgrace!  What do you have to say for yourself?"

   To the astonishment of the crowd, Washington, his eyes burning with
rage, started to swing at April Jefferson.  Before his arm could come more
than halfway around, Ron Jackson had interposed himself.  He blocked the
swing and leveled Washington with a right cross to the chin.

   As Washington was falling, Ron took April in his arms and held her
tight. Turning to the mike he said, "No one hits the Twins!  _No one!"_
There was a thunderous roar of approval from the crowd.

   April turned and said, "Thank you all for coming down here this
afternoon.  We appreciate your support very much." Then with a grin she
added, "Now why don't you get back to work?  How are you going to make the
money for next month's payment?  We need the money!" The temper of the
crowd changed instantly.  With a great cheer, they started to break up and
move away.

   April took Ron in her arms and kissed him tenderly.  "Thank you, Ron,
darling," she whispered.  "You saved my life.  He could have taken my head
off."

   Just then Conrad Jensen and Jane Edwards pushed their way to the
impromptu podium with their microphones.  Jensen asked, "What's this news
about Chicago Trust and its lending?  Why didn't you tell us you were
lending to the minority community?  Why weren't we informed?" As he spoke,
numbers of people started to gather around, drawn back by the news people.

   "I beg your pardon?" Cindy queried.  "We don't customarily call a news
conference to announce that we made a loan.  I believe in your business,
that's called a 'dog bites man' story.  It isn't news.  Mr.  Jensen;
lending money is our business.  To whom we lend is private between
ourselves and our clients."

   "But it's news when you lend to minorities," Jensen insisted.

   "Why is it news?" April asked.  "We lend to qualified borrowers who we
believe will benefit from the money in an economic way.  We seek out
businesses which need money to grow.  When we make these loans, we both
benefit.  They make more money from their business and we make more money
for our depositors."

   "But...  But you're black!  And I heard you introduced as a vice
president..."

   "I noticed that fact several years ago, Mr.  Jensen," April interjected
dryly.  Miss Martin is white and Mrs.  Cartwright is Oriental.  So what?"

   "But, you're in community relations..."

   "I'm a vice president in a Chicago Trust lending division.  I lend
money. That's all I do.  What passes for community relations is just a
device to create jobs rather than create value.  I like to think I help the
bank to grow and prosper.  When I do that, I can grow with it."

   Jensen and Edwards were in shock.  People pressed close trying to tell
their individual stories.  The TV news shows that night on all three
network stations opened with a feature on Chicago Trust and the destruction
of SHOVE.  Late in the afternoon, the Federal attorney for Chicago had
announced a grand-jury investigation of SHOVE to try to find millions in
lost Federal money.  It also turned out that Chicago Trust was the biggest
money source to both minority groups and small business of all kinds in the
area.

   Cindy and Dan were watching the show from the leather sofa in Dan's
office.  They had just made love on it and she was resting with her head on
his shoulder, after teasing him about having a leather sofa to sleep on
every day.  As they watched the newscast, Dan pretended to be sad and said,
"Well, you really did it this time!  Now how are you going to work
twenty-four-hour days here and still take care of Jan in Deerfield?"

   Cindy just snuggled closer and said, "I have a friend who's a big wheel
in the bank now." She lifted her head and looked at him asking, "You are my
friend, aren't you?"

   He smiled and caressed her breast.  She snuggled closer and smiled
happily.  Dan frowned and shook his head.  "I don't know...  I guess so,"
he said sounding reluctant.  "But what have you done for me lately?  After
all, Cin, you're getting kind of worn..." He brightened and asked, "By the
way, does your father provide a warranty for parts and labor?  False teeth,
orthodonture, cosmetic surgery...  that sort of thing?"

   She poked her elbow into his ribs and then looked up at the wall over
the sofa.  There was an old portrait of a senior officer of the bank from
many years earlier.  She smiled and said, "Dan, I have something for you
for Christmas.  I want you to promise you'll hang it right up there." She
pointed to where the portrait was hanging.

   Dan looked skeptical and asked, "And what, may I ask, am I supposed to
hang there?"

   "A portrait of your mistress, silly!  And it's an original Vance, too."
She looked up and said, "Promise?" Dan just smiled and hugged her.  Before
long, they were making love again.

   They both received smiles from the guards on duty when they finally
signed out of the building late that night.*Chapter 29*

   It was only a week before Christmas when Cindy called April and asked
what the Division was going to do for a party.  Hanging up the phone, April
immediately called the dining room and asked about scheduling a Christmas
party for the division.  By now the unit numbered sixty people and it was
still growing rapidly.  The initial response was laughter.  She was told in
no uncertain terms that the facilities had been booked for over six months.
Hearing the news, April was ashamed.  It was the first thing she had
overlooked in the nearly six months she had been working with Cindy and she
knew her friend would be crushed.  Thinking she would try some local
restaurants, she idly mentioned to the hostess that she would like to leave
her name in case there was a cancellation or something.

   The woman laughed and said it was most unlikely but then she asked, "To
whom am I speaking?  What unit do you represent?"

   "I'm April Jefferson, vice president and deputy head of the Special
Lending Division," April replied, giving her extension number.

   Suddenly, there was a pregnant pause at the other end of the line.  The
woman said, "Oh, dear!  I'm terribly sorry, Miss Jefferson.  I didn't
recognize your voice.  When would you like to have your party?  I'm sure we
can accommodate you."

   April was amazed, but asked the date of the senior officer's party. 
Told it was at noon on December 23, April asked for five o'clock that day.
The woman said, "Oh, that will be fine!  May I send up a menu
recommendation?  We're so looking forward to having you."

   Being the girl she was, April called Cindy right back.  "Cin, something
very strange is going on," she said.  Then she reported the strange
conversation with the manager of the officers' dining rooms.  "First, she
as much as laughed me off the phone.  Then when I told her who I was,
suddenly she could handle us anytime we want -- or at least that's the
impression she gave.  What's going on?"

   Cindy chuckled and said she would check.  Hanging up, she called Dan's
number.  Now that the truth was out, she delighted in teasing him about
being a credit analyst.  Nevertheless, he always picked up if he was in his
office.  Today he was and he did.  Picking up the phone he said, "Hi,
doll!"

   "I beg your pardon, sir!" Cindy said imperiously.  "To whom do you think
you're speaking?"

   "A blue-eyed, golden-haired cunt," he replied in a bored tone of voice.
"They're the only ones with this phone number.  On the other hand, which
one are you?  There are a significant number these days."

   "I'm the one with the scarred ass and circumcised clit.  Does that sound
like someone familiar?" she asked acidly.

   "Oh, sure!  I remember," Dan exclaimed.  "Let's see...  I'm pretty sure
your name begins with a C....  Charlotte?...  No.  Candy?...  No!  Cindy!
You must be Cindy!"

   "Right," Cindy replied, drawing out the word.  "Daniel Patrick Burke,
you _do_ know I'm going to get even, don't you?  I still owe you for
pretending you were still an analyst...

   "Incidentally, I went to a NOW meeting.  It was a waste of time," she
finished.

   "Why was it a waste?"

   "Because you hear so much chatter about women as a receptacle for a
man's fluids?  Well, I went to find out how a girl does it.  I'm tired of
being made to destroy myself with my orgasms.  When I told them that you
keep me in orgasm for over fifteen minutes at a time and then finally
persuaded them it was true, the meeting broke up.  The women bailed out to
try to find you, I think.  And they never answered my question, either,"
she pretended to grump.

   Dan laughed at her story and said, "I'm sorry, hon.  Seriously, though,
why the call?  What's on your mind?"

   Cindy quickly told him about April's report and he laughed again. 
"Well, what do you know!?" he exclaimed.  "I think we must finally be
getting through.  Your father and I have been on a two-man campaign to try
to get you and your unit some recognition.  I guess someone must have been
paying attention.  Anyway, are you all set?"

   "Yes we are.  The reason I called was there are two questions: First,
can we get a combo in to play if we pay for it ourselves?  Second, we
scheduled it for five o'clock on the twenty-third and I want to invite you
to come, assuming we get some music.  You know, Burke, I can't remember you
ever dancing with me.  You do dance, don't you?"

   Dan chuckled and replied, "I sure do.  With all the grace and charm of a
trained bear dancing on its hind legs.  It's what I remind people of, too.
Incidentally, knock off the shit about paying for the band.  It's a bank
charge.  As far as dancing is concerned, are you sure you want to take your
life in your hands?"

   "I'll take the chance, darling," she replied and hung up.

   * * *

   The evening before the parties, Cindy received a call from Mary Martin.
She said, "Cin, would you do your father a big favor tomorrow?  Please wear
your division uniform to the senior officers' party.  I guess you'll be
there with April, Kathy, and Kelly, won't you?" Cindy said she would and
was asked to tell the girls to wear their uniforms, too.  Finally, she was
puzzled when she was told that there would be assigned seating at the
luncheon.  The hostess would have the seating chart.

   The next day the four girls looked at each other and started to laugh.
They were identically dressed complete with their matching slave collars.
When they arrived at the executive dining room, expanded to its largest
capacity for the occasion, Cindy was a little embarrassed to see everyone
else dressed up while her group was wearing their customary Levi's and work
shirts.  They found themselves seated at a table immediately in front of
the head table.  As the luncheon was being served, Cindy was surprised to
see Jan Stewart and Jennifer Chapman come in and take seats at the head
table.  Her father was sitting between them.  When she was seated, Jan
looked over at Cindy and winked at her.

   When the meal was finished, Don tapped his water glass for attention and
then stood up behind the rostrum.  When the room quieted, he said, "Welcome
and Merry Christmas!  Today we're doing a number of things that are
different from what we have done in the past.  There are several reasons
for this, not the least of which is that the bank is now a very different
institution than it was as recently as last year.  First, I want to
announce that this year is shaping up to be the most profitable year in the
bank's history.  Second, on your tables under the centerpiece you'll find
envelopes with each of your names on them.  Please pass them out and open
them now.  They represent year-end bonus payments."

   Cindy reached under the flowers and found envelopes and passed them out.
Opening her own she grinned wryly as she saw that she had qualified for a
bonus of 200 percent of base salary.  Since the base salary was zero, so
was her bonus.  From the looks on the faces of the girls they were
receiving comparable bonuses but with real money.  She studied the bonus
stub more closely and found that the bonus formula was divided into two
pieces: divisional bonus and bank-wide bonus.  Each could be as large as
100 percent of salary.  When she caught Jan's eye, she daintily stuck out
her tongue and Jan laughed.
Meanwhile Don Martin remained standing at the rostrum waiting.  When the
sounds died down he continued: "I hope you all looked at your bonus stubs
carefully.  The information is highly relevant to what's coming.  You see,
today we're doing something else that's new: We're announcing a new
bank-wide award, the Clifford Prize.  This is a prize donated by the owners
of the bank: Mr.  and Mrs.  William H.  Clifford, Mr.  and Mrs.  David
Chapman, Mr.  and Mrs.  Steven Chapman, Mr.  and Mrs.  Charles P. 
Cartwright, Mr.  and Mrs.  William C.  Cartwright, and Mr.  and Mrs.  Peter
J.  Stewart.  Since the Cliffords are the largest shareholders, the award
is named after them.  The Clifford prize is to be given each year to that

division with the greatest achievement against plan.

   "Before I turn over the rostrum, I want you to look at your stubs
carefully.  For some of you, virtually the entire bonus is a result of
bank-wide results.  Well, when you're considering the degree to which you
should applaud the winner, I thought you should know that _90 percent_ of
the bank-wide profit was generated by the winning division.  Expressed
another way, this division has contributed nine out of every ten dollars to
the bank-wide portion of your bonus.

   "It is now my great pleasure to introduce the chairman of the board of
directors, Jennifer Clifford Chapman, to make the presentation."

   Jen was wearing a very simple but elegant wool dress in Christmas red.
She stood at the rostrum and acknowledged the applause after winking at
Cindy.  When the room quieted she said, "It is my great pleasure to present
the first Clifford Prize to Cynthia K.  Martin and the Special Lending
Division.  Cindy?"

   As Cindy rose to her feet, all the officers in the room also rose and
began to applaud and cheer wildly.  She went behind the speakers table and
stood at the rostrum with Jennifer while they waited for the applause to
die down.  While they were waiting, an easel was set up behind them and a
veiled painting was put on it.  When the applause diminished, Jennifer went
to the picture and lifted the cloth covering it.  It was a portrait of
Cindy, April and Kathy wearing their uniforms.  Cindy was seated while the
other girls were standing behind her.  Again there was loud applause for
the portrait that Jim Vance had done.  Jennifer announced, "This portrait
of Cynthia Martin, April Jefferson, and Katherine Cartwright will hang in
the lobby of the bank.  It's a tribute to them and to the people in their
division, as well as to what they have achieved.

   "Obviously, the unit has been very profitable.  But there's more.  There
was some concern about the reaction of our old-line customers.  There
should not have been.  They have been tremendously supportive of our
efforts.  We -- and they -- are both very pleased and very proud." Jennifer
then took Cindy in her arms and pulled her close.  "I would like to add a
personal note.  There's no person alive for whom I have greater love,
admiration, and respect than Cindy Martin.  It's fair to say we didn't
start off as the best of friends.  Now I like to consider her one of my
very dearest friends.  I would like to close by saying this award could not
possibly go to a finer person than Cynthia Martin."

   Don Martin returned to the rostrum and Cindy returned to her seat.  He
said, "There are a couple of additional remarks I would like to make about
her division's results.  First, loan losses: There are none.  However,
there is something all of you should know.  When the special lending
program was very new and before we had any experience with it, the owners
were concerned about what the bank examiners might say about the loan
quality.  Do you know what they did?  They personally guaranteed all of the
loans.  They were ready to buy the entire special loan portfolio from the
bank at its face value and pay us a servicing fee.  In other words, any
risk in this portfolio ran directly to the owners of this bank
_personally!_ Have you ever heard of such an endorsement?  Incidentally,
the backing was to their entire personal net worth, a sum of money that
totals nearly _$10 billion!_ The bank, the other depositors, and the FDIC
couldn't possibly lose.

   "On the other hand, we did have problems with the examiners regarding
this portfolio.  It's not quite the problem we anticipated, however.  You
see, the examiners questioned why we have _any_ loan loss reserves,
pointing out -- correctly -- that we have not yet lost a dime!  However, I
don't want you to think my daughter has no problems.  She certainly does.
Her problem is keeping her loans on the books.  The first loan she made was
about six months ago.  It was a five-year term loan to fix up a restaurant
in Deerfield."

