Preamble:

I’m afraid you are getting this last chapter without the benefit of extensive editing. All the same I hope you do enjoy the read.



Chapter 2
A Fond Farewell

Mike wakes early and wonders why. He lays and listens to the sounds of the house. All seems to be normal and quiet. He yawns and stretches poking his piss hard-on roughly in the air against his coverlet. He enjoys a few minutes of reminiscing over Grace and last night. He’s going to miss that and he knows it. He thinks about it and suddenly realizes he is going to miss Grace herself, not just the sex.

He jumps out of bed and heads for the upstairs bathroom. No sound so he thinks he is safe, no one is up to see his naked form slip along the corridor. In the bathroom he uses the toilet then pulls out a bath towel from a side cupboard. Soon he’s in the shower and feeling mighty fine.

Whistling softly to himself he ties a towel around his midriff and heads back to his bedroom. “Michael Claymore, don’t you have a proper bathrobe?” He looks around and sees Caitlin going into the bathroom behind him.

“You’re lucky I put a towel around me.” he laughs as the door closes. He chuckles and goes on to his room. He mutters, “I wonder what she is doing up so early?”

In a few minutes a soft knock sounds on his door. He calls to come in since he has jeans on but is trying to pick out a top. It’s Caitlin, “Would you like some breakfast? I heard you up and wondered.”

“Is Nance up already?”

“No, but I can cook, you know. You think I’m still a kid, don’t you? But I know how to cook and all kinds of things.”

“Hey, I never said you were a kid, sis. I never even hinted at that. I know you’re growing up fast.” He pulls a green pullover out of a drawer. “In fact I know you washed and folded that pullover for me, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” she studies him, “how come you know that?”

“Because I see what goes on around me. I am sensitive to what you girls do for me and I appreciate it. Maybe I don’t tell you thanks very often but I know.”

“What about Grace, Mike? Do you thank her? She was here yesterday and she was crying. She thinks you take her for granted, you know.”

“She’s just sad because I’m leaving. I thanked her late last night.”

“Just screwing her is not thanking her, brother. You didn’t think I knew about your late night meetings in her bedroom, did you? I told you I’m not a kid any more.”

Mike is taken aback. “So what do you think I should do then, oh wise woman?”

“Give her something to hold on to, something to remember you by, something you value, my brother. I think you will figure out what.” She gets up to leave, “Breakfast?”

Mike nods, “I’ll be right down.” He thinks about what has been said and tries to think what Grace might like of his. His eyes light upon a movement outside the window. It’s a bird in a branch not far from the window. He smiles as he watches it preen its feathers. Its a dove and it reminds him that he has always called Grace his dove. He wonders if he can find any thing in his possessions that could relate to a dove.

He goes downstairs to breakfast. Caitlin has maize pancakes and sausages on the table for him. She whispers, “Do you want coffee or milk?”

“Just water,” he digs into the pancakes. After breakfast he goes outside to mull over his quest. What should he give to Grace to help her heal. He wanders down the block and soon finds himself close to the Smithfield place. He studies the house and the tree in the side yard. He wonders if anyone has ever seen him climbing that tree.

He wishes he was cuddled up to her sleeping in the warmth of her body. He remembers the last time they slept together. It was in fact the only time he ever slept the night away with a woman. They had only had sex once before that and when the power had gone out in the longhouse while they were skiing no one wanted to brave the bad roads to try and get home.

He and Grace had slipped away together and found a robe to curl up in. They kept each other warm and shed all their clothes to hold each other closer. What did he ever do with that robe? He thinks on it and suddenly let’s out a whoop. He speeds home and digs in an outbuilding holding lots of items in storage.

“There you are!” He exclaims, “I thought I remembered you had the dove embossed upon you.” And it is a large dove in soft blue hues embossed upon the large down filled mat and cover. It was his favorite robe and they had often lain upon it’s feather filled softness when visiting.

He gathered it in his arms and headed into the house. Caitlin was watching him in the window so she met him at the door. “I will wash it for you, my brother. I’m sure she will love it.” Mike is left dumbfounded in the middle of the room. He wanders to the kitchen and Nancy asks, “Coffee, Mike?” He nods his head and sits at the breakfast nook.

She comes to sit by his elbow. “You know you can’t bottle up your feelings forever, Mike. You have never grieved their passing. It would be easier if you could just let it out.”

“What! Scream at the ancestors? Curse the Anglican God? Wring my hands and cry all night? Will they suddenly come back if I do those things? Mama is gone! My father, the same! Can you tell me why? Please tell me if you can. Please.” he quiets down, “please.” He sits in glum silence. Finally he says, “Thanks for the coffee, Nance.”

He takes his coffee outside to sip on it. Sitting on the front porch step he watches passers by. He thinks, they will all still be here day after tomorrow and the next day and the next. But where is my mother and father now? Why aren’t they still here?

A small voice answers in his head. ‘Accidents happen and all too soon their car plunged over the precipice without warning. They had no chance in the mountains of Scotland.’

