An Unforgettable Melody (MF, cons, rom, fantasy, scifi) *Complete*

[auguy86]

Greetings, readers!  Thanks for reading my first submission.  Of note, this story is written in the same universe of servant genies made famous by such writers as Joe Brolly and 800IbGorrila.  Also, this intro chapter does not contain any actual sex.  If you want to cut straight to the chase, skip ahead to chapter 01.  If, however, you actually want to know what the hell is going on, this chapter is for you.

I have tried to bring one unique aspect to these stories.  As music is such a huge part of my life, as well as our hero’s life, I will post song titles at the start of each chapter for any musical selections occurring in each submission.  I would encourage you to listen to these pieces as the mood strikes you.  They are by no means mandatory in any way to enjoying the story, but I do feel that listening to them enhances the experience.  Please enjoy.

Chapter 00 song titles

The Trumpet Shall Sound (Handel)

An Unforgettable Melody: Ch. 00

Nailed it!

As he walked out of Atlanta Symphony Hall, trumpet case slung over his shoulder, Mike Braxton couldn’t help but walk with an air of confidence.  He currently held the assistant principal trumpet position in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and had just finished his first audition to succeed the principal trumpet player after his retirement at the end of the month.  While he always had confidence in his abilities, today seemed totally different, almost as though he was possessed while on stage.

“Well, well,” Mike heard a voice call out. “Someone seems very pleased with himself.”

He turned to find Darcy White, the principal bassoonist for the ASO, sitting on a bench outside symphony hall.

“Who? Me?” Mike responded with his trademark sarcasm.

Darcy laughed, shooting back, “Matter of fact, I haven’t seen that kind of swagger from you since that final jazz band concert senior year.”

Mike remembered that concert like it was yesterday. “Well how could I not enjoy that? Closing out my final year at Clarke Mountain High by soloing Chuck Mangione’s Feels So Good? That’s livin’ the dream for any trumpet player worth his salt.”  Sitting next to Darcy on the bench, he continued, “I presume you’re stalking me to find out how the audition went?”

She narrowed her eyes.  “That was my original intent, but actions speak louder than words.  Besides, even with you being the egotistical trumpet player I know you are, you never seem this confident without good reason.  Think today was enough to get you into the final round next Friday?”

“I really hope so,” Mike responded.  “It’s impossible to say for sure, since this portion was a blind audition, making me little more than a number to the committee.  Still, I can honestly say that’s the best audition I’ve ever had in my life, so if that doesn’t get me a shot at the principal chair, I don’t know what will.”

“Good enough for me.  Oh, also wanted to make sure you knew, the High is having a sale of artwork today.” She pointed across the courtyard towards the High Museum of Art. “It’s only open to ASO musicians, so you never know.  Even you might find something that catches your eye.  Wanna come with?”

As artistically inclined as Mike was, he never has been big on paintings.  Still, he knew Darcy was into art of all kinds, and as easy as she has always been to hang with, he knew better than to turn down that request.  “Sure, why not?  I’m done with work early today with the audition, so I’ll still be able to beat rush hour.”

They got up and started their walk across the courtyard toward the entrance to the museum.  As he trailed a step behind her, Mike couldn’t help but notice that Darcy looked really nice today.  About 5’4” with short, sandy brown hair, she wore a pair of tan shorts, perfect for the spring weather of early May in Atlanta.  The shorts went about halfway down her thigh, and were just barely tight enough to show the curve of her petite ass.  Her faded blue t-shirt hugged her frame nicely, subtly drawing attention to her bust.  Mike guessed she was about a B cup, though he was certainly no expert.

Who said I never admire works of art?

Even with said admiration, Mike and Darcy’s relationship had always been a purely platonic one, going all the way back to high school.  She always had a boyfriend, but she and Mike still had a level of comfort with each other, being able to give advice and criticism effectively on all manner of topics, be it music, school, or even dating.  Her ability to keep up with his dry, sarcastic wit didn’t hurt either, as well as throw it right back at him.  She had frequently mentioned, “If someone didn’t know we were close friends, they’d think we hated each other!”

“Now, you’d better not be staring at my butt.” Darcy threw a look over her shoulder, flashing that mischievous grin she was famous around the orchestra for.  She knew she had caught him red-handed.

“Of course not, wouldn’t think of it!  It’s not like I’m an average guy who enjoys appreciating the artwork of the female form, particularly one with such a perfectly rounded and tiny butt.  You must have me confused with someone else…”

Mike knew damn well that it was better to play into this situation than deny it with Darcy.  Besides, this sort of banter came extremely easily with her.

“Good. After all, you know I’m on the rebound, and that could be considered taking advantage of poor, little-ole’ me!” Darcy responded, over doing her southern accent for the last four words.

Mike laughed.  “First of all, you’re lucky I know you’re kidding, and not leading me on, little missy,” he said, pretending to scold her by raising his index finger.  “Secondly, you’ve probably figured out that… well… I’m in the same situation.”  Mike’s voice softened to a more serious tone.

Darcy’s frowned slightly.  “I heard you and Amanda broke up.  Wasn’t she was your college sweetheart though?  I thought you were gonna marry her?”

If she only knew how squarely she had hit the nail on the head.  In probably the worst day of Mike’s twenty-six years, Amanda had ended their nearly four year long relationship via text message, followed by a complete refusal to answer his calls.  An hour after he received her text, Mike got a call from the jeweler to inform him the engagement ring he purchased was ready for pickup, twisting the proverbial knife in all the right ways.  Thankfully, in the six months between then and today’s audition, Mike threw himself into his work and music, drastically improving his skills, while also gaining an enormous amount of trust and respect from the trumpet section in the process.

The only difficulty he experienced in those six months was the inevitable return of contact from Amanda.  She, of course, had realized the hastiness of her decision, and wanted him back.  While Mike could easily have rubbed it in, or even refused to talk to her, he convinced himself to do the honorable, decent thing and tell her, face-to-face, how much she had hurt him, that he had no desire to get back together with her, but that he also wanted her to learn from her decision and move on with her love life.  It took some doing, but he finally convinced her that pining over losing him would be extremely unhealthy not only for her, but also for the man she would eventually end up spending her life with.

Yep, he had thought many times, sure would be fun to do the petty thing once in a while and stick her nose in it.  That damn code of morality and trying to live a Godly life thing.

“You’re right, I was hers.  And she apparently decided all of a sudden that she wasn’t ready, and the only course of action was to end a relationship of almost four years. No biggie,” Mike responded, his words dripping with sarcasm.  “In all seriousness though, it’s for the best.  I know what I want from here on, and I won’t be wasting time with someone who isn’t on the same page as me.”

Darcy’s grin returned. “So, no more Mr. College Playboy then?”

“HA!  Please.  Need I remind you that I’m the one constantly getting flack from every guy I know for not ‘playing the field’ more in college?”  Mike shot back.

“Fair enough, fair enough…” Darcy conceded. “Pretty sure mine was for the best, too.  Stephen never was physically abusive, but his temper kept getting the best of him.  Oh, and just because you noticed those things while we were still together does NOT give you permission to rub it in!” she interjected before Mike could claim the ‘I told you so.’  He threw is hands up, trying to profess innocence, but Mike just couldn’t suppress that smug grin of having called it correctly.

By now, they had made it inside the museum and were beginning to browse the selections on sale that day.  Most of the works were by local artists looking for connections and exposure, not to mention some money to alleviate the starving half of being a starving artist.  While Darcy stopped at a booth full of abstract paintings, Mike strolled around the exhibit hall leisurely.  His eye soon noticed a stunningly beautiful woman working a table at the very end of the room.

He tried his best not to blatantly stare as he approached her.  She was tall, easily six feet, with dark curly hair extending halfway down her back.  Her skin was a gorgeous shade of mocha brown, with a pair of blue skinny jeans and a snug black tank top accentuating her delightfully curvy figure.  As he approached, she greeted him warmly.  “Good afternoon, sir.”  She spoke with a very slight accent that Mike couldn’t quite place.  Possibly from somewhere in the Middle East, though he couldn’t be sure.

“Hi, how goes it today? My name’s Mike.”  He extended his hand, and she shook it gently.

“A pleasure, Mike.  I’m Selena.  I trust you are interested in my wares that I brought today?”

“Wares, eh?” Her wording confused him a bit.  “Does that mean you’re selling more than just artwork today?”

“Come and see for yourself,” she said with a wink.

Browsing her table, Selena had lots of jewelry for sale, all of it hand made.  As he looked, she explained that her family was originally from Iran, but came to America when she was ten years old.  Far from the typical girly-girl, she developed a particular aptitude for shop class and metalworking in high school, leading her to start her jewelry business.  In addition, almost all the pieces she had for sale were clearly inspired by her Middle Eastern roots.

“See anything you like? Perhaps something for a special lady in your life?”

Mike responded, “I’m afraid you’re about six months too late for that sales pitch.”

She studied him rather intently for a few moments.  “You were in love, weren’t you?”

Damn!  She can see right through anything!

“Uh…” was all Mike could say in response.

She quickly backtracked, “I’m so sorry! Please forgive my bluntness.  I have always been quite good at reading emotions, but I forget sometimes that there is an appropriate time and place for voicing such observations.”

“No, no, it’s just fine.  Matter of fact, you hit the nail on the head.”  Mike related the story of Amanda’s break up text, followed by the poor timing of the engagement ring, and the work he had to do to convince her to move on when she tried to come back to him.

Selena stood slack jawed for a few moments.  “Wow… do you realize what control you had over her in that moment?  She would have done anything you asked her to, all in the hopes of getting you back.  Yet, you chose to act in the best interest of her long term future, rather than take advantage of her vulnerability.”

Mike hadn’t really considered it from that perspective before, but she was correct.  It would have been all too easy to exact revenge on Amanda.  It frightened him that he, if only for a few brief moments, had considered starting down that path.

Selena’s voice turned soft, almost contemplative.  “Mike, I have an heirloom that has been in my family for generations.  When my mother gave it to me, she made it clear that I was only to give it to a person of, in her words, ‘outstanding moral fiber.’  Ideally, I’m sure she meant for this person to be the man who would be my husband, but for reasons I won’t bore you with, that is not really a possibility for me anymore.”

She reached under the table to her backpack, and pulled out a small brown box, appearing to be just the right size for a necklace of some kind.  Opening the box, she showed Mike a beautiful gold locket, extremely old, but very well preserved.  “When I think of how tempting it would have been for you to mistreat that poor girl, the fact that you still acted in the manner you did tells me everything I need to know about the who you are deep down.  If anyone could ever meet my mother’s requirements, I have no doubt it’s you.”

She handed the locket to Mike as he began to examine it.  It was perfectly round, with raised inlays of either silver or white gold across the surface, almost resembling vines.  In the very center was a pale blue stone, so smooth and polished that Mike could see his own reflection in it.  Mesmerized by it’s beauty, Mike suddenly snapped back to reality.  “Selena, this is obviously an extremely precious item.  I’m flattered, but I couldn’t possibly accept something as valuable as this.”

Selena simply responded, “Are you quite sure that you aren’t meant to possess it?  Look again.”

Mike examined the locket again, only to now see a faint glow emanating from the blue center stone.  “In all my life,” Selena continued, “I have never witnessed this before.  If that isn’t a sign that my suspicions about you are correct, I don’t know what is.”  With a smile, she slid the box the locket was contained in across the table to him.

Once again entranced, Mike looked up and started to respond, “So you’ve seriously never seen…”

Nothing.  No sign of Selena anywhere.  The table in front of him, once covered with beautiful handmade jewelry, was now bare, save for the small brown box.  Glancing at the locket again, Mike wondered what kind of elaborate set up this was, and who needed to be congratulated for going to such great lengths to freak him completely out.  Maybe he just imagined everything?  No, that couldn’t be.  The locket in his hand was clearly real.

Be-be-beep! Be-be-beep!

Mike’s phone suddenly went off, reminding him he’d better get on the road home to beat the Friday rush hour.  He packed the locket and box in the outer pocket of his trumpet case and started for the parking garage across the courtyard, meeting up with Darcy along the way.

“Well, you look like you had fun,” Mike said.

“Yep, my mom and aunt both love abstract art, so I’m all set for their birthdays!”  Darcy was always giddy after artsy events like this.  “Ready to head to the parking deck?”  Mike and Darcy always made a point of walking to their cars together, even in the middle of the day.  It was still downtown Atlanta, and always better to be on the safe side.

“Sure thing.  Oh, I forgot to ask, did you happen to see a girl selling jewelry at the far end of the gallery today?”

Darcy thought for a second, before responding.  “Nope, I definitely didn’t see any jewelry for sale in there today.  And if there was jewelry in there, I would definitely have found it!”

“Ok, wasn’t sure if I missed one of the tables or not.”  Mike was definitely confused now.  He couldn’t have imagined the entire encounter, could he?

As they walked through the parking deck, Darcy turned to him with a smirk on her face.  “Ok Braxton, million dollar question time.  How many hot dates you got set for this weekend?”

Mike rolled his eyes.  She did this every Friday, even while he and Amanda were still together.  “You really love seeing just how nosey you can possibly be, don’t you?”

“What can I say?  It’s a gift,” Darcy responded with a giggle.

“Well there will definitely be no contact of the female variety this weekend,” Mike responded.  “I should know tonight or tomorrow if I made the cut for the final audition in a week.  If I did make it, I plan to be a music hermit all week.  Plenty of time for human contact after the final round.”

“Fair enough, Lord knows I was a freakin’ mess when I auditioned for the principal spot.”

Mike grinned.  “If by ‘freakin’ mess’ you mean so hyped up on coffee and Red Bull that the orchestra actually started a petition to the maestro to promote you just to level you out, I agree!”

Darcy hopped in her car, laughing and sticking her tongue out at Mike.  “Good luck this weekend!  Remember, practice hard, but don’t hardly practice!”  With that she exited the garage.  Mike cranked up his car, set the radio to WSB traffic, and took off for home.

*****

The rest of Mike’s day was pretty mundane.  Arriving home at his apartment, he decided to reward himself with an afternoon of Call of Duty.  He never pretended to be very good at the game, but it was a hell of a lot of fun, and a great de-stressing tool.  Few things felt as fulfilling as having random preteen kids yell and curse at you for destroying them online.  With dinnertime approaching, Mike bought a couple of cheese pizzas from Papa John’s with a coupon, settling in for a quiet evening with his favorite superhero.  Just as he had finished watching The Dark Knight Rises, Mike’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Mike, Robert Spano here.”  It was the maestro of the ASO.

“Yes sir, good to hear from you.”

“You as well.  Mike, I’ll get right to the point.  I wanted to be the first to let you know that we’ve narrowed down the applicants for the principal trumpet spot to five, and I’m pleased to tell you that you are in.”

Silently but enthusiastically fist pumping and victory dancing, Mike did his best to respond professionally.  “That’s awesome news.  This opportunity means the world to me.  Thank you very much.”

“Well, you earned it.  Rest up, and practice hard this week.  The audition this Friday will be in front of a live panel consisting of the concertmaster, one guest panelist, and myself.  We will let you know who that guest panelist will be once we confirm their availability, as well as your specific audition time.  Also, be prepared for a short interview with some personnel situations you might encounter in the principal job.  Now, any questions I can answer for you?”

“No sir,” Mike responded.  “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Excellent.  Take care, Mike.  Bye-bye.” Click.

Mike was so keyed up that he could hardly contain himself.  However, he resisted the urge to text everyone he knew the news.  He had to constantly remind himself of the Academy Awards.  It’s just a nomination.

Knowing she would murder him if he didn’t at least keep her up to date, he texted Darcy the good news, who responded with her usual mash up of emojis.  After promising to hang with her on Saturday, whether in victory or in mourning, Mike finally felt all of his emotions crash in a wave of exhaustion.

Mike stripped down to his boxer briefs and went to relax in bed.  Coming out of his closet, he paused at his tall floor mirror.  While he was not normally one to stare at his reflection, he strangely felt the urge to do so tonight.

Mike couldn’t help but laugh at what he saw.  Blonde haired, blue eyed, white, Christian male.  How original.  Hell, his first college roommate, an awesomely nerdy Jewish kid named Mitch, had affectionately dubbed him “Hitler’s poster boy.”  Mike took it in stride, though.  Mitch had always said that he was glad Hitler took over Germany.  If he hadn’t, his grandparents would never have fled the country, falling in love during the voyage to America.  Mitch’s motto was simple: perspective.

Though Mike was not tall, only 5’5”, his strong, broad shoulders complimented his figure very nicely.  His body, on the other hand, was… average.  Not buff, nor overweight.  Still, by far his best features were his eyes and hair.  His eyes were a much brighter blue as a child, but even the lighter blue they settled on today was very noticeable.  It was a near certainty that any girl he dated would eventually comment on how they loved his eyes.  Couple that with his light blonde hair, neatly cut into a short Ivy League style and framed with a pair of wire rimmed glasses, and Mike felt pretty confident in how he could describe himself.  Not bad… not bad at all.

As annoying as it was to admit she was right, Darcy definitely had a point about Mike’s love life.  He knew it was time to get back out there.  Surely he could actually find a smart, sweet girl with no patience for drama or mind games.  Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts out of his mind.  Focus Braxton, he thought.  Audition of a lifetime in one week.

Flipping the TV on to his favorite cable news network, Mike was about to crawl into bed when he glanced at his trumpet case in the corner.  Instantly remembering the strange locket from earlier today, he went to dig it and the brown box it came in out of his case.  He was about to examine the locket, when he noticed the corner of a small piece of paper sticking out of the box.  Opening it up, he discovered a hand written note.

Hello, Mike.  I do not know if you have attempted to open the locket yet, but please know that it will only open if you are truly the kind of person I suspect you are.  For a man who knows God, as I can tell you do, the solution to this puzzle should come very easily.  I wish you luck and happiness in all of your life’s endeavors.  Sincerely, Selena.

Holy crap, he thought.  He hadn’t imagined it.  Somehow, that entire encounter today was real.  Now fully invested in uncovering the meaning of Selena’s note, Mike placed the box on his nightstand, switched off the TV so he could focus, and reached for the locket, sitting up comfortably in his bed.

“Let’s see if we can’t figure out what you are, my little friend…” Mike said, in his best Obi-Wan Kenobi voice.  As he held it in his hand, the blue stone in the center started glowing, just as it had that afternoon.  And yet, even with the stone glowing brightly, Mike still could not open the locket.  It was as if it was welded shut from the inside.

Mike turned the locket over, inspecting the smooth, plain back piece.  He began running his index finger over the surface and edges, slowly feeling for any sort of switch or clasp that might allow it to open.  At this point, he didn’t care if the locket contained anything or not.  His gut told him that it would be worth it just to find the solution to this puzzle.

As his finger moved around to the front side of the locket, Mike began to notice a faint outline of some sort on the back piece.  After a few attempts to replicate it, he quickly discovered that placing his finger on the blue stone was the trigger to those outlines.  Pressing down gently, he was slowly able to make out a series of letters appearing on the back of the locket.

I Cor
XV LII

Curiouser and curiouser, Mike thought.  He made a note of the letters in his phone, trying to think what they could mean.  Reading Selena’s note again, he took notice of her mention of knowing God.

“That’s it!”

Mike reached into his nightstand for his King James Bible.  Though he preferred his Common English Bible, there just was something that felt right about having this version by his bedside.  Mike flipped through the pages until he found his target: 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 52.

Maybe I just need to read it out loud?  Could it be that simple?

Clearing his throat, Mike read, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Nothing.  No movement or glowing from the locket.

Mike tried reading the passage again, this time with his finger pressed on the stone, but still no results.  He pondered endlessly.  Why would the locket direct him to this passage if reading the passage itself does nothing?  There had to be some additional significance.

Glancing again at his trumpet case, Mike had one idea so farfetched that it just might work.  The text of this verse was used in Handel’s Messiah during an extended trumpet solo entitled The Trumpet Shall Sound.  Additionally, Mike was very familiar with this piece, having just played it this past Easter at his local church.  Picking up his trumpet, Mike placed a practice mute in the bell, muffling the sound to barely a whisper.  No need to piss off the neighbors.

After playing a few warm-up notes, Mike focused for a moment, remembering the opening to the song before beginning the extended fanfare that started the piece.  As he approached the segment where the vocalist would have entered, he noticed the locket was glowing again, this time extending from the stone and into the vine-like inlays.  Startled, he stopped playing, causing the glow to instantly disappear.

Smiling to himself, he knew he was close to the answer.  As he began again from the beginning, the locket, sure enough, started glowing again.  Losing himself in the music, and clearly hearing the vocalist in his head as he played, he had almost forgotten about the locket completely by the time he finished the final bars.  Laying his trumpet back in the case, the locket was now shining brighter than ever before, almost as if it was fully charged with energy.  Climbing back into bed, he again took the locket in his hand, and immediately felt it’s warmth engulf his entire body.  He placed his finger once more on the center stone, causing the glow to vanish.  He then heard an audible click, signaling that he had finally solved the puzzle.

His hands trembled as he began to pry open the locket.  As he looked inside, there at first did not appear to be anything inside.  Upon further inspection, however, he could see that the stone on the front was, in fact, a complete sphere, with the back half extending into the locket.  Touching the backside of the stone, it suddenly released a puff of blue smoke directly into his face!

He coughed and hacked as his vision became blurry, dropping the locket onto the floor.  Trying to keep his wits about him, he reached to shut the locket before anything else happened, but to no avail.  The last thing he remembered before passing out was the cloud of smoke appearing to form into something solid…

[auguy86]

Hello, again.  Thank you very much for taking the time to read my submissions.  If you are thoroughly confused as to what is going on, you might have missed the intro in chapter 00, so feel free to go back and read that one for some context.  No song titles for this chapter, so sit back, and enjoy.

An Unforgettable Melody: Ch. 01

Oh, God… what… the hell… happened?

Mike slowly awoke in a haze, his head throbbing in pain.  Forcing his eyes to blink open for a moment, he glanced at his bedside clock.  7:00 am?  Dammit, that’s way to early for a Saturday.

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to get any more sleep with his headache, Mike slowly sat up in bed.  Gonna need some Tylenol…

As his brain started to power up, he tried to recall what he had been doing yesterday that could have put him out like that.  He knew he hadn’t been drinking.  Let’s see, I watched a movie, got the call from the Maestro, and then… the locket!  It was all coming back to him; the glowing stone, the song that opened it, that strange blue cloud…

“Good morning, Master.”

Mike was suddenly scared fully awake by an unfamiliar voice coming from the corner of the room.  Immediately thinking home invasion, he instinctively dove to the floor beside his bed and, opening the thumbprint gun safe beside his nightstand, retrieved his Glock 19 handgun.

Crouching on the floor by his bed, he spoke with authority.  “Who are you?! How did you get into my home?!”

“Please do not be afraid, Master.  My apologies for startling you.”  The voice sounded incredibly sweet, almost angelic.

Not letting his guard down for a second, Mike slowly peeked around the foot of his bed.  He could tell the voice was coming from a girl kneeling in the corner of the room.  “Show me your hands.  I need to see that you’re not armed.”  He was certainly not military or police, but Mike’s dad had taught him many times how to effectively protect himself in the event of a home invasion.  Rule one was never to assume anything.

“Of course.”  The girl slowly opened her hands, extending her arms out to her side as she did so.  “I can assure you that you are in no danger.”

She certainly seemed harmless enough, appearing maybe twenty-five years old or so, but Mike still kept his weapon close at hand as he slowly stood up.  “With all due respect, ma’am, I’ll be the judge of that.  Who are you?  How did you get into my apartment?”  He didn’t see any broken windows in his bedroom, and could tell by looking out his bedroom door to the entryway that the front door was still securely locked.

The girl smiled.  “Do you not remember the events of last evening?  You opened my vessel, bringing me into existence.  For that, I am eternally grateful, Master.”

“Vessel?  You mean the locket?  The last thing I remember was opening it, then getting blasted in the face with a cloud of blue smoke…”

Nodding, the girl continued, “Very good Master.  That smoke was my essence.  Before you released me, I had no physical form.  My essence enveloped you as it did in order to determine the proper form for me to take.”

Mike held his hand up.  “Woah, woah, slow down there.  I’m totally lost now.  Oh, and why do you keep calling me Master?”

The mystery girl flashed a huge smile, lighting up the room.  “Because I am your servant genie.  By releasing me, I am now bound to be your slave for eternity.”

Mike could see where this was going.  Very cute.  Stuart and the trombones must have cooked this up.  The ASO low brass section was renowned for their elaborate pranks, particularly Stuart McKay, the principal tuba.  Knowing them, this prank will keep going until I expose them myself.  Mike decided to play along for the time being.  Sensing no further danger, he laid his handgun on the bed, still within easy reach, and slipped on his glasses from the nightstand.

“Ok, so you’re a genie?  And you say that you now belong to me?”

“That is correct Master.”

Now that he had relaxed a bit, he could see that this girl was absolutely stunning, perhaps the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.  She wore a tight, black t-shirt with a plunging V-neck and a pair of blue jean shorts, just long enough to be tasteful and not slutty, but just short enough to show off the pale skin of her gorgeous legs.  Though she was still kneeling, he could tell that they were toned to perfection.  He couldn’t see for sure from this angle, but it appeared that her ass was quite round and curvy, especially compared to her slim waist.  Based on her slightly exposed midriff, her stomach was quite flat, and led upwards beautifully to her perky, D cup breasts.  He now studied her face, which was, in a word, angelic.  Perfectly proportioned, and framed by a small pair of adorable dimples, she reminded him a bit of the actress Kate Bosworth.  Her eyes were an enchanting shade of emerald green.  Finally, he noticed her perfectly straight hair. Tucked behind her ears and cut to just above shoulder length, it was the most beautiful shade of red wine he had ever seen in his life.

As he studied her, he suddenly realized how intently he had been staring.  He broke eye contact for a moment, but she simply smiled right back at him; she didn’t seem to mind one bit that he was drinking her in.

Grinning right back at her, Mike decided to see for how long she would be able to keep up the charade.  “Alright then, genie.  Tell me about your powers.  I assume you are able to grant wishes of some kind.  What kinds of wishes can you grant?  And how many do I receive?”

She nodded.  “Since I am your servant genie for life, you can receive an unlimited number of wishes from me, as long as they are within the realm of my nature.  As a genie designed to be a sexual servant, my primary powers allow me to grant almost any wish that is in some way erotic in nature.  Additionally, I am authorized with unlimited power to keep my master and myself safe from all harm, as well as healthy from any ailments.  Finally, I also have extensive powers of anonymity and privacy, so as not to draw any undesired attention towards my master.”

Sexual servant?  Stuart’s pulled crazy pranks before, but he’s never done anything as off the wall as this.  I wonder who this girl is?  An actress?  Call girl perhaps?  What’s the endgame of this prank?

Having had enough, and not wanting to put this poor girl through any shame or embarrassment, Mike decided to make a “wish” he knew she would be unable to grant.  Wishing for a striptease, blowjob, or something else of that nature would likely be exactly what she expected him to say next.  Mike, however, had a different idea.

“Very well.  I’d like to make a wish.  I’ve had a throbbing headache since the moment I woke up.  This is obviously an unhealthy ailment.  Without moving from the spot you’re in, I wish for you to instantly cure me of my headache.”

Mike was quite pleased with himself.  He had phrased things very carefully by not giving her the easy out: walking to the bathroom and getting the Tylenol for him.  Now, she would have no choice but to admit that the jig was up, ending the prank.  However, he suddenly felt a slight tingle in the back of his mind.

Flash.

The girl’s eyes shone bright gold for a split second.  “It is done, Master.”

Mike instantly felt his headache disappear.  “WOAH!”  Mike stumbled backward in shock, landing square on his ass.  “You actually made my headache go away?!  And what about your eyes?!  That tingle in my head?!  What is going on here?!”

The girl was now close to tears.  “Master, was this not what you wished for?  The tingle you felt in your mind was my attempt to hear the thoughts behind your words, ensuring I granted your wish properly and gave you exactly what you wanted.  If I have failed to deliver in your first wish, I am exceedingly sorry for disappointing you, and I gladly await any punishment you feel is appropriate for me.”  She then bowed, placing her nose squarely on the carpet in front of her.

Mike slowed his breathing, working to comprehend everything that had just happened.  Holy shit, she was telling the truth?  I released a genie from that locket?  Before he could ponder the full implications of the situation, his concern for this poor girl immediately grew.  He heard her whimpering as she cried from her undignified position on the floor.

Locking his handgun back in the safe, he slowly approached, kneeling in front of her.  Gently placing his hand on her chin, he lifted her head until the two of them were face to face.  Smiling, he said to her, “You don’t need to cry, and you don’t need to be afraid.  I’m not disappointed in you.  I’m just… surprised.  I thought all of this was some big prank set up by a bunch of my friends.”

His face turned more serious as he looked directly into her eyes.  “I’m sorry that I didn’t believe you.”

A look of confusion spread across her face.  “I… I don’t understand.  You are my master; i-it’s never your place to apologize to me.”  Her voice began to crack as she tried to comprehend what was happening.

Dear God… this poor girl has no concept of free will.  She really does see herself as my slave.

For the first time in a long time, Mike was truly terrified, on multiple levels.  He was terrified for this poor girl, clearly a sentient person, but without free will.  He was terrified of the powers she had described to him, that she would likely use them in any way he directed her to, no matter who could be hurt in the process.

Most of all, he was terrified for his soul.  Mike was a religious man, having been raised in a Methodist church, as well as his late grandfather being a Southern Baptist minister.  He knew that any and all decisions he made in his life would have to be answered for someday.  While Mike didn’t subscribe to the idea that all things are as black and white as a one-way ticket to either Heaven or Hell, there were certain situations in his mind that qualified as just that.  Participating in the enslavement of an intelligent, sentient person was damn near the top of that list.

Taking a deep breath, Mike moved to sit cross-legged on his double bed.  Seeing that the girl was still kneeling in the corner, he asked, “Why are you still kneeling there?”

She responded simply.  “My master has not yet given me permission to move.”

Oh… duh.  No free will.

“Please, come sit here with me.”  Mike patted the bed.  She happily stood and moved toward the bed.  Mike could now see that she was rather short, maybe an inch or two shorter than him.  In spite of this, however, he could tell his previous guess about her curviness were correct; she was wonderfully shaped.  She sat cross-legged on the foot of the bed, face-to-face with Mike.

Gently taking her hands in his, Mike began to speak very seriously.  “Genie, please understand that this situation is all very overwhelming for me.  I’m trying to comprehend everything that’s happened this morning.  I have quite a few questions that need as straight and honest answers as you can give.  Is that ok?”

“Of course, Master.”  Her face softened with a smile.

They conversed for some time.  The genie first confirmed for Mike that she was, in fact, created to be a subservient creature incapable of disobeying her master.  Additionally, she explained that, as her master, she is considered his property to be dealt with as he wished.  Anything about her that displeased him could be punished with isolation, beatings, torture, or even her destruction.  All were within Mike’s rights.

She also confirmed that her powers could be used for anything of an erotic or sexual nature, including actions considered illegal under modern law, without any consequences.  Her powers could even be used to commit unspeakable acts of pain on innocents, all with the full support and encouragement from her, since she only desires what her master desires.

Mike then explained his religious background, and his apprehension to participating in any sort of enslavement, knowing full well the likely consequences when his time finally came. Seeking to comfort him, she explained that her servitude to him was thrust upon him and that, since he had no choice in the matter, the sin of her enslavement was not his burden to bear.  Hearing this brought Mike to one of the most important questions he had in his mind.

“Genie, is it possible for me to free you, and, if so, how would that play out?”

She smiled sadly.  “Master, you are exceedingly kind to ask such a thing.  You are allowed to wish for my freedom.  However, in doing so, you would merely be freeing me from my servitude to you.  I do not have the power to grant a wish from you, or any master, that I no longer be bound as a servant genie altogether.

“If you were to wish for my freedom from you, I would return to my vessel, whereupon the next person to open it would become my new master.  While I do not fully know the nature of my vessel, it is clear to me that, in solving the puzzle last night, you disabled some sort of magical security system that was preventing the locket from opening.  As I no longer detect any magical energy from any part of my vessel, I can only hypothesize that the next person to obtain the locket would have no difficulty opening it by hand.”

Hearing her explanation, Mike now knew full well that there was no easy answer to his dilemma.  On the one hand, he could take custody of this girl, treating as humanely as possible, but in doing so ran the risk of what would happen to him once his number was up.  Conversely, he could wish her free, clearing himself from this entire situation.  However, if someone without the “outstanding moral fiber” Mike apparently possessed then claimed her, he could be condemning her to a life pain, not to mention the countless people that could be hurt by such a person gaining control of her powers.  He knew he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he allowed that to happen.

After pondering for a few minutes, Mike finally believed he had formulated the best possible solution.  Taking a deep breath, he made a wish.

“Genie, I will never view you as a slave.  I know that your very nature makes you completely obedient to me, but if you truly are bound to me for life, as you say you are, then the only capacity I want you to serve me in is as an equal partner.  To that end, I wish for you to have as much free will as it is possible for you to have.  I wish for you to be able to enjoy everything this world has to offer you, not because I allow you to experience it, but because you deserve to experience it.  Is this a wish that you can grant?”

She closed her eyes for a moment, before nodding.  Tingle.  Flash.

“It’s done, Master.”  Unable to hold back any longer, tears began streaming down her face.

“What’s wrong?  Are you ok?”

She nodded.  “Master, I am wonderful.  Genie servants are never supposed to expect or even hope for any kindness or consideration from their masters.  It goes against our purpose of servitude.  That you would use your first wish to grant me free will, it is the greatest gift I could ever imagine.”  She lunged forward, gripping Mike in a tight hug.  “Thank you,” she whispered.

Gently rubbing her back, Mike couldn’t resist the call of his sarcastic wit returning to him.  “It’s not that big a deal.  Technically, it was my second wish,” he said with a smartass grin.

At first, he wasn’t sure if she understood the humor.  However, with a slight snort, she burst out into a full on giggle fit.  “That’s true I suppose!”  Her laugh was intoxicating to Mike, so pure and full of life.  He knew immediately that he would never get tired of trying to make her laugh.

Glancing at the clock, Mike was shocked at what time it was.  “Wow!  11:15 already?  No wonder I’m starving.”  He stood and motioned for the girl to follow him.  “Would you like something to eat?  You must be hungry, if you’ve been sitting there all night, waiting for me to wake up.”  Mike slipped on a pair of gym shorts and his orange Auburn University t-shirt.

She smiled.  “Sure.  I don’t require food to exist, but it certainly helps in keeping my energy up.  Plus, it’s an experience I’d love to have, having never eaten before.”  She gasped momentarily.  “I’m sorry!  I shouldn’t have said something so forward-”

Mike placed his finger over her lips, silencing her.  “No apologies.  That was a very good thing you said.  That’s the free will I wished for you to have beginning to shine through.  Embrace it, don’t fight it.”

She smiled.  “I’ll try.  This is just such a big adjustment for me.  It will take some time.”

“I understand,” Mike replied, making his way into the kitchen.  Opening the fridge, he asked her, “Is leftover pizza ok?”

“Sure.  I’ve never eaten before, but my powers do give me a basic concept of the modern world and the things in it.  Pizza is baked cheese and tomato sauce on a bread-like crust, right?”

“You got it.”  Mike placed four slices on a plate and stuck it in the microwave.  As their food warmed up, he turned to the girl.  “I’ve got to apologize.  I just now realized that I haven’t even asked your name until now.  I assume your name isn’t genie, is it?

She giggled.  “You can call me anything you wish, but no, genie is not my name.  That would be like me calling you human.”

Mike immediately understood.  “That makes sense.  You aren’t the Hulk after all.”

“Hulk?”  Her eyes narrowed.  Tingle.  “Oh, right.  PUNY HUMAN!!!”  She raised her arms above her head doing her best Hulk impersonation.  As Mike laughed at the spot on impression, she continued, “As far as my name is concerned, I don’t have one yet.  The privilege of naming me is yours alone.”

“Wow, ok.  Let me think…”

Mike had never named anything before, except a goldfish while he was in kindergarten.  He ran through a few names in his head.  Let’s see… Sarah?  Nah, too boring.  Hope?  Nice name, but… she doesn’t really look like a Hope.  As he continued trying to think of the perfect name, the microwave signaled that the pizza was ready.  As he pulled the food out and separated it onto two plates, he absentmindedly started whistling, as he often did when some tune was stuck in his head.  He froze halfway through as he finally realized the perfect name.

“Melody.”

“Pardon?”  Sitting at the table, she couldn’t completely hear him from the kitchen.

With a big smile on his face, Mike brought the food and a couple of Cokes to the table.  “Your name is Melody.”

She sat for a moment, basking in the moment.  “I love it!”  She leapt out of her chair, throwing her arms around Mike’s neck and bouncing up and down in sheer joy.  “I love it, love it, LOVE IT!”  When she finally came down from her excitement, she gently took his face in her hands.  “Thank you, Master.”

“Oh, and one more thing.  I’d much prefer you to call Mike, not Master.  Ya know, that whole ‘equal partner’ thing.”

“Of course Mast- Mike.”

Mike smiled.  “Now, you need to sit down and eat your first meal, before it gets cold.  Unless you’re one of those crazy people that LIKES cold pizza.”

Her eyes lit up.  “Oh, right!  I totally forgot!”

As Melody took her first bite, the look on her face said it all.  She was in heaven.  “This.  Is.  AWESOME!  Oh my God, this is great.  Good thing I’m a Genie, or I’d probably eat so much of this that I’d blow up like a balloon!”

“Well, if you like that, you’ll love the Coke.”

She took the cold can in hand and took a large sip.  “Oh, this is good too… oh wow!  The bubbles!  They tickle on the way down!”

Mike laughed.  “That’s how you know they mixed it well.”

As she continued to dig into her food, Mike couldn’t help but sit back and take in her unbridled joy at each new experience she was having.  As he leisurely ate his lunch, Mike again couldn’t help but admire her.  The angelic face, gorgeous hair, and her glorious cleavage, just peeking through her V-neck shirt, he was entranced by all of it.

As they finished eating, Melody seemingly knew exactly what he was thinking.  “Mike, were you by chance checking me out just now?”  She flashed a knowing grin.  “Because if you were, I might just be flattered.”

Caught red-handed!

“I, uh… couldn’t help myself.  I’ve honestly never met a more gorgeous girl in my entire life.”

She giggled.  “So sweet.  And that’s not surprising.  Remember when I mentioned that my essence enveloped you to determine the proper form to take?”

Mike nodded, remembering the blue smoke from last night.

“This body is formulated from your subconscious, essentially as the embodiment of your ideal woman, both physically and mentally.  From my personality, I can tell that you enjoy women who are smart, witty, caring, unafraid to speak their minds…” She glanced at him with a mischievous look on in her eyes.  “…As well as a woman not afraid to, shall we say, take the initiative when the mood strikes her.”

Mike’s eyes widened as he started feeling an awakening south of the border.

Not flinching for an instant, Melody continued, “Seriously, Mike, we really should address… what’s the phrase again?  The elephant in the room?”  She stood and slowly walked around the table to where Mike sat.  “You have a beautiful, all-powerful sex genie at your disposal, willing and able to please you in any way you can possibly imagine.”  She stood beside him, tracing the outline of his broad shoulder with her finger.  “Yet, your first concerns were for me, not yourself.  You made possibly the sweetest and most selfless wish imaginable, all for me.”

“It… it was no big deal.  Just what needed to be done,” Mike stammered.

Melody smiled, and slid onto the chair, sitting sideways on his lap.  “Well, as your genie servant, I will gladly submit myself to you, anytime, anywhere.  But, even if I weren’t bound to you, and were just some random girl getting to know you…” she leaned close to his ear and whispered, “…I’d have fallen head over heels for you anyway.”  She blew a soft stream of air in his ear before pulling back.

Mike was certain she could now feel his hardening cock pressing against her ass.  Melody now looked him square in the eyes.  “So here’s the thing.  I personally believe that a great guy like you deserves to be rewarded.  So, unless you explicitly tell me not to, I plan to use my free will right now to drag you over to that couch…” she wrapped her arms around his neck, “…pull your shorts off…” she slowly moved her face closer to his, “…and suck your cock.  That ok by you?”

Mike was absolutely flabbergasted.  He didn’t know what to say.  Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined a woman this beautiful seducing him like this.  Being completely speechless, he decided to follow his dad’s age-old advice: “If you don’t know what to say, don’t.”

Tentatively, he closed the remaining distance between their faces and met Melody’s lips with his own.  Placing his hand gently on her cheek, he kissed her softly and tenderly for several minutes, never escalating, simply enjoying his explorations of her soft, perfect lips.  As her breathing deepened, he slowly increased his kissing to be more passionate, occasionally flicking his tongue against her lips before returning to his softer style.  The third time he did this, however, she was ready for him, entwining her tongue with his.  Keeping their lips firmly sealed together, their tongues danced, uncovering every inch of the others’ mouth.

After what seemed like ages, but in reality, was only about 10 minutes, they finally broke their embrace, panting and sighing in contentment.

“Wow…” was all Mike could say.

Melody giggled.  “Wow indeed.  But I’m not done with you yet, mister.”

She slid off of his lap and, taking his hand in hers, led him over to the dark brown sofa in the living room.  Melody smiled mischievously, knelt in front of him as he stood, and slipped her fingers into the waistband of his shorts.  She slowly slid the shorts and his boxer briefs down together, being careful not to scratch his engorged member.

Mike subconsciously held his breath, expecting her disappointment, or at least surprise.  He was not big by any means, less than 5 inches fully erect.  However, as she examined the object of her desire, he saw nothing but lust and anticipation in her eyes.  She lightly licked the tip, causing Mike’s knees to buckle slightly.  Melody giggled, clearly pleased with herself, and directed him to lay long ways on the sofa.

As Mike extended his legs on the sofa towards the armrest, he propped up a couple of pillows on the armrest at his back, allowing him to sit up.  “Gotta get the best viewing experience,” he said to Melody with a smirk.

Melody carefully straddled him at his knees, smiling as she lowered her face to his crotch.  He watched her intently as she did so, and noticed that her hair was just long enough to obscure her face while in this position.  As he was about to pull her hair out of her face for her, Mike suddenly had a brilliant idea.  “Melody, I wish your hair would stay out of your face, so that I can fully enjoy watching you.”

Tingle. Flash.

“But of course,” she said with a wink.  A simple, black headband appeared on her head, keeping her gorgeous red hair behind her ears and giving Mike a perfect view of her cute face.

She turned her attention back to Mike’s rigid cock.  She began to give him a long, slow lick, starting at the base. She took a full fifteen seconds before finally reaching the tip.  Hearing Mike’s moans of pleasure, she gave a throated laugh in self-satisfaction.  “Someone likes that, I see.”  She began the same process again, this time sweeping her tongue back and forth as she licked him.  She started back down his length, taking him fully into her mouth, and sealing her lips around him as she reached the base.

Melody moaned as she felt his erect cock in her mouth, partially in delight, but also to increase the sensations he was feeling.  She slowly retreated back up at the same deliberate pace as before, this time swirling her tongue around him as she sucked.  Again reaching the tip, she released him from her lips with a slight pop.

Once more, she returned her mouth to the base of his cock, this time placing her tongue firmly on his underside as she began to suck at an increasing pace.  Occasionally throwing a swirl or two in for good measure, Mike was slowly losing control in all of the best ways.  Gripping the backrest of the sofa with his left arm, the cushion he was seated on with his right, he attempted to regain control to stave off his orgasm for a bit longer.  Strangely, he began to hear Melody’s voice in his head.

I don’t want you to worry about that.  You just relax and enjoy.  You don’t even need to warn me.  Just cum.  Right.  Down.  My.  Throat.

What the hell was that?  Mike wasn’t sure what had just happened, but the increased bobbing of Melody’s head made concentrating on that impossible at the moment.  Fuck, I’ll figure it out later…

Sensing his climax rapidly approaching, Mike followed her apparent instructions and relaxed, enjoying the ride.  Watching her work was just incredible.  While she wasn’t moving at the fast pace typically seen in porn flicks, the suction of her lips and masterful movements of her tongue were simply mind-blowing.  As she looked up at him with her gorgeous, emerald eyes, shining with both vulnerability and lust, all at the same time, Mike’s orgasm arrived in full force.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck, OH FUUUUUUCK!”

In possibly the biggest orgasm of his life, Mike erupted into her mouth, spewing rope after rope of cum down her throat.  Melody took every drop of it masterfully, before sucking him from base to tip one last time, cleaning him up and squeezing every last bit of his juice from him.

Grabbing a throw blanket draped over the armrest, Melody crawled up to lay her head on Mike’s chest and pulled the blanket over them.  Mike sighed, exhausted and completely content, as he kissed her forehead and drifted off to sleep.

[auguy86]

Hello again!  A special thanks to everyone who has read the first two chapter’s I’ve submitted so far; I’m really glad to see people are enjoying this story and my take on this scenario.  To answer a question several people have asked: Yes, I do have a full story mapped out, complete with a definite conclusion.  With that said, on to the next chapter.

Ch. 02 Song Titles

Buy Me a Boat (Chris Janson)

The Devil Went Down to Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band)

When I Fall in Love (Chris Botti)

An Unforgettable Melody: Ch. 02

Mike awoke on the sofa, Melody still wrapped in his arms.  Stroking her deep red hair lightly, he recalled the events of the last twenty-four hours.  The art sale, that mysterious locket, the puzzle opening it, all of it had led to this girl currently lying on his chest.  She was apparently a genie, bound to be a sexual servant to whoever released her from her vessel.  Mike, being uncomfortable with her subservient nature and the idea of owning her as a slave, wished for her to gain as much free will as possible, and for her to be an equal partner to him.  Her gratitude for him making such a wish had led them both here, lying on the sofa with him half naked.

Melody looked up at him, kissing him softly on the lips.  “Hey there, sleepy.  Did someone tire you out?”

Mike stuck his tongue out at her.  “You know damn well what tired me out.”

She giggled her trademark laugh.  God, Mike loved to hear her laugh.  “I hope that was ok, taking what I wanted like that,” she said.  “I’m still figuring out this whole free will thing.”

Mike kissed her forehead.  “You were amazing.  Knocked me out cold.  How long was I out for, by the way?”

“Not long, maybe twenty minutes,” she said, sitting up.  “We’ve still got the whole day ahead of us.  Whatcha wanna do now?”

Mike eyed her knowingly.  “I see that look in your eye, Miss ‘I’m up to no good.’”  Melody tried her best to put on an innocent look on her face.

“Honestly,” Mike said, sitting up, “I’ve got lots of questions, mainly about your powers.  You mentioned that tingling I feel in my head when I make a wish.  Did you say you were reading my mind?”

She shook her head.  “No.  Reading your mind without your permission is explicitly forbidden to all genies, from servants up to the most powerful King Jinn.  It would be an invasion of your privacy, and a major ethical breach.  The tingle is my attempts to hear the thoughts behind your wish, ensuring I interpret it properly and give you what you intended to ask for.  However, if that bothers you, I will gladly refrain from doing so.”

“No, that’s fine, as long as it only happens when I wish for something.  I didn’t realize that was something genies were capable of doing.  That’s why I was trying to phrase those first few wishes very carefully.  The last thing I want is a poorly worded wish backfiring on me.”

Melody nodded.  “That’s understandable.  Many of the legends you may have read about Jinn and Genies are rooted in actual events.”

“Like Aladdin and the Genie of the lamp?”

“Yes, although that specific account is merely legend.  Jinn and genie servants such as myself are fulfilling our primary purpose for existence.  There are sexual servants, household servants, and political advisors, just to name a few.  Some Genies, however, are bound to an object, such as a lamp or bottle, as punishment for failing to follow our code of conduct.  Genies facing such situations would commonly twist their masters’ words in an attempt to gain their freedom through a poorly conceived wish.”

Mike nodded in understanding.  “Ok, so basically, it’s only with my permission that you delve into my thoughts, and even then, you only draw information pertinent to the wish.  Is that correct?”

Melody smiled.  “Exactly.”

“Alright then… oh, you mentioned both Jinn and Genies.  What’s the difference?”

“That is merely a gender distinction.  Males are Jinn, while females are Genies.”

“Are there still many in existence?”

Melody closed her eyes for a moment in thought.  “I cannot say for sure.  It’s certainly possible, but we genies are unable to detect each other’s presence.  This is another failsafe for the protection of our masters.  In the past, some masters desired to gain power over multiple genies, seeking out other masters and pitting their genies against each other, necessitating this rule.  If we were to encounter one, I wouldn’t be able to know if it was another genie or not, though I would certainly detect a magical presence in the area, as would they.”

“Cool.  Ok next question.  While you were performing the, um, most awesome, mind blowing blowjob in the history of the world…”

“Oh, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Melody shot back.

Mike laughed as he tried to stay on topic.  “…There was a moment when I heard you speaking in my mind.  Are you able to communicate telepathically?”

On cue, he heard her voice in his head again.  Yes, but only with you.

Openmouthed, Mike could only reply, “Wow.  That’s cool.”

“Why don’t you try it?”

Mike cocked his eyebrow.  “How?”

She giggled.  “It’s easy, silly.  Just think what you want to say, and direct it to me.”

Mike concentrated.  Like this?

Perfect!  You’re a quick study.  Since you are my master, even with the free will you wished for me, I am never more than a thought away from you.

Really?  Even if we’re nowhere near each other?

Of course, Melody replied.  We could be universes apart, and I would still be with you in a moment’s notice.  That’s how strong my connection to you is.

“Very nice.  Although, I have to admit, I love hearing your voice in reality,” Mike replied.  “Your laugh has got to be one of the sweetest sounds I’ve ever heard.”

She giggled.  “Yep, that’s the one,” Mike said.

Melody kissed him on the cheek.  “You really are the best.  A better master than I could have ever dreamed of.”  She moved closer and laid her head on his shoulder.  “What other questions did you have?”

Mike thought for a moment.  “Honestly, I want to learn more about Melody the person.  Likes, dislikes, interests and such.”

“Well…” she said, seductively raising her eyebrow.

“Besides sexual interests!”  Mike laughed at himself for not anticipating her response.

Melody chuckled.  “Fine, fine.  I haven’t actually developed any likes or dislikes.  I mean, I was only born about twelve hours ago, and I’ve only had free will for a little over an hour.  If I’m going to find out about my interests, as I can tell you would want me to, why don’t I start by finding out more about what makes Mike tick?”

Nodding, he responded, “Fair enough.  Let’s see, I’m twenty-six years old, born and raised here in Atlanta.  Went to school at Auburn University and Florida State University, became a professional musician after that.  Currently play second trumpet for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.”

“Ooh, a musician!  How delightfully sexy,” Melody interjected, twirling her hair between her fingers.

Mike laughed.  Being a band nerd never did him any favors with the ladies in high school.  Man, how times do change.

“Outside of that,” Mike continued, “I’m pretty introverted in my personal life.  I try to avoid dealing with people unless necessary.  Of course, the ones I actually choose to keep around as friends, you included, aren’t people,” he said with a wink.  “But typically, a relaxing day for me is being a homebody, watching superhero movies, and playing video games.”

Melody’s eyes perked up.  “Video games you say?  That sounds like fun.”

Mike looked hopefully at her.  “You like video games?”

She smiled.  “Well I’ve never played them, obviously, but based on knowing the concept of what they are, I think they’d be something I’d enjoy quite a bit.”

That was all Mike needed.  “How bout we fire one up?  I’ll show you the ropes.”

He stood up and moved over to his entertainment center.  Checking through his game collection, he ran through several titles looking for the perfect first gaming experience for Melody.  Call of Duty?  Nah, too violent for her first game.  NCAA Football maybe?  Eh, probably not, the controls are pretty complex.  Oh, perfect!

He pulled out one of his favorite games ever, Mario Kart Wii.  “How about a race?”

“I’m game,” Melody replied excitedly.

Mike powered up the system and handed her a controller, giving her a basic rundown of the button configuration.  She picked up quickly, and they were off on their first race.

“Ok, I’ll make sure I go easy on ya.  I want you to have fun, after all.”

She shrugged.  “Your funeral.”

Damn!  Little trash talker!

Mike won the first race; mainly due to Melody being so entranced by the game’s graphics that she forgot it was actually a race.  The three walls she ran into didn’t help either.

“Crap… this is harder than it looks,” Melody sulked.

Mike laughed.  “Well it doesn’t help when you constantly say, ‘Ooh, what’s that?  Hey that’s pretty!  What’s over there?!’”

She stuck her her tongue out at him.  “One more go!  I got you this time!”

Mike chuckled.  “You got it.  Just no crying.”

Their second race was much more evenly matched.  Mike was still going very easy on her, but he noticed she was quickly getting very good.  Just as he thought he was going to win, she snuck up behind him with the dreaded Blue Shell weapon, beating him at the last second.

“YES!”  Melody squealed with excitement.

“Dammit!”  Mike couldn’t believe how fast she had caught on.  If she hadn’t just been born today, he’d have sworn she was hustling him.  “Ok, from here on, no more going easy on you!”

“Bring it,” she whispered seductively.

Mike eyed her warily.  “I don’t think I need to remind you of how unsportsmanlike it would be to use any kind of sex appeal to your advantage.”

“Fine…” she said rolling her eyes.

Starting up their third race, Melody got off to a quick start, but a couple of well thrown banana peels from Mike put him back in the lead by the start of the third lap.  Rounding the halfway point of the track, he got hit again with the Blue Shell, Melody zooming past him.  It took every ounce of skill he had, but he was finally able to trip her up rounding the final curve and pass her at the last second for the win.

Mike pumped his fist in victory.  “That’s what I’m talkin about!”

Melody flexed her sore fingers.  “Wow, you’re good when you go all out.”

“So are you,” Mike replied.  “How’d you get so good at that?”

“Not sure,” she said, shaking her head.  “After the first race, it just seemed to come so naturally to me.”

“Hmm…” Mike thought for a moment.  “I wonder if has anything to do with that ‘ideal woman’ thing you mentioned?  I’ve always been really impressed by, and attracted to, girls that aren’t afraid to hold their own in video games.”

“That could be it,” she mused.  “Let’s play another one!  What else ya got?”

Mike hesitated for a moment, before suggesting, “Well, Call of Duty is a lot of fun, and as fast as your reaction time was in Mario Kart, I think you’d do really well at it.  Only thing is, it’s a pretty violent, shoot-‘em-up game.  That ok with you?”

With zero hesitation, she replied, “As long as it’s all make believe, that’s totally cool with me.”

Well alrighty then, he thought to himself.  Mike switched over to his PS3 and grabbed a couple of controllers.  After firing up the game, he went over the controls before they played a practice round.  Mike hid his character somewhere on the map, and Melody had one minute to find and shoot him. 

Upon killing him for the first time, she jumped in shock, adrenaline pumping.  “Wow, this is intense!”

“Yep,” Mike agreed.  “The developers worked hard to try to make it as realistic as possible.  Ok, I’m hiding.  Let’s go again.”

She found him much faster this time around, quickly getting a feel for using the radar and how the maps were structured.  After two more rounds of hide and seek, he had Melody hole up in a central location to practice being attacked from various directions.  At first, he easily bested her each time, but she eventually got better at her aiming and reaction time.  By the end of the ten-minute round, Melody was surviving around two of every three encounters.  Seeing her rapid improvement, Mike felt she was ready for the next level.

“Well, this should be fun.  You ready to go online?”  Mike knew the online players would be in for a shock when they went up against her.

“Sure,” she said with a smile.  “You wanna use those?”  She pointed to his two gaming headsets charging in the TV stand.

Mike got a wicked smile on his face.  “Definitely, but lets keep the fact that you’re a girl a secret until we start thrashing these losers.”

He activated the Bluetooth connections on the headsets as they entered the pre-match lobby.  Muting his microphone momentarily, he turned to Melody.  “Just remember, some of these guys have a huge bias against girls who play video games, particularly if they’re better than the guys.  If they start acting like assholes, be strong, and don’t take any crap.  You have full permission to put them in their place.”

She smirked.  “Random dudes acting like jackasses who aren’t my master? So not a problem.”

Atta girl.

They spawned into their first match, taking place on a pretty large map.  “Ok, stay out of the open on this one, there’s lots of sniping spots,” Mike cautioned.

As the match progressed, Mike got taken out more than typical, but was always in good position to callout sniper locations to his teammates.  Melody, using a stealthy setup with a silenced weapon, was able to constantly sneak around the map, taking out said snipers from behind.  One particular player kept returning to the same sniping spot, allowing her to ambush him with little effort.

“SON OF A BITCH!!!”  He had now died five times in a row.  “Who’s the little pussy who keeps doin’ that?”  Hearing his complaining through the headset, it was all Mike could do not to laugh in his face.

Anticipating that he would change his tactics, Melody was ready, planting a land mine in the spot she had been hiding in.  Sure enough, he attempted charging the position, only to be blown to smithereens.  Melody couldn’t help but unleash her trademark laugh as he raged into the microphone, finally revealing that a girl was the one dominating the match.

“No fucking way,” he seethed.  “The hell is a fucking GIRL doing here?!”

Melody giggled.  “Last I checked, she’s kickin’ ass and takin’ names.”

“Shut up and suck my dick, bitch.  That’s where you belong.”

Mike had expected this kind of reaction, but that didn’t make him any less enraged at this idiot’s treatment.  Just as he was about to unleash on him, Mike felt Melody’s hand gently stroking his knee.

Melody calmly replied into the headset, “Unfortunately for you, the only blowjob you’ll be getting is the land mine you just stepped on.  Oh, and this frag.”  She tossed a grenade into his hiding spot, killing him once again.

“FUUUUUCK!!!”  As his rage grew, now even the other players were laughing at him.  As much as some guys had a stigma against girl gamers, this group was apparently able to recognize true skill when they saw it.

“Damn, girl,” one of the others chimed in.  “You good.  And you sound hot.  Looks like you in the ATL with me.  Wanna hook up?”

Mike rolled his eyes.  Like this douchebag has a shot with you, he thought to Melody.

He’s so cute.  He has no clue just how out of his league he is, she thought back.

As the match ended, she replied in a sultry voice, “Sorry boys, but I have eyes for only one smoldering stud of a man.  Say hi baby!”

“That would be me,” Mike said with a sense of pride.

“Well that’s enough fun for us today,” Melody continued.  “Now we’ve got some real work to do…” They signed off as catcalls and whistles echoed through their headsets.

“That was fun!”

“Sure was.  I still can’t believe that tear you went on,” Mike replied.  “You just annihilated them out there!”

As they basked in their post game glow, there was a knock at Mike’s door.  Walking over to check the peephole, Mike could see it was his upstairs neighbor, Sandra.

As he opened the door, Mike heard the now familiar greeting from bubbly single mom of two kids.  “Miiiiike!  How ya doin’ son?”  She immediately grabbed him in a hug before he could even think of protesting.

Sandra seemed in a particularly good mood today.  Dressed in a white tank top and loose sky blue workout shorts, she had her straight, black hair pulled back into a ponytail.  Mike had never been attracted to black women, merely out of personal preference, but he could definitely appreciate that she was quite a good-looking woman.  Slim and athletic, her light black skin and warm eyes easily helped her appear younger than the late thirties she actually was.

Mike gently hugged her back.  “I’m doin’ pretty good, Sandra.  What’s got you so excited today?”

“It’s Tyler’s birthday next Wednesday, so I’m throwing him a pool party today.”  Tyler was her twelve-year-old son, soon to be thirteen.  “My brother’s cooking burgers and dogs on the grill.  You’re welcome to stop by for some free food, Mr. Starving Musician,” she said with a wink.

“That sounds awesome, though I don’t have a birthday gift or anything…”

“Mike, hush,” she interrupted.  “After you’ve helped look out for him these last three years, helping with homework, being that positive male role model, just being there is gift enough.  That boy really looks up to you, ya know.”

Mike knew it was true.  Three years ago, he had given Tyler his first trumpet lessons.  Even though he only stuck with it for two years, the two had connected very well.  Mike had used those lessons to teach him not only about music, but important life lessons as well.  Staying on schedule, avoiding procrastination, refusing to settle for anything less than his best effort.  All of these things had helped keep the boy from straying away from a difficult path to follow.

Ultimately, Tyler’s greatest respect for Mike had come just over a year ago, during the winter storm of 2014.  With the entire city iced in and the interstates clogged with abandoned vehicles, Mike had been walking from his apartment to the Baptist church across the street, checking in to see if there was any assistance they required to help Atlanta’s stranded travelers.  As he made his way back, he had seen Tyler with a group of three of his friends from the public school he attended at the time.  Clearly a rough crowd, Mike overheard them talking about all of the cars stuck on the interstate as easy targets for “free samples,” as they called them.

As Mike approached the group, clearing his throat in the process, the group scattered, except for Tyler.  Staring silently at Mike, Tyler knew he was likely in big trouble.  Realizing that the kid was easily the youngest of the group, being subjected to peer pressure was a constant threat.  Mike called Sandra, letting her know that he had met up with Tyler while out walking, and that Mike would make sure he got home safely before dark.

Mike explained to Tyler that there were some things he needed to see.  While talking with his friends, Tyler didn’t have any reason not to go along with them.  Mike planned to give him just that.  As they walked along the main road leading to the interstate, Mike stopped at one car with a middle-aged man leaning against it.  The man introduced himself as Carl.  He worked construction around the city as an independent contractor, and explained he got paid in cash every Friday, with no option for direct deposit.  It being Saturday, Mike could safely assume that he had his pay from yesterday in the car with him.  Mike asked him what would happen if someone were to come along and steal that money from his car.  As Carl eyed Tyler, he could tell what Mike was getting at, and confirmed that losing that money would result in him falling behind on his rent and having to make some tough choices between paying his heating bill or being guaranteed to be able to buy enough food for his family of six for the week.  Mike thanked Carl for his time and insight, shaking his hand as they parted.