   Turning to his daughter, Don said, "Cindy, I have bad news for you.  The
Legrands are here today." Turning back to the group he said, "Please
welcome the very first customers of the Special Lending Division, Marcel
and Marie Legrand." The two came in arm-in-arm.  Cindy noticed that Marie's
abdomen was starting to bulge -- obviously she was now expecting a baby. 
Don Martin greeted them both warmly and then said, "Cindy, this concerns
you.  Come back up here, please."

   Again she made her way up to the rostrum and was greeted warmly by the
Legrands.  She whispered congratulations to Marie who kissed her warmly. 
Marcel went to the microphone and said, _"Joyeaux Noel_ -- Merry Christmas!
It was about six months ago when a very handsome couple came into our
restaurant.  The young woman had obviously been trained as a _cordon bleu_
chef because she critiqued my menu.  A few days later they returned and
noticed the improvements we had made as a result of her suggestions.  Then
I was shocked.  She prepared the finest croissants I have ever eaten
followed by an omelette that was truly a masterpiece.  We listened to her
advice and then she offered to lend us the money we needed to make our
plans a reality.  We didn't believe it.  Who ever heard of a banker who
could cook?  But then two days later, dressed as you see her now, she
returned with a check."

   Turning to Cindy he said, "Today I have something for you." With that he
presented her with a check paying off the loan in full.

   Cindy accepted the check and gave it to her father.  "What are you going
to do now, Cin?" he asked with his eyes gleaming.  "What if all your
customers repay us way in advance?  How can we make any money?"

   "Dad, I guess I'll just have to prospect harder for new customers," she
replied.  She kissed the two Legrands and congratulated them both on the
success of their restaurant and the forthcoming birth of their child.

   At this point Marie Legrand went to the microphone and addressed the
group: "As some of you can see, Marcel and I are expecting our first child.
We're overcome with excitement.  Our child will be a native-born American!
He or she might become president of the United States.  I want you to know
how proud we both are to be in this country.  Marcel and I have talked
about it often because nothing like this could ever happen in France.  A
banker _coming to our restaurant_ to lend us money?  Impossible!  It would
never happen.  But in America it does...  and it did." Turning to her
friend she said, "Cindy, thank you!  From the bottom of our hearts, thank
you."
Don Martin returned to the podium and Cindy returned to her seat.  He
said, "There's more to this group, though.  Cindy has the outstanding group
of lending officers in the bank.  As a matter of fact, I guess we're
rethinking the qualifications to be a lending officer in this bank.  You
see, her deputy division head started work at the bank less than nine
months ago...  as a receptionist!  I have a few bones to pick with April
Jefferson, though.  Not only is she the finest lending officer the bank has
ever had, she even develops a little business on the side.  You all have
heard about banks supporting civic activities?  Well, April got a little

carried away.

   "What really builds civic pride?  A winning major-league sports
franchise, right?  What's the biggest sports event of the year?  The Super
Bowl.  And who's going to the Super Bowl?  The Chicago Bears...  courtesy
of April Jefferson.  She was doing it in her spare time, of course.  Here
with me today is Jim Clancy, the general manager of the Chicago Bears to
tell you about it.  Jim?"

   As he finished speaking, Jim Clancy entered the room and strode over to
the podium.  He greeted Don and Dan Burke warmly, as well as Jan and
Jennifer who he had come to know as guests of the McCaskeys.  He addressed
the group: "A few months ago I received a call from a young woman who
introduced herself as April Jefferson.  She told me she was Ron Jackson's
new agent and asked if she could come over and meet me.  I soon found out
that, in addition to being Ron's agent, she was one of 'the twins who
aren't.'

   "Who are they?  Well, I guess the group is much larger now.  A few
months ago, it was just two young women.  They were utterly beautiful and
drove around Chicago in a red Mazda.  The word was on the street that if
you were a small business man who needed some money to grow, the Twins
would find you.  They would provide the you with money, advice... 
anything. April Jefferson is one of the twins, of course, and Cindy Martin
is the other.  One white, the other black.

   "At any rate, when I met April, we got along pretty well and I asked her
if she would be interested in representing some of the other players.  She
was and did." Turning towards the door he said, "Hey guys!  Come on in."

   Virtually the entire Bears defense came in wearing their warmup jackets.
Trailing in behind the group were Mike Cassidy with Susan Bradford and
Kevin Cavanaugh.  They formed a semicircle behind the speakers rostrum as
Clancy continued.

   "April Jefferson turned around our defense.  For the first time in
memory they had no off-the-field problems so they could -- and did --
concentrate on their work.  Did she stop there?  Oh, no!  Not her.  For the
first half of the season, our offense was a no-show.  April didn't think
that was fair so she takes care of our quarterback.  How?  She introduces
Mike Cassidy to her sister.  Her sister, Susan Bradford, is now Mike's
agent, quarterback coach, and fiancee.  She's here with me now.  Susan,
will you say a few words?"

   Susan went to the microphone and said, "Thanks, Jim.  And thank you for
the introduction." Looking out at the crowd, she said, "Jim introduced me
as April's sister.  As you can see, she has a deeper suntan than I do."
There was laughter from the group.  "However, I think it says something
about the bank and its people.  I studied the painting behind me as Jim was
speaking.  It sort of looks like 'affirmative action comes to Chicago,'
doesn't it?  There are three women: one white, one black, and one Oriental.
It's anything but.  I happen to know that this institution and its people
are truly color-blind.  I live with April, her mother, and her son.  I'm
now an adopted member of the family and love it...  and love them.

   "Now I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine.  I'm trying to
teach him how to throw a football and he's starting to get the hang of it.
I would like to introduce my friend, Mike Cassidy."

   Cassidy, after acknowledging the applause, told of the weekend football
games.  He said, "I don't really understand it.  It looks like we're going
to the Super Bowl, but I don't know how we can.  You see, we do all right
against the NFL teams, but there is another team we have a big problem
with. It's composed of several young ladies with my friend here as the
quarterback.  Her other team members are vice presidents of this bank.  Not
only can't we seem to beat them, we keep getting worse!  The last time out
I think we lost by about five touchdowns!

   "We've given some thought to enlarging our squad but have been advised
against it.  You see, we're up against some real squad depth.  I have been
told that there are a few other girls -- Cindy, Kathy, Jan, Jen -- who may
be even better than the ones playing.  All I know is they kill us.  But the
funny thing is the worse we do against them, the better we do against the
NFL teams.

   "There's a little more, though.  Susan is my agent.  As a condition of
her accepting the assignment, I have to get an education.  You see, she's a
Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College.  In addition, she's the most beautiful
girl I have ever met.  With a lot of luck, she'll marry me someday and be
the mother of my children.  Maybe the kids can get some coordination from
their mother, as well as some brains." He grinned and added, "The problem
is I can't really think of what I bring to the party.  Oh, well.  It's said
'love is blind.' Maybe Susan won't notice." With that he waved, then took
Susan in his arms and kissed her soundly.  When he released her, she
started to slap his face but then just kissed him back to cheering from the
crowd.

   When Don went back to the rostrum, he held up his hands for quiet, then
continued: "There's more.  I would like to introduce another district head
in the Special Lending Division.  Before I do, though, I should tell you we
haven't been able to figure out how Cindy organizes her division.  We can't
figure out what a district really is.  It may have something to do with
language capability, but that doesn't seem to work, either.  You see,
another district head is Kathy Cartwright.  Kathy comes to us by way of
Hong Kong, Hanoi, and Shanghai.  If there's a braver person alive than
Kathy, I've never heard of her.  She made her way here after having been
enslaved and tortured for three years beginning when she was only ten years
old.  Kathy, it seems, now speaks so many languages I don't think even she
knows how many there are.  The number is somewhere upwards of twenty,
though.  More about her in a minute.
"But back to the Division.  Kelly McBride, will you please come to the
rostrum?" Kelly was surprised but rose gracefully and joined Don.  He
looked at her and just quietly whistled.  Then he said, "I told you how
April Jefferson was a receptionist?  Kelly applied for that job to earn
more money but was turned down.  She was a personnel officer at the time.
Anyway, my daughter took her into the division a short time ago and she's
also now a district head.  What has she done?  Not much.  Her first loan
was for $500 million for the new steel facility on the lake.  Don't argue

with her, by the way.  She really can make steel.

   "Dedication?  It seems there's one person absolutely critical to the
process: the metallurgical engineer.  So what is she doing?  It's my
understanding she's going to marry him."
He turned around and motioned Kevin Cavanaugh to join them.  Kevin stood
behind Kelly and put his arms around her waist.  She made soft sounds and
leaned back against him.  Don said, "Have you ever seen anything like this?
Kelly is five feet ten, by the way.  You can see how big Kevin Cavanaugh
is. In his spare time he's the Bear's tight end.  I have it on good
authority that my daughter told Kelly she didn't have to marry Kevin just
to keep an eye on the loan, but she said it was too important to take a
chance." He shook hands with the two and they both returned to the table

with Kevin pulling up an extra chair for himself.

   "Finally, I want to introduce Kathy Cartwright and her husband, Bill. 
Poor Bill is one of the few men in the division.  However, he, too, has an
extraordinary language capability.  Bill was in Special Forces in Vietnam.
He was imprisoned for fourteen years!  He was returned to the States only
this year and was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest award our nation
can bestow for gallantry in action.  Incidentally, the action saved the
lives of Dan Burke and his men.  I can't tell you how proud we are of these
two young people.  It seems they met when he was imprisoned and Kathy was
only ten years old.  They fell in love and were married a few months ago.
All I can say is if their children have only a small fraction of the
courage of their parents, as a nation we're in pretty good shape."

   He looked up from his notes and concluded by saying, "That's the Special
Lending Division.  I'll make only one final remark.  It's headed by my
daughter, Cynthia.  Speaking for her brand-new mother and myself, all I can
say is we could not be more pleased nor more proud of her.  She has done it
by herself under conditions which are not to be believed.  Thank you all,
and Merry Christmas!"

   * * *

   A little before five, April had changed into her dress for the party and
gone up to the executive dining floor where the division's party was
scheduled to be held.  She wanted to check with the hostess to ensure that
arrangements were all set.  The woman was standing with a number of her
staff and a heated argument seemed to be in progress.  Seeing April, the
woman came rushing over with her hand outstretched.  "Miss Jefferson, I'm
Patricia Barnes.  I'm so happy to meet you and we're so happy you're having
your division's party here with us this evening." April just looked at the
group of staff people still standing around and waiting for Barnes to
return.

   The woman blushed and shook her head saying, "I'm sorry you saw that,
but I think you may be getting the wrong idea.  You see, it's close to
Christmas, so we don't like to order our staff to stay late for a function.
We usually ask for volunteers, but that created the problem.  You see, I
made the mistake of telling them that it was the Special Lending Division's
party."

   April's brow knitted in puzzlement.  She didn't know what the woman was
talking about.  Barnes blushed even deeper and said, "Good grief, I'm
really making a mess out of this.  You see, the entire staff volunteered.
To discourage them, I said there was no set time for the party to end, and
from what we hear about the people in your division, I expect it to run
until all hours in the morning.  The result is that the people who are
working are not accepting any pay.  The people over there who were
protesting are the people who weren't chosen."

   April was stunned.  She said, "Do you mean to tell me that those people
are complaining because you won't allow them to work for nothing!?" The
woman just nodded her head.  "I don't understand.  How could that be?"

   Now the woman smiled easily and April saw she was a very attractive
woman.  She replied, "Miss Jefferson, surely you know where we get our
restaurant staff?  Many are immigrants or children of immigrants.  It seems
that we don't have a person on the staff who doesn't have at least a good
friend that your division has helped.  Most have a family member.  The
feeling is that it's the least they can do after all you have done for
them. Then, of course, there's the Christmas bonus.  In the envelope, there
was a note from Mr.  Martin saying that 90 percent of the money to pay the
bonus was generated by you people, so they feel they have already been very
well paid."

   Again the woman reddened slightly and showed April the menu.  She said,
"I know you and I went over the menu, but our chef didn't think it was
nearly good enough.  He has made some substitutions.  Incidentally, there's
no charge.  It seems that you have also helped almost all of our food
suppliers over the last six months and they insisted on making it a
Christmas gift." She looked into April's eyes and said, "I hope you and
Miss Martin will take this the right way.  It's not a bribe or anything. 
They just want to say thank-you!  I hope you don't mind?"

   April just shook her head.  A few minutes later the people from the
Division -- almost entirely female -- began to arrive with husbands and
boyfriends.  What followed was conceded to be the finest party ever held at
the bank in its history.  Drinks were served with a seemingly endless
supply of hors d'oeuvres.  A trio was playing softly during the cocktail
period.  Then they sat down to a banquet.  At Cindy's insistence, April was
acting as mistress of ceremonies while Cindy and Dan sat at the very end of
the head table.  Cindy was trying to be as unobtrusive as possible.

   When the dinner was served, April tapped on her glass for attention and
rose to her feet.  She raised her wine glass and said, "Ladies and
gentlemen, please join me in a toast.  We're gathered this evening for a
Christmas celebration and also to celebrate our very successful year.  As
you know, our division is really not even six months old.  At noon today we
heard that we have had a very successful year.  Because of your
performance, I believe it has been a personally successful year for each of
you as well.  Now I want to offer a toast to the person who did it all...
who made us the success we are.  I want to tell you something else tonight
that almost no one else knows.  This person, who is responsible for our
success has been doing it for _no money!_ None!  Not a dime!  I happen to
know she even uses money she makes babysitting to pay for the gas in her
car, as well as parking, tolls, and the rest of it.

   "I want to offer a toast to the finest division head the banking
industry has ever seen: Cynthia Katherine Martin!" Turning towards the end
of the table she raised her glass and added, "Cindy, we love you!"

   Instantly there was pandemonium in the room as everyone jumped to their
feet and began to applaud and then cheer.  Meanwhile at the end of the
table, Cindy first looked down at her plate and then tried to hide in Dan's
broad shoulder.

   He whispered in her ear, "Honey, you have to go up there and say
something.  This is a tribute to you and, damn it, you deserve it!"

   She rose from her chair and went to the center of the table where April
was waiting for her.  As she came closer, April took her in her arms and
gave her a warm kiss, whispering, "Cindy, I love you...  We all do!"

   Cindy stood at the microphone and waited for the applause to die down.
When it did, she said, "Thank you, April.  I don't deserve this.  I really
don't.  The people who deserve the applause are April herself, Kathy
Cartwright, and Kelly McBride.  They're the ones who really make the
division go.  But most of all, the one who deserves it is my lover, Dan
Burke.  All I know about banking and making loans -- what little that is --
I owe to him.  A little of what he tried to teach me about banking finally
sank in." She turned and looked back towards where Dan was sitting and
raised her glass saying, "Darling, thank you from the bottom of my heart!"

   Again there was applause and cheering as she returned to her seat.  Dan
was on his feet waiting for her to return.  When she did, he took her in
his arms and kissed her passionately.  As her knees started to turn to
water, Cindy was dimly aware of redoubled cheering.