He shakes his head and sips his coffee. Nancy calls out the door behind him, “Don’t run off. I’ll have dinner ready soon.” He nods his head to her and she goes back in out of sight. A friend from up the street comes to join him on the porch.

“Big bear, what’s happening?”

“Silver Heels, I thought I saw you with Daniel yesterday. Did you join up with the navy like you said you would?”

“I did. I am leaving tomorrow night on the train for basic training on the coast. What is your advice?”

“Don’t expect more than you can handle but do expect many new things and ideas. The white man’s ways are complex, often confusing. If you must live with them seek to understand before you condemn. It is forethought that trumps heedless action. I think you will do well.”

Mike smiles, “Thank you, my friend. You have always advised me well. Would you like some coffee?”

“Who made it?”

“Nancy, I think.”

He shrugs, “I think I’ll take a rain check.” They grin together. Caitlin comes out and takes a seat by Mike on the steps. She smiles and nods at Mike’s guest.

“Caitlin, its always nice to see you.”

“Big Bear, I think the same. Am I interfering in your talk?”

Mike hastens to tell her no and Big Bear adds, “We have no secrets, little one. We are plain folk here. We were speaking of Silver Heels’ future and I was wishing him well.”

Mike asks, “Who made the coffee?” He lifts his cup towards her.

“Nancy, I guess. Did you want more? How about you, Big Bear?”

Big Bear shakes his head no but Mike says, “It sounds good to me, thanks.” Caitlin goes inside the house soon to return with the coffee. It’s fixed just the way he likes it.

Caitlin says, “I will have your robe done after lunch, Mike.”

“Thanks, sis. What will I do without my sisters after tomorrow?” She looks down and smiles.

When Nancy calls them for lunch Big Bear saunters along towards home. Nancy asks if he is coming in but Mike indicates not. They sit down to a few of Mike’s favorites including smoked salmon, corn on the cob and baked potatoes. Mike asks, “What’s the occasion?”

“Just a little home cooking so you remember us, Michael. I hope we remain a big part of your life, Silver Heels. Don’t become a stranger like your brother, Terry.”

After dinner Caitlin brings him his robe and it looks like new. Mike inspects it and smiles with pleasure. He thanks her then leaves to carry it to Grace. He thinks of Virginia on his way and wishes he had called her before lunch.

At the Smithfield’s he knocks on the door. All is quiet but he hears someone moving about and soon the door creaks open. It is Mrs. Smithfield and she smiles with many teeth missing. “It is you, Mike. Grace is off down town with her pa. I suppose its her you come to see.” She steps back to allow him in.

“I have brought Grace a gift to keep her warm and help her forget me.” He smiles, “It is our favorite robe and it is adorned with a dove… as I often call her. I hope she shall treasure it as I have. I’m sorry to be going off and leaving her behind but such seems to be our fate.”

Her mother eyes him with a knowing look and says, “Why don’t you take it up to her bed for her, Mike? I’m sure she will like the surprise.”

Mike does as she suggests and she lets him go wishing him well in his travels. Mike wonders if any men of the tribe ever do anything without the women knowing about it first.

When Mike gets home he calls Dan. He is out but his mother says she will have him call when he comes in. Mike debates in his mind if Dan will call back and decides to call the local taxi. He rings their office.

“What will you charge me to take me into Montreal?” He explains his address and the address of the recruiting office.

“Wow! That much, eh? Okay, I will know if I have to call. How early can I call you?” He listens then, “24 hours covers it, I guess. Thank you?”

Around three Dan calls, “You were looking for me, Mike? By the way, what time do you want to go in to the station tomorrow?”

“That’s what I was calling about, to see if you could drop me off in town tomorrow. By the way I am going early to spend the day with Virginia. We have a date.”

“Maybe you should get her to come out and pick you up, buddy. No wonder she signed you up, she was after your body. Now I get it.”

“It’s just a casual thing, totally platonic. A walk in the park and some fun at lunch. That’s all there is to it.”

“Hey, I’m not your shrink or your mother… oops, sorry Mike. Anyway what time?”

“Early, before lunch. How about nine thirty at the recruiter station?”

“Okay, about the same as yesterday only half an hour earlier. See you in the morning.”

“Thanks Dan, I’ll put some gas in your car. It’s only fair.”

“It’s my gift, buddy. Let’s call it the first installment on Grace’s pussy.” he chuckles.

“Daniel, be a little more respectful or you’ll get zero pussy. Grace will be free to choose as she likes and I must clear the air. The subject has come up and she said she would sooner die. Just for your information, buddy.”

“Whoa… okay. see you in the morning.”

Next Mike tries calling Virginia’s number but no answer so he decides to wait a bit and try again. While he is hanging up the phone rings but it is for Nancy. He goes back out on the porch since its a sunny summer day. Nancy comes out to join him. “I’m off the phone if you need it, Mike,” is what she says. She goes on, “It was Jason and he wanted to know how you are. I told him you joined the navy.”