As the pair walked back towards the apartment complex, they stopped by the convenience store in the Shell station nearby.  Approaching the counter, Mike could see that Syed was working that day, a man he had met and conversed with on several previous occasions.  Mike noticed that his shelves and fridges were surprisingly well stocked as compared to the other gas stations in the area, which were well picked over.  Asking Syed how it has been for him since the weather arrived, the immigrant from Pakistan described the great lengths he had gone to over the last day and half to prevent looting and shoplifting.  He had been acting almost in a dual role, both as bouncer and cashier, to ensure his livelihood was not taken from him due to the extreme circumstances.  Only one attempted shoplifter had been successful, with Syed showing the bruise on his shoulder from the scuffle that ensued as the thief barreled past him during his escape.

Thanking Syed, Mike could tell that Tyler was processing all of this information.  As they approached their apartment complex, Mike asked Tyler what he had learned in the last hour.  Tyler now realized that, in stealing what wasn’t his, he would also be taking money, food, and ability to live away from another person; a person who worked hard for what they had.  Still, Tyler knew that saying that to his friends was likely to result in them turning against him, with Mike confirming he was probably right, and that it sounded like he needed new friends.

Mike decided to leave the decision of whether or not to tell his mom up to Tyler.  Thinking about it the entire walk through the apartment complex, the boy decided to tell his mom the truth.  While Sandra was disturbed at the behavior his friends were encouraging, she was eternally grateful to Mike for providing the positive influence her son desperately needed.  Thankfully, she was able to get her kids into a successful charter school the next fall, resulting in a much more positive social environment for both of them.

Snapping back to reality, Mike finally acquiesced.  “All right, I’ll make an appearance.  And, is it ok if I bring a plus one?”

Sandra cocked her eyebrow.  “Plus one?  There a girl in your life I ain’t found out about… yet?”  She peered around Mike to catch a glimpse of Melody, who smiled and waved at her.

Mike laughed and rolled his eyes.  “You’ll meet her at the pool.  We’ll probably be there in about an hour or so,” Mike said glancing at the clock.  That would put them there around 5:30.

She shrugged, responding in her distinctive southern drawl, “Alright, alright, we’ll see y’all later!”

“Bye, Sandra.”  Mike locked the door behind him.  He turned to find Melody waiting in expectation.  “So yeah,” Mike finally said, “That’s Sandra, my neighbor.  Sweet lady.”

Melody nodded.  “I can tell.  So, what oh what can we do for a whole hour?”  The look on her face got more seductive by the second.

Shaking his finger at her, Mike replied, “Well personally, I haven’t had a shower and a shave yet today, so I think I’ll do that real quick.  Gotta look presentable and all, right?”

Putting on her best pouty face, she whimpered, “Why do you keep resisting my advances?  That’s just so hurtful and mean and-”

Before she could finish, Mike grabbed her tight, planting a heavy kiss on her lips.  As they parted he eyed her smugly and said, “First thing you gotta know about me: that pouty face has no effect.”

She rolled her eyes in response.  “And the second?”

“If we start something like that now, I’m pretty sure we’d never stop,” Mike said with a wink.

Melody giggled.  “That’s probably true.  Anything I should do while you shower?  Want me to clean up around the house or anything?”

Mike shook his head.  “No way, you’re not my housekeeper.  Why don’t you browse through my video game collection, or maybe check out what’s on TV?  Develop those interests and whatnot, ya know?”

“Sounds great,” she said, kissing him on the cheek before sending him off to take his shower.

Mike stripped down in his room, then made his way to the shower and turned the water on; stepping inside once it had warmed up.  As he relaxed under the flow of warm water, he suddenly had an important thought.  Sandra will want to know about Melody!  Where she’s from, how we met…

At first, he thought of immediately starting the conversation with Melody, but decided against it.  Hey, Melody?

What’s up?  Enjoying your shower?

Yep.  Real quick, help me remember to ask you something when I get out, ok?

You got it.

Mike finished up washing his hair and shaving, shutting off the water flow once he was done.  He toweled off and combed his hair, then slipped on a red polo shirt and khaki shorts.  Putting his glasses back on, he rejoined Melody in the living room.  She had found his Nintendo 3DS.

“Playing Pokémon eh?”

“Yep,” she said, smiling.  “I can see why you like this game.  It’s got lots of strategy to it.  Like a giant game of chess.”

Mike nodded.  “That’s one of the reasons I’m so good at it.  I can out strategize almost any human opponent.”

She giggled.  “Nice.  So what did you want to talk about?”

“Yeah, I had the thought in the shower that Sandra is going to want to know about you.  How we met, where you’re from, that sort of thing.  What do you think we should tell her?”

“Anything you want.  We can always formulate a perfectly crafted backstory for me.  That sort of thing is covered under my powers of anonymity and privacy.  How do you think we would have met under normal circumstances?”

Mike thought for a moment.  “Honestly, probably with online dating sites.  It’s a pretty mainstream way of meeting people nowadays.”

Melody flashed that perfect smile.  “Sounds great.  To ensure that our story can be corroborated, I can use my powers to create online dating profiles on a website where we would have met.  Sound good so far?”

He nodded.  “Yep.  Probably should make it one of the free ones though.  Anyone who knows me knows I would never sign up for a paid dating website, since I’m pretty sure they’re just a bunch of rip-offs.  Let’s do it.”

Tingle.  Flash.  “Done.  We now both have online dating profiles, set up to show an appropriate amount of correspondence before meeting.”

“Ok, cool,” he said.  “Now, what about where you’re from?”

“Sure, I can create the specifics of my background.  That would allow me to blend in appropriately with modern society, ensuring our anonymity.  My origin would obviously need to reflect my lack of family, since I can’t just create people out of thin air.  The easiest answer to that will be to make me an orphan.  You’ll need to decide where I am originally from, as well as a last name.  Once those are settled, I can fill in the rest of the blanks myself.”

“Alright, let me think… let’s make your last name Roberts, and you originally come from Houston, Texas.  If you can, see if you can develop a sweet little southern drawl; ever so slight, nothing extravagant.  Let’s say you’re twenty-five.  At that age, you’ll likely need some form of degree or training for whatever we say you do for a living.  Is that enough to get you started?”

Melody closed her eyes for a few moments.  “That should work perfectly.  Leave the rest to me.  Is that an official wish?”

Doing his best impression of Patrick Stewart, Mike replied, “Make it so.”

Tingle.  Flash.  “All set hun,” she said with a wink.

Her new accent sent chills up his spine.  “Ooh, that’s sexy…”

By this time, it was nearing 5:20, so the pair decided to start walking towards the pool at the front of the apartment complex.  Stepping outside, Melody’s face became a symphony of childlike wonder.  “Wow… this is incredible!  I can feel the breeze, the warmth of the sun… it’s better than I ever imagined it would be.”

After finishing her unintended reenactment of the opening scene from The Sound of Music, Melody squeezed Mike in a tight embrace.  “Thank you… I really am a lucky, lucky genie.”

“Remember, all life has to offer you.  Not because I allow it, but because you deserve it.  Period.”  A couple of tender kisses later, they were headed off towards the pool.

As they leisurely walked through the complex, Mike asked, “So, Melody Roberts, tell me all about yourself.”

She giggled, responding, “Well, I grew up in Houston, mostly in orphanages.  My birth parents abandoned me at the door of a fire station when I was just a baby.  I tried to get adopted several times, but the system is really messed up.  I also tried to stay away from foster homes, having heard way too many horror stories about them.  Thankfully, I developed an artistic streak in middle school and high school, and was able to combine that with a great essay about my childhood to attend the University of Houston on scholarship.  I have a bachelor degree in photography, and just moved here at the start of the year to try to start a new life from scratch.”

“Photography? Nice,” Mike nodded approvingly.  “Have you done many jobs?”

“Just a few odd jobs here and there, haven’t really hit my stride yet.  I did create some web space to house a portfolio with samples of my work.  Plenty to convince anyone that my background is legitimate.”

“Cool.  So, I guess we were attracted to each other online based on our mutual artistic interests?”

“Definitely,” Melody responded.  “I also really liked the fact that you had such a strong faith in God.  Having the upbringing that I did, faith was in seriously short supply, but talking with you about the great things it had brought you in your life convinced me that I ought to check it out.” 

Her face slowly turned rather serious.  “That, by the way, is completely true.  It’s clear to me how important your faith is in your life.  Seeing the incredible person it’s made you into, I want to be a part of that too.”

Mike was floored.  He had no clue where magical beings such as Genies stood on religious matters, but he had learned long ago that, if anyone or anything expresses any interest in religion or God whatsoever, you find a way to nurture and encourage that feeling.  Otherwise, you run the risk of pushing them completely away from the idea altogether.

He smiled.  “Well you’re in luck.  Tomorrow, we’ll go to my church.  Oh, and one of my childhood friends is giving the sermon tomorrow, so I think you’ll enjoy that quite a bit.”

She beamed, wrapping her arm in his excitedly.  “Sound’s wonderful.”

As they approached the pool area, the pair could tell that the sound system had been hooked up.  Melody’s eyes widened, and a huge smile slowly appeared on her face.  “What is that?”

“That, my dear girl, is country music.”

She paused momentarily, taking it all in.  “I love it!”

As they entered the pool area, the party was in full swing, with both the kids and adults enjoying the sounds of Chris Janson’s Buy Me a Boat.  Tyler and his friends were in the pool, fully engrossed in a game of chicken.  As Mike was about to go over and say hi, a squeal came from the area by the grill.

“MR. MIKE!!!”

Sandra’s seven-year-old daughter, Sasha, ran up and tackled Mike full force before he even knew what was going on.

“Geez, Sasha!  You’re gonna turn into some kinda linebacker one day!”  It was all Mike could do to keep from falling completely on his back.  “How you doin’, cutie?  Working hard in school?”

Sasha nodded.  “Yep!  I got a check plus in reading this week.  Oh!  And we just had our big tap dancing recital yesterday!”

“That’s right, you mother told me that was coming up.  I’m really sorry I couldn’t make it.  I had a big performance of my own yesterday.”

“That’s ok, I bet we both did great!”  As she smiled, it was clear Sasha was missing a few of her teeth.

“Mike! ‘Bout time you showed up!”  Sandra walked over from the grill area.

“Hi Sandra, great party you got going here.”

“Thank you, dear.  Now, forgive my being nosey, but I need to meet this pretty thing I caught a glimpse of in your apartment,” she said in a motherly tone.

Laughing, Mike made the introductions.  “Melody, this is my neighbor, Sandra Johnson.  Sandra, this is Melody Roberts, my… girlfriend.”  Mike hesitated momentarily.  Even with their bond, the two of them hadn’t formally decided on any titles for their relationship yet.  However, his concerns were quickly alleviated.

Girlfriend.  I love the sound of that, Melody thought in his head.

Sandra extended her hand.  “Melody, a pleasure to meet you my dear.”

Shaking her hand, Melody replied, “Likewise, Mrs. Johnson.”

“Oh, honey please!  It’s Sandra.  Mrs. Johnson just makes me feel old.”

Melody giggled.  “It shouldn’t.  How old are you?  Thirty-two?  Thirty-three?”

Stunned in flattery, she stammered, “Oh, no… thirty-eight actually.”

“What?!  No way!  You’ve gotta be using some miracle product.  What’s your secret?  Come on, what?”  Melody may have laid it on a little thick, but Sandra was responding very positively as they chatted.

After a few minutes, Sandra turned to Mike.  “We’re actually just about to start the karaoke contest.  Now, I happen to know for a fact that you know every last word of The Devil Went Down to Georgia.  So I guess the only question is, how much blackmail is it gonna take to get you up to that microphone?”

Melody gasped in excitement.  “Mike, you’ve got to do it!”

He tried his best to back out of it.  Mike was never one for public shaming, which is what this would be considering his singing abilities.  That was, after all, the reason he got into trumpet playing.  Unfortunately, Sandra had a trump card he couldn’t beat.

“Besides, Sasha wants to show you her dance moves from yesterday’s recital.  I bet the two of you would kill it up there.”

Damn, this woman doesn’t play fair!

Seeing the child’s face light up in anticipation, Mike knew he couldn’t say no.  “Fine, fine, let’s do it kid!”

They made their way up to the microphone hooked into the PA system, waiting for the intro to start.  As the Charlie Daniels Band cranked through the loudspeakers, Sasha’s feet turned into a blur.  Sure enough, Mike hit every last one of the tongue twisting lyrics of the song, bringing cheers from the partiers as he finished the final chorus.

Once the song ended, Sasha ran excitedly back to her mother, while Melody went to grab Mike and her a couple of burgers.  Cheese and ketchup on mine please, Mike thought to her.

Sure thing.  I’m getting everything on mine, since it’s my first burger and all.

Tyler was now out of the pool and made his way over to Mike, greeting him with his traditional fist bump.  “What’s up, Tyler?  Happy birthday man!”

“What’s wrong with you?  No present?  Man, that’s just rude…” Tyler said sarcastically.  “Well, I guess watching you make a damn fool of yourself up there was a pretty good gift.”

Laughing, Mike shot back, “Watch your mouth, man.  You know your mama would slap you silly if she caught you talkin’ like that.”

“True dat.  She’s scary.”  He nodded his head towards Melody.  “That you’re new girlfriend?”

“Yep, that’s her,” Mike replied.

He chuckled.  “Mom said she saw a girl when she stopped by your place earlier.  If you ask me, this one’s a BIG improvement over the last one.  I mean-”

Mike cut him off quickly.  “Alright, alright, first of all, you are way to young to be talkin’ like that.  Secondly, you go around comparing women to each other, none of ‘em will ever wanna go out with you.  Get my drift?”

“Yeah, guess that’s true.  Girls, man.  They got way too many rules.”

Mike chuckled.  “Some things never change.”

“Anyhow, I’m off.  We’re about to start a game of Marco Polo.”

“Take it easy Tyler.  Stay out of trouble!”

As he ran off, Melody came over with their food.  “Having fun?”

“You know it,” Mike replied.  “I’m glad Tyler and Sasha got into their charter school last year.  They’re both great kids, and now they can actually show it.”

“Well Sandra’s right, they both adore you.  Not hard to see why,” she said with a wink.

“So, what’d you and Sandra talk about?”

“Well, I told her how we met, where I moved from, all that stuff,” Melody said.  “She loved that I have an interest in photography; said there’re tons of opportunities for good work around Atlanta.”  Melody’s face turned more serious for a moment.  “She really cares for you, you know.”

Mike stopped chewing for a moment.  “Why do you say that?”

Melody shrugged.  “She made a point of asking me what my intentions are with you.  She said you’ve been hurt in the past, mainly due to the fact that, when you decide to love, you love completely.  She said you deserve something real, and that I needed to be on board with that.”

Mike was dumbfounded.  “She said all that?  How… how did you respond?”

She smiled sweetly.  “I told the truth.  I told her that you’re the most incredible man I’ve ever met in my life; that in the short time I’ve known you, you’ve brought more joy and fulfillment to my life than I had ever thought possible.  I promised her that I would never hurt you, and that anyone who would is either brain-dead or heartless.”

Mike didn’t know what was more touching, Sandra’s dedication to looking out for his best interests, or Melody’s harsh rebuke of anyone who would ever hurt him.

Just as he was afraid he might get emotionally overwhelmed, Sasha ran over to tackle him one last time.  “Mr. Mike!  I have to go to bed soon, so I wanted to come say goodnight!”

“Well goodnight then, cutie!  You danced really well today.”

“Thanks,” she said with an adorable little girl giggle.  “I forgot to ask earlier, who’s your new friend?”  She looked shyly at Melody.

Mike got down on his knees to Sasha’s level, motioning for Melody to do the same.  “Sasha, this is Melody.  She’s my girlfriend.  Say hi.”

“Hi,” she said timidly.  Turning back to Mike, she whispered, “She’s really pretty, isn’t she?”

Mike couldn’t help but beam.  “I think you’re right about that.”

“So Sasha,” Melody said, “I saw you and your mom playing a hand clap game earlier.  Do you think you could teach me how to play?”

The little girl’s face lit up.  “Sure!”

Over the next five minutes, Sasha taught Melody all the finer points of “Miss Mary Mack.”  All too soon, Melody was handling it like a pro.  As he watched them playing, Mike could tell what was happening.  He had never expected it to happen this quickly, but he couldn’t ignore the facts.

I’m in love with this girl.  No holds barred, head over heels, in love.

Only the sound of Sandra calling her daughter for bedtime snapped him back to reality.

“I had so much fun with you today,” Melody said.  “Let’s do it again soon, ok?”

“Ok.  Goodnight!”  Sasha ran off to her mother.

Discarding their paper plates and cups, Mike asked, “You ready to head back?”

“Sure am,” Melody replied.

As they strolled back in the twilight of the early evening, Melody spoke rather hesitantly.  “Mike, I have a question.”

“Of course.  What’s up?”

“Well… it’s just that, oh god, how do I put this?”

Mike put his arm around her shoulders.  “It’s ok.  I just want to know what’s on your mind.  Nothing more.”

She took a deep breath.  “Ok.  We both know about my innate nature of being a sexual genie servant.  We both also know that, even if I weren’t bound to you, I’d willingly choose to be with you in a heartbeat.  With all of this, plus our obvious attraction to each other, I guess my question is, why haven’t you made any moves to… take things farther with me?  Please know that I’m not insulted, or worried.  Just curious.”

Looking directly into her eyes, he took her hands in his and began to explain.

“Melody, in today’s modern world, I believe one of the biggest mistakes people make is to have the belief that ‘sex creates intimacy.’  I believe that giving yourself completely to someone else magnifies what’s already there.  If the relationship has trust, communication, and genuine love built on commitment, rather than desire, sex can only enhance that bond.  However, if the relationship is built on superficial wants and desires, sex will, at best, bring nothing to the table or, at worst, cause the entire relationship to crumble.

“I’m going to be honest with you Melody.  While I’m no virgin, I’ve never slept with any girl that I didn’t truly love.  If I couldn’t envision myself spending the rest of my life with her, even through the worst scenarios imaginable, then I knew it wouldn’t be worth it in the end.  This whole day has been one big whirlwind, and I’ve just been trying to keep up.  The truth is I didn’t know how I felt… that is, until I saw you and Sasha together a few minutes ago.

“My last girlfriend was one of the sweetest people you could meet, but in hindsight, she had one flaw that I completely missed: she was never great with kids.  They always made her uncomfortable, no matter the setting.  But you, after seeing you and Sasha playing, seeing you connect with her in a really special way, I can’t ignore what’s staring right at me.”

Gently cupping her face in his hands, he drew her close, and whispered the words that he had been hoping he’d be able to say, and mean.

“I love you, Melody.”

As tears of joy streamed down her face, he kissed her lips softly, caressing her cheeks and wiping away her tears as he did so.  Breathless, it took every ounce of effort Melody had to be able to respond.

“I… I love you too.”

Their eyes locked, their breathing synchronized, the pair could feel the electricity around them.  Taking her hand, Mike led Melody quickly back to his apartment.  As soon as Mike secured the dead bolt, Melody attacked him in a passionate embrace.  As she pressed her lips to his, their tongues wrestling with increasing intensity, Mike thought to himself, no way is she taking the lead this time.

He deftly maneuvered her around, pinning her against the door, never once breaking their kiss.  She moaned in delight, loving the feeling of her master… no, her lover, and the most incredible man in the universe, telling her in every way possible that she was the most important thing in the world to him.  As she began to run her fingers through his short, fine hair, she felt his hands begin to travel southward, his nimble fingers undoing the button of her jean shorts before lowering the zipper.  She chuckled seductively and turned to face the door with her back to him, and shook her glorious ass in his face, beckoning him to remove her shorts.  Obliging, he slowly slid them down her thighs, revealing a black pair of lacy boy short panties.  He could tell that they were perfectly tight, riding up just the right amount into her crack, and accentuating her slightly exposed cheeks beautifully.  Caressing them with his hands, he gave a little squeeze before spinning her back around.

She giggled in pleasure, her smile a mile wide.  They resumed their heavy make out session as Mike’s hands continued their exploration.  Slipping them under her black V-neck shirt, he ran his fingers over her flat tummy before his right hand moved to gently cup her left breast.  As he gently squeezed it, he moved his left hand around to the small of her back, steadying her against his body as he began to kiss her exposed neck.  As she wrapped her left leg around his right, it was all Melody could do to just hang on to his neck as he continued finding all of her favorite pleasure spots.  Suddenly getting a few excellent ideas, Mike, without halting his caressing, wished to Melody telepathically.

I wish to be strong enough to carry you.

Tingle.  Flash.  Done.

He instantly felt a sensation in his arms and chest, similar to the tingling he felt in his head when he made a wish.  Though his arms weren’t noticeably bigger, Mike could tell that he would now have no trouble lifting a person up in his arms.  In one swift movement, he swept her up, his arms under her knees and back, as Melody laughed gleefully.

Without a single spoken word between them, but their eyes never leaving each other’s gaze, Mike maneuvered them down the short hallway and into his bedroom.  As they passed the light switch, Melody kicked it to the on position with her foot.  They shared another passionate kiss before Mike laid her down on his bed, teasing her by running his fingers up her thigh before withdrawing.

As Melody whimpered in reply, Mike strolled around to the other side of the bed with a sly grin on his face.  He plugged his iPhone into the alarm clock by his bed, which doubled as a speaker, tapped a couple of buttons, and started up his favorite Chris Botti playlist.  As the sounds of When I Fall in Love echoed through the room, Melody’s whimpering face was soon replaced with one of excitement and anticipation.

As she crawled over to the side of the bed Mike stood on, Melody rose up on her knees to embrace him.  This put her about an inch or two taller than him, which was a strange, but fun, sensation, with her usually being an inch shorter.  She kissed his cheek lightly before whispering in his ear, “We’re not very even, now are we?”

Mike smiled, as he had been so obsessed with exploring her that he had totally forgotten that his shorts and polo were still on.  “Whatcha wanna do about it?”

She smiled mischievously and began unbuttoning his polo, sweetly kissing the newly exposed skin, before pulling it out of his shorts and slipping it over his head in one swift motion.  She now began to kiss his neck as he had done to her previously, quickly discovering that this was one of his best erogenous zones.  As Mike moaned, she expertly brought her hands lower to undo his belt.  Her lips soon joined her hands, kissing their way down his bare chest as she propped herself up on her elbows in front of his fly.  Gently undoing the button and opening the zipper, she slid his shorts down to the floor.

Now nude, save for his boxer briefs, it was blatantly obvious how aroused Mike had become.  Drops of precum stained his underwear, which was tented from the rock hard cock straining to get free of them.  Melody ran her finger up and down the bulge a couple of times before gently sliding the boxer briefs down to Mike’s ankles.  She stroked his member gently, getting ready to suck him off, but Mike, having other plans, lifted her chin up with his fingers and brought her back up to her knees.

“Look who’s uneven now,” he whispered sarcastically.

Melody giggled.  “What?  Want me to take my shirt off or something?”

Mike cocked his eyebrows.  “Maybe.”

“Thought you’d never ask.”  Melody crossed her arms in front of her, slowly and seductively peeling the black fabric off, exposing her flat belly and gorgeous milky-white skin.  Her lacy black bra matched her boy short panties, barely containing her ample D-cup breasts.  “That’s all I’m giving ya,” she said with a wink.  “You gotta come get the rest yourself.”

Climbing up to his knees on the bed with her, Mike pulled Melody close, resuming his earlier kissing of her neck.  Now slowly making his way to the valley in her cleavage, he reached to her back with his right hand to her bra clasp.  She gasped in surprise at his skill, as he swiftly unhooked her bra with one hand, all while burying his face in her chest.  Repeating his move from earlier, she placed her finger on his chin, bringing him up to her face for a quick kiss.  She held her bra in place with her left arm momentarily before slowly slipping it off, revealing her milky white breasts to him at last.

Mike was completely speechless, and sat back on the bed for at least three full minutes, doing nothing but admiring this vision sharing his bed with him.  He could tell that Melody was enjoying the hell out of his inspection of her, as she occasionally caressed her breasts slightly.  After a few minutes, she was clearly ready for this to be more than a spectator sport, crawling towards him with her forearms squeezing her cleavage together as she approached him.  He met her with a passionate kiss, moving his hands to fondle her bare tits for the first time.

They were glorious, being soft and naturally big, but wonderfully perky with no sagging or drooping.  Mike had always been a tit man, and this was certainly the most perfect pair he could have ever imagined.  Once again kissing his way down her chest, he began to inspect her quarter-sized areolas, stimulating her small puffy nipples gently with his thumbs.  As they became hard and erect, he took her left side in his mouth, swirling and flicking his tongue over the nub, eliciting an excited purr from Melody.  Repeating the process twice on each side, he successfully had her convulsing and writhing before any penetration had even come close to occurring.

Melody rolled over onto her back, slipping off her panties as she did so, beckoning Mike to follow her.  Her smoldering “come hither” look was enough to bring any man to his knees.  As Mike arrived between her legs, he began to lightly run his finger around her moist pussy lips, completely shaven and clean.  She smells divine, and probably tastes even better, he thought to himself.  However, before he could dive in, Melody began to beg him.  “Please, don’t tease me any more.  I want all of you, I need all of you…”

Unable to deny her that request, Mike positioned his cock at her slick entrance.  Before pushing in, he hesitated a moment and looked Melody in the eyes.  “I think I know the answer to this, but I have to ask anyway.  Melody, are you a virgin?”

Biting her lip with lust and anticipation, she nodded affirmative.

Stroking her cheek lightly, Mike wasn’t sure if he should proceed.  “I don’t want to hurt you.  You’re the greatest thing ever to happen to me.  I’m not saying I don’t want to… you know.  I just want you to be sure.”

She smiled her megawatt smile.  “You really are the sweetest.  But please, don’t worry.  I want this.  My virginity is yours.  Once you take me, our bond will be complete.  Once you take me, nothing in the entire universe will ever be able to separate us.  I promise.”

Mike nodded in understanding.  “I’ll be as gentile as I can.”

He slowly pushed his aching rod against her moist pussy.  The feeling was heavenly.  Good lord, I’ve never imagined a pussy this tight before!  As he felt the resistance of her hymen, he kissed her lips softly, gazed into her emerald eyes, and pushed himself into her.

“Ahhhh!”  Melody gasped in shock from the new sensation.

“Are you ok?!”  Mike didn’t dare move until she told him to.

She nodded, the look of pain on her face slowly disappearing.  “Yes.  It hurt, but it’s quickly disappearing.  This feels so right.  This is where you belong…” Her face had now returned to a look of lust and desire, telling Mike everything he needed to know.

Slowly and gently, he began thrusting in and out of her tunnel, taking at least five seconds to complete each circuit at the start.  As tight as she was, he knew he could cum almost any time he pleased.  But this night was about both of them, and he wanted her to realize that.  As he gradually quickened his pace, he leaned over to Melody and whispered into her ear.

“I wish for you to cum when I cum.  I wish for you to feel everything I feel.”

Tingle.  Flash.

“It’s… oh!  Oh… my… GOD!  HOLY SHIT!!!”  Melody was suddenly in such ecstasy that she could barely keep her body from flailing around.

Mike was very pleased with himself.  He genuinely wanted her to orgasm from her first time. This would create a vicious, yet wonderful cycle, as there were few things hotter to him that watching a girl lose complete control during a truly passionate lovemaking encounter.

Now having an immense amount of fun, Mike began to vary his strokes, using five quick pumps, followed by three slow and deliberate strokes.  It became a game to see how much he could build up their mutual orgasm before cumming, as well as hearing the incoherent babbling from Melody as her explosion ticked closer and closer.  After three of four repetitions of this pattern, she could stand no more.

“I… I can’t hold out any more Mike!  Please, make me cum!  I’m going insane!  I need to… I have to cum on your cock!  I have to have you explode inside me!”

He grabbed hold of the pillow she rested her head on and began pounding her full force, momentarily fearful he might actually jackhammer her into oblivion.

Melody moaned and panted in pleasure.  “Yes… yes… cum for me.  Cum for us.  Make me yours… make me… yours… for… EEEEEEEVERRRR!!!”

Just as he had wished, they climaxed at the same time, his throbbing cock intensifying her orgasm, her screaming and clenched pussy prolonging his.  After what seemed like eons, they finally collapsed.  Mike rested on her chest, partially propped up on his right elbow so as not to crush her.  She lightly brushed her hand against his arm, sighing contentedly every few seconds.  “You should be very proud of me.”

He laughed.  “And why is that?”

Melody giggled.  “I managed to suppress my instinct to insist that you not worry about my orgasm.  Make no mistake, your pleasure and happiness are my greatest desires, but I think I understand now that my pleasure and happiness are your greatest desires as well.”

Mike shook his head in amazement.  “You’ve come a long way in twelve hours.  From being fearful of speaking out of turn to begging me to make you cum.”  He leaned close.  “Not that I’m complaining,” he whispered, blowing a stream of air into her ear as he retreated.

She squealed in delight, pushing him onto his back to kiss him passionately.  “Neither am I,” Melody whispered as their lips parted.  Resting on his chest, she gave him an amazing view of her gorgeous boobs squished against him.  “So,” she said with her typical mischievous look, “wanna go again?”

Mike chuckled.  “As much fun as that would be, I think we should both sleep.  Been a hell of an eventful day, after all.”

She sighed.  “Yeah, you’re probably right.  What time do we need to be up in the morning?”

“Well, the service starts at 9:00, so I figure we should be up by 7:30.  I’ll set an alarm… unless you’ve got something else in mind.”

She nodded lustfully.  “Absolutely.  Wanna know what I’m thinking, or you want it to be a surprise?”

Flashing his grin, Mike replied, “Definitely a surprise.  Just make sure we have… plenty of time.”

“No problem at all.  And don’t worry about me oversleeping.  I’m way more reliable than some shitty alarm clock.”

Mike reached over to his nightstand and switched off both the light and the music playing from his phone.  As he rolled onto his back to sleep, Melody curled up under his arm, resting her head on his shoulder.  She asked, “You ok if I sleep like this?”

“Definitely, I just… hmm… I wish my shoulder wouldn’t give out.”

Tingle.  Flash.

“It’s done.”

Cradling her cheek in his hand, he drew her close one last time, kissing her lips tenderly.

“I love you, Melody.”

“I love you too.”

Listening contentedly to the sounds of their own breathing, the pair drifted off to sleep.

[auguy86]

Ch. 03 song titles

Air on the G string (Bach)

The Little Fugue in G minor (Bach)

An Unforgettable Melody: Ch. 03

“You’ve always been a smart one.  You give yourself too little credit, boy,” he said with his thick Texan drawl.

Mike chuckled.  “I know, Granddaddy.”

Harry Weston adjusted his thick glasses.  “After all, what have I always said about power?  Men who seek power actively are destined to abuse it…”

“…But men with power thrust on them unwittingly can be trusted to guard it.”  Mike laughed.  “Sometimes you’re a regular Uncle Ben Parker, you know that?”

He glanced at his gold wristwatch.  “Well, ‘bout that time.  I’d best be going now.  Just remember son, you be sweeeeeet…” he said, bleating like a sheep on the last word.  Ever since he was a little kid, Mike couldn’t help but crack up laughing at his catchphrase…

As Mike slowly awoke, he became aware of a warm, sticky sensation occurring between his legs.  His eyes fluttered open, treated to the sight of a gorgeous redhead sucking his cock gently.

“Good morning,” Melody said with a smile.

“It certainly is…”

She giggled, continuing to lick his rigid cock as if it were a piece of candy.  Slowly, his senses began to fully awaken, causing the sensations to increase and his member to grow even harder.  Mike glanced at his alarm clock.  7:10… plenty of time… he thought mischievously.

He sat up straight in his bed, causing Melody to pause.  “You no like?”  She had her pouty face on again.

Mike chuckled.  “Oh, I love… but I want more,” he said with a wink.

Smiling a mile wide, Melody moved to kiss him, but they both were hit full force with the other’s morning breath.

“Oh, wow that’s awful!”

“Sure is.  Umm, let me think… I wish for both of our mouths to always be completely clean and have fresh breath, even after oral sex, so that we will always be able to enjoy kissing each other,” Mike stated.

Tingle.  Flash.

Without a word, Melody immediately stuck her tongue down Mike’s throat, moaning in pleasure.  “Much better,” she said with a wicked grin.

“Agreed.”

Pushing him back on to his back, she playfully pinned him between her legs.  “I believe someone said they wanted more.”

He nodded.  “I seem to recall that.”

“Well, that works out perfectly.”  She leaned close to his ear, whispering, “Because I wanna ride your brains out.”

Mike’s cock twitched in anticipation.  As she aligned her moist, shaven pussy with his rod, Melody began grinding her hips on the tip, causing her sweet juices to dribble down the length of his shaft.

“You were so gentle last night, I couldn’t have ever dreamed of a better way to lose my virginity,” she said, still torturing the tip of his cock.  “But now…” finally lowering herself onto him, “It’s my turn to show you what I can do.”

Placing her hands on his chest, she began to work him slowly and deliberately, squeezing her forearms together to give her incredible tits the perfect amount of lift.  As she sped her movements up, this created a stunning visual as they bounced from her increasingly rapid humping.  Unable to resist, Mike reached out to begin working her nipples with his thumbs and index fingers.  As her eyes widened in pleasure, Melody threw her head back, her face a vision of lust and desire.

Breathlessly, she managed to ask, “Is that wish from last night still in effect?  That I cum when you cum?”

Not slowing his breast play for even a moment, he replied, “You bet your ass.”

Opening her eyes slowly to gaze at him, she asked, “Does that mean that I can only cum when you cum?”  As Mike appeared confused, she continued in a sultry voice, “I’m multi-orgasmic.  I could cum three or four times in a row.”

His eyes widened at the revelation.  “Then do it.  I want you to cum as many times as you’re able to.”

Smiling wickedly, Melody shifted to a grinding motion, biting her lip as she did so.  Mike could tell she was working her clit directly on him, and was only more aroused by the fact that she was literally using his cock to jack herself off.  Worried that this might cause him to blow his load too soon, he managed to eek out a wish.

“I wish that I won’t cum until after you do.  I want you to cum all over my cock, then cum from me exploding into you.”

Tingle.  Flash.  “Done… oh God!”

Mike instantly felt his stamina return, allowing her to increase her tempo as her climax approached.  He couldn’t help but marvel at Melody’s technique; despite her speed, she was still managing to ride his cock perfectly to where he was never in danger of slipping out.  Her breathing intensified, her eyes rolled back into her head, until the wave of her orgasm finally broke.

“Yeeeeessssss….” She moaned as rode out the aftershocks.  Mike loved the feeling of her tight pussy contracting around him, attempting to milk him for all he was worth.  If it hadn’t been for his wish, he’d have been done right then and there.  As her speed gradually decreased, indicating her fatigue, Mike wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down to lie on his chest.

As Melody’s breasts dangled in his face, he simultaneously began to pound her pussy full force while sucking and licking her right nipple.  She loved every second of it, running her hands through his hair just to try and steady herself as her second climax began to approach.  “I don’t want to rush you, but it’s almost 7:30,” she whispered breathlessly.  “Do you… want… to cum… now?”

He released her breast from his mouth to speak.  “Only if… you… cum… too.”

Melody nodded forcefully.  “Do it.  Fill me up.  I need it.”

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, Mike thrust his final five strokes into her before their dual orgasms erupted within them.

“Oh… SHIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!”  They exclaimed simultaneously.

Melody collapsed onto him, lightly kissing his chest and grinning contentedly.  As she propped her chin up on her folded hands, she gazed at Mike lovingly.

“You were smiling, you know.”

Mike was confused.  “You mean just now?”

She giggled.  “No, silly.  While you were asleep.”

He shrugged, replying, “Well how could I not?  I got woken up in the greatest method imaginable.”

She shook her head.  “Nope.  You were smiling way before that, from the moment I woke up.  Were you dreaming?”

As it slowly came back to him, he nodded.

She smirked.  “Here’s hoping I can keep up with your subconscious.”

Mike laughed, responding, “No, no, nothing like that.  I was… I was just talking to my Granddaddy.  The one I mentioned to you that was a Southern Baptist preacher, remember?  He was always the perfect combination of cut-up and wizened sage.”

Kissing him lightly on the cheek, she said, “He sounds fantastic.  Is he still…?”

Mike shook his head no.  “He died when I was about nine years old.”

Melody put her hand over her mouth apologetically.  “I’m so sorry, I probably shouldn’t have brought it-”

Silencing her with a tender kiss, he smiled.  “It’s totally fine.  I miss him, but thinking about him doesn’t make me sad.  Hell, right now he’s probably lecturing Jesus himself about how criminal it is that ‘Even in Heaven I still can’t get breakfast in bed!’”

Melody rolled off of him, laughing at the impersonation he did.  “Would he really do that?”

“Oh hell yeah, the man had no shame.  I may be an only child, but he was that only child everyone grumbles about,” Mike said dryly.

By this time, it was 7:32.  Turning to Melody, he said, “Why don’t you go ahead and take a shower first?”

Here eyes brightened.  “Ok!  A shower sounds so relaxing… and even more so if you were to join me,” she purred.

Briefly considering it for a split second, he then thought better of it.  “Don’t think we’re gonna have time.  But I tell ya what.  If you’re a good girl,” he said, tapping her nose playfully, “then we’ll do just that when we get home after lunch.  Deal?”

Kissing his lips sweetly, she responded, “Deal.  But I’m holding you to it.”

“I thought you just did… hold me to it,” he shot back.

Slapping him with her pillow, she rolled out of bed.  “I’m going to take a shower you little smartass.”

Entirely pleased with himself, Mike reached into his nightstand drawer, pulling out his iPad mini.  After a few minutes of checking email and social media, he suddenly had a brilliant idea.  He just had to check one website…

That’ll do perfectly!

Just then, he heard the bathroom door open.  A nude Melody emerged, her gorgeous red hair still damp from her shower.  “Damn, I coulda stayed in there forever…” she mused.

Mike emphatically nodded in agreement.  “Yep, and now it’s my turn,” he said, rubbing his hands together.  “Guess I’ll let you get ready for church… oh crap.”

“What?”

“You don’t have any clothes besides your shorts and t-shirt, do you?”

She giggled.  “Please.  My powers let me instantly generate any clothes I may need for myself, as a part of blending into society.  No worries.”

“Oh, that’s cool,” he said, slightly amazed.  “Are you able to do the same for me?”

Frowning slightly, she replied, “Only if it were necessary for your protection.  Masters are generally expected to provide their own basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter.  Genies only intervene in the most dire of circumstances.”

“I guess that makes sense.  Ok, I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

Giggling, she shot back, “And if you aren’t, I’ll know what you were doing!”

Rolling his eyes, Mike turned the hot water on and stepped inside, letting the stream roll down his back.  He kept his shower rather businesslike, washing his hair, getting a quick shave, and cleaning up his nether regions.  Once he finished, he stepped out of the bathroom, toweling off.  Retrieving his glasses from his nightstand and combing his hair, Mike soon found Melody in his walk in closet, posing in front of the floor length mirror.  Staying at the doorway for a moment, he was very impressed by her attire.  She had chosen a fitted white button up dress shirt and a knee-length shamrock green skirt.  The shirt had the sleeves rolled up to just above her elbows, which styled nicely with the light and airy skirt.  Mike whistled in approval, causing her to turn with a grin.

“There’s my sexy stud,” she said, sauntering up to him.  “All clean?”

“Yep,” he replied.  Stepping into the closet to grab some clothes, Mike paused in front of the mirror.  Melody joined him, resting her chin on his shoulder from behind him, and running her hand over his freshly shaven neck and face.

“Goddamn you’re hot…” she muttered.

Mike shrugged.  “Meh.”

“Meh?” she questioned, cocking her eyebrow.  “What’s that mean?”

Sighing, he replied, “I love that you tell me I’m so hot, but really, I’m just average in the looks department.  Always have been.”

Melody gently, but convincingly, turned his head toward hers by the chin.  “I love you, and I always will, but after all the lectures you’ve given me about free will, self confidence, and deserving to be loved, I don’t wanna hear you talk that way about yourself.  Besides, if it’s that big an issue, I do have the power to alter your physical appearance however you wish.”

Taken aback by her forcefulness, he gazed at his reflection again.  Now that he thought about it, he didn’t really want to change his appearance much.  He could wish to be taller, but that would make everyone suspicious.  Nobody in his family was taller than 5’8”, plus Melody already said she couldn’t provide clothes for him unless it was for protection, which would immediately make all of his pants useless.

Thoughtfully, he responded, “Ok, let’s try this.  I don’t want to change my facial appearance or height at all.  Let’s have my body be in perfect health and slightly above average physical condition, on the condition that all of my clothes will still fit me just fine.  Wait, you can undo any changes we make, right?”

She nodded in confirmation.

“Awesome,” he continued.  “Additionally, I want my perfect health to remain intact no matter what I may eat or how little I may exercise.  As far as outward appearance to others, I don’t feel the need to hide these changes, as long as they look realistic and believable enough to anyone who knows what I looked like before.  Does all that work?”

Tingle.  Flash.  “Done.”

Immediately, Mike felt the same tingling sensation over his entire body.  As he watched the changes to his body in the mirror, his vision suddenly became warped.  Afraid he might fall over from the sudden change, Melody instinctively removed his glasses.  “Perfect health, remember?  That includes eyesight,” she said, kissing him on the cheek.

Checking out his new body in the mirror, Mike was impressed.  Still the same height and build, his arms, legs, and shoulder were now notably toned with slight muscle definition.  His stomach and chest, while not bulging with muscles, were completely flat and lacking any excess flab, feeling quite firm to the touch.  Flexing his right arm in front of him, Melody chimed in, “I was able to make your body stronger than it actually appears to be by enhancing the efficiency of your muscles.  Some would refer to this as being ‘scrappy and wiry.’  Based on your description, it seemed like a result you’d be pleased with.”

He smiled, and channeled his inner James Earl Jones.  “Impressive… most impressive.”  Seeing the confused look on her face, he replied, “Don’t worry, it’s just from my favorite movie series ever.  I’ll show it to you sometime here.”

Giggling from behind him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, “Is there anything else you wanted to alter?”

Laughing at himself for what he was about to say, he decided there was no going back now.  “Honestly… I’d really love a bigger cock.”

As she kissed him sweetly on the cheek, she replied, “That’s nothing to be embarrassed about.  I mean, seriously, how many guys would’ve made that wish first thing out of the gate?”

Nodding in agreement, he said, “I guess that makes sense.  Ok, let’s see… I’m currently about an inch wide, maybe 4.75 inches long, right?  Let’s increase the girth to just below two inches wide.  For the length, how about five inches when soft, seven inches erect?  Would that feel good for you, or would it be too big?”

Her eyes glazed over lustfully, before she snapped back to reality.  “Sorry, I was just… ahem… picturing it for a moment.  No, those dimensions would be absolutely perfect for me.  You ready?”

Glancing down at his best friend in the world, Mike said, “Hold on to your hat, little buddy.”  He nodded to Melody.

Tingle.  Flash.

Mike’s eyes immediately widened, examining the high-caliber weapon he was now packing.  Gently tilting it in all directions, he could see that his balls had increased proportionally as well.  Melody chimed in, “I did take the liberty of shaping it slightly differently as well.  The slight upward curve should hit my g-spot perfectly.”  A wicked grin spread across her face.  “When do we get to take a test drive?”

Laughing to himself, he moved to his rack of shirts.  “After lunch,” he said, slapping her on the ass playfully.  After slipping into a black dress shirt and tan khakis, he put on his brown loafers, took Melody’s hand, and asked her, “Ready to really go out into the world?”

As she nodded excitedly, they left the apartment, heading to his CR-V.  Once in the car, it took quite a few minutes before they were able to drive away.  Much like her first meal and her first video game, Melody was excitable and curious about every little button and switch in the entire car.  After she had played around enough to satisfy herself, Mike cranked up the engine and they began the drive to his church.

Along the twenty-minute drive to Woodlane United Methodist, Mike began to wonder more about Melody’s powers.  He asked, “So, I get that most wishes you are able to grant have to be erotic in some way shape or form.  You did mention, though, that your powers of protection and privacy have very few limits.  What sorts of things are you able to protect us from?”

“Virtually anything,” she responded.  “It doesn’t matter if it’s a freak accident, a wild animal, or another person attacking us.  I have full authorization to use any and all means necessary to protect my master and myself.  For example, if the wire holding that traffic signal ahead of us decided to suddenly snap, falling on our car in such a way that would normally kill us, we would certainly survive.”

“How?”

“There are several options available.  First, I would likely slow down time as much as I am able to upon detecting danger.  The most desirable outcome would likely be me grabbing the wheel of the car to swerve into another lane, avoiding the signal altogether.  However, if this was not an option, perhaps if there were cars all around us who would be hurt by this action, there might not be an option available to avoid the lights completely.  In that scenario, they would hit and damage the car in exactly the way you would expect, except that we would walk away completely unharmed.  I would likely add some temporary cuts and bruises to lower suspicion, making it easily plausible that we escaped by good fortune alone.”

Mike was awestruck.  “Wow.  You can affect time?”

Grinning she responded, “To an extent, yes.  I can’t stop time; no creature that I am aware of is powerful enough to do that.  However, I can slow it down drastically, as long as it is for the purposes of love, protection, or privacy.”

Thinking for a moment, he then said, “Ok, how about a more extreme scenario?  Let’s say we were walking down a sidewalk, when a murder walks up behind us, no warning whatsoever, and stabs me in the back, directly hitting my heart.  What would happen then?”

Thinking for a moment, she responded, “First of all, there would certainly be warning in that scenario.  I am able to read people’s thoughts to some extent, particularly on something they may be acting on in that moment.  In addition, my protection powers would allow me to sense that a threat was approaching, resulting in us being able to prepare to fend off the attack, or disappear to a safer location.

“If, however, the attacker somehow managed to completely surprise us and stab you in the manner you described, I would again slow time.  Even if he stabbed you in the heart, the human body does not lose all life for several seconds.  All I would need is an instant to completely heal your wound.  After that, it would merely be a matter of constructing a believable story for the aftermath of the situation.  I would likely subdue the attacker so that he could do you no further harm, and I would alter his memories to make him believe that he couldn’t stab you squarely, with his knife getting caught on your jacket, or something similar to that.  This would fall under the powers of anonymity and privacy, preventing suspicion from being raised by you surviving a fatal stabbing.”

Slowing time?  Altering memories?  Holy shit…

Mike now knew he had made the right decision to keep Melody around.  It terrified him to think of what might happen if the wrong person had gained control of such abilities.

Melody’s face turned more serious.  “Mike, there is one other ability my powers afford me.  Do you remember, when we first met yesterday, your concern for what would happen to you ‘once your number was up’ and you had to answer for your decisions in life?”

Nodding, he responded, “How could I forget?”

“Well,” she continued, “There is nothing that says your number has to come up.  My powers can keep you safe and healthy from anything, even a death of natural causes.”  She rubbed his knee softly.  “We can, for all practical purposes, live forever.”

Mike pondered this revelation for several moments.  “I honestly don’t know if that’s something I want.  As great as it sounds, it stands in direct contrast to everything my faith has taught me.”

“What do you mean?”  Melody had a confused look on her face.

“I believe, along with almost every other Christian in the world, that death is merely the beginning of eternal life,” he responded simply.

Extremely surprised by his answer, she gazed at him, marveling at his confidence, yet more afraid for him than ever before.  “Are you saying… you don’t fear death?”

Mike smiled.  “Not in the least.  I fear the uncertainty of it, the not knowing when and how it will come, but fearing death itself is pointless in my mind.  Death comes for us all, eventually.  No discrimination, no favoritism.  It’s the ultimate equalizer; the one thing that connects every living thing in this world, whether we like it or not.”

Melody paused, realizing that he was quite resolute in this topic.  “Master… will you be angry with me if I bring up this subject again in the future?  I know you hold firm to your faith, but I will be required to constantly ensure that this is what you truly want, for me not to prolong your life beyond a death of natural causes.”

As he pulled into a parking space, Mike immediately took notice of her calling him Master.  He turned to her, brushing her cheek with his finger, and said, “I will never be angry with you for looking out for me.  I can tell it’ll take time before we can fully understand each other’s perspective on this subject.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  It’s part of a healthy relationship.  Just promise me you won’t ever hold something in if you’re concerned about it.  You can talk to me about anything.  Literally anything in the world.”

Melody smiled and kissed his hand sweetly.  “I promise.”

Opening the car door, he beckoned her to follow him.

“Where are we going now?  This isn’t your church, is it?”

Mike laughed.  “Nope, my church is a block north of here.  But I thought I would teach you one of the universal truths I’ve learned over the years.  We all know that death comes for us all and time marches on, right?”  She nodded.  “The third universal truth: where there’re churches, there’re doughnuts.”  His trademark smartass grin spread across his face as he pointed up to the Dunkin’ Doughnuts sign, Melody giggling all the while.

Walking up to the counter inside, Melody began to inspect the menu.  “Oh wow, so many choices!”

Oh, yeah.  She’s never been to an actual restaurant before.

“Yep, they’ve got almost anything you could want.  My advice is to start with the traditional favorites.  Glazed or chocolate frosted are probably the most popular,” Mike explained.

“Ok, I’ll have one of each!” Melody’s eyes lit up excitedly.

Mike handed his credit card to the cashier.  “And two glazed for me, plus a Coke to share.”

The pair took their food to go, eating in the car before heading inside to church.  Melody was absolutely adorable, as per usual, even with her lips smeared with chocolate frosting.

“You, uh, got a little something… everywhere,” Mike said, pulling open the car mirror for her.

“HAHA! I’m messy!”  After she cleaned herself up with a napkin, they headed across the church parking lot.

Melody was pleasantly surprised by how warm the atmosphere was.  In her mind, she was prepared for Mike’s church to be a rather stiff experience for newcomers, but the friendly greeters and soothing organ sounds of Bach’s Air on the G String soon quieted her mind.  As they sat listening to the prelude, Mike pointed up to the chairs surrounding the altar.

“See the girl with the dark straight hair?  That’s Ashley Perkins, the associate pastor.  She’s my friend I was telling you about.  We grew up in Sunday school and youth activities together.  You’ll love her.”

For most of the service, Melody was very self-conscious.  Mike had expected that she would be reserved and nervous, and made a point of gently rubbing her knee every so often to reassure her.  She stood and sat whenever he did, though was unsure about joining in whenever they hymns were sung.

Ashley’s sermon, on the other hand, was easily Melody’s favorite part of her first church experience.  Ashley spoke on the parable of the Prodigal Son, opening the sermon by asking the congregation if they had ever felt they were unworthy of love in some way.  Tentatively, Melody raised her hand along with much of the congregation, Mike included.  Ashley’s message went on to explain that mistakes do happen in our lives, because we are human.  This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to avoid them, but she also emphasized that mistakes don’t make us unworthy of love.  Processing Ashley’s words in her mind, Melody was beginning to make sense of the events of the last twenty-four hours.

The boy in the parable was such a foolish, flawed individual, yet he was welcomed home by his father, which allowed him to turn himself into a better person in the long term.  If even he was deserving of such love, maybe this servant genie is in fact deserving of her kind and generous master.  I didn’t DO anything to deserve his love, but… maybe that’s the point?

As the service came to a close, Melody’s mood had brightened considerably.  She joined in singing the final hymn, and was very excited to meet Ashley.  Once the congregation was dismissed, she was about to start walking out with Mike, when he gently held her by the arm.  “Not yet, wait ‘til you hear the organist’s last piece,” he said with a wink.

Almost instantly, the organ started playing another Bach piece, The Little Fugue in G Minor.  Much faster than the prelude, Melody was immediately impressed as the organist effortlessly danced her hands up and down the keyboard.  As the piece came to an end, she joined the small lingering portion of the congregation in applauding the organist.  She turned to Mike, excitedly asking, “Can we go meet Ashley now?”

Mike laughed.  “Sure thing.  You really enjoyed that sermon, didn’t you?”

As they walked out into the gathering room, the pair saw Ashley finishing her goodbyes to an elderly couple.  Spotting Mike from across the room, she made her way over to him, announcing her presence with her traditional greeting.

“Hello friend!”

Ashley had been greeting everyone she met that way since high school.

“Hey Ashley,” Mike responded, stepping into her side hug.  “Wanted you to meet my new girlfriend.”

“Hi, I’m Melody Roberts.”

“Delighted.  Ashley Perkins.”  She shook Melody’s hand.

Melody seemed a bit more shy than usual.  “I, um, really enjoyed your sermon.  It really spoke to me.”

Ashley beamed.  “Well thank you.  It’s one of my favorite topics to preach on.”

Biting her lip slightly, Melody said, “It was exactly what I needed to hear.”

Mike chuckled.  “I think you’ve got yourself a fan, Ashley.”

“Well, tell you what,” Ashley said, “I’ve got one more service I’m preaching at, but afterwards, how about you two join Trey and me for lunch?”

Nodding, Mike replied, “Sounds good to me.  I’ve got a quick errand I need to run, so we’ll meet you at Lenny’s Subs at, say, noonish?

“That’ll work.  We’ll see you there.  Bye Melody, great meeting you!”

“You too!”  Melody waved as they strolled to the parking lot.

Mike drove a few miles up the road, arriving at the local Home Depot.  As they entered the hardware store, he mentioned to Melody, “I’ve got a couple things to pick up.  Why don’t you wait for me in the garden section?  They’ve got lots of plants and flowers I bet you’d like.”

“Sounds good to me!”

As Melody strolled through the greenhouse, inspecting the various brightly colored flowers and plants, she was completely entranced by the variety of pleasant scents entering her nose.  Stopping to read the description of every plant she passed, she hadn’t even realized that it had been a full thirty minutes before Mike returned.

“Hey baby!”  She saw he was empty handed.  “Didn’t find what you needed?”

“Nope, they were out.  Ready to head to lunch?”

“Sure.  You said the place is called Lenny’s Subs?”

“Yep,” he replied.  “It’s a sandwich shop.  They’re mainly based in Philadelphia, but are working to expand into other states now.”

During the short drive to lunch, Melody described the various flowers and plants she had seen in the greenhouse.  Her favorite smelling ones were the daisies, though she loved the look and feel of lamb’s ear plants too.  As the pair pulled into the parking lot, they saw Ashley already inside the sub shop, sitting with her husband, Trey.

As the pair entered, Mike introduced Melody to Trey.  He was a large man, well over six feet tall and 270 pounds, but his imposing figure was quickly overtaken by his sharp wit and jovial personality.

I like him, Melody thought to Mike.  He seems very much like you.

I figured as much, Mike responded, chuckling in her head.  Like I said, he and Ashley are some of the few people I actually choose to keep around as friends.

As they stepped up to the counter, Mike let Trey and Ashley go first to give Melody time to decide from the enormous menu.  After a couple of suggestions from Mike and Trey, she settled on a 6” Philly cheesesteak with provolone cheese, being that the shop originated in Philadelphia.  Mike ordered his favorite 8” meatball mozzarella sub.

As the quartet ate their lunches, Mike and Melody repeated their now familiar origin story.  Ashley smiled wide hearing of Melody’s interest in Mike’s spiritual life, nodding in approval.

“While I don’t believe in predestination,” Ashley mentioned, “I do believe that God puts us in situations where, if we make the right choices, we can find exactly what we need, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.”

Melody grinned.  “That basically sums up my experiences with Mike to the letter,” glancing at him in admiration as she said so.

With the plates on the table now empty, Ashley stood for a moment.  “I’m gonna go freshen up a bit.  Melody, care to join me?”

“Sure.”  Melody bounced up, following her to the restroom.

Now alone for some guy talk, Trey turned to Mike.  “Ok, dude, give it to me straight.  Is she for real?”

Mike laughed.  “You know, I had that same thought the first time we played Call of Duty.  She absolutely destroyed the competition.”

Trey sat there, openmouthed.  “She likes video games?!”

Nodding, Mike replied, “She might even be able to whip your ass!”

Trey sat back with a smug look on his face.  “Well… we’ll see about that.  Seriously, man, where is this going?  I just have to ask after that whole Amanda thing-”

“I know, and I really appreciate you looking out for me,” Mike interjected.  “In all honesty, this is it.  She’s the one.”

The look on Trey’s face turned skeptical.  “She’s great, but how well do you really know her?  That’s a bold statement.”

Beginning to grow frustrated, Mike reminded himself that he would be doing the same thing if Trey were in this situation.

“She loves kids, Trey.  You should have seen her playing with my neighbor’s little girl.  It all came so naturally to her; she wasn’t even trying.”

Trey, knowing full well how big a deal that was for Mike, began to understand what he was saying.  “Very well, then.  If she means that much to you… I give you permission to date my daughter.”  A smartass grin formed on his face.

“Dude, you’re full of shit!” Mike said, cracking up.

“Couldn’t help myself!”

By this time, the girls returned to the table.  “Whatcha boys laughin’ about?” Ashley inquired.

“Oh, nothing,” Mike smirked.  “Just warning your husband not to play Melody in Call of Duty unless he wants his ass good and thoroughly kicked.”

“It’s true,” Melody replied with her trademark giggle.

With her workday over, Ashley and Trey departed, saying their goodbyes and promising to meet up again soon.  Mike and Melody strolled back out to his CR-V to head for home.

Along the drive, Melody couldn’t rave enough about Ashley.  “From what you’ve described, she seems to have a lot of your Granddaddy in her, doesn’t she?”

“You mean the combination of cut-up and wizened sage?  You know, I’ve never thought about it that way, but they do seem to be kindred spirits in a lot of ways,” Mike responded thoughtfully.  “You should see the way she talks to her dog.  She babies him; sees him as her child. It might be cute, if it weren’t so scary.”

Laughing at the mental image, Melody replied, “Now THAT is something I’ll need to see!”

After a few quiet minutes, Melody had a thought.  “To be perfectly honest, if anyone could be trusted to understand and keep the secret of my true nature, I feel it would be her.  Obviously, that decision rests entirely with you, but…”

“I actually had that thought myself,” Mike said.  “Now is probably too soon, but we should definitely file that thought away, in case we need help with anything in the future.”

“Definitely,” she said with a smile.

Arriving back inside Mike’s apartment, Melody was practically bouncing with giddiness.  “Now then, I believe you said something could happen when we got back from lunch, right?”

Mike chuckled.  “I did, but first thing’s first.  There’s a little matter we must discuss.”

“What’s that?” Melody asked, slightly confused.

Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he couldn’t help but grin.  “Well, you were just born yesterday, correct?”

“Yes,” she said, unsure of where this was going.

“That makes yesterday your birthday.  And, that being the case, I got a little present for you during our trip to Home Depot.”  He reached into his pocket and withdrew a key from it, handing it to Melody.

“A key?” Melody questioned.

“Yep.  To the apartment.”

“I don’t understand?  You know I can instantly be with you no matter where you are, so why would I need a key to your apartment?”

Mike grinned.  “I realize that.  The key is more symbolic than anything.  This is not just my apartment anymore.  This is now our apartment.  It’s your home.”

Stunned, Melody could only reply, “You’re serious?”

Nodding, he said, “I’m going by the apartment office Monday to have you added as an authorized signer for packages and mail.  That’s about as official as being my live-in girlfriend can get.”

Walking slowly up to Mike, she wrapped her arms around his neck, drew him close, and kissed him lovingly.  “You never cease to amaze me, Mike.  Just when I think you’ve shown me all the kindness you have to give, you floor me all over again.  I’ve got a home, all-powerful genie magic, and the most incredible guy imaginable to share it all with.  What more could a girl want?”

Cocking his eyebrow, he replied, “How ‘bout a nice hot shower?”

“Done!”  Melody’s face lit up in excitement.

As they walked to the bathroom in back, Melody had already begun seductively unbuttoning her shirt, slowly revealing her flesh colored bra.  She stood in front of the counter leading to the bathroom door, smiling at Mike behind her in the mirror.  He slowly wrapped his hands and arms around her now bare stomach, reaching up to slide the shirt off of her shoulders.  As it fell to the floor, he resumed his embrace of Melody from behind, kissing her cheek lightly before moving down to her neck.  Her eyes rolled back in her head as she moaned in pleasure, her fingers stroking the strong arms she was being held in.  She couldn’t imagine a safer place in the universe than where she was at that moment.

As Mike continued kissing her neck and shoulders, he was now drawn to the scent of her shampoo.  He remembered noticing a new bottle in the shower this morning, and was now intoxicated by the light citrus smell wafting into his nose.  Moving his hands around to her back, he gently undid the clasp of her simple nude bra, sliding the straps off by rubbing her shoulders.  Looking back at her in the mirror, she had covered her breasts with her arms after the bra fell to the floor.

“Tease,” he whispered in her ear.

Giggling, she turned to face him, keeping her chest covered.  “You love it.”

“Well,” he said with a mischievous look in his eye, “I’m still wearing all my clothes.  If you plan on getting me out of them, I think you may need your hands.”

“Really?”

Flash.

All of a sudden, the buttons on Mike’s dress shirt began unbuttoning themselves; his shirt tails being pulled out from his khaki pants by an unseen force.  As the last button came undone, an invisible breeze blew directly in Mike’s face, blowing his shirt clean off his shoulders.  Beginning to feel the same thing happening to the button and zipper of his pants, he quickly slipped off his loafers.  As soon as he had finished, his belt had already been loosened and the zipper was beginning to be lowered.  Upon feeling the zipper reach the bottom, his pants immediately fell to the floor, leaving him in nothing but his socks and underwear.

“Ok, that’s impressive, and very creative,” he said.

“Why, thank you,” she replied, giggling.

“I didn’t know you could take those kinds of liberties without my making a wish.”

“Only because of your free will wish; and even then, only for your benefit.  Don’t worry,” her voice turned seductively, “you can trust me.”

Grabbing her a bit forcefully around the waist, he replied, “Oh, I have no doubt.”

Unable to keep teasing him any more, she flung her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately and squishing her breasts against his strong chest.  She felt his hands slowly work the elastic waistband of her green skirt, slipping it and her panties down to the floor in one movement.  As he cupped her firm ass cheeks in his hands, she couldn’t help but egg him on a bit.