   Later they danced together.  In spite of what Dan had said, she found he
was an excellent dancer and she just loved being held in his arms.  It was
the best party she had ever attended.*Chapter 30*

   The next day, Christmas Eve, April inadvertently almost started a riot
in the Division.  She casually mentioned that there was going to be a big
Christmas party the next day at the Stewart's and it would be nice if a
couple of the girls would be willing to work.  She said she realized it was
Christmas, but...  Everyone in earshot immediately volunteered.  In moments
the word had spread and virtually the entire division -- who were almost
all present in the bank because it was Christmas Eve -- volunteered.

   April managed to avoid a mutiny by using one of the division's computer
experts to set up a system using a random-number generator to pick out five
numbers.  Those girls whose numbers matched were the ones who would work.
However, it turned out that only four volunteers would be able to work --
the last of the five girls selected was left out because Kelly McBride
pulled rank and insisted that she would work on Christmas herself.  April
grinned wryly, shook her head, and put her in charge of the detail for the
next day.

   Meanwhile, Cindy hadn't gone in to work at the bank.  Rather, she was in
Deerfield preparing for the feast on the following day.  The whole Clifford
family was gathering at the Stewart's for Christmas.  While she was working
in the kitchen, Janice Stewart came in and lightly ran her fingers over the
scars on Cindy's buttocks.  When Cindy looked over her shoulder, Jan kissed
her softly and lovingly.  Cindy was surprised to see there were tears in
the girl's eyes as she said, "Darling Cin, I have a favor to ask.  The
favor is for Pete and me both."

   "Of course, Jan.  Anything.  What is it?" she replied.

   "May we have a plastic surgeon remove these terrible scars I inflicted
on your body?  Of course Pete and I will pay for it.  We have a surgeon in
Los Angeles all lined up through Mom.  He's reputed to be the very finest
in the world at this sort of thing."

   There was love in her eyes, but Cindy just shook her head stubbornly and
said, "Jan, anything else.  But that's something I just can't do, even if
it means extending my indenture to you some more, or even accepting more
lashes for disobedience."

   Tears appeared in her eyes but she tried to grin as she added, "Dan says
the scars on my ass provide a non-slip surface.  If they were removed he
wouldn't have anything to hold on to anymore.  He says I always get
slippery with my sweat when he's making love to me." She looked into Jan's
eyes and said, "Darling Jan, I need the scars.  I really do.  They're a
constant reminder of what an unmitigated little shit I used to be and they
also serve as a warning that if I'm not careful I could become again.  If
that happened, I would lose Dan, first of all, and you know I couldn't go
on living if that happened.  Then I would lose all my friends: you, April,
Kathy...  I could go on and on but you get the idea.  Jan, please don't ask
me!"

   Jan held Cindy close and started to cry.  She whispered in the girl's
ear, "You don't know what seeing those scars does to me, though!  Cindy
Martin, you're the most beautiful girl in the whole world.  What I did to
you was utterly beyond belief." Tears were streaming down her face as she
continued, "I still remember that terrible night here in the kitchen.  You
stood right over there with your back to me while I uncoiled the whip
between your legs.  Then I cracked it and you let out the most ungodly
scream.  I almost cut you in half in the most tender, most sensitive part
of your body.  You collapsed to the floor but then just got back on your
feet again.  Darling, blood was pouring from your cunt but you just stood
there.  I would have been curled up in a ball on the floor, if I could have
taken even one stroke!  To this day, Pete and I don't know how you were
able to do it."

   Cindy stroked Jan's hair and whispered, "Darling Jan, it may have been
the making of me.  I also remember you caring for me in bed for the next
weeks.  Every time you removed the covers I thought you would become
violently ill from having to look at the pus and ooze on the horror-show
that was my body.  Instead you just put on more ointment and kept putting
cool cloths on my forehead.  No one else could possibly have been so
gentle!"

   "No one else could possibly have been so cruel in the first place," Jan
responded.  "You forgot something: You never mentioned the fact that all
you would take was aspirin.  You were in the most excruciating pain but you
wouldn't let me give you anything for it.  I did take advantage of you a
couple of times by substituting codeine for the aspirin." Cindy pulled
back, looking startled.  Jan continued, "Honey, I had to.  You were in such
agony.  You even screamed in your sleep.  There has never been a braver
person than you!"

   Cindy just shook her head.  The girls then continued working together
preparing for the Christmas celebration they had planned.  While they were
working, Cindy asked with feigned casualness, "Jan, have you ever met the
people who are building the house next door?  Do you even know who they
are? Dan has been trying to find out but hasn't been able to."

   "They are a very nice young couple," Jan replied.  "I met the girl and
she's really very sweet.  They don't have any children yet, but they want a
large family.  You'll really like them, I'm sure."

   "Jan," Cindy asked, her casual pose forgotten, "do you think they would
be willing to sell us the house?  Dan and I absolutely adore it, and now he
got a very big bonus so we even have some money.  The bum is making a very
good salary, too, so we could carry a pretty good mortgage.  Do you think
they would?  We love the house...  and the chance to live next door to you
and Pete is an opportunity that's almost beyond belief.  By the way, when
are you and Pete going to start a family?"

   "We already have," Jan replied with a grin.  "You mean you can't tell?
I'm already starting to swell.  The doctor confirmed it a couple of days
ago.  It looks like I'll be a mother sometime in the summer!"

   Cindy squealed and spun around to look at Jan as soon as she heard the
words.  As usual, Jan was utterly exquisite in her nudity and there was not
the least sign of any swelling.

   She was standing with the warmest smile on her face that Cindy had ever
seen.  Tears came to the girl's eyes as she took Jan in her arms and hugged
her, saying, "Oh, Jan!  I'm so happy.  I always knew you would be a
world-class mother and now it's going to happen.  What does Pete think?"

   "Shh!" Jan replied, "I haven't told him yet.  It's going to be a part of
my Christmas present to him." Tears of joy started to come to her eyes as
she continued, "It takes care of my last fear, Cin.  Since I was a
prostitute and allowed anyone to do anything if the money was right, deep
down I was scared that something might have happened to my reproductive
system so I couldn't have kids.  I guess it didn't.  The doctor just
whistled when I undressed -- how unprofessional!  -- and said he had never
seen a woman as well equipped for motherhood.  I don't know if that's a
comment on me or a comment on his lack of experience.  Anyway, I'm
thrilled." She looked at Cindy and asked, "Please don't tell Pete?  I want
it to be my surprise."

   Cindy immediately agreed, but then said, "You never answered my question
about the house, though.  Do you think the owners might be willing to
sell?"

   Jan's face fell as she just shook her head and said, "I'm afraid not,
honey.  Besides, that place is a junior-grade palace.  I'm sure it's
costing well over a million.  Even with Dan's salary, it would be a very
big number." Then she brightened and said, "But I'm sure you and Dan will
find a neat place of your own."

   "I have another favor to ask, Jan," Cindy said.  Jan looked at her
quizzically.  "Would you and Pete allow me to become pregnant now, too? 
That way I could take care of your baby and nurse it at my breast.  Jan,
nothing would make me prouder than to be a wet nurse for your baby.  May
I?"

   Jan looked lovingly at the girl she had come to think of as a sister. 
Although her heart turned over at Cindy's offer, she said, "Let me think
about it, okay?  I'll talk to Pete and see what he thinks, too." Then she
grinned at Cindy and asked, "Speaking of houses, how is your apartment
redecorating coming?  I haven't heard you speak of it in weeks."

   "I think it's going very well," Cindy replied.  Then she looked at Jan
with a hopeful expression on her face and asked, "By the way, the owner
wants to christen it with a New Year's Eve party.  I got a message from him
inquiring about caterers and stuff.  Would you mind if I worked for him
that afternoon?  I have gotten to be pretty good with hors d'oeuvres and
that sort of thing.  Jan, I need the money, and he's been very nice.  He
even advanced a part of my fee so that I could buy some Christmas presents.

   Jan's heart turned over as she heard the words.  She had recently
learned from April that Cindy was using her babysitting and decorating
money to pay for gas, tolls, and other expenses incurred working on bank
business.  She also knew that, in spite of having no money, she had
wonderful presents for Pete and herself as well as Dan, April, and her
parents.  She replied, "Cin, of course you can."

   She looked at the girl and tears came into her eyes as she said, "I've
said it before, and I'll say it again: Cindy Martin, you are a dream! 
You're a beloved sister.  I just don't know what I'm going to do when you
move out.  One thing's for sure: The quality of the food served in this
place will go downhill." She appeared very serious as she looked at Cindy
and said, "I'm not kidding at all, now, Cin.  We both know you couldn't
even boil water when you came here six months ago.  Now you're truly a far
better cook than I am.  Pete and I were talking about it a couple of days
ago.  He's noticed it too, and he's the guy who loves me.  We concluded
that I learned to cook to try to hide from being a prostitute.  You learned
to cook with love and thoughtfulness.  There's a lot of 'you' in everything
you serve.  You're giving yourself to us, aren't you?"

   Cindy looked embarrassed and dropped her eyes, but nodded her head and
said softly, "I really try, Jan.  Let's face it: about the only people who
regularly eat my cooking are you, Pete, and Dan, the three people I love
most in the whole world."

   Jan smiled, kissed Cindy and hugged her tight.  Then she pretended to
frown and said, "That's as it may be, but in the meantime you're my house
slave so get with it!  Do I have to do all the work myself?"

   Cindy just grinned and returned to her preparations.

   * * *

   On Christmas morning, Kelly McBride very carefully opened the door to
Cindy's room.  The girl was carrying a large Thermos jug of coffee on a
tray along with three coffee mugs.  As usual, she was completely naked
except for a large Christmas-red bow in her hair and a smaller one pinned
on her pubic hair.  In addition, of course, she was wearing her gold slave
collar.

   Even the slight noise of the latch turning was enough to waken Cindy. 
When the door opened, Kelly found herself looking into the girl's brilliant
blue eyes.  Dan was beside her in bed with his hand, as usual, cupped over
her breast.  Cindy smiled warmly and her lips formed the words, "Merry
Christmas, Kelly!" Then she squeezed Dan's hand awakening him instantly. 
Aloud, she said, "Good morning, darling!  Merry Christmas!"

   Dan's eyes opened, he groaned and said, "Do you mean it's morning
already?  It seems like I just got to sleep.  Woman, you wear me out!"

   As he was speaking, though, he rolled over between her widespread
thighs. In moments his now-erect cock was entering her vagina.

   Kelly just watched in amazement as his immense cock just slid smoothly
into Cindy's body.  As often as she had seen it, she was still astonished
at how attuned to each other Cindy and Dan were.  She continued to watch as
Dan moved in long, slow strokes in and out of the girl while she made
wonderful noises and then began to toss on the bed.  Soon she reached her
first orgasm and Kelly saw the girl's pelvis moving in a frenzy of motion.
All Dan did was to slow his movement to give her time to recover and then
pick up the pace.  When he did, Cindy smiled lovingly and reached up to
pull his head down to hers to give him a loving kiss.  Still he moved
steadily inside her while he gently ran his fingers over her now-sweating
body.  Then, when he lightly touched her nipples, she screamed in ecstasy.

   Soon it was over.  Dan took her to her vibrating crest and just held her
there while her lower body moved in a frenzy.  She collapsed as Dan
discharged inside her and then lay on top of her while he tried to regain
his breath and before easing his body off hers.

   Meanwhile, Kelly had placed the tray on the dresser.  When Dan rolled
off, she got on the bed, gently spread Cindy's legs and began to run her
tongue up the girl's cunt.  It was the first time Kelly had ever gone down
on a girl, but she had heard from both April and Kathy that Cindy's vulva
was as sweet as honey.  Spreading Cindy's nether lips apart with her
fingers she saw for the first time the scar that ran up its length right
across her clit.  She cringed, thinking how incredibly painful the whip cut
must have been.  Then she carefully began to tongue the girl's circumcised
clitoris.  As she moved her tongue to lap up the succulent juices, she felt
Cindy's hand stroke her hair and heard her moan with pleasure.  Finally she
finished by swinging her head so that her lovely auburn hair was over the
girl's slit.  Kelly used it to dry the last drops and then straightened up,
rocking back on her heels.

   "Kelly, that was beyond belief!  Thank you so much, but why did you do
it?" Cindy asked.  Kelly smiled and just shook her head; she really didn't
know why she had done it.  As Cindy was speaking she pulled herself up to a
sitting position next to Dan at the head of the bed.  He put his arm around
her and hugged her tight, again causing her to moan with pleasure.

   "Honey," he asked, "I have a question for you: What do you do with your
girls?  Looking at Kelly kneeling on the bed reminds me again that you must
hire the most beautiful young women in Chicago."

   "Is that against EEOC rules or something?" Cindy asked with a grin. 
"Actually, though, it's all the girls.  They insist on working out.  Just
look at Kelly.  Last week Kathy was teasing her because her breasts have
become so firm she can't swing tassels with them anymore.  And I know she's
gotten bigger across the shoulders: She was complaining about the fit of
her clothes."

   Cindy looked at Dan and said, "You were a Marine.  I hear that the guys
who go through the Officers' Basic School in Quantico complain about the
same thing.  After going through the school their uniforms don't fit
anymore, either.  I gather it's become an occupational hazard with my
girls, too, because of the workouts." Turning to Kelly she asked, "Kel,
would you mind sliding up here so Dan could know what you feel like?  For
that matter, I want to feel you, too."

   Kelly moved up between the two and Cindy weighed one of her breasts in
her hand, rolling the nipple between her fingers causing it almost
instantly to become erect.  Kelly moaned deep in her throat and had her
eyes closed enjoying the sensation as Cindy stroked her tits and Dan ran
his fingers over her satin-smooth skin.  Then she opened her eyes, looked
at the two people and asked, "Cindy, could you do something for me for
Christmas?  Or, really, ask Dan to?"

   Whatever the question was, it was obviously embarrassing to the girl
because she started to blush with the blood moving up her body, flooding
her breasts, and moving on up to her neck and face.

   Cindy grinned at the spectacle and said, "Dan, isn't it wonderful to see
a nude girl blush?  You see it all, don't you?  Kelly McBride, you're
exquisite and the answer is yes.  Now what's the question?"

