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-------------------------------- Welcome to the Church of The Right
Reverend Cotton Mather.  This story is the sole property of the author, and
may not be copied or downloaded for the intent of profit.  Permission is
freely given for anyone to download or copy for their personal pleasure or
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   ( 2001, Rev.  Cotton Mather
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   HARD PROMISE Rev.  Cotton Mather

   - POST-SCRIPT What, you didn't like my little tale?  You want more?  You
want to know what really went on?

   *sigh*

   Oh, all right.

   As you probably could guess, Melissa and I began mending fences.  Missy
told Lindsey, in no uncertain terms, to stay away from her if she valued
her skin, and Lindsey (wisely) took that advice to heart.  We talked a
little at school, and eventually we called each other occasionally at
night, but only as friends.

   I was still going out with Micki.  She was just too much of a mess for
me to do anything but support her in any way I could, and I did come to
love her.  She may have started out in high school as a bit of a bad girl,
but that was just a towering insecurity that was driving her behavior.

   Missy dated a few guys that winter, and even got laid a time or two -
she never did tell me with whom, or how often.  We ended up at the same
post-Snowflake Dance party, me with Micki and Melissa with Jared, who was a
college freshman at the time.  It created a few uncomfortable moments, but
we kind of stayed out of each other's way.  Missy, like the previous year,
had to be home by 2:00 AM, but Micki and I had a room for the night.  We
only stayed at the party in the suite for a few minutes before going
upstairs and being as inventive in private as we could imagine.

   Micki had a surprisingly vivid imagination that night.  I was sore for
several days afterward from our exertions.

   Eventually, however, by the time the snow melted and winter's cold
fingers were warmed by the spring, the natural attractions exerted their
influence on us all, until even Micki and I could no longer deny it.  I was
a graduating senior, after all, and she was still just a sophomore, so we
agreed that Prom would be our last big fling together.  By the end of
school, we would be gone on our separate ways.  By this time, Micki had
come to be accepted as a victim in our whole soap opera, and the changes
she went through, including her devotion to me during that time, were all
seen as a positive sign of growth.  She was more popular than ever, and for
the first time had a strong, healthy relationship with other girls on the
cheerleading squad to fall back on.

   Being a sentimental guy, though, kept me in touch with her after I
graduated.  Our relationship evolved into more of a brother-sister kind of
thing, platonic and fierce in its intensity.  After she graduated, with
honors, she joined Melissa and I at University, and continued with her
cheerleading there.

   After I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree, Missy and I announced our
engagement, and set the date for our wedding.  All our best friends from
high school and college promised to attend, and a major party was planned
at the Holiday Inn, the site of our consummation of our relationship so
many years before.  The only wrinkle in the plan was something I had
planned on doing all along, but when I brought it up to Missy, she was not
in favor of it.  I wanted Micki, instead of Brad, to be my "Best Man", or,
in this case, "Best Friend".  It caused quite an uproar, particularly with
Missy's parents, until I explained that it was Micki that kept me halfway
sane during our troubles, and kept me alive for Missy when all seemed
bleakest.  Missy finally agreed, and promptly asked Jared to be her "Man of
Honor".

   What could I say?

   It certainly made for a very interesting bachelor party, and, from what
I heard, a very interesting bachelorette party, too.

   It also answered the question for me of who it was that managed to get
into Missy's pants that spring.  But that's another story altogether.



   THE END (AGAIN)