“Now that I’m completely naked, it’s just so cold.  Know of any way you could… warm me up?”

Chuckling, he squeezed her ass playfully with both hands.  “I think I know a way.”

Mike stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature to be blissfully warm.  As Melody joined him, he realized a flaw in their master plan: his tub shower combo was very cramped, and the soap dishes were placed in such a way on the shower wall that the pair would be banging them instead of each other.  Thinking for a moment, he turned to Melody.

“Do you think you could make my shower more conducive to couples showers?  Say, a nice large walk-in shower with an unlimited supply of free hot water?  After all, we can’t risk our shower turning cold right in the middle of play time.”

Tingle.  Flash.

Instantly, his bathroom transformed into a spacious sanctuary, lined with light blue tile.  The shower was now a spacious granite fixture taking up almost the full size of his original bathroom; a large showerhead was fixed on the wall, capable of hitting almost any corner of the shower they wanted.  He could also tell that the center portion of the showerhead was detachable.  Well, that should make for some good times.

“Can you make it so this is the standard form of the bathroom whenever one of us uses it, but revert to normal when anyone else is here?  Like if we have guests or for the apartment workers inspecting things?” Mike asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Sweet.  Oh, am I safe to assume that the change in the room doesn’t affect the outward appearance of the apartment building or the size of the other apartments?”

“Definitely,” Melody replied with a grin.

With steam now clouding the room, Mike slipped off his socks and boxer briefs and swung open the glass door of their new shower.

“After you, ma’am.”

She smiled with anticipation, stepping under the powerful stream of warm water, wetting her gorgeous red hair immediately.  Mike closed the door behind them, hugging her from behind as they relaxed under the water flow.  Sighing in pleasure, Melody craned her neck and reached her arms behind her, playfully running her fingers through the back of Mike’s wet hair.  He began kissing her neck before slowly moving up her jawline and to her cheek.  She turned her face as he did so, softly touching her lips to his.  Kissing her as passionately as he could from this angle, Mike slowly moved his hands up to fondle her large wet breasts, first rubbing them in wide, soft strokes, then focusing on her nipples, causing Melody to twitch and spasm in excitement.

“Someone likes that I see,” he purred.  “Well, just wait for what I’ve got planned next…”

Still cupping her right breast in his right hand, he moved his left hand southward, caressing her bare pubic area, before beginning to trace the moist lips of her pussy with his middle finger.  After a few more circles around her outer rim, he slipped his finger into her slit, feeling how wet she had already become.  He stroked in and out for several minutes before withdrawing, leaving Melody whimpering and begging for more.  Gently turning her around to face him, he reached up to detach the inner circle of the showerhead, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Now fully anticipating what was to come, Melody leaned slightly against the granite wall, grabbing hold of one of the strategically placed handles along the perimeter of the shower.  Kneeling before her, Mike continued his inspection of her pussy lips.  Moving his face to her inner thigh, he softly kissed his way up to the slick tunnel that was his ultimate goal, lightly licking both sides of her outer lips as he arrived.  Turing his attention to her swollen clit, he finally tasted her for the first time, savoring the sweet nectar seeping from her womanhood.

Gasping, Melody could barely speak.  “How… do I… taste?”

Giving her clit a quick kiss and suck, eliciting another squeal, he simply replied, “Heavenly.”

“So… are you gonna use that powerful tool between your legs?”  She ran her fingers through his hair.  “And I’m not talking about your cock.”

Without a word, he slowly brought the shower nozzle up to the entrance of her pussy, causing Melody to moan and grip the shower handle for dear life.  As he circled the water stream around her lips, the spray of water on her clit nearly brought her to orgasm right then and there.  However, sensing she was near the edge, Mike backed off, pulling the nozzle further away to decrease the intensity of the water flow.  He intended to build her up to the biggest orgasm of her young life.  Repeating this cycle twice more, the intensity of Melody’s moans was almost too much to bear.

“I don’t want you to hold back your passion.  Can your privacy powers ensure that nobody hears us?”

Tingle.  Flash.

Melody was panting so hard that she couldn’t even breathe a word in response.  Deciding she had had enough torture, he lowered the shower nozzle and reinserted his middle finger into her now soaked pussy.  Fucking her steadily with his finger, he then resumed his slow but firm licking of her clit.  As the bucking of her hips increased, so did the intensity of his finger strokes, until she finally came to the edge of the dam bursting.  He began lapping at her clit with as much speed and power as he could manage, enjoying her unbridled moaning as the wave of her orgasm finally began to crash.

“Oh god, that feels so… in… credible!!!  HOLY SHIT, DON’T STOP!”  She sucked in as big a breath as she could manage, “Yes… yes… yes, yes, yesyesyesyes!  Oh, MASTER!!!”

Her pussy juices finally erupted from within her, coating Mike’s chin as he gently eased off his pleasuring of her womanhood.  Placing the nozzle back in the showerhead, he stood in silent self-satisfaction, enjoying every breath she took, and knowing the look of unbridled joy on her face was all his doing.  A minute or two passed, as she finally recovered enough to stand and entwine herself in his arms once more.

“That was… just amazing.  I’m just… I’m sorry I called you Master.  I forgot in the moment that you aren’t a fan of that.”

Mike kissed her forehead softly.  “Nah, that was ok.  Honestly, it was pretty sexy in the heat of the moment like that.  In addition, I did notice when you said it in the car earlier today.”

Nodding softly, she asked, “Was that not a good time then?”

Thinking a moment, he replied, “No, it was.  It got my attention as we were discussing a very important topic.  I’d say you definitely have permission to use your good judgment on when to use it, especially if you need my undivided attention on anything you’re about to say.”

“You’re so sweet,” Melody purred, kissing his neck softly.  “But enough about me.  We need to make sure your new equipment is… functioning properly,” she whispered seductively.

It only took two or three gentle strokes to bring Mike to full attention.  Now seeing it fully erect for the first time since this morning, he knew this was going to be fun.  While he was able to do amazing things with his previous length, it did make certain positions rather difficult.  It’s a brave new world.

Turning her back to him, Melody bent over slightly, grabbing the wall handle as she did so.  She shook her ass at him and looked over her shoulder at him longingly, saying, “Don’t you think it’s time my Master takes me from behind?  My pussy is still so wet and hungry for you.”  She spread the lips of her entrance, her juices dripping onto the shower floor.

Approaching her from behind, Mike kissed each of her cheeks before giving her ass a playful slap.  He aligned his throbbing member with her beckoning tunnel and slowly pushed himself into her.  Despite not being a domineering person, Mike had always loved having sex with a woman from behind.  Though he was well versed in the opportunities for unbridled fucking presented here, he had also developed his own method of truly making love, even from this position.

As he slowly sheathed and withdrew his shaft, he could tell the new shape Melody mentioned was coming in handy.  Her moans of pleasure increased with each stroke, and she even began lightly fingering her clit, complementing his motions.  He gently grabbed her hips and began angling his thrusts slightly downward, hoping to catch her g-spot with the new curved shape of his cock.  Judging by her sudden gasp, he knew he had found it.  Focusing intently on that spot, he now began lightly pounding her with increased speed, reaching around her to fondle her right breast in the process.

Melody began squirming and bucking, unexpectedly reaching two small orgasms in a row from the pinpoint accuracy of Mike’s thrusting.  Spurred on by her tight pussy milking his cock, he held onto her waist with both hands and assumed a power stance, allowing him to increase his tempo to a rapid pounding.  Tender lovemaking now thrown out the window, Mike threw in an occasional light swat to Melody’s ass.

“Ooh, YES!”  She squealed in delight.  “Keep pounding me, please… don’t stop… I need you… I need your cum!”

Losing himself completely in her pleas for him, Mike was certainly not going to deny her.  He gazed intently at her gloriously curvy ass and pumped a dozen or more strokes into her as he felt his climax approach the edge.  Slowing his pace ever so slightly, knowing full well it would increase the intensity of their orgasms, he slid is throbbing member into her one final time, feeling every square inch of her wonderful pussy, and finally blew his enormous load into her.  The waves of their orgasms lasted at least thirty seconds, her contractions drawing more cum from his cock than he ever thought possible.

Remaining inside of her as their passions subsided, he gently ran his hand over the soft, pale skin of her back.  Their breathing slowed, gradually becoming more relaxed and metered.  Mike’s cock began to soften, eventually slipping out of Melody, eliciting a final giggle from her.  She slowly turned, falling into his arms, her head on his shoulder.

“Wow…” Mike sighed, “That was fun!”

“You can… say that again…”

“Wow… that was fun!”

“Smartass!” Melody stuck her tongue out at him.

“You love it,” Mike replied.  “Nice job on the equipment upgrade, by the way.  It really, uh, hits the spot, doesn’t it?”

“Mmm hmm…” She mumbled contentedly.  “I have a really sensitive g-spot, so anything that can hit that consistently is nothing short of explosive.”

“No kidding,” Mike said, exceedingly pleased with himself.

The pair spent the next twenty minutes leisurely washing each other, each exploring every nook and cranny of the other’s body.  In between the scrubbing, there was plenty of laughing, groping, and the occasional make out session.  As they finished and Mike shut the water off, they stepped out of the shower and wrapped a single large towel around them, embracing while drying off.  Not worrying about combing his hair, Mike slipped on a pair of gym shorts and crawled onto his bed with an armchair pillow, relaxing shirtless to cool off from easily the best shower of his life.  Melody conjured up a skimpy kimono robe made of black satin material, modeling seductively for a minute before joining Mike on his bed.

Thinking for a moment, he said, “Melody, this bed just doesn’t seem big enough for the extracurricular activities that will certainly be occurring here in the future.  Why don’t we make this a high quality king size bed, along with all of my sheets to go on it?”

Tingle.  Flash.

Now relaxing on a luxuriously large bed that still fit in perfectly with his bedroom, Mike kissed Melody on the forehead.  “Have I mentioned how awesome you are?”

Giggling, she replied,  “Not today.”

Kissing her passionately, Mike smiled at her, saying, “You… are awesome.”

Even though their shower romp had lasted over an hour, it was still only 2:00 in the afternoon.  Turning to Melody, Mike asked, “Wanna watch a movie?”

Her face lit up.  “Absolutely.  What do you recommend?”

With zero hesitation, he replied, “Star Wars.”

As he explained the space opera premise of the series, she listened intently, already drawn in and ready to see what it was all about.  Mike retrieved the DVD and hit play, beginning the iconic title sequence.  Melody was so entranced from the opening moments that she never even attempted to start any fooling around in their new bed.  Near the scene where Luke Skywalker first appeared on screen, she turned to Mike with a question.

“Couldn’t you basically do a drinking game in this movie based on how many times C-3PO says ‘We’re doomed?’”

Mike laughed, adding, “You can do the same thing every time Luke complains or whines about something.”  Right on cue, Luke whined about having to clean up the droids.

Giggling, Melody resumed watching the movie, taking in every last detail.  She gripped Mike’s arm tightly when Darth Vader choked his underlings, laughed when Han blasted Greedo, and cried out in shock when Obi-Wan was struck down.  By the end of the attack on the Death Star, her adrenaline was pumping full blast, lasting all the way through the ending credits.

Melody was so excited after the movie that they talked for over an hour about everything she had seen.  “Please tell me there’s more to the story!”

“Oh, absolutely,” Mike replied.  “There’s two more sequels to this one, plus three more telling the story of Darth Vader before he went bad.  We’ll watch the rest of them throughout the week.”

As evening approached, Mike warmed up the last of the leftover pizza for their dinner.  The pair relaxed and ate on the living room sofa with a cop show on TV for background noise, though neither of them really paid any attention to it; just hanging with each other was entertainment enough for them.  As Melody lay on the sofa, her head in Mike’s lap, he couldn’t help stroking her red wine hair softly.

“Mmm… that’s nice…” she purred.

“Can’t really help myself,” he said.  “I just love your hair.”

Looking up at him, she gently placed her hand on his cheek.  “I love your eyes.  They’re so pure; easily the most honest looking eyes imaginable.”  She sat up, leaning her head on her shoulder.  “I imagine that honesty is why you’ve barely scratched the surface of my powers thus far.”

Chuckling, he remembered his dream from this morning.  “You’re not far wrong.  My granddaddy always had a saying about power.  Didn’t matter if it was politics, religion, or anything else, it always applied.  ‘Men who seek power actively are destined to abuse it, but men who have power unwittingly thrust upon them can be trusted to guard it.’  That was obviously his wizened sage side.”

Shrugging, she replied, “Seems like excellent advice, though you can definitely be trusted in using my powers.”

“Ah, but that’s not what he said, is it?  He said they could be trusted to guard such powers, not use them.  The minute someone strays towards using too much of the power they guard, they risk turning into the abuser.  Make sense?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Thinking for a moment, he continued, “I know you’ve mentioned slowing time and memory alterations as within your abilities.  Slowing time could be helpful in the right situations, but I’m not keen on memory altering unless absolutely necessary.  Messing with free will just isn’t a path I want to go anywhere near.  Outside of those, what other powers are you referring to?”

Nodding, Melody said, “First, you are able to have any person you wish, whenever you want, in any sexual situation imaginable.  I know that I previously confirmed for you that this includes actions and people considered illegal under your law, such as those under eighteen years of age.  Most of these situations would usually involve gauging the desired person’s sexual interest in you.  If it were high enough, I would merely give their subconscious a nudge towards moving in on you.  Otherwise, my memory powers would likely need to come into play.”

Almost immediately, Mike responded, “You can go ahead and scratch anything like that from the realm of possibility.  Just like you with me, I only have eyes for one gal, and I just happened to take her to the moon and back while in the shower this afternoon.”

Quivering momentarily, she continued, “You most certainly did.  I personally am incapable of jealousy, and would have no problem if you did desire other women.  Still, there’s no mistaking that look in your eye.  I’m not changing your mind on that one, am I?”  He shook his head no with a smile.  “Very well, you have my word that I won’t bring up that subject again.  But if you do change your mind, just let me know.  Anyway, the final power of mine that we haven’t even touched yet is perhaps the most sought after power of genie servants throughout the centuries: the ability to create sexual fantasies.”

Mike instantly perked up.  “Sexual fantasies?  You mean like sexual dreams?”

“Fantasies of this type do put you into a dream like state, however the effects are much more powerful.  First, the dream is far more realistic; you will feel in all ways that you are actually there, experiencing it firsthand.  Additionally, once the fantasy has ended, your memory of it will not fade as a normal dream does.  Finally, your body will feel all the positive effects of the fantasy upon returning to reality.  For example, if the fantasy involved a full body massage, that feeling of rejuvenation will still be present when you awaken.”

Taking everything she told him in, Mike was exceedingly impressed.  “Wow.  That’s incredibly powerful.”

Nodding in agreement, Melody continued, “Indeed.  So powerful, in fact, that there are strict rules for fantasies that I must follow.  These are put into place for the mental and physical protection of my master, ensuring not only that he does not experience any fantasies too powerful for him to fully handle, but also that he does not spend more time in the fantasy world as opposed to the real world.  This was the biggest concern of all in the past, several thousand years ago.

“In those days, most genie servants were bound to the various kings and rulers of what is today referred to as the Middle East.  While the genie’s primary duties would be to run the king’s harem and keep his many wives happy and prepared for all sexual duties, fantasies were also highly desired and sought after.  Thus, time limits had to be put into place to ensure that the king was not neglecting his duties as ruler by constantly escaping into a fantasy world.”

“Ok, so how do the rules work?” Mike questioned.

“First, a master acquires fantasy time continually from the moment their genie is first released.  It’s currently 7:00 in the evening, and you released me around 11:00 on Friday night, meaning you have earned forty-four hours of fantasy time.  Secondly, at your current experience with my powers, you are only able to experience a fantasy up to six hours long, and once you experience a fantasy, you must wait twenty-four hours before you can experience another.  Finally, as you gain more experience with me and my powers, you will be allowed to earn fantasy time at a faster rate, as well as experience longer fantasies at one time.”

Pondering all of this, Mike replied, “So, while all of this is happening, what happens to my physical body?”

Melody continued her explanation.  “Your physical body will, essentially, fall asleep while you are experiencing a fantasy.  However, it is still under the full protection of all of my powers.  Normally, while you are in a fantasy, time will pass normally outside of the fantasy, meaning a one-hour fantasy will cause one hour of real time to pass for your physical body.  However, I am able to slow real time for the purposes of a fantasy by as much as half, if you so desire.”

Leaning forward on the sofa, she continued, “I’m sorry for the lengthy explanation, but it is necessary for your safety that you fully understand the nature and limitations of fantasies before experiencing this power of mine.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and replied sarcastically, “Please, I’m never one to skip the safety briefing.”

Giggling, she asked, “So, would you like to experience a fantasy?  It can be anything.  You could take your high school crush to prom, seduce a beautiful actress, virtually anything you can think of.  I just need a basic outline of the script before we begin.  Oh, and the fantasy doesn’t have to be completely sexual, though sex of some kind does need to occur for it to fall under my powers’ jurisdiction.”

Thinking for several minutes, Mike finally decided on a perfect idea.  “First, I’d like you to be in the fantasy with me.  Let’s make it a one-hour fantasy, and go ahead and activate the slowing of real time while it goes on; I value my time in the real world quite a bit.  As for the specific script, I’m thinking something like this…”

[MintJulie]

A very pleasant tale.    I look forward to future installments.   

Thank you for sharing your story with us Aug.

,
Jules

[auguy86]

For this chapter, I decided to have a little fun with the fantasy in the first half, setting it in the Star Wars universe.  In case it isn’t clear, for the first portion, Burke is Mike and Kana is Melody.  No song titles for this chapter, so please sit back and enjoy!

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 04

Sand.  Sand.  Sand everywhere.  Such was life for Burkateer Lark.

Eighteen years ago, he had been a promising seven-year-old Padawan learner in the Jedi Order of the Old Republic.  That, of course, was before the betrayal of Darth Vader and subsequent formation of the Galactic Empire.  On that fateful day, his master, Cin Dralig, had gotten wind of the betrayal and impending attack on the Jedi Temple.  Though his master had tried to send the boy away on his own to train, Burke had convinced Dralig to come with him.  He reminded him that it was the prudent move, finally convincing him upon receiving an emergency transmission from Master Yoda that a plan was in the works, and that the pair should flee.  They went into hiding on Tatooine in the desert surrounding Mos Espa.  For five years, Dralig taught Burke all he could, before finally succumbing to disease and old age.  Though a talented Jedi, Burke’s training was nowhere near complete.  He improvised as best he could, learning to use the Force in any way he could think of.  Ten years after first arriving on the planet, Burke’s experience with the Force had increased to the point that he could sense the presence of other Force-sensitives.  One day, while practicing this ability, he was able to detect a strong presence on the same planet, out beyond the Dune Sea.

Deciding to investigate, he traveled for three days before finally detecting the source of the presence in a tiny, ramshackle hut.  The occupant clearly felt his presence as well, as Burke soon found himself under attack, his lightsaber clashing with the blade of none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi, the great general of the Clone Wars.  His mood immediately brightening at finding a fellow survivor of the Great Jedi Purge, Burke introduced himself as the pupil of the late Cin Dralig. The news of Dralig’s death caused a great deal of sadness in old Kenobi, who had served alongside him many times over the years.

Burke trained for several months with him, quickly becoming more proficient in his use of the Force.  Unfortunately, both of them knew that, despite how hard-working as Burke was, he would never be powerful enough to stand up to the Empire.  Raw potential had never been his strong suit, not like Master Yoda or Anakin Skywalker.  Kenobi confirmed for him that Yoda’s plan was still in the works, and involved an individual with sleeping potential in the Force, greater than even Skywalker himself.  Proclaiming his training complete, Kenobi bid the young Jedi farewell, and he returned to his makeshift home in the desert canyons near Mos Espa.

A few years later, Burke could no longer sense Kenobi’s presence anywhere on the planet.  When word arrived in town a few months later of the destruction of the Empire’s super weapon, the Death Star, Burke couldn’t help but chuckle.  That wily old dog still managed to get one over on them.

Now twenty-six and content in living a simple life, Burke spent his days working as a mechanic for a local junk dealer in Mos Espa named Watto.  He had a rough outer shell, but Burke rather liked him, and could that tell the poor Toydarian had lived one of the unluckiest lives imaginable.  Many years ago, he was the most successful junk dealer in town, until he lost his best mechanic and slave, along with his life savings, in an ill-advised podrace bet.  Though still gruff, Watto’s heart had softened with a large amount of humility in the years following the loss.  He paid Burke as best he could, enough for him to make ends meet.

Outside of work and keeping up his Jedi skills in secret, Burke spent his free time at the local cantina.  While he normally tried not to associate with the seedy individuals frequenting such an establishment, he kept coming back, mainly for the owner and barkeep, Kana Croft.  She was a stunning vision of loveliness, kind and welcoming to boot, and was right about his age.  He could sense that she was very infatuated with him from their first meeting.  However, Burke knew full well the oath of celibacy inherent in being a Jedi, though if any could bring him to turn away from the oath, it would be her.  On many occasions, he had considered doing just that, seeing little reason for him to still hold firm to Jedi principles, but still, for some unknown reason to him, he resisted.

This particular day seemed as uneventful as the last.  He had just finished work for the day and walked into Kana’s cantina.  She waved him over to his favorite barstool, smiling and running her hand through that gorgeous red hair of hers as she did so.

“The usual, sweetie?”

“Not today, thanks, Kana.  Been really hot out there, so just some ice cold water for now,” he replied.

No sooner had she delivered his drink did Burke sense a dangerous presence approaching.  Glancing over his shoulder casually, he saw a trio of Stormtroopers entering the cantina.  Keeping his mannerisms as casual as possible, he quietly used the Force to listen in on their conversation.

“Who are we after again, Captain?”

“A Jedi.  Vader found out that Kenobi was hiding out on this planet, so there’s got to be more.  He said he felt the presence of one in this town.”

“Dead or alive?”

“He doesn’t care, and personally, I’m keen to go with whichever option gives us the best chance of surviving.  So, dead then.”

Turning back towards the bar, Burke could now see the concern and worry spreading across Kana’s face.  Casually signaling her to come close, he whispered to her, “Don’t worry, they’re here for me.”

Trying to keep as straight a face as possible, she replied, “You?  What do they want with you?”

Sighing, he sensed that after knowing her for three years Kana could be trusted with his carefully guarded secret.  “I’m a Jedi.”

As she silently pondered his revelation, he continued, “I have to get out of this system as fast as possible.  I have a ship hidden out in the canyons.  Please, I need your help.  Do you have a back door I can use?”

Considering her options momentarily, she made her decision.  “I’ll do you one better.  I’m coming with you.”

Glaring at her with a look of concern, he said, “No way, this isn’t your fight.”

Gently placing her hand on top of his, she leaned even closer.  He could smell her sweet perfume wafting from her neck.  “I helped two rebel spies escape capture last year,” she revealed.  “It’s only a matter of time before they come for me.  Please, take me with you.”

Relenting, Burke nodded slightly.  He stood up, moving as if he was going to relieve himself.  As he approached the back door, he heard Kana say to her coworker, “Take over for me please, I’m going on break.”  He then heard her whisper to the worker, “The twin suns are setting.”

Catching up with Burke, Kana explained, “My friend has known for some time I’d need to make an escape at some point.  That was my goodbye to her.”  Before they exited out the back, she pulled out a DL-44 blaster from a drawer in her office, holstering it at her right side.

As the pair stepped out into the dusty streets of Mos Espa, they began to make their way towards the city gates where Burke’s X-34 speeder was parked.  The large crowds of shoppers and day’s end travelers, however, made their progress quite slow.  As they neared the gates, the amount of Imperial troops patrolling the area increased dramatically.  However, they kept their cool, simply walking as if they were on business.  Sadly, as the gates were in sight, a passerby bumped into Kana, knocking her over in such a way that she accidentally pulled Burke’s jacket open, revealing the lightsaber clipped on his belt.

“Look!  There’s the Jedi!  Shoot to kill!” a Stormtrooper shouted.

In the blink of an eye, Burke drew his weapon, igniting the blue blade.  “Kana go!  Get to the speeder!”

As a trio of Stormtroopers open fired, Burke deftly deflected their shots back at them, instantly killing one of the three.  Taking advantage of their surprise, he leapt directly at the remaining pair, landing between them and executing them both with a horizontal spin.  He deactivated his weapon and sprinted for the speeder, pulling out with Kana just as reinforcements were arriving.

Flying through the desert at top speed, Burke’s speeder was suddenly rocked by a near miss of blaster shots.  Kana peered behind them to find two Imperial speeder bikes in hot pursuit of them.

Burke warned, “We’ve gotta lose them before we hit the canyon, or they’ll track us right to my ship.”

“On it!”  Pulling out her blaster, Kana expertly aimed back at the speeder bikes, glancing one with her first shot.  These pilots were better than most, however, and managed to easily stay on target.  Changing tactics, she now fired a quick series of shots at both of them, breaking them up and bringing one of them nearly alongside the speeder.  Steadying her aim against the hull, she aimed dead center and fired twice, knocking the pilot off of his ride.

“YES!!!” Kana squealed.

“Nice shooting!  Second one’s on our six!”

As she was attempting to get a clear shot, the second pilot showed his extreme skill, deftly weaving back and forth to avoid her sights.  “Dammit!  I can’t get a clean shot, he keeps evading!”

“Ok, I’ve got an idea.”  Burke lowered the front windshield and sharply veered right.  “Get ready to fire straight ahead!”

He quickly leveled out and immediately hit the brakes, causing the biker to zoom directly past them.  Burke then sped back to full throttle so as not to lose him.  “Ok, he’s dead center, get ‘im!”

Kana took careful aim and fired two shots directly into his rear engine.  As smoke billowed from the bike, it finally exploded in a ball of fire.  “Got it!” Kana shouted.

“Scratch two!  We’re clear, let’s get off this planet.”

Entering the mouth of the canyon, Burke navigated the speeder through the maze of rock formations, finally arriving at secluded outcropping containing his ship.

“Nice ride…” Kana marveled.

“Yep, she’s a Defender-class, custom built for the old Jedi Order.  After my master and I escaped the Great Jedi Purge in it, we worked to modify the hell out of this baby.  Added a powerful cloaking system, made it completely undetectable.  Once we’re in space, nobody will find us unless we want them to.”

Burke activated the entrance ramp, anxious to get on board and take off.  In the worst turn of events imaginable, however, the hydraulics malfunctioned, with the ramp stuck halfway open.  As the pair worked to reactivate the lift, Burke suddenly felt an ominous presence approaching.  “Get that ramp working, now,” he warned Kana.  She nodded, frightened by his change in demeanor.

As Burke stood facing the narrow entrance to the outcropping, he heard a distinctive sound, slowly growing louder.  The closer it came, the clearer it was what was approaching.  Recognizing the distinctive breathing described in the countless stories from the cantina, he soon stood face to face with Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith.

“Fascinating…” came the voice from within the mask.  “If I am not mistaken, I am now addressing Burkateer Lark.  It seems that the Padawan has gained some slight skill.”

Determined to show no fear, Burke shot back, “Darth Vader.  You smell better than the stories of you describe.”

Eyeing each other momentarily, each was fully aware of the likely consequences of this encounter.  As Vader’s gaze shifted to Kana, frantically working to repair the ramp, Burke instantly drew his lightsaber.  “You leave her out of this,” he threatened.  “She has nothing to do with us.”

“If that is what you wish,” Vader said, igniting his crimson blade, “then you know what you must do.”

Nice try, but I’m not playing your game.

Using his quick thinking, Burke began to size up the upcoming duel.  Vader was renowned for his strength and physical prowess.  His reach would also be his advantage, and he had a good 8” height advantage over Burke.  Vader was, however, known to be rather slow moving, at least on his feet.  His suit also made it impossible for him to use any acrobatics, even with the help of the Force.  That would be Burke’s edge: mobility.

Vader lunged forward, opening with an overhead attack common to his fighting style.  Burke defended easily, though he immediately felt how powerful even Vader’s simplest strikes were.  Damn, he really is strong.  Now knowing a head on assault from either combatant would put himself at a distinct disadvantage, Burke immediately began his hit-and-run tactics.

As Vader upped the tempo of his slashes, Burke started using a simple yet effective strategy.  Defending each strike lightly, so as to redirect, rather than block with brute force, he continually sidestepped, slowly encircling Vader.  This style was also common of old Kenobi; he was renowned for his defensive capabilities back in his prime.  As Vader began to realize this, changing his attacks to precision strikes assisted by the Force, Burke immediately somersaulted over his opponent.

Striking at Vader’s back with a horizontal strike, he was amazed at how deftly the Sith Lord defended, simply flipping his lightsaber over his shoulder, effectively executing a no-look one-handed block.  The stories don’t do him justice.  Still, he knew Vader enjoyed toying with his prey before closing for the kill.  As he turned to face Burke, the young Jedi knew he had to formulate a victory condition before said toying ended.

Resuming his assault, Vader now began striking quickly from multiple directions in succession, drawing from the combat techniques of his youth.  Beginning to spin his saber in his hand, the power of his slashes skyrocketed, forcing Burke to use full acrobatic maneuvers to evade them.  Needing something to tip the scales in his favor, he suddenly remembered the bag of supplies in his speeder.

Quickly force pushing Vader back to give himself a moment of breathing room, he focused with all his might, drawing on the Force like never had before.  He extended his hand and called his master’s old lightsaber to him from within the bag.  Just as Vader recovered, he ignited the bright green blade in his left hand and assumed a protective stance with both sabers horizontal, one high and one low.

Undeterred, the Sith Lord continued his power attacks.  Burke, however, was now able to defend much more effectively with his second blade, resuming his encircling strategy.  Now able to press his own attack, the Jedi began to drive Vader back towards the mouth of the outcropping.  As they dueled, Burke heard the most heavenly sound in the world: The entry ramp of his ship fully opening.

Realizing that his prey was close to escaping, Vader pressed his attack once more, forcing Burke to evade with a series of backflips, keeping his dual sabers in prime position to protect himself while in the air.  As he slowly moved the duel towards the ship, Kana boarded and began the take off sequence.  Burke found himself defending a frenzied barrage of attacks, resulting in the destruction of his master’s lightsaber.  Now forced into a saber-lock with Vader, he was finally able to disengage, back flipping onto ramp of his ship as it took off.  In the process, however, Burke took a nasty slash to his left thigh from Vader’s lightsaber.

As he staggered up the ramp and into the cockpit, Burke began activating the cloaking systems while Kana programed the hyperdrive coordinates.  “I have a friendly contact on Corellia.  How bout we head there?” She inquired.

“Let’s do it,” Burke replied.  Two minutes later, they had made the jump to lightspeed, undetectable to all hostile ships.  Panting and sweating in the pilot’s chair, Burke couldn’t believe he had actually faced the most feared warrior in the entire galaxy and lived to tell about it.

Kana turned to him, her mind running a mile a minute.  “I can’t believe all of this… you, a Jedi… those Stormtroopers… him… it’s all too much…”

Rubbing her shoulder gently, Burke responded, “It’s ok.  You’re safe now.”

Nodding, she suddenly noticed his leg.  “Oh my god!  You’re hurt!”

“Nah, it’s nothing,” he tried convincing her, but his wincing at her touch was too obvious.

“That is most definitely NOT nothing!  Come on, to bed with you.”

The ship now on autopilot, she brought the injured Jedi to his quarters, seating him on the edge of his small bed.  Inspecting his leg, the cut didn’t appear to be too deep, but the slash itself had nearly cut his pant leg clean off.  She tore the last bit of fabric from the leg, exposing him up to mid thigh.

“There’s a med pack on the wall with some bacta fluid in it,” he directed her.

She slipped his boots and socks off, took the medicine from the med pack, and began to treat his wound.  It stung at first, but the soothing motions of her hand slowly began to relax him.  With his wound now clean, she bandaged it up, and sat next to him on the bed.

“You’re very lucky, you know.  The cut wasn’t too damaging, but a centimeter or two more, and he could have completely severed your muscle,” she said.

He shrugged.  “Comes with the territory.  The Jedi Knights, guardians of peace and justice, no matter what.”

She gazed into his deep blue eyes, dumbfounded.  “You still believe that after all these years?  After everything that’s happened?”

He smiled.  “It’s all I’ve ever had, all I’ve ever wanted.  That is, until…”

His hand slowly moved on top of hers.  “…Until you.”

As the tension between them reached a fever pitch, Kana could hold herself back no longer.  Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him passionately, wanting nothing more than to love him.  Though he was hesitant at first, he slowly began reciprocating her feelings, running his hand down to the small of her back.  She swung her leg over to straddle him on the edge of the bed, cupping his face in her hands as she continued their lip lock.

“Burke… I just want you to know.  This has nothing to do with the fact that you’re a Jedi.  I’m not some swooning girl wanting to throw herself at you because of what you did for me today.  I… I want you.  I’ve wanted you since the first day we met.”  She began to slowly unbutton her dark blue work shirt, “And, if you’ll have me, I know you’d make me the happiest girl in the universe.”

As she finished unbuttoning herself, she left the shirt loosely hanging, barely covering her tantalizing breasts.  Resuming her kissing, she slowly ran her hands over his face and down to his strong neck.  She started grinding her hips gently, being careful not to rub against the cut on his lower thigh, and could feel his enormous cock growing hard against her.

Breaking their kiss momentarily to come up for air, Burke gasped, “I… want you too.  God, I’ve wanted you for so long.  I know I’m not supposed to, that it’s not the Jedi way, but, back in the canyon, you were honestly the reason I survived.  During that duel with Vader, I kept thinking of you, knowing what would happen to you if I failed.”  He moved his hands under her unbuttoned shirt, gently caressing the small of her back.  “You were my strength.  Through you, I was able to do things I never thought possible.  If that’s not the true nature of the Force, I don’t know what is.”

He drew her close, kissing her softly.  Running his hands slowly up her back, he began to slip her shirt off of her.  She shrugged her shoulders as he did so, allowing the blue garment to fall to the floor of the ship.  Her bare breasts now fully exposed to him, she took his hand and gently placed it on her left tit.  As he began to fondle her, his left hand moved up to run through her deep red hair, eliciting a moan of pleasure from her.  She threw her head back, allowing him to begin kissing her neck, slowly working his way down to her chest.

Arriving at her bust, he briefly lingered in the valley of her breasts before taking her left nipple in his mouth.  He heard her gasp lustfully, which only spurred him on further, working her right nipple with his fingers as he lightly sucked.  After several minutes of this teasing, she could handle no more, deciding she had to have all of him.  Gently sliding off his lap, she leaned over him and lightly kissed his lips before slipping her hands underneath his dusty brown shirt.  Pulling it up and over his head, she exposed his strong chest, hardened from his years of training in secret.

With a seductive giggle, she playfully pushed him onto his back and worked his belt before gently pulling off the remainder of his loose black pants.  Now with the man she desired fully naked before her, she figured she should return the favor.  Smiling with a seductive look in her eye, she kicked off her boots and undid her belt before turning her back to him.  Looking over her shoulder, she could see how much he was enjoying the show.  Unzipping her black pants, she bent over as she slid them off of her, shaking her ass ever so slightly as they fell.

Fully exposed to him now, she approached the foot of the small single bed, slowly and lustfully crawling towards him.  She hovered over him, teasing him momentarily before he quickly drew her face to him, his kiss showing more passion and desire than he had displayed thus far.  Moaning in delight, she was pleasantly surprised to feel his hand traveling down her flat stomach, soon arriving at her pussy lips.  As he gently stimulated her clit, soaking her in her own juices, she kept up their kiss and began to slowly jerk is cock.

She was surprised at first by its size, easily seven inches long and quite wide.  Breaking the kiss momentarily, she couldn’t resist purring, “Now THAT’S my kind of lightsaber…”

Slapping her behind playfully, he replied sarcastically, “Very creative.  How long have you been waiting to use that one?”

Giggling, she replied, “The lightsaber pun?  Since you told me you were a Jedi.  Playing with it?  Since I first laid eyes on you…”

Resuming their kiss, she straddled him carefully, making sure to keep her weight off of his legs.  As she braced her hands against his strong chest, he carefully guided her by the waist to align with his cock.  Slowly lowering her dripping pussy onto him, she moaned in satisfaction.  A huge smile spread across her face as she started gently bouncing along his shaft, her incredible tits swinging with her pace.  She opened her eyes and gazed lustfully into his.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve imagined this,” she whispered breathlessly.  “Some nights, when I couldn’t sleep,” she said, beginning to erotically play with her own nipples, “I couldn’t help but pleasure myself… to you.  Hearing your voice, imagining your hands all over me… some nights that was the only thing that got me through.”

Leaning forward, her impressive breasts dangling in front of his face, she continued, “But the real thing is way fucking better than that…”

Unable to control himself any longer, he grabbed hold of her tiny waist, holding her above him, and began to pound his cock into her at breakneck pace.  Her moans of pleasure and ecstasy only spurred him on, refusing to give her even a moment’s respite.  She needed him, as he needed her.  As the pair began to climax together, he finally pumped his last, expelling his seed into her womb with a guttural moan…

Looking up at her, panting and sweating, Melody just smiled back at Mike.  “Welcome back,” she purred.

Greeting him with a sweet kiss, she marveled at the fantasy the pair had just experienced.  “You are a very fun and creative master,” she said, poking his nose playfully as she lay on top of him.

“What? Because of my nerd fantasies?” Mike asked sarcastically, slowly returning to his own consciousness.

Giggling, Melody replied, “Of course.  Many who experience fantasies can’t think of anything outside of the sexual part of things.  You, on the other hand, had a compelling story, interesting characters, not to mention some hella good action.”

Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes lightly.  “So, were we actually having sex, since our characters were in the fantasy?”

“No.  Essentially, we were both asleep on the sofa the whole time.  Now that the fantasy has ended, though, we can still feel all of the effects of the fantasy, as you can likely tell.  For example…” She leaned close to his ear, whispering, “I can still feel your throbbing cock in my pussy.”

Squirming at the mental image, Mike asked, “Is that why my boxer briefs are soaked in my own cum?”

“Well, I don’t know… lets check and see.”  Slipping his gym shorts down to his knees, she revealed his flaccid cock, still coated in his stickiness.  She began to lick his shaft like a lollipop, moaning in delight.  “Mmm… this is definitely your cum.  It tastes wonderful.”

Seeing as it was nearing 8:00, Mike decided a little evening relaxation was in order.  “I wish for my sexual energy to be fully recharged so I can enjoy a nice, long, relaxing handjob from my gorgeous girlfriend.”

Tingle.  Flash.

Instantly, Mike’s cock rose to full attention.  Melody pulled him to sit up straight on the sofa, handing him the TV remote.  “Why don’t we see what’s on while I grant your wish?”

“Sounds good to me.”  Mike flipped through the channels before settling on channel playing Seinfeld reruns.  As they watched, he couldn’t help but be impressed with Melody, who was able to take in the sheer ridiculousness of the show while never missing a beat of her masterful handjob.  She slowly stroked him, occasionally paying attention to his bulging head, before traveling lower.  He could tell she was making sure he enjoyed the ride for as long as possible, and he definitely wasn’t complaining.

Mike did have a hard time paying attention to the show on TV, as Melody’s black satin robe had begun to slip down to her shoulders, revealing the tops of her incredible breasts.  They jiggled and bounced slightly as she reached over to the table, pumping some lube from a bottle on the coffee table.  That wasn’t there a minute ago, was it?  She smiled wickedly; rubbing her hands together and coating his cock with the cool, slick gel.

“Ooh, that feels nice…” Mike murmured.

Resuming her leisurely stroking, she giggled.  “Thought you might like it.”

A moment later, the next episode of Seinfeld started up.  Hilariously, it was one of the most famous episodes ever, “The Contest.”  As the characters made their bet to see who could go the longest without jacking off, Melody couldn’t help but laugh.  “You know, you’d win that contest hands down.”

Cocking his eyebrow, Mike replied, “What do you call what you’re doing right now?”

“Partner masturbation, silly.  The bet is on self gratification.”  She giggled, continuing, “Honestly, you may never need to jack yourself off again.”

“Well I am still a guy, but with such a beautiful sex genie as my girlfriend, I suppose anything’s possible,” he mused.

By the end of the episode, Mike could feel his orgasm slowly building.  Melody muted the TV and kneeled in front of the sofa before him, gazing seductively into his eyes as she increased the speed of her pumps.  Her satin robe still hung by her shoulders, just obscuring her tits.  As Mike stared at them, she got an excellent idea, saying in a sultry voice, “Wanna fuck them?”  Stunned by her naughty suggestion, Mike could only nod affirmative in response.

Smiling, she shifted to rise higher on her knees, pulling the bow on her robe and letting it fall to the floor.  She picked up the bottle of lube from the coffee table, squirting some on her hands, and began to sensually rub it all over her magnificent D-cup tits.  Clearly enjoying herself, she couldn’t help but tweak her nipples as she lubed herself up, gasping in response to her own hands.  Mike thought for half a second that she might have overdone that reaction for his benefit, but then thought better of it; he knew from firsthand experience just how sensitive her nipples were.

With her breasts now properly lubricated, Melody pulled him forward in his seat so that he was slouched a bit with his ass right at the edge of the sofa cushion.  As she leaned over his groin, Mike suddenly remembered her blowjob from yesterday.

“Headband please.”  Her black headband reappeared, ensuring a perfect view of what was to come.

Moving her impressive globes over his cock, she began to gently rub it, first with her right, then her left.  Gradually increasing the speed of her alternations, she was soon practically motor-boating his cock with her tits.  Eventually slowing her pace to a stop as he groaned in pleasure, she then positioned her breasts directly above his engorged member.  Squeezing them together at the front, she formed a tiny tunnel in her cleavage that she could fuck him with.  She pressed her bust down on the head of his cock, slowly taking him in between her glorious tits.  Seconds later, she finally saw his tip reemerge from her valley.  Holding him there momentarily, she gave his tip a quick kiss, giggling as she did so, before deciding it was time to take him to the moon.

Melody now began to slide his cock in and out of her cleavage at a moderate pace, her gaze never leaving his.  Mike was completely speechless; he didn’t know what was sexier, the titjob, watching the titjob, or the incredible look of lust and desire on her face.  Her emerald eyes locked onto his, her speed now increased to a manic pace, causing his eyes to bulge in surprise and pleasure.  He didn’t dare look away; he didn’t want to miss a single moment of this mind-blowing experience.  As her breathing became deeper and huskier, that wicked grin continuing to grow bigger on her face, Mike knew he didn’t have long.

“If you keep… that… up… you’ll have one… helluva mess… to clean up,” Mike managed to gasp.

Grinning mischievously, she simply replied, “That’s the idea.”

Keeping her tempo high, Melody finally pulled her trump card.  Squeezing her breasts as tightly as she could, causing Mike’s eyes to bulge at this newfound tightness, she craned her head down and playfully licked the tip of his cock each time it neared her.  The combined visual and physical sensations were the final straw, causing Mike edge past the point of no return.  Melody, sensing his end was near, increased the ferocity of her bobbing to a point no normal human could ever hope to sustain.  Staring straight into his eyes, her own full of insatiable lust, she was unable to even utter a word of prodding before he began his eruption.

Mike grunted and moaned in ecstasy, never averting his gaze from the incredible sight in front of him.  As he spewed stream after stream of thick, juicy cum, coating Melody’s neck and gorgeous tits, his passion was only prolonged by her unbridled joy in causing his orgasm.  Finally coming down from his climax, he managed a few breathless words.

“That’s one hell of a grin.  Which do you love more?  Making me cum, or being covered in it?  I honestly can’t tell.”

Giggling lustfully, she wiped a dribble of his cum with her middle finger and licked it clean, her eyes never leaving his.  “Both,” she replied in a husky voice.

“Well, I wish for a warm, moist towel so I can clean up my exceedingly dirty girlfriend.  And once I’m done cleaning her up, it’s her turn…”

Tingle.  Flash.

Instantly, Mike was holding a green towel, steamed to the perfect heat and wetness.  Leaning forward on the sofa, he began wiping the valley of her cleavage, working straight up between them and up to her chin.  Sweeping the front half of her neck gently, he then sensually began to clean her shoulders, kissing her forehead in the process.  Making his way down to her tits, he cleaned each individually, paying extra attention to her nipples.  As she squirmed in anticipation, he cupped her face in his hands.  After a long kiss, he vigorously wrapped his arms around her torso, pulling her up and onto the sofa in one swift motion.

As Melody laughed in surprise and excitement from his sudden exercise of control, Mike knelt on the floor in front of the sofa, just as she had done a few moments before.  Running his hands along her inner thighs, her eyes rolled back into her head, savoring the moment.  He pulled her forward on the sofa, her pussy now resting at the edge of the cushion, and reached his hands up to fondle her breasts and nipples.  Beginning to kiss her legs, slowly working his way toward her damp pussy, he could clearly see just how horny jacking him off had made her.  Tracing her outer lips with the tip of his tongue, he took in her delicious juices, bringing a smile to his face.

“You taste… so good,” he whispered.

“R-really?” came her surprised reply.

“Mmm hmm.  It’s like honey, or sweet nectar.  It’s intoxicating.  Addictive.”  He lightly licked her between his descriptions.

“Well, then… quit talking and make me cum already…”

Resuming his worshipping of her womanhood, he began lapping her steadily from the base of her lips all the way up to her clit.  Although she squirmed and buckled, Melody did an admirable job of helping him stay on target, gently placing her hands on the back of his head and running her fingers through his hair.  He smiled to himself, exceedingly proud of how much he was making her lose control, and slipped his middle finger into her dripping slit.  Hearing her breathing become increasingly heavy at the dual sensations occurring, he then began flicking her clit with his tongue.  Unfortunately, he soon realized that his tongue’s stamina wouldn’t allow him to keep this up much longer.  Until, of course, he remembered that he was eating a sex genie.

I wish any time I pleasure you that my tongue would never run out of strength.

Tingle.  Flash.

Now reinvigorated, Mike’s tongue licked and flicked with drive and purpose, only to be satisfied when Melody became a moaning puddle of orgasms.  Sensing from her vocalizations that she was extremely close, he now began sucking her swollen clit and curling his finger to massage her g-spot.  Melody’s eyes bulged, her hands latching onto the backrest of the sofa in a death grip.  With a few final tickles of her g-spot, he blew an intense stream of cool air on her clit, sending her over the edge, screaming and moaning all the while.  Her sweet juices gushed from her womanhood, soaking the sofa and sticking to Mike’s stubble.  She twisted and writhed, her words little more than incoherent babbling.  After a solid five minutes, she finally came down to earth, seemingly in a trance-like state.  Mike moved to sit next to her on the sofa, kissing her cheek.

“I love you,” he whispered.  The words themselves were enough to send her spontaneously rocking into another mini orgasm.

“Holy shit!  I came again, and you didn’t even touch me!”

Chuckling, he started, “Well, that’s because I lo-”

“Stop right there mister!” she interjected.  “I believe you, I love hearing it, but I can’t really handle another one of those right now.”

Relenting, he sat back on the sofa as Melody rested her head on his shoulder.  Sighing contentedly, she asked, “So, what’s going on for tomorrow?”

Going through things in his head, Mike responded, “Well, no formal rehearsals this week with my audition this Friday and… oh crap.”

“What’s wrong?”

Mike sighed, mad at himself.  “I have the biggest audition of my life in less than a week and I haven’t practiced in two days.  In professional music, that’s like a supermodel going to get a Big Mac.  You just don’t do it.”

Running her fingers through his tussled hair, Melody purred, “Oh, my poor, poor Master.  If only he could realize the full potential of his genie’s powers in order to balance his work and sex lives.”

“Wait, are you saying you can help fix this?  I thought your powers were only for sexual purposes?”

Nodding, she replied, “They are.”

Now thoroughly confused, Mike asked, “Then what wish could you possibly grant that would help in my music career and the upcoming audition?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not allowed to tell you that.  You have to answer that question for yourself,” she said, frowning slightly.

“Ok, let me think…”

Mike pondered the situation for several minutes in silence, running through different scenarios in his head.  Half a can of Coke later, he had arrived at a wish he thought might fit the bill perfectly.

“Alright, I think I have a wish.  Let me know if any of this won’t work,” Mike said.  “I wish for all of my musical abilities, range, stamina, tone, technicality, musicianship, and so on, would increase every time we have sex, experience a fantasy, or are intimate in any way, shape, or form.  The increase would be no less than the benefits I would receive from a day of practicing, and potentially more, depending on the intensity of the sex.  All of that within your parameters?”

With a sly look on her face, she responded, “Yep, I can do that.”

His eyes lit up, showing his extreme pride in having found the solution she had alluded to.  “Oh, one other question.  Is it possible to retroactively apply the effects of this wish to all of our encounters since I first met you?”

Melody closed her eyes for a minute, appearing to search for an answer in the deep recesses of her mind.  “…Just barely,” she finally replied.

Tingle.  Flash.

Mike now felt the tingling envelope his lips, lungs, and mind.  He felt great, as if he could perform a three-hour recital right then and there, no warm-up required.

This is gonna come in real handy…

“I take it you’re pleased?” Melody asked, running her hands over his chest.

Taking her hands in his, he kissed her knuckles sweetly, replying, “Very.”

She giggled.  “Well then, it seems we have quite a bit of ‘practicing’ to do this week, don’t we?”

“Yes, yes we do,” he said, laughing.  “Truthfully, though, there’s still no substitute for real honest hard work.  Especially when it comes to career defining auditions.”

“I suppose that’s true.  And step one is a restful night’s sleep, correct?”

Seeing that it was now nearing 10:00, and his plan had always been to get up early on Monday for a long day of preparation, he agreed.  The pair strolled back to their bedroom, turning off all the lights in the apartment as they passed them.  Melody hung her black robe up on a door hook, and Mike discarded his boxer briefs in the laundry hamper.  Crawling into their king-sized bed, Melody snuggled up into her favorite position in the world: curled up in the crook of Mike’s arm, her head on his chest.

“Want me to wake you up again tomorrow?” she asked sweetly.

“Sure,” he said, smiling.  “6:30 work for you?”

“Sounds wonderful,” she said with a contented sigh.

Mike reached over to switch off the lights, curling up with the girl of his dreams in his arms.  Minutes later, they were sound asleep.

[auguy86]

Ch. 05 song titles

Pines of Rome, Movement 2 trumpet solo (Respighi)

Petrushka, Ballerina trumpet solo (Stravinsky)

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 05

Mike awoke first on Monday, which surprised him; Melody had promised to wake him up at 6:30.  Glancing at his clock, he saw that it was only 6:05.  Guess her genie alarm hasn’t gone off yet…

Deciding to have a little fun, he rolled onto his side towards Melody, who was laying with her back to him.  He gently spooned his body against hers, being careful not to wake her yet.  Her breathing deepened, but she did not stir, and he began to lightly brush his fingers across her nipples.  He could tell that this was having the desired effect, now being able to smell the sweet nectar seeping from her pussy.  This, in turn, intensified his morning wood to almost painful levels.

Mike shifted his pelvis lower, brushing his hard cock against her ass as it moved southward.  Rubbing the tip against her entrance before gently pushing himself into her tunnel, her pussy juices began squishing at the introduction of his rod.  She was exceptionally tight in general, but especially so from this position.  Smiling, it became a game to him, seeing how far he could push himself into her before she woke up.  Gently allowing his cock to slither in a bit further, about two thirds of his length, he finally heard her breathing change, indicating she was now aware of what he was up to.  “Good morning,” he whispered.  “It certainly is,” she replied, repeating his quip from yesterday.  As he began to thrust in and out of her at a leisurely pace, she asked, “What happened to me waking you up?”

He chuckled.  “Woke up just after six.  And apparently couldn’t wait to get my cock into you today.”

Giggling, she replied, “Well, no complaints here.  If an irresistible desire to fuck your girlfriend is what gets you up on time, I suppose that’s a burden I can bear.”

As he continued his lazy thrusts, Melody pulled her knees towards her chest, giving him better access and allowing him to fully engulf his length inside of her.  He pushed all the way in, holding himself there momentarily, and circled his cock around her pussy, exploring every inch of her tunnel as she moaned in surprise and delight.

“I love this position,” she purred.  “It’s so relaxing…”

“Definitely.  I’m just glad I woke up before you.  Otherwise, I might not have gotten the idea,” he replied.

Giggling, she said, “That kind of inspiration and creativity can only help your practicing throughout the day, I’d imagine.”

Continuing his moderate pace, he agreed.  “One can only hope.”

They were quickly discovering this position to be one of their favorites, not only for sexual enjoyment, but also for general intimacy.  Even though they were not facing each other, they found that conversations were extremely easy to have from this angle.  As they continued their lovemaking, they heard voices outside the bedroom window.  Mike smiled, recognizing it as Sandra, hustling her kids to the car for school.  Sasha’s adorable little-girl voice was unmistakable.

“Sound’s like it’s time for school,” Melody observed.  “Her kids are just the cutest.  I love ‘em… oh!”

Mike had thrust deep into her again.  “That’s why I fell in love with you,” he whispered.  As she purred lovingly, hearing Sasha’s voice caused Mike to wonder something.

“Melody, are you able to have children?”

Gently running her fingers along his arms, she responded, “Absolutely, although I would only produce human offspring, not jinn.  I also won’t ever become pregnant accidentally.  You would need to wish to impregnate me.  Is that what you would like?”  She couldn’t help but smile at the turn the conversation was taking.

“Ah… not right now.  I don’t think I’m ready for kids of my own yet, at least not financially.  But someday, definitely.”

Still grinning, Melody turned her head, kissing his cheek as he continued his thrusting.  “Well, when that day does come,” she whispered in his ear, “I know for a fact you’ll be an incredible father.”

Mike shuddered as a chill went up his spine.  He was surprised at just how turned on he was becoming by having the kids conversation.  She always knows just what buttons to push.

Deciding it was time for the big finish, he gently lifted Melody’s higher leg up, allowing him better access to thrust at a much faster pace.  Her breathing became more labored as she felt her own climax approaching, and she began to toy with her clit.  She brought herself to one orgasm manually before another one quickly built up within her, finally exploding as Mike filled her up with his cum.  Deeply satisfied, the pair simply relaxed in bed for a few minutes more, spooning together with Mike’s cock slowly softening inside her pussy.

Mike kissed her shoulder lovingly, whispering, “You’re wrong, you know.  About me being an incredible father.”

Throwing a confused look over her shoulder, she asked, “What do you mean?”

Grinning, he explained, “Any asshole that can get an erection can be a father.  But it takes a real man to be a dad.  Getting spit up on, putting Band-Aids on cuts, teaching right and wrong… that’s dad work.  And if I become half the dad mine is, I’ll have done alright.”

Melody now rolled over to face him, his flaccid cock slipping out of her.  She gazed into his eyes and ran her fingers through his messed up hair.  Its blonde color seemed to shimmer from the light of the sunrise peeking through their bedroom window.  Nothing more needed to be said; she saw in his eyes exactly the kind of dad he was capable of being.  She hoped and prayed she would have his children, someday.

After another short make out session, the pair got out of bed start the day.  A few soapy orgasms later, they had dressed and headed to the kitchen for some much needed nourishment.  Mike ate a couple of Pop-Tarts with a glass of milk, while Melody tried some Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  She was a bit surprised at first by the extreme sweetness, but soon came to love it and dug in.  After breakfast, Mike went to the kitchen, preparing a couple of chicken breasts and some broth in his slow cooker, intending to make quesadillas out of them for lunch.  He then relaxed on the sofa, checking emails on his laptop.  He had not yet received any update from the Maestro on who this mystery panelist would be for his audition on Friday.  Figuring he had procrastinated long enough, Mike closed his computer and decided to start his first practice session.

Entering the small sunroom at the front of his apartment that he used as his office and practice studio, he began unpacking his trumpets from their cases.  For auditions of this sort, the panel wanted to see not only the candidate’s general skill, but also their versatility in a wide variety of styles.  As such, most professional trumpet players had put together quite a collection of instruments for these styles.  There was his standard pair of trumpets in B-flat and C, perfect for a wide variety of music, his tiny piccolo trumpet for extremely old music that was written in very high ranges, and his more specialized E-flat trumpet, used for a concerto that he knew would be on the audition.  In the corner of the room stood two additional cases holding two of Mike’s favorite horns: his cornet and flugelhorn.  Though not typically used in orchestral music, he loved the sounds they produced, and always seemed to play around on them whenever he needed a lift to his spirits for any reason.

His preparations complete, he started his daily warm-ups, working through scales and sound quality exercises, eventually moving to more acrobatic warm-ups.  As he played, he started to wonder something.

“Hey, Melody?”

“Hey, what’s up?” came the response.

“Quick question.  I know you would probably be able to soundproof a room with your privacy powers.  Would you be able to keep that soundproofing intact outside of sexual encounters?  Say, for a perfectly quiet practice studio that would never bother the neighbors?”

She closed her eyes, searching her mind for the answer.  “I can,” she finally replied.  “However, it would require that we have sex of some sort in that room within one week, or the wish would eventually deactivate.”

“Oh no…” Mike answered sarcastically.  “How can you put such HUGE restrictions on me?!  I mean, REQUIRING me to fuck my girlfriend in a room just to keep it soundproof?!  I guess…”

Giggling, she shot back, “Well, we would need to test out just how soundproof the room really is, right?  Shall I make it happen?”

“Let’s do it.”

Tingle.  Flash.

Though the room didn’t look any different, Mike looked over at Melody from within his studio.  Her lips were moving, but he couldn’t hear a single word she was saying.  Stepping out for a moment, he revealed this to her, asking, “Is it possible to let sound into the room, but not out?”

“So picky,” she replied, playfully sticking her tongue out at him.

Tingle.  Flash.

As he stepped back into the room, Melody asked, “Can you hear me?”

Nodding, Mike turned with his back to her and also asked, “Can you hear me?”  No response.  He thought to her, Could you hear me there?

Nope.  Looks like it worked perfectly.  Shall I put a little fuck session on the calendar for us?

He laughed in her head.  Nah, I can be more spontaneous than that.

Ooh, yay… she replied in anticipation.

Chuckling to himself, Mike returned his focus to his audition preparations, advising Melody to explore her personality and interests some more.  He pulled out his music books and placed one on his graduation present from a few years back, a beautiful wooden music stand made of cherry and mahogany.  As he began to work on excerpts, he was instantly enjoying the benefits of his new soundproof practice studio. The small sections of larger orchestral works he was working on were quite loud and bombastic, and the newly insulated room allowed him to throw himself into the music without worrying about disturbing the neighbors.  After a few of hours of practice, during which he could immediately tell a difference thanks to his wish from yesterday about his musical skills, he decided to play one more excerpt before taking a lunch break.  Looking at the audition list, he pulled up one of his favorites.

The second movement of The Pines of Rome had a gorgeous, lyrical trumpet solo in it.  Requiring immense breath control and musicianship, Mike’s performance of it was the deciding factor when he won the job of Assistant Principal a year and a half ago.  Beginning the solo, he closed his eyes and lost himself completely in the music, feeling a new ability of expression.  He wasn’t sure if this was specifically due to his wish, or simply because of meeting Melody last Friday, but he didn’t care.  The sweet melody perfectly encapsulated his feelings towards the girl he had named as such, and that’s all that mattered to him in that moment.

Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Melody sitting on the living room sofa across from him, smiling right at him.  Stepping out of his studio, he asked, “Why the big grin?  You weren’t able to hear me.”

“Didn’t have to,” she replied.  “The look on your face said it all.  You were thinking of me, weren’t you?”

Without a word, he motioned for her to join him in his studio.  Seating her in the small folding chair in the corner, he began to play once more, again losing himself in the music.  As he finished the solo, Melody was no longer smiling.  Her expression was one of amazement, enchantment even.  Each day she lived brought new experiences for her with Mike, but at this moment, she felt for the first time as if she was peering into his very soul.

“That was… incredible,” was all she could say.

“I know.”

His smartass remark instantly snapped her back to reality, as she giggled and slapped his shoulder playfully.

“You getting hungry for some lunch?” Mike asked.

“Sure am, that chicken smells awesome.”

Mike got to work on shredding the chicken, now juicy and tender, while Melody got out the rest of the supplies at his direction.  She watched as Mike coated two soft tortillas with Monterey Jack cheese, filled each with a layer of chicken, and finished the concoction with another coating of cheese.  Placing a tortilla on top of each one, he set the stove eyes to medium heat and began to cook each in a skillet.  As the bottoms began to turn golden, he deftly flipped each of them over to finish cooking both sides.  Once they were done, he separated them onto two plates and cut each into slices with a pizza cutter.

“Oh, wow!  This is yummy!” Melody gushed, taking her first bite.

“Yep, and there’s plenty of chicken left over, so this should feed us for lunch for at least a couple of days.”

The couple sat on the sofa to relax for a bit, turning on the local news for background noise.  Turning to Melody, Mike asked, “So what did you do this morning?”

“Let me show you,” she said, reaching for Mike’s laptop.  Pulling up the web browser, she typed in a web address, pulling up a site entitled “Melodious Photography.”

“Your photography website you mentioned?”

“Yep, now fully functional and open for business,” she beamed.

Slack jawed, he said, “Wow, I thought that was just a cover story?”

“You’d be surprised how far my free will has allowed me to stretch the rules of blending in to modern society and being your ideal woman,” she explained.  “After all, with you wishing for me to be an equal partner and, I can only assume, a modern woman, it’s only right that I find a way to be that equal partner and earn a living.  Additionally, not having any way of supporting myself after, supposedly, moving from Houston to start a new life, could potentially raise suspicion and threaten our anonymity.

“To that end, it only made sense to create my own small photography business, using the portfolio website as a starting point.  In addition to the website, I was able to instantly gain everything necessary for actually running said business.  So far, that includes genuine photography skills, a cell phone to set up jobs, a legally registered car and driver’s license to travel to them, and, of course, all necessary photography equipment.”

