Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 The Estate (C)2003 d.  edwards/san francisco

   Chapter 19

   Delores kissed the tears away on his cheeks, all her instincts coming to
bear on him, prying her way past his armor to get to the infant she knew
now was in there, yearning for her.  John lay relaxed in her embrace, well
wrapped by blankets, his eyes drifting open slowly, filling with a view of
her face floating over him.  He lay placid in her arms, noticing for the
first time how delicate her features were; large brown eyes flecked with
hazel, the soft arch of her eyebrows, her full lower lip, its caress a
recent memory on his cheek and the light spray of freckles across the
bridge of her smooth aquiline nose.  His eyes searched hers gently,
unblinking, and they lay there together, complete.  She was beautiful, he
felt, his heart still open, beauti........

   With a nearly audible snap he jerked into full awareness, the tranquil
peace a moment before shattering like thin glass.  Lurching out of her
arms, recalling where he was, he gave one panicked tug at his restraints
before pausing, craning his neck and taking in more of his surroundings,
his face tense and hyper vigilant.  'His ego knows', Delores thought,
feeling his taut shoulders, 'it knows I slipped something by it and now
it's aware...aware and angry.' She held his shoulders and forced him back,
her weight overcoming his resistance as they both settled back into the
padded cushion.  He glared up at her, his face distorted into the ugly mien
she recalled from their first meeting in the hospital.  Both younger nurses
had stood up immediately at the outburst, one of them having rushed to the
medicine cabinet where she was clutching a tranquilizer pack, ready to
inject him if he continued.  " No," Delores said, holding the struggling
man firmly, matching his stare with her gentle one, "No meds, we're going
to do this my way, together...you and me, just you and me....'' Reaching
over to stroke his brow he first turned away then quickly spun towards her,
spitting his pacifier into her face and knocking her over with his weight,
sending her tumbling onto her back.  Now on his belly he rolled over,
levered himself over a cushion and tried to stand up on his folded knees.
Julie, coming over help, strode onto the quilt towards John, ready to
wrestle him to the floor.  He tipped over, grabbing the edge with his bound
hands and rolled hard, using his weight to send Julie crashing to the
floor. Rocking back up to his knees he began an awkward pirouette,
balancing from one knee to the other, making steady headway towards the
door across the room.  On the floor behind him Delores held Julie's arm,
stopping her from running after the escaping man.  Continuing his awkward
escape, he turned the corner of his bed and saw Annabel kneeling there, her
back to the door, waiting with open arms.

   ''Now that we're both the same size I figured this way it would be a
fair fight,'' she smiled, slowly moving on her knees towards him.  As she
approached he tensed, thinking of some way to .......to what?  As if
emerging from a fog he slowly came to realize that even if he could get
around her, there was no way to even get the door open, much less stand up
to try and reach the knob.  He began to slide back into despair, his breath
starting to rasp in his throat as Annabel came within an arms length, a
gentle smile on her face.

   ''Hi sweetums," she said, as she reached out with two hands and slowly
began bringing him into her by his shoulders, keeping her head to one side.
Molding her young body against his and leaning gently back, she gracefully
lowered herself to the floor, bringing him to rest on top of her,
completely helpless as his weight fell forward, pushing his head between
her full breasts.  He tried rocking off of her but she simply kept his hips
over hers, moving with him, absorbing his dwindling energy.  She wrapped
her arms around his straining neck like a lover and slowly won the battle
to bring it back down into her cleavage, where he collapsed with a small
cry.  She could feel his rasping breath heating the space between the swell
of her breasts as hot tears began dropping between them.  John lay there
helpless, once again captive, this time by a young woman half his size.  As
he lay there, exhausted, he was aware of every soft curve of the young
woman breathing quietly beneath him and he heard the approaching footsteps
of the other two nurses coming up from behind.

   Chapter 20

   Delores knelt along side the two of them, motioning for Annabel to let
John's head up enough for him to face her.  Turning, he lay there quietly,
not willing to think about the punishments she must have waiting for him.
He could hear the slow pulse of Annabels's heart and tried to sink into the
sound as he avoided the older nurses eyes.

   ''John,'' she said, holding his jaw to get his attention, ''You
understand how serious this is, everything that just happened, don't you?''
He nodded slightly, unwilling to look her in the eyes but raising them to
hers at her hand's insistence.  What she saw there broke her heart
completely, making her eyes burn with sudden tears and her throat clench.
She could once again see the face that had been looking at her so lovingly
a few moments ago, but the despair....She hesitated, the resolve leaving
her at that single lost look from him.

   Annabel, seeing her stricken face and guessing at the conflict there
spoke up.  ''Leave it to Julie and me,'' she said, her fingers idly
twirling the curls at the base of John's neck.  ''We know what to do.''
Delores nodded and, touching Johns face once more, got up quickly and left,
the door hissing shut behind her.

   ''She really cares for you, you know,'' Annabel said, looking down at
the top of his head and making some moves to roll him off her.  Julie came
over to help, laying down a folded quilt next to them and helped Annabel
roll John onto it.  Getting up, she and Julie grabbed the ends at his feet
and slid him over the tile floor, back over to the carpeted playroom.

   Chapter 21

   ''Let's get you a little drink first, hmmm?'' Julie said, passing a
bottle to Annabel who leaned John back against her and placed the nipple at
his mouth, expecting him to pull it in.  Resisting her efforts at first, he
sighed and opened his mouth, sucking in the rubber teat and drawing in cool
water.  Surprised at that and suddenly thirsty, John quickly drained it in
several big swallows.  Wiping his mouth Annabel sat him up, folded her arm
across his stomach and patted his back, bringing up some air.  Pleased at
how cooperative John was she reached around behind her and rolled a squat,
four legged stool into view.  It sat close to the ground, its padded seat
about 24" wide, and not even a foot off the ground.  On one side was a hand
lever.  Not understanding what was going on and not seeing the threat of a
simple stool, John was easily folded over the top of it, his head and knees
comfortably on the carpet with his hips resting lightly across the bar.

   ''Comfy?'' Annabel asked, pleased to see John nod.

   ''Good, it's time to begin.''