Jason is their shaman so Mike can understand why he is curious. Mike has rejected their ways but still respects the system. He nods and goes in to use the phone.

This time he catches her on the second ring. “Hi there, its Mike. Do you remember me?”

“Oh yes. I have been waiting for your call. I was tempted to call you but I decided to be patient. I’m glad you are calling. Do we have a date?” She sounds excited so he hurries to reassure her.

“We do. I am counting on Dan to bring me in and we figure around nine thirty at the recruiting center. Do you have a place I can leave my bags at the office?”

“We can or we can take them to the train station and put them in a locker. There’s a beautiful park right near there. There’s Place du Canada and across the street Square Dorchester. There’s things to see near there and we can have lots of fun.”

“It sounds great but we may have one problem. Dan is bringing me in so we may not be able to lose him. Is that a problem?”

The line is silent for a moment so Mike asks, “Virginia, are you there?”

“Yes… I’m trying to place Dan. What does he look like?”

“I guess like me. He was the one who didn’t have his high school diploma. I think you did his paperwork right after mine.”

“I know who you mean. I guess that’s no problem. You know he tried to con us into believing he had his matric but I suspected him and offered to call his school to confirm his grades. He caved and said he doesn’t have it yet. I shouldn’t have told you that but there it is so please don’t say I told you.”

“Okay, so would you rather he not join us or what? I can just ask him to drop me off and that’s that.”

“Let’s play it by ear. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, you mean see how it goes. Okay, see you in the morning.”

“Okay and don’t forget your train tickets, paperwork and medical records. I feel like I am going for basic again. The excitement is catchy, I guess.”

They hang up both apprehensive of what the morrow might bring. Mike goes upstairs to finish some packing so he doesn’t hear the phone ring. Nancy calls him to the stairs, “It’s Grace, Mike.”

“Be right down.”

He bolts down the stairs two at a time, “Hi, my dove.”

“Oh Mike, I love it and I’m so happy you chose to give it to me. We have cuddled in that robe under the moon. Ha ha, my mom is laughing at me. I think she knew what we were doing all along. I’ll miss you but now I have something to cuddle up in and dream about you.” She lowers her voice, “Will you send me your address so I can write you? I promise I will.”

“I’ll do that when I know what it is or I will let the family know so you could get it from Caitlin any time. For now I know I am going to HMCS Cornwallis near Halifax in Nova Scotia but where I will be stationed after basic I have no idea. I’m not even sure what trade I am going to try out for so I really don’t know what will happen after basic.”

“I just wanted to let you know I really appreciate the gift and I will always remember you. I wish you well in your life, Mike. I really mean that. Good bye for now.

“You take care of yourself until I see you again, little dove.” He hangs up and Nancy says that suppers on. It’s an early supper because she knows many friends will drop around this evening to wish Mike well. She is right. They start arriving before they are finished eating and many join the table as the evening wears away.

As the crowd thins out Mike brings his luggage to inside the front door. He has two pieces, a duffle bag and a briefcase. He wonders if they will let him wear his moccasins on the base. He can’t imagine having to wear work boots all the time and he’s not even sure what they wear at sea. He suspects it must be something rubber soled.

As he tries to get to sleep he thinks of Virginia and wonders if he might ask her what they wear on their feet at sea.

He fights to keep his balance as the waves roll under the bow of a ship. The deck rises up and slopes away then rises again. Mike holds the rail and stares overboard at glistening teeth in a large torpedo shaped head. Those teeth come rushing up towards him then recede as the deck rises on a roller. He feels his feet slipping out from under him and glances down at his fine moccasins.

He swears he will never wear them aboard again if he can just make it to a cabin door and the safety of a bulkhead around him. He grips the rail as they descend nearly to the water’s edge and as he rises quickly again he dashes for a cabin door.

Inside it is dark but the deck is calm so he can walk to an open hallway and seek his cabin door. When he opens it he finds fish on the floor flopping around in all directions. He thinks, “Damn, I must have left that window open again.”

A beautiful brunette with long flowing hair and sea green eyes confronts him. She offers him shrimp on a long fork and drapes her body to fit his own. He feels his manhood stiffening as his hands glide over the exotic curves and exciting breasts. Her eyes tease as her lips caress his and soon their tongues are involved in a hide and seek all their own. She tastes like a fine nectar, fresh and alive.

He leans her back to seek her nipples with his lips and his fingers. Quickly she reaches down to caress and stroke his throbbing manhood. He runs his tongue over her sea green breasts and feels them heave at his licking. He sucks a nipple and feels her squirm against him. He nips the nipple with just a light touch of his teeth then seeks the other one.

He feels more alive and energized than he has ever felt. He feels her rub against him and his whole body is alive. She slips down to open his jeans and her lush brunette hair floats out to hide her actions but he can feel her actions on his engorged rod. She licks and sucks to drive him crazy and it goes on and on and on.

Mike feels the urge to take this action to another level so he tries to lift her from his throbbing cock.