“Wait, you were able to just create a cell pone and a car?!” Mike marveled.

Melody giggled.  “Yep, since they are necessary for blending into modern society,” she replied, pulling an iPhone 6 out of her back pocket.  “I’ve also connected to several forms of social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.  These increase my ability to actually find work, plus they’re free with an email address, so magic wasn’t actually required to set them up.  I’ve also reached out to Ashley to start making contacts with people who need a photographer at a good price.  Wedding season is coming up after all.”

Nodding, Mike then inquired, “Now I’m curious.  What kind of car does Melody Roberts drive?”

“Something practical and inconspicuous was my goal,” she responded.  “After checking reviews of current popular models, I decided on a 2014 Honda Accord.”

“Good choice.  I nearly went with that over my CR-V.  So, is it parked outside right now?”

“Yep.  I doubt it would raise suspicion, as big as your apartment complex is.  And if we, theoretically, were to have met online and just now decided to move in together, it would make sense that I would now start keeping my car here.”

Shaking his head in amazement, Mike took her hand.  “Melody, I can’t tell you how proud of you I am.  Not just that you want to earn a living, but also with how far you’ve come in exercising your free will.  I know that you love me, and that you’re programmed to love me unconditionally, but this is probably the most touching gesture you’ve made.  You want to make sure I’m not just taking care of you with whatever money I happen to earn; you want to contribute to that.  It really is incredibly appreciated.”

She smiled, feeling his genuine admiration for her efforts.  “Thank you.  I had hoped you’d be pleased.  Wanna take a ride in my car?  We still need to go by the apartment office for those errands you mentioned.”

As the couple walked out of their apartment, Melody carried a small purse containing various things a woman of her age would have with them: a wallet, ID cards, some Tic Tacs, and a little makeup.  She pulled out a car key, attached to a small keyring with a trumpet charm and her apartment key, and hit the unlock button, causing the lights of her car to flash from across the parking lot.  Climbing into the car, Mike noticed the lack of new car smell.  Melody explained that she had bought the car in Texas last year, and a new car smell would make that story less plausible.

Entering the leasing office at the front of the complex, Mike began to fill out the papers adding Melody as an authorized signer for packages and mail.  He was glad the leasing company didn’t see this as odd.  She was able to produce photo ID, and Mike had never been late on his rent, so they weren’t going to raise a fuss over one of their best tenants moving in with his girlfriend.

Their errand complete, Mike and Melody headed back home.  Mike spent the rest of the afternoon continuing his audition prep, while Melody tried out some more of his video game collection, settling on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.  Starting a new game from the beginning, she was quickly engrossed in the story and characters, completely losing track of time.  By the time Mike finished work for the evening, she had been playing for over four hours.  Mike laughed, reassuring her that this was completely understandable; he often found himself immersed in a Zelda game for hours on end as well.  As they began to check out ideas for dinner, Mike’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Mike!  Robert Spano here.”

“Maestro!  Good to hear from you.”

“We’ve put together the audition schedule for this Friday.  Each of the five candidates will have a one-hour audition and interview.  Yours will be the final one of the afternoon, starting at 3:00.”

Writing the information on his notepad, Mike replied, “Three PM, got it.”

“Great.  Also, as you know, two of the panelists will be Jessica and myself.  I’ve just received confirmation less than an hour ago that the final panelist will be Philip Smith.”

Stunned, Mike could only respond, “Wow… Philip Smith?”

“Yep.  He’s an excellent judge of talent and potential, and I’ve worked with him previously.  Anywho, any further questions you had for me?”

“Uh, no sir.  I’ve got everything I need.”

“Excellent.  We’ll see you Friday then!”

“Thanks.  Take care.”

As he hung up the phone, Melody looked at him inquisitively.  “That was my boss, the Maestro.  The three-judge panel for my audition has been set, and one of the judges is going to be… Philip Smith.”

“Who is he?”

“He’s literally the greatest trumpet player in the world right now.  His sound, expression, and knowledge are unrivaled in professional music.  Not to mention that he’s kinda my hero.  I’ve tried to emulate him in everything I do professionally.  Honestly, it’s really intimidating thinking about being on that stage with my promotion in his hands.”

Melody kissed him tenderly for several long seconds, calming him down from his adrenaline rush.  “This is a fantastic opportunity for you,” she said.  “Just don’t forget that Philip Smith is, ultimately, just a man.  Like any other, he can be impressed.  As long as you don’t view him as some giant monster, you’ll do brilliantly out there.”

Sighing, he replied, “You always know just what to say.”

After a casual dinner of frozen chicken tenders and instant mashed potatoes, the pair settled onto the sofa, deciding to continue their movie streak with The Empire Strikes Back.  As with the previous installment, Melody was completely sucked in from the very beginning.  She absolutely loved the ice battles on Hoth, and came away impressed with the growth Luke’s character started showing from the whiny farm kid in the first film.

Mike watched her face intently as the movie approached the climax.  She jumped and squealed as Luke and Vader fought their epic duel.  Brought nearly to tears as Luke’s hand was cut off, those tears were completely halted by the shocking revelation of Vader as Luke’s father.

“No.  Fucking.  WAY!”

Mike chuckled next to her all the while, fully enjoying her reactions to a film that he considered to be one of the greatest ever made.  As the credits rolled, she was again hyped and excited, ready for the next installment.  Assuring her that all her questions would be answered, Mike still refused to give anything away, bringing out Melody’s pouty face, to no avail.  The pair spent the rest of the evening playing Call of Duty, dominating quite a few online matches before deciding to head to bed around 11:30.  A short time later, both were passed out in orgasm-induced comas.

Tuesday brought more of the same.  Waking up horny, a hot shower together, they were becoming as natural to them as breathing.  Through it all, none of it grew boring or monotonous; Mike still gazed on Melody as intently as the moment he fell in love with her.  As he worked through his morning practice session, Melody continued setting up her photography business, managing to land her first job, filling in for a sick student photographer for a basketball game at the local college in two weeks.  She bounded into Mike’s studio, bouncing in pure giddiness at her first booked job as a professional photographer.

As the day became night, both called their work done for the day, and finished the original Star Wars trilogy over a dinner of frozen lasagnas.  Return of the Jedi was a lot of fun for Melody from start to finish.  She marveled at how strong Luke had become, rewinding the movie to re-watch the scene where he mind tricked his way into Jabba the Hutt’s palace.  She also grinned contently as she watched Vader, now mortally wounded from saving his son’s life, finally find redemption in his last breaths.

Turning to Mike, she asked, “Didn’t you say there are three more of these?”

“Yep,” he responded.  “As far as films go, they aren’t nearly as good as the three we’ve seen here, but the story they tell is extremely important, and fills in some of the blank spots from the original trilogy.”

Passing the rest of the evening by watching NCIS reruns, they soon started fondling and making out on the sofa.  Eventually, they returned to their newly discovered favorite position, beginning to have sex while spooning on the sofa.  Thanks to a few stamina wishes, they we able to leisurely make love constantly throughout the evening before finally retiring to bed content and relaxed.

Wednesday began with their now familiar morning routine, however Mike felt a little celebration was in order for Melody’s first job.  Driving them to Waffle House, Melody took quite a long time to decide what she wanted from the enormous menu.  Finally deciding on a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit with a side of hash browns, Mike got his traditional waffle with a side of scrambled eggs.  After arriving home, Mike procrastinated a bit with news and social media, though still making mental runs through his music all the while.  Around 10:00 in the morning, as he was about to begin practicing, he heard a knock at his door.

“Braxton!  Time for a fire drill!  Open up!”

He immediately recognized the voice as Stuart McKay, the principal tuba player from the ASO.  Turning to Melody, Mike quickly asked her to slow time, which she immediately did.

“Melody, some of my friends are here.  It sounds like they want to help me in my audition prep.  I don’t want to sound mean, but having my new girlfriend here would only distract them.  Is there any way you could, ya know, not be here temporarily?”

Giggling, she replied, “You mean like this?”  Instantly, she vanished before his very eyes.  And don’t worry about a thing.  I will never be mad at you for needing to give your friends the proper attention they deserve.  And, of course, I’m still only a thought away.  A quick kissing sound in his head, and time suddenly reverted to normal.

Opening his door, he was greeted jovially by three ASO musicians.  Stuart was his usual goofy self, wearing a tuxedo T-shirt and flip-flops.  His tall, lanky figure and hilarious ability to reverse his double-jointed fingers at will were but a few of his many eccentricities.  Next was Seth Ivy, the second chair trombonist.  Similar in personality to Stuart, though a bit more down to earth, many who knew him were surprised to learn of his Mormon upbringing.  He typically responded with a line about how Mormons have a fantastic sense of humor, though it’s not always seen publicly due to the church’s introverted nature.  Behind the two guys came Darcy.  Greeting Mike with a smile and a hug, he couldn’t help but notice that she seemed somewhat less chipper than she had last Friday.

“Ok, let’s get down to business,” Stuart said, clapping his hands together excitedly.  “Braxton, you’ve done fire drills before.  You know the rules?”

Fire drills were a preparation method for auditions, taking place at a time completely unknown to the candidate, which forced them to be prepared at all times.  Typically, the candidate would play through an entire mock audition as if it were actually happening right then and there.  Meanwhile, the candidate’s friends would attempt to distract them in any way they could conceive of, with the caveat of being unable to touch, blow on, get close to, or physically interfere with the player or their music and equipment in any way.  Additionally, distractors were usually not allowed any sudden outbursts or actions meant to scare or startle the player, though this was still not unheard of.  The premise behind this preparation method was the idea that, if a musician could perform a high quality audition under such conditions, then they would have no problem with nerves and intimidation in the controlled environment of the audition room.  Having friends willing to do this for each other was considered a mark of strong camaraderie amongst professional musicians.

“Oh, I’m very familiar with what you guys are capable of,” came his reply.  Stuart, Seth, and Mike had worked together to help Darcy prepare for her principal audition last year.

Stepping into his studio, Mike suddenly remembered his wish from Monday to soundproof it.  Melody, I need you to temporarily disable any and all magical qualities of my practice studio.

Tingle.  Flash.  Done.

Beginning his mock audition, Mike started down the list of orchestral excerpts to be performed.  As he placed his music on the wooden stand, his friends stood just outside the small sunroom, ready to test his concentration.  Starting the first excerpt, Stuart pulled out the latest issue of Penthouse from his book bag, beginning to describe the Penthouse Pet of the month in all her sexual glory.  Mike, however, was unfazed, even as Stuart turned the magazine to show the pictures as if he was reading a book to children.

“Not good enough,” Darcy mused.  “We gotta up our game.”

Taking the magazine from Stuart, she flipped to the back pages and began reading the letters to the editor aloud.  The steamier the stories became, the sexier she made her voice.  Although this began having more of an effect on Mike, he maintained his ironclad concentration, pushing through the second and third excerpts.

As Mike began the Pines of Rome solo he had played for Melody two days before, the trio again changed up their tactics.  With Mike absorbed completely in the music, Seth and Darcy began pantomiming a mock marriage proposal, complete with goofy faces and jumping for joy.  Before she could take the invisible ring from Seth’s hand, Stuart stepped between them in feigned protest, extending his hand not to Darcy, but to Seth, as the two guys began to slow dance around Mike’s living room while Darcy sobbed on the floor.  Despite their antics, Mike again refused to pay them any mind.

Arriving at the final excerpt, Mike knew full well this one would put him to the test in every way possible.  Stravinsky’s Petrushka was easily one of the most challenging pieces in the orchestral repertoire, and the Ballerina’s solo, played by the trumpet, was especially so.  An acrobatic segment, the melody jumped from high to low many times throughout while also dramatically varying in volume, requiring extreme skill and control to perform well.  As Mike made his mental preparations for the solo, Stuart and Seth lined up shoulder to shoulder on either side of Darcy, clearly plotting something.

Beginning the extended solo, Mike was unable to ignore his friends locking their arms around each other’s shoulders, dancing the can-can around his living room and cracking up as they danced.  Though impressed with their fervor, Mike was far too busy with the technical runs he was playing to really pay them any attention.  Nearing the end of the excerpt, Stuart and Seth turned their backs to him while Darcy got an evil look in her eye.  As Mike played the final couple of measures of the solo, the guys dropped their shorts, mooning him with their bare asses.  Darcy, on the other hand, pulled her T-shirt up over her face, jiggling her perky B-cup breasts as she flashed Mike.  Yet, even with all the nudity in front of his face, Mike still managed to finish the solo with poise, even taking a modest bow after finishing the final notes.

“Nice tits, by the way,” he deadpanned as he placed his trumpet back in its case.

As the trio re-clothed themselves, Darcy shot back, “Not nice enough apparently.  I’d say you’re more than ready if you can handle all of that.”

“No shit,” Stuart agreed.  “We threw everything we had at you.  Believe it or not, that last move was Seth’s idea.”

Laughing, Seth continued, “Yeah, but I can’t take all the credit.  Darcy was the one who decided to flash her tits at ya.”

“Hey,” she said, “If showing my boobs to my best friend is what gets him the big promotion he’s worked for, then let ‘er rip!”

As Mike thanked his friends for taking time to help him prepare for Friday, the group started discussing their plans for the evening.  Seth and Stuart invited Mike and Darcy to join them for a drink later that night, but both declined.

“Appreciate the invite, but no alcohol for me ‘til after the audition,” Mike said.  “I’m not taking any chances.”

“Me either,” Darcy agreed.  “I have… plans tonight.”  Her excuse sounded like just that: an excuse.

“Well alright then, suit yourself.  Seth, you rode with Darcy here, right?  Need a ride home?” Stuart asked.

“Sure.  Thanks man.”

Saying their goodbyes, the two goofballs departed, still proud of their distraction attempts.  Now alone, Mike turned to Darcy.

“Ok, you’ve never been huge on drinking, but that’s gotta be the lamest excuse you’ve ever given for anything, at least that I’ve heard.  You ok?”

Nodding hesitantly, Darcy replied, “Yeah, it’s just… Stephen and I are meeting up tonight.  We started trying to patch things up this weekend.”

Mike sighed, shaking his head.  He had been afraid of this.  Stephen was a total asshole with serious anger issues, but also had this unique ability to charm his way back into any situation after all hope seemed lost.  In the few times Mike had hung out with the two of them, he had always gotten the impression that Stephen viewed Darcy, and every other woman for that matter, as pieces of meat.  Outside of being seen with her, it seemed he really didn’t care about her.

In one instance, Darcy’s father had been rushed to the hospital.  She was an emotional wreck in the restaurant as she got the news, and in no shape to drive.  Stephen, however, showed no emotional reaction and refused to drive her home unless they took his car, not wanting to leave his here for any amount of time.  Even with Mike offering to drive him back to get his car, he still said no, resulting in Mike taking her home and returning the next day for his car.  Another time, a passing waitress at the same restaurant accidentally spilled a glass of water on Stephen’s lap.  The poor girl was clearly new, and very apologetic for the accident, but that did nothing to temper the tirade Stephen launched into.  He even started calling her nasty names, making fun of her being slightly overweight, and when Darcy attempted to get him to stop, he snapped at her, advising her that she should sit down if she knew what was best for her.  Since then, Mike had never trusted him even for a second.

“Are you sure about this?  You know how I feel about him,” Mike asked seriously.

“We’re just meeting for coffee, and that’s it.  I just want to be sure I’m not acting too hastily,” she replied.

Realizing he couldn’t change her mind, he acquiesced.  “Ok.  Just text me when you’re home please.  And if you need anything, anything at all, call me.  Don’t care what time it is.  Promise?”

“Promise.”

After they had said their goodbyes, confirming they were still on for hanging out after the audition, Darcy headed for her car.  Locking the door, Mike asked, “You hear all of that.”

“Sure did,” Melody replied, appearing behind him.  “You have some really awesome friends.  I can’t wait to meet them!”

“Can’t argue with you there,” he agreed.  “Now, what about Darcy?”

Closing her eyes momentarily, Melody said, “She feels bad that she ended things as quickly as she did, mainly after talking to Stephen on the phone this weekend.  He can be quite the smooth talker when he wants to be.”

“Wait, you got all of that from our conversation just now?”

“No, I was also able to hear her thoughts on the situation.  This is very easy for me to do in matters of love and sex.  I can refrain if you would like, though I sense you are incredibly concerned for her safety.”

Nodding, Mike said, “Yes.  She’s a sweet girl, and deserves way better than Stephen.  Unfortunately, I’m afraid she may be too sweet for her own good in this case, falling for his silver tongue.  Do you sense that she may be in any danger on their date tonight?”

Again closing her eyes, Melody replied, “I don’t believe so.  I am unsure of why Stephen is going to such great lengths to get her back, with as many beautiful women as he knows.  Still, I can tell that he wants to get back on her good side for whatever the reason may be, so it seems doubtful that he would do anything to harm her, at least for tonight.  Darcy, for all of her sweetness, is also very resolved not to spend the night with him tonight.”

Sighing in relief, Mike responded, “Ok, that’s good.  Would you be able to keep an eye on them for now, just to make sure nothing bad happens?”

“Absolutely.  Monitoring other people’s activities in regards to love and sex is as easy to me as breathing,” she replied.  “Unless, of course, that breathing is while you’re… touching me…”

Pulling her in for a short, yet passionate kiss, Mike said, “Later.  Right now, I’m starving.”

The pair ate the last of the quesadilla chicken leftovers for lunch before relaxing on the sofa with the noon news on the TV.  Melody sent a few more emails to prospective clients, while Mike listened to some of the pieces he’d be playing on Friday to get himself in the right mindset for the next couple of days.  After a couple of hours of relaxation, Mike had a fantastic idea.

Reentering his practice studio, Mike motioned for Melody to join him.  He explained that he would now be doing his final full run of the audition material, reserving tomorrow for some final tweaks and light practicing.  Explaining his idea to her, her eyes lit up with excitement.  Without a word, she stripped him down completely naked and knelt between Mike and the music stand in the center of the room.

As he began the audition material, Melody started sucking his cock, being careful not to grab onto him or alter his stance in any way, and using only her mouth to work his length.  Hey, if I can ignore those three idiots earlier AND resist my girlfriend’s masterful blowjobs, I’ll be golden for Friday.  As Mike continued his run-through, a tingling in his mind indicated she was controlling his passion, ensuring he would not approach orgasm while he was playing.  Melody pointed out that this would not be a fair thing for him to have to concentrate through, as much of the brain’s cognitive functions shut down during climax.

Nearing the home stretch, Melody intensified her pleasuring, swirling her tongue and increasing the speed of her bobbing.  Mike persevered through it all, though with much more difficulty than in that morning’s session.  Finally finishing the audition material, he lowered his horn and breathed a sigh of relief.  Melody, however, didn’t let up on her sucking one bit.  Grinning mischievously, Mike leaned down and whispered in her ear.

“I wish for you to be completely naked.”

Instantly, her clothes disappeared.  Tapping her forehead lightly, Mike signaled that he was done with the blowjob.  As she stood in front of him, he ran his hands down her chest, eliciting a few chills of excitement.  Grabbing her with more force than he typically showed, he kissed her passionately, causing her to fling her arms around his neck.  As she did so, he cupped her ass in his hands, and she squealed in surprise as he lifted her up off the floor.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, Melody carefully impaled her pussy on his throbbing rod, moaning in pleasure at his unexpected exercise of control and dominance.  He kept his hands firmly on her slim waist as she hung on for dear life, spacing his feet ideally for a power stance as he began to pound her.  Slowly increasing the speed of his thrusts, her incredible tits began swinging and jiggling with his every movement.

As her moans increased to full on screams of ecstasy, he moved forward carefully to pin her back against the wall, his cock jackhammering her for everything he was worth.  She ran her fingers through his blonde hair, now tussled from their rigorous fucking, and locked her emerald eyes onto his, both full of lust and desire for each other.  Ramming his last into her, Mike finally felt his long awaited climax approach and, giving himself over to it completely, unleashed a torrent of his cum into Melody’s convulsing pussy.

Panting and leaning their sweaty bodies against each other, Melody could only say, “I like when you take control…”

Without a word, Mike swept her up into his arms, kissed her lovingly, and brought her over to the sofa, laying her down on her side before joining her.  Now lying face to face, the couple napped and lazily made out for quite some time before growing hungry for dinner.  After consuming a couple of TV dinners, Mike introduced Melody to the joys of Super Smash Brothers.  She quickly discovered that this might be her best game of all, as after only an hour of playing, she was constantly defeating Mike with little effort.  Growing tired of getting his ass kicked, Mike switched over to Pokémon for some online matches, with Melody watching intently to understand his strategies.  After a couple of hours, it was nearing 11:00, and they decided to turn in for the night.  As they drifted off to sleep, Mike asked Melody not to wake him early so they could sleep in, to which she happily agreed.

Melody awoke around 9:00 the next day feeling extremely well rested, and rolled over to cuddle with Mike, only to find his side of the bed empty.  Hearing a noise in the living area, she dressed in her favorite black satin robe and found Mike in the kitchen, pulling a pan of fresh cinnamon rolls from the oven.

Wrapping him in a tender embrace, she laid her head on his shoulder, saying, “You take such good care of me.  You just better hope I don’t get spoiled.”

“I thought you already were,” he replied with his signature smartass grin.

As the pair ate breakfast, Mike asked, “I assume Darcy is ok after her date with Stephen last night?”

Nodding, Melody replied, “Yes.  He continued his sweet talking ways and did try to convince her to come home with him, but she held firm, saying she wanted to take things slow.”

“And how did he react to that?”

She shrugged.  “Outwardly, he seemed very understanding.  Inwardly, he was mad as hell.  She’s always been strong and self-assured, but he apparently never saw just how much.”

Mike snorted, responding, “Cause he’s never cared about what was inside her head or her heart.”

“Well, regardless, Darcy is in no danger, at least not right now.  Down the line, I fear your suspicions about Stephen may prove correct, and that he may become violent and abusive.”  Looking directly into his eyes, Melody continued, “Master, this situation does bring up an important aspect of my powers that we have yet to delve into.  If you wanted to improve their relationship, so that Stephen could become more caring, or end the relationship, knowing that he is not the right man for Darcy in his current state, a wish would accomplish either of these things.”

Momentarily halting his chewing, Mike asked, “You’re able to affect other people’s relationships like that?”

“Absolutely.  A wish of that nature would be well within the realm of love and sex, so it would be quite easy to grant.  What do you think?”

Mike sat in silence for at least ten minutes, pondering the right thing to do in this situation.  On the one hand, he wanted to look out for Darcy’s wellbeing, and firmly believed that Stephen was completely wrong for her.  Still, using a wish to alter a relationship between any human would amount to interfering with free will, something that stood in direct contrast to one of the cornerstones of his faith: free will is God’s most precious gift to humanity, and it should never be interfered with.  As he explained this to Melody, she nodded in complete understanding.

“I must commend you, Master.  This dilemma is not unlike the one you found yourself in upon first releasing me from my vessel.  Your decision then reflected your dedication to freedom and free will.  With that in mind, I believe you may have already figured out what the right thing to do is.  Am I correct?”

Mike’s eyes brightened, stimulated from Melody’s statement.  “Well, look at you.  Using logic and reason to know exactly where I’m going in my line of thinking.  That’s so hot…”

“Why, thank you,” she replied, giggling and twirling her hair.

“Ultimately, you’re right.  We need to help Darcy, but I won’t mess with her free will and her right to make her own decisions.”  Thinking for a moment, he suggested, “How ‘bout this?  Friday, you come pick me up after the audition.  Darcy will almost certainly be there too, wanting to know how everything went.  She and I already will be hanging out in some way shape or form, and I know she will want to know more about you, so she’ll definitely invite you to come as well.  If it’s the three of us, that may provide an opportunity to probe her relationship a bit and see if I can convince her that she needs to move on.  If Stephen is there, that could be trickier, but we may still have a chance to highlight his true colors in some way.  Sound good?”

“That’ll work.  I really hope you can convince her.  I can tell she’s a sweet girl, and deserves much better than Stephen.”

“Me too.  Oh, and I’m not sure exactly what her first reaction to you will be.  I kind of told her that I wouldn’t be having any contact of the female variety until after the audition, so she might interrogate me some over that.  I doubt she would show any jealousy towards you, but she will want to make sure that you have good intentions, not unlike your chat with Sandra.”

Nodding, Melody replied, “I’d expect nothing less.  I can tell she’s been a close friend of yours for quite some time.  She cares about you, just as much as you care about her.”

“That basically sums it up…”

Throughout the rest of the day, the pair decided to relax, watching the remaining three Star Wars movies back-to-back.  In-between each film, Mike conducted short practice sessions, checking the various problem areas of the audition that could trip him up, but keeping the sessions to no more than fifteen minutes, so as to keep his lips in prime form.  Too much practice the day before ran the risk of him being too physically worn out to be in optimal condition.

As they watched the movies, Melody agreed with his assessment: not as good as the original three, though each still had their merits.  Despite the annoyance of Jar-Jar in Episode I, she really enjoyed seeing old Obi-Wan as a brash young Jedi, not unlike Luke.  She was also a huge fan of Liam Neeson’s portrayal of Qui-Gon, calling it the high point of the film.

As they continued with Episode II, she did enjoy the well-written action scenes throughout the movie, particularly the large arena battle with the entire Jedi Order fighting for survival.  The villain, Count Dooku, was also fantastically played, being both sinister and charismatic.  Unfortunately, she was far less than enthusiastic with the romantic scenes between Anakin and Padme.

“Remember, I’m a sex genie, master of all matters of physical love and romance.  This depiction of ‘love,’” she said, using air quotes, “makes even me want to barf all over the floor!”

As they moved on to Episode III, the third installment of the prequel trilogy quickly became her favorite of the three.  She absolutely loved seeing the transformation of young Obi-Wan into the Alec Guinness character from the original story.  In spite of more terrible love scenes and bad acting from Hayden Christensen, she was moved to tears during the final duel between the two former friends, Anakin and Obi-Wan.  As the final scenes rolled, showing the birth of Luke and Leah, death of their mother, and complete rebirth of Anakin in the fearsome suit of Darth Vader, she turned to face Mike.  In the best James Earl Jones impression she could muster, she uttered a few words.

“The circle is now complete.”

The pair completely lost it, cracking up laughing at her final descent into total nerdom.  As they made out playfully for the next several minutes, hunger eventually began to take over.  Melody went to microwave some frozen chicken patties and canned green beans, while Mike finished up one last short practice session in preparation for his big day.  As he played his final notes for the day, Mike couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous, yet still ready for anything.

They ate their dinner of chicken sandwiches, still laughing and talking about the movies they had watched.  After finishing their food, they curled up on the sofa to the news and Seinfeld reruns, spooning and lazily making love throughout the evening.  After his fourth orgasm and God-knows how many of hers, they began to doze in and out of consciousness, one occasionally waking the other up with a few playful kisses.  Around 10:30, Mike decided an early bedtime was in order, ensuring he would be well rested for his audition.

Climbing into bed and cuddling with Melody a bit more before turning the lights out, Mike asked, “I know that you are able to interpret my wishes.  Just how vague of a wish are you able to properly interpret?”

Eying him curiously, she replied, “Pretty vague.  Why do you ask?”

“Well, I want to be awoken tomorrow at a time and in such a manner that will let me be perfectly well rested and in optimal mental preparation for the audition.  Is that enough for you to go on, even if I can’t actually tell you what that would entail?”

Tingle.  Flash.

“No problem at all,” Melody said with a smile.  “I’ll take great care of you tomorrow.  By the time you walk onto that stage, you’ll feel like you could wrestle a grizzly bear and come out on top.”

Switching off the lights, Mike drew her close, kissing her lovingly for several minutes.  “You really are the best,” he said, drifting off to sleep.

“I know,” she whispered back with a smile.

[auguy86]

Ch. 06 song titles

The Firebird, Finale (Stravinsky)

Concerto for Trumpet in E-flat, Movement III (Hummel)

The Trumpet Shall Sound (Handel)

Petrushka, Ballerina Trumpet Solo (Stravinsky)

Pictures at an Exhibition, Movement I (Mussorgsky)

Symphony No. 5, Movement I opening (Mahler)

Pines of Rome, Movement II trumpet solo (Respighi)

Shut Up and Dance (Walk the Moon)

Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 06

Melody awoke around 9:45 on Friday morning.  Based on Mike’s wish the night before, she was able to tell that waking him at 10:00 would allow him the perfect amount of rest, while still giving him plenty of time for an unhurried morning routine before heading to work.  She lay in bed a few minutes more, gently stretching her body awake.  As the clock hit 9:55, she began the task of awakening him in such a way that would perfectly relax him for the day ahead, which, according to his subconscious, was a handjob.  Conjuring up a bottle of lube, she prepared her hands and quietly exposed his morning wood.

Kneeling beside him on their huge bed, she began gently massaging the underside of his cock, spreading the thick lube over his length.  Once he was properly slick, she then wrapped him in her hand, stroking him at a slow to moderate pace with a perfect amount of pressure applied.  As his breathing deepened, indicating his enjoyment, she then deployed part two of her plan.

Gazing at his alarm clock, she flashed her eyes and started up one of his favorite pieces of music, the finale to The Firebird.  The music began ever so softly, the horns entering at barely a whisper.  Through his subconscious, she knew exactly where the first big climax of the piece was, resolving to bring him to orgasm right at that moment.  Varying her strokes perfectly, she increased her pace and applied just the right amount of pressure, all while keeping him asleep.

As she stroked, she used her powers to gradually build his orgasm within him, releasing his eruption just as the music changed to final up-tempo section.  Mike moaned in pleasure, his cum spewing from his cock and coating his abdomen as he slowly awoke.  Now empty of his seed, Melody gently laid on her stomach on top of him, savoring his cum as he began rubbing his eyes awake.

“Geez, girl.  When I make a wish, you sure as hell deliver,” he said sleepily.

Licking the last of his cum from his stomach, she giggled and sweetly kissed his belly button.  “Sleep well?”

“Absolutely,” he marveled, sitting up in bed.

“Excellent.  It’s 10:00, so that gives you plenty of time for a relaxing shower, a leisurely warm-up, and some lunch and mental preparation before we head downtown for your audition.”

Kissing her sweetly as she crawled over his body to his face, he said, “You just think of everything.”

Showering alone for once, Mike whistled through all the audition pieces as he shaved and cleaned up, occasionally moving his hands to the proper fingerings to make sure he had everything down.  Exiting the shower and drying off, he combed his hair before looking through his closet, deciding on the appropriate audition attire.  As this was basically a job interview, complete with his hero in attendance, Mike wanted to ensure he made a good impression.  Deciding on a deep red wine dress shirt and a nice pair of dark blue jeans, he then slipped on his brown loafers and a belt to complete the ensemble.

Letting Melody know that he was done, he watched her shapely ass bounce as she strutted to the shower, seductively glancing over her shoulder before closing the door to the bathroom.  He walked out to his practice studio, unpacking his C trumpet and warming up slowly, adjusting himself to each note he played as if he were entering a swimming pool one step at a time.  After finishing his scales, breathing exercises, and acrobatic warm-ups, he returned to their bedroom to find Melody posing in front of the floor mirror, magically trying on different outfit combinations for the day.

With her lover back in the room, Melody now began modeling her outfit ideas for Mike.  Several of these were hardly appropriate to see the light of the outside world, being little more than lingerie.  Finally deciding on a pair of form-fitting black shorts and a tight canary yellow tank top, the latter of which accentuated her incredible cleavage beautifully, Melody completed her outfit with a pair of red casual sneakers.  As Mike whistled his approval, she drew him close and kissed him sensually, moaning in delight.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she commented.

After a playful slap on her ass, the duo headed to the kitchen to scrounge for food.  Mike opted for a simple turkey sandwich on wheat bread and a bottle of water, his traditional pre-audition meal.  Melody made herself a peanut butter and banana sandwich.  As they ate, Mike played around on his iPad, listening to his audition music all the while.  Melody worked on his laptop, tweaking the photos of her website slightly to try and attract more clients.  As the time neared 1:30, Mike packed up his equipment and music and the pair began the drive downtown to symphony hall.

Arriving in the employee parking deck a few minutes past 2:00, Melody turned to him and asked, “Can I come in with you to the audition?  Invisibly, of course.”

“Sure,” Mike replied, shrugging.  “Just no distractions.  I’m in the zone, after all.”

“Absolutely.”  A quick, sweet kiss on his cheek, and she vanished.  Good luck baby.  You’ll do brilliantly.

Walking into symphony hall, Mike made his way to the green room, designated as the warm-up area for the candidates auditioning.  Alone with his thoughts, just as he liked it, Mike unpacked his music and the three trumpets he would need for the audition.  Before beginning to play, he recited his typical prayer before such situations: Alan Shepard’s prayer.

“Oh, Lord, please do not let me screw up.  Amen.”

He began by playing some easy scales on each horn, keeping warm air flowing through each of them so as to keep the metal inside at an optimal temperature.  Continuing his slow, easy warm-ups until the audition time neared, he was soon greeted by Janice, the music librarian for the ASO.

“Mike, good to see you.  The audition panel is ready for you.  I’ll help you bring your equipment in, if you like,” she said warmly.

“Thanks, Janice.  That’ll be great.  You can take my music and C trumpet; I’ll grab the E-flat and piccolo.”  Normally, Mike didn’t trust anyone other than himself to carry his equipment, but Janice was a French horn player, and also had training as an instrument repair technician.  He knew she could be trusted to handle with care.

Entering the main stage in symphony hall, Mike set his equipment down on a table just off-center stage and turned to greet the panel, seated near the backstage line.  The trio rose to greet him.  First was Jessica Miller, the principal violinist and concertmaster.  Her elegant beauty always struck Mike, with her full lips, lightly tanned white skin, and flowing brown hair.  Her true beauty, however, shone through every time she played.  Never in his life had Mike seen such joy and passion in the face or mannerisms of any musician like he did in Jessica.  He could watch her with no sound whatsoever and still be completely entranced.  Though she was only a year older than Mike, Jessica had been a musical prodigy since elementary school, winning her first symphony job two months before her high school graduation, and had been the Maestro’s second-in-command for nearly five years now.

Maestro Robert Spano was next, extending his hand in welcome.  The balding man in his mid-fifties was typically quite introverted, but always got very excited when it came to auditions.  He relished the opportunity to evaluate talent, and was constantly imagining which pieces in the orchestral repertoire would sound perfect with a certain player’s sound.  He shook Mike’s hand firmly, and turned to introduce him to the third panelist.

Philip Smith greeted Mike with his trademark warm personality.  His soft-spoken demeanor belied the immense talent and musicianship that lay beneath; Mike knew he was in the presence of a living legend.

Focus, Braxton.  He’s just a man, after all.

Though he was now in his mid-sixties, Philip never passed up an opportunity to further his skills and better himself.  A year previous, he surprisingly resigned his job as principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, easily the best orchestra in the nation, to become a college professor at the University of Georgia.  His reasons were simple: To spend more time with his family, assist the next generation of musicians on a more personal level, and to reconnect with God.  In a move that reporters had hailed as cowardly and meaningless, Mike had gained more respect for the man than in any musical performance he could ever give.

“Mike, welcome,” Philip said.  “For this audition, we will begin with the concerto you have prepared before moving into the orchestral excerpts.  Following that, we will do a short interview with you to close out.  Are we ready?”

“Completely,” Mike said, adding just the right amount of confidence to his voice.

Picking up his E-flat trumpet, Mike began his solo concerto, Johann Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat, Movement III.  The quick, lively finale had always been a favorite of Mike’s, the notes dancing over a comfortable range on the horn.  Reaching the final strain, which featured a long, extended trill, Mike shaped the note beautifully, causing Robert to lean over and whisper to Jessica in approval, to which she smiled widely.

Raising his eyebrows as Mike finished, Philip simply said, “You sound like you could be shaken out of a sound sleep and still play that thing beautifully.”

“You’re not far wrong,” Mike replied casually.

“I’m the same way.  Anyway, let’s move on to the excerpts.  Of the five you have prepared, we will allow you to pick the first and last ones you play; the order of the other three will be chosen by us.  What shall we start with?” Philip asked.

Wanting to play his piccolo trumpet before it got cold, Mike began with Handel’s The Trumpet Shall Sound.  He couldn’t help but marvel in irony and nostalgia, as this was the piece that had begun his journey with Melody a week ago.  Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he focused completely on his style and expression as he began to play.  Though the notes were not difficult, they required great precision and the right tone quality to blend properly when played with a full orchestra, which is exactly why the panel wanted to hear this piece.

After he had finished, Mike switched over to his standard C trumpet, and Jessica called out the next excerpt: the Petrushka Ballerina solo.  Regaining the ironclad focus he discovered from his preparation yesterday, he danced through the music as gracefully as the ballerina it depicted.  All the while, he made sure to keep his tempo rock solid, as this was the most common mistake trumpet players made in this piece: speeding up or slowing down without realizing it.

Robert chose Mike’s next challenge: Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.  The opening solo to the piece began with nothing but the trumpet, testing not only the nerves of the player, but also their consistency, as his tempo set the pace for the entire orchestra two measures later.  Playing with a pompous elegance, Mike’s performance was effortless, jumping from low to high notes as if they were nothing.

After a moment of silence for his sound to finish reverberating through the hall, Philip named the penultimate excerpt: the opening to Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.  Considered by professionals to be the most important solo in all of trumpet music, this piece combined elements from every excerpt Mike had played thus far: the necessary style and blending of Handel, the varying volume and ranges of Stravinsky, and the nerves of a complete solo trumpet from Mussorgsky.  Beginning the funeral dirge at barely a whisper, he masterfully built the music up to the startling climax, fully engulfed in the orchestra playing in his mind as he did so.  Finally closing the solo with a return to the trumpet’s lower range, his sound elegantly faded into nothingness.

At last, they had arrived at the final excerpt, and Mike’s ace in the hole: the second movement solo from Respighi’s Pines of Rome.  Mike stepped away from the music stand before beginning; he had no need for it.  Closing his eyes, he lost himself completely in the soothing, lyrical solo, clearly picturing Melody in his mind as he played.  Her deep red hair, emerald eyes, and intoxicating laugh were all the inspiration he needed to paint a true masterpiece for the panel.  As he finished the haunting melody, the panel sat in wonderment for several seconds, fully appreciating everything they had just heard.  They said nothing, but it was clear from Philip’s eyes and Jessica’s smile that he had delivered a rare performance for them that day.

Moving into the interview portion, Jessica started by presenting Mike with a scenario in which egos in the section were creating drama and disagreement, asking how he would handle his colleagues in this situation.  He replied that he would sit down with the section in a roundtable discussion, emphasizing that they are professionals, each hired to play specific roles in the orchestra.  Being sure to never cut anyone down publicly, he would remind everyone that, without the role that each trumpet part plays, the orchestra’s quality deteriorates, perhaps resulting in lower pay or less work for everyone.

Robert then asked Mike to tell him the name of the janitor that came in to clean the equipment storage room every Tuesday.  Smiling to himself, as he had chatted with the portly man on several occasions about sports and family life, Mike identified him correctly as Jamal Anderson.  Clearly impressed, Robert commended Mike for being familiar with all the staff members that help the symphony run effectively, regardless of their position or background.

Thinking for a few moments, Philip then said that he did not have any interview questions for Mike.  Rather, he asked if there were any specific techniques he used that helped him prepare for this audition.  Mike gave a quick overview of his typical daily routine. Sensing that Philip wanted more, he then began to describe the fire drill that his friends had set up for him two days previous, leaving out the part about them mooning and flashing him of course.  His smile a mile wide, Philip told Mike that he had some incredibly dedicated and loyal friends, and that he must never take that for granted, no matter how successful he becomes.

The trio again rose to shake Mike’s hand, and Robert dismissed him so that they could converse and come to a decision on which of the candidates best fit the needs of the orchestra.  Thanking them graciously as he left, Mike returned to the green room to pack up his equipment.  Reappearing with quiet footsteps, so as not to startle him, Melody applauded his performance.

“You are something else,” she marveled.

Drawing her close with a big smile, he kissed her, stating, “The die is cast.  It’s in their hands now.”

“Wanna know what they’re thinking?”

“Nah… they’ll tell me when they’re ready,” he replied.  “Ok, so I’m gonna head outside and chat with Darcy for a bit.  We’ll have you walk up during the conversation as if you’re here to pick me up.  That’ll be a good way to make the introductions.”

“Sounds good to me.”  Another quick kiss, and Melody had vanished once again.

As he walked out of symphony hall, Mike couldn’t help but have the same thoughts he had felt one week ago.

Nailed it!

“There’s the man!” called Darcy from her favorite courtyard bench.

Running up to her with his arms in the air, Mike channeled his inner Rocky Balboa, exclaiming, “Yo, Adrian!  I did it!!!”

“So, how do you feel?” she asked with a laugh.

“Excellent.  You guys really got me ready to go.  Good thing too; Philip Smith was the third panelist.”

“Philip Smith?!  Holy crap!  Is he really as soft-spoken as he seems in his interviews?”

“Yep.  Great guy, definitely my personal and professional hero,” Mike replied.  “But hey, if I can ignore your antics, avoiding the intimidation of playing in front of the best trumpet player in the world is no biggie.”

Laughing with a smug look on her face, Darcy shot back, “What?  He doesn’t have the rack I’ve got?”

“Not even close,” said Mike, comically gazing at Darcy’s bust.

“You got any plans for the evening?  Wanna join me for dinner?  I’ll gladly drive if you need to down a few beers.”

“Actually, I think my ride’s here now,” Mike said, looking over Darcy’s shoulder.

“Hey baby!” Melody called, walking across the courtyard toward them.

Stunned with a dumbfounded look on her face, Darcy could only ask, “And just who… is that?”

Grinning his trademark smartass smile, Mike replied, “My girlfriend.  Come on, I want you to meet her.”

Meeting Melody at a nearby picnic table, she and Mike sat together across from Darcy.  “Darcy, this is my girlfriend, Melody Roberts.  Melody, Darcy White, the best bassoonist the city of Atlanta has ever seen!”

“Great to meet you!” Melody said, shaking Darcy’s hand across the table.

“You too,” Darcy replied, glancing at Mike.  “Ok mister, what happened to ‘no contact of the female variety,’ huh?”

Shaking his head in exasperation, he responded, “Well, the truth is that Melody and I have been communicating for a couple of months now.  I just wanted to keep things really close to the vest until I was certain of how serious things were, if you know what I mean.  We met online, went on a couple of coffee dates…”

“Bullshit!” Darcy interrupted.  “I know damn well you don’t drink coffee.”

“…Which is why I ordered a Coke!  Anyhow, we have very similar personalities and interests, and last week, I officially asked her to be my girlfriend.”

Sitting silently for a minute, glancing back and forth between Mike and Melody, Darcy finally asked, “You guys are serious, aren’t you?”

Entwining his fingers with Melody’s, Mike simply replied, “We are.”

Smiling, Darcy continued, “Then in that case, you need to join us for dinner,” pointing at Melody.

“That’d be great!  Gotta celebrate, after all.  I just know he hit it out of the park,” Melody gushed.

“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear,” Mike mused, pointing to the exit to symphony hall.  At the top of the steps, Jessica, Robert, and Philip were saying their goodbyes and shaking hands.  Mike was sure he could hear them chatting about “making an excellent decision.”

“Wonder what that means?” Darcy asked with a sly grin.

As Jessica and Philip went their separate ways, Robert spotted Mike across the courtyard and began walking towards them.

“Could they have made a decision already?” Melody wondered.

“I suppose it’s possible,” Mike replied, “but that would be ridiculously fast.”

“Mr. Braxton, I want to thank you,” Robert said as he approached.

“Of course… but for what?” Mike inquired.

“For making our decision today extremely easy,” he replied with a chuckle.  “Want to know the first words out of Philip’s mouth after you left the room?  He said, ‘After that audition, I don’t think there’s any contest.’  Jessica and I happen to agree with him.  We’ll draw up the official contract on Monday, but it is my pleasure to inform you that you ARE the new principal trumpet of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra!”

As Melody clapped excitedly and Darcy started a victory dance, Mike tried to remain as composed and professional as possible.  “Thank you very much, Maestro.  This means so much to me, and I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed,” he replied, his hands slightly trembling with excitement.

“Well, you’ve earned it,” Robert said, before turning to Darcy.  “Fire drill, eh?  Very creative, and clearly very effective.  Nicely done.”  Darcy beamed with pride in response.

Robert casually turned to Melody next.  “I don’t believe we have been introduced.  Mike?”

“Ah, yes… this is my girlfriend, Melody Roberts.  Melody, this is Robert Spano, leader of the ASO, and the most BADASS conductor in the nation.”

“Second most badass, if you will.  I never could overtake Gustavo Dudamel… Anyway, it’s a pleasure to meet you young lady.  I do hope we will be seeing you at some of Mike’s upcoming performances,” he said with a wink.

“Most definitely,” Melody replied running her fingers through Mike’s hair.  “I’m a sucker for musicians, after all.”

“Well, uh, Mike, unless you have any further questions for me, I’ll be heading home now.  Enjoy your weekend, relax, and we’ll see you first thing Monday.”

As Robert took his leave, Melody instantly smothered Mike in an excited victory hug, nearly knocking him to the ground in the process.  Once he escaped her death grip, he fist bumped Darcy, and thanked her again for all her help in his preparations.

“All right, that settles it, we’re going to Taco Mac to celebrate!  And I’m not takin’ no for an answer,” Darcy stated.

“Sounds good to me, we’re just gonna stop by my place and drop off my equipment, then we’ll meet ya there,” Mike replied.

Just then, Darcy’s phone beeped, indicating she had a text message.  Reading for a moment, she then asked, “Is it ok if Stephen joins us?  He got off work early today.”

“Uh, sure that’s fine,” Mike replied as casually as he could.

“Great.  See you guys there around 6:00 or so, ok?”

As they parted ways, Mike and Melody traveled back to his CR-V in the employee parking deck.  All the while, Melody held his arm tightly, excited and happy for his good news.

“You know,” she said playfully, “your boss is quite the dirty old man.”

Cocking his eyebrow, Mike asked, “You were reading his thoughts?”

Giggling, she replied, “The look in his eye was kinda impossible to miss.  He… he thought about doing things to me as I was bent over his podium in symphony hall.”

“Holy shit,” Mike mumbled, slightly dumbfounded.

“Don’t worry, he’d never act on it or anything.  He’s well aware of how out of his league he is, but always appreciates a pretty girl when he can.”

As the pair reached his car, Mike popped the trunk to put his trumpet case and music in the back.  Closing the trunk, he noticed that Melody had climbed into the back seat of the car, leaving the door open.  He walked over to investigate, only to be grabbed by his shirt collar and pulled on top of her, the car door magically closing behind them.  Kissing him passionately, Melody had no intentions of letting him out of this one; she needed him, and she needed him immediately.

In-between kisses, Mike managed to gasp, “You sure this is a good idea?”

“Privacy powers, remember?  Nobody will interrupt us.  Promise.”

Continuing their heavy make out session, she reached down to undo his belt and begin unzipping the fly of his jeans.  He reached to do the same, only to find that she had already removed her shorts and panties.  As she slipped his jeans down below his knees, he could smell how wet her pussy had already become.

“Listening to your music today… it was incredible… it got me so horny…” Melody managed to breathe.  “Take me.  I want to be your victory spoils,” she said, continuing to seduce him.

Not one to deny that request, Mike kissed her with ferocity, carefully moving his cock to the entrance of her sopping wet pussy.  Melody moaned in sheer delight as his engorged member penetrated her.  Finally fully engulfed in her tunnel, Mike’s thrusts were frenetic and full of reckless abandon.  As he pounded her with desire, her incredible breasts heaved back and forth, her tank top and bra barely containing them and only accentuating their bouncing.  Even though he could not fully see them, their motion and perfect shape was still mesmerizing.  Watching him gaze at her chest, Melody began to fondle them, squeezing and caressing them as the lust in her eyes grew.  Getting an excellent idea, Mike made a wish.

“I wish for your bra to be gone, but your shirt still on, so you can play with your nipples while I fuck you.”

Tingle.  Flash.

Instantly, the outline of her bra disappeared, her erect nipples now poking into her yellow tank top.  Melody now caressed them with intensity and purpose, before arriving at her first orgasm in force.  Mike, however, was far from done, continuing his feverish pace as her pussy walls contracted around him.  As she finally came back down from her climax, Mike instructed her to flip onto her stomach.  She rolled over, slightly pushing her ass up in the air to give him the perfect entrance point.

Mike resumed his thrusting, now penetrating her pussy from behind.  He now kept his strokes at a moderately quick tempo, rather than his previously wild fucking.  He found this to be quite pleasurable, moving fast enough to keep her in a constant pre-orgasmic state, but just deliberately enough to feel every little crevice of her tight womanhood.  Steadying himself on her ass, he loved the feeling of her cheeks jiggling in his hands as he continued to pump his cock into her.  Feeling her nearing another orgasm, he lightly tapped her on the back to signal another position change.

Mike now sat normally on the bench seat as Melody moved to straddle him.  As she impaled herself on his stiff rod, she gripped the backrest tightly and began to grind his cock methodically.  The desire in her emerald eyes grew with each passing moment, the speed of her humping increasing with it.  As she ground her clit against his pubic bone, she finally reached her second climax, moaning with lust as she coated his cock with her juices.

Refusing to slow her pace for even a moment, Melody now bounced on Mike’s cock for all she was worth.  She leaned forward, thrusting her jiggling tits into his face, causing his breathing to become more labored.  He peeled the spaghetti straps of her tank top down over her shoulders, exposing her hard nipples mere inches from his face.  As he lustfully suckled her, she ran her hands through his blonde hair, knowing exactly how to send him over the edge.

Moving her lips to his ear, she whispered seductively, “We both know you can’t resist me.  We both know you want nothing more than to cum.  To fill my pussy.”  Moving southward slightly, she kissed his sensitive neck, working back up to his ear with three additional kisses.  “So do it.  Take me now.  Claim… your… prize,” she purred, nibbling his earlobe as she egged him on.

His eyes bulged, and he grabbed onto her slim waist, pounding his last into her slit.  Knowing she had sent him past the point of no return, Melody kissed his lips forcefully, enjoying their impending dual climax.  As he finally sprayed rope after rope of his cum into her, coating the walls of her pussy, she arrived at her third, and strongest orgasm, screaming at the top of her voice in sheer ecstasy.

“Yes, yes, YES YES YES!!!  DO IT!  CUM FOR ME!  MAAASTERRRR!!!”

Their orgasms finally receding, Mike panted and gasped for air as Melody straddled his lap, sweetly kissing his forehead.  He gazed into her eyes in admiration, wholly impressed at how fun and fresh she always managed to keep their experiences.

“You are a fun, and very creative genie,” he finally managed to say.  “You enjoy your little role-play?  Being the prize?”

Giggling, she responded, “It’s not role-playing if I really am your prize.”

“Bullshit,” he shot back.  “You were planning this no matter what happened.”

She attempted to appear innocent, but they both knew he was right; she loved spontaneously fucking him anytime and anywhere she could.  After a couple of wishes to help them clean up the residue of their juices, the pair climbed into the front seats and started for home.  Fighting Atlanta traffic the whole way, it was nearly 5:45 by the time they arrived, so Mike simply ran in to drop off his equipment before driving down the road to the restaurant.

Arriving at Taco Mac a few minutes after six, they immediately spotted Darcy waving at them from a square table in the middle of the place.  Seated next to her was Stephen, looking somewhat displeased, but Mike couldn’t tell what about specifically.  He was tall and lean, though surprisingly muscular underneath his baggy gym shorts and black T-shirt.  He had short, dark brown hair and a goatee on his face, though a black baseball cap, which he wore backwards, obscured the hair on his head.  Aside from his size and strength, one would never guess that he was twenty-seven years old; he looked about as mature as a college freshman.

What’s eating him?

He’s not happy to be sharing time with Darcy, Melody replied.  He plans to try and convince her to come home and sleep with him tonight.

Even with her making it clear she wanted to slow down?

Yep.  He doesn’t want to take no for an answer, but is just trying to soften her up a bit before, shall we say, being more forceful.

Mike didn’t like the sound of that, but ran out of time to inquire further as they sat down at the table, introducing Melody to Stephen.  She shook his hand warmly, smiling as she greeted him.  By the look in his eye and the inflection change in his voice, Mike could tell that Stephen was instantly attracted to Melody, though Mike could hardly fault him for that.  She was, by any measure, absolutely gorgeous.

As the group ordered, everyone but Melody decided on their poison for the evening.  Mike got a Coors, Stephen a Miller Light, and Darcy a Blue Moon.  Melody, unsure of how alcohol would affect her, professed herself the designated driver, ordering a Coke.  Mike sipped his drink slowly as Darcy quizzed Melody on her background, excitedly wanting to know everything about her.  Mike could tell that they were quickly becoming genuine friends.  Showing particular interest in her photography business, Darcy pulled out her phone to friend Melody on Facebook, promising to try and help her establish some additional contacts.  All the while, Stephen sat quietly, occasionally glancing at Melody and drinking his beer relatively quickly.  By the time their wings and burgers had arrived, Stephen was nearly done with his second pint.

As they finished eating their food, a local band began setting up in the staging area at the far end of the restaurant.  Starting their set, the band’s specialty looked to be alternative rock, opening with Shut Up and Dance.  The girls’ eyes lit up as the song started, taking the title literally by dragging their men to the small dance floor.  Mike had never been one for dancing, but he wasn’t going to deny Melody with the look of desire she was giving him.  After ten minutes of keeping up with Melody’s graceful, sensual dance moves, the band started up Have You Ever Seen the Rain.  Though they played it much slower than was typical, it worked incredibly well for slow dancing.  Melody instinctively wrapped her hands around Mike’s neck, gazing lovingly into his eyes.  Rubbing her back with his hands, he drew her close, bringing his lips as close to hers as he could bear without actually kissing her.

“Tease,” she whispered playfully.

“You.  Love.  It.”

Continuing to rock to the slow, steady music, Mike glanced out of the corner of his eye, noticing Darcy and Stephen.  She had managed to pull him in like Melody had with Mike, but Stephen was clearly not into it.  Occasionally, Mike noticed his gaze shift towards Melody.  While Mike had been flattered at first, he began to detect something more in Stephen’s glances than he had at the beginning of the night.

“How are those two doing?” Mike asked quietly, slightly tilting his head.

Thinking for a moment, Melody responded, “Darcy is trying to bring out Stephen’s fun side.  Problem is, he doesn’t really seem to have one, and she’s growing a bit frustrated with him.  As for Stephen, he began the evening annoyed at spending time with Darcy’s ‘dorky music friends.’  Now, however, he has lost all interest in her, and keeps trying to think of a way to get you away from me.  He actually thinks he has a chance to take me from you.”

“Tool,” Mike snorted.

“He also has increased levels of anger and jealousy, specifically directed at you,” she continued.  “He seems to think that there’s ‘no way a guy like that could land a piece of ass like her.’  Additionally, the more he drinks, the more these feelings intensify.  I fear that he may become physical at some point, if his drinking continues at its current rate.  There is no worry, of course.  I am more than capable of protecting myself in such a situation, and Darcy as well, if need be.”

“Seems his true colors are starting to show,” Mike mused.  Thinking for a few seconds, he asked, “Out of curiosity, would your powers of protection allow me to easily subdue him in a fight if things were to turn physical?”

“They would.  You thinking something specific?” she asked.

“Kind of,” he replied.  “We’re not going to mess with his free will or provoke him in any way, so that if things do get heated and physical, it’s by his own choice.  If and when something does happen, just keep things subtly under control so that Darcy sees what he’s really all about, but doesn’t get hurt or anything before I can step in.  Make sense?”

Nodding understandingly, she said, “You want to show Darcy what kind of guy she deserves; someone who won’t disrespect any woman and won’t stand for anyone else who does.”

“Exactly.”

“All right, but Master, I do have to ask.  Why go through all these elaborate motions? A wish would easily and peacefully solve this entire situation.”

Nodding, Mike explained, “I’m not here to play God.  All I can do is show Darcy what kind of man she deserves, and what kind of man isn’t worthy of her.  Where we go from there is up to her.”

As the slow number came to an end, Mike decided to take a break with a glass of water back at their table.  The band resumed their up-tempo music, and Melody danced her way over to Darcy and Stephen.  Encouraging Stephen to take a break, the two girls hung together on the dance floor for a few numbers.  Stephen, meanwhile, returned to the table, beginning to down another beer in record time.  Turning to Mike, he asked as casually as he was able, “So how the hell does a guy like you land a catch like that?  I mean, seriously, she’s an absolutely perfect piece of ass!  I bet she fucks like a pro…”

Containing his anger so as not to provoke Stephen further, Mike replied, “Just lucky, I guess.  Of course, to quote Seneca, ‘Luck is where preparation meets opportunity,’ though I’m not sure how it’s possible to be fully prepared for a girl like Melody.”

“Whatever, man,” Stephen mumbled, slipping back into his moody demeanor.  Darcy walked up to the table a moment later, grabbing a glass of water as the band took a break.  Melody hung out near the stage, chatting with the girl on backing vocals about their music.

“I’m gonna go take a piss,” Stephen stated, walking off towards the bathroom.

Turning to Mike, Darcy said, “I gotta say, your girlfriend’s somethin’ else.  Sweet, smart, and a lot of fun.”

“You got that right,” Mike replied, chuckling.

“As your friend,” she continued, “I’m advising you to proceed carefully.  You don’t deserve to get hurt again.  However, I’m not blind to the way you two look at each other.  I can tell you’re serious about her, and, unless she’s the greatest liar in the universe, she feels the same about you.”  She looked him dead in the eye, saying, “You take care of her.  Don’t ever change.  The guy you are today is exactly the kind of guy she deserves.”

Squeezing her hand in gratitude, Mike replied with a smartass grin, “Thanks Mom.”

Laughing, she punched him in the shoulder.  “You know what I mean!”

“Yeah, yeah.  In all seriousness, I appreciate it, Darcy.  Thanks.”

“She’s really… perceptive,” Darcy continued.  “When I told her that you’re exactly the kind of guy she deserves, she said the same thing right back to me…”

“Really?” Mike asked, his ears perking up.

Before they could continue their conversation, the band had started their next set of the night.  As they looked over and saw Melody on the dance floor, Stephen returned from the restroom.  However, rather than joining them at the table, he started making his way towards Melody.  Clumsily attempting to dance with her, she moved to create a bit of separation between them.  Stephen was having none of it, roughly grabbing her wrist to pull her close to him, a look of protest and displeasure clearly on Melody’s face as she tried to resist.

“What the hell?!” Darcy exclaimed, rushing after them before Mike could even think of slowing her down.  Arriving on the dance floor, she attempted to pull him off of Melody, shouting, “Stephen!  Let her go!”

Stephen grabbed Darcy’s shirt collar in a drunken rage, snarling, “Sorry, bitch.  I’m trading up.”  He pushed her backwards, causing Darcy to land square on her butt with a thump.

“Hey, asshole!  Get your hands off her!” Mike threatened as he arrived on the dance floor.  Stephen paid him no attention, possibly not hearing him over the music, and was solely focused on corralling Melody by grabbing both of her wrists harshly.  “I said,” Mike continued, grabbing his arm and forcing him to release Melody, “Let.  Her.  Go.”

Stephen glared at Mike, seething with anger and jealousy.  “All right, shithead, now you get yours!” Stephen growled.  He lunged at Mike with a wild swing of his arm, which Mike evaded easily.  This first swipe created enough space for Melody to rush over to Darcy, helping her off the floor and safely away from the fight.  Stephen continued his drunken assault attempts on Mike, but was still unable to land a single punch.

As Mike continued to dodge, he paid attention to Stephen’s movements and tendencies, looking for an opening.  Suddenly, Stephen charged forward, attempting to tackle Mike to the ground.  Mike simply sidestepped, grabbing Stephen’s arm as he passed and swinging him around to throw him off balance.  He was momentarily disoriented, but quickly focused his attentions back on Mike, going in for another haymaker.  His attack was much more telegraphed this time, however, and Mike simply grabbed onto Stephen’s fist, circling around him with the momentum of the haymaker, eventually using Stephen’s own motion to land him square on his back.  Mike pinned Stephen’s right arm to the floor with his left knee, placing his right foot firmly on his chest to hold him in place until help arrived.

“Congratulations, asshole,” Mike growled in his ear.  “You just lost the only girl who ever gave a DAMN about you!”  Stephen struggled under him, attempting to push Mike’s foot and knee off of him, but to no avail.  Just then, an off duty police officer arrived, having been alerted by Melody and Darcy.

“The guy on the ground, officer.  That’s him,” Darcy said.

“I’m Officer Jones.  Did he hurt you, son?” the large black man asked.  Mike shook his head no, keeping his eyes on Stephen.  “Well, in that case, I can’t actually arrest him.  But I can keep him here and take his keys until he sobers up.”

Handing Stephen’s keys to the officer, Mike responded, “That’ll do.  Thank you very much, officer.”  Slowly standing, he released Stephen from the ground.  He was still mad, but far too drunk and dazed from the fight to continue his assault.

Turning to the girls, the officer said, “Ladies, if there are any further incidents with this gentleman, I would highly recommend a restraining order, for your own protection and peace of mind if nothing more.”

“I don’t think he will be any problem from here on, Officer Jones, but thank you,” Melody replied, glaring at Stephen the whole time.  “If anything else does come up, rest assured we will take legal action.”

The officer shook Mike’s hand and bid the trio goodnight before helping Stephen up to sit on a nearby chair.  As Mike rejoined the girls, Darcy was clearly shaken from the experience, rubbing her temples as Melody comforted her.

“It’s getting late, and we’ve had too much excitement for one night.  We should probably head home,” Mike advised.

Melody nodded in agreement.  “I’ve gotta be honest, I don’t think you or Darcy are in any state of mind to drive safely right now.  I think we should let her crash on the couch tonight, and we’ll bring her back to get her car in the morning.  What do you think?”