   Kelly took a deep breath and blurted, "Could Dan bring me to orgasm?"
She looked fearful as she asked the question and then hurriedly explained,
"Cindy, you know I'm a virgin.  You may not know that I have never even
been touched by a man until just now.  I'm desperately in love with Kevin
and we're going to get married soon...  probably right after the Super
Bowl. Anyway, I was talking with Kathy and she told me how Dan brought her
to orgasm on Labor Day.  She says it's the reason she's so happy with Bill
now: She didn't think she could ever have an orgasm.  She did, though.  So
when she met Bill she just recreated what she remembered you doing to her,
Dan, and was in Heaven!  She says she owes much of her happiness to you."
Then she added with a grin, "That's the part that she doesn't owe to
Cindy, of course.  She says that without Cindy she wouldn't have ever
joined the bank in the first place.  Then she would never have come to the
attention of Jen, who never would have called her to come out to
California, and so she would never have met Bill again.  What it comes down
to is she claims she owes everything she has to you, Cindy, as well as

everything she'll ever have in the future!

   "Anyway, this is a long way of asking if you'll allow Dan to do to me
what he did to Kathy?  Could it be my Christmas present?  I so want to be
good for Kevin and good to him.  This way, I can be sure.  Please Cindy? 
Will you let him?"

   Instead of answering, Cindy turned to Dan and said, "Darling, I have a
part of your Christmas present for you: a virgin of your very own to play
with." Turning to Kelly she said, "Slave Kelly, please present yourself to
your new master."

   Kelly smiled warmly and moved up the bed a little more so she was
between Dan and Cindy.  She was still kneeling with her back up straight
and her weight back on her heels as she cradled her beautiful full breasts
and pinched her nipples so they were fully erect.  Then she said, "Master,
I am Slave Kelly, and I'm a part of Cindy's Christmas gift to you.  As you
can see, I have auburn hair and green eyes.  My facial features are
regular. My breasts are full and firm with small pink nipples.  Would you
like to feel one?" She leaned forward and allowed her breasts to hang down.

   Dan reached out an cupped one with his hand and then gently caressed it
with his finger tips.  He noticed that her small nipples became even harder
as he did.  She moaned softly as he gently squeezed her firm tit.  "Your
tits are very nice, Slave Kelly.  Continue your presentation," he said
softly.

   Kelly sat up straight again and spread her knees wide.  Using her long,
slender fingers, she spread her nether lips and said, "This is my cunt,
Master.  I took extra care to make sure it was clean and sweet-smelling for
you this morning.  As Slave Cindy told you, it has never been used or even
touched by a man before." Then she leaned forward again, this time raising
her buttocks high in the air.  "This is my ass, Master.  My asscheeks are
tight and very firm.  My hips are slender, but I have a large pelvic
opening in spite of that.  My doctor says I was made to carry babies.  I so
hope I will.  Does my Master approve of his new Christmas present?"

   Dan smiled and pretended to be bored.  "Cindy, she's...  very nice...  I
guess.  But couldn't you come up with a more original gift?  Of course, I
haven't ever received an _auburn-haired_ virgin before, so...  Well, I
guess I'll try her out."

   Turning to Kelly he asked softly, "What do you want me to do, Kelly? 
Are you asking me to do to you what I did to Kathy?"

   "Please, Dan, will you?  Do exactly the same things.  Please?"

   "Kel, did she tell you she was in tears, crying like her heart would
break before she came?  Did she tell you exactly what I did?" Kelly looked
fearful and just shook her head, no.  "Hon, it was a contest with April. 
The two girls bet that Pete and I couldn't get them to beg for release. 
They both lost.  In fact, that's how my love got her most painful stripes:
She bet Pete couldn't make her beg for release, either.  She _really_ lost.
Are you sure that's what you want me to do?"

   Still kneeling, Kelly replied, "I guess Kathy has forgotten that part of
it.  I don't know what you did, but her memory is one of the most delicious
pleasure.  If there was pain before, it must have been drowned out by the
pleasure that came later.  I guess that's what I would like to do if you're
willing." She grinned and said, "Master, I bet you that you can't get me to
beg you to release me, no matter what you do to me."

   Dan just smiled, shook his head, and got her into position where he
could reach her easily.  He began to talk quietly with Cindy.  She told him
about her conversation with Jan regarding the house next door.  "Honey,
it's a young couple that are building it," she said.  "They want a lot of
children and the house is very big as we both know.  They love it and it's
very expensive so I'm afraid we'll have to find something else." Meanwhile
Dan was lightly running his fingertips over Kelly's body.  He looked at her
and could see her start to writhe involuntarily as his fingers moved on her
body.

   Although her knees were spread wide to expose her cunt, he seemed to
ignore it, concentrating instead on her breasts and inner thighs.  Kelly
found his touch was heavenly!  He was so slow and gentle; it was almost as
if she was imagining rather than feeling.  The girl was surprised to feel
her respiration speed up and to find she had begun to perspire.  Dan seemed
to be completely unaware of what he was doing to her or the effect he was
having on her.  He seemed to be concentrating on his conversation with
Cindy rather than on what his hand was doing.  To her surprise, she could
feel her passion rise higher and higher.  After focusing his attentions on
her thighs, he returned to her breasts.  When he touched her nipples this
time, she screamed in pain and ecstasy.  They were so sensitive now that
they hurt!  This was something she never dreamed could ever happen.

   Higher and higher she went to the point of achieving the release she had
only heard of.  Then she went over the edge.  _But I didn't!_ she thought.
She was amazed to see that she was gasping for breath and sweat was pouring
off her body.  Dan asked very quietly, "Do you want to take a couple of
deep breaths, Kel, before we start again?"

   Kelly ran her hands through her hair and found it was soaking wet.  Then
she ran her fingers over her body to wipe off some of the sweat and then
knelt up straight, smiling.  She said, "Dan, I think I'm starting to get
the idea.  You're absolutely unreal!  Are you sure you're Irish?  No
Irishman can possibly have either your sensitivity towards a woman or your
extraordinary touch.  But you sure do!" Then she looked at Cindy and
grinned, saying, "Now I guess I know why you always look so well loved! 
It's just because you are." Cindy just grinned back, nodded her head
vigorously and then snuggled closer to Dan.

   His stroking began again.  This time, he took her up faster -- Kelly
realized she was still sensitized.  Again he took her to her crest...  And
stopped.  Remarkably, he still had not even touched her cunt.  Now he did.
His finger entered her slit and she spread her legs even wider for him. 
She could feel him find her little love bud and stroke it gently.  Kelly
realized she was making noises but had no control over it.  In fact, she
had no control over anything.  All sensation was concentrating in her cunt.
Again he took her right to the point of release, and again he stopped. 
This repeated through more cycles than she could count.  She was shocked to
realize she was crying!  Tears were streaming from her eyes.  Vaguely she
realized she must look like a complete mess but didn't care about it at
all.

   Finally, she could take it no longer.  She screamed, "Please, Dan! 
Please release me.  I'm begging you!"

   He asked softly, "Are you sure, Kel?  You'll lose the bet, you know. 
You really don't want to do that, do you?"

   She completely lost control.  She began to cry uncontrollably and
screamed, "Please, Dan!  I'm begging you.  I'll do anything for you... 
absolutely anything!  Please!"

   Dan's hand began to move on her again.  This time he took her up to her
release point and then over.  Suddenly, Kelly could feel a release of
fluids in her cunt that gushed out as if she were urinating, flooding his
hand.  Now he pinched her clit and instantly she had another orgasm.  He
had not altered his tempo, but now had her where he usually had Cindy: in a
continuous orgasm.

   Kelly couldn't take it.  She was crying and screaming while her pelvis
was shaking uncontrollably.  Then she pitched forward on the bed with her
knees under her body but still spread wide to provide Dan with easy access
to her cunt.  All sensation was in her loins.  She had never dreamed there
could ever be such an experience.  In spite of her total absence of
control, she didn't want it ever to end.  Gasping for breath, she could
scarcely even breathe.  After fifteen minutes of ecstasy, Dan pinched her
clit hard.  It was the last straw.  Kelly felt an explosion in her loins as
her body seemed to be trying to empty out her love juices.  She couldn't
take the additional sensory stimulation and fainted.

   Cindy said softly, "She's such a beautiful girl!  What did you think,
Dan?"

   He grinned and said, "When are you going to let me do that to you?"

   "I get the whole cock, darling, but the result is the same.  She is
exquisite, isn't she?"

   "Honey, Kevin Cavanaugh is going to be a very lucky...  and very
tired... man!  She's utterly spectacular!"

   With a grin, Cindy scrambled down to the end of the bed.  With help from
Dan she rolled Kelly on her back and knelt between her legs.  Lowering her
head, she began to lick the love juices that now flooded the girl's vagina.
Then she raised her head, licked her lips and said, "Yum!  Dan you have to
try this.  I'll bet you've never had the chance to eat a virgin cunt
before. Merry Christmas, honey!  I hope you like it."

   Dan grinned back and took Cindy's place.  He quickly agreed that Cindy
was right.  Kelly's juices were a wonderfully sweet nectar.  He raised his
head and motioned to Cindy who grinned and agreed to change places.s Then
Dan lay on his back between Kelly's widespread legs while Cindy knelt over
him and lowered her cunt to his mouth.  Now, while she was eating Kelly's
cunt, Dan was eating hers.  Cindy ran her tongue carefully up and down the
girl's slit and then into her vagina.  Meanwhile she was feeling the most
exquisite sensations from Dan's work on her.  She began to tease Kelly's
now-erect clit with her tongue and heard the girl moan with pleasure.

   Kelly had regained consciousness and loved the exquisite sensation. 
Looking down, she saw Cindy kneeling between her legs while further down on
the bed Dan was on his back licking at Cindy's cunt.  Cindy bit down gently
on her clit and Kelly suddenly came again in a flood.  Again Cindy licked
up all of the delicious fluid and then flipped her head to use her long
golden hair to dry Kelly's crotch.  Kelly grinned as she saw a look of
surprise on Cindy's face followed instantly by her scream of ecstasy;
obviously, Dan had taken her to orgasm, as well.

   Cindy straightened up.  She was straddling Dan's body so she spun around
and then moved further down to be able to kiss him.  After she did, again
feeling the normal electricity flowing between them, she said, "Thank you,
future husband.  That was marvelous." Looking up at Kelly she said, "Kel,
you're absolutely delicious!" Looking thoughtful she added, "I'm giving
serious thought to becoming a lesbian.  Do you suppose Kevin would mind if
you had a live-in girl friend?  You taste so sweet and you don't destroy me
the way this big lug does." Then she daintily stuck out her tongue at Dan
who just grinned.

   Kelly went to pull up her legs and winced in pain.  She looked down at
Dan and asked, "What did you do to me?  I thought I was in great shape,
Dan, and all you did was run your fingers over me.  What happened?" Then
she grinned and said, "I lost the bet, though.  What was it?  Am I now your
slave?" She ran her hands through her hair which was now tousled and wet
with perspiration, then ran them down her still-sweaty body.  She looked
woebegone as she said, "I guess I'm a real mess, aren't I?  Dan, I'm not
even sure you would have me as your slave."

   Dan sat up in the bed, smiled at the girl and asked, "Kel, how was it? I
guess you found out you can have an orgasm.  And I think you look lovely.
You're like a redheaded Cindy: a true natural beauty.  All I can say is,
Kevin Cavanaugh is a very lucky guy."

   The girl just rolled her eyes and said, "Thank you, Dan.  And I really
mean it, too.  I never knew anything could possibly be this good.  _Ever!_
And this was without you even getting near my vagina.  Can it possibly ever
be any better?"

   "Much!" Cindy replied emphatically.  "Kelly, I think you're going to be
a simply gorgeous bride!  When you're in bed with the man you love, it is
simply joyous.  Just think, you're trying to make a baby.  Kelly, I agree
with your doctor: You're going to be one hell of a mother!" Then she
frowned and said, "Slave Kelly, did you come in here this morning for some
worthwhile purpose?  Coffee, perhaps?"

   The girl let out a little yelp and jumped out of the bed, finding her
legs almost collapsing on her.  She recovered and poured coffee for Dan and
Cindy who had both returned to the head of the bed.  Kneeling by the
bedside, she served them both.  Cindy said, "Slave Kelly, bring your cup
and join us.  And Merry Christmas!"

   They drank the coffee with Kelly sitting on the bed.  Then she looked
down and found the little bow she had worn on her pubic hair was missing.
Cindy and Dan both laughed as the lovely redhead crawled around the bed on
her hands and knees searching for it while her lovely little ass was
sticking up high in the air.  She let out a little yelp when she found it
and pinned it back in her pubic hair.

   Then she smiled warmly at Cindy and Dan and asked, "Cindy, are you sure
it's better with a man?  With a cock in your cunt?" Cindy just eagerly
nodded her head.  With a wry smile she said, "I guess I had better be a
little more careful slugging Kevin, then.  He might get discouraged, and if
its better than what I experienced this morning, I can't wait!" With a
broad grin she jumped off the bed and raced into the bathroom to take a
quick shower and wash her hair before going downstairs to see about
breakfast.  Her hair was still wet when she ran from the room.

   Cindy and Dan shared a shower, then dressed and went downstairs.  As
they were dressing, they had noticed it had started to snow and the ground
was already white.  They found Kelly had supervised the preparation of a
sumptuous breakfast which they ate together with Jan and Pete.  The four
were all hugely amused by the sight of four beautiful girls all on their
knees serving while Kelly cooked and supervised.*Chapter 31*

   Cindy reveled in driving Jan, Pete and Dan to church in her Mazda GTX.
With its four-wheel drive and snow tires, it was remarkably surefooted on
the snow-slickened roads.  She teased the Stewarts about being so dumb as
to buy BMWs which couldn't handle snow or ice under any conditions.  Jan
just stuck out her tongue and said it was fortunate they had a house slave
to handle details like that for them.

   When they returned home they found the snow had accumulated and was
falling even harder.  Cindy ran in to change into her blue jeans and
chambray shirt.  Today, though, she also put on a heavy white sweater. 
Putting on a parka, she went out to the shed and started up the lawn
tractor, now fitted with a snow blower.  In minutes she was clearing the
driveway.  Dan came outside also wearing a parka.  She grinned and told him
to get his own toys to play with.  He grinned back, took out a snow shovel
and shoveled the walk while she finished plowing the drive.

   Christmas at the Stewarts was shaping up to be a very big party. 
Allison Clifford had organized a family reunion with the whole family
gathering there.  Cindy knew most of the people but was introduced to Dave
and Judy Chapman, Steve's parents, as well as Brian and Karen Clifford,
Bill's son and new daughter-in-law.  She learned that Karen was Swiss and
that the two were still in college.  Finally, Ali arrived with Bill
Clifford.  Cindy was wearing a lovely Christmas-red wool dress with her
slave collar.  Dan had brushed her hair after they shared another shower,
telling her he loved to feel it.  She thought she looked very good as she
made her way downstairs.