Before Darcy could even attempt a protest, Mike replied, “Done.  Just let me go talk to the manager to make sure they won’t tow her car.  He goes to my church, so it should be just fine.”

After a quick chat with Jim, the manager on duty, Mike confirmed that Darcy’s car would be safe for the night.  Mike held the door open for the girls as they walked to the parking lot, Melody’s arm around Darcy’s shoulder the whole time.  Reaching Mike’s CR-V, Melody hopped into the driver’s seat while Mike opened the passenger door for Darcy.  Momentarily considering telling him to ride in the front, the look in his eyes told her she had no chance.  With a stubborn, yet grateful sigh, she climbed into the front passenger seat, Mike sliding into the seat behind her.

As Melody drove them home, Darcy was clearly beating herself up for the entire situation.  “I should never have gotten back together with him,” she moaned quietly.

“It’s not your fault,” Melody assured her.  “None of this is.”

Shaking her head, Darcy continued, “I knew he had a temper.  I had already broken up with him once for it, but I was stupid and believed his lies. I let him back into my life.  I mean, if he had hurt Mike…”

“Darcy, hush,” came Mike’s voice from the back seat.  “All you did was try to see the good in him.  He made his choices,” he said, gently rubbing her shoulders from behind.  “He chose to show you who he really was, rather than let you help him become better than that.  He chose to assault Melody.  He chose to push you.  He chose.  Not you.  What Melody said was right: You deserve a great guy.  Better than he is capable of being.  Now, you have the chance to look for that guy.  You owe it to yourself to find him.”

Nodding in agreement, Melody chimed in, “And we’ll help you.  However you need us, we’re here for you.”

The rest of the ride home was quiet, but Darcy seemed slightly more relaxed and at peace after their conversation.

“Can I get you anything?  Something to drink?  A snack?” Mike asked Darcy as they entered his apartment.

“No thanks,” she replied wearily.  “I really just need a good night’s sleep.”

Mike fetched a couple of spare pillows while Melody pulled a large throw blanket from a basket beside the sofa.  Mike set up her bed for the night; the blanket itself was large enough to double as sheets and covers.  As the couple turned towards their bedroom, Darcy suddenly grabbed both of them in a hug, sobbing and crying on their shoulders.

“I’m sorry… I just don’t know how I could fuck up so badly,” Darcy managed to say between her tears.  “Mike,” she said, looking up, “Thank you for what you did.  I’m scared shitless at the thought of what he might’ve done tonight.  And Melody, thank you for sticking by my side the whole time, for comforting me, and… and promising to be there moving forward.  And… I’m sorry.  I should have been the one comforting you.  He assaulted you, not me, but here I am weeping like a little girl and…”

Pressing her finger to Darcy’s lips, Melody smiled and replied, “No apologies.”

Without a word, the couple squeezed Darcy tightly until her tears had ceded, then wished her a restful sleep before closing the door to their bedroom.  As they stripped and got ready for bed, Mike switched on his bedroom TV, finding NCIS for background noise.  Relaxing in bed, the couple simply cuddled wordlessly for thirty minutes or so before one of them spoke.

“I don’t suppose the big strong man wants some hero sex tonight?” Melody asked playfully.

Mike shook his head slowly.  “It’s honestly the furthest thing from my mind right now,” he replied regretfully.  “I’m worried about Darcy.  How’s she doing?”

Closing her eyes momentarily, Melody said, “Not well.  She’s asleep, but she’s having a bad nightmare about Stephen.  She’s afraid of him now that she knows what he’s really all about.”

Mike nodded.  “From blind love to blind fear.”  Thinking for a minute, Mike asked, “Since she can’t control her dreams, I’d like to help her.  Are you able to do that?”

“It would need to be sexual in some way for me to be able to, though it may already be heading in that direction, and not in a good way.  If her dream continues the way it is progressing, she will watch helplessly as he rapes me, before he turns to rape her as well,” Melody responded.

Thinking momentarily, Mike asked, “Would having her prevent him from raping you be sexual enough for your powers?”

Again closing her eyes for at least a full minute, she finally replied, “Just barely.  And I must say, I approve.  Such a dream is exactly the confidence boost she needs.”

Mike kissed her sweetly, saying, “You really are the best.  Let’s do it.”

Tingle.  Flash.  “Done.”

Smiling, Mike switched off the lights and TV, taking Melody in his arms as they drifted off into a much-needed sleep.

*****

Gotta get out… got to get out!

Everywhere Darcy turned, there he was; the same menacing look on his face.  A look of hate, and of anger.  Pure, unabated rage.  She felt trapped, like a rat in a maze.  There were hallways every which way, but none of them went to where she needed.  She needed to get away from him, but he was everywhere.

No escape… no escape…

She reached a long, straight hallway.  No sign of him anywhere.  Suddenly, a faint light shone ahead of her.  She sprinted towards it; it had to be a way out.  She ran faster than she ever had in her life, panting and breathing heavily.  She didn’t care.  She had to get out.

As she reached the light, it pulsed as if a star had exploded, blinding her momentarily.  Opening her eyes slowly, there he was.  It was Stephen.  They were back on the dance floor, but the restaurant was empty.  Looking around, she was horrified at what she saw: Mike, lying bloody and bruised on the ground, was moaning and struggling to breathe.  Looking back at Stephen, he now had his hand at Melody’s throat, his knuckles coated with Mike’s blood.  As he choked her, he reached his hand to Melody’s shorts, trying to rip them off of her as she struggled against him.  He slapped her with his right hand, still strangling her with his left, and tore her shorts and panties off in one motion, laughing with anticipation as he did so.  As he unzipped his fly, Darcy began to feel helpless, until something finally snapped within the recesses of her mind.

No.  No.  No, no, no, not this time.  I will not be a damsel in distress.  I will not watch idly as he causes pain.  This ends now.

Rushing up to him, Darcy grabbed his wrist and ripped his arm from Melody’s throat with all her might.  As he struggled against her grip, Darcy was surprised at her own strength; she was managing to control him enough for Melody to be able to run.  His eyes turned to meet hers, his rage piercing her very soul.

“Sorry, bitch.  I’m trading up.  Guess that means you’re no longer necessary.”

She should have been terrified.  She should have wanted to run.  But she heard Mike’s labored breaths.  She heard Melody’s frantic footsteps as she ran to his side.  They needed her, and she refused to let them down.

Just as Stephen began to draw back his off hand to strike her, practically foaming at the mouth, Darcy focused her fingers, pressuring and twisting his left wrist to put him into an arm lock.  He swung at her, but his effort was futile; the pain she was causing him made it impossible for him to get a clear shot.  Continuing to twist his arm behind his back, she held him until he began to cry, begging for mercy.

“Please!  Please, no more!  I’ll never do it again, I promise!” he screamed.

“You fucking bastard,” she sneered.  “I’m not falling for that.  You have fooled me for the last time.”

Delivering a swift kick to his balls, Darcy dropped Stephen to his knees.  Keeping her hand on his shoulder so he didn’t slump over, she casually sauntered around to his front.  He now whimpered and sniveled like the pathetic child Darcy could finally see him for.

“You can lie, you can cheat, and you can hate me and my friends with everything you’ve got.  But you will NEVER hurt them!  And you won’t control me ever again…”

Picking up a nearby baseball bat, Darcy drew back to swing.  She seethed with anger and righteous fury.  She knew she had to protect her friends.  She knew she had to protect herself.  Just as she was about to drive the bat into his head, time froze and the scene faded to white…

Waking up with a slight gasp, Darcy looked around.  She was in Mike’s apartment.  Rubbing her eyes and laying back on the sofa, she was surprised how at ease she suddenly felt.  Despite the intensity of the dream she had just had, she felt better than she had all day.  A small smile gradually spread across her lips.

“I’m going to be just fine,” she said quietly to herself, brimming with confidence.

As she reached for the blanket to go back to sleep, her phone buzzed on the coffee table.  It was a text message from Stephen.

Babe, I’m really sorry.  I was drunk.  That wasn’t the real me tonight.  I promise I’ll make it up to you; just don’t give up on me.  Please.

She laughed to herself, finally seeing through all of his bullshit.  It all made sense to her now.  His texts were always well written with proper grammar.  It made him sound more mature than he actually was.  Everything about him was a lie.  Her response was simple, but pointed.

Fuck off.  If you ever contact me or my friends again, I’m calling the police on your sorry ass.  Peace out, bastard.

Deleting his name and blocking his number on her phone, she relaxed on the sofa, exceedingly proud of herself. One last thought drifted through her mind before she fell back asleep with a smile on her face.

I wonder how much a Taser and pepper spray costs?

[auguy86]

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 07

Mike slowly awoke the next morning, Melody still cradled in his arms.  Lightly brushing her gorgeous red hair, he kissed her forehead tenderly.  Slowly, she began to stir, kissing his bare chest and cuddling as close to him as she was able to.

“Sleep ok?” Mike asked.

“Mmm hmm.  I always do when your arms are around me,” she lazily answered.

Smiling, he drew her in for a slow, loving kiss.  “I’m gonna go check on Darcy,” Mike said as they parted.  “Is she ok?”

Melody nodded, sliding out of bed with Mike.  “After your wish to improve her dream, she’s doing much better.  I think she took your car to go get us some breakfast.”

Mike put on his gym shorts and an Auburn T-shirt, while Melody slipped on her robe and a pair of black panties.  Mike shook his head disapprovingly at her use of underwear.  Sticking her tongue out at him, Melody reminded him they have a guest and that it would be considered rude to potentially flash her like that.  As the couple entered the living area, sure enough, Darcy was standing at the table with a bag from Einstein Bros.

“Morning, lovebirds!” she greeted cheerfully.

“Someone’s looking chipper this morning,” Melody said with a giggle.

“I tell you what, your sofa is magic.  Soooooo comfortable… I slept great.”  Pulling food out of the bag, she continued, “I got a plain bagel and a cinnamon bagel.  Wasn’t sure which you would want, Melody, but I know Mike likes both of them so pick whichever you like.”

Thinking for a moment, Melody decided on half of each of them, and put butter on the cinnamon one and cream cheese on the plain one.  Mike opted for butter on both of his, while Darcy had already dug into her poppy seed bagel with cream cheese.  Eating their breakfast in relative silence, Mike was extremely relieved to see that his wish had helped give Darcy her confidence back.

Breaking the silence, Darcy said, “Oh!  You’ll love this.  Stephen texted me late last night, gave me the same bullshit he always has.  Check out my response.”

Reading the text exchange, Melody yelped in amusement at Darcy’s pointed reply.  “Atta girl,” Mike said.

Smiling proudly, Darcy continued, “I’ve already deleted his contact info and blocked his number from my phone.”

“Are you worried he might try to contact you in person again?” Melody asked.

With a wicked grin on her face, Darcy replied, “I had a thought about that.  Mike, I know you’re great at researching consumer deals; after all, you helped me find my computer last year.  Think you can help me find a great deal on pepper spray and a Taser?”

His eyes widening at her question, he replied, “Welp, the old Darcy’s back.”

As the group erupted in laughter, they finished their breakfast and threw away their trash before heading out to Mike’s car.  Heading back to the restaurant, Darcy rode in the backseat while Mike drove.

“You know,” came Darcy’s voice, “you’re a horrible son, Mike.”

“The hell does that mean?” he asked in mock offense.

Giggling, Darcy shot back, “You haven’t told your parents about your new job OR your new girlfriend, have you?”

Stewing as she called him out, he replied, “Give me a break.  I’ve been in the zone all week, and Melody will meet them at the right time.”  As much as he hated admitting it to himself, she was right.  His folks would want to meet her.

As they pulled into the Taco Mac parking lot, Darcy said, “Well, you better get on that, or I’ll do it for ya!”

She slid out of the car and headed to her own.  Mike called after her, “You’re an evil, sadistic girl, Darcy White!”

“You love every second of it!” she fired back, sticking her tongue out at him.

“Bye Darcy!  Let’s get together again soon!” Melody waved at her.  Another cheerful grin out the window of her car, and Darcy was headed for home.

As they rode back, Melody hesitantly asked, “So, did you want me to meet your parents?”

Thinking for a few moments, Mike then replied, “They’ll want to meet you sometime, and with the successful audition, now’s probably as good a time as any.  Why?  You nervous?” he playfully teased her.

“Me?  Nervous?” she asked incredulously.  “I am an all powerful sex genie, master of all matters of love!  You really think I could be made nervous by meeting my Master’s family?”

“Well, you might not be, but your shaking hands sure are,” Mike replied with his smartass grin.

Holding her hands in her lap to try to steady them, she replied, “Fine, fine, I guess I am nervous.  But I honestly don’t know why…”

Mike replied, “Remember, in today’s world, relationships are often helped or hindered by the relationship between a girl and her partner’s mother, not unlike that of a guy and his partner’s father, and your nerves are coming into play due to my wish for you to be an equal partner and modern woman.  Gaining parental approval has always been a rite of passage for both parties in a relationship.  I know that’s not really fair in this situation, since you don’t have a father for me to meet, but trust me when I say that as long as you are your normal, confident self, they’ll love you.  Obviously, they don’t want or need to hear about the sexual aspects of our relationship, but you probably knew that.”

“True,” she said, giggling.  “Do you think they would disapprove of us living together?  I know in many traditions that is frowned upon before marriage.”

Thinking for a second, he answered, “I don’t see a need to tell them unless they specifically ask.  If they ask, they probably already know the answer.  If they don’t ask, they don’t want to know.  But either way, I doubt they’d give us any grief for it.  Remember, Mom’s a preacher’s kid, meaning she and her siblings were always watched and closely scrutinized throughout their childhood, even if they weren’t doing anything wrong, just because their dad was the preacher.  Mom has always said that, as long as I’m an adult and not doing anything self-destructive, I won’t ever have to worry about her riding my ass for my choices.”

“That’s comforting.  What about your dad?”

“Are you honestly worried that Dad won’t like you?” he asked with a laugh.

“No, I’m really not.  Good point.”

Arriving back home, the pair immediately went to shower together.  There were, of course, the standard orgasms that came with the territory, but Melody also watched intently as Mike shaved his face.  She had never really paid attention to this aspect of his daily routine, but she found it very sexy and manly.  In particular, she adored the results, running her hands and lips all over his smooth face and neck.  Deciding to prove to her just how smooth he was, he knelt down in front of her, kissing her legs and stomach before eating her pussy.  Bringing her to one of the largest orgasms in her short life, she could barely stand by the time he was finished with her.

As they finished cleaning up and dried off together, Mike combed his hair and slipped back into his gym shorts and T-shirt.  Seeing that it was now past ten, he decided now was as good a time as any to call his parents.  He picked up his phone and dialed, pacing the room as he talked while Melody relaxed on the bed.

“Hey, Mom, it’s Mike… I’m good… I wanted to call to let you know how yesterday went… yes I know the results already,” he playfully made his voice sound sullen before telling her the news.  “Well, Maestro found me afterward, and said that the decision was really easy… I got the job.”

Melody was amused at the screaming she could hear through the phone, and it wasn’t even on speakerphone.

“Dinner tonight?  Yeah, Cheesecake Factory sounds awesome… 6:30 works, but you’ll want to make the reservations for four… yes, I am bringing someone with me… my new girlfriend… no, not Darcy!” he shook his head in exasperation.  “…Ok Mom, we’ll see you tonight.”

Hanging up the phone, he turned to Melody and said, “Here we go.”

Giggling, she couldn’t help but poke him verbally a bit.  “She’s right, you know.  You and Darcy would’ve made a really cute couple.”

“On paper, maybe so.  But she means more to me than that.  I’m an only child, but she’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister,” Mike explained.

“She appreciates that,” Melody agreed.  “I’m just glad we were able to repair her confidence before it completely shattered.”

“Completely shattered?” Mike asked, slightly alarmed.  “You’re saying she could have been irreparably damaged after last night if we hadn’t changed her dream?”

“Maybe not irreparably, but very close,” Melody answered.  “She was in an extremely fragile state of mind after coming home last night, essentially at a mental crossroads.  Either she continues to blame herself for what happened and could have happened, or she accepts that Stephen made his choices to do the things he did and moves on.”

Almost afraid to ask, Mike swallowed hard.  “So, what would have happened to her long term in the former scenario?”

Frowning, Melody replied, “Very likely, she would have been unable to have a normal relationship for a long time with anyone, even you, hypothetically.  The few relationships she would be able to have would have probably turned abusive, which would’ve only pushed her farther down the path of blaming herself.  I believe your modern world refers to this as ‘battered wife’s syndrome?’”

“But she is able to have normal relationships now, right?”

“Yep.  Just get her that pepper spray and Taser and she’ll be good to go,” Melody said with a laugh.

Mike chuckled.  “That’s a relief.  So how do we help her move forward?  How soon would be long enough for her to start looking for a real relationship?”

“Honestly, almost immediately.  She’s completely over Stephen and loves being friends with the two of us.  Seeing our relationship has given her confidence that such a bond can and does exist, and she’s now determined to find it for herself.”

“She always has been tough,” Mike mused.  “Does she currently know anyone who would fit the bill?  Someone that we might be able to nudge her towards?”

“Let me see…” Melody closed her eyes in concentration.  “There is Stuart, your tuba friend.  He’s had a secret crush on Darcy for quite some time, but she’s never been single at the right time.  He also figured she would want you over him any day, though my existence might convince him otherwise.”

Considering this possibility, Mike smiled.  For all of his quirks, and the fact that tuba players were essentially frat boys that never grow up, Stuart was definitely a good guy deep down.  In one instance, a mutual friend of theirs was bragging to Stuart and Mike on the college band bus about how he was so over his girlfriend, but was waiting until after Spring Break to end it.  In his words, he wanted one last week of solid banging to remember her by.  Stuart immediately lit into him, calling him a pussy and not a real man.  He reminded this guy of how much guys hate it when girls play mind games and don’t say what they really want, and that he would be no better than those girls by doing what he was talking about.  That exchange told Mike everything he needed to know about Stuart as a person.

“Stuart… would be good to her.  And good for her,” Mike replied.

“Great!  I assume you still don’t want to use any magic to get them together?”

“Correct,” Mike said.  “First, we’ll introduce you to my other friends in the ASO, Stuart included.  That’ll get him thinking that he doesn’t have to worry about me as competition.  Would confidence be an issue for him?”

“Maybe a little, but I doubt it, once he knows you’re no longer single,” said Melody.

“Ok, cool.  Now what about Darcy?  Would she be interested in him?”

“At this point, he’s not really on her radar, though that would easily change under the right circumstances,” Melody speculated.  “For example, if she sees him interacting with me in the same way that you do, playful yet respectful, I bet she would definitely start to feel a strong attraction for him.”

“Nice.  That’ll also be a good angle for me to convince him to ask Darcy out.  You two have quickly become good friends, and girls love guys that treat their girlfriends well,” Mike continued.

“If our careers turn south, we could always go into matchmaking,” Melody said with a laugh.

Picking his phone, Mike sent a group text message to Darcy, Seth, and Stuart asking them over Sunday evening.  The text said he wanted to feed them and play some video games with them as thanks for their help in his audition preparation, though it was really the setup to introduce the guys to Melody.  This just might give Stuart the kick in the ass he needs to ask Darcy out.

As he finished sending the message, Melody’s voice came from the bed behind him.

“Mike…”

Slowly turning, he was instantly speechless at what he saw.  Melody was kneeling up tall on the bed, suddenly dressed in some of the most eye-popping lingerie Mike had ever seen.  Her torso was enveloped in a tight, black corset, which caused her amazing tits to seemingly defy gravity.  The corset itself blended seamlessly with her lacy black panties, and accentuated her milky white skin beautifully.  Small strips of fabric extended from the bottom of the corset and down her toned legs, connecting to a set of long, soft stockings.  A pair of shiny black pumps completed her outfit.

Melody kneeled near the edge of their bed, keeping her hands behind her back and subtly thrusting her chest out.  With an innocent look on her face, she said, “You were so sweet yesterday.  Fighting off that disgusting man, taking such good care of me.  You were quite the hero.  But you never received your… hero’s reward.”

As he slowly approached her, she ran her hands down his chest before slipping his T-shirt up and over his head.  Caressing his chest and clean-shaven neck, she kissed his cheek softly before whispering in his ear.  “My hero…”

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her lips passionately.  She returned the kiss with reckless abandon, running her hands through his fine, blonde hair, causing him to moan in pleasure.  Parting her lips from his, she began to kiss her way down his neck and chest, slowly approaching his pelvic region.  Looking up at him with lust and desire in her emerald eyes, she gently slipped her fingers into the waistband of his gym shorts and slid them to the floor.

With his hardened cock now pointing directly at her, she smiled wickedly and slowly began to stroke it as he stood by the bed.  Kissing his tip sweetly, she then moved to the base and slowly licked the entire length of his shaft.  Finally reaching the tip again, she started back down his cock, taking him into her mouth as she did so.  Mike marveled as she worked him just as masterfully as she had in the very first blowjob she had ever given him, his new larger size not hindering her for even a moment.  She swirled her tongue around him as she continued to engulf him into her mouth, finally arriving at the base of his cock, deep throating him in the process.

The sensations were unbelievable for Mike; no girl had ever done this to him before.  The back of Melody’s throat contracted around him, squeezing the head of his cock as she held him there.  He was momentarily worried that he might choke her, but soon remembered that nothing bad would happen to her if he didn’t want it to.  She began to suck and bob her head at a steady pace, keeping her tongue firmly planted on the underside of his shaft.  An occasional swirl as she approached his head, and Mike was already nearing climax.  Trying his best to warn her, she was undeterred, reaching around to grab his ass cheeks as she accelerated, essentially fucking him with her mouth.  Nearing the point of no return, Mike leaned over, steadying himself with his hands gently on Melody’s back, and finally exploded, spraying his hot load of cum down her throat with a growl of ecstasy.

Drinking his seed masterfully, she looked up at him with her incredible eyes, sucking him from base to head one last time before releasing his cock from her lips with a slight pop.  As he heaved and panted, she came back up to her knees, cradled his drooping head in her arms, and whispered to him, “I hope you’re not done with me.”

“Not… even… close,” he finally managed.  “Recharge me, please.”

Tingle.  Flash.

Once more horny and pulsing with energy, he pushed Melody onto her back as she squealed excitedly, crawling over her to kiss her.  Though his romantic, loving tendencies were her favorite part of their lovemaking, she also loved when he decided to take control.  Slipping her arms below her waist as they made out, she again began to stroke his saliva-coated cock with her hand.  This produced exactly the reaction she desired, with him beginning to kiss her neck before working his way down to the exposed tops of her incredible cleavage.  As he explored her new outfit, she continued to lustfully egg him on.

“It’s all yours… I’m all yours… everything that disgusting son-of-a-bitch will never get to do to me… you can do to me… all… you… want…”

Mike’s explorations lingered around her breasts for some time before traveling lower, making his way to her lower body.  He caressed one of her stocking-covered legs gently, kissing his way up her exposed skin just above the knee.  After repeating the process with her other leg, he finally arrived at her panties.  Though he was formulating a smooth way to yank them off of her, he suddenly realized that wouldn’t be necessary.

“Crotchless panties?  You bad girl…” he marveled.

Giggling, she purred, “Thought you might like that.”

“Definitely,” he replied, slipping his finger into her moist slit.  “It’s the perfect combination of convenience and kinky.”

As he fucked her with his finger, curling it up to massage her G-spot, he reached his left hand up to fondle her heaving tits.  Before he could grab them, however, Melody grabbed his wrist, and began sucking on his middle finger lustfully.  This new sensation caused his cock to twitch, and he couldn’t wait even a second longer; he had to be inside of her.

Standing up at the edge of the bed, he forcefully, but playfully grabbed her legs and dragged her to him, impaling her on his cock as he did so.  She was already soaking wet from his fingering, and she gasped with widened eyes as she felt his cock fill her completely up.  He began to pump her at a moderate pace, angling his thrusts slightly upward to continue hitting her sensitive G-spot.  As he fucked her, she couldn’t help but fondle herself, groping her own breast with her right hand and using her left to play with her clit.  Before long, the combination of the three sensations brought her to a small, yet very pleasurable orgasm.

Feeling her seeping juices and contracting pussy only spurred Mike further, as he assumed a power stance and increased the speed of his thrusts.  Straightening her right leg against his chest, he wrapped his left arm around it while reaching forward with his other hand toward her tits, taking one in his hand firmly.  His fervor only increased Melody’s enjoyment.  Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she began gripping the sheets tightly, moaning all the while.

“Oh, god… so good… he’s so strong… he is her hero, after all… he saved her… he should do… whatever he wishes… he must take her… he must make her his… he… must… CUUUUUMMMMMMM!!!”

Her moans of pleasure, combined with the stunning visual of her lingerie-covered body, were too much for Mike to withstand.  Working to time his climax with her role-play, he finally erupted inside of her, spewing his seed into her womb as she squirmed and writhed underneath him.  Leaning his torso over her, he slid his hand up to softly caress her cheek.  She sat up slowly, keeping his softening cock inside of her, smiling as she leaned in for a slow, sweet kiss.

“You like coming up with your little role-plays,” Mike said with a smile.

“And you don’t?” she shot back playfully.

As they basked in their mutual afterglow, Mike’s phone beeped from within his shorts, now strewn on the floor.  Melody whimpered pitifully as he slipped his flaccid cock out of her to retrieve it, resulting in an amused laugh from Mike.  Reading his phone, Stuart, Seth, and Darcy had responded to his invite for the next night.

“Stuart and Darcy are in for tomorrow, but Seth’s got plans with his girlfriend.  I told him no problem, I’ll buy him lunch this week,” Mike said.

With a wicked smile, Melody replied, “That works perfectly, gives us a prime opportunity to nudge them toward each other.”

Dressing themselves once again, the couple drove to a nearby Wendy’s for lunch.  After consuming a couple of cheeseburgers, they headed to the grocery store for a much-needed resupply of food.  Beginning to wander the aisles, Melody was darting every which way, examining everything she could.  Exceedingly amused, Mike hadn’t seen her this excitable since she first set foot outside their apartment.  Checking coupons on his phone, Mike picked up several TV dinners, frozen lasagnas, and a bag of chicken patties from the freezer aisle before heading to the deli counter.

Waiting for their number to be called, Melody wandered around the counter, looking at each of the different kinds of meat offered.  She pointed to two that sounded particularly good: baked turkey and honey roasted ham; they ordered a half-pound of each.  Moving to the bakery area right next to the deli, Mike felt a treat was in order for winning his audition, and grabbed some sugar cookies as well as a box of mini doughnuts for breakfast that week.  After picking up milk, bread, and, at Melody’s excited request, a box of Lucky Charms, they made their way to the front to check out.  While Mike loaded their food onto the conveyer belt in the check out line, Melody flipped through a few magazines on the rack, landing on People and Entertainment Weekly.

“You know those are complete trash, right?” Mike warned her.

“What, you mean reading about the lives of people famous just for being beautiful and promiscuous?” she shot back.

“Yep, there it is.  Do you hear it?” Mike asked, placing his hand to his ear.  “It’s the sound your brain cells, screaming in agony as they’re killed off!”

Giggling, she retorted, “True, but it does pose the question.  What other kinds of magazines do they sell here?”  A naughty smile spread across her face.

“If that’s what you want, better ask Stuart tomorrow,” Mike replied, recalling his distraction efforts from earlier in the week.  “I bet he’s an expert in where to find Playboy and Penthouse magazines.”

After finishing their check out, the pair headed home and immediately began sorting their groceries into the fridge, freezer, and cabinets.  While Melody handed items to Mike from the bags, he placed them in their proper locations for storage.  Once they finished, the couple spent the next couple of hours online in Call of Duty.

As the time neared 5:30, they powered off Mike’s PlayStation to get ready for dinner with his parents.  Clearly nervous and wanting to make a good impression, Melody decided to forgo her usual look of natural beauty, opting for some light mascara and lip gloss.  Deciding on her attire, however, was a much more difficult decision for her.  She rapidly flipped through several different outfit combinations before finally deciding on a black T-shirt blouse with a pair of blue jean Bermuda shorts.  Her black headband and red sneakers completed the ensemble.  As she finished, she turned to Mike for his approval, and he quickly nodded.  He could tell that she wanted to dress a bit more conservatively for meeting his parents for the first time, with the length of her shorts and slightly higher collar on her shirt, though she was still stunningly beautiful.  After Mike donned a pair of khaki shorts and an orange Auburn polo shirt, they were off.

Driving to the restaurant, Melody fidgeted with her hands, clearly bit of a nervous wreck.  Mike gently rubbed her knee reassuringly.  “Just relax.  I’m wild about you, so they’ll love you too.  One tip: just be your normal, confident self.  They like girls that are strong and self-assured.”

“Ok.  I can do that,” she replied, mostly to herself.

As they walked up to the entrance of the Cheesecake Factory, Mike’s parents waved to them from inside the waiting area.  Both in their mid-fifties, his mom, Jane, was quite short, standing only about 5’2” with light brown hair ending just below her jawline.  Brad, his dad, was right about Mike’s height, or perhaps a half-inch shorter.  Melody could instantly tell their facial features were almost identical; Mike was definitely his father’s son.  His hair, however, was medium-to-dark brown, with slightly longer sideburns than Mike had.  Both of his parents wore thin, wire-rimmed glasses, similar to what Mike had worn before his improved eyesight.  As Mike and Melody entered, his folks waved them over to their bench seat where they waited.

“Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Melody, my girlfriend,” Mike said as they approached.

“Hi, Melody Roberts.  Great to meet you,” she greeted them, shaking both of their hands firmly.

“Glad to meet you, too.  I’m Jane, and this is my husband, Brad,” his mom replied.

As the greetings were exchanged, the hostess called their name, indicating their table was ready.  Following the friendly girl, the group was lead to a booth in the back of the restaurant, which was much quieter than the entrance area.  Mike and Melody sat together on one side with Melody on the outer edge of the seat, across from Brad.  After placing their orders, Mike went into their now-familiar story of how they met.  Though his parents did not show any sign of disbelief in Melody being an orphan, or her Texan roots, they both got skeptical looks on their faces when Mike mentioned that they had met through online dating.

“Mike, I thought I’ve always told you to stay away from meeting people online.  It’s just not safe,” his mom began.

As Melody tried to suppress a panicked look on her face, Mike gently ran his finger on her thigh to calm her nerves, and responded, “Mom, seriously, you’re stuck in the past.  Online dating is a completely normal, mainstream way to meet people nowadays, and it’s completely safe just as long as you’re not stupid, which you know I’m not.”

Seeing the firm look in his eye told Jane all she needed to know: he had done his due diligence.  “Well, as long as you’re very careful…”

“Melody and I have been seeing each other for, what is it?  A month and a half?  Two months now?” said, turning to Melody.

“Yeah two months is about right,” she replied.

Mike continued, “And clearly she hasn’t stolen my wallet, chloroformed me, or gone all Annie Wilkes yet, so I think I’m in the clear.”

The Misery reference elicited a jovial laugh from the entire table, helping the conversation flow much easier from that moment on.  Melody talked about her background, her success in school that helped her get a scholarship to the University of Houston, and her move to Atlanta to start her photography business, as well as a new life.  This caused Jane’s ears to perk up; though her degree was in math, Jane had a long-standing love affair with photography.  Melody showed her some samples from her website on her phone, which Jane flipped through intently.  Each time she asked Melody where a picture was taken, she was able to answer brilliantly and confidently.  Mike and Brad exchanged knowing looks; they could tell Melody had impressed his mom.

Their food soon arrived, and the conversations became much more intermittent, taking place between chewing and comments on how good the food was.  Soon, the talk turned to Mike’s audition and new job.  He first told them of the audition itself and which pieces he had worked up.  Both of his parents were singers, and Jane also played the flute in church, so they were quite familiar with most of the excerpts.  They were also stunned when they learned that Philip Smith had been one of the panelists, and that he had been exceedingly impressed.

“Like I told Mike while he was preparing, he’s just a man.  Like any other, he can be impressed,” Melody chimed in.

“She was right.  Truth be told, the fire drill I got from Darcy, Stuart, and Seth helped immensely as well,” Mike agreed.

“Seemed to work well for Darcy last year, too,” Jane mused.  “So, what are you two doing tomorrow?  Any plans?”

Mike replied, “Well, we’re probably going to church together tomorrow morning, then we’ll have Stuart and Darcy over as a thank you for their help in preparing me for yesterday.  I figure the least I can do is feed them.”

“Awesome!  Melody, did you grow up in church?” Mike’s mom asked.

“Sadly, no.  The orphanage I lived in was state-run, and faith was in very short supply in general, so it was never at the forefront of my mind.  Honestly, though, that’s one of the biggest things in Mike that I’m attracted to.  Clearly he’s grown into a good, honest, decent person, and his faith was a big part of that, so I figured I should check it out and see for myself.  So far, it’s done wonders for me, particularly in the self worth department.”

Nodding approvingly, Jane replied, “That’s wonderful.  Has Mike told you about my Daddy?  He was a preacher himself.”

“He has talked about him on several occasions,” she said, looking at Mike with a big smile on her face.  “Mike says he was a great man, better than most.  The perfect combination of cut-up and wizened sage, as he describes it.”

“That pretty much sums him up…” Jane replied quietly, clearly remembering him.

As they finished their food, Melody excused herself to use the restroom and freshen up a bit.  After she had left, Jane turned to her son.

“She’s very impressive, Mike; very confident.  I like her a lot.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Still, please be careful.  I don’t want what happened with Amanda to happen again.”

“I know Mom.  Darcy said the same thing,” Mike replied.  “Honestly, I really don’t think you have anything to worry about.  This is serious.”

“I believe him,” Brad said to Jane, his tone quite serious.  Jane simply nodded in agreement.

Mike breathed a slight sigh of relief in gaining his parents’ approval.  He never had any real doubt, but it would certainly ease Melody’s mind.  After she returned from the restroom, Melody and Mike split a piece of original cheesecake at Jane’s insistence, while his parents had a piece of Oreo crunch cheesecake for themselves.  As the time neared 8:00, the couple decided to head home for the evening, and left Mike’s parents with several exchanges of thank you and goodbye.

Beginning the drive home, Melody seemed much more at ease.  “Do you think it went well?” she asked.

“Definitely,” Mike replied.  “They like you a lot.  Mom’s description was confident.”

“I’m glad.”

“Well you got her talking on photography!  No way she won’t love you if that’s your profession,” Mike said with a wink.

After arriving home, Melody washed her face and changed into her favorite robe, helping her feel very refreshed.  Relaxing with Mike on the sofa, they watched a few CSI: Miami reruns, accompanied by plentiful making out.  This eventually deteriorated into fondling and jerking, followed by a long, fun session of missionary sex.  Fully spent for the evening, they went to bed around 11:30.

Mike awoke first on Sunday, treating a sleeping Melody to some oral sex in waking her up.  She, in turn, showed her appreciation by giving him a long, soapy handjob in the shower, finishing him off with him cumming on her tits, much to Mike’s delight.  As they got dressed for church, Mike wore a white button up shirt with tan khakis, while Melody opted for a black pencil skirt and a white button up blouse.  After grabbing breakfast at Dunkin’ Doughnuts, they headed for Mike’s church.

This week Melody heard the senior pastor, Dan Black, preach the sermon.  She liked his polished delivery, but definitely still felt a connection to Ashley’s practical, real-world style.  After chatting with Ashley and Trey after the service, the pair headed back to Mike’s car.  On the way, Melody expressed an interest in owning a Bible of her own and wanting to do more reading and research on her own time, rather than just on Sundays.  Smiling at this prospect, Mike stopped at a local bookstore on the way home.  After comparing the wording of several sections in the different versions offered, Melody decided on a Common English edition, to which Mike gave his personal seal of approval.  After a quick lunch at Arby’s, they made their way back to their apartment.

As Mike played on his handheld game system, Melody began skimming through her new acquisition.  She was quite familiar with many of the stories in the Old Testament, such as Noah, Moses, and the battle of Jericho.  Mike was extremely impressed with her quick grasp of the historical events described in it, before remembering that her vessel was likely created somewhere in the Middle East centuries ago, where such things were an important part of historical lore, regardless of religious affiliation.  Sensing that she wanted to delve further into what made Mike’s faith unique from other world religions, he suggested that she start with several passages in the New Testament, as they actually describe the events leading up to the formation of the first formal Christian churches.

With Melody now engrossed in her research, Mike’s curiosity was suddenly peaked, and he felt a strange urge to examine the locket that he had first released Melody from.  Walking back to his bedroom, he pulled the locket out from the drawer of his nightstand, slowly running his finger over it.  It made no movements, and the stone did not glow at all.  Strangely, though, he noticed that the markings on the back, which had previously been illuminated when he touched the stone on the front, now appeared as engravings instead.  Before he could ponder what this could mean, he heard Melody’s voice behind him.

“Master?  Is everything alright?”

Taking a sharp breath in at her use of the title of Master, he replied, “Yeah… yeah everything’s fine.  It’s strange, but I just got this urge to check this thing over again.  I haven’t really touched it since the day you were born.”

“Ok,” she said, appearing to sigh in relief.  “I’m sorry, I was momentarily worried that you were considering-”

“No way,” he interrupted, standing to move towards her.  “You are the most wonderful thing to ever happen to me.  I would never wish to get rid of you, nor to imprison you back in this thing for any length of time.”

Kissing him sweetly, she replied, “I’m glad.”

Looking intently at the locket, Mike asked, “There isn’t any way that just keeping this around would result in you accidentally returning to your vessel, is there?”

“Not at all.  As the one who released me, you are in complete control of me, as well as my powers and my vessel.  If it is not your wish for me to return to my vessel, I will not, even if I were to hold it in my hand.  As I mentioned previously, all of its magical qualities seem to have dissipated from it since my release.”

“Good to know,” he replied, sitting back on the bed.  “Still, it’s strange.  Look on the back.  The inscription here wasn’t an inscription before I released you; it previously only appeared when I touched the stone on the front.  What do you think that means?”

Examining the locket, Melody responded, “I’m not sure.  I really can’t speak to the specific nature of the vessel, unfortunately.”

“So, what did you experience while you were inside of it?”

“Well, truthfully, I was not exactly inside the locket,” she explained.  “The locket is merely the doorway to my actual vessel.  Think of it as a lock, and the puzzle you solved was the key.  My vessel itself is more of a separate dimension.  While in it, I did not perceive anything in the outside world, not even the passage of time.  I just… existed.”

“That’s awful!”

“While it was not an unpleasant experience, I definitely have no desire to go back, if given the choice, of course.”

“Hmm… So I assume you were created by a jinn or genie more powerful than yourself, correct?” Mike inquired.

“Yes, although my knowledge of who that being was seems to be unknown to me.”

“Really?  You have no idea who created you?”

“No.  It may fall under the restriction of being unable to detect other magical beings, though I am again unsure,” Melody speculated.

“Well, did you exist before being placed inside the vessel, or were you simply created inside of it?”

She closed her eyes, searching her mind for any sort of answer.  Finally, she said, “I can tell that I was created before being placed in the vessel, yet it seems I am completely unable to access any memories of my existence before being placed in my vessel.  I can’t say for sure the reason for my lack of knowledge of my past, but it does strike me as odd.”

“Wow.  So you have no idea where you originally came from… I wonder if the inscription on the locket might hold any clues?” Mike wondered.

Turning to the verse in her new Bible indicated by the inscription, Melody read it a few times, but was unable to find any significance hidden within it.  “Hmm… I’ll file it away for future reference,” she said.  “Still, I don’t think we should dwell on this too much.  I’m focused on the here and now, and I couldn’t be happier with my life and everything the future holds.”

“No arguments there,” Mike agreed, pulling her in for a kiss.

Putting the locket away for the time being, Mike and Melody spent the next couple of hours playing video games.  Mike introduced her to one of his favorite games, the Uncharted series.  Melody quite liked the fun, yet realistic tone of the stories, and was particularly charmed by the excellent characters.  She definitely saw much of Mike’s sarcastic yet lovable personality in Nathan Drake’s character.  Around 5:30, they changed out of their lounging clothes and began to prepare some food for Stuart and Darcy’s arrival.  Mike worked on some easy finger food, making some frozen chicken nuggets and mozzarella sticks, while Melody cooked some meatballs in spaghetti sauce on the stovetop.  Almost as soon as the food was done, there was a knock at their door.

Stuart and Darcy had arrived practically at the same time; he was walking up the sidewalk right after the door had opened.  Stuart wore his ASO Low Brass T-shirt, complete with the section’s nickname of “Heavy Metal.”  Darcy wore a navy blue tank top, lower cut than she usually wore, and tan capris.  As Stuart entered, Mike introduced him to Melody, eliciting an inquisitive look from him.  As Stuart extended his hand to shake hers, he surprisingly flipped his double-jointed fingers back and forth, causing Melody to squeal and laugh in amusement.  A few more exchanged pleasantries, and the group headed to the kitchen to fill their plates with food.

Enjoying their munchies in the living room, Stuart listened to Mike and Melody’s story of how they met.  He turned to Darcy, questioning how she’s not more intrigued by all of this, who responded that she met Melody on Friday when she came to pick Mike up.  As the conversation turned to Melody’s photography business, Darcy asked to see her full website, rather than just the samples she had previously seen on her phone.  The girls grabbed Mike’s laptop and adjourned to the small table near the kitchen, laughing and giggling all the while.

I’m gonna try to plant the seeds of interest for Stuart in Darcy, try to gauge her receptiveness, she thought to Mike.

Sounds good, I’ll work on Stuart’s confidence myself.

As the girls conversed at the table, Mike and Stuart fired up Mario Kart Wii, having played each other before.  They were pretty evenly matched, though Mike’s recent races with Melody ensured that he was in great practice.  As they played, Stuart and Mike chatted quietly.

“Dude, your girlfriend’s something else,” Stuart said.

“Yep, she’s one of a kind,” Mike agreed.

Stuart mused, “Wish I could find someone like that…”

Leaning a bit closer to him, Mike asked, “Who says you can’t?”  He slightly tilted his head towards Darcy.

Snorting slightly, Stuart replied, “You’re crazy man.  I’d never have a shot with her.  She’s way out of my league.”

“I disagree.  She just broke up with her boyfriend who, as we both know, was a total dickhead.  Believe me when I say, she’s completely over him and ready to move on.  She wants something… real.”

“Ok, that’s all well and good, but I’m not even on her radar,” Stuart protested.

“So?” Mike retorted.  “If you’re not on her radar, that just means that she’s never thought about you in that capacity.  But that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t find you attractive if she were to see you in that light.”

Thinking for a few minutes as they finished their race, Stuart finally asked, “So, how do I get her to see me in that light?”

“Well, you’ve already started the process.  You were your usual, friendly, if weird self in meeting Melody.  Those two have quickly bonded and become good friends, as you can see, and girls love a guy who treats their girlfriends well.”

“Dude, just LOOK at her!  It’s impossible not to be nice to her.  She’s not just pretty, her personality is infectious.”

Chuckling to himself, Mike replied, “That’s exactly why I know you two would be great together.  Stephen was with Darcy when the two of us met them for dinner on Friday.  By the end of the night, Stephen was doing everything he could think of to try and steal Melody from me.  He even grabbed her on the dance floor and tried to force her to dance with him.”

Wide-eyed, Stuart asked, “What happened then?”

“Darcy tried to stop him, but he kicked her to the ground, then tried to take a few swings at me when I pulled him off of Melody.  He was too drunk to really do anything, but still, he showed his true colors.  Just like you’re showing yours.”

“Huh… so you’re sayin’ it’s actually possible for good guys to get the girl?”

“In Darcy’s current mindset?  Hell yes.”

“So where do I go from here?”

“Just ask her out, dude,” Mike said, slapping him on the back of the head lightly.

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.  Melody’s in your corner, too.  I, uh, told her about that time on the band bus.  When you lit into that asshole for wanting to wait ‘til after spring break to end things with his girlfriend.”

“You told her about that?”

“Yep.  We were trying to think of good guys to try and steer Darcy towards, and that story just stuck out in my mind.  Believe me, Melody’s probably talkin’ you up right now,” Mike said with his smartass grin.

By this time, the girls had migrated to the back bedroom, continuing to bond over Melody’s photography website.  Darcy recommended a few friends of hers for Melody to contact on Facebook as well.  While Melody sent messages to them, Darcy couldn’t resist being her nosey self, exploring their bedroom a bit.  Soon, she came across Melody’s corset and stockings hanging from the door to the walk in closet.

“Nice,” she said with a smirk.

Giggling, Melody replied, “Yeah, a little something I cooked up for Mike.  He’s worked so hard this week, so I figured he needed a little reward.”

“Wish I could find someone worth all that effort,” Darcy muttered to herself.

Closing the laptop, Melody replied, “You will.  In fact, that someone may be closer than you realize.”

“What do you mean?” Darcy asked, eyeing her in the process.

“Well, what are the most important things you want in a guy?”

“Let me see… honest, decent, respectful, and he has to make me laugh.  Those are all top of the list.”

“So, basically everything Dickhead wasn’t?” Melody said with a smile.

“Exactly!” Darcy said, erupting into laughter.

Thinking for a moment, Melody hesitantly said, “I couldn’t help but notice that… Stuart does seem to fit those qualities.”

Giving her a funny look momentarily, Darcy said, “Huh… I’ve never really even thought about Stuart.  Honestly haven’t worked with him a whole lot.  He’s in the brass, I’m a woodwind.”

“Mike’s in the brass.”

“Well, yeah, but he and I have been friends for years.”

“And he’s known Stuart since college,” Melody said.  “I’ll be honest with you.  Mike and I have been scheming to try and find a good guy to set you up with, and based on his time knowing Stuart, we happen to think he’s a great guy.  I mean he is odd, a bit of an ‘acquired taste’ as Mike puts it, but that’s pretty par for the course with musicians.  And he’s been nothing short of polite and respectful to me tonight, the total opposite of Dickhead.”

“True,” Darcy said, thinking to herself for a few moments.  “Stuart’s also the one who approached us about the fire drill this week.  That shows a lot of loyalty and dedication.  But, what if he’s not even into me?”

Melody responded dryly, “You’ve known Mike for years.  Do you really think he would have suggested Stuart if he didn’t know whether or not he was into you?”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Darcy sighed and said,  “Dammit, you two are evil, diabolical, and quite possibly the best friends I could’ve ever asked for.”  After hugging Melody in gratitude, Darcy asked, “So where do I go from here?  I mean I’ve never been the kind of girl to ask guys out myself.  How do I know if he’ll make a move?”

“Mike’s working on his confidence,” Melody assured her, “but even so, you can definitely increase your chances.  Just be yourself that you normally are with Mike, but with Stuart.  Be playful, banter with him, and it won’t take him long to get the hint.”

By this time, the girls were moving back to the living room to rejoin the guys, finding them starting up Super Smash Brothers: Brawl.  With the girls wanting to join in, the group decided to play in teams of two against two.  Darcy quickly volunteered to be on Stuart’s team against Mike and Melody.  The room was soon a mash-up of squeals of excitement, groans of defeat, and explosions coming from the TV speakers.  After half an hour, the tournament was tied at two wins for each team.

“Ok, this is for the championship,” Mike declared.

“Y’all are goin’ down, dude!” came Stuart’s reply.  He was clearly in a great mood, as he and Darcy made a strong team in this game.  Additionally, Darcy was clearly sitting more closely to him than she normally would, occasionally patting him on the knee and nudging him with her shoulder playfully.

As the match began, each player spawned in with two lives.  Mike got off to a strong start, heavily damaging Stuart.  His streak ended, however, when Darcy got off a well-timed projectile shot near the edge, causing him to fall to his doom.  As Stuart and Darcy cheered, they soon felt Melody’s wrath.

“That’s my boyfriend, you BITCH!” she yelled in mock anger, eliciting snorts of laughter from Darcy.

Her laughter, however, was enough to distract her from Melody’s onslaught, sending Darcy to her death as well.  As both Darcy and Mike spawned back in, Mike resumed his attacks on Stuart, bringing him to his first death, while Darcy went straight for Melody, knowing that she was the bigger threat.  Stuart joined her upon respawning, helping Darcy to double-team Melody.  This finally brought Melody to her first death, though she managed to drag Darcy down with her, eliminating her from the match.

“Ah, shit!  Sorry Stuart, you’re on your own,” she said, gently rubbing his shoulder.

Redoubling his focus, he replied, “I got this.”

Mike attempted to attack him from behind, but Stuart was ready with a quick evade, and gained the upper hand on him.  Melody attempted to jump in and help, but Stuart was able to fend her off for just long enough to eliminate Mike from the game.  Now one-on-one, both players with about fifty percent damage, Stuart charged straight at Melody.  She easily evaded, but still took a light hit in the process.  Changing up her tactics, Melody shifted to an aerial assault, scoring a couple of hits on Stuart before he could counter.  However, after studying her patterns for a couple of passes, he finally managed to strike back hard, landing the knockout blow on Melody and winning the tournament.

“Ha ha!  YEAH!” Stuart cried, pumping his fist in victory.

Darcy cheered in excitement, jumping up to hug Stuart in her exuberance.  Though they separated a bit awkwardly after the sudden physical contact, the duo still shared a quick glance of mutual admiration.  The tension between them was glairing; Mike and Melody were exceedingly proud of themselves.

Darcy decided to head home, as it was nearing 10:30.  Stuart agreed, offering to walk her to her car, which she gladly accepted.  As Darcy walked out the door ahead of him, Stuart looked over his shoulder with a look of thanks in his eye, pointing at Mike.  He smirked and nodded in silent reply.  Locking the door behind them, Mike immediately grabbed Melody in a celebratory hug.

“How long do you think it’ll take him to ask her out?” Mike asked.

Giggling, Melody replied, “About ten seconds.  He’s keeping it low key, but she’s still extremely happy; she hasn’t been this excited about a guy since high school.”

“Awesome.  She deserves it.  They both do.”

After cleaning up the dishes, the couple called it a night and retreated to their bedroom.  As they relaxed in bed, a light, yet audible rainfall began outside.

“Oh, wow… that sounds so relaxing…” Melody murmured.

“Couldn’t agree more,” Mike replied, rolling over to spoon with her.

He slipped lower, rubbing his cock against her ass as he moved.  After rubbing the tip of his cock against her entrance for a few minutes, he slid himself into her moist pussy, eliciting a slight gasp from Melody.  As they made love, he caressed her breasts and kissed every part of her that he could reach, from her mid back, to her shoulders, and up to her neck and earlobes.  She lightly ran her fingers up and down his strong arms; she loved the feeling of safety and security that they always provided her.  After twenty minutes of leisurely thrusting into her, he finally unleashed a load of his cum into her convulsing pussy, relaxing both of them perfectly.  They continued to spoon, his soft cock still at home in her pussy, as the two lovers were slowly lulled to sleep by the peaceful sound of the raindrops.

[auguy86]

Ch. 08 Song Titles

New World Symphony (Dvorak)

Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin)

Napoli for Cornet (Bellstedt)

Fly Me to the Moon

My Funny Valentine

My Way (Sinatra)

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 08

The next several weeks were a whirlwind of activity for Mike and Melody.  Mike first solidified his new contract with the ASO, giving him a substantial pay raise, with the potential for more if he managed to earn tenure.  As rehearsals resumed in preparation for the last concert of the year, he worked to earn the trust and respect of the section leading up to the next season.  Despite the naturally competitive nature of professional trumpet players, they all seemed genuinely happy for him, and definitely felt he was the best fit for the job.

After a couple of rehearsals, Maestro Spano asked Mike to stay late one day to discuss something.  The ASO planned to publicly introduce him as the new principal trumpet at their final concert of the year, and wanted to feature him in a solo piece of Mike’s choosing.  Considering his options, Mike decided on Herman Bellstedt’s Napoli, one of his favorite cornet solos.  Fast and flashy, it was always a crowd pleaser, and showed off many of Mike’s skills, plus it was just a fun piece to play.  Spano agreed, handing out the music to the orchestra the next day to begin work on it.

Melodious Photography quickly got off to a strong start with Melody at the helm.  The first few jobs she worked went flawlessly, earning her rave reviews from her clients.  This resulted in more referrals, particularly as wedding season approached.  She found that she had a particular talent for engagement photo sessions, being able to perfectly capture the love and affection between the bride and groom without letting it appear staged.

Photographing her first actual wedding, the bride requested that Melody bring a second shooter if possible, to capture as many different angles from the ceremony and reception as they could.  Again stretching the limits of her powers using Mike’s wish of equal partnership, she was able to create an assistant for herself.  The girl she created was essentially just a robot, but with the ability to work and interact with others at Melody’s direction.  Naming her Evelyn, she looked as though she could be either a sister or cousin to Melody, albeit with raven hair instead of Melody’s red wine color.

In addition to her professional success, Melody also worked to further her studies of the Bible and Christianity.  She enrolled in Ashley’s study course at Mike’s church, intending to take the first steps towards joining the church one-day, much to Mike’s excitement.  Ashley found that having Melody in the class was an absolute joy, as she always had excellent questions that fostered communication and debate among the students, which in turn helped her gain a greater understanding of the context of the scripture they were studying.  These classes also served to strengthen the fast-forming friendship between Ashley and Melody, the former becoming a trusted confidant and mentor for the latter.

In their personal lives, Mike and Melody couldn’t have been more in love if their lives depended on it.  Each day was a new experience, even if they did nothing but lay in bed making love all day; they never grew weary of each other.  On some weeknights and weekends, Sasha and Tyler would come down from their apartment for them to babysit, much to Sandra’s relief.  Sasha and Melody were quickly becoming ‘best girlfriends,’ according to Sasha, and Tyler was slowly catching on to Mike’s example of always treating women with admiration and respect, regardless of if they were a girlfriend, a mom, a sister, or even a total stranger.  Eventually, the kids would sometimes beg to go and see Mike and Melody even if their mom had no need for a babysitter.

Just as Melody had predicted, Stuart asked Darcy out that night as they left Mike and Melody’s apartment.  They proceeded slowly at first, feeling each other out for the first few dates, but soon fell hard for each other.  Beneath his goofball personality, Darcy could clearly see the good man Stuart was deep down, yet the goofball always managed to shine through at just the right times; Stuart always seemed to be able to make her laugh right when she needed him to.  Both were extremely grateful to Mike and Melody for their evil plot to set them up with each other.  They razzed them at first about being nosey and meddlesome, though it was pointed out that Darcy was an expert in nosiness.  The two couples double dated quite frequently, strengthening Darcy and Melody’s friendship even further.

As early June approached, so too did the final performance of the ASO before their summer break.  It always took place on a Sunday afternoon, with a large party for all employees and their significant others following.  Additionally, word of Melody’s photography skills had gotten to Maestro Spano, who enlisted her services in photographing the after party.  Naturally, Melody wanted to enjoy being Mike’s date for the evening, so she “hired” Evelyn to work the camera for the event.

Standing in his tuxedo in front of his floor mirror, Mike adjusted his black bowtie and vest; he was the featured soloist of the concert, so he wanted to be sure his attire would be suitable even for James Bond himself.  As he finished the last of his grooming, a whistle of approval came from behind him.

“Damn, you may not make it out of the bedroom dressed like that,” Melody marveled.

He slowly turned to face her and was instantly mesmerized.  Though Melody normally was at her most gorgeous with the wholesome-yet-sexy girl-next-door look, the sophisticated evening gown style she now displayed was equally stunning.  Her deep red hair had grown out longer, now reaching to her armpits.  It was still perfectly straightened, and clasped together at the top of her neck with a black barrette.  Her long black dress sparkled and shimmered from every direction, extending nearly to the floor.  An elegant slit exposed just enough of her toned left leg to be tantalizingly sexy for anyone catching a glimpse of it.  The top of the dress was held up by two straps tied behind her neck in a halter-top, completed by a plunging V-neck that showed off the perfect amount of her ample cleavage.  She wore very little makeup, but she had so little need for it with her incredibly pure and sweet facial features; a light touch of black eyeliner and some pale pink lip-gloss were all she required.

“Holy shit… I’ve died and gone to heaven,” came Mike’s eventual reply.

Kissing him sweetly on the cheek, Melody whispered in his ear, “Not yet.”

Taking her hand, Mike backed up to continue examining her beauty.  She gave a little twirl to show her exposed back of the dress, throwing her megawatt smile over her shoulder as she did so.

“Absolutely stunning,” Mike continued to gush.  “Although, I think it’s a bit incomplete.”

“What do you mean?” Melody asked with a puzzled look on her face.

With his trademark grin, Mike pulled a small, old brown box from his pocket.  “Got you a little present.”

Melody gently took the box, her smile a mile wide as she slowly lifted the lid.  Looking inside of it, her eyes were now fixed upon the locket Mike had released her from.  He had cleaned and polished it painstakingly, adding a brand new gold chain to it as well, fearing that the old one might break at some point.

“Open it,” Mike instructed.

Slowly prying the clasp open, Melody peered inside the locket to find that it was no longer empty as it had previously been.  Mike had placed a small, circular photograph of the two of them in the back piece of the locket.  She remembered well when the picture had been taken.  They had been walking with Sandra and her kids in the local park when Melody slipped her phone to Sandra.  Melody had whispered to her that they needed a picture of the two of them, but that it had to be spontaneous.  Melody then snuck up behind Mike, jumping on him for a piggyback ride as Sandra snapped a picture of them cracking up laughing.  Mike had cropped that photo to include just their faces and Melody’s arm wrapped around his neck, holding on for dear life.  As Melody gazed upon the photo, she placed her hand over her mouth in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You… are… unbelievable…” she managed to gasp through her tears of happiness.  Enveloping him in a passionate, loving kiss, she said as their lips parted, “I’ll always keep it with me, no matter what.”

Chuckling at her, he pointed out that her tears were staining her eyeliner; she fixed it with a snap of her fingers.  After another short make out session, Melody turned to face the mirror and held her hair aside for Mike, beckoning him to put the locket on her.  Gently clasping it around her neck, he sensuously rubbed her bare shoulders and kissed her neck as he finished.  He wrapped his arms around her waist, gazing at her in the mirror, and saw that the locket complemented her beauty wonderfully, nestled in-between her breasts.

“Perfect,” Mike whispered to her.

Departing the apartment, Mike grabbed his cornet case and Melody a small purse that matched her sparkling dress.  Along the drive downtown, Melody confirmed that Mike’s parents had tickets reserved for the three of them at the box office and that they would meet them there.  Normally, Mike wouldn’t socialize before a performance, but as the featured soloist, he was not asked to play on any other piece on the concert.  In this way, he could be certain to be in prime condition for his solo.

After parking in the employee deck, the pair met up with Mike’s parents just outside the entrance to symphony hall.  They exchanged their greetings before Mike slipped backstage momentarily to drop off his horn in the greenroom.  As he rejoined the group, his parents were chatting with a couple of church friends who happened to be there also, while Melody was being hit on by a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair.  His demeanor clearly indicated that he thought quite a lot of himself.

Just who the hell is that? Mike asked, keeping his distance momentarily.

A partner at a law firm near here.  Sees himself as a future United States Senator, even though he has no shot in hell.  Not the ONLY thing he’s got no shot in hell at.

As Mike approached them, Mike heard the man saying, “Well, my dear, if you’ll permit me, I’d love to be your escort for the rest of the evening.”

Gently linking her arm in Mike’s as he arrived, she politely replied, “That’s very kind of you Mr. Blair, but I’m currently being escorted by tonight’s featured soloist, Mike Braxton.  Have you met?”

“Umm… no.  James Blair, how do you do young man?”

“Mike Braxton, very well, thank you sir.”

Lightly rubbing his back, Melody continued, “Mike has been working very hard lately, winning the principal job, preparing for this solo.  Honestly, I doubt he would have been so successful without my help.  I’m quite good at providing… inspiration,” she said seductively.

“Ah, I see.  In any case, I hope you enjoy the performance young lady, and good luck to you Mr. Braxton,” the man said, beating a hasty retreat.

Chuckling, Mike turned to Melody.  “Yet another pompous idiot with no idea how out of his league he is.”

“Yep.  That never gets old,” she replied with a grin.

Mike’s parents rejoined them shortly, his mom saying that they had a celebratory gift for his winning the principal position.  “Mike, we want you and Melody to take a vacation to the beach.  You pick out the time, reserve the hotel, and charge everything to your copy of my credit card.  That includes your food and gas, young man!” she said as he attempted to profess her generosity as unnecessary.

“Mom, you really don’t have to do all that…”

“No we don’t have to, we want to.  And we get to.  It’s not every day my son wins his dream job, after all,” she replied with a smile.  Knowing that their minds were made up, Mike and Melody glanced at each other in confirmation before accepting their offer.  Marveling at his parents’ gift, she thought to Mike an observation she had during the previous conversation.

I see where you get your generosity.  Not to mention your stubbornness.

Please.  My parents got me beat on stubbornness six ways to Sunday.

As the lights flashed to indicate the performance was about to begin, Mike made his way to the greenroom to warm up while Melody walked with Jane and Brad to their seats in the balcony.  Melody sat in the center seat of the front row of the balcony, ensuring Mike would be able to see her once the house lights came back on after his performance.  After the orchestra entered the stage and tuned up, the lights dimmed and the performance began.

First on the program was Dvorak’s New World Symphony.  The entire symphony was nearly an hour in length, and as such, comprised the entire first half of the program.  Melody particularly enjoyed the lyrical second movement, which she could tell was based on the folk tune Goin’ Home.  The finale was exciting as well, providing ample opportunities for Stuart and the low brass to let loose at full volume.  Additionally, upon hearing the first notes of the finale, Melody leaned over to Jane and whispered a question.

“Isn’t that basically the Jaws theme music?”

Suppressing a laugh at her perceptiveness, Jane could only nod in reply.

After the intermission, the orchestra launched into Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which featured Maestro Spano on piano.  There were also several jazzy trumpet solos scattered throughout, providing the current principal trumpet, Ray Velazquez, one last chance to show off before retiring.  After the frantic final segment of the piece, the piano was rolled offstage in preparation for Mike’s solo, the final selection of the evening.

As Mike stood just offstage, Maestro Spano spoke to the audience of the audition he had given to earn the principal position.  Proclaiming him to be one of the fast-rising stars of professional classical music, he hoped that the audience would enjoy tonight’s performance, in addition to many performances to come.  With a final introduction, the audience erupted in applause as Mike walked out onstage.

Shaking the Maestro’s hand as he reached center stage, Mike then bowed and took a deep breath, ready for the start of the piece.  After a short introduction from the orchestra, Mike entered on an extended cadenza to open the solo.  Showing off for a few seconds, he and the orchestra then launched into the familiar main tune of the piece.  The audience oohed and aahed as they began to recognize the light, bouncy Italian music.  As the piece progressed, the main theme began its variations, becoming more technical and flashy as time went on.  By the time he reached the flurry of notes that closed the piece, Mike’s fingers were an absolute blur as he danced over the entire range of the horn.  With a final grand cadence to close the final notes, the audience immediately jumped to their feet in a rousing standing ovation.

Lowering his horn with a huge smile on his face, Mike immediately pointed up to the balcony where Melody sat.  She waved and screamed excitedly, blowing a kiss right back at him.  He then turned to shake the Maestro’s hand once more and, turning to do the same for Jessica, was immediately pulled into a congratulatory hug.  Exiting the stage, he heard that the applause had not diminished at all, so he reentered the stage once more for a final bow, turning once again to thank the entire orchestra for their efforts.  As the applause finally died down and the house lights came up, Mike made his way around the entire orchestra, thanking the principal player of each section personally.  Along the way, he got a hug from Darcy and a friendly head-slap from Stuart, who playfully threatened, “Hands off my girlfriend.”  As he packed up his equipment in the greenroom, Melody came in with Mike’s parents, marveling at his performance.

“You look like you had fun,” Melody said.

“I actually get PAID for this!” Mike responded with a laugh.

Saying goodbye to his parents as they started for home, Melody took Mike’s arm as they walked together to the employee party.  As they arrived, there were quite a few stares and whistles, as this was the first time the orchestra as a whole had seen Mike’s girlfriend.  Darcy immediately approached and excitedly greeted Melody with a hug.  Even though Melody was a complete bombshell that evening, Darcy was equally stunning herself.  She had changed out of her black performance dress and into a stunning royal blue gown that extended all the way to the floor.  The garment was held up by a single, elegant shoulder strap that perfectly complemented her light brown hair.  Mike caught Stuart’s eye as the girls chatted, giving him a thumbs up sign in approval, which elicited a smirk from Stuart.

Throughout the evening, the couple made the rounds, munching on finger food and schmoozing with various members of the staff and orchestra.  Mike got quite a few congratulations on his performance from the evening, as well a few of the other trumpet players sarcastically asking if he only got Melody due to his promotion.  She gave her usual flirty responses, but always made it clear that she was with Mike the person, not Mike the musician.  After about an hour or so, the pair approached Ray Velazquez, the outgoing principal trumpet.

During his short time with the orchestra, Mike had developed a deep respect for the portly Hispanic man that led the trumpet section.  Now in his late sixties, Ray had worked with many orchestras around the country before finally settling in Atlanta some twenty years ago.  In addition to his classical experience, Ray also had training in jazz and studio music, having played win Los Angeles studio bands for film soundtracks, as well as touring groups such as the OJ’s and Earth, Wind, and Fire.  He was a true Renaissance man, eagerly dabbling in any style and medium he possibly could through his music.

“So, how ‘bout it Ray?  We never gonna see you again, or you gonna be in the audience all the time just to give your evil glares when we mess up?” Mike asked.

“You know, I really can’t decide.  A nice, quiet beach in Tijuana sounds fantastic, just me and my wife, but I never pass up an opportunity to, shall we say, point out areas for improvement,” Ray shot back.

“Oh, ‘areas for improvement,’ is it?  I thought it was just the smug satisfaction you get from being right all the time.”

“The fact that I am right all the time is merely coincidence,” he said proudly.

As Melody giggled at their exchange, Ray turned to her and said, “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure young lady.”

“Of course.  This is my girlfriend, Melody Roberts.  Melody, meet Ray Velazquez.  I taught him everything he knows,” Mike said with a grin.

“You wish, chico,” Ray replied, intentionally thickening his Mexican accent.  Extending his hand in greeting, he addressed Melody.  “Delighted, my dear.  I only hope that you can reign in my friend’s ego a bit,” he said with a wink.

With her megawatt smile, she replied, “I’ll do what I can.  He’s stubborn, but I can be very persuasive.”

Stroking his greying goatee with his fingers, Ray said to Mike, “Sweet mama, you’d better hold on to this one, Mike.”

Mike pulled her close to him by her waist, kissing her on the cheek.  “I plan to.  You take care of yourself, Ray.  You’ve earned a long retirement.”

The two musicians shook hands firmly as they parted.  By this time, a jazz trio was setting up on the far side of the room near an area set aside as a dance floor.  At first, they appeared to be local musicians the ASO had hired for the party, until Robert Spano himself joined them at the piano onstage.  After his performance of Rhapsody in Blue earlier that day, this brought about an excited reaction from the entire room.  As he started playing along with the drummer and bassist, the vocalist began his rendition of Fly Me to the Moon.  They played it at faster tempo than Sinatra’s famous recordings, but their version was very enjoyable, being perfect for dancing.

As Melody drug Mike on to the dance floor, she gazed seductively into his eyes and whispered to him, “Gotta get you loosened up for later… when the real dancing begins.”

For the next fifteen minutes, they enjoyed dancing with each other to a bevy of famous jazz standards.  Mike was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the band; the vocalist in particular was quite good, easily capturing the old-school style and smoothness of the old Rat Pack.  Soon, the band slowed their groove, working seamlessly into My Funny Valentine.  As Melody drew close to him, Mike managed to catch a glimpse of Darcy and Stuart out of the corner of his eye; they were slow dancing very intimately, her head on his shoulder.  He wasn’t sure, but he could’ve sworn he saw Darcy’s lips move to the words “I love you.”

“Do you think it’s strange or obsessive for me to feel so much pride in helping Stuart and Darcy find each other?” Mike asked Melody quietly.

“Not at all, I feel the same way,” she replied, lowering her head as they danced, touching her forehead to his.  “Those two are completely in love.  While I don’t know the future, I truly can’t envision a scenario in which they won’t be together for the rest of their lives.  And, I suppose it’s comforting knowing that you’ve done an enormous amount of good in another person’s life.  Especially since we accomplished all of this without using my powers to push them together; they’re together because they genuinely want to be.”

Mike kissed her forehead, nodding in agreement as the slow song finally came to an end.  As the crowd applauded the band, Mike felt a tap on his shoulder; one of the trumpet players in the section asked for his help with something.  Excusing himself from Melody for a few minutes, he joined the rest of the section in the greenroom to see what was going on.  In the meantime, Melody milled around outside the dance floor, snacking on appetizers that looked appealing.

Taking a break herself from the dance floor, Darcy approached her, asking about the new necklace Melody was wearing.  She beamed as she showed Darcy the locket, opening it to reveal Mike and herself, perfectly captured in all of their goofiness.  When she told her that Mike had given it to her that day as a gift, Stuart sarcastically muttered under his breath about Mike making him look bad, eliciting giggles from the girls.  Darcy kissed him on the cheek, whispering that he had nothing to worry about.  As they chatted, the vocalist suddenly made an announcement before their next song.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our next number is a special request from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra trumpets, dedicated especially to the great Ray Velazquez.”

Robert started the piano softly, with a steady beat from the bass and drums.  As the vocalist entered, within the first few words, the entire crowd cheered at recognizing Frank Sinatra’s most famous song, My Way.  Listening to the words of triumph, Melody glanced across the room and saw Ray, smiling and nearly in tears at the touching gesture from his section, though his manly pride certainly would not have let those tears to actually escape his eyes.  When the vocalist neared the final climax of the song, Mike and the rest of the trumpet section joined in, accompanying the final chorus with the distinctive fanfare made famous in Sinatra’s many performances of the song.  Cheers and whistles erupted from the audience even before the final notes went silent, and the trumpets were immediately greeted by an ecstatic Ray, who grabbed each of them individually into a manly bro-hug.

Rejoining Melody, she and Mike continued to meander around the room leisurely, enjoying each other’s company; each couldn’t keep out of their minds how hot the other looked in formal settings.  After subtly groping each other a few times, they knew it wouldn’t be long before they would have to get home, as they wouldn’t be able to keep from ripping each other’s clothes off.  While Melody fondled Mike’s ass again, she noticed something odd across the room.

“Mike, look over there, near Darcy.  Does that guy… look familiar?”

“It sure does… he’s clean shaven, but there’s no mistaking that look in his eyes; it’s Stephen.  What the fuck is he doing here?”

Melody closed her eyes momentarily, searching Stephen’s intentions.  “He thinks he’s showing Darcy how classy he really is, and that she’ll see him in his suit and fall swooning into his arms.  It seems he’s had… issues with his equipment since she broke up with him, and he thinks getting her back will magically solve everything.”

“I gave him too little credit,” Mike mused sarcastically.  “He actually is dumber than he looks!  Um, do we need to intervene here, or can Darcy handle herself?”

Giggling with a mischievous look in her eye, Melody replied, “Nope.  This time, she’s got it covered.”  She gently slipped her arm around his waist as they watched the scene unfold in front of them.

“Come on, babe, you know you miss us.  Just gimmie one last shot,” Stephen said, trying to work his silver tongue.

Darcy was not amused.  “I thought I told you, in no uncertain terms, that I’d call the cops if you ever tried to contact me again.  How the hell did you even get in here?  This is a private event!”

At this time, Stuart walked up, carrying a couple glasses of white wine.  “Hey Darcy, who’s this?” he asked with a slight smile.

Glaring at Stephen the whole time, she simply replied, “He’s Dickhead.”

Stuart’s smile quickly disappeared.  “So, you’re Stephen,” he hissed, preparing to lunge at him.

Darcy raised her arm in front of his chest to stop Stuart.  Turning to Stephen, she calmly stated.  “This is your last chance.  Turn around and walk out of here right now, or I’m calling the police.”

Now seething with rage, Stephen stammered, “You… replaced me… with THIS?!”

Telegraphing his moves even worse than in his fight with Mike weeks ago, Stephen clumsily swung at Darcy.  She, however, was more than ready, sidestepping easily behind him while reaching her hand into a small purse made of the same material as her royal blue gown.  Swiftly pulling out her Taser and aiming directly at his back, she fired, dropping Stephen flat on his face as he yelped and writhed in pain.  Mike now rushed forward, helping Stuart to keep him on the ground as Darcy dialed the police.  There was a hesitant, yet approving applause echoing from the crowd that had formed, as well as a few calls of “You go girl!”

The party was now effectively over, with most attendees electing to head home after the latest excitement; the few that remained mainly wanted to see Stephen hauled away in handcuffs.  As Mike and Stuart pulled him off the ground to sit him in a chair, he momentarily tried to struggle before Darcy looked him straight in the eyes with Taser in had, threatening to shock him again if he didn’t cooperate.  Stephen remained calm and silent after that, seemingly resigned to his fate.  Mike and Melody hung around for moral support as Darcy gave her statement to the police.  Since he was trespassing on private property and started a fight, they did have grounds to arrest him this time, cuffing him for his trip to the station.  The responding officers also gave Darcy the appropriate papers and contact information to begin filing a restraining order, which she promised to fill out in the morning.  Despite the intensity of the situation, she was in excellent spirits, smiling and holding Stuart’s hand affectionately.  Melody confirmed that subduing Stephen successfully had made her extremely horny.

Looks like he’s getting lucky tonight.

Saying their goodbyes to Darcy and Stuart, Mike and Melody made their way to the parking deck to start their drive home.  Grabbing his arm playfully, Melody whispered, “Darcy’s not the only horny girl around here…”

“Well then, I’d better get you home, so I can do something about that,” Mike replied with an excited grin.

*****

Arriving back at their apartment, Mike locked the deadbolt and turned to face Melody, only to see her walking towards the bedroom.  She turned to him as she walked, seductively beckoning him with her finger.  Following her, he arrived in the bedroom and found that she had transformed it into a wonderfully intimate love nest.  Playing with the locket around her neck, she said sweetly, “Had to repay your surprise with one of my own.  Like it?”

“Absolutely,” he marveled.

Looking around the room, the only lighting was from small candles scattered on the dresser, nightstands, and chest of drawers.  Even so, there was plentiful light for Mike to study every inch of Melody’s adorable face as the candlelight flickered off of her smile.  As the soft sounds of Chris Botti echoed from a pair of small speakers from the dresser, Mike saw that the normal bed sheets had been replaced with black silk sheets and a black comforter with a deep red inner lining.  Melody slowly sauntered up to him, her face beaming with radiance, and locked her emerald eyes onto his light blue ones.  He took her in his arms and she ran her hands slowly up his lapel, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck.  They stood there for several minutes, gazing into each other’s eyes, never needing to utter a word.

Finally breaking their uninterrupted gaze, Mike slowly moved his lips closer to hers, savoring every second of the tension between them.  Her breathing became more labored in anticipation of his touch; she had been lusting after this man all night.  After what felt like an eternity, their lips finally met, as he kissed her softly and tentatively at first.  Savoring every inch, he explored her lips as thoroughly as he had the first time he had ever kissed her.  Slowly, she escalated the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth and allowing her passion to envelop her.  With their lips firmly sealed together as their tongues danced, she lightly ran her fingers through the back of his hair and gently stroked his cheek with her other hand.

After nearly ten minutes, they finally parted, sighing in complete contentment with each other.  Melody reached behind her neck to undo the knot holding up the halter-top of her dress.  Keeping the strips of fabric behind her shoulders momentarily, so as to heighten his anticipation, she slowly pulled them over to her front, peeling them to gradually reveal her milky white D-cup breasts.  He began to reach his hands forward to feel them, but she playfully slapped them away.

“Not yet,” she said seductively, shaking her finger at him.

Keeping her eyes locked onto his, she smiled as she lowered the size zipper holding up the remainder of her gown.  As she finished, she kicked off her black heels before letting the dress fall elegantly to the floor.  She was now left in nothing but her black boy short panties.

“The first panties I ever took off of you,” Mike said with a smile.

Giggling, she sweetly replied, “A girl never forgets her first time.”

Turning her back to him, she stood tall before bending over at the waist, showing off her delightfully curvy ass as her panties rode up into her crack.  Still looking behind her into his eyes seductively, she slowly slid the panties down her toned legs, kicking them away when they reached the ground.  Now completely naked, she turned her attention back to the object of her desire.

Mike started to adjust his jacket, about to take it off, when Melody took his hands gently, saying, “Why don’t you let me do that?”

She wanted to savor every second of undressing her lover.  Again running her hands up the lapel of his tuxedo, she slipped her hands inside his jacket and pushed it off of his shoulders.  As she began to unbutton half-dozen buttons of his vest, Mike quickly kicked off his dress shoes.  Finished with the buttons, Melody pushed it off of his shoulders in the same seductive manner she had his jacket.  Kissing his lips sweetly, she ran her hands down his smooth neck, aiming for his black bowtie.  Before he could explain to her how to undo it, she masterfully pulled the correct strand, instantly unknotting it to hang loosely around his collar.

Now turning her attention to his shirt, she unbuttoned his buttons from top to bottom, slowly exposing his bare chest.  She softly kissed each new patch of skin as she revealed it, driving Mike wild with lust and anticipation.  As she reached his waist, Melody pulled his shirt from his pants and undid the final two buttons before running her hands up his strong chest.  Once she was back at eye level to him, he wrapped her in his arms and drew her in for a long, passionate kiss.  As she kissed him, her hands continued to work her magic on his exposed chest, finally slipping his shirt off and onto the floor.  He pulled her close again, feeling her breasts pressing against his chest as they embraced.  Mike also felt the sensation of the locket she wore rubbing against him.

“Do you want me to take it off?” Melody asked.

Smiling, he simply replied, “No.  It’s where it belongs.”

Beaming, she turned her attention to his pants.  After loosening his belt, she knelt down before him, unbuttoning the buttons and lowering the zipper.  She was surprised and aroused by what she found upon doing so: Mike had gone commando that evening.  Letting his pants fall to the floor, he stepped out of them and stripped his black socks off, leaving him fully exposed to her.  She smiled wickedly, stroking his hardening member gently as she knelt in front of him.  A few light licks were all it took to get him completely hard.

He reached down, taking her hands in his, and stood her up, immediately wrapping her in a tight embrace, his cock pressing against her.  As the pair approached the bed, the silk sheets and comforter magically folded back, allowing them to climb in together without ceasing their intimate touches.  She stretched back suggestively, lightly caressing her nipples and pussy, wordlessly begging for his touch.  Momentarily watching her, enjoying the show, he lay down between her legs and softly kissed her taught stomach.  Working his way up her abdomen, between the valley of her breasts, and eventually to each nipple individually, she was soon moaning and writhing in pleasure and anticipation.  Continuing his breast play for several minutes, lightly stimulating every inch of her magnificent globes, it soon became apparent how horny she was by the sweet aroma emanating from her womanhood.  He shifted himself higher, kissed her sweetly on the lips, and gently eased his cock into her pussy.

“I love you,” he whispered as he penetrated her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Oh, god…” she gasped.  “I… love you… too.  I love… everything about you…”

As he gradually increased the speed of his thrusting, she continued to gush over him.  “I love your arms… they keep me safe… and warm.  I love… your strong chest,” she said, running her hands over his pectorals.  “It’s better than any pillow imaginable.  I love your lips… not just what they do to me, but how they always tell me how loved and important I am to you.”  Her words were having exactly their intended effect, spurring him into more passionate strokes.

“But most of all… I love your eyes,” she continued.  “When I look into your eyes… I see a man who could do and be anything, yet chooses a simpler life, a life that, in its simplicity, brings greater joy to him and those he loves than any fame or fortune he might ever acquire.  They are the eyes… of the man whose children I want to have… someday.”

Mike could barely control himself.  She sure knew how to drive him wild, yet knowing that she meant every word she said only made his desire for her increase exponentially.  He, however, wasn’t done yet.  He knew he could wish for more stamina, but that wasn’t what he wanted to do tonight.  Slowing his thrusting, he placed her hands on his shoulders.  As he secured her in his own arms, he smiled and whispered, “Hold tight.”

Rolling to his right side, she squealed and laughed as she suddenly found herself on top of him, his cock still imbedded inside her.  “Impressive… most impressive,” she mused with an enormous grin on her face.

Melody slowly began to ride him, edging him back from his near orgasm as she focused on simply keeping hard for the moment.  As she braced her arms on his chest, Mike slowly ran his fingers over her soft hands.

“I love your hands… they’re so soft, so delicate,” he said, resolving to drive her as crazy as she had just driven him.  “Anything they touch… is instantly put at ease.  I love your arms… anything wrapped in them feels your complete love and affection,” he ran his fingers up her arms and shoulders before playfully squeezing her jiggling breasts.  “My admiration for these is… highly obvious, so I’ll keep moving for now,” he said as she giggled.

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, repeating her earlier words.  “But most of all… I love your eyes.  They shine with each new experience you have in this life.  The more you explore… the more you discover everything this world has to offer you… the brighter they shine.  Your eyes… they are the eyes of unlimited potential.  The eyes of a girl, once bound as a slave, now discovering the wonders… of freedom.”

Melody was absolutely speechless.  She knew he loved her, but this was the first time he had truly vocalized how deep his adoration for her ran.  He didn’t care one bit that she was a creature of immense magical power; he only cared for her as a person, for her safety and her future.  They could be making love in a ratty college dorm room right now, and it wouldn’t matter; he would still love her all the same.  Continuing to grind his hard cock with her pussy, she leaned over him, squishing her breasts against his chest, and kissed him deeply with every fiber of her being.

As they kissed, he held her tightly and surprised her once more by deftly rolling back on top of her, his member never exiting her tunnel.  His strokes were now deliberate, strong, and yet always gentle.  He moderately thrust into her for what seemed like years, but still felt like it would end all too soon.  For over an hour they kissed, they laughed, and they shut the entire world out.  They only wanted each other in those moments.  As they finally climaxed, their faces glowing with sheer joy, Mike collapsed beside Melody, cradling her face in his hands and stroking her hair softly.  After no less than fifteen minutes, Melody finally broke their silence.

“So, we have some planning to do.  When do we go to the beach?” she asked.

His smile a mile wide, he replied, “Well, my rehearsals are done for the summer.  Why don’t you get your phone and see when you have a break in your jobs?”

“Will do.”  She kissed him sweetly and slid out of bed, her glorious rear bouncing as she walked to the living room.

Hearing her stop to use the restroom before returning, Mike pulled up his iPad to check his email quickly.  There were the usual ads and sales being advertised, but he did find one particularly important email from that afternoon.  Opening it, his heart skipped a few beats as he read the contents.

Mr. Batson, this is Robert from Solomon Brothers.  This email is being sent to inform you that the engagement ring you purchased is ready for pick-up.  Please come by at your earliest convenience.  Thank you, and congratulations.

He closed the iPad and placed it back in the drawer of his nightstand as he heard Melody returning with her phone.  She casually asked, “Get anything important?”

Grinning secretly to himself, he replied, “Nope.  Nothing at all.”

[auguy86]

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 09

“Melody, you almost finished packing?” Mike asked.

“Yep!  All set!” she replied, carrying a backpack and rolling suitcase.

As they prepared to begin the long drive to Orange Beach, Mike was treated to the sight of Melody in a sexy, summer travel outfit.  She wore a plain white tank top with spaghetti straps, her cleavage barely contained within it.  As his eyes traveled further south, her cutoff daisy dukes and flip-flops were playful and tantalizing; she wore her shorts low on her hips, baring a bit of her midriff and slightly exposing the top of her thong rising above her glorious ass.  A pair of stylish sunglasses rested on top of her head, and her gorgeous red hair, still in its longer length, was wrapped tightly into a beautiful single braid.

“Damn… I love warm weather,” Mike said.

Giggling, she replied, “Just wait ‘til you see what I got in my bag.”

As he finished packing his bag, Mike suddenly remembered something he had forgotten.  “Oh!  Can’t forget the sunblock.  I turn into a lobster otherwise…”

“You know that’s unnecessary, right?” Melody asked.

“Really?”

“Yep.  Keeping you healthy from all harmful diseases and ailments includes sunburn and protection from ultraviolet radiation,” she said with a smile.

“Well then, let’s get the hell outta here,” he said, zipping up his suitcase.

Stepping outside to a perfectly sunny mid-June day, the couple threw their bags into Mike’s CR-V and began the long drive south.  Along the way, the traffic was lighter than usual, however Mike suspected that would change the closer they came to the coast.  Their drive was accompanied by mash-ups of Mike’s favorite playlists, spanning all of his favorite styles: country, classical, jazz, and movie soundtracks.  After three hours, they took a break for lunch at a Wendy’s before continuing the journey.  As they got back onto the interstate, Melody started getting friskier, playfully running her fingers on Mike’s leg and through his hair occasionally.  Eventually deciding to have some fun, she unbuckled her seat belt and leaned over to him, unzipping the fly of his khaki shorts carefully.

“W-what are you doing?” Mike protested.

Giggling, she replied innocently, “If you must know, I am trying to suck your cock.”

“Seriously, Melody.  That’s extremely dangerous while I’m driving.”

“Then don’t drive.  Let go of the wheel, and take your foot off the gas.  My protection powers will do the rest.”

Hesitating, he asked, “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” she whispered seductively into his ear.  “Trust me.”

Slowly, Mike took his foot off of the gas pedal, and found that the car safely maintained its speed.  He took his hands off the wheel, and saw that it still turned on its own, making slight corrections as if he were still driving.  Now feeling much more at ease, he leaned over and kissed Melody for several long seconds, which was a strange feeling with the car in motion.

“What if a cop sees us?”

“They won’t.  We are protected by my anonymity powers, to ensure they don’t see the car driving itself, or what I’m doing to you,” Melody replied.

Relaxing himself completely, Mike sat back in his seat as Melody finished unzipping his fly, gently pulling out his hardening cock.  She flipped her long, braided hair to one side, driving him wild with lust and giving Mike a perfect view of her work.  Keeping his cock pointed straight up with one hand, she slowly began to work his tip with her lips and tongue.  As she swirled her tongue, she started taking more of his length into her mouth, up to about five inches.  Settling in at that depth, she masterfully sucked his member using a moderate pace with an enormous amount of suction.  Occasionally, she held him still in her mouth while moaning, the vibrations of her muffled voice only arousing him further.

Mike was in heaven.  He had the most beautiful creature in the universe spoiling him with every guy’s fantasy, and he didn’t even have to power through it to concentrate on driving.  As he enjoyed the scenery of south Alabama, he noticed a pickup truck moving around them to pass.  Seeing that the truck was high enough that the occupants would be able to see everything that was going on, Mike decided to warn Melody, just to be safe.

“There’s a truck about to pass us, and I think it’s tall enough for them to see in here.”

Just put your hand on the steering wheel and pretend you’re driving.  I can prevent them from seeing what I’m doing to you, but… would it be ok if we allowed them to see the show?  She asked seductively.  I do not sense any danger in doing so.

Thinking momentarily, Mike decided, “Why not?”

Melody redoubled her efforts as the truck approached.  As it pulled alongside, Mike could definitely tell that it was high enough to see directly into the cab of his CR-V.  Playing it cool, he pretended to drive as Melody suggested, and glanced to his side casually.  As he did so, he caught sight of the passenger in the truck beside them: a girl, maybe his age, almost as beautiful as Melody herself.  She had honey-brown hair that seemed to feather out to the sides slightly, and her gorgeous locks were complemented beautifully by her tight sky-blue tank top.  The girl instantly saw what was going on, and smiled with an aroused look on her face, flashing a thumbs-up as the truck began to pass.  Melody looked up momentarily and smiled at the girl, winking seductively before resuming her sucking.  A few playful honks from the truck’s driver, and they had moved ahead of Mike.  Before they drove into the distance, Mike was able to make out their rear license plate: TIL DAWN.

By now, Mike’s orgasm was fast approaching.  As Melody increased the speed of her bobbing, she swirled her tongue around his cock frantically.  When she felt him reach the point of no return, her pace slowed dramatically, her lips sealed tightly around him so that she could milk every drop of his seed, slowly and firmly sucking him from base to tip as he sprayed his load down her throat in ecstasy.  After cleaning him up with one last suck, she gently guided his member back into his pants and zipped up his fly, patting his crotch softly after finishing.

After catching his breath momentarily, Mike asked, “Did… you know that girl?”

“Nope,” Melody replied with a giggle.  “Apparently I just love showing off just how hot for you I am.”

Resuming control of the car, Mike mused, “No complaints here.”

By this time, they were nearing the coast, encountering the increased traffic that came with the territory.  Making slow, yet steady progress, they drove along the main strip running parallel to the beach, scouting out restaurants and fun things to do during their vacation.  Finally, the couple arrived at their destination: a small complex of townhouses right off the beach.

“Oh, wow!  These look really nice,” Melody marveled.

“Yep.  I’m glad Mom’s friend offered their place to us; this’ll be much more intimate and fun than a hotel room,” Mike agreed.

Walking up the steps and unlocking the front door, they stepped into the cozy, two-bedroom townhouse.  Exploring the home, they found it to be wonderfully furnished with updated appliances and marble flooring.  One of the counters in the kitchen contained an outlet for iPod hookups, which connected to a speaker system that could play throughout the entire house.  Looking out the kitchen window, they could easily see the communal swimming pool that the ten townhouses shared.  Moreover, the owners of this house had installed their own personal hot tub on the outside deck; Melody grinned mischievously upon realizing that it was positioned on the deck with privacy in mind.

The upstairs was much more intimate than the open floor plan of the main level, being carpeted with a simple, L-shaped hallway leading to each of the two bedrooms, as well as the guest bathroom.  The pair entered the master bedroom, finding a king-sized bed and the attached master bath.  The room was decorated in a variety of framed seashells and other nautical items.  As Melody immediately went to relieve herself in the restroom, Mike walked through a pair of curtained doors leading to a small outside deck.  Checking his phone’s compass app, he could tell that it faced west.

Perfect, he thought with a grin.

Though Jane had insisted they eat out to their hearts’ content, Mike and Melody were determined to eat at home at least a few times during their stay.  After unpacking their bags, Mike checked his phone for coupons to various places nearby.  As it neared dinnertime, they used a buy-one-get-one coupon to get a couple of pizzas from Papa John’s, eating part of the first pizza for dinner that night; the leftovers would feed them for lunch for the next couple of days.  As they ate, they watched Goldfinger on the fifty-inch flat screen TV in the main living room.  Melody’s first reaction to young Sean Connery as James Bond was quite predictable.

“He’s hot…”

“Yeah, all you gals say that about him,” Mike said, rolling his eyes.

Giggling, she replied, “Still, he’s got nothing on you.”

After finishing the movie, Melody suggested they go for a relaxing, evening swim, to which Mike excitedly agreed.  He changed into a pair of navy blue swim trunks, while Melody emerged from the restroom in a shamrock green halter-top bikini.  It was a bit more modest than Mike expected, but still gorgeous nonetheless.  Melody assured him that she had far skimpier swimsuits for the rest of the week.

As they made their way out to the pool at the back of the small complex, the couple was pleased to find that they had the water to themselves.  Though the sun had long gone down, the June air was still quite hot, and the cool water of the swimming pool felt wonderful as they entered through the steps in the shallow end.  Melody was particularly enjoying the experience, as she had never been swimming before.  Despite this, she was a very capable swimmer, floating around the pool with little effort; it came very naturally to her.

After swimming around separately for a few minutes, the pair met back up in the middle of the pool, continuing to swim while never breaking contact with each other.  They kissed tenderly at every opportunity, hugging and embracing every time they reached a wall.  Soon, their playful kisses turned into full-blown make out sessions, Melody fondling Mike’s package all the while.  Breaking their kiss momentarily, Mike decided to ensure they had all the time they wanted.

“I wish for nobody to come to the pool area until after we’ve left.”

Tingle.  Flash.

“Done.  There is now a temporary magical barrier around the pool area that will cause anyone who approaches to temporarily forget where there were going,” Melody replied.

“Nice,” Mike replied with a grin.  “Can you also make sure we don’t… contaminate the pool?  Wouldn’t want to be rude or anything.”

“Of course,” she responded with a seductive grin.

Making their way back to the shallow end, Melody sat on the entry stairs while Mike floated over her, taking her in his arms and kissing her lovingly.  As she wrapped her arms around his neck, he slid his hands higher, undoing the bow of her halter-top.  Breaking from her lips, he moved lower, kissing her neck and shoulders before peeling off the straps of her bikini top, revealing her perfect breasts.  Though he had gazed on them many times before, the sight of her pale, pink nipples being lightly splashed by the pool water was unbelievably erotic.  After untying the chest strap of her top, it was finally off completely, tossed aside onto the pool deck.

Continuing to move his kisses southward, Mike now focused his attention on her milky white globes, floating on the water’s surface.  Taking one into his mouth gently, he began to stimulate her nipple with his tongue, slowly increasing the speed and forcefulness of his licks as she cooed in approval.  After a couple of minutes, he then turned to her other breast, repeating the process all over again.  By the time he was done, Melody was moaning in pure pleasure.  Knowing she was close to orgasm, Mike redoubled his efforts, returning to her left breast while continuing to stimulate her right with his hand and fingers.  As her moans turned into breathless gasps, Melody grabbed onto the aluminum handrail attached to the steps.  Mike increased his stimulation, causing her to buck and splash uncontrollably, finally bringing her to her long-awaited orgasm.  Riding out the spasms and moaning in ecstasy, she finally collapsed, relaxing back on the steps as she panted and heaved, just trying to catch her breath.  Mike watched her with a huge smile on his face all the while, enjoying the rise and fall of her glorious tits as her breathing slowly returned to normal.

Mike leaned over her to kiss her lovingly, whispering as they parted, “You ready for more?”

“Yes, please,” she replied in anticipation.

“Good,” Mike continued with a wicked grin on his face.

Studying his face momentarily, Melody said, “You’re thinking something, aren’t you?”

Nodding, he stated, “I wish to make love to you underwater.”

Melody’s eyes lit up at this prospect, excited by Mike’s creative wish.  She stood, taking his hand in hers, and began to make her way towards the deep end.  As they slowly walked, she turned to face him, walking backwards with a seductive look on her face as she led him deeper.  Reaching the eight-foot section, they could no longer stand, so Melody led them to the nearest wall, and began to explain the specifics of Mike’s wish to him.

“While we’re underwater, just breathe normally; I’ll take care of the rest.  Also, I will decrease our natural buoyancy, to make it easier for us to remain close enough for sex while underwater, although we can still swim around as we please.  How does that sound?”

Kissing her sweetly, he replied, “Absolutely perfect.”

Tingle.  Flash.  “Done.”

Together, they swam out to the deepest part of the pool at twelve feet deep, gazing into each other’s eyes with lust and anticipation.  After treading water momentarily, Melody slowly slipped below the surface, grinning seductively all the while.  Mike followed quickly, instinctively holding his breath as he floated down to the floor of the pool.  Once he was underwater, however, he immediately noticed the effects of his wish.  He could breathe completely naturally, feeling as if he had his own personal pocket of air around his mouth and nose.  It was a very strange, yet fun sensation.  Additionally, his vision underwater wasn’t blurry in the least, being able to easily make out Melody’s stunning body.

As he stood on the floor of the pool, he could immediately feel that he didn’t have to work to keep his feet planted on the ground; it was almost as if gravity had increased slightly.  Approaching Melody, her gorgeous red hair floated all around her, reminding him of Ariel from The Little Mermaid.  She smiled as he wrapped her in his arms, squishing her exposed breasts against his chest.  They simply gazed into each other’s eyes for several minutes, together taking in the ethereal sensations of this new environment.

As Mike looked around the pool, Melody drew close and began to softly kiss his neck, causing his eyes to flutter closed, a blissful look on his face.  Moving her hands lower as she kissed him, she began to slip his trunks down, kneeling slightly to complete the job, since there wasn’t the usual gravity to help.  After Mike stepped out of them, Melody tossed them aside, letting them float back to the surface.  As she stood, she gave his hardening cock a couple of gentle strokes to bring him to full attention.

Mike again wrapped her in a loving embrace, moving his hands down to her bikini bottoms.  Aiming for the knots on either side of her waist, he expertly unraveled them, allowing the green material to join his trunks on the water’s surface.  Mike spent the next few minutes fingering Melody to ensure she was properly lubricated for him.  Gazing at him seductively, she allowed herself normal buoyancy to float up slightly and wrap her legs around Mike’s waist.

As she held his shoulders securely, Mike slowly guided her onto his thick shaft, beginning to thrust into her.  Her lightness in the water made it very easy for him to pump at a leisurely pace, never tiring from holding her up.  A moment later, he thrust his cock completely into her, holding himself deep inside her pussy as she gaped in pleasure.  He continued his moderate strokes for several minutes more before withdrawing, kissing Melody as he exited.  Deciding to have a little more fun with her powers in this environment, Mike placed her back on the floor of the pool before floating up a bit, about halfway between the floor and the surface.

Melody joined him as they swam leisurely around the deep end, kissing each other at every opportunity.  Soon, they ended up face-to-face, Mike floating above Melody as if they were lying in bed missionary-style.  He kissed her lovingly before flicking her clit with his fingers, causing her to squirm in anticipation of the reintroduction of his cock.

Hold us here, he thought to her, trusting her to know what he meant.

Tingle.  Flash.

Instantly, their floating became far less random, as if they actually were lying together on a bed.  Moving into position over her, Mike took Melody’s cheek in his hand as he slid his cock back into her tunnel.  Resuming his moderate thrusts, their lovemaking was accompanied by plentiful kissing, stroking, and fondling.  Mike would occasionally squeeze her breasts, which usually brought about a playful pinch of his ass in retaliation.  The sensation of having sex with this incredible woman while floating underwater, never needing to surface for air, was one of the most amazing feelings imaginable.

Before long, their mutual thoughts of the incredible environment they were in brought them close to a massive orgasm.  Mike increased the speed of his thrusts, continuing to stimulate Melody’s nipples as he did so.  She threw her head back in ecstasy, her deep red hair floating beautifully all around.  Finally pounding his final ten strokes into her, the couple wordlessly climaxed together, gripping each other tightly, as there was nothing else around for them to grab onto.  They held each other for several minutes more before finally surfacing.

“Holy shit!  That was incredible!” Melody exclaimed as she broke the water.

“Uh huh,” Mike panted, catching his breath.  “I just can’t believe I actually thought of that.  Good thing, huh?”

Treading water close to him with a look of extreme desire and affection on her face, Melody giggled and replied, “Well I’m not surprised at all.  Have I not said that you are a fun and creative master?”

“I seem to recall you saying that once or twice,” he shot back with his smartass grin.

Collecting their swimsuits, the couple redressed themselves in the shallow end before exiting the pool.  They dried each other off, and then began the short walk back to the house.  Arriving home, they found themselves to be quite worn out from their swim, and watched a Seinfeld rerun in bed before dozing off in each other’s arms.

The next morning, the pair awoke around 8:00, wanting to get in a few hours on the beach before returning to the house for lunch.  Before dressing for the beach, however, Mike took Melody to a family owned restaurant called Café Beignet.  The owners originally hailed from New Orleans, and brought their signature pastries to Orange Beach.  They were immensely enjoyed by Melody, who described them as “easily one of the tastiest foods imaginable.”  By the end of the meal, both of their faces were completely covered in powdered sugar.

Returning back to the townhouse, Mike changed into his army green swim trunks and a short-sleeved button up shirt.  Deciding to leave the shirt unbuttoned for the walk to the beach, Melody whistled her approval, running her hands up his strong chest as she playfully inspected his beach look.  Mike whimpered pitifully upon seeing that Melody had already put on a cover-up.  Though it was quite sexy, being a flowing sundress made of pink, flowery fabric, he knew the glorious treasure that it concealed.  Giggling seductively, she lightly kissed him before they grabbed their towels, chairs, and sunglasses for the beach.

As they crossed the wooden bridge leading to the beach, Mike kept glancing at Melody, waiting for her inevitable reaction to seeing the ocean for the first time.  Stepping onto the white sand and reaching the top of a dune, Melody’s mouth instantly fell open; she was stunned at the vast expanse of water now stretching out in front of her.  Slowly walking down the sandy hill, she gripped Mike’s hand excitedly, taking in every sensation of this new experience.  The smell of the salt, the sound of the crashing waves, seagulls in the distance, it was like she had suddenly entered another world.

Reaching a prime spot, they set up their folding chairs and towels.  Mike slipped off his sandals and stuffed his button up shirt into Melody’s beach bag.  As he turned to her, she smiled seductively, crossed her arms in front of her, and slowly peeled off her pink cover-up.  Mike was speechless as she revealed one of the skimpiest, sexiest bikinis he had ever seen.  It was her trademark black, with the tiniest strings imaginable holding up the top and G-string bottoms.  Two patches of triangular fabric barely covered her incredible breasts as they bounced and jiggled with every step she took.

Sauntering up to him, she asked, “Like what you see?”

“You… are stunning.  And you might cause a few heart attacks,” he said with a chuckle.

Seeing that a few of their fellow beachgoers had also noticed her attire, Mike grinned while glancing around him momentarily before deciding to mark his territory.  Pulling Melody close, he planted a firm, passionate kiss on her lips, larger than he typically would in public.  She didn’t complain one bit, though, running her hands up his arms and shoulders approvingly as their tongues danced.

As they parted, Mike smiled, saying, “Just gotta let every jock on this beach know that the hottest girl to ever set foot on this sand is all mine.”

Over the next two hours, the pair enjoyed lounging on the beach together, people watching, and splashing around in the surf.  Melody’s squeals of joy upon first stepping into the Gulf of Mexico were incredible; the feeling of the waves running over her toes was one of the most wonderful sensations she had ever felt.  After jumping waves, getting into splash wars, and dunking each other for an hour or so, they grew weary and decided to head in for lunch.

Stepping back into the air-conditioned townhouse immediately helped refresh the couple from the June heat.  They remained in their swimsuits as they munched on the leftover pizza around the kitchen counter.  After finishing their lunch, the pair investigated the shower in the master bath upstairs.  Though the shower wasn’t quite as spacious as theirs, it was still quite a luxurious size, easily accommodating the two of them, as well as their extracurricular activities.

After a fun romp of doggy-style sex in the shower, Mike suggested they try out a putt-putt golf place they had seen on the way into town.  He slipped on his button-up shirt and his khaki shorts, keeping the top two shirt buttons undone for some added sex appeal.  Melody wore her daisy dukes with a bright red tank top, braiding her hair for a sporty look when combined with her sunglasses.  As they drove, Mike lowered the windows and opened the sunroof, enjoying the sight of Melody’s braided hair blowing in the breeze.

Arriving at the amusement park, they were offered a choice of either a jungle themed course or a pirate themed course.  Melody excitedly picked the pirate adventure, while Mike grabbed clubs and golf balls, blue for himself and black for Melody.  Her competitive nature began to shine through once more, as she trash talked playfully throughout the first few holes.  Unfortunately for her, Mike had become quite good at putt-putt golf over the years, and she quickly found herself down by three strokes by the end of the front nine.  Changing her strategy to distraction tactics, she attempted to mount a comeback using her gorgeous figure and flirty personality to mess with his game.  Though she was only moderately successful, with Mike managing to score no worse than par on the next eight holes, she managed to pull within a stroke of him as they approached the final hole.

The eighteenth hole was quite a challenge, being directly on top of the large pirate ship that the entrance to the park was built into.  A large cannon stood in the middle of the ship, with the hole directly on the other side of it, resulting in a classic risk or reward scenario.  As he had the overall lead, Mike played it safe, hitting his ball around the cannon and banking it off a nearby wall for a moderately easy five-foot putt for par.  After sinking his putt, Melody studied the course for several long seconds before stepping up to her ball.  With all the concentration she could muster, she hit the ball masterfully in-between the wheels of the cannon, slowly becoming more excited as the ball rolled closer to the hole.  Though it slowed to an excruciating pace, the ball had just enough steam to dramatically fall into the cup for a hole-in-one.

“YES!!! In your face!” she playfully taunted, jumping up and down excitedly at having tied the game on the final stroke.

“Beginner’s luck,” Mike said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Well then, how do we decide who buys ice cream?” she shot back.

“Hmm… alright then, without cheating, guess what I’m thinking right now.”

Studying his face intently for a few moments, she finally answered, “You’re picturing what I would have looked like jumping like I was while naked.”

“I… SAID NO CHEATING!” he stammered in mock rage.

“Ha!  I win!” she crowed proudly.

“Ok, seriously, how’d you know that?”

“Aren’t you forgetting?  I… know… you…” she whispered seductively.

Chuckling, he replied, “That you do.”

At the frozen yogurt stand downstairs, Melody chose a chocolate and vanilla swirl with sprinkles, while Mike opted for his standard vanilla cup.  As high as the temperature was climbing, their frozen treats were the perfect counterbalance, refreshing them from being out in the sun most of the day.  They spent the next couple of hours perusing some of the souvenir shops in town, with Melody focused on the many clothing options available.  However, as they passed the toy section, Mike couldn’t resist grabbing a couple of wooden swords, tossing one to Melody, and dueling her right in the middle of the store.  As their wooden blades locked together and they drew closer in their pretend struggle, Mike “won” the fight by poking his head through their swords and kissing Melody quickly on the nose, causing her to fall back in a complete giggle-fit.

At Melody’s suggestion, they looked for some gifts to bring back to Mike’s parents as thanks for sending them on the trip.  For Brad, Mike found a CD of Jimmy Buffett’s greatest hits.  Brad taught a spin class every other weekend at his gym, but frequently had trouble finding leisurely songs for the cool down portion of the workouts.  Mike suspected the Buffett selections would work perfectly.  After comparing several different styles, Melody helped Mike find a new cover-up for Jane, using her powers to be able to guess her size correctly.  Made of light, airy fabric, the white garment was perfect for his mom’s style, hanging loosely from the shoulders with a single button as an option to close it in the front.  Placing their purchases in the trunk of Mike’s car, they decided to start looking for a place to eat dinner.

Mike checked his phone for restaurant reviews, scrolling through several options before finding a small place nearby with multiple reviews describing it as the best seafood on the beach.  Upon arriving in the parking lot, Melody was skeptical that they had the right place, as it was just a tiny sea-shack of a restaurant.  Inside, however, the place was filled to capacity with people.  Thankfully, a table for two opened up right as they entered, resulting in no wait for the couple.  After studying the menu, both Mike and Melody decided on the fried shrimp basket, described in the reviews as their specialty.  The food was easily some of the tastiest seafood Mike had ever eaten, and Melody was clearly now a fan of shrimp.  After leaving a large tip on the table, the couple began the drive home.  Upon arriving, they immediately went upstairs to relax on the huge bed, tired but very happy from their long day.

“This vacation is exactly what I needed,” Melody sighed.  “Especially since I get you all to myself.”

Kissing her cheek softly, he nodded in silent agreement.  Looking out onto the small deck connected to the bedroom, they could see that the sun was beginning to set for the evening.

“Oh, wow… look at that,” Melody marveled.  She opened the door and walked out on to the deck, feeling the warm breeze on her face and gazing out at the orange and blue sky.  “It’s beautiful… a perfect end to a perfect day.”

Almost perfect, Mike thought to himself.

He slowly walked up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist.  Melody softly stroked his hands with her fingers, but felt an odd, metallic sensation as she did so.  Looking down, her eyes widened as she gazed upon a diamond ring held between Mike’s fingers.  Hearing her gasp, Mike whispered in her ear, “Melody… will you marry me?”

Slowly turning to face him, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, she could only nod her affirmative as she worked to breathe.  As the sun continued to fall in the sky, it’s orange light shimmered through her tears, literally causing her face to glow as they embraced.  Regaining her senses, she finally managed to reply, “Yes… yes… yes, yes, YES!!!  A million times yes!”

After kissing each other passionately for no less than five minutes, Mike took her left hand softly and slipped the ring onto her finger.  As Melody examined it, she could see that it was beautiful, yet also simple and elegant.  A white gold band now encircled her finger, with a tiny strip of diamonds extending from each side of the prongs.  The prongs themselves extended up in a twisting, tulip style, and held a gorgeous, one-carat diamond, cut into a princess shape.  She snapped back to reality as she heard a click; Mike had taken a picture of her as she examined the ring, completely lost in thought.  The look of sheer joy on her face was unmistakable.  Taking another picture of the ring on her hand, Mike texted it to his parents, with the title, “SHE SAID YES!!!”  This was followed by the expected flurry of excited congratulatory responses, including one text from Jane to Melody.

Congratulations, Melody, and welcome to the family.  I always wanted a daughter anyway!

Mike rolled his eyes at his mom, muttering about how she basically wished he had been a girl, eliciting several laughs from Melody.  They continued texting all their friends, Melody contacting Darcy and Ashley, Mike his guy cousins and ASO friends.  After nearly an hour of back-and-forth communications, everyone they knew would want to know had been brought into the loop.

“I think this calls for a little celebration,” Mike said with a grin.

“Got something in mind?”

“Uh huh.  I wish for a chilled bottle of pinot grigio chardonnay and two glasses, so that I can spend a relaxing evening with my fiancé… perhaps in the hot tub downstairs?”

Tingle.  Flash.

With a huge smile on her face, Melody took his hand, leading him down to the lower level deck.  They found the bottle of wine in an ice bucket next to the hot tub with two glasses sitting beside it.  Mike at first reached for his swimsuit, which was drying on the deck railing, until Melody grabbed his wrist gently and started kissing his neck from behind him.

“You’re the sweetest, but sometimes you can be a little dense,” she whispered seductively in his ear.  “You really think you’re gonna need that?”

Giggling, she peeled off her red tank top and unhooked her bra, tossing them to the floor of the deck.  After slowly sliding her daisy dukes and panties over her delightfully curvy ass, she stepped into the warm water and powered up the jets.

“You gonna join me, or just stare all night?” she asked lustfully.

Mike needed no more encouragement than that.  Ripping off his clothes in record time, he entered the hot tub to sit next to Melody.  After a short make out session, he reached over to the ice bucket and found a corkscrew in a pocket on the side of it.  Melody watched intently as he twisted it into the top of the wine bottle, before pulling it open with a loud pop.  He poured a serving in each glass and handed one to Melody, who immediately took a sip.

“Ooh, very nice… sweet, but with a hint of oak flavor,” she commented.

“Yep, one of my favorites.  It’s always been my drink of choice for special occasions,” he agreed.

As they continued to drink their wine, the warm water was quickly making them both very frisky, Mike constantly staring at her incredible tits, just obscured by the steamy bubbles.  The more he took her in, the more Melody teased him, caressing her nipples and running her feet up his thigh.  Placing his glass on the deck behind them, Mike leaned forward, fondling her right breast while kissing her tenderly.  She responded in kind, slipping her tongue into his mouth while running her fingers through his hair.

Parting momentarily, Mike said, “Just make sure to keep the tub clean, like with the pool last night.”

Smiling, she replied, “Absolutely.  Now, shut up and keep kissing me…”

Pulling him in forcefully, they resumed their passionate make out session, laughing as the splashing bubbles occasionally tickled their faces.  As Melody moved to straddle him, Mike began to stimulate her breasts and nipples with his tongue.  As she purred in approval, he simultaneously fondled her ass cheeks under the water.  This caused her to squirm and buck in pleasure, splashing him in the face every so often.  Mike chuckled and increased the ferocity of his oral stimulation as she began to grind the entrance of her pussy against his rigid cock.  Even in the warm water of the hot tub, Mike could easily feel how sopping wet she was, and moved his kissing up to her neck to drive her even crazier.

“Holy shit… please… don’t make me wait any longer… I need you…” she moaned in ecstasy.

Smiling with pride in causing her to beg for him, Mike placed his hands on Melody’s hips and gently guided her onto his cock, savoring her breathless gasps as he entered her.  She began to leisurely bounce on him, using the water as a medium for an extremely relaxing lovemaking experience.  Though Mike always turned Melody on, the combination of the wine and ring she now wore on her left hand had gotten her far hornier than normal.

“This is important,” she whispered playfully.  “I’ve just agreed to be your wife.  Which means… I need to show you just what’s in store for you… for the rest of your life…”

As she finished whispering to him, she nibbled his earlobe before beginning to kiss his neck sweetly.  Mike’s eyes rolled back in his head, taking in every sensation of her touch, and he lightly stroked her hair approvingly.  Melody now began to ride him more forcefully as she switched her kisses to the other side of his neck, giggling seductively in his ear at hearing his moans of pleasure.  Taking his cheeks in her hands, she tilted his face up to hers and kissed him lovingly.

Egging him on, she purred, “You know what to do… you know you want to… cum for me… cum for your fiancé… please… fill… me… up…”

Breathing heavily and gripping the edge of the hot tub, he knew she had driven him over the edge.  Groaning and gasping as her sweet pussy milked his cock, he finally let go and filled her womb, spraying rope after rope of his cum into her convulsing pussy.  As she screamed in pleasure from their dual climax, the two lovers finally collapsed into each other’s arms, laughing and kissing as they basked in their afterglow.  Relaxing together for another thirty minutes, the couple finally exited the hot tub and dried off before getting ready for bed.

Lying on the king-sized bed, Mike played around on his phone while Melody thumbed through her Bible, as she frequently did before bed.  Momentarily glancing at her locket, Melody once again flipped to the verse engraved on the back of the locket, though she still found no additional significance in the words.

“Mike, didn’t you say this verse was from the Messiah?”

“Yeah, that’s right.  It’s a huge piece, though, nearly three hours long, so there’s a lot of scripture contained in it,” he replied.

Thinking momentarily, she asked, “What would you say are the most famous parts of the piece?”

After a few moments of consideration, he said, “Off the top of my head, the most famous musical selection is the Hallelujah Chorus, though the most famous verse used would probably be Isaiah 9, verse 6.”

Turning to the appropriate page, Melody read aloud, “A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders.  He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Nodding and smiling at the familiar words, Mike mused, “Isaiah may not be as frequently talked about as other prophets, such as Moses or Elijah, but his importance is undeniable.  He was literally the prophet that foresaw the birth of the Son of God in human form and told of how it would happen.”

“Very cool,” Melody marveled.  Placing her bookmark at the start of the book of Isaiah, she laid her Bible on the nightstand.  “I’ll read more about him tomorrow.  Sounds like an important person to be familiar with.”

After another embrace and tender kiss, they turned out the lights and began to drift off to sleep in each other’s arms.

*****

Where am I?  What’s going on here?

Looking around, Melody could see nothing.  There was simply darkness.  In the distance, she heard voices.  Slowly walking towards them, they became clearer.  There was a man’s voice, angry and harsh.  It spoke words of blame and accusation, the tone full of fury.  In contrast, the voice was soon overtaken by the sound of an elderly man.  The soothing words spoke of hope and encouragement, desperately trying to help someone.

Above it all came the sound of a woman, crying out in pain and agony.  She sounded desperate for any help or hope that could lift her from her suffering.  Though she still could not see the source of these screams, Melody ran towards the sounds nonetheless.  The pain she sensed was unbearable; she wanted only to help.  As she ran, she tripped and fell on her face, and the voices began to fade into the distance.

Please… please, just hang on… Melody whimpered, but no reply was heard.  As the voices began to vanish, a final scream of agony was heard from the woman...

Looking up, Melody heard a different woman’s voice in her head.

This wish is your destiny…

[auguy86]

Welcome back, readers!  I know I left you with quite the cliffhanger in the last chapter, so I tried to get this one out pretty quickly.  Just so you know, this chapter is very light on sex, being more focused on story development from the aforementioned cliffhanger.  Please enjoy!

Ch. 10 song titles

For Unto Us a Child is Born (Handel)

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 10

“NO!!!” Melody screamed, scaring herself awake.  Gasping and panting, she immediately felt Mike’s arms around her.

“Melody!  What happened?  What’s wrong?” Mike asked, flipping on the lamp.

“Noth… Nothing.  Just a bad dream… that’s all,” she said.

Looking at her skeptically, he replied, “That was most definitely not nothing.  You’re sweating.  And running a fever,” he said, placing his hand on her forehead.

“I… I don’t know…” she managed to say breathlessly.

“Umm… I wish to give you a relaxing backrub that will make you calm, healthy, and put your mind at ease,” Mike said after thinking a moment.

Tingle.  Flash.

Melody breathed deeply, calming herself.  Still keeping her wrapped in his arms, he could feel her body temperature return to normal and her heartbeat slow.  Mike motioned for her to lie on her stomach, and he began to run his hands and fingers across her naked back.  Sitting up on his knees, he slowly began applying more weight and pressure to her milky white skin, eliciting a contented, relaxed purr from Melody.  For ten minutes, he worked his hands up and down her back, seeking only to relax her, rather than initiate any sexual activity.  Finally, she rolled over onto her back with a pleasant look on her face.

“Thank you, Mike.  You always know just how to spoil me.”

Kissing her lips softly, he pulled her to sit up on the bed so that they could be face-to-face.  “Now, please tell me about this dream.” His voice was firm, yet calm and determined to help her in any way he could.

She took his hands in hers and began to recount the voices she had heard.  The angry man’s voice, the reassuring sounds of the elderly man, and the cries of despair from the woman were all still fresh in her mind.  Explaining that the dream had ended with a final scream from the woman, just as Melody tried and failed to find her and help her, Mike rubbed his chin with his fingers as he pondered the situation.

“So, you couldn’t see the source of the voices at all?” he asked.

Shaking her head, she said, “No, it was nothing but darkness all around me.  I could hear where they were coming from, but as I ran toward them, they seemed to fade into the distance.”

“Hmm… and nothing else at all?  No clues as to the context of the dream?”

Hesitating, she said, “There was… one other thing.  After the woman’s final scream, I attempted to get back up to go to her.  As I did so, I heard another voice, a different woman.  She said, ‘This wish is your destiny.’  I have no idea what that means though.”

Mike sat in silence for several minutes, pondering everything Melody had just told him.  Finally, he said, “At first, I was thinking that you were initially right, that all this could just be a random dream.  But with that voice you heard at the end, clearly that has to be something related to magic or your jinn origins, don’t you think?”

Nodding slowly, Melody replied, “The more I think about it, the more I realize that you’re probably right.  Still, there are too many unanswered questions.  Is this dream a vision of things to come?  Who are the people in the dream?”

“Did any of the voices sound familiar at all?” Mike inquired.

“No, though I suppose that may not mean anything.  The mere fact that there was such pain and suffering occurring is alarming in and of itself, no matter who the voices may belong to.”

“So, since this clearly has to be magically related in some way, what could have triggered it?” Mike wondered.  Retracing the events of the previous evening, he hesitantly asked, “I mean… it wouldn’t have anything to do with us becoming engaged yesterday… would it?”

“I suppose anything is possible, but I doubt it,” Melody replied.  “I wonder… do you think the locket might have something to do with it?”

“I thought you said that it no longer possessed any magical qualities?”

“I did, and it doesn’t,” she said, examining the locket in her hand.  “Maybe… it has something to do with the engraving?”

“Hmm… well, you did read the verse it mentions right before bed, although that wasn’t the first time you’ve read that verse, and this never happened before.  Had you ever read that other verse before?  The one from Isaiah?”

“No, now that you mention it.  In fact, I haven’t even touched the Book of Isaiah yet in my research.”

Picking up her Bible from the nightstand, Melody again studied the passage that she had read before bed.  She closed her eyes as she read the words in her mind a second time, listening for any potential triggers, yet nothing seemed to be happening.  Continuing to read a few passages ahead, Melody desperately listened for any sign of her dream returning, but to no avail.  Sighing in frustration, she closed her Bible and slipped on her black robe, unable to go back to sleep in her current state of mind.  The couple headed downstairs for a change of scenery, relaxing on the sofa as they continued to ponder Melody’s dream.

“Mike, didn’t you say that the verse I read last night was part of the Messiah, just as the song that released me was?”

“It is,” he replied.  “Hang on a sec.”  Pulling his phone out of his gym shorts pocket, he started scrolling through the music he had loaded onto it.  “Ok, here we go,” he said as he found the selection.

Walking over to the plugin for the speaker system, the joyous sounds of For Unto Us a Child is Born were soon reverberating through the house.  Mike kept a close eye on Melody the entire time, intent on lending any help he could should something supernatural happen.  At first, there appeared to be no reaction, but Melody’s eyes soon glazed over, as if she had entered a trance.

Immediately worried, Mike nudged her shoulder.  “Melody?  You ok?”

“Shh,” she said quietly, stroking his hand with her fingers.  He breathed a sigh of relief that she was still conscious, and sat next to her on the sofa, remaining in constant contact with her.  Melody’s eyes fluttered closed, as she seemed to concentrate intently on something, only opening them again upon the conclusion of the piece.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “I’m ok.  But… I heard them again, the same voices.  They were much softer this time, more distant and difficult to hear.  Still, there was no mistaking those screams.”

“Wow, ok… clearly this verse and this music has some connection to whatever it is that you’re experiencing.  Did you still hear the second woman’s voice at the end?”

“Very faintly, but yes, I did.”  After a few moments of silence, Melody could hold herself back no more, falling against Mike and sobbing into his chest.  “I… I’m scared, Mike.  What if this is something that will happen in the future?  What if… the woman screaming in pain… turns out to be me?”

Tilting her head up, Mike looked Melody directly in the eyes, and said, “It won’t be.  Not as long as I’m around.  Nothing bad can happen to you if I don’t want it to.  Nothing can harm you if I don’t wish it.  You yourself said that, remember?”  He kissed her lips lovingly and reassuringly.  “Yesterday, I made a commitment.  I am committing myself to you.  It’s now you and me against the world.  Anything that wants to hurt you has to go through me, no matter what.  Nothing will ever change that.  Understand?”

Nodding in reply, Melody was amazed by his fiery response, knowing full well that he meant every word of it.  “Thank you.  I love you,” was all she could say.

“I love you too, Melody.  And I always will.”

As morning slowly approached, Mike put on a playlist of soothing classical music, helping to quiet Melody’s mind.  For the next hour, they spooned together on the sofa, leisurely making love and never needing to utter a word.  Eventually, as the sun began to peek out from the horizon, the couple climaxed together, experiencing a wave of relief washing over them.  Slipping out of her pussy, Mike suggested they get some food to help reenergize them.  After dressing themselves, the pair walked to the Waffle House across the street from the townhouse complex for breakfast.  Their food helped brighten their moods immensely, as they laughed and joked on the short walk back home.  After spending the rest of the day watching movies, swimming in the pool, and lounging on the beach, they slept soundly through the night, waking up the next day feeling rested and ready for anything life threw at them.

Relaxing on the sofa, Melody picked up her Bible for the first time since her dream.  “Mike, I just want you to know that I’m not afraid anymore.  I know nothing bad will happen to me as long as you’re around.  I… I’m ready.  I want to delve into whatever this is.  I want to tackle this dream head-on and find out what it really means.”

Smiling, Mike replied, “I’m right there with you.  Where do you think we should start?”

“Honestly, I think a fresh set of eyes and ears might shed some light on this mystery,” she said.  “Would you be willing to experience what I experienced two nights ago?  My powers would allow me to show you.”

“You mean as a fantasy?”

“No, not truly a fantasy.  This would be… more akin to instant replay.  You would not fall asleep, and would be fully aware of your surroundings.  Essentially, you will experience the real world while your eyes are open, but the dream while they are closed.”

Thinking for a moment, he asked, “Is there any potential danger?”

“No,” she replied.  “You would be under my constant watch and protection.  With your permission, I will monitor your thoughts and emotions so that I can immediately end the vision if it becomes too much for you to handle.”