   When everyone was sitting in the living room, Ali looked meaningfully at
Jan who nodded and then asked Cindy to join them in the library.  She
followed Ali and Jan into the room and Jan closed the door.  As they sat
down Cindy had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach remembering the
first time she had met Ali Clifford: the fateful day at the bank.  She had
also encountered her at Kathy's wedding on Maui, but because of the
circumstances, Cindy didn't think that counted.  Ali was looking at her
closely and then said, "Slave Cindy, undress, please.  I wish to examine
your body."

   Jan nodded and Cindy rose from the chair, unzipped her dress and slipped
it over her head.  Then she slipped off her bikini and stepped out of her
pumps.  Ali asked her to approach closer which Cindy did.  She was scared.
Ali's face was expressionless as she studied Cindy's body and then lightly
ran her fingers over the scars.  Then she commanded, "Show me your cunt,
Slave Cindy."

   Spreading her legs, Cindy rocked her pelvis forward and used her slim
fingers to separate her nether lips.  She could feel that she was blushing
with embarrassment at the inspection.

   Then Ali said softly, "Daughter Janice, you really did a job, didn't
you? Billy told me about it.  He had never seen a person so badly beaten in
his life and from what I can see, he wasn't kidding." She looked up at
Cindy's face and for the first time smiled warmly saying, "Cindy, you
better get your clothes back on or you'll catch your death." The girl
quickly got dressed and was then startled when Ali proceeded carefully to
brush her hair and then comb it out.  When she finished she said with a
grin, "Jan, I see what you mean.  Slave Cindy does cheat.  She uses two
bobby-pins in her hair.  That's almost the same as wearing tons of makeup,
isn't it."

   Cindy returned to her seat while Jan used the telephone intercom.  A few
moments later one of the slave girls appeared with a tray and three cups of
egg nog.  As she entered the room, she squared her shoulders and
straightened her back causing her breasts to thrust upward.  The girl was
one of the newest hires in the bank and didn't yet have her slave collar.
Like Kelly, she was just wearing a big red bow in her hair and a small one
pinned to her small neat patch of dense and curly pubic hair.  Her name was
Cathy Collins.  She was five feet eight with brown hair, gray eyes, and
lovely features.  The girl was about to leave the room when Ali said,
"Slave, present yourself to me."

   Startled, the girl stopped and returned to a position in front of Ali.
She said, "Good afternoon, Mrs.  Clifford.  I'm Slave Cathy.  I'm the
newest person in Slave Cindy's group at the bank." She had put her tray
down and now cupped her breasts with her hands, saying, "These are my tits.
They are not yet full enough and they are much too flabby but I've only
just started to work on them.  My cunt is not well developed, but I don't
have a boyfriend yet, either.  My ass and hips need work but I think I'll
make it." The girl stood up straight and finished by saying, "I'm so proud
to have been selected for the Special Lending Division and to have the
opportunity to work with Slave Cindy."

   Ali asked, "Do you like Slave Cindy?  Can she manage a division?"

   The girl looked genuinely shocked and replied, "Like?  Love is more like
it.  She's the most wonderful person I've ever met." The girl's smile was
beautiful as she continued, "Who ever heard of hiring an English major as a
banker?  Cindy did.  As a matter of fact, Mrs.  Clifford and Mrs.  Stewart,
you could save yourselves a great deal of money.  Not only are we overpaid,
most of us would work for nothing and some of us would even pay you for the
privilege.  'Can she manage?' I think you asked?" The girl was standing up
straight and Cindy was so proud of her as she said, "I can't answer that.
All I know is everyone in and out of the bank worships the ground she walks
on.  Just look at her!  She's the most exquisitely beautiful human being I
have ever met, yet she's always kind and helpful.

   "When I joined the division, I was assigned to Kelly McBride's district.
Do you know what she does?  She constantly teases me about numbers.  She
says English majors don't know from numbers.  Of course, she majored in
English and philosophy and is one of the sharpest bankers alive."

   The girl grinned and added, "Mrs.  Clifford, I know you own the bank so
I really shouldn't be saying this.  But ma'am, this isn't a bank, it's a
club!  You can't believe how proud I am today, because now I'll be one of
Cindy's slaves!  I've only been in the job a few weeks, but Kelly said I'll
be getting one of the beautiful collars like the one Cindy is wearing now.
You can't believe what a badge of honor that gold collar has become!

   "I was with one of the more senior girls last week who had qualified. 
(I should add that if you qualify, you _always_ wear it.) We were going
down the street just shopping.  It was the funniest thing I have ever
seen...  and the most moving.  We would go into a little shop and the
storekeeper would see Janet's collar.  Instantly, nothing was too good for
us or too much trouble.  They couldn't be nicer.  I guess I've heard about
the Twins in at least twenty different languages.

   "Mrs.  Clifford, I know you're from Los Angeles, so maybe you don't know
about 'the twins who aren't.' It was a term created on the streets for
Cindy and April when the division first started.  Now we all wear the
division uniform: Levi's and chambray shirts, and if you're really good,
the slave collar.  We drive red Mazdas like Cindy's out front.  All I can
say is we have an enormous responsibility.  Cindy started something and
built it until it's the biggest thing in Chicago.  I don't think I'm
exaggerating when I say Cindy and April are worshiped in this city!

   "Can she manage?  Cindy Martin is the greatest asset Chicago Trust has!"

   Then the girl started to blush as she thought she had been carried away.
Ali Clifford reached out her hands and the girl took them, then looked at
Ali's face.  What she saw surprised her.  She saw enormous warmth and love.

   Ali said softly, "I can relate to that, Slave Cathy.  I'm senior partner
in a law firm in Los Angeles that's the same way.  Of course, we're much
smaller.  But one of the new girls referred to it as more of a family than
a firm.  We have a lot of fun there, too!" She smiled warmly and said,
"Slave Cathy, welcome to Chicago Trust!  I'm personally delighted to have
you with us." She grinned and added, "Cathy, I want a photograph of you
taken three months from now.  You'll be a knockout!" The girl retrieved her
tray and left the women alone.

   Now Ali turned her attention to Cindy and glared at her -- or pretended
to.  She said, "Slave Cindy, I thought I had seen everything, but you take
the cake.  First, you know we bought Chicago Trust just to fix your wagon,
but boy, did you ever get revenge!  Cindy, do you know what my biggest
problem is?" The girl just shook her head, obviously puzzled.  Ali answered
her own question: "It's trying to spend all the damned money we accumulate.
I know you've heard Jennifer complain about it, and I'll bet Jan has, too.
So what do you do?  You personally make sure that the biggest moneymaking
investment I've ever made in my life was to buy Chicago Trust!  Girl, you
really know how to get even, don't you.  Now what are we going to do with
you?"

   While Ali was speaking, Jennifer Chapman had slipped into the room
joining her mother and her sister.  Ali continued, "I guess the only thing
we can do is to try to cut our losses." She looked at Jennifer.

   Jen reached into her purse and took out some papers which she passed to
Cindy saying, "Cin, these are your notes marked 'paid in full.' Darling
Cindy, I almost get sick every time I see those terrible scars on your
body. You certainly did pay in full." Then she grinned and added, "The real
reason we're giving the notes back is that the last thing we want is any
more money.  By the way, this fully discharges your indenture to Janice,
too.  I guess you'll want to be leaving tonight, won't you?"

   Cindy was in a state of shock.  She didn't know what to do.  Suddenly,
her little world had been turned upside down.  Tears started to stream from
her eyes but she got up and stumbled over to the sofa where Jan was sitting
and went into her arms.  Suddenly, she started to sob like her heart was
broken.  Jan held the girl tightly and said, "Sis, it's going to be fine.
You don't have to go now if you don't want to.  It's just that you're free
to go whenever you wish.  Cindy, you do know I love you, don't you?" Cindy
just snuggled in Jan's arms.

   Tears came to Ali's eyes as she watched the beautiful girl.  _Jan's
right,_ she thought.  _This girl is really something very special._ Then
she said softly, "Cindy, there's more.  I know Jan talked to you about
those scars.  Cindy, please!  I'm personally begging you.  Let us pay for
an operation to have them removed.  You're the most beautiful girl it has
ever been my good fortune to see.  I can't stand to be reminded of what we
did to you.  Please?"

   The Clifford women were startled by what followed.  Cindy disengaged
from Jan's arms and ran out of the room.  Moments later she returned with
the whip coiled in her hands.  It's tip was still stiff from all her blood
that had soaked into the leather during her brutal beating in May.  Giving
it to Ali, she quickly stripped off her clothes again and knelt on the
floor with her scarred ass up high.  With her head cradled in her arms she
said softly, "Mrs.  Clifford, the last time I was disobedient I received
ten lashes.  Does twenty sound right?" Ali could see tears flowing from the
girl's eyes as she added, "Unless you would rather I go outside to the
whipping post, of course?"

   Ali dropped the whip, jumped from her chair and dropped to her kees next
to the kneeling girl.  She took Cindy in her arms and held her tightly.  As
she did, Cindy could feel a wetness on her cheeks that was not from her own
tears.  She moved away and found the older woman was crying like her heart
was broken.  "Please, Mrs.  Clifford," she whispered.  "Please don't cry.
What did I do?  I really can't have the scars removed for reasons I
explained to Jan, but I _am_ being very disobedient." She smiled wryly and
said, "Actually, that was the beginning of my change for the better.  Maybe
I would be much better off if you did whip me.  It certainly helped me the
first time."

   The older woman replied softly, "Cindy Martin, damn it, the name is Ali.
Whenever you say, Mrs.  Clifford, I look for Bill's mother, but she's
dead!" She grinned at Cindy and added, "Back at the office in LA we have a
whip for slow learners.  A slow learner is defined as anyone who calls me,
Mrs.  Clifford, or my partner, Ginger, Mrs.  Conrad!  And, damn it, I'm not
above using your whip for that purpose!"

   Cindy looked at the woman on her knees next to her.  She knew from
Janice that Ali Clifford was thirty-seven, but she looked to be in her
early twenties.  She remembered seeing her at long range on the nude beach
at Maui and knew her figure was perfect.  She wiped her eyes with the back
of her hand and smiled, then stuck out her hand saying, "I'll make a deal
with you.  I'll call you Ali if you knock off the shit about the scars. 
Okay?"

   Ali grinned and took her hand in a firm grip saying, "Okay, damn it,
it's a deal." Then she shook her head and said, "However, we're not
finished with you yet, young lady.  Somehow, I am going to get even." Ali
was tremendously impressed with the girl and decided she loved her like
another daughter.  They rejoined the others in the living room.

   When the group gathered to open their Christmas presents, there were
some surprises.  Cindy gave Dan the nude portrait of herself that Jim Vance
had painted.  She pointed out that she would be keeping an eye on him in
his office.  She had entered Dan's office with Jim one night and he had
taken careful measurements of the wall and the location of Dan's desk.  The
result was that her eyes in the portrait were focused precisely on the
point behind his desk where his eyes would be when he was seated behind it.
She liked the portrait because Jim had caught and depicted her love for him
and the wanting for him that she always felt.

   Judy Chapman presented a large box to her husband, Dave.  Opening it he
found it was a Vance portrait of herself.  Similar in pose to others, she
was semi-reclining and nude.  Steve Chapman looked over his father's
shoulder and whistled saying, "My God, Dad!  Mom looks delicious.  I hope
you're enjoying her charms."

   Dave looked up and grinned.  He said, "Son, it's mostly your wife's
fault.  She's been working out with Judy at the health club and this is the
result." Looking across the room at Jennifer he said, "Daughter, you're the
best thing to happen to the Chapman family in years.  My son gets the most
beautiful girl in the world as his bride, and I enjoy the greatest sex life
since I first met Judy." He looked at his wife and said, "Darling, thank
you...  for everything!  What do you think?"

   Judy sat on David's lap and put her arms around his neck.  Then she
kissed him with ever-increasing passion.  Pulling slightly away, she had
her head on his shoulder and whispered, "Darling, the best will come
tonight.  Do you like the picture?  I do.  I think it shows my love for
you...  at least, I hope it does." Dave just held his wife tightly and
heard her make wonderful happy noises.

   Janice gave Cindy and Dan two packages, a tiny one and another somewhat
larger attached together with a small ribbon.  The larger was for Dan while
the smaller was for her.  He opened his and found one hundred
hundred-dollar bills -- $10,000 in cash.  Along with it was a note
indicating she was paying her wager from months before when he had bet her
that Cindy would be able to make character loans.  Jan agreed that she
certainly could.  When Cindy opened her tiny package, she laughed.  In it
was a lump of coal along with a note from Jan saying, "When my house slave
costs me $10,000, what the hell can she expect?"

   Peter opened his gift from Janice.  It was also in a small box.  Opening
it, he found a tiny pair of baby booties she had knitted.  He looked at Jan
and she nodded her head while there was a beautiful smile on her face. 
Pete's jaw dropped as he instantly understood the significance of the gift.
He hugged her and kissed her warmly.  She whispered, "Darling, I'm really
your wife now.  I guess the past is finally dead and buried.  We're going
to have a baby in the summer!"

   Pete lifted her effortlessly in his arms and sat down with her seated
across his lap, then kissed her with increasing passion.  "Darling, I
couldn't possibly be happier!"

   The others came crowding around to congratulate them.  Connie
Cartwright, now in the sixth month of her pregnancy, was only beginning to
bulge.  She kissed them warmly and whispered to Jan, "Sis, you're a
copycat."

   Jan gently ran her fingers over the girl's swelling abdomen and said,
"Connie, I only hope I can carry as well as you.  How do you feel?"

   "Simply marvelous!" she replied.  "So far it hasn't interfered with our
love life." She grinned and added, "It does feel odd, though, to have Chip
inside me and to feel the little guy kick at the same time!  I'm getting it
from two directions at once, but it is kind of nice." Connie Cartwright was
a silver blonde with brilliant green eyes.  She had paid for much of her
education by working as a stripper on Sunset Strip.  Because she spent so
much time lying naked in the sun, she had a perfect golden tan, while her
hair had been sun-bleached almost white.

   She looked at Jan and smiled warmly saying, "I can't tell you how
glorious it feels, Jan.  I really can't.  In spite of...  or maybe because
of...  the swelling, Chip now likes to rest his head on my abdomen and
listen to the baby.  While he does it, of course, his fingers are playing
with my cunt." She looked at Jan and added, "You know, this is what it's
all about.  For months he has been putting his magnificent weapon into my
vagina, and now in just a few months the product of his sex and mine will
come out and greet the world.

   "When all the career bullshit is stripped away and we _really_ go back
to nature the way the tree-huggers advocate, isn't this really what we're
made for?  Do you know, Jan, I have never felt so good in my life and Chip
claims I have never looked so beautiful.  I can't wait, and neither can
he."*Chapter 32*

   The last-minute preparations were all set for the feast Cindy had
planned and prepared.  Although Jan had cooperated with her on the hors
d'oeuvres, the dinner was entirely Cindy's.  She had planned it, purchased
the food with her own money, and prepared it.  In spite of her teasing, it
turned out that Kelly was a very good cook and, working with Cindy, had
become much better.  Kelly was going to personally handle the final
preparations so Cindy could remain seated.