Taking a deep breath, Mike said, “Ok.  Let’s do it.”

The couple sat cross-legged on the sofa, facing each other.  Melody placed her hands on Mike’s temples, instructing him to relax and close his eyes.  As he did so, the effects of Melody’s dream were immediately revealed, and he heard the voices she described loud and clear.  Listening intently, he worked to distinguish the different people she mentioned, hearing the words of anger, followed by the words of encouragement, the cries of anguish, and finally the mysterious woman at the end of the dream.

Opening his eyes, Mike immediately drew Melody close, embracing her tightly with all the love and support he could muster.  “I’m so sorry you went through all of that,” he whispered.

She said nothing, but smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

“Ok, my thoughts… I could clearly distinguish the voices you described.  None of them sounded familiar, though, and I think it’s clear that the woman’s screams are not yours.  Call it gut instinct, but I’m positive that wasn’t you screaming,” Mike explained.

“I’m glad you think so.  Listening to it again, I don’t believe the angry man’s voice was yours, which was one of my initial fears, so that’s of some relief.”

“Agreed,” he said.  “One other thing… the woman’s voice at the end of the dream, it sounded… strangely familiar.  I couldn’t tell from where, but I can’t shake this feeling that I’ve heard her voice somewhere before.  Can you play back just that portion once more?”

“Sure,” she said.  Placing her hands back on Mike’s temples again, they both heard the mysterious voice clearly in their minds.

“Hmm… this wish is your destiny… any idea what it could mean?” Mike mused.

“No clue.  I suppose it could refer to a wish I may grant one day, or perhaps even a wish I’ve already granted.  There’s just no way of knowing right now…”

Continuing to ponder, Mike thought aloud, “I still can’t figure out what connection all of this has to Isaiah.  Clearly that was the trigger, but why?”

Seemingly hitting a brick wall, the couple left their thoughts on the matter for a while, relaxing out at the pool through the rest of the morning.  After finishing off the last of the pizza for lunch, curiosity once again crept into Melody’s mind.  Deciding to read the entire book of Isaiah from start to finish, she collected her Bible and stretched out on the sofa.  She read methodically and thoughtfully, paying close attention to every word on the pages.  By midafternoon she had finished, closing her eyes and trying to piece together any connections she could possibly make.  She had occasionally heard the voices again as she read, as faintly as they had appeared from the music yesterday, but was still unable to draw any conclusions from her studies.

Sensing her growing frustration, Mike sat next to her and gently rubbed her shoulders.  “Take a break.  Don’t think about it the rest of the day.  It’s just gonna make you more frustrated, and that won’t solve anything.”

Sighing, she replied, “I guess so.  Sorry I’m so obsessed, I just feel like I have to figure this out.”

“You will, just give it time,” he said reassuringly.  “I actually had an idea that might help us on this.”

“Really?”

“Yep,” he said smiling.  “It started when I called Ashley, asking her to officiate our wedding.  There’s nobody I’d rather have marry us than her, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Definitely,” she replied excitedly, her eyes lighting up.

“After I hung up with her, I remembered what you said about being able to trust her with your true nature.  She might be able to shed some light on this situation, that is, after she gets over the shock of my marrying a genie,” he said, eliciting a giggle from Melody.  “My thought is that, before she marries us, we would go through premarital counseling sessions with her, which is standard for any engaged couple.  After all, she also has a job to do, in knowing that the people she’s marrying are doing so for the right reasons.  I’m thinking that those counseling sessions would also serve as a prime opportunity for us to delve into your dreams with her.  What do you say?”

Smiling, she said lovingly, “You just think of everything.”

Mike spent the next several minutes texting with Ashley, setting up the counseling sessions and informing her that the couple wanted to talk about something important with her in confidence.  They spent the rest of their last day on vacation lounging in bed, watching movies and fooling around at every opportunity.  After completely wearing themselves out from their multiple orgasms, the pair turned in for an early bedtime before beginning their trip home bright and early the next day.

*****

Ashley entered her office that afternoon in quite a good mood.  One week previous, Mike and Melody had called her to announce their engagement, and wanted her to perform the ceremony.  Naturally, she was ecstatic at being able to marry her childhood friend, but even more so that he had finally found the perfect girl for him.

Still, a small part of her was worried, as Mike’s follow-up texts asked to start the premarital counseling quickly, and that they had something important to talk with her about.  She doubted that they were having any issues between them, but as a professional minister, she had learned well never to make assumptions, particularly about members of your own congregation.

As she finished checking her emails, there was a knock at her office door.  “Come in,” she said.

Opening the door, Mike and Melody entered and greeted Ashley.  “Hello friends!” she said, hugging both of them warmly.  Ashley motioned to the part of her office away from her desk, which contained a small, round table and some chairs.  The group made their way over and sat at the table, with Mike and Melody sitting across from Ashley.

“Well, first of all, congratulations to both of you,” Ashley began.

“Thank you, we’re very excited,” Mike replied.  Melody enthusiastically nodded in agreement.

“I am too.  Thank you again, by the way, for asking me to officiate your wedding.  Few things make me happier than marrying my close friends.”

“Ashley, there’s nobody that I’d rather have marrying us.  Aside from Mike, there isn’t anyone I trust more than you,” Melody said.

“And honestly, that’s why we wanted to meet with you so soon,” Mike continued.  “I firmly believe in having no secrets from the person performing our wedding ceremony, and… we have a pretty big secret that we haven’t told to anyone.”

Her interest peaked, Ashley stopped him and replied, “I totally respect that about you Mike, but I want to make sure you aren’t telling me anything that you don’t genuinely want me to know.  And please, rest assured that anything you do tell me here in this office is safe and confidential from everyone, even Trey.”

The couple looked at each other, nodding in confirmation at what they were about to say.  “Ashley,” Mike said hesitantly, “Melody is not human.”

Ashley gave no reaction or hint that she’d heard anything at all.  “What do you mean by ‘not human’?” she finally asked.

Clearing her throat before speaking, Melody said, “I am… a genie.”

“A genie… as in, Aladdin?” Ashley asked skeptically.

“Similar, yes, though not exactly.  The idea of ‘three wishes’ is merely legend.  Rather, as the one who released me, Mike is now my master for the rest of his life, and is able to receive as many wishes from me as he wants, as long as they are within the realm of my powers.”

Sitting stone-faced for a few moments, Ashley replied, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude.  It’s just… this is so farfetched.  I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around everything you’ve just said.”

“I understand,” Mike said.  “We actually can prove that we are telling the truth.”

“Ok?” Ashley said hesitantly.

Turning to Melody, Mike said, “I wish to have jet black hair.”

Tingle.  Flash.

Instantly, Mike’s blonde hair turned as dark as tar.  It kept its same style, length, and volume, but he now appeared to have had this hair color his entire life.

“WOAH!” Ashley exclaimed, falling backwards in her chair to the floor.  “You… you’re telling the truth?!”

“Ok Melody, that’s enough.  You can change me back to normal.”

Tingle.  Flash.

As quickly as before, Mike again had the same appearance he always had.  Extending his hand, he helped Ashley up off the floor, sitting her back in her chair.  “Wow… Mike, this is unreal… so many questions, but where to begin…” she said, almost in a daze.

“That’s understandable.  You wouldn’t be doing your job as our minister if you didn’t have questions,” Melody replied.

Eying Melody warily, Ashley asked her, “Was any of it true?  What you’ve told me about Mike’s faith and wanting to be a part of it?”

“Every word,” Melody replied.  “It’s what has made him the incredible man I’ve fallen in love with.  I… I am so sorry to have concealed this from you, but it was necessary for Mike’s protection.  Letting this secret be more widely known could, shall we say, bring about unwanted attention, as you can probably imagine.  However, despite this, my time spent in your classes is one of the most incredible experiences of my life.”

“Thank you,” Ashley said quietly.  “So, you said that you grant Mike any number of wishes he wants, as long as they are in the realm of your powers.  Could you tell me more about that?”

“Are you sure you want to know the answer?” Mike asked.  “You may find it… a bit uncomfortable.”

“More uncomfortable than finding out my childhood friend has a genie?!” Ashley joked.  “Mike, seriously, I’m ready for anything after that.”

“Ok, go ahead Melody.”

Taking a deep breath, Melody said, “My nature is that of a sexual servant.  Upon my release, I was instantly bound to be Mike’s slave for eternity.  This is the realm in which I can grant wishes, along with other general things, such as his appearance, as you previously saw.”

Pondering this for a few moments, she finally replied to Mike, “Sexual slave?  Did you know about any of this before… releasing her?”

Replying in the negative, Mike related the story of the locket to Ashley.  He explained the strange circumstances by which it was given to him, showed her the inscription on the back, and described the music that ultimately opened the locket and released Melody.

“Wow… that’s pretty amazing,” Ashley said, before hesitantly continuing, “As your minister, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring this up.  Are you at all concerned that you’re participating in something that could ultimately do serious damage to you spiritually?  After all, if what you’re telling me is true, you are a willing participant in the enslavement of Melody, an intelligent, living being.”

“I had that same concern upon first releasing her,” he replied.  “My first thought was to free her, until she explained that doing so wouldn’t accomplish the goal I had in mind.  Freeing her would only release her from me, and would allow the next person who finds the locket to gain control of her and her powers.”

“What would that realistically mean?” Ashley asked.

Melody chimed in, saying, “My master is allowed to do anything he wants with me.  I could be locked up, kept in chains, beaten daily, or even destroyed.  All are allowed, as I am considered my master’s property.”

As Ashley got a horrified look on her face, Mike continued, “Additionally, whoever is her master is allowed free reign in regards to any sexual wish.  Statutory rape, violent rape, incest, and anything else sexually related are completely allowed, with no consequences or recourse.  With Melody’s powers, her master could go on a rampage of old school pillaging, all with her full support and encouragement.”

“Allowing those things to happen, all to absolve yourself from responsibility, is never something you’d be able to live with, if I know you,” Ashley said, completing his thoughts.

“Exactly,” Mike said.  “This is why I ultimately decided that I needed to keep her, not as a slave, but as a partner and companion.  My first wish upon making that decision was for her to gain as much free will as was possible for her to have.  I wanted, and still want, an equal partner and a modern woman.  Thus far, she has yet to disappoint,” he explained, smiling at Melody as he finished.

After marveling at his thoughtful decision-making, Ashley said, “Mike, the moral dilemma you are in is unlike anything I could have ever imagined.  Yet, I can’t help but believe that you did the right thing.  Nicely done.”

“Thanks,” he said with a smile.

“I do have to ask,” Ashley continued, “How has all of this not caused you to question your faith or the very existence of God?”

“I will admit, those thoughts did initially cross my mind,” he replied.  “However, when Melody specifically showed interest in my faith, and especially seeing her positive experiences with the church, it basically confirmed my lifelong view of God: He gives free will to everyone, but what we do with it is up to us.  When we use it for good, good things happen.  When we use it for evil, bad things happen.”

Smiling, Melody chimed in.  “I’m living proof of that.  Mike has chosen to have me, not as a slave, but as a companion.  Because of his choice, I know I’ve become a much more complete person than I ever would have otherwise.  Besides, in a universe as vast as the one we live in, created by a being as powerful as God is, why should the existence of creatures such as myself contradict any of that?”

“Through Him, all things are possible…” Ashley mused to herself.  “In that case, Mike, have you considered using this power to try and better the world?  Such as curing diseases or preventing sexual crimes?”

Nodding, Mike said quietly, “I have.  Ultimately, however, it’s too dangerous.  God put me on this Earth to glorify Him and find His purpose for my life.  If my purpose were to play God, then I wouldn’t be a person.  I’m not perfect, not by any stretch of the imagination.  I may try to be as good a person as I can each day, but straying down the path of interfering with free will immediately opens me up to being corrupted by power, no matter how good my intentions may be.”

“But if God has blessed you with this power, why not use it?  What if it’s what He wants and intends?  You may well be trustworthy after all.”

Collecting his thoughts, Mike replied, “If it is, and I haven’t used those powers in the way He intended, I’ll have to answer for my inaction one day.  However, I believe that His purpose for me in all of this is not to be an arbitrator, but a guardian.  My job is to guard Melody, giving her the life, love, and freedom she deserves.  I must also guard her powers, to ensure none who would abuse them ever gain control of them.  I firmly that this is my purpose.”

Satisfied with his answer, Ashley then asked, “So, in your time together, what have you learned about Melody and where she originally comes from?”

Nodding, he said, “I think she can explain that better than me.”

Smiling, Melody explained, “Jinn and genies have been around for thousands of years.  Of course, at one time, our existence was more widely known of and believed in than today, primarily in what is today known as the Middle East.  As for me specifically, I am not completely sure,” she said sadly.  “While I do know that I was created before being imprisoned in my vessel, I can’t seem to access any of my memories from that time.”

His eyes suddenly brightening, Mike said to her, “Melody, do you think that what we encountered at the beach might have something to do with that?  With your memories?”

Pondering, she replied, “It’s certainly possible…”

Seeing the confused look on Ashley’s face, the couple told her of Melody’s dreams, the voices they had heard, and the possible connection to Isaiah.  They explained that they were now able to somewhat trigger the visions anytime Melody read the Book of Isaiah before sleeping, as well as, to a lesser extent, when reading it for extended periods of time.  In addition, listening to Handel’s Messiah brought about faint portions of the voices, though only in the sections containing scripture from Isaiah.

“Interesting,” Ashley said as she listened.  “That does seem very strange that there is clearly a strong connection between a Biblical prophet and yourself, Melody.  I’ll research this as much as I can, to see if I can provide any insight from my end.  However, my overall recommendation to the two of you is to not dwell on this too much.  Obviously, this is important to you, and you do want to figure out this mystery sometime, but this is a happy time for the both of you, one of the happiest times in your lives.  Enjoy it.  Don’t let any obsession creep into your lives in that it diminishes your experiences of the next several months.  You should enjoy every second of being engaged and preparing for your wedding.  So, can I ask both of you to promise me that?”

Entwining his fingers with Melody’s, Mike replied, “We promise.”  Melody nodded in agreement.

Ashley hugged each of them, wishing them good luck and happiness, and looking forward to their next session.  Melody hugged her very tightly, holding her close for several seconds and whispering words of thanks to her.  As the couple departed her office, Ashley sat at her desk in silent prayer and meditation, processing everything she had learned that day.

Melody… a genie?  Never saw that coming.  Still, it doesn’t make a difference, I suppose.  She’s one of God’s children nonetheless, and her love for Mike appears to be genuine.  Oh, Mike… you are a stubborn one.  A part of me wishes you would be more proactive in trying to better the world with this gift you’ve been given, but I know you.  You’re committed to the path you’ve chosen.  As much as I hate admitting it, you may well be right about being Melody’s guardian.

Even as she came to terms with the events of the day, an unsettling feeling still crept into Ashley’s mind.  After all, her world had suddenly been turned upside-down with the revelation of the existence of such supernatural beings as genies.  What’s more, one of those beings was seeking her blessing to marry Ashley’s childhood friend.  As a minister, as well as Mike’s friend, she could have no doubt that their marriage was one built on dedication, trust, and compassion, and that it would ultimately be seen as good and righteous in God’s mind.  She would be doing a disservice to the very people she was marrying if she went through with the ceremony having such doubts in her mind.  Closing her eyes, Ashley prayed aloud, as if she were talking to her best friend.

“Hi God.  It’s me, Ashley.  You’re something else… right when I think I’ve got it all figured out, you just have to go and throw me a curve ball.  I know, I know… I wanted to devote my life to helping others, no matter how that may be.  There’s no doubt in my mind that Mike and Melody love each other, and for all the right reasons.  I just… I just need to know that this marriage, a union between a human and a supernatural being, is in fact your will.  I ask for your strength and guidance.  I need to know that this is a good and holy thing.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Ashley felt a wave of serenity descend upon her.  She could clearly see in her mind the life that Mike and Melody would build together: undying love, concern for others, raising their children with care, and enduring faith would be the cornerstones on which their house would stand.  She opened her eyes, her smile lighting up the room, and knew in her heart of hearts what was right.

They’re perfect for each other…

[auguy86]

Ch. 11 song titles

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)

Prince of Denmark’s March (Clarke)

Wedding March (Mendelssohn)

Heartbeat (Carrie Underwood)

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 11

Ashley’s words of wisdom turned out to be some of the best advice Mike and Melody could have ever received.  Though they made little progress in learning more about Melody’s dreams, they took the mindset of not letting it take over their lives.  Rather, they enjoyed every moment of their engagement and savored it as the once-in-a-lifetime experience that it was meant to be.

Realizing that, by any measure, their relationship thus far had progressed extremely quickly, the couple decided that they wanted to be engaged for nearly a year before getting married, booking the church for the first of June the following year.  Melody took great pleasure in planning out every detail of the wedding, at least the ones she cared about.  She found out very quickly that there were elements that she had very specific ideas about, such as the photos and reception, but other parts of the wedding were not high on her priority list, like the flowers and rehearsal dinner.

For those elements, Jane relished in helping with the planning process, booking a beautiful collection of flower arrangements that would be used the next day for the church service.  She also reserved the pool house of one of her oldest friends from her own church, seeing it as the perfect place to serve barbeque for the rehearsal dinner.  Melody, on the other hand, got to work on finding a caterer for the dessert reception she had decided on.  The photos, naturally, would be handled by Evelyn, and would be guaranteed to be better than anything a hired photographer could possibly provide.

With the venue booked, the next step would be organizing the wedding party for both the bride and groom.  Mike, naturally, chose his four male cousins, ranging in age from sixteen to thirty-one.  Additionally, he picked Stuart as his Best Man, knowing he’d put together the perfect bachelor party that even Mike’s sixteen year-old cousin could participate in fully.  As for Melody, Darcy was the obvious pick for the Maid of Honor, with four of her friends from Ashley’s bible study classes agreeing to be her bridesmaids.  Finally, the couple personally asked Sasha Johnson to be the flower girl at the ceremony.  After an ear-splitting scream, the girl spent the next twenty minutes bouncing around their apartment excitedly, much to her mother’s amusement and brother’s annoyance.

As the wedding plans progressed, summer gradually turned into fall, bringing about Mike’s favorite time of year: college football season.  Melody’s first experience at an Auburn football game was quite overwhelming for her, though still a lot of fun.  She experienced all of the school traditions before the game, toured the music buildings where Mike studied, and met a few of his former professors, all of whom had embarrassing stories about Mike to tell her.  Picking up on the rules of football very quickly, she was able to discuss strategies and tactics with Mike and Brad quite naturally, much to their pleasant surprise.

Soon, Mike’s early October birthday arrived.  In probably the best surprise gift he had received in a long time, Melody gave him a brand new PlayStation 4, complete with the new Star Wars: Battlefront game.  Mike at first insisted that Melody had spent too much, but she paid him no mind, as she knew she had properly saved for his gift for two months previous.  She also reminded him that both of them would surely benefit from the gift.  The couple soon began their online domination of the game, quickly becoming very good.  Melody, in accordance with her Call of Duty skills, was a monster in ground combat missions, while Mike turned out to be a natural in the air combat levels.

Melody took particular joy in discovering the joys of Halloween.  Attending Stuart’s party, they decided on a couple’s costume of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.  Melody, of course, opted for Leia’s slave costume from Return of the Jedi and the pair easily won the costume contest, edging Stuart and Darcy’s costumes of Mario and Princess Peach.  Mike, however, took home the real prize: the mind-blowing fuck session that followed the party, costume and all.

The end of the year brought several family gatherings for the pair.  Melody met Jane’s side of the family at Thanksgiving, which consisted of Jane’s mother and three brothers.  Mike’s only cousin on his mom’s side, Bonnie, was unable to come due to being eight months pregnant with her first child.  Melody enjoyed meeting the family members, and connected very well with Mike’s grandmother, reminiscing with her about her husband, Harry.  She came away with Grandmommy’s seal of approval, dubbing her a “darling young lady.”

As Christmas approached, the pair decided not to buy a large amount of gifts for each other, and instead put the money they would have spent into savings for their first home down the road.  With time off from work at the ASO and Evelyn handling photography work for the holiday season, they spent the week leading up to Christmas together, relaxing at home away from people before the next round of family gatherings began.  During this time, Melody got to experience her first snowfall, which she took in with her usual child-like wonder and excitement.  Additionally, she and Sasha made a deadly combination in snowball fights, as it took everything Mike and Tyler had just to defend themselves from their onslaught.

Two days before Christmas, the couple excitedly went to the premier of the most hotly anticipated movie of the year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Mike was instantly a fan of the new hero, Rey, and loved watching the strong female lead becoming the new Jedi in training.  Melody’s favorite character was Maz; she hoped the old gal would become the new Yoda to Rey.  Watching the film’s climax, both Mike and Melody cried out in shock at seeing Han Solo struck down by his own son.  As the credits rolled, they agreed that it was better than the prequel trilogy and brilliantly set the director up to branch out into new and creative directions for the follow-up films.

After an intimate Christmas Eve together, they met up with Jane and Brad on Christmas Day, exchanging gifts with them before traveling up to Hilton Head for the Braxton family gathering.  The three-day trip was an enjoyable one for them, if a bit overwhelming for Melody, as Brad’s side of the family was quite large; by Mike’s count, Melody would bring the total to thirty-one members.  Mike spent a large amount of time with his guy cousins, getting razzed for being the first of them to experience “The Final Game Over,” as they called it.  Despite their hazing, they were all genuinely excited for him.  Of Mike’s four female cousins, two were older than Melody and two were younger.  The younger ones were fun, both being college sophomores, but were a tad immature for Melody’s taste.  His older cousins, however, hit it off with Melody very well, both being women of strong faith and character.  As they each had two children of their own, Melody quickly found herself aspiring to be like them in a few years.

As the new year began, the couple resumed their counseling sessions with Ashley, studying the Book of Isaiah as best as they were able to.  Despite Ashley’s insights from the ministerial side of things, they were still unable to make any sort of connection as to why Melody’s dreams would be triggered by scripture associated with a Biblical prophet.  However, since the dream did not escalate in intensity and did not seem to depict either Mike or Melody, their fears of what it could mean diminished somewhat.  By the end of the counseling sessions, they concluded that this mystery was something that only time could solve, and resolved to simply live their lives, not being controlled by something clearly out of their hands.  This helped to calm Mike and Melody immensely in the months leading up to their wedding.

When the time finally came for the bachelor and bachelorette parties, Stuart and Darcy were well prepared.  For Mike, Stuart put together a night of gaming, starting with laser tag and a huge arcade, followed by a marathon of Call of Duty and Super Smash Bros. that lasted long into the night.  Mike was particularly appreciative that Stuart had worked to ensure that everything was appropriate for his youngest cousin to fully participate.  Darcy put together a relaxing spa day for Melody and her bridesmaids, starting out with hot stone massages and some time in the sauna, and finishing with dinner at The Melting Pot.  By the time the big day had finally arrived, both Mike and Melody were relaxed, refreshed, and ready for anything.

As Mike stood in front of the mirror, making some final adjustments to his navy blue vest and tie, he heard a knock on the door of the Sunday school classroom.  “Come on in,” he replied.

Stuart entered, shaking Mike’s hand firmly.  “You ready for this, man?” he asked with a huge smile on his face.

“Completely,” he said.  “How’s Melody?”  She had insisted Mike not be able to see her until she walked down the isle that day.

“Doin’ ok, Darcy said she had the standard nerves.  Thankfully, her sandwich helped calm her down,” Stuart replied.

Taking a deep breath, Mike said, “Alright… let’s do this.”

Gathering with his cousins outside the sanctuary, Mike heard the sounds of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring from within and saw his mother and grandmother being escorted to their seats.  Once they were in place, he led the way for the groomsmen, filing into the sanctuary from the side entrance to stand to the right of the pulpit.  Mike was pleased with the size of the wedding; both he and Melody wanted a rather intimate wedding, inviting only around eighty guests, mostly family and close friends of his parents.  As the gentlemen arrived, Melody’s bridesmaids began their walks down the aisle, one-by-one.  Finally, Darcy herself made her way to the altar, clad in a gorgeous navy blue dress.

From behind Mike, Stuart whispered, “I’m definitely goin’ home with the hottest bridesmaid tonight,” prompting a muffled laugh from Mike.

As the soothing music reached its final strain, there were several “oohs” and “awws” as Sasha entered the sanctuary.  She wore a simple white dress with a navy blue sash tied around her waist, perfectly matching the bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen ties.  The girl had been practicing for weeks, proudly scattering flower petals all across the aisle and smiling to Sandra as she passed their seat.

The wedding party now assembled, Ray Velazquez stood next to the organist and began an extended fanfare for Melody’s arrival.  As the doors at the back of the sanctuary slowly opened, Mike was left completely breathless at the sight of her.  She had grown her deep red hair long again, down to about the small of her back, and had beautifully styled it into a wavy fashion.  Her strapless wedding dress was absolutely stunning, accentuating her every curve before tapering down to a mermaid tail at the bottom.  Completing the ensemble was her favorite gold locket, dangling from her neck and resting perfectly between her breasts.

As Ray started into the Prince of Denmark’s March, Melody began her slow walk down the aisle, beaming and savoring every moment.  She stopped twice along the way, first to hug Sandra, and second to hug Jane.  She had told Mike that she would be doing this, as the two women were the only mother figures she had ever known, and she wanted to make sure they knew how great an impact they had made on her.  Finally, she reached the pulpit, smiling at Mike as she made her way up the steps to stand at his side.  While Darcy quickly made a few adjustments to the train of Melody’s dress, Ashley welcomed everyone and began the ceremony.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together in the sight of God to bear witness to the union of Melody Roberts and Mike Braxton…” she said, beginning her opening prayer.

“You like?” Melody whispered in the meantime, smiling.

“You… are the most gorgeous woman in the world,” he replied softly.

Giggling, she said, “Just wait ‘til you see what I’ve got on underneath…”

Pushing the tantalizing images from his mind, Mike took Melody’s hand as they turned to face Ashley.  She had finished her opening prayer and now began a short homily.

“As most of you know, I have known Mike for almost my entire life.  He has always been a man of outstanding character, and my only wish was for him to find a companion that deepened and enhanced him both mentally and spiritually.  Enter Melody Roberts.  Though I have only known her for a little over a year, sharing in her faith journey has truly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.  She grew up in a situation that was severely lacking in faith, hope, and love, yet still matured into one of the most faithful, hopeful, and loving people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.

“I remember two months ago, when she finished her studies and preparations and finally joined the Methodist Church, devoting herself to God.  The smile on her face was absolutely radiant, and it was obvious to anyone present how much joy her journey had brought her.  Mike and Melody are everything God wants and hopes for in all marriages.  Their devotion and care for each other, as well as the world around them, is one of the most admirable things I have ever witnessed.

“Make no mistake, however, that nothing is perfect.  They will encounter difficulties and challenges in their life together, as will we all.  With their partnership, though, nothing could ever hope to splinter apart the home and family they will build.  After meeting with them over the course of the last year, learning more about them personally, and understanding their joint goals for their marriage, I can honestly say that they are meant to be together, and the world is a much better place for it.”

Mike smiled and squeezed Melody’s hand tightly, who was close to tears.  To hear such an impassioned endorsement of their marriage from Mike’s oldest friend and Melody’s most trusted confidant was the final brick solidifying their confidence; they now had no doubt that God was pleased and very happy with their union.

“Mike, Melody, if you will face each other and join hands,” Ashley said.  As they did so, she addressed the congregation, saying, “Mike and Melody have chosen to write their own vows for their marriage.  Mike.”

Taking a deep breath, Mike started, “Melody, you are the greatest thing to ever happen to me.  You have changed my life and made it better in every conceivable way, and you deserve all the love that I have to give.  I promise to love you unconditionally until the end of time, to always look into your eyes as I do today, to never take you or your love for granted, and to ensure that you are always safe and healthy.”

Beaming with her trademark megawatt smile, Melody’s voice cracked slightly as she began to speak.  “Mike, you truly are… the most amazing man I’ve ever known.  Already, you have shown me more love and kindness than I thought I would ever experience.  I do not want to live a single day without you.  I promise to be your faithful and loving wife, your partner in crime, and your unstoppable gaming partner.”  The congregation and wedding party laughed as she spoke of their well-known love of video games.  “But even more, I promise to be the dedicated, equal partner that you have always sought, and which you so deserve.  You and me, forever.”

As they finished, Ashley took the rings from Darcy and Stuart, saying, “The rings the couple will exchange today are a symbol of their commitment to each other.  The ring is infinite; it has no end and cannot be easily broken.  May their union be as strong and unending as the rings they now present to each other.”

Mike took Melody’s ring in his hand, momentarily glancing at the white gold band, curved slightly to fit with her engagement ring.  A small strip of diamonds accentuated the curve, covering the top third of the band.  Taking her hand, Mike placed the ring on her finger, reciting, “Melody, I take you to be my wife.  With this ring, I give you all that I have, and all that I am.  My body, mind, and soul are yours.”

Melody then took Mike’s ring, a yellow gold band with small rings of filigree on each of the edges.  Placing the ring on his finger, she repeated, “Mike, I take you to be my husband.  With this ring, I give you all that I have, and all that I am.  My body, mind, and soul are yours.”

As Maestro Spano stepped up to the music stand next to the organ, he began to sing The Lord’s Prayer.  During the song, Mike and Melody stepped up to the area next to the pulpit where the Unity Candle was placed.  Taking each of the single candles on the sides, they simultaneously brought them together at the large, center candle, lighting it to signify that they had formed one family together.  As they stood at the candles, listening to the solo, Melody whispered, “I had no idea he could sing too!”

Chuckling, Mike replied, “The Maestro is a man of many talents.  If he weren’t such a fantastic conductor, he’d probably be a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.”

After the song ended, the couple returned to the altar, facing each other.  Ashley then began the conclusion of the service, addressing the congregation.  “With the exchanging of vows, the giving of rings, and the lighting of the unity candle, these two have now devoted their lives to each other.  Their union is now blessed and holy in the sight of God.  In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I now pronounce them to be man and wife.  Mike, you may now kiss the bride.”

Mike smiled as he lifted the veil covering Melody’s gorgeous face.  Cupping her cheeks in his hand, he drew her in and felt her arms wrap around his back.  Their kiss was loving, full of meaning and purpose.  As they parted, Ashley stated, “Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Mike and Melody Braxton.  No longer two, but one flesh.  That which God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”

As the crowd rose in applause, the organ began playing Mendelssohn’s Wedding March with Ray providing the opening fanfare on trumpet.  Melody linked her arm in Mike’s as they began their exit down the aisle of the sanctuary, waving and smiling to family members as they went.  Finally exiting out the back door of the sanctuary, they immediately adjourned to a nearby classroom, closing the door and locking it.  Ashley, Darcy, and Stuart knew exactly their plan: to take five minutes alone so they could breathe and absorb the situation together.  In the meantime, the trio helped organize the family members for group pictures once the couple returned.

Collapsing into each other’s arms in exhausted joy and laughter, Melody whispered to Mike, “We finally did it…”

“Couldn’t have gone better if I had wished for it to,” he said, kissing her forehead gently.

After a few more minutes of embracing and kissing, the newlyweds reentered the sanctuary.  The photography session went quite smoothly, taking only twenty minutes to get all the family group photos that Mike and Melody wanted.  Evelyn was brilliant as well, calling out directions and assignments like a drill sergeant and snapping each photo the moment the group was ready.  Finally, after the last click of the camera, the remnants of the congregation exited to the fellowship hall for the beginning of the reception.  Once everyone was inside, Mike and Melody made their grand entrance, with Stuart and the ASO brass playing War Eagle and the Cougar Fight Song, in honor of the couple’s colleges, Auburn and Houston.

As the crowd cheered, the couple made their way to what would be the dance floor, and their first dance began.  The congregation was mesmerized as they lovingly swayed to the sounds of Carrie Underwood’s Heartbeat.  To Mike and Melody, though, there was no one else in the world.

“I’m glad you talked me into this song,” Mike said.  “Very fitting.”

Giggling, Melody responded, “I have good ideas sometimes.”

“Yes, you do.  Now… about what you said earlier… you mentioned something underneath your dress?” Mike said with his trademark smartass grin.

“Behave yourself,” Melody replied seductively, kissing him on the cheek.  “Good things come to those who wait.”

When the song finally ended, the reception officially began.  Some of the congregation immediately filled the dance floor, while the rest dug into the many desserts scattered around the room.  By far the most popular location, however, was the large chocolate fountain in the center of the room.  With a marshmallow on a long toothpick, Sasha was attempting to coat it in chocolate, but found herself a bit too short to reach.

“Hang on there, girl, lemmie help ya,” Mike said, seeing her struggle.  Carefully lifting her up under her armpits, he allowed Sasha to coat her treat in all the chocolate she desired while avoiding messing up her dress.  As he placed her on the ground, she took a huge bite, immediately smearing chocolate all over her mouth and cheeks, eliciting laughs from both of them.  After Sasha ran off to her mom, Mike heard Melody approach from behind.

“That one’s going in a frame,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Mike asked quizzically.

“Evelyn got the perfect shot of you holding Sasha while she was dipping her marshmallow.  It was so adorable,” Melody replied, twirling her hair around her finger playfully.

“And by ‘adorable,’ are you insinuating that you’re getting insanely turned on by that visual?”

Shuddering for a moment in horniness, she could only respond, “Shut up.”

As the afternoon wore on, the couple mixed and mingled with everyone they could, as they were finally able to spend time chatting with people while not being distracted by the stress of a wedding ceremony.  Mike was particularly impressed by Melody; she made a point to know everyone by name, even some of his mom’s more obscure friends that he had only met once in his entire life.  Every conversation was natural and smooth for her, and everyone she met found her personality infectious.

Finally, as the time neared 4:30, the guests exited to the main walkway outside of the church and lined up on either side.  Meanwhile, Mike and Melody gave their overnight travel bags to Stuart, who deposited them in the stretch limo waiting for them at the end of the walkway.  Exiting the church, the newlyweds strolled through a sea of bubbles being blown by the guests, making their way to their impressive ride.  Arriving at the door of the car, Melody motioned for all the single women to gather nearby for the bouquet toss.  With a surprisingly high throw, the jump ball ended with Darcy grabbing the flowers, prompting a playful throat slash from Mike directed at Stuart.  A few final waves goodbye, and the couple entered the limo, speeding off to downtown Atlanta.

“To the hotel, sir?” the driver asked from the front.

“Yep, the Intercontinental,” Mike replied.

“Will do.  There’s some construction, so it might take a few minutes longer than normal.”

“No rush,” Mike said, gazing at Melody.  “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

Flipping a switch, Mike raised the privacy partition, and he and Melody were alone at last.  At first, they simply gazed into each other’s eyes, feeling goofy as they did so, but not goofy enough to stop; they were enjoying their first real moments alone as husband and wife.  Soon, they began kissing, tenderly at first, but becoming more passionate as the ride continued.  As Melody became frisky, reaching for Mike’s cock, he gently took her hand.

“What happened to ‘good things come to those who wait,’ eh?” he asked sarcastically.

“What can I say?  You make me horny,” she said with a giggle.

As the limo pulled up to their hotel, Mike replied, “One problem: I’m starving.  You really don’t get to eat at your own wedding.”

“That’s true!” she said with a laugh.  “So, are we going out to a fancy, romantic dinner as husband and wife?”

“Please,” he snorted.  “I got a hot, fresh pizza waiting for us up in the room.”

“Much better…” she said approvingly.

After grabbing their duffel bags, Mike tipped the limo driver with a couple of twenty dollar bills, then took Melody’s hand as they entered the lobby.  They checked in with the concierge, got their keys, and went immediately up to their room.  Mike swung open the door, revealing a luxurious bedroom with a plush, king-sized bed, along with a spacious bathroom, complete with a large tub and a walk-in shower.  As Melody inspected the room, Mike placed the privacy tag on their door handle and closed the door, locking the deadbolt and chain.

“Alone at last…” he said, kicking off his shoes and hanging his tuxedo jacket in the coat closet.

Melody, unsurprisingly, had already found the pizza and Cokes that Mike had ordered.  “Oh, caffeine,” she said wearily, “I’ve needed you all day, my love.”  Mike laughed as she took a long, slow drink from the can.

“I’ll take one of those, too,” he said.

The couple immediately dove into the pizza, devouring the entire circumference in record time.  They said nothing as they ate, but laughed and locked eyes constantly, feeling the electricity in the air at what was to come.  In their frenzied eating, however, the couple immediately felt stomachaches coming on once they had finished the pizza.

“Oh god… I don’t feel so good…” Melody said.

“Uh… me either… I wish our stomachaches were gone, so that we can properly consummate our marriage,” Mike said after thinking momentarily.

Tingle.  Flash.

Instantly, their pains vanished and the food in their stomachs had settled completely, leaving the newlyweds feeling refreshed and energized.  Before he could even think of what to do next, Mike found himself attacked by Melody, locked in her arms with her lips firmly pressed against his.  Pulling her close and returning her kiss, Mike was finally able to inspect every detail of her gorgeous wedding dress.  The soft fabric had vine-like stitching all over the surface, pairing flawlessly with the locket she wore around her neck.  Her impossibly curvy figure was only accentuated by the dress, as it hugged every line of her body like a second layer of skin.  Fanning out below her knees into a mermaid tail, the stitching melded together into a soft, silky fabric.

Increasing the ferocity of her kiss, Melody ran her hands over his smooth, clean-shaven face and neck, unknotting his navy blue necktie.  She slowly stepped back from him, breathing heavily from their make out session.  Mike undid the buttons of his vest and shirt as she watched, the lust growing in her eyes with every bit of progress he made.  Tossing both of them to the floor, he unbuckled his belt, lowered the zipper of his fly, and slid out of his pants and boxer briefs in one swift motion, leaving him completely nude before her.

“Time for the big reveal,” Melody said seductively.

Turning her back to Mike, she motioned for him to lower the zipper on the back of her dress, which he did slowly, gently kissing his way down her back all the while.  Once the zipper was open, she turned back to face him, kissing him lovingly while still holding her dress up.  With a smile of anticipation spreading across her face, she pulled the fabric down gently, slipping out of the curve-hugging garment, revealing her much anticipated surprise for Mike.

Melody wore a lacy white bustier in place of a bra, squeezing her milky-white breasts together and causing them to seemingly defy gravity; they bounced and jiggled with every little motion she made.  A long pair of silky stockings extended down her legs, but she wore no panties.  Mike wasn’t sure if she had gone commando the entire day or if she had just caused them to magically disappear a few moments ago, but at this point, he couldn’t have cared less.  Taking her in his arms, he kissed her long and lovingly before sweeping her up into his arms, eliciting a squeal of delight from Melody.  After depositing her on the enormous bed, Melody shifted around a bit, getting comfortable and providing an incredibly erotic sight for Mike; moving off of the pillows, she laid on the bed with her feet pointing towards him, fanning her wavy, red wine locks out around her.

“I’ve died and gone to heaven,” he said breathlessly.

With a seductive giggle, she replied, “Not yet.”

Joining her on the bed, Mike positioned himself with one knee between her legs, lying to her side, so as not to crush her with his weight.  Gazing into her emerald eyes, he softly caressed her cheek, drinking her in for what seemed like ages.  She softly kissed his fingers as they brushed past her lips, hardening his cock even further, and prompting him to shift completely on top of her.  He rubbed the tip of his rigid member against her moist entrance for a moment or two, driving her wild with lust and anticipation.  Finally pushing into her tight pussy, the pair gasped simultaneously, locking their eyes together.  As he moderately pumped into her, Melody softly ran her hands up and down his strong back, kissing his cheek and neck at every opportunity.  Mike soon shifted up onto his knees, continuing to thrust into her while he relished the sight of her stockings and sexy bustier.

“I knew you’d love this,” she whispered, rubbing her breasts.  “It’s all for you… I’m completely yours… legally… mentally… emotionally… sexually… I’m… yours…”

Mike’s moderate thrusts were quickly becoming more forceful, pounding her pussy for all he was worth as her words drove him wild.  He leaned down once more, kissing her deeply as she ran her fingers through his hair.  Continuing his feverish pace, both knew he wouldn’t have long left.  Still stroking his hair, Melody continued to whisper in his ear.

“I want you… I need you… please… fuck your bride… spill your seed into her… make her yours… I… I… I need you… OH, I NEED YOUR CUM!  MIKE, MIKE, MIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!!!”

With a guttural moan, the pair climaxed and Mike filled her pussy with his cum, feeling as though he had blown the biggest load of his life into her.  Continuing to thrust as his aftershocks began to subside, Mike collapsed on top of Melody, breathing heavily and stroking her soft hair.  She kissed his lips softly, lingering for quite some time, only parting when his cock softened enough to involuntarily slip out of her pussy.

“Damn...” he whispered in contentment.

“Agreed,” she replied with a giggle.

As the sun finished setting in the distance, the room grew dark.  Rather than turn on the lamp, however, Mike had other ideas.  “I wish for the room to be lit with candles that will not go out, or accidentally burn anything.”

Tingle.  Flash.

“Very nice,” Melody marveled, now bathed in the soft glow of the candlelight.

Mike rolled over to lie back on the pillow, his hands behind his head and a satisfied look on his face.  Crawling over to him, Melody gazed mischievously into his eyes before lowering her face to his crotch.  Lightly licking his shaft, her husband soon was hardening back to full mast once more.

“There’s a great joke I heard at the bachelorette party. ‘Know why a bride smiles while she walks down the isle?  Because she knows she’s given her last blowjob.’  Well, any bride who believes that clearly doesn’t have my skills,” Melody purred seductively as she stroked his length.

Taking his hardening cock into her mouth, she slowly engulfed him all the way to his balls, savoring the taste of her own juices along his shaft.  After traveling back up his length in the same deliberate manner in which she had consumed him, her pace gradually began to increase, settling in at a moderate speed that both intensified his pleasure and allowed him to last a very long time.  After about five minutes, she withdrew all but his tip and began to swirl her tongue furiously around his head while applying copious amounts of suction.

“Ohhhhhhh god… you’re not kiddin’… about your skills…” Mike moaned.  He was always thoroughly impressed with her; even though he thought she’d never be able to top the first blowjob she had ever given him, she constantly managed to outdo herself.  Every time she sucked his cock, it felt like a new and exciting experience.

Once her delightful blowjob had brought him to the brink of exploding, he tapped her forehead and motioned for her to join him.  Melody crawled up, kissing him lightly on the lips, and followed his suggestion to spoon against him.  Wiggling her curvaceous ass against his cock, he gave her butt cheek a playful spank before sliding his cock into her pussy.

“I wish for sexual and physical stamina, so that we can go for as long as we want without having to change positions,” Mike whispered to her.

Tingle.  Flash.

Their bodies once more reinvigorated, Mike thrust into her slowly, but with purpose.  Deliberately angling his cock to catch her sensitive G-spot, it was not long before Melody was moaning in pleasure with his every movement.  As he reached around to fondle her breast, gently tweaking her nipple in the process, Melody gasped and exploded, squirting her cum over his length.  Still, he did not slow his thrusting or his breast play, which quickly brought Melody back to the brink of another orgasm.  Mike softly kissed her back and shoulders, sending her over the edge once more.  Over the next two hours, Melody became a puddle of moans, gasps, and squirms as she screamed Mike’s name every time he brought her to climax.

“Mike,” she finally said, “is it… your turn yet?  You’ve been so wonderful to me… to your wife… let her be wonderful to you… please cum for me…”

Grinning wickedly, he whispered back, “Only if it’s the biggest orgasm of our lives.”

Tingle.  Flash.

She gasped, smiling in ecstasy.  “Done.”

Increasing his tempo, he thrust into her as quickly as he was able.  As she moaned in pleasure, Melody reached behind her to run her fingers through his short, blonde hair.  “Please… cum…” she whispered.

“You want me to cum?” he whispered back.  “You want me to cum in your pussy?”

“Yes… yes… yes!  I need you to fill me up!  It’s the only thing that can satiate me!”

“Then you’d better cum for me too,” he said, feeling himself edge past the point of no return.

“Oh… god!  Yes!  I’ll cum for you!”

“Then do it!  Cum for me… MELODYYYYYYY!!!”

“OH, MIIIIIIIIIKE!!!”

True to form, neither had ever experienced an orgasm as powerful as the one they just had.  Mike couldn’t even form a word in response; the only sounds coming from his mouth were incoherent babble.  Melody had been knocked nearly unconscious, already drooling on the pillow she rested on.  Keeping his cock inside her pussy, it was all Mike could do to pull the sheets over them before they drifted off to sleep.

Melody awoke as the sun began to rise, still impaled on her husband’s rod, much to her pleasure.  Grinding her ass slowly, she could feel him begin to harden once more, though she kept her pace slow and soft, so as not to wake him up too soon.  She was not so much causing him to thrust into her as she was grinding against him, feeling the glorious sensation of his cock massaging her G-spot.  Feeling him near the edge, she redoubled her efforts, milking his cock as deliberately as she could, until he finally came inside of her, her convulsing pussy waking him up in the process.

“Hmmmm… oh, wow… good morning indeed,” Mike said sleepily.

With a sweet giggle, she slipped off of him to face her husband and said, “First day of the rest of our lives.”

“Couldn’t agree more… and what better way to start that day than with room service?”

“Ooh, sounds divine!” Melody replied happily.

Picking up the phone, Mike ordered a plate of pancakes for each of them, as well as two Cokes.  While they waited for their food to be delivered, the couple played on their phones, changing their relationship statuses on Facebook, and glanced through some of the photos Jane had taken the previous day and loaded onto social media.  Soon, there was a knock at the door.

“Room service,” came a female singsong.

“Be right there,” Mike replied.  Melody dressed herself in her favorite black robe while Mike put on his gym shorts; he decided to forgo the shirt, feeling particularly masculine that morning.

As he opened the door, Mike was shocked at what he saw.  The woman on the other side of the door was not a hotel employee at all.  Dressed in blue skinny jeans and a snug black tank top, she was tall, and had mocha brown skin, black curly hair, and a delightfully curvy figure.  Though it had been over a year, Mike would never in his life forget this gorgeous woman.

“Hello, Mike,” she said with a smile.

“Selena!?”

[auguy86]

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 12

“Hello, Mike,” she said with a smile.

“Selena!?”

He stood slack jawed for several seconds, unsure of if this was really happening or not.

“Mike?  Everything ok?” Melody called.  Walking up behind him, she asked surprisingly, “Oh, who’s this?  Do you two… know each other?”

“Yeah…” Mike replied.  “This is Selena.  She’s… she’s the one who gave me the locket.”

“May I come in?” Selena asked.  “I brought your breakfast.”

“Uh, sure,” Mike said, still working to comprehend the situation.

As Selena pushed a rolling cart holding their pancakes into the room, she took a seat in the rolling chair sitting at the small desk against the wall.  Melody immediately began eating her food, but Mike continued to eye Selena warily; until he knew her purpose for being here, he wasn’t letting his guard down for a moment.

“Congratulations to the happy couple,” Selena began.

“Thank you,” Melody said, her voice muffled by a bite of pancakes.

“Let’s get the obvious out of the way first.  What the hell are you doing here?” Mike inquired.

“You are confused, which is only natural.  Do not worry, I will explain everything.”

“Mike says you’re the one who gave him the locket.  Is that true?  Did you know about me when you gave it to him?” Melody asked.

“Of course,” she replied simply.  “It is quite a long story, but suffice to say that I know more about you than anyone, Melody.”

“If that’s true,” Mike mused, “Then wouldn’t that make you a genie as well?”

Selena smiled.  “Very perceptive.  I am indeed a genie, though much different than Melody.”

“So… if you’re a genie… does that mean you know where I came from?” Melody inquired hesitantly.  “I have no memory of my existence before being placed in my vessel.  Do you know anything about that?”

Taking a deep breath, Selena responded, “Yes, I know everything.  I could tell you, but it would be much better… to show you.”

“Show us what?” Mike asked defensively.

“I have a duty that I must fulfill,” Selena began to explain.  “The vision that I must impart upon the two of you is part of that duty.  Once you have seen it, you will understand everything.  Still, the choice is yours.  Melody, do you wish to see your origins?”

“I do,” she said.

“I must warn you,” Selena cautioned, “the images you will see may be… extremely unpleasant.  Are you sure?”

Melody looked at Mike for his confirmation.  He shook his head, saying, “I can’t answer this one for you.  It’s your call.  I’ll support you no matter what.”

After pondering for a minute, Melody finally answered, “I want to know.  As long as Mike can be with me through it all, I want to see everything you have to show me.”

Nodding in understanding, Selena said, “Of course.  I would never do anything to separate the two of you.  If you are ready, please sit on the bed and face each other.”  As the newlyweds did so, Selena walked over to them and placed a hand on a shoulder of each of them.  “Nothing I say can prepare you for what you are about to experience.  You will see visions of pain and hardship before we are done, and I will not be able to end the vision early.  Once we begin, you must see it through completely.  Are you ready?”

The couple nodded, holding hands tightly.  Selena gently placed her hands on each of their foreheads.  Both Mike and Melody felt a tingling sensation, similar to when Melody granted a wish, but much stronger.  Soon, their eyes glazed over, and they entered a trance as the vision began…

*****

“Maya, I must advise against this.”

“I will be fine Lea.  It is only a short walk to draw water from the well.”

The two sisters had always been close, constantly looking out for each other’s wellbeing.  Having settled in the town of Samaria, they each met their husbands within days of each other and were married shortly thereafter.  Lea’s husband, Tamir, was a kind man, who built their home next door to her sister’s home at great cost to himself, all so Lea could be with her sister anytime she needed.  Maya’s husband, Ari, was not so kind a man.  He was known for his temper, but was still highly regarded and respected among Israel’s religious community.  This was primarily due to his familial connections, as both his father and grandfather had been respected Rabbis, eventually being promoted to positions in the Temple of Jerusalem.  Even with his family ties, most doubted that Ari would ever make it as far as his forefathers had, largely due to his aforementioned temper.

Though they lived in Samaria, Ari would often be called away for work in Jerusalem, resulting in absences of a month or longer.  Normally, under Jewish customs, Maya would have travelled with him, but Ari always specifically instructed her to remain behind.  “You had best look after my house,” he would always say.  Being the devoted wife she was, and also due to the fear she harbored of his anger, Maya always complied with her husband’s wishes.  Secretly, Ari would use these trips to find comfort in the arms of many women, free from the wandering eye of his wife and sister-in-law.  Lea had long suspected this, but, under Jewish law, was powerless to do anything to stop it.

On this day, Ari was once again away, having been gone a month already.  The morning previous, Maya had received a message that he would be gone longer than normal, likely another month.  She tried to avoid going out alone as much as possible, as dangerous as it was for a woman to do so in the world in which they lived.  Today, however, she had little other choice, as their water reservoir had run dry, and more would be needed for the additional month that her husband would be away for.  Walking out to the stable, she prepared the horse and cart, loading it with empty jars for the water.

“At least let me come with you,” Lea protested.  “It will be much safer if we both go.”

“Absolutely not, Lea.  You are with child, and look like you could give birth any day now!  You will stay inside and rest, I will draw the water,” Maya said firmly.

Sighing in defeat, Lea replied, “Very well.  But please, be careful.”

“Of course,” she said, hugging her sister before leading the horse toward the well at the edge of town.

Lea returned to her sister’s home to wait for her, as Tamir would not be home until late that evening.  Relaxing comfortably in a simple, wooden chair, she slowly drifted off for a nap, rubbing her stomach every so often to soothe her baby.  Some time later, she was awoken by the sounds of Maya’s cart returning with the water.  Slowly standing, she made her way out back to help her sister unload the jars from the cart.

Holding the reins of the horse as Maya unhitched him from the cart, Lea asked, “Did you have any trouble?  You were gone longer than I thought you would be.”

“No, no trouble at all,” Maya said quietly, though her face indicated that something was weighing heavily on her mind.  As she led the horse back to the stable, Lea saw the back of her robes; they were dirty and tattered, as if she had torn them on something.

“My God!  Maya what happened?”

“Nothing… I… I am fine…”

Inspecting her clothes, Lea continued, “You are certainly not fine.  What happened?  Did you fall?  Was there an animal at the well?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Maya replied weakly.

Taking her hand firmly, Lea said, “You are my sister.  You have never been able to lie to me, so please stop trying and tell me what happened.”

With tears welling up in her eyes, Maya finally exploded, sobbing on her sister’s shoulder.  “I was… violated!” she managed to scream through her tears.  “On the way back… from the well.  A man grabbed me, threw me into the bushes, and… and…”

“Maya, that is terrible!” she said, hugging her tightly.  “We must do something.  We must tell the authorities.  It is the only way to catch this man.”

“No!” Maya screamed.  “If… if we tell the authorities, Ari will find out.  If he finds out, he… he will be furious.  I just know he will.”  Looking into her sister’s eyes somberly, she continued, “If Ari finds out, he will blame me, and think that I was unfaithful to him, that the story of being violated is only to try to hide an infidelity from him.  I know he would divorce me and leave me homeless on the streets.  I know he would do it.”

As much as she wanted to convince her otherwise, Lea knew that her sister was likely correct.  Once Ari had his mind set on something, there was almost nothing that could change his mind.  “Very well, if it is what you wish… I will keep this a secret.  No one shall know,” Lea said sadly.

“Thank you,” Maya whispered.

From that day forward, Maya continued her life as if nothing had happened, tending to her household duties without a second thought.  Soon, she celebrated with Lea and Tamir at the birth of their child, a son that they named Lot.  However, the more she tried to push the memories of that fateful day from her mind, the more she felt that something was not quite right.  After several weeks, her worst fears were confirmed.  In a panic, she asked to have her sister over so that they could converse privately.

“Lea… something is wrong,” Maya said.

“What do you mean?”

“My… uncleanliness.  It has not happened yet.  It should have come a week ago, yet it never did.”

“Maya are you saying you’re…”

“I fear so.  I am pregnant,” Maya choked through her tears.

Hugging her sister tightly, Lea said, “We now have no choice.  We must tell the authorities.”

“No!  Please, no!”

“Maya, what other option is there?  Soon you will begin to show.  You cannot hide this from Ari.  Even if he beds you the moment he returns, the amount of time will not be correct.  He will know something is wrong.  We must come forward with this.”

“I… I can conceal it, for a time at least.  When the time does draw closer, I can feign a great sickness, and stay with you, so that you can take care of me.  Ari will certainly believe this, and I doubt he would want to nurse me back to health himself.  Please, help me in this Lea.”

“All right…” she sighed in response.

For the next few weeks before Ari’s return, Lea helped Maya adjust her clothes in such a way that she would not appear pregnant, even as she began to show more obviously.  When her husband finally returned, he was none the wiser, believing that everything was completely normal.  This continued for six months, Maya successfully concealing herself, never allowing Ari to suspect that she had become pregnant.  Even in the few times that they made love, Maya was able to hide her body in the dark while diverting Ari’s attention elsewhere.  She knew well that this was a dangerous game she was playing, but the danger increased tenfold if her husband learned of her violation.

As she entered the sixth month of her pregnancy, Maya worked at home one afternoon, preparing the food for dinner that night.  Ari entered excitedly, saying, “Prepare the best meal you can for tonight.  An honored guest has agreed to dine with us: the prophet Isaiah himself!”

“Isaiah?  That is wonderful!” she agreed.  As her husband took his leave to meet with the prophet, Maya began preparing the bread, fish, and assorted fruits for the meal.  As evening came, Ari and Isaiah entered the house right as the food was being placed on the table.

“Welcome to my home, wise Isaiah,” Ari said.

“Thank you, kind sir, and a wonderful home it is,” the elderly man said.  “And who is this lovely woman?”

“That is Maya, my wife.  Shall we eat?”

“Yes, thank you,” Isaiah said graciously.

As they dined, Maya remained mostly silent, only speaking to offer more food to their guest or when directly spoken to.  Her husband and Isaiah talked at great length about many religious and historical matters.  Ari elaborated extensively on his family history and experiences traveling to Jerusalem, clearly attempting to impress Isaiah.  The prophet was polite, listening intently to every word his host said, but was secretly unimpressed with the man’s bravado.  With the meal coming to an end, Maya began collecting the plates and taking them to the kitchen for cleaning.  On her way out, however, she tripped on the foot of her stool, nearly falling to the ground.  Thankfully, Isaiah was right next to her and deftly caught her in his arms.

“Oh my, careful my dear,” he said as she slowly regained her footing.  As he helped to steady her, his hand casually grazed her stomach, feeling the obvious bump hiding beneath her clothes.  “Ari, you did not tell me you were expecting a child!  Congratulations!”

Confused, Ari asked his wife, “Maya?  You are with child?  When did this happen?”  Coming closer to her, he moved her robe aside and began inspecting her midsection.  Now clearly seeing just how big she had grown, he glared at her, asking, “When did you conceive?  Tell me the truth.”

Trembling with fear, she quietly said, “Six months ago…”

“Six months ago?  I was in JERUSALEM six months ago!” he seethed in anger.

“Ari, please!  I was violated, on the way back from the well!  You must believe me!”

“LIAR!  You are a pathetic, cheating WHORE!” Ari screamed.  Her impassioned pleas for understanding only increased his rage further.  Unable to contain himself further, he first slapped her across the face then kicked her square in the stomach, landing her on the floor.  Spitting in her face, he growled, “Get out of my house.  If I EVER see you again, I shall have you stoned!”

In fear for her life, Maya ran out into the street, wincing in pain from her husband’s kick.  As she sobbed on the side of the road, she suddenly felt a gentle hand resting on her shoulder.  Startled, she snapped her head around to find Isaiah with her.

“Dear girl, was what you said true?” he asked calmly.  “Were you violated?”

“I was.  I swear it to be so,” she said breathlessly.

Sighing, he said, “There is nothing I can do to help you with your husband.  This is his prerogative, as rash as his decision may be.  Is there anyone you can stay with tonight?”

Thinking for a moment, Maya replied, “My sister, she lives next door.  Oh, but she and her husband are away.”  As she began to despair, the pain in her midsection suddenly began increasing drastically.  “Oh no, something… is not right… I hurt…”

Isaiah felt her stomach and placed his ear against her, listening for the sounds of the baby.  “Dear God, I believe the baby is coming.”

“What?!  Now?!  I-It has only been six months!”

“The stress of your husband’s actions must have caused this,” he mused.  “It matters not how at this point.  Where is your sister’s house?  We simply need a bed.”

As she pointed to Lea and Tamir’s dwelling, Isaiah swept Maya up in his arms, showing his surprising strength in his old age.  Carrying her inside, he made his way to the guest room and laid her on the bed, encouraging her to remain calm all the while.  After lighting a pair of oil lamps, Isaiah rushed back to her side, allowing her to grip his hand as tightly as she needed to.

“The… the baby is coming…”

“I know Maya, just be strong.  You can do this.  God is with you.  He will be your strength.  Have faith, and PUSH!”

With an agonizing wail, she pushed with all her might, refusing to give up.  After what felt like ages, she finally felt the baby exit her womb and come to rest in Isaiah’s arms.  He grabbed the softest blanket he could find, cleaning and wrapping the tiny child with it.

“It is a girl,” he said with a smile, handing Maya her newborn.

“A… girl…” she managed to say.

As the two lay there, it was immediately obvious to the older man that her health was not returning to normal in the aftermath of giving birth.  Additionally, the child was barely breathing at all, being born far to early to have any real chance at survival.  Feeling Maya’s forehead, her body grew colder and colder by the minute, seemingly confirming his worst fears.

“Maya… I fear that you may be dying.”

“I care not… if only my daughter… can live…”

Shaking his head, he said, “It seems that life is slipping from her as quickly as it is for you.  I… I am so sorry.”

“No… no this cannot be God’s will!” she cried in anguish.  “Why bring her into this world only to kill her?  After such a short life, containing nothing but pain and suffering?  Isaiah, please tell me there is more than this.  How can this be a part of God’s plan?!”

Isaiah silently bowed his head; he had no answer for her.  Seeing the dejection in his face was the final straw.  Maya had lost all hope.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” she screamed, her cries of pain seeming to echo to the farthest mountains and all the way up to the gates of Heaven itself.  As she continued to lie there, weeping in despair, a strange sensation washed over the both of them.  It was almost as though another person was there with them.

My dear girl, you have suffered such pain, came an ethereal voice.

“Who is there?  Show yourself!” Isaiah said firmly.

As he spoke, a figure began to materialize in front of them.  It was a beautiful young woman, tall with brown skin and soft, black hair.  She bowed gracefully to them in greeting.

“Who… are you?” Maya weakly asked.  “Are you God’s angel?”

“No, I am no angel.  My name is Selena.  I hail from the lands far to the east of here,” she answered.  “As you can plainly see, I am not human.  Rather, I am a Genie, and a member of the Water Tribe of the Jinn.”

“Be gone, strange creature,” Isaiah commanded.  “This poor girl is on death’s doorstep, and I will not allow you to corrupt her soul in her final moments of life.”

Again bowing gracefully, Selena quietly said, “I understand your fear and apprehension, great Isaiah, for it is only natural.  However, that is the very reason I am here.  Maya, your cries of pain have reached all the way to the bedchambers of my master, the King Jinn of the Water Tribe.  They woke him from his slumber and pierced his very soul; he feels your agony.  As his most trusted vizier, he sent me here to uncover the source of the pain, and has authorized me to assist in any way my magic will allow me to.”

“And how could you possibly help her?” Isaiah asked warily.

Slowly approaching, Selena observed, “Both mother and child are near death.  As humans, my magic cannot simply heal them, as much as I wish it could; the only human capable of being instantly healed by me without an actual wish is one who is assigned to me as my master, which they are not.  However… there may be another way.”

Her eyes lighting up with a glimmer of hope, Maya asked, “Can you save my daughter?”

“I believe so, but… the solution may be potentially upsetting to you.”

“Just tell me!” Maya cried.

“Shh, rest Maya.  You need to save your strength,” Isaiah cautioned.