   The girls who were going to serve lined up in front of Cindy for
inspection.  She noticed that Cathy Collins put her shoulders back and
thrust her breasts out.  When she looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow
Cathy said, "Cindy, I'm not yet used to being naked in front of other
people.  My body isn't yet in the shape it ought to be and I guess I'm not
proud enough of it.  I'll just have to try harder."

   Then she grinned and added, "Looking at my friends provides a lot of
inspiration.  My coloring is sort of ordinary, though.  My God!  I look at
Kelly and just shake my head in amazement.  She's absolutely glorious!  If
I had a body like hers, I don't think I would ever put on a stitch of
clothing, even when it's snowing the way it is now.  No wonder she looks so
proud!" She looked at Cindy and asked, "Do you think there's any hope?"

   Cindy just grinned and said, "I think I'm going to make an addition to
the Division's uniform.  Collins, I think you should wear your Phi Bete key
pinned to your left nipple.  I found out the other day that about
two-thirds of our people were elected to Phi Beta Kappa so it will
generally apply.  What do you think?"

   Cathy just shook her head sorrowfully, cupped Cindy's breast through her
dress and said, "I thought it was a fine idea at first, Cin, but you have
the most beautiful tits in the world with the most lovely little nipples.
It would be a shame to put a pin through the left one.  And of course, if
we had to wear our keys, you would, too, wouldn't you?"

   Cindy just shook her head, grinned wryly, and then inspected the other
girls.  Finally, after confirming all of the arrangements with Kelly, she
went into the dining room where she found that the seating plan had been
rearranged.  She was seated to Peter Stewart's right in the place of honor.
When she protested, Jan insisted.  Looking around the table she realized
that it was the entire Clifford family, along with her parents and Steve
Chapman's.

   The first course was glaceed breast of pheasant stuffed with foie gr...s
served with a lovely Chardonnay.  The entree was filet of beef Wellington
with a beautiful 1959 Chateau Mouton Rothschild.  After everyone was
served, Ali Clifford, who was seated in the middle of the table, raised her
glass.  She said, "I would like to offer a toast.  To Cynthia Katherine
Martin: Cindy, never have I seen or heard of a person like you.  I owe you
a little explanation, though.  I know, for example, that you were fighting
to ensure that April Jefferson received the highest bonus awarded in the
bank this year.  I know why you wanted it.  The fact is she has received
_one of the highest_ bonuses paid.  We couldn't give the highest bonus to
her, Cindy, because we had to give it to you.
"Without you, Cynthia Martin, there would be no Special Lending
Division. April is the first person to say so, too.  Yesterday she told me
what I know she has said in public many times before: 'Cindy Martin is the
best there is!' She went on to say that you have taught her everything she
knows.  I don't for a minute want to take anything away from April, or, for
that matter, from my daughter, Kathy, or Kelly McBride.  But they all say
it: You train, coach, encourage, but most of all, you set an example.  I
hear it over and over.  'We try to be like Cindy.  We can't, of course, but
in the process of trying, we become far better than we ever dreamed we
could be.'
"There's more: I happen to know that all of the money you've spent on
gas, tolls, parking, and everything else, has come out of your babysitting

money."

   Now tears were flowing from Ali's eyes.  She was standing at her place
looking down the table at Cindy.  She grinned wryly and said, "Martin, this
is absolutely ridiculous!  As a result, I have a few things for you. 
First, there's a small check for back pay.  You're now earning $350,000 a
year, as of December first.  With the calculation of your bonus on your
actual salary, there's another $700,000 representing your year-end bonus.
Since you were making $110,000 in May when the fun began, we charged you
with one week's vacation, then a raise on July 15 to $150,000, on September
15 to $200,000 and then to $350,000 on December 1." She glanced down at the
checks in her hand and exclaimed, "Whoops!  I almost forgot.  In November
there was a 100 percent bonus paid, so here is a check for another
$200,000.

   "That's not all, Cindy.  I desperately wanted to adopt you as a
daughter, too.  Unfortunately, you not only have a father, but you have a
brand-new mother, as well.  (Their love for each other makes Bill's and
mine look like puppy love.) So that isn't going to work.  It was a puzzle,
but Bill and I solved it.  If you can't be our daughter, we'll settle for
your being our daughter-in-law."

   Now Ali grinned and with an expression of glee said, "What's wrong with
you bankers, anyway?  Don't you _ever_ read anything before you sign?" She
looked at Dan who had been looking increasingly puzzled and said, "Burke,
you signed a few things for Jennifer at the last board meeting.  One of
them was this." She reached under her napkin and took a single sheet of
paper and passed it down the table to him.  "You signed it, and now it's
official.  Dan, welcome!  You're now the adopted son of William H. 
Clifford and Allison M.  Clifford."

   She hurried around the table to stand next to him as he rose from his
seat with an expression of utter amazement on his face.  Ali said softly,
"Dan, will you please give your new mother a kiss?"

   Dan took her in his arms and kissed her sweetly.  When he released her,
her eyes were glazed and she was unsteady on her feet.  She shook her head
and exclaimed, "Wow!" Then she grinned and said, "I'm beginning to think
I've been wasting my time adopting daughters.  If I knew mothering boys was
so much fun, we would have done this more often." While she was speaking
she returned to her seat.  Then she looked at Cindy and said, "Young lady,
we're not through with you yet.  You see, we need to avoid nepotism, and I
told you earlier I would find some way to get even.  Well, our idea isn't
great, but it's the best we could come up with, so I guess it will have to
do.  Cindy, I have something else for you."

   She passed a paper down towards the girl and said, "This is a stock
certificate for 15 percent of the stock of Chicago Trust Company.  It's
yours.  We have now acquired all of the previously outstanding shares so
about four percentage points are the newly-acquired shares and the
remaining eleven were Bill's and mine.  You're now the third largest
shareholder and the largest individual owner, since ours and the Chapman's
are in joint names.

   "One final point: I seem to have heard something about a promised bonus.
The story I heard was that there was a loan transaction last spring
involving some small company in the area.  I gather it was a $20 million
loan sold for a premium of 20 percent, or $4 million.  You were supposed to
get a bonus and it was never paid."

   While Ali was speaking, Cindy's face fell and her tears started to flow.
Then Ali slid a check down to Cindy in the amount of one million dollars,
one-quarter of the purchase premium.  Cindy looked at the bonus check, but
then broke into uncontrolled sobbing when she saw the amount.  She tried to
focus on Ali but, with her tears blinding her, could see nothing. 
Nevertheless she said, "Ali, this is typical of the morals and ethics of
Cynthia Martin.  Thank you for reminding me."

   She tried to smile but couldn't even manage a weak imitation as she
continued, "Ali, I understand now what you meant about getting even.  You
just did.  I would far rather have you whip me to a bloody rag than to
torture me with this.  What did I do?  Not much.  I just arranged for the
nicest person in the world to be sold into slavery to a man she detested,
giving up her husband who she loves more than anything in this world." In
spite of her anguish, Cindy's head was held up straight.  The others at the
table could feel the pain the beautiful girl was suffering.

   Cindy jumped up from the table and ran into the kitchen, returning
moments later with a pen.  The others looked at her with facial expressions
ranging from sympathy to amazement.  She looked down the table at Janice
and asked quietly, "Jan, what's your favorite charity?"

   Jan's eyes widened as she realized what Cindy intended to do.  She
exclaimed, "Cindy, you can't possibly!  That check is for $1 million! 
Honey, this is a joke.  We didn't want to hurt you.  Mom thought it would
be a small way of repaying you for all of the wonderful things you've done
for the bank and for us over the last six months.  Please?"

   By now Cindy's tears had stopped flowing.  She had just looked at Jan
impassively while she was speaking and then quietly repeated, "Your
favorite charity?"

   "Catholic Charities, I guess, honey.  But please don't!"

   Cindy carefully endorsed the check to Catholic Charities of Chicago and
put it under her napkin saying, "I'll mail it tomorrow, Jan, with a note
that it is a gift in the name of Janice Carson Stewart.  Jan, I'm so sorry!
Can you find it in your heart ever to forgive me?"

   Jan rose from her seat and hurried to the end of the table.  When she
went to her knees, her head was level with Cindy's and she held the girl
tightly to her, whispering, "Darling Cindy, forgive?  What's to forgive?  I
got a new mother and a husband who I now know loves me.  I'm going to be a
mother.  Darling, most of that's your fault, too.  Cindy, we love you so
very much!"

   Cindy smiled at Jan weakly and said, "Jan, there are no words to express
my love for you and my gratitude for all that you and Pete have done for
me. I really don't want the money.  I'm going to do it anyway.  Maybe it
will help some people who need help."

   Still standing at her place, Ali had watched the scene without saying
anything.  Now she said, "Cindy, Jan and Pete are absolutely right.  You're
a great person.  For myself, I want to apologize to you.  It's well known
in LA that while our hearts are usually in the right place, we often have
the sensitivity of clams."

   She smiled warmly and continued, "Now a personal word.  When Billy came
back to Los Angeles after treating you he was almost physically ill.  He
had never seen a person whose body had been as abused as yours with the
possible exception of Bill Cartwright.  But he pointed out Bill had been
getting it for fourteen years.  You got yours in just two days. 
Nevertheless, while you were lying in the bed in utter agony, you insisted
it was all your own fault.  The look you gave to Janice was one of
incredible love." She looked across and asked, "Billy, do you want to say
anything?"

   The young doctor looked down the table at Cindy and said, "Yes, I do. 
Cindy, I'm focusing now on trauma as a result of treating you.  I _know_
how agonizing your pain was.  Yet you wouldn't let me give you morphine. 
In fact you wouldn't take anything stronger than aspirin.  Cindy, to this
day I don't know how you did it.  Your bravery and courage has been a
constant inspiration.  I just want you to know that."

   Ali continued: "Then you organized the Special Lending Division.  Dan
said you could do something that has never been done effectively in banking
before, and you did it.  We _know_ we have the most effective group of
banking professionals in the industry.  We know you recruited them, trained
them, and inspired them.  Finally, a word about this dinner: I fell in love
with Janice in Los Angeles, in part because of her cooking." She looked at
Jan with an apology and then said, "Jan prepared a dinner like this for
Bill, Pete, and me out there.  Cindy, this is better.  I don't know how it
could be, but it is.  What did you do?"

   Janice spoke up from the head of the table before Cindy could respond.
"Mom, it's simple.  This is a work of love for Cindy.  I don't know why,
but she loves me and loves us.  Because we give her nothing except scars,
she has limited ways for expressing her love.  This is the way Pete and I
have been eating for months." She looked at Ali and tears were flowing from
her eyes as she added, "That's right, Mom!  Months!  And during those
months she was organizing and managing the Special Lending Division.  She
refused any help.  Not only did she do everything she had previously done,
there were always little surprises for Pete and me.  Mom, this dinner is an
expression of her love and that's why it's so much better than I could do.
Finally, I guess you all know now that Cindy has been receiving no money at
all for any of the work she has been doing, either here or at the bank. 
Nevertheless, she not only prepared this dinner, refusing any help at all,
but she paid for it all from her babysitting money."

   Ali said, "I guess that's about it.  Except there's one other small
thing...  I guess it's a sort of a present.  Dan?"

   Dan got up from his seat and went to Cindy.  He went down on one knee
and said, "Darling, I know this is a little public, but these are all
people who love you.  Honey, I think I love you most of all.  I adore you,
Cin, and want you to be my wife and the mother of my children.  Cindy, will
you marry me?"

   Cindy had been in a daze.  She couldn't fully absorb the change in her
fortune.  Now Dan was down on one knee beside her.  She reached out and
took him into her arms and hugged him tightly saying, "Oh, God, Dan!  Of
course I will.  But honey, are you sure?  I'm beat up, and I used to be a
gold-plated bitch.  I'll marry you on one condition: We'll keep the whip
and you must promise me you'll use it if I ever need a reminder of what I
was.  Will you promise?"

   "I promise, darling," he whispered as he held her tight.  Then he
released her and reached into his pocket.  He took out a magnificent
diamond solitaire ring and slipped it on her finger.  Then he took her in
his arms and kissed her.  The kiss achieved a new dimension as their love
for each other flowed between them.  Dan brought his chair down so he could
sit at the end of the table beside Cindy.

   She said, "Dan, thank you." Then she pretended to glare at Ali, saying,
"It's all very well for you to talk about my dinner, Allison Clifford, but
in the meantime it's getting cold!  Can we eat now?"

   When the magnificent dinner was over, Kelly looked out the window and
then turned on the radio to an all-news station.  As she had feared, the
snowstorm had developed into a major blizzard and the highway department
was urging all motorists to stay off the roads.  Accordingly, it was agreed
that everyone would sleep at the Stewart's.  Fortunately, Jan had a number
of new double sleeping-bags so there were enough for everyone.  Because of
the storm, the evening was shaping up to be fun.

   Over their protests, Ali and Bill Clifford were given one of the spare
bedrooms with Jan insisting that now that they were about to become
grandparents, they needed their rest.  Cindy picked up on the comment and
whispered in Jan's ear.  The girl grinned gleefully and then spoke quietly
to her sisters.  The result was that at eleven o'clock, after everyone had
retired, the girls carefully opened the door to Bill and Ali's room.  As
they expected, they found the two making love.

   Cindy's eyes widened as she realized how exquisite Ali's body was: she
looked like a girl in her early twenties rather than a woman of
thirty-seven.  Bill took Ali to her peak and, as usual she fainted.  At
that point the girls made their presence known.  Jan jumped on the bed,
spread her mother's legs, and then began to lick out the juices from her
cunt.  While she did, Kathy Cartwright went down on her father to clean him
off.

   Initially, Bill was surprised when he realized the room was full of
beautiful naked women.  Then he just leaned back and enjoyed his daughters'
attentions.  As Ali began to recover consciousness, she sensed something
out of the ordinary.  Although Bill usually lapped up her cunt, this felt
different.  Looking down, she saw Jan's golden hair while the head moved on
her loins.  Ali reached down and stroked Jan's head as she came suddenly to
another orgasm.

   After licking up the new cuntal flow, Jan sat back on her heels and
grinned, saying, "Mom and Dad, we have something for you, in view of your
advancing years.  In the interests of our children, we need to protect
their grandparents."

   As she said it, Joan Clifford, who had worked her way through Cal Tech
as a topless cocktail waitress, came forward with a small silver tray.  On
it were two glasses of warm milk and a little plate of Christmas cookies.
She said, "Mom, I understand that it gets harder to fall asleep as you get
older and the libido fades, so we want to take care of you.  We understand
elderly people fall asleep easier after a glass of warm milk."

   Ali had pulled herself up to the head of the bed and was resting against
Bill's shoulder.  She just shook her head in mock sorrow and said,
"Darling, I'm afraid it's all over for us.  We have now been formally
certified by our daughters as being over the hill!" She looked at him
warmly and asked, "Bill, promise you'll push my wheelchair next week?"

   Then her expression changed dramatically as she looked at Bill and, to
the amazement of the girls, tears came into her eyes.  She said softly,
"Darling, there's one more gift I have for you, but it won't be delivered
until next summer.  Do you mind?" Her face fell and she looked apprehensive
as she added, "Darling, I didn't have the nerve even to mention it to you
before."

   Bill looked at her, puzzled.  He had never seen this new look in Ali's
eyes before, yet it appeared to be a look of incredible love.  He replied,
"Of course I don't mind, darling.  Can you tell me what it is, though?"

   Her flow of tears had, surprisingly, increased.  She said, "Darling, I
don't know how you're going to take this, but I'm going to be a mother. 
The delayed gift, Bill, is a baby." Now the tears were really flowing as
she asked very softly, "Do you mind very much?"

   When he heard the words, Bill Clifford lit up like a Christmas tree.  He
said, "Darling, you're not kidding, are you?" She shook her head.  "It's
really true?" This time she nodded vigorously.  He took her in his arms,
hugged her tightly, and kissed her with incredible love and passion saying,
"My darling, I don't know what to say!  I'm overjoyed.  But why didn't you
tell me?  What happened?"

   Ali eased away from him just enough to be able to focus on his face. 
Then she said, "Bill, when I saw Connie start to blossom I made up my mind
I had to try to become a mother so I stopped taking my birth-control pills.
I saw the doctor just before we left and he confirmed it."

   Then she brightened and laughed, "Guess what?  He started to change the
date of birth on my chart.  He thought the year was a typo: he had my age
as twenty-seven, and said he didn't believe I was even that old.  Can you
imagine?  He said I look like I'm in my mid-twenties." Then her face became
serious as she said, "You know what it means, though, don't you?  We will
have a grandchild older than our own son or daughter.  Incidentally, the
doctor asked me about running a test to determine the sex of the baby. 
Honey, I said no.  I want it to be a surprise.  Do you mind?"

   Meanwhile the girls had been looking on in utter amazement at the
revelation.  Then they started to crowd around and kiss and hug their
parents.  Finally, Ali looked up at Connie who, being nude, showed the
expanded abdomen of her pregnancy.  Ali asked her to get up on the bed and
she did, kneeling between her parents.  Gently, Ali ran her slender fingers
over the bulge and asked Bill to do the same.  She said, "Darling, this
will be me in a few months...  I hope!  Isn't she beautiful?" Bill agreed
she was.

   Ali continued: "Connie, I heard you say earlier something that was
utterly beautiful and so true!  You said this is really what it's all
about. Bill puts his magnificent weapon inside me and cums in a flood. 
Then after nine months, the product of his sperm and my egg, now a baby,
comes out the same way his cock went in." Looking at Bill she said,
"Darling, I'm so glad you're not angry."

   _"Angry?"_ he exclaimed.  "How, in the name of God, could I possibly be
angry.  Ali, you have just made me the happiest man on earth!  Honey, I
love Jen and Billy and Brian very much.  On the other hand I love you to a
degree that surpasses understanding.  Occasionally, late at night, I'll
wake up and wish you could have a baby.  With your brains and beauty, I
thought a baby from your loins would be very special.  Now we're going to
see.  Darling, thank you."

   The girls left the room even happier than when they went in.

   On the way back to her room Cindy peered out the window at the snow
still falling heavily outside.  It was now being driven by a rising wind
and was drifting heavily.  Now that the forecast blizzard had arrived, no
one would be going anywhere the next day.*Chapter 33*

   The Stewart home was quite large with five bedrooms, of which only two
were normally in use, the master bedroom and Cindy's.  Because of the large
number of guests, Bill and Ali Clifford had been given one of the spares,
Don and Mary Martin had another, while Dave and Judy Chapman -- Steve's
parents -- had the last.  The rest of the younger guests and the girls who
were working at the house unrolled sleeping-bags on the first floor.  The
girls from the bank were sleeping in the kitchen with Kelly and Cathy
Collins sharing a sleeping-bag.  When the girls zipped up the bag, Kelly
who was lying on her back, stretched luxuriantly.

   Cathy asked, "Why do you look like the cat that swallowed the canary?"

   Kelly smiled warmly and replied, "Because this morning I reached the
first orgasm of my life!  It was heavenly!" Turning on her side to look at
the new girl she said, "Can you believe a woman can cum _for fifteen
minutes?_ It's true.  I've seen Cindy but I thought it was just her.  This
morning Dan Burke worked on me and I did it, too." The tall redhead
stretched again.

   "But Kelly," Cathy protested, "I thought you were a virgin and were
saving it for Kevin?"

   "I am and I am!" she replied.  "That's one of the things that's so
amazing.  I don't think Dan even touched my vagina.  He just stroked my
breasts, my inner thighs and my slit.  Of course, he certainly did work
over my clit!"

   The new girl looked at her in amazement saying, "Do you mean...  But...
I thought you had to...  with a man...?"

   Now Kelly began to giggle and hugged Cathy closely.  She found that the
girl smelled sweet and fresh with her only perfume being that of her body.
She kissed the girl lightly and whispered, "Do you feel like trying an
experiment?"

   Cathy looked puzzled but nodded shyly.  Although there were no lights on
in the kitchen, there was enough light reflecting in from the snow-covered
ground that she could see a grin on Kelly's face as she said, "Great! 
We'll do it first thing in the morning.  From the looks of the snow and
what they're saying on television, we'll be staying here for a while."

   The next morning Kelly stretched in the sleeping-bag and found that she
felt great.  Looking over at the girl beside her she smiled warmly seeing
the very innocent look on the girl's face.  After savoring the warmth of
the sleeping-bag for a few more moments, she gently stroked the body of the
girl beside her.

   Cathy's eyes instantly opened.  She blinked and smiled, then stretched.
Cathy said, "Kelly, that was really great!  I can't recall sleeping so well
in years." With a small grin she added, "Can I give you a letter of
recommendation as a sleeping-bag companion for a cold winter's night?  But
should I address it to Kevin or 'To whom it may concern'?"

   Kelly returned the grin and poked the girl in the ribs.  "Collins, the
world really doesn't need another smart-ass!  Come on, let's get to work.
There's a lot to do today."

   She unzipped the bag and quickly started to make coffee.  When a tray
was prepared, she and Cathy went up to Cindy's room.  Again, just the
slightest sound of the door latch moving was enough to awaken her.

   Cindy opened her eyes and saw Kelly and Cathy entering the room.  As
usual, Dan's hand was cupping her tit.  When she gently squeezed it, he
opened his eyes.  Cindy was still wearing her engagement ring and held her
left hand out straight to admire it.  Then she rolled over to lie face down
on Dan's chest.  She lowered her mouth to his and kissed him warmly and
then with increasing passion.  "Good morning, my husband," she whispered.
Then she grinned and added, "Of course, now that I have my diamond, I don't
really need you anymore.  I already have all I really want out of the deal
shining on my third finger."

   Dan's eyes were dancing as he gently ran his fingers over her scarred
buttocks.  As he did, Cindy made happy noises deep in her throat.  He
asked, "Can a ring do that for you?"

   Picking up on his game, she replied, "Of course not.  But I'm just
making myself available to you.  It was part of the price I had to pay to
get the ring.  After all, I'm just accommodating your male sex drive."
Adopting a haughty look she said, "And, Daniel Patrick Burke, it's a
well-known fact that women don't need sex.  We just accommodate men."

   Dan just shook his head sadly, saying, "Cindy Martin, here I thought you
were a smart girl, but I guess you're a slow learner, though.  Young lady,
kneel on the bed facing me."

   Kelly whispered to Cathy, "My God!  You're going to see what happened to
me yesterday, but it's going to be much, much worse for Cindy!  Just
watch!"

   Cindy knew what Dan had in mind and what was in store for her, but she
did exactly what Dan had asked.  She knelt on the bed holding her back up
straight, but with a very bored look on her face.  Placing her left hand on
her thigh, she appeared to be concentrating on the diamond on her finger,
moving her hand slightly to cause the diamond to catch and refract the
light.

   While she did that, Dan gently began to stroke her body.  As he caressed
her he said, "Do you realize I've never done this to you?  As a matter of
fact, it's fun.  Darling, you have an utterly magnificent body!"

   Cindy continued her playacting.  While Dan continued gently to stroke
her body, she shook her head and then combed out her long golden hair with
her fingers, pretending to be bored by the whole thing.  She was trying to
avoid giving any sign of her increasing passion.  As she knelt beside him,
she realized what fun this was.  She and Dan had become incredibly attuned
to each other over the previous six months.  Each knew every inch of the
other's body and what the other liked and responded to.  Cindy could feel
herself being taken up and up while she fought to maintain the bored
expression on her face.  _It's so much fun trying to trick Dan,_ she
thought.  She could feel herself about to reach her crest yet he had not
even touched her cunt.  All of his attentions had been on her inner thighs
and tits.  Now he was stroking her thighs and it was like Heaven.  But just
as she was about to achieve her release, he stopped.

   Trying to avoid swallowing hard, she concentrated on still trying to
look bored.  Dan was amused because, try as she might to conceal it, he
could still see her rising passion in her eyes.  He took her through a
second cycle and then a third.  The fourth time he lightly stroked her
nipples and she screamed.  They had become so sensitive that now his touch
was almost painful.  Now he began to work on her in earnest as his fingers
entered her slit and began to work on her circumcised clitoris and the
mouth of her vagina.

   Cindy gave up the pretense of boredom and tried to grin.  Shaking her
head she said aloud but seemingly to herself, "Martin, when will you learn?
Even a small child knows that a hot stove burns!"

   As he worked on her body, all of her sensations were now concentrated in
her loins while her body was writhing in anguish from its unsatisfied
longing.  The girls, now standing across the room, heard her moan
incoherently and periodically scream whenever Dan touched her nipples or
her clit.  Cathy looked on in amazement when she realized that Cindy's body
was nothing but evenly tanned skin over smooth rippling muscles.  There was
not an apparent ounce of fat on her body.  Noticing the scars, she
whispered to Kelly who replied that she would tell her about them later.

   After trying to maintain her upright kneeling position, Cindy no longer
could and allowed her body to sag forward.  Now tears were streaming from
her eyes and it was obvious that she was in an agony of wanting.  Finally
she screamed, "Stop, Dan!  Please stop.  You're killing me.  Please release
me, darling..." Her voice just faded away into her tears.  Dan ignored her
and kept working on her body.  Then he stopped and waited for her to regain
some control.

   Cindy slowly became aware of her position: she was folded forward at the
waist and, although still on her knees, was collapsed almost into a ball.
Painfully, she raised her head revealing the tears still streaming down her
cheeks.  There was a desperate wanting in her eyes as, trying as hard as
she could to control her voice, she said, "I give up, Dan.  I'll do
absolutely anything.  I can't stand it, darling.  I need you so much... 
Please, Dan?" Then she reached down and pulled the ring off her finger and
gave it to him saying, "Dan, I don't want your ring.  I just want you.  I
need you.  I can't live without you.  Please?"

   Dan wasn't finished with her yet.  He said, "Cindy, that's a very
valuable ring.  And women don't need sex, right?  We both know that.  Let's
see...  You said you would do anything...  Slave, I need you to fuck my
cock with your mouth."

   Still crying, Cindy scrambled between his legs and began to work on his
cock, now massive in its full erection.  While her mouth began to move up
and down on it, he went back to caressing her body, again bringing her up
towards the crest of her orgasm.  Because of all of his stimulation he
quickly spent in her mouth.  Meanwhile, she was again going crazy.  When
she had swallowed his cum and licked off the last drops, she dried his cock
and balls with her hair, looked up at him and whispered, "Oh God, please...
Dan, I really can't take this anymore.  I'm destroyed."

   He motioned to her to kneel beside him again.  This time he quickly took
her to her peak.  Kelly knew that this time he was going to take her over
so she moved quickly.  She jumped on the bad, rolled over on her back and
positioned her mouth below Cindy's now-gaping cunt.  Dan worked on Cindy
and took her over to her orgasm, then just maintained her there.

   Like the terrible night with Pete, Cindy just slumped forward with her
knees still under her body but with her head and shoulders now resting on
the bed as her vaginal juices just ran from her cunt in a steady stream. 
Kelly was positioned to catch the juices in her mouth as it just continued.
As much as she caught with her mouth and tongue and swallowed, even more
sprayed her eyes, nose and hair.  Kelly was soaked with the succulent
fluid. Finally, Dan pinched Cindy's clitoris.  The overwhelming sensation
overpowered her brain and she lost consciousness.  Kelly lifted her head
slightly and proceeded to lick out the girl's cunt with her tongue.  When
she finished, she used her long auburn hair to dry the girl and then slid
out from beneath her.  Finally, she gently straightened out Cindy's legs
and then smiled at Dan.

   Dan took Cindy under her arms and pulled her up to the head of the bed
with him and then rested her head on his shoulder.  With the bedcovers now
up around them he looked at Kelly, grinned, and said, "On behalf of my
bride-to-be, thank you, Kelly.  That was the most incredible thing I've
ever seen." Then he raised an eyebrow and said, "But did you come in just
to watch, or...?"

   Kelly grinned back, winked, and poured a mug of coffee for Dan.  He took
it in his left hand while his right was again cupped over Cindy's breast.
He looked down at her and smiled.  Her cheeks were still tear streaked, her
hair was matted with sweat, but he thought she was still the most beautiful
girl alive.  Finally she blinked, opened her eyes, and looked into his.

   He whispered, "That was fun, wasn't it?"

   She snuggled against his shoulder and then kissed his chest.  Then she
looked at him and asked, "Darling, next time please just whip me?  It's
really much less painful." Then she shook her head, grinned wryly and
added, "I guess I'm _really_ a slow learner." She looked down at her
now-bare finger and then back at Dan.  She said, "Darling, will you promise
me something?"

   He said, "Of course!  What?"

   "Honey, will you please get me just a plain gold wedding band?  I would
settle for brass, even.  Darling, I'm just your hot cunt.  In fact, I guess
there's no need even to marry me.  I'll proudly carry your children and you
could adopt them if you really like them." Tears started to flow again as
she said, "I'm really dumb, Dan.  Jan was forced to marry Pete because he
wouldn't sleep with her unless she did.  Since you have all the milk you
could ever want, there's no need for you ever to buy the cow, is there?"

   She was amazed to see tears come to Dan's eyes.  He said, "Darling, I
have to marry you.  I have the world's most beautiful woman in my arms
right now.  She's intelligent, funny, warm, exciting...  Of course, some
day she's going to wake up.  Cindy, that's what I can't afford to allow to
happen.  Some day you're going to take a good look at me and you know what?
You said it a few months ago: 'Burke, you're old, beat up, and generally
shot to hell.' You were right, of course."

   Now tears were streaming from her eyes as she said, "Beat up?  I guess
you are, Dan.  You got beat up defending our country.  You're handsome,
strong, incredibly gentle, smart, funny...  Darling, I can't wait until I
can carry your children in my belly.  I just hope they get their brains and
judgment from their father, though, and not from their mother." Then she
just rubbed her cheek against his hairy chest.

   Dan motioned to Kelly who poured coffee for Cindy and then cups for
Cathy and herself.  The two girls sat on the edge of the bed while Dan
pulled Cindy around so she was again next to him at the head of the bed. 
First, he gently slid the ring back on Cindy's finger, then he looked at
Cathy Collins who had been watching events wide-eyed and asked, "Cathy,
what do you think?"

   She just shook her head and said, "Mr.  Burke, I don't know what to
say."

   Dan began to laugh and said, "Cathy, I ask you?  When a guy and three
girls are all bare-ass naked on one bed, do you suppose it's asking too
much for you to call me Dan?"

   The girl laughed merrily and said, "I'm sorry, Dan.  It was the most
beautiful thing I have ever seen.  I may be prejudiced, but I think you're
a pretty lucky guy to get Cindy, too."

   The girls were about to leave the room when Kelly glanced down and saw
her small bow was missing from her pubic hair.  Again the tall girl
scrambled around the bed and the bedcovers with her tail in the air until
she found it again.

   When she found it, Cindy, trying to control her giggles, said
sarcastically, "If you didn't insist on wearing so damn many clothes, you
wouldn't be losing bits of them all the time.  Now, Miss McBride, if you're
finished, I would appreciate having my bedcovers back.  Burke is getting
old so he doesn't keep me as warm as he used to.  I'm cold!"

   Dan pretended to glare at her and said threateningly, _"Young lady?"_

   A look of fear came into her eyes as she hugged him and whispered, "Dan,
I'm sorry!  Really I am.  Will you forgive me?"

   Dan looked at her with an eyebrow raised.  Then he looked at Kelly and
said, "Slave Kelly, before you leave would you please get me the whip from
the closet."

   Cindy snuggled even closer to him and sighed, "Darling, you're so good
to me!  As long as it's just the whip."

   As the girls were going out the door, they saw Cindy and Dan wrapped in
another passionate embrace.

   * * *

   After breakfast, Cindy started up the tractor-mounted snowblower and
attempted to clear the driveway.  During the night the snow had turned into
a full-bore Midwestern blizzard, leaving drifts up to four feet high.  With
all the cars parked in the driveway, though, it was difficult to maneuver
the tractor around them all.  Dan and the other girls came out and used
shovels to dig around the cars, while Cindy used the powerful blower to
dispose of the shoveled snow.  Although the blizzard had died down, snow
was still falling lightly.

   Cindy reached the snow still piled high on the road.  Since town plows
hadn't yet reached their neighborhood, there was no place to go even with
the driveway cleared.  As she headed back up the drive she found that a
snowball fight had started, pitting Dan against Kelly, Cathy, and the other
girls from the bank.  Cindy grinned and joined Dan to even up the odds.  In
no time, they were completely snow covered and rolling in the new-fallen
snow like little children.  Laughing, they went back into the house and
stamped off the snow.

   Jan greeted them with a pretend frown saying, "Children, now hang up
your coats and come out to the kitchen." To their surprise, Jan had made a
huge pot of cocoa which was wonderful after the severe cold outside: the
temperature was still down in single digits.

   When they finished, Cindy took a shovel and began to clear a path out to
the swimming pool.  Although it was an outdoor pool, it was heated and Pete
and Jan had had a bubble put over it.  The others helped, and in a short
time they had cleared off the pathway.  Then, to the astonishment of Cathy
and the other girls, Cindy returned to the kitchen, calmly stripped off her
clothes and, in spite of the sub-freezing temperature, ran outside naked,
up the path and into the bubble.  Kelly knew what she intended to do and
was right behind her.  In no time the two girls were powering up and down
the pool.

   The other girls were right behind.  Soon they were all swimming laps. 
Cindy would periodically stop and give pointers on technique to the girls.
When they finished, they ran back to the house.  This time Cindy led them
to the gym and the exercise equipment in it.  Cathy watched in amazement as
Cindy moved very heavy weights with no apparent effort.  On the other hand,
she could see the girl's muscles bulge as they worked.  Cindy set up Cathy
on a machine to build up her shoulders, her pectoral muscles, and to
develop her breasts.

   In almost no time, the girl was sweating and close to exhaustion but
kept going following Cindy and Kelly's example.  Cindy called a halt when
she thought the girls had had enough.  The girls were puzzled when they
were told to wrap themselves in blankets.  They had no idea what was next.
Kelly and Cindy took the girls two at a time and began to massage their
bodies.

   Cindy was working on Cathy Collins' body and the girl just made happy
noises as her boss worked on her now-aching muscles.  Looking over her
shoulder she said softly, "Cindy, I don't know how you do it.  You're the
most perfectly conditioned female I have ever seen.  What do you do?"

   "Do you really want to know?" Cindy asked.  The girl nodded and Cindy
said, "It's three things.  First, I guess I work out my legs and arms in
the pool.  My shoulders and chest develop on the machines, but the best
part is my lower body.  That's Dan.  When I'm cuming, I'm shaking my lower
body to pieces.  Maybe that's why the muscles there are so firm."

   Cathy rested her head on the massage table and shook it sadly.  When
Cindy asked her what was wrong she replied, "I guess it means I'll have to
lose my virginity if I ever want to have a body like yours." Then she
turned and grinned, asking, "Are there any more guys like Dan?  If there
was one, he could manipulate me to orgasm while I'm still a virgin.  That's
what happened to Kelly, isn't it?"

   "Sure is," Cindy responded with a grin.  "What did she think of it?  Did
she say anything to you, Cath?"

   "She said it was like Heaven.  She also said that if doing it with a man
is any better, she'll have to quit clobbering Kevin.  He might get
discouraged and that's the last thing she can afford to allow to happen. 
She still doesn't know exactly what Dan did, though, but she never felt so
good in her life before." When Cindy finished the massage Cathy felt better
than she could recall ever feeling in her life.  To Cindy's surprise the
girl motioned for her to get up on the table.  Looking puzzled, Cindy did.

   Cathy took some massage lotion and began to work on Cindy's back and
shoulders.  Although Cindy knew the girl normally had a very light touch,
now her fingers felt like steel rods as she very expertly worked on the
muscles.  Cindy groaned with pleasure and murmured, "Catherine Collins,
you've been holding out on us.  Where on earth did you ever learn to give
massages like this?"

   The girl smiled and said, "I was an assistant trainer at Carleton
College.  Maybe that's why I'm not as embarrassed being nude around men as
I ought to be.  I guess I've seen a lot of naked men and worked on many of
them.  Carleton is a pretty small coed school so we don't always have the
right number of men and women to go around.  Anyway, I was the assistant
men's trainer.  Does it feel all right?  If you were a man, I would be more
confident.  For example, do you know if I should massage your breasts?"

   Cindy just murmured sleepily, "You're doing great!  You figure it out."
When she rolled Cindy -- now sleeping -- on her back she just gently
caressed her full firm breasts with the massage fluid.  Cindy just smiled
in her sleep and sensuously wriggled her body.

   Later that night the girls were back in their sleeping-bags.  Cathy
asked Kelly again what had happened the previous morning.  Kelly looked at
her new friend speculatively and asked, "Cath, Cindy says a virgin cunt
tastes delicious.  This morning you saw me under Cindy while she was cuming
in a flood.  What did you think?  Were you shocked?"

   The girl just smiled warmly and said, "Kelly, it was like nothing I
could even imagine.  As much as you were lapping up, even more was
splashing all over your face: your eyes, your nose, your hair.  What was it
like?  You seemed to enjoy it."

   Rolling on her side Kelly looked at Cathy and said, "It was delicious!
Does that sound crazy to you?  Cath, everything about Cindy is exquisite,
even her love juices." Then she looked at the girl and asked, "Would you
like to try?  Cindy and Dan both say I taste like nectar -- whatever that
tastes like.  I guess you represent my only chance to taste a virgin cunt,
too." She just looked impassively at the girl beside her.  Again, the only
illumination came from the moonlight coming into the kitchen reflected off
the piled snow outside.

   Cathy swallowed hard and said, "Could we do it fast?  Before I lose my
nerve?  Please?"

   Kelly quickly unzipped the sleeping-bag and then put her arms around the
girl beside her.  She really didn't know what she was doing, but she pulled
the smaller girl close and kissed her softly.  To her surprise, Cathy
pulled her close and mashed her own soft breasts against Kelly's firmer
ones, then kissed her lips hungrily.  The girls then reversed positions on
the sleeping-bag so they were now head-to-foot.  Kelly gently spread
Cathy's legs to gain access to her nether lips.  Meanwhile she could feel
Cathy doing the same thing to her.  The next thing she knew, she could feel
the girl's tongue lick up and down her slit.  The sensation was exquisite.

   Meanwhile, the other girls in the kitchen were watching the two girls
with great interest.  Finally, Kelly rolled over on her back with Cathy now
kneeling astride her.  She lifted her hips to provide easier access and at
the same time pulled Cathy's groin down over her face.  She nibbled at the
girl's clit and then heard her scream as she came in a small flood.  Her
loins were in spasm now and luscious liquid was beginning to run from her
vagina in a small flood.  Moments later Kelly lost interest in the girl's
sex as she was also taken over in a flood.

   Suddenly Cathy jumped off her and reversed her position.  Now she was
between Kelly's legs and put them over her shoulders.  From this position
the girl could concentrate on licking and sucking her sex.  Kelly came
again and again and again.  Finally Cathy reached exactly the right level
of sexual stimulation and maintained Kelly in orgasm exactly as Dan had
done.  The girl was now sweating and her arms were thrashing as her loins
just continued to jerk spasmodically.  For her part, Cathy continued to
lick up and swallow the luscious juices that were pouring from Kelly in a
flood.  Finally, Cathy bit down on the girl's erect clit.  This was more
than Kelly could take.  She screamed, exploded in another flood, and lost
consciousness.

   When she regained consciousness, Kelly found her head on Cathy's bare
shoulder while the girl had her hand cupped around her breast in exactly
the way Dan always slept with Cindy.  Kelly ran a hand through her wet hair
and whispered, "Wow!  Cathy, that was utterly spectacular.  Thank you so
much."

   Then she lifted herself up and did to Cathy what had just been done to
her.  She had found out that Cathy's cunt juices were very sweet.  Now
concentrating her full attention on the girl she was able to reciprocate.
Cathy came in a flood and soon reached the point of continuous orgasm
herself.  For an instant Kelly was fearful that the girl could hurt herself
with her thrashing but then remembered that it was exactly what she had
been doing earlier.  In addition to eating the girl's cunt, she used a hand
to caress her breasts and tweak the girl's nipples.  With her heightened
sensitivity, soon every time she touched them Cathy screamed with pain and
ecstasy.  Finally, she bit the girl's clitoris causing her to lose
consciousness, too.

   It was a mirror image of the earlier situation with one difference. 
When Cathy regained consciousness her head was on Kelly's shoulder and
Kelly's hand was cupping her breast.  The difference was that the other
three girls were now kneeling around them.  One of the other girls, Gail
Swanson, asked softly, "How was it, Cath?  Did that feel as good as it
looked?"

   Cathy just stretched languorously and looked up at Kelly.  Then she
pulled the girl's head down to kiss her softly on the lips.  "I guess I'm
going to be a lesbian," she replied with a grin.  "McBride, you should be
illegal, too.  I thought the Irish had no feelings?  I saw what Dan Burke
did to Cindy and I felt what you did to me.  Are you sure it's better with
a man?  It almost can't be."

   Kelly replied, "Do you realize what's happening to us?  We're around a
group of people that have to be the greatest sets of lovers in the world.
Have you ever seen Kathy with Bill Cartwright?  They absolutely worship
each other.  It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen...  and that
ignores the way they met.  Then there's Cindy and Dan, Jen and Steve, Ali
and Bill...  Good heavens!  There's also Don Martin and Mary and even Dave
and Judy Chapman!  Do you realize that the last three couples are all
middle-aged?  My God!  I hope my love life with Kevin is ever as good as
theirs is all the time.  What an education!"

   The girls returned to their sleeping-bags leaving Kelly and Cathy alone.
With her head still on Kelly's shoulder, Cathy rolled onto her side facing
the taller girl.  She proceeded to stroke her skin with a petal-light
touch. Then she moved to her breasts but maintained the same touch.  After
a while she could see Kelly start to writhe in the bag and make wonderful
happy sounds deep in her throat.  Cathy had an idea and finally made it
happen.  Again Kelly's pelvis started to spasm as she came in another
flood. Cathy jumped down and began to lick up the wonderful flow.

   When it stopped, she flipped her head and used her still-damp hair to
dry Kelly's cunt and then returned to her shoulder.  When she did, she was
grinning and said, "I did it!  Kelly McBride, I made you cum without ever
touching you below the waist.  McBride, you're too much!  You're sinfully
sensitive.  If this were the Bay Colony 300 years ago, you would be in the
stocks or on the ducking stool." The girl appeared to frown as she added,
"Kelly, if I didn't know better I would almost think you _like_ sex!"

   "Who?  Me?  Surely you must be confusing me with someone else," Kelly
protested with a grin.  Then she did to Cathy what had been done to her. 
That, coupled with the sounds of the sexual experimentation going on around
them, caused the girls to be very tired when the sun rose the next morning.

   It was two more days before the roads were plowed enough for anyone to
leave.  When it was finally time to go, Cathy was wearing her Levi's and
work shirt along with a parka.  She hugged and kissed Jan and then Cindy.
As she kissed Cindy she whispered, "Cindy, this has been the very best
Christmas of my life!  Thank you so much for having me."

   As she went out to her car, now cleared of snow, she felt around her
neck the heavy weight of the solid gold slave collar that Kathy had just
presented to her.

   To be continued...

   * * *

   Comments and constructive criticism are sincerely welcome.  Let me hear
from you.  morg105829@aol.com

   *Cynthia Martin* Copyright (c) 1991, 2001 by Morgan. 
<morg105829@aol.com>

   All rights reserved.  No part may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any electronic means, including photocopying, recording or by
any information and retrieval system, without the written permission of the
author.