Slowly, Selena began to explain, “As a newborn infant, my magic is capable of healing your daughter by first transforming her into a genie.  Once that has been done, restoring her to perfect health would be extremely simple.  However, as a genie, she would not be able to remain amongst humans, and would have to come with me.  In compensation for this, I am authorized to grant you, Maya, one wish.  The wish would not be bound by normal Genie rules, and would be interpreted alongside your thoughts to ensure that you are given what you truly desire, rather than your words being twisted against you.”

“Silence!” Isaiah growled, glaring at Selena.  “Maya, I implore you, do not accept this offer.  It is a demon’s trade!  It goes against all that is good and holy in the world God created.  If you do this… there may be no hope for your eternal soul.”

Torn between saving her daughter and saving her soul, Maya asked, “What will become of my daughter if she goes with you?”

Selena answered, “Her soul has the essence of a human.  Even if I were to make her a genie to save her, nothing can alter that essence.  Thus, she would not be a pure Genie, as I am.  Rather, the only purpose she could fulfill would be that of a servant genie.  She would be given to a master to serve all the days of her life, able to use great and wondrous magic in the completion of her duties.”

“Will she… know pain?”

Closing her eyes momentarily, Selena replied, “I cannot say for sure.  Once she is given to a master, she then becomes that master’s property to be dealt with at their pleasure.  She may have a kind, generous master, but she may also have one who is… not unlike Ari.”

Thinking for several long minutes, Maya finally said, “Save her.”

“Maya, consider what it is you are doing!  What you may be condemning her to!” Isaiah said forcefully.

“Isaiah, I thank you for everything you have done for me tonight.  But I know what I must do.  My daughter must have a chance at life; this is… my purpose as her mother.”

Silently bowing his head, Isaiah stepped back, knowing she was resolute in her decision.

“Save my daughter, Selena.”

Taking the baby girl in her arms, Selena hummed a sweet, wordless melody to the child.  Soon, the infant began to glow with a faint blue light.  The light slowly began to shrink, though it did not diminish in intensity.  Finally, it faded away, leaving only a gold locket in Selena’s hand.

“She will be safe now,” Selena said reassuringly.  “Now, time is short.  Your life slips from you faster than ever.  Please, tell me your wish.  It can be anything.  You can live without hunger or disease, be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, and even have power over you horrible excuse for a husband.  You can save yourself from all hardship and pain; you need only wish it.”

Now struggling to breathe, Maya reached out to take Selena’s hand and spoke her wish.  “I wish… for my daughter to never know pain or suffering.  I wish that… with whatever master finds her… she will be loved and cherished… for who she is… not… what she is.  I wish… for her to find… a man of God… of outstanding moral fiber… who will take her as his wife… who will protect her… and ultimately… guide her into… the arms of God.  Finally… I wish… to see her again… someday… in God’s… house…”

As she finished speaking her wish, the last of Maya’s strength slipped away, and her hand fell limp in Selena’s.  After exhaling her final breath, she finally passed away, smiling peacefully all the while.  With tears streaming down her face, Selena could scarcely believe what she had witnessed that night.

Closing Maya’s eyes in respect, Selena marveled, “More courage in this girl than in all the soldiers in all the armies in all the world…”

In the corner of the room sat Isaiah, deep in meditative prayer.  As it became clear that Maya was no longer among the living, he recited the traditional Jewish prayer of bereavement.  “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the universe, the Judge of Truth.”

Selena walked over to him and knelt in front of him, holding the locket in her hand.  “Never in all my life have I encountered such an act of selflessness,” she said somberly.  “I want you to know that I plan to devote my entire existence to fulfilling Maya’s dying wish.  I will not rest until I find a worthy master for her daughter.”

Still skeptical of her intentions, Isaiah asked, “And how exactly do you plan to do this?”

Showing him the locket, she replied, “This locket is the doorway to the realm she now resides in.  It can be given all manner of magical protections, ensuring that only a worthy individual can access it.”

She extended her hand toward him, handing him the locket to examine.  As he held it in his hand, the blue stone on the front began to glow.  “What is this?” he asked in wonderment.

“It is a sign that the locket is being held by a worthy individual.  One capable of fulfilling Maya’s wish,” Selena said with a smile.

“This is incredible… but I cannot take this.  I have devoted my life to the service of God and spreading his word throughout the world, and I am an old man besides.  I do not know how long I have left.  This girl deserves not only a worthy man, but also one who can give her a long, fulfilling life.  I… am not that man,” Isaiah said.

“I understand,” she replied sadly.  “Still, I think we should enact a few more protection measures to ensure that whomever finds the locket is not only of ‘outstanding moral fiber,’ but also a man of God.  What do you think?”

“I agree.”

Thinking momentarily, she said, “I can make it so that only a man of Jewish faith is capable of opening the locket.  Is that something she would want?”

“Possibly,” Isaiah said contemplatively.  “However, I also foresee potential danger in that requirement.  I suppose it is possible that, merely one hundred years from now, a group of invaders could ride through Israel, destroy our armies, slaughter every man, woman, and child, and burn every record of our religion.  If that were to happen, there would be no Jews left in the world, making it impossible to find a man meeting the criteria of such a constraint.”

Smiling in amazement, she said, “It is no wonder you are called Prophet.  Such wisdom and foresight is nearly unheard of in today’s world.”

“You are very kind,” he replied humbly.  “I wonder… is this item capable of adapting itself autonomously, using protections allowing itself to determine if one is a man of God, no matter how far in the future that man may come along?”

“I believe so,” Selena said, taking the locket in her hand.  “Anyone who finds this locket must solve a riddle of some sort in order to gain access to it.  I can allow the locket to alter that riddle of its own accord based on that individual’s experiences with God.  This would allow it to use events that have not happened yet as part of its protection.”

“Most impressive,” Isaiah said.  “If you truly are able to find such a man… perhaps I have misjudged you.”

“Thank you.  You are too kind, Isaiah.”  Clutching the locket tightly in her grasp, Selena slowly began to disappear from sight.

I promise that I will not fail…

*****

As Mike slowly opened his eyes, he looked upon Melody, seeing tears streaming down her face.  Instinctively, he leaned forward and wrapped her in his arms as she began to sob into his bare chest.

“Mother… Mother…” she gasped between her tears.

After several long minutes, they finally parted, and Melody began to calm down.  They sat on the bed and turned toward Selena, still seated at the desk across the room from them.

“Melody,” she said, “Every fiber of my being wishes that I could have saved your mother.  She deserved more than her life afforded her.  However, you know, as well as I do, the rules and limits of our magic.”

Nodding, Melody said, “She was not bound to you, thus you could only save her life if it was part of her one wish.  You gave her the greatest gift imaginable, yet she gave it… to me.”

“Indeed,” Selena said quietly.

“Did… she make it?  To God’s house?  Please tell me she made it,” Melody asked.

Closing her eyes, Selena said, “I honestly do not know.  None can say for sure what happens beyond the gates of death, but if she truly did enter God’s house, as I believe she did, that is knowledge of a place and power far greater than my own.  It is knowledge not meant for me.”

Nodding in quiet understanding, Melody sat back on the bed, pondering everything she had witnessed that morning.

“Selena, is this vision telling us that, in giving me the locket, Maya’s wish was finally fulfilled?” Mike asked.

With a smile, she replied, “Not entirely.  Remember, Maya’s wish was a complicated one.  She wanted many things for her daughter, and finding a worthy individual was merely the first step.  Ultimately, I could not interfere with your free will, meaning that if you all of a sudden decided to become a cruel master, nothing I could do would have any impact on that.  Still, I had a good feeling about you, even from the moment we first met.”

Laughing, he said, “Guess you’re not really an immigrant from Iran, huh?”

“No, no I am not,” she said with a giggle.  “I apologize for my deception, but I had to craft a believable story, otherwise you would never have accepted the locket.”

“It’s ok,” Mike said.  “What about the puzzle?  Playing a piece from Handel’s Messiah using a verse from Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, as Biblical as it may be, had nothing to do with Isaiah.  What’s the connection?”

Nodding, Selena replied, “It is because of Isaiah’s request that the locket be able to act of its own accord in determining whether or not an individual is worthy of opening it, as well as being a man of God.  The puzzle could have been anything, and the one it used was one that would determine not only your knowledge of God’s word, but also its context in the world you live in.”

“What is the connection of all of this to my dreams?” Melody asked.  “I recognize the voices as Ari, Isaiah, and Maya, but what triggered all of this?”

“Of course, please allow me to explain,” Selena began.  “Even as Mike was a man of ‘outstanding moral fiber,’ that was merely one part of your mother’s wish.  The next part was for him to guide you towards God.  That, as you know, happened very naturally, with the combination of his strong faith and your natural curiosity.  Still, curiosity can only take one so far.  Thus, as your studies deepened, I used my power to nudge you further along the path you had chosen.  When you first read from the Book of Isaiah, I knew the time was right to give you clues as to the importance Isaiah played in your life.  That, in turn, would spur both Mike and yourself to research it further, ultimately leading us here.

“I agonized for many centuries over how exactly I could help solidify your journey towards God, as your mother wanted.  Finally, I realized that I was overthinking the entire problem; the easiest way to bring you closer to God was to show you how close to Him your mother was.  Though the choice of this journey is always yours and no one else’s, I knew that seeing her sacrifice and unconditional love for you would be exactly what you needed.  Am I correct?”

“Of course!” Melody answered.  “Truthfully… Mike and I have always disagreed on matters of death.  I can essentially grant him eternal life, yet he has never wanted me to do so, saying that death is only the beginning of the next life.  I think I finally understand what he means,” she said, gazing lovingly at her husband.  “I want nothing more than to fulfill my mother’s wish, so that I can see her again, someday.  If that means accepting that death is nothing to be afraid of, then I’ll be ready to take that plunge when our time comes.”

“I believe you,” Selena said.  “I have done all I can in fulfilling Maya’s dying wish.  The future now belongs to the two of you.  If you continue along the path you have chosen, I have no doubt that you will see her again.”

“Selena, thank you for everything,” Mike said.

“We will never forget you,” Melody agreed.

Starting to glow with an ethereal light, Selena said, “We will never see each other again, but I know my existence has been made whole because of you, Melody.  Even if I never grant another wish in my life, I will still know that I have done something of meaning.  If God does have a purpose for me, I hope that I have achieved it.  Thank you, my friends.  Goodbye.”

With a blinding flash of light, she was gone.  Once again, Mike and Melody were alone.  They sat in silence for a long time, completely in awe of everything they had learned and witnessed.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Melody drew Mike close and kissed him tenderly, pouring all the love she had for him into their kiss.  As they finally parted, she gazed into his blue eyes and whispered, “Mike… I want to be a mother.  I want to show our child the love and selflessness that my mother showed me.  Please… impregnate me.  Make me the mother of your child.”

Mike said nothing, but smiled and kissed her deeply.  He had wanted to start a family with her for some time now, but was waiting to marry her first.  Pushing her back on the bed gently, he untied her satin robe.  He moved his hand up the inside of her thigh, causing her breathing to deepen, until he finally arrived at her pussy, caressing her outer lips as she gasped in pleasure.  Kissing her deeply, he slipped a finger inside of her as she moaned into his mouth, throwing her arms tightly around his neck.  After fingering her for several minutes, her arms traveled southward, slipping his shorts off of him and onto the floor.

“I’m ready, Mike,” she whispered.

Moving into position on top of her, he slowly pushed his cock into her tight, slick tunnel.  “I love you,” he whispered.

As he began to thrust into her, enjoying every inch of her wonderful pussy, the couple said nothing.  Enjoying every touch, moan, and look of love, they simply savored the moment.  Mike’s heartbeat increased, pounding in his chest, as he thought about what they were about to do, and how their lives would change going forward.

“Melody, if we do this… I don’t want any magic involved,” he said.  “I want you to experience everything you would during any normal pregnancy.  I want to enjoy our anticipation leading up to you giving birth.  Is that… ok?”

Smiling, she kissed him lovingly, saying, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Feeling his climax fast approaching, Mike locked onto her beautiful emerald eyes, drinking her in.  “I wish for you to have our child.  I wish to impregnate you… right here… right now.”

Tingle.  Flash.

Nothing more needed to be said.  As Mike increased the ferocity of his thrusts, Melody continued to lock eyes with her husband, softly running her fingers across his cheek in love and adoration.  Her pussy began to clench around his cock, fully anticipating his orgasm, which finally pushed him over the edge.  The newlyweds wordlessly climaxed together, as Mike filled her womb with his seed.  Panting and breathing heavily, the couple lay in each other’s arms for what seemed like years, wanting nothing more than the warmth of their touch.

“I love you, Melody,” Mike finally whispered.

Smiling, she kissed him softly on the forehead and replied, “I love you, Mike.”

*****

In the months that followed, the Braxtons fully enjoyed Melody’s pregnancy.  She developed quite the craving for peanut butter and corndogs, resulting in a few late night trips to the store for Mike.  Through it all, they savored every moment of their child growing in Melody’s womb.  After a few ultrasounds, it was revealed that they would be having a son, and that he was easily the healthiest growing baby their nurse and doctor had ever seen.

Jane and Brad were particularly excited at being future grandparents.  Mike knew full well that Jane would spoil their son rotten, but it was her prerogative.  “After all,” Jane would say, “parents often have to say no, but grandparents get to say yes.”  After several ideas from their son and daughter-in-law, Jane and Brad eventually decided that they wanted to be called “Nana” and “Pop.”

As Melody neared birth, Jane and Darcy worked to give her one of the best baby showers imaginable.  Since Mike and Melody were the first of their group of friends to become pregnant, most of their baby clothes, toys, and supplies were bought brand new, though Melody promised to share as the rest of their friends started families of their own.  By far her favorite gift was an Auburn Tigers onesie from Jane and Brad.

One morning, in the eighth month of her pregnancy, Melody was relaxing on the sofa of their apartment, thumbing through her Bible.  She asked, “Mike, have you decided on what name you think would be best?  I’m at a total loss.”

Chuckling, he replied, “I tried several name combinations, but there’s only one that just sounded… right.”

“And that would be?”

“Harry Isaiah Braxton.”

Her eyes lit up as she repeated the name in her mind.  “I love it,” she finally replied.  “It’s perfect. Your granddaddy and the man who helped deliver me to you.”  With a satisfied chuckle, he sat on the couch next to her.  “So, Mike, something I was wondering.”

“What’s that?”

“Should our son know about my true nature or not?”

“Hmm… good question,” Mike said quietly.  After thinking for several minutes, he responded, “I don’t want our son to feel that he is different or not normal in any way.  With that in mind, it may be best for him not to know, at least until he is old enough to fully understand why we kept it from him.  Even then, we would want to ask ourselves if he would want us to tell him after all this time or not.  Does that make sense?”

Smiling, she replied, “Completely.  Our primary duties are to his growth and development, and our life circumstances should be separate from that.  It shouldn’t matter that he is born of a human and a genie, as long as he is raised with the love, care, and discipline he needs.”

“Exactly.  Plus, if he were to know that his mom has magical powers, it could turn into a constant battle to ward off his desire to have those powers used for him.  That would defeat the whole purpose of raising him to believe that he is just like every child that he goes to school with.”

Pleased with themselves and how easily they had arrived at a decision on the matter, the pair spent the rest of the day finalizing preparations on their son’s bedroom.

One month later, the time came for Melody to give birth.  Thanks to some creative wishing on Mike’s part, they encountered no traffic or red lights on their way to the hospital.  As they arrived, Melody’s birth pains continued to increase, putting her in a flustered state that was completely foreign to her normally cool and confident personality.  Still, Mike knew she would handle it all brilliantly, especially with his wish that nothing bad happen to her as a result of their child being born, which put her mind at ease greatly.  As she stretched out on the bed in the hospital room, the nurse entered, asking what kind painkillers she preferred for giving birth.

“None please, thank you.  I’m… having a natural childbirth,” came Melody’s reply.  In truth, this was due to the fact that human medicines and anesthesia would have no effect on Melody, thus raising suspicion.  Still, at Mike’s insistence, they wanted to have their baby in a hospital, primarily so the doctors could monitor the child and ensure that he was completely healthy.

As the nurse left the room momentarily, giving the couple some privacy, Mike held Melody’s hand tightly, asking, “You ready for this?”

“Yes, but… part of me is still scared.  Not about the birth, but… what if I’m not as good a mother as mine was?”

Mike kissed her forehead tenderly, reassuring her.  “You will be an amazing mother.  And there’s no doubt in my mind that, if you did have to lay down your life for your child, you would do so in a heartbeat.”

“Thank you,” she said weakly, growing tired from her long labor.  “Oh… oh shit!  I think it’s time!”

“Doctor!  It’s time!” Mike shouted to the hallway.  Soon, Melody’s medical team swarmed the room, two nurses flanking her doctor as he assumed his delivery position.

“Oh yes, it’s looking good,” the doctor said.  Mike loved the confident, almost cocky swagger he displayed; it’s one of the most reassuring things he could imagine in a doctor.  “The baby is crowning.  Melody, in a moment, you’ll feel an incredible urge to push.  Don’t fight it.  Embrace it.  Mike, you may well lose your arm in this process, but I bet you knew that coming into all of this.”

“Comes with the territory,” Mike replied with his smartass grin.

As Melody methodically breathed, following the doctor’s every instruction, the urge to push finally arrived in full force.  “OH GOD!!!  AAAAAAHHHH!!!”

“That’s it Melody, great job.  Now PUSH!” the doctor said.

With a final obscenity filled spasm, Melody finally forced the baby out into the world, the sweet sounds of his crying filling the room.  “It’s a boy,” the doctor said proudly.  As his nurses quickly cleaned the child and wrapped him in a blanket, Mike and Melody hugged in celebration.  Her hair was matted with sweat, but to Mike, she had never looked more beautiful in her life.

“And here’s your mommy,” the nurse cooed, handing the boy to Melody.  “Seven pounds, five ounces, and perfectly healthy.”

Melody was speechless as she held their son in her arms.  “Hi… my name’s Melody.  You don’t know it yet, but… I love you.  And I’m going to love you forever.  So will this big guy here.  He’s your daddy.”

Taking his son in his arms, Mike smiled as they locked eyes.  “Blue eyes, just like his dad,” he mused.  “At the risk of sounding like Will Smith, welcome to Earth.”  The Independence Day reference elicited a chorus of laughs from the doctor and nurses.

They spent the next two days at the hospital so that the doctors could monitor the health and progress of Melody and Harry.  As per Mike’s wish, they were both deemed to be in excellent health, and were soon released to go home.

Life changed dramatically for Mike and Melody, but they met each new challenge head-on, embracing their new parental duties joyfully.  True to form, Mike focused on being a dad, not just a father, changing diapers, getting puked on, and raising his son with love and dedication.  Melody, naturally, found that being a mom came very easily to her.  She was always able to easily make Harry smile, and always had a fantastic intuition as to what he needed in any given moment.  As Harry grew into his toddler years, he was quite energetic, eagerly exploring any new object or place he could, all under the watchful eyes of his parents, of course.  Mike began to teach him right and wrong, while Melody always kept him happy and entertained, deftly redirecting his energy and attention anytime he grew restless.  After achieving tenure in the ASO, Mike decided their newfound financial security warranted a larger home, and the family moved into a townhouse nearby, intending to live there for at least the next twenty years.

As Harry approached the age of four, Mike and Melody decided to add one more member to the family, and gave birth to a girl, naming her Maya Lea Braxton.  She was far more reserved than the more impulsive Harry, always taking in new situations and mentally processing them before diving in.  Though the two had the standard squabbles expected between brother and sister, they grew extremely close the older they became, with Harry taking on a guardian role towards Maya, not unlike that of Mike towards Melody.

One afternoon, Mike and Melody had taken the kids to a park near their townhouse.  As the pair climbed over the various jungle gyms scattered around the area, their parents marveled as Harry helped guide Maya over some of the larger, more frightening obstacles, finally showing her that she could make it over them, eliciting joyous squeals from Maya.

“Still wonder whether you’ll ever become as good a mother as yours was?” Mike asked, slipping his arm around Melody’s waist.

Giggling, she replied, “No, I guess not.  They’re two pretty awesome kids, aren’t they?”

“Dad!  We need one more to play Tag with us!” Harry yelled on cue.

“Be right there!” Mike replied.

“You are one hot dad…” Melody said lustfully.

“Well then… guess we’ll just have to slow time later for some… mommy-daddy time,” Mike replied with his signature grin.

Kissing him on the cheek, Melody whispered seductively, “It’s a date.”  A quick pat on the ass, and he ran off to play with the kids.

[auguy86]

Well, this is it; we’ve arrived at the end.  This has been an incredibly fun and invigorating journey.  I can’t thank everyone enough for their support and thoughts as I’ve written this series.  The only thing that has made me happier than connecting with Mike and Melody is seeing how many others enjoy connecting with them as well.  The epilogue contains no sex or erotic scenes, but I hope you enjoy it all the same, as this has always been the ending I have envisioned for the series.  As always, please rate and comment as you feel so inclined.  I hope you all have enjoyed reading this series as much as I have enjoyed writing it, and I hope you will come back to reread it many times in the future.  Thank you again. – auguy86

Epilogue Song Titles

I’ll Fly Away (Johnny Cash)

An Unforgettable Melody - Epilogue

To the entire world, they appeared to be a normal, if surprisingly healthy, elderly couple.  To each other, however, Mike and Melody were still as young and energetic as the day they first met, over one hundred years ago.  Still as in love as the day they married, nothing in the universe could ever hope to crack their undying dedication.

Their two children, Harry and Maya, had grown into wonderful adults and lived long, fulfilling lives, raising families of their own.  Harry eventually discovered a natural capability as a leader, becoming a long-serving member of the Georgia State Legislature.  In spite of his political success, he never desired to run for governor or a position in the United States Congress, saying, “I never want to lose my connection to the people who gave me this job.”  Maya, following in her father’s musical footsteps, became a renowned violinist, playing in several orchestras around the country before breaking out as an extremely popular solo recording artist.  By the time of her retirement, her success and popularity had brought about a surge in school-aged children wanting to learn the violin.

The long life Mike and Melody enjoyed was not without consequence, however, as they had outlived both of their children.  They felt an enormous sense of pride in the wonderful lives and families that their kids had been blessed with, but there was always something that felt unnatural about parents burying their own children.  In their old age, the couple kept mostly to themselves, not wanting to make new friends that they would again outlive and have to say goodbye to.  Even so, their unwavering faith never diminished.

As Mike lay on their bed, his wife cuddling in his arms, he reflected peacefully on all of this and the incredible blessings he had been given in his life.  Though he had enjoyed immense health for a century, he had always said he did not want his life to be prolonged beyond what his body could naturally endure.  As such, he could tell that, even with his great health, his body was close to shutting down.  Gazing into his wife’s lovely emerald eyes, he kissed her tenderly.

“It’s almost time, isn’t it?” he asked.

Nodding, she replied, “It is, but… I’m ready.  When you die, I will die with you.  We will never be separated, of this I’m sure.”

“I’m ready too,” he said with a smile.  “We’ve had to say goodbye to too many great people; Mom and Dad, our kids, Darcy, Stuart, Ashley, Trey…”

“We’ll see them again,” she reassured him.

“I know,” he mused happily.  “When we die, just so I’ll know, what will happen to your body?  After all, I wouldn’t want people to think I mysteriously murdered my wife and hid her body!” he said sarcastically.

Melody giggled, as sweetly as she had the day he first met her.  “Don’t worry, I will leave behind a body with yours.  To all the world, we will have died in each other’s arms.”

Feeling his end approaching, he drew his wife close, kissing her lovingly one last time.  “Thank you, Melody.  I love… you…”

Slowly, his vision began to fade… into darkness…

*****

Awaking with a start, Mike immediately gasped and panted, working to comprehend where he was.  He found himself dressed in a tailored, tan suit with a blue tie and brown loafers.  Looking around him, he was sitting on a sidewalk of a downtown area, yet he saw no other people.  Still, the streets were far too clean for this to be a ghost town.

“Melody?” he called, but heard no reply.  “Melody!”

Melody, Melody can you hear me?  Even in his mind, he heard nothing.  Mike was now afraid; there was no sign of his wife anywhere.

As he looked in every direction for her, he noticed an enormous building a block or two over.  “Guess that’s where I’m supposed to be heading,” he muttered to himself.  Wearily, he began his walk up the street towards the building.

As the entrance to the building came into view, Mike could tell that it was even larger than it first appeared, stretching upward into the low-hanging clouds.  The entrance was guarded by a set of enormous gates.  In front of the gates stood a large, imposing man dressed in a black suit with dark sunglasses covering his eyes.  Despite his strong appearance, the man strangely had one of the warmest smiles on his face that Mike had ever seen in his life.

“Hello, sir,” the man said as Mike approached.

“Hi, um… I think I’m lost.”

“Nah, you’re not lost.  I just need to see your invitation, and you can head on inside,” the man said casually.

Searching his coat and pants pockets, Mike found nothing.  “I don’t seem to have an invitation… where exactly would I have gotten one?”

Holding his hand up, the man said, “It’s alright, not everyone has an invite.  If you know me, you can still go on in.  So, do you know me?”

“I don’t believe so, but I’d love to get to know you.  Mike Braxton,” Mike said, extending his hand in greeting.

“Good to know you, Mike.  Name’s Pete.  I’m the greatest bouncer in the universe,” he replied, shaking Mike’s hand.  “So, do you know me?”

“Do I… know you?”  His wording confused Mike.  Hesitating, Mike pondered what Pete could be getting at before answering.

“Pete?” Mike asked.

“Yep.”

“The greatest bouncer in the universe?”

“That’s me.”

“Pete… Pete…” Mike continued to mutter to himself.  “Wait a sec… Pete wouldn’t be short for Peter, would it?”

“Why, yes.  Yes it would be.”

“As in… The Rock on Which I Shall Build My Church?” Mike said with a grin.

“It seems you do know me,” he said with a smile.

“Saint Peter himself!” Mike exclaimed, immediately grabbing him in a manly bro-hug.  “So… is this it?  Is this Heaven?” Mike asked.

“Yes and no,” Pete said with a shrug.  “All of your questions will be answered in this building behind me, but I’m not the right person to answer them.  Head on in, and at the main lobby, take the first hallway on the right, room 107.”  With a snap of his fingers, the gates creaked open.

Stepping through the gates, Mike turned back and asked Pete, “By the way, you haven’t happened to see my wife come this way, have you?  A girl about my height, red wine hair, gorgeous emerald eyes… have you seen her?”

Thinking for a moment, Pete replied, “I see a whole lot of people come through here, so I can’t be certain, but that description does sound familiar.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Mike waved goodbye to Pete and entered the enormous building as the gates locked behind him.  As he stepped inside the warm brown hallways of the building, Mike was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in the building, all in a flurry of activity.  He noticed that all of them were dressed in tan suits identical to his, with pants and ties for the gentlemen and skirts and scarves for the ladies.  Quite a few had on blue ties or scarves as he did, but a great many had on yellow ones.  He couldn’t be sure, but the ones with yellow seemed a great deal more stressed than the others he passed.  As he looked around for his hallway, a pair of little boys flew past him.

“Hurry up, John!” one of them called.

“Ok, ok, wait up Rich!” the other said.

“Huh, interesting,” Mike mused to himself.  “Those kids were wearing green ties.  Wonder if all that means anything?”

Turning down the first hallway, he waked for a few paces before arriving at a door labeled “107.”  Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped inside, finding an office with chairs, a huge desk, and a rolling chair turned away from him.

“Hello?” he said as he entered.  “Is anyone here?”

“Well, well,” said the occupant of the enormous desk chair.  “It’s ‘bout time you showed up here boy.”

As the chair slowly turned, Mike did a double take and rubbed his eyes to be sure he was seeing properly.  In the chair sat a man, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties, wearing a dark black suit, with jet-black hair and thick, round glasses.  The Texan drawl and huge grin on his face seemed familiar, but the hair was completely throwing Mike off.

“You… sound like Harry Weston,” Mike said cautiously.  “But there’s only one way you could actually be the Harry Weston.”

The man chuckled.  “Welp, the only way I could be Harry Weston… is to be sweeeeeeet,” he said bleating like a sheep on the last word.

As Mike’s face turned to one of joy and exuberance, he exclaimed, “Oh my GOD!  Granddaddy!  It is you!  It’s really you!”  He instantly found himself wrapped up in one of Harry’s signature bear hugs.

“Boy, I tell you what, you’re somethin’ else,” Harry said as he released his grandson.

“Ok, tell me.  What’s going on here?  Is this Heaven or not?  Pete out front said it was and it wasn’t.”

“He’s right, boy.  Think of this building as the customs house.  Everyone comes through here first before learning where they’ll go next,” Harry explained.

“Customs house… does that mean that Melody is here?” he asked excitedly.

After a brief laugh, Harry said, “Melody’s already come and gone.  Sweet girl, I tell you what.  She was so excited to meet me; apparently you’ve been talkin’ me up.”

“Come and gone?  Where is she?”

“Well, she’s already on the other side boy!” he replied happily.

“Other side?”

“Sit down, sit down, I’ll explain everything.”  The pair sat at Harry’s desk as he began to elaborate.  “When you first entered the building, I’m sure you saw that everyone was dressed alike, save for one thing.  Did you notice that one thing?”

“Uh, yeah.  Everyone had different colored ties and scarves on.”

“Right.  Those colors are an indicator of a person’s status here in the customs house.  There are four colors: green, blue, yellow, and red, and they each mean different things.  Now, which colors did you see?”

“Quite a few blue and a whole lot of yellow,” Mike replied.

“Very good.  Did you happen to see any green by chance?”

“Umm… yeah, there were these two little boys that ran past me.  They had green ties on.”

“That’s the first status.  Green means that you’re automatically guaranteed to get into Heaven, with no waiting or facing of your sins.  Greens are relatively uncommon, since it’s mainly reserved for children who die before they can fully grasp the concepts of good and evil and make their own choice.  Additionally, anyone who was enslaved in some way or had no choice or free will in the circumstances of their life is typically a green as well.  We call these people the ‘Innocents,’ in that they never had the chance to accept or reject God to begin with.  As a matter of fact, Melody was a green herself.”

“Really?” Mike said in surprise.  “But, I gave her free will, and she willingly chose to learn about God and his teachings.”

“That’s true, and believe me, that’s a big factor in your status as well.  Ultimately, though, she was still enslaved from birth and had no choice in the direction her life took, granting her the status of green.”

With a sullen look on his face, Mike said, “I… participated in that enslavement.  Guess that means I could be in serious trouble here…”

Laughing, Harry gave him a friendly slap on the head, saying, “Not so fast, boy.  Look at your tie.  What color is it?”

“It’s blue.”

“Exactly.  Blue is the next status, and the second most common of the four.  What it means is this: you’ve been deemed unworthy of going to Hell at all.  Unless you specifically request to go, you won’t be sent there.  Where you go from the customs house depends on your upcoming hearing.  In that hearing, you will have your sins and shortcomings made clear to you, and you will have to respond to them.  If you respond well, you’ll be granted immediate entry into Heaven.  If not, then you’ll have to work through your shortcomings in Purgatory.”

“Purgatory?!” Mike said, laughing to himself.  “Are you tellin’ me that the Catholics had it right all along?”

Harry laughed out loud at his realization.  “Yep, that they did!  You ever read Dante’s Divine Comedy?”

“Yeah, about his journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.”

“Well, he basically hit the nail on the head, at least as far as Hell and Purgatory are concerned.  Purgatory is essentially a mountain, just as he described, that one must climb to work off their sins and be deemed worthy of entering Heaven.  How long you’re there for just depends on the severity of your shortcomings and your own will and determination.  For example, another blue, Gandhi, was going to be admitted into Heaven, but he felt that he was not ready, and, in an unprecedented move, asked for time in Purgatory to better himself.  When it was all said and done, it took him only six hours to climb Mount Purgatory.  It takes most people days, weeks, sometimes many years to do so.”

“So, you’re saying that I’m going to be on trial?  And the outcome of that trial determines where I go?” Mike asked.

“Well yes, but trial isn’t the best way to describe it.  They won’t be in the Judgment Chamber to determine your guilt, as that has already been determined, not just for you, but also for everyone in the customs house.  After all, nobody except the Son of God Himself lived a life free of sin.”

“Ok, I guess that makes sense,” Mike said, feeling more at ease.  “So how do I properly respond to my sins and shortcomings?”

Harry frowned, saying, “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that.  It’s something you’ve gotta discover for yourself.”

“Guess I better think on that,” Mike said quietly, now beginning to worry.

“Anyhow, next in line is yellow, by far the most common status,” Harry continued.  “They almost made you a yellow, but your efforts in teaching Melody about free will and God’s love prompted them to upgrade you to blue.  Those who are yellows could end up anywhere.  Typically, their hearing determines whether they go to Purgatory or Hell.  They can also gain immediate entry into Heaven, though this somewhat less common.  Purgatory is the most likely destination for a yellow, though anything is possible, depending on the severity of their sins and their response to them.

“Finally, the last status is red.  You probably don’t even need me to tell ya what that means.”

Nodding Mike said, “One-way ticket downstairs?”

“Yep.  Only the worst of the worst, which knowingly did enormous amounts of evil, are assigned this status.  They don’t receive a hearing, but they must still stand before the Throne of God and face all of their sins brought to bear.  Thankfully, reds are extremely rare, as it is a status reserved only for the most deserving individuals.  If there is any doubt at all as to whether or not they warrant this status, they’re automatically upgraded to yellow.”

“Wow, that’s heavy stuff,” Mike said with a sigh.

“Sure is.  Anyway, your hearing is coming up shortly.  Before that, there’s one matter of business to attend to.  Everyone is allowed to watch one other person’s hearing before their own, so that they can see what they are getting into beforehand.  It can be anyone of your choosing, so how ‘bout we head back out to the lobby and find us a good candidate?”

“Sounds good,” Mike replied, standing and exiting the office with his granddaddy.

As they stood back in the lobby, the hustle and bustle of the many souls moving through never slowed.  Mike watched intently, wanting to consider several potential candidates before making a decision.  As he watched, however, a blood-curdling scream erupted from the other side of the room.

“NO!!!  I do not accept this!  I am a martyr!  A saint!” a man fumed, speaking to a larger man dressed in a black suit.  As the angry man attempted to attack, an invisible force knocked him off his feet to the ground, where he was swarmed and restrained by three more men in black suits.

“What was that?” Mike asked.

“Look at his tie,” Harry replied.

Mike could see that the man’s tie was red.  “What did he do?” Mike asked.

Bowing his head, Harry explained, “In life, he fought for a terrorist group made up of religious extremists.  Though he saw himself as servant of God, his crimes were heinous.  He captured a bus full of twelve year-old girls to make them all slaves for his group and brainwashed many of them to try to get them to join up willingly.  His final act was to go into an elementary school just as class was letting out and detonate a bomb strapped to his chest.  He killed fifty kids in that act alone.”

Taking this new information in quietly, Mike finally replied, “I don’t need to see what happens to him.  A part of me wants to see him punished.  Still, I guess that wouldn’t make me much better than him, would it?”

“I agree,” Harry said with a smile.

Scanning the room, Mike’s eye caught sight of a man with a yellow tie that he recognized as a prominent politician from Georgia.  He had served alongside Mike’s son for several years before being elected governor.  Though he constantly talked about his faith in God and family values, Mike had long suspected that he was one of the most corrupt men in the state, as every law he signed seemed to do nothing but grow and consolidate his own power.  Since Harry had said that Mike had nearly been a yellow, Mike thought this would be a good person to observe.

“What about him?” Mike asked, pointing to the man.

With a chuckle, Harry answered, “Henry Buchannan?  Excellent choice.”

Harry led the way up to a booth on the third floor where they would view Henry’s hearing in the Judgment Chamber.  There were identical booths lining the wall of the circular room, extending upward for about eight floors, though Mike noticed a section between ten o’clock and two o’clock completely devoid of booths.  Most of the occupants in these booths were dressed in black suits, like Harry, though a few were wearing the same tan suits Mike had on.  He surmised that the ones wearing black suits must be those who had already made it into Heaven.

The ground level of the large chamber was a circular floor containing several panels on the wall that appeared to be able to open.  In the smaller, inner circle stood two podiums, each surrounded by circular wooden railings.  Soon the light began to darken, and a ring of large men in black suits and sunglasses entered from the many panels around the room, surrounding the edge of the ground floor and standing in the shadows just beyond the illuminated center of the chamber.

“Who are they?” Mike asked quietly.

“Security,” Harry replied.  “An elite group of God’s angels.  They are not to be messed with.”

As he finished speaking, the two podiums began to shine with an ethereal light, growing brighter by the second.  With a brilliant flash, the entire audience was blinded.  Upon opening his eyes, Mike could see Henry standing in the podium to his right, with another man in the podium to the left.  He was tall, though not as muscular and imposing as the other men on the floor.  His dark black hair and goatee matched his suit for a very striking appearance.

“That’s Thomas, the Chief Council,” Harry said.

“Thomas?  Doubting Thomas?”

Chuckling, he replied, “Yep, though truthfully, he gets a bit of a bad rap.  Very few of the Apostles have grown to be as thoughtful and insightful as he has over the centuries.  Like I said, nobody’s perfect, but he’s responded to his trademark shortcoming brilliantly.”

As Harry finished speaking, they felt a great rumbling in the chamber.  Ahead of them, the section of the chamber wall that lacked seats began to split, slowly opening to reveal a bright light within.  As the wall fully opened, Mike could see an enormous throne on the other side, which soon was sat upon by a gigantic robed figure.  The light from the room was intense and concentrated, blinding him to the point that he could only make out the feet of the figure sitting on the throne.

“Is… that?” Mike stuttered.

“You better believe it… the boss man Himself,” Harry replied with a smile.

With all parties now assembled, Thomas began to speak, his authoritative voice echoing throughout the chamber.  “Henry Buchannan, you have passed away from your mortal life and now stand before the Throne of God the Almighty, seeking entry into His kingdom.  Before this can happen, you must now answer for your transgressions in life.  Said transgressions include, but are not limited to, lying to one’s subjects, theft of money and property by deception from said subjects, multiple accounts of adultery, and corruption of power to an extreme magnitude.  Henry Buchannan, do you understand the transgressions as they have been stated to you?”

“Y-Yes, I do,” the man said meekly.

“Very well,” Thomas replied.  “How do you answer in regard to lying to your subjects?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Henry said, prompting a derisive snort from Mike.

Not conceding an inch, Thomas held firm, saying, “You are on record in life as making multiple promises to your subjects, such as a refusal to raise taxes or an oath to reduce eminent domain laws, only to intentionally break those exact promises after gaining power.  These facts are indisputable.  I ask again, how do you answer?”

“I answer that… I always did what was best for my constituents, even if they did not know for themselves what was best.  I lived my life without regret,” Henry replied.

“Very well,” Thomas said.  “In life you enacted, though were never caught making, policies that allowed you to secretly embezzle money and property from your subjects, frequently using complex language to trick them into paying fees or losing property that was rightfully theirs.  How do you answer?”

“Now see here!” Henry replied, becoming more agitated.  “Every dollar of funds I raised from my constituents went to worthy causes!  That I can guarantee!  They themselves refused to donate to those causes, even though God Himself commanded them to do so, leaving me no choice but to use the law to correct this problem.  I prayed night and day about that decision, and came to the conclusion that it was what God wanted me to do.”

Thomas responded, “Even if it were true that those funds went to worthy causes, I can personally guarantee you that God the Father never instructed you to do such a thing.  As it so happens, however, those funds did not go to ‘worthy causes’ as you claim, instead funding the favorite projects of those who would donate to your reelection campaigns.  Do you have anything more to add?”

“No, I have no regrets,” Henry said defiantly.

Thomas continued, “Very well.  In regards to the multiple accounts of adultery, how do you answer?”

Henry stood in stunned silence for several moments before finally answering, “I… I loved my wife.  I love her still today.  There was nothing wrong with her, our marriage was just… boring.”

“Boring?” Thomas asked, amazed at the man’s audacity.  “She willingly gave herself to you, body, mind, and soul.  She devoted her life to you.  Yet all you can say in regards to breaking your vows to her is that she was… boring?”

“Mankind has always become restless at times, seeking new and exciting adventures,” Henry replied, trying to cover for himself.  “It’s simply our nature, a nature God imbued in us, so nothing could be wrong about it.  Again, I have no regrets.”

Thomas then said, “Finally, in regards to the transgression of corruption, how do you answer?”

Staring straight into the counselor’s eyes, Henry replied, “I hate that word.  Corruption is what I fought against my entire life.  The very notion that you would call me corrupt is… despicable.”

“So, you claim that you did not engage in corrupt practices?”

“Yes I do.”

Shaking his head, Thomas stated, “Your claim is erroneous, and one that you know to be a falsehood.  Throughout your life, you frequently ignored the will and needs of your subjects, rejecting their choices as to who should serve in your offices alongside you as public servants.  You would then replace those choices with individuals that would simply do your bidding unquestioningly.  All of your actions led you towards one goal: attaining, keeping, growing, and consolidating your own power and influence.  Your entire life was one long quest for power over your fellow Man.  How do you answer?”

“I am a man of God!” he exclaimed.  “Every action I took in service to my constituents was in effort to bring them as close to God as me.  The people they would have had me work with were Godless imbeciles!  They wouldn’t know the first thing about governing.  If the people are misguided in their actions and decisions, it is their leader’s job to correct them, as I did.”

“Very well.  Henry Buchannan, this is your final opportunity to speak.  Do you have anything more to say before a decision is rendered in regards to your eternal soul?” Thomas asked.

Still defiant, the man simply repeated his mantra once more.  “I have no regrets.”

Soon, the chamber began to rumble as God Himself spoke His judgment.

Foolish man.  To commit such egregious transgressions and still have no forethought to truly and earnestly repent of them.  To knowingly do such deplorable acts and attempt to claim they are done in My name.  Thou hypocrite!  He who attempts to lead people to God while being willfully ignorant as to His will is truly a failure.  He who sees no fault in his shortcomings and only seeks to blame them on his very creation ignores My greatest gift of all: the free will inherent in all of Mankind.  You are unworthy to enter My house.  Given every opportunity to repent of your sins, you still choose to cling to your own misguided pride.  You are UNWORTHY to ever enter My house!  I cast you OUT!

The moment He had finished speaking, the platform beneath Henry began to smoke, glowing red.  A look of dread and panic spread across his face; he knew he had blown his one shot at redemption.  “No… no… no, no, noooooo!!!!” he wailed in desperation.  As he cried out, the floor of his platform disappeared beneath him, dropping him into a bottomless, flaming pit.

“Woah… that was intense,” Mike whispered as light slowly returned to the room.

“I know,” Harry said, “but it was important for you to see.  I’m not allowed to tell you how to approach your hearing, but I hope that watching poor Henry gave you some vital information as to the answers.”

“I think so.  It’s just… I’m now more worried than ever.”

“Don’t be.  Remember, you’re a blue, not a yellow.  It’s already been determined that you’re not deserving of Henry’s fate.  Truthfully, Henry had every opportunity to earn his eternal reward, but that’s not how it ended for him.”

Thinking momentarily, Mike asked, “What would be the worst case scenario for my hearing?”

Nodding, Harry replied, “God would determine that your transgressions and answers to them are not enough to warrant your immediate entry into Heaven.  In that case, you would immediately find yourself at the foot of Mount Purgatory, where you would begin to work off those transgressions during your climb, bettering yourself in the process.”

Taking a deep breath, Mike stated, “Ok, I’m ready.”

Walking down several flights of stairs, Harry led him to a small, empty room with a familiar-looking podium standing on a round platform.  Shaking his grandson’s hand firmly, Harry said, “I know you’re worried, and that’s perfectly normal.  Just remember, regardless of what happens in the Judgment Chamber, that you will see Melody again, you will see me again, you will see all of your loved ones again.  It’s only a matter of when.  Have faith, Mike.”

“Thanks, Granddaddy.”

Stepping onto the platform, Mike quieted his mind and took his place at the podium.  As the circular railing now surrounded him, a column of light engulfed the platform, obscuring everything from Mike’s view.  With a flash, he stood on the floor of the Judgment Chamber, face-to-face with Thomas.  Though he was nervous, Mike couldn’t help but smile, reminding himself that Melody’s warm embrace could be mere moments away.  He allowed these thoughts to envelope him, feeling a wave of courage wash over his conscious.  He looked up with a pleasant look on his face, ready for whatever Thomas presented to him.  The familiar rumbling began once more, revealing the Throne of God and signaling the start of the hearing.

“Mike Braxton,” Thomas spoke.  “You have passed away from your mortal life and now stand before the Throne of God the Almighty, seeking entry into His kingdom.  Before this can happen, you must now answer for your transgressions in life.  Said transgressions include, but are not limited to, instances of taking the Lord’s name in vain, multiple accounts of sex outside of wedlock, among other… unique situations, which we will delve into.  Mike Braxton, do you understand the transgressions as they have been stated to you?”

“Yes sir, I do,” Mike replied.

“Very well.  How do you answer in regards to taking the Lord’s name in vain?”

Collecting himself, Mike said, “I was, and still am, a foolish man who, in those moments, chose to let his temporary anger cloud his better judgment.  I know better than that.  I truly regretted the words I spoke the moment they left my mouth, and still do to this day.  Unfortunately, there is no way to erase those words; the pain they caused is all too real.  The guilt I have felt after those moments is my punishment, though I realize it may not be nearly enough to make up for my mistakes.”

Thomas paused momentarily, taking in Mike’s response.  Finally, he continued, “Very well, and how do you answer for the accounts of sex outside of wedlock?”

“Those accounts did happen,” Mike stated simply.  “I realize that this is against the teachings of the Bible.  However, I do wish to state for the record that I did, in fact, deeply love each of the women that I had sex with.  This is certainly no excuse for my actions, but I would dishonor their names as well if I did not at least emphasize that point.”

Strangely, Thomas again paused, looking in God’s direction, before nodding, as if he and God had just had a mental conversation.  “In the interest of complete discretion, God the Almighty wishes me to convey to you that, though your actions were indeed sinful and against His teachings, He also realizes that determining the context of a sin is just as important as the sin itself.  This, mind you, does not change the sinful nature of the action, but understanding the context of any sin is paramount to moving towards forgiveness.  In addition, He and I wish to thank you for your honesty on your heart’s true feelings towards these women.  That you would put yourself in a precarious situation within this chamber so as not to dishonor their names is quite admirable.”

“Thank you,” Mike said quietly, rather surprised by the response he had heard.

“You are welcome,” Thomas replied.  “Now, we shall move to the most crucial part of your hearing.  The greatest transgression that you must now answer for is your willful participation in the enslavement of an intelligent, living being, one Melody Braxton.  How do you answer for this transgression?”

Mike replied, “Counselor, not a day has gone by that this has not weighed heavily on my conscience.  I can truly, honestly say that Melody’s presence in my life has changed me for the better.  However, this alone does not make up for the dilemma I faced upon first meeting her.  As you are doubtless aware, my immediate concern was for her freedom, which I learned was something that could not be fully granted by me.  The only action I could have taken differently in this matter would have been to release her from her bond to me, thus disavowing my involvement in her enslavement entirely.  This decision, however, would not have been without consequences in and of itself.  If I may, I would ask if you, Counselor, are able to show what would have become of Melody if I had indeed released her from her bond to me.”

After again conferring with God mentally, Thomas answered, “God is all-knowing, and thus, we are able to show what would have happened in the events you describe.”

Instantly, a faint, ethereal cloud appeared in the air above the chamber, and from within the cloud came images of Melody.  First, Mike’s fight with Stephen, Darcy’s abusive ex-boyfriend, was shown.  Thomas explained that, had Mike freed Melody, he would still have kept her locket on his person for safekeeping.  However, the lack of her protective powers would have resulted in Mike losing the fight with Stephen, who would then have seen the locket as Mike lay beaten on the floor and decided to take it for himself, intending to sell it.  He soon would have discovered the secret that it held and, due to the locket’s protective magic being disabled by Mike, released Melody, claiming her and becoming her master.

What followed was a montage of pain and suffering, depicting the brutal treatment Melody would have received under Stephen’s ownership day after day.  Additionally, the faces of the many women he would forcibly take for himself using Melody’s powers were shown, filling the cloud until their numbers became too great to keep up with.  Finally, Stephen was shown gaining mastery of his wishes, twisting his words to wish himself into positions of great power, eventually up to the office of President of the United States.  As President, Stephen would have become akin to Emperor Nero of Rome, lazily shirking his duties and sleeping with interns while the other nations of the world began to squabble in the absence of America’s leadership, eventually leading to a worldwide nuclear war.

As the images ended and the cloud disappeared, Mike said, “It has long been said that one small decision can affect countless larger ones in the future.  It does seem clear that, for the good of the world, my decision to keep Melody was a wise one.”

“Be that as it may, did you not still participate in Melody’s enslavement?  Even if for the good of others, enslavement is still enslavement, is it not?” Thomas countered forcefully.

For a few seconds, Mike became very angry.  He had just shown the entire room the horrors that would have befallen Melody and the world had Mike not taken custody of her, and yet he was still being accused of being in the wrong.  He loved Melody, he had given her free will, he had shown her the teachings of God Himself, so why was he in trouble for this?  Besides, Thomas had spoken moments before on understanding the context of any sin.  As his anger began to boil inside of him, Mike suddenly remembered poor Henry Buchannan.  Taking several deep breaths, he calmed himself before speaking his reply.

“You are correct.  Enslavement is still enslavement, no matter what purpose it is for.  I fully realize that a wise decision as it pertains to others does not absolve me of the sin of participating in Melody’s enslavement.  I did the best that I was able to, treating her with love and dignity, granting her free will, and showing her God’s love as best as I was able, but the fact remains that she was still enslaved to me.  In answer to the previously stated transgression, words cannot express the sorrow I have felt throughout my entire life that I could not give Melody exactly what she deserved: her full, unconditional freedom.  Perhaps I simply was not wise enough, certainly not Godly enough, to find a perfect solution.  For that failure, I am assuredly guilty.”

An audible gasp came from the crowd observing the proceedings as he gave his answer; not a single person knew what to expect upon watching the visions he had requested to be played, and it seemed to all that were present that Mike was voluntarily sending himself to Purgatory by not fighting back against the forceful rebuke of Thomas.  Waving his hand, Thomas immediately quieted the audience.

“Very well,” Thomas said.  “Mike Braxton, this is your final opportunity to speak.  Do you have anything more to say before a decision is rendered in regards to your eternal soul?”

Collecting himself, Mike said, “I am not a perfect man; far from it, in fact.  I am a sinful, shortsighted, misguided individual.  I did my best each day, trying to live how God and Jesus would want me to, but ultimately, I fell short.  I am, in a word, imperfect.  Standing here before the Throne of God, I humbly admit all of my shortcomings and seek forgiveness.  My only hope, my only prayer, is that the grace of God and the sacrifice of His Son are enough to make up for my vast imperfection.”

Mike bowed his head and closed his eyes, at peace with everything he had said and done.  Though he hoped to see Melody again soon, he fully expected that the next thing he would see would be the base of Mount Purgatory.  Keeping his eyes closed, he felt the familiar rumbling as God spoke his judgment.

My son… welcome home!!!

Mike’s eyes snapped open, unsure of what he had just heard.  Around him, the spectators cheered and applauded God’s decision.  As the railing surrounding him lowered, allowing him to leave the podium, Mike saw Thomas running across the chambers with a huge smile on his face.  Soon the man ran up to him and shook his hand firmly.

“You did it!  I knew you could do it, Mike!” Thomas shouted gleefully.

“You’re not mad?” Mike asked in confusion.

“Of course not!  I have a job to do, but victory or defeat ultimately rests with you, and I couldn’t be happier for you.”

“HAHA!  That’s my boy!” came an excited cry from behind Mike.  Before he could even turn, Harry had already wrapped him in another bear hug.  “Knew you’d figure out the answer.  It’s not about how badly you messed up in life; it’s about having the humility to own up to it and genuinely want forgiveness.”

“Just one final matter,” Thomas chimed in, patting Mike on the back.  As he did so, Mike’s tan suit and blue tie instantly turned solid black.  “On the other side, there are no more color statuses.  It matters not if you were the most borderline yellow or the most deserving green; all are worthy who have entered God’s house.”

With a few parting handshakes, Mike said goodbye to the two men.  “I’ll be seein’ y’all around!” he said, turning towards the Throne of God.

Step forward, Mike Braxton.  Claim your eternal reward.

As the throne disappeared, an enormous door was revealed behind it, slowly opening to reveal a blinding light.  Mike slowly walked into the light, soon becoming completely enveloped by it.  With a brilliant flash, he finally found himself in a field surrounded by mist.  As he stood there in awe, listening to the chirping of the birds and crickets, Mike had never felt more at peace.

“I’ve died and gone to heaven,” came a sultry voice from behind him.

Snapping his head around, he found the love of his life waiting on him, dressed for the occasion in her favorite black dress.

“Melody!”  Mike immediately ran to her, wrapping her in his arms and refusing to let her go.

“I’m sorry, Mike,” she said.  “I promised… that we’d never be separated, but…”

“Melody, hush,” he said, beaming.  “Everything’s worked out for the best.  Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because we’re in FREAKIN’ HEAVEN!  WE MADE IT!” Mike shouted, eliciting a joyous giggle from Melody.

As the couple embraced and kissed passionately, Mike could feel the presence of another person approaching.  Looking around slowly, he could make out a figure walking up to them through the mist surrounding the field.  Eventually, the person was close enough that Mike could clearly see who it was.  He wore a casual pair of blue jeans and a plain white T-shirt, but the face and beard was unmistakable, as it was perhaps the most famous beard in human history.

“No way… Jesus Tap-dancing Christ!” Mike marveled.

“Dude, I haven’t tap-danced in ages!” Jesus replied with a smirk.

“Wait, what’s with the jeans?  Everyone else I’ve seen is wearing suits.”

Rolling his eyes, Jesus replied, “Please… I’ve always been the guy upsetting the status quo around here.”

As he stepped forward and immediately hugged both of the Braxtons, Jesus welcomed them officially to the other side.  “I tell you what, I’ve been watching the two of you for some time now.  Mike, very few individuals could have been put in the situation you were in and respond as well as you did.”

Shrugging, Mike replied, “Meh, I still should’ve done better.  I still facilitated Melody’s enslavement.”

With a playful head-slap, Jesus said, “Dude, stop that.  You don’t have to think about what happened in the Judgment Chamber now.  I don’t care anymore, and My Father doesn’t care anymore; you passed the test.  It’s that simple.”  Turning to Melody, He continued, “As for you, my dear, there’s someone who’s been waiting a very long time to meet you.”

“Really?  Who?” Melody asked.  As she spoke, a section of the mist ahead of them began to part slightly, revealing a woman.  She wore a dark blue dress with pink flowers imprinted on it and let her long, black hair flow over one shoulder.  Her brown eyes, once heavy from the pain and suffering she had endured in life, now shimmered with every breath she took.

“Melody,” she said.  “My daughter…”

Openmouthed, Melody could only reply breathlessly, “Mother?”

After locking eyes for several long moments, the two women finally fell against each other in a tearful embrace, reunited for the first time in centuries.  As they cried on each other’s shoulders, they spoke to each other for the first time in their lives.

“Mother, thank you.  Thank you for the most incredible sacrifice I could have ever imagined.  I… I…”

“You needn’t say anything, my dear.  You are my daughter, and I would gladly lay my life down for you a thousand times more if it were necessary,” Maya said with a smile.  “I am just so relieved that Selena did indeed find a worthy man for you.  That is what has brought you back to me today.”

Taking her hand, Melody said, “Mother, I want you to meet my husband, Mike.”

As he extended his hand, Maya ignored it completely, instead pulling Mike in for a long hug.  “Thank you.  You who would love my daughter for who she is, rather than what she was capable of doing for you.”

After a long pause, he finally replied, grinning at Melody, “She’s worth it,” prompting an embarrassed smile from his wife.

“Outstanding moral fiber indeed,” came a deep voice from behind him.

As Mike turned, he discovered the source of the voice: a tall man in a black suit with a long, authoritative looking beard.  “Isaiah?” Mike asked.

“Indeed,” he said with a smile.

The two men shook hands firmly in greeting as Mike said, “Isaiah, I can’t thank you enough for what you did for my wife, and especially for Maya.  Believing her and helping her as you did had to have been unheard of during the time you lived in.  I mean you were helping a potential adulteress after all.  Weren’t you worried about what might have happened to you under the law?”

Chuckling, the prophet simply replied, “It was the right thing to do.”  He then turned to Melody, saying, “My girl, nothing has made me happier than seeing Maya’s wish fulfilled.  The fact that, in spite of all of the unfair circumstances life threw at you, you still managed to find your way to God of your own accord, it is one of the most incredible feats I have ever witnessed.”

“It’s all thanks to Mike,” Melody said with a smile.

“No, not entirely my dear,” Isaiah replied.  “Yes, he gave you free will and demonstrated his faith, but it was you who made the decision to delve further into God’s word and learn for yourself of His love.  You made that choice; no one forced you into it.  That is truly admirable.”  Isaiah then looked at Jesus, who nodded.  “Now, I must be going for a while.  I am a member of the Council of Prophets, and there are some important matters we must attend to.  I look forward to seeing you again, my friends.”  With a smile, Isaiah disappeared into the mist.

“I fear I must be going as well,” Maya said.  “I am an assistant to Saint Maria Goretti, the patron saint of victims of rape.  Sadly, our work is never done, but that only emboldens us to redouble our efforts in comforting these victims.  Melody, Mike, please feel welcome to visit my house anytime you wish.  Jesus will show you where it is.”

“We will, Mother.  Thank you,” Melody said as the woman departed.

Jesus walked up behind the couple and excitedly threw his arms around each of their shoulders, saying, “Well now, don’t you think it’s time you guys see your new digs?”

“We’d love to,” Mike said with his trademark grin.

As Jesus clapped his hands twice, the mist dispelled, leaving Mike and Melody at the gates to a small town taken right out of a storybook.  The sun shone brightly, a pleasant breeze drifted across their faces, and there was not a cloud in the sky.  “Welcome home, guys,” Jesus said.  “Your house is in the neighborhood of mansions on the other side of that park over there, number 34.  Everyone’s waiting for you, gonna give you a big housewarming party.  Dinner tonight is a grand feast in the Fellowship Hall, which is that building over there,” he said, pointing to an ornate domed building in the distance.  “And, of course, if you need anything at all, I’m only a thought away,” He said, smiling as he disappeared.

Glancing at Mike, Melody said, “I like him.”

“Well of course!  He is the Son of God, after all,” Mike replied sarcastically.  As Melody giggled, he drew her close once more for a long, passionate kiss.

As they parted, Melody took Mike’s hand and began walking into town.  Feeling that they were a bit overdressed, the couple simply envisioned the clothes they wanted to wear, deciding on blue jeans and a tan button up shirt for Mike, and tan khaki shorts and a black tank top for Melody.

“You know, you really never cease to amaze me, Mike,” Melody said with a smile.

“What makes you say that?” he asked.

“I was watching the whole time during your hearing,” she replied.  “I have to admit, during that last exchange between you and Thomas, I was honestly afraid that you’d be sent to Purgatory.  But you… you just continue to impress me.  Having the humility to admit to God Himself how many mistakes you’ve made, that takes more wisdom and guts than anything I could ever imagine.  Not that I’m surprised, mind you.  Just impressed.”

Kissing her on the cheek, he asked, “So, what happened when you first arrived?  I was totally alone when I woke up after dying, but Pete told me that you had already come through.”

Melody nodded, explaining, “When I woke up, I was right in front of the gates Pete was guarding.  He asked me for my invitation, which I found in my coat pocket and gave to him.”

“Huh, you had an invite?” Mike mused.  “Wonder if that has anything to do with your former green status?”

“Probably so.  Anyway, once I was inside the customs house, your granddaddy immediately greeted me and explained the different statuses to me, including what yours was.  I was then escorted straight to the Judgment Chamber.  Once I was inside, I didn’t have to stand for a hearing as you did, but was welcomed warmly by everyone there and immediately allowed to cross over.  From the other side, I was able to watch everything you experienced inside the customs house.”

“Impressive,” Mike marveled.

“Not as impressive as the one and only Harry Weston,” Melody shot back.  “In all seriousness, you built him up to be this sage-like person, and I have to admit, he does not disappoint.”

“That’s my granddaddy…”

On their way to their new house, the couple decided to walk through the large park in the middle of town.  As they entered the green space, they passed by a gazebo with a country trio playing.  Moving closer, they could clearly see the figures of Johnny and June Cash, singing the heavenly tune of I’ll Fly Away.  They were accompanied on fiddle by Charlie Daniels himself, smiling at the pair with a wink and a nod.  The pair smiled and waved back to them before continuing on their walk, the heavenly sounds of the gospel standard echoing through the park the whole time.

Mike was unbelievably overwhelmed by the residents currently occupying the park.  As they passed a row of park benches, they saw Ghandi and Martin Luther King Junior debating various ethical and philosophical topics, with Mother Theresa sitting two benches over, laughing and enjoying their banter.  Hearing footsteps from behind them, Mike turned just in time to see Bo Jackson and Herschel Walker locked in a heated footrace.

“War eagle!” Bo shouted to Mike as he passed.

“War eagle!” Mike replied in kind.  This resulted in a playfully dirty look from Herschel.

In the middle of the park sat a large collection of chess tables, several of which were occupied by some of the most iconic world leaders ever known.  At one table, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were facing off against Teddy Roosevelt and Abe Lincoln in a round-robin style four-person chess match.  As they played, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair walked up, challenging whichever duo won to the next match.  Three tables over from them, Winston Churchill had just bested his old friend Franklin D. Roosevelt, indicated by the former president toppling his own king.  Finally nearing the exit of the park, they saw John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan just sitting down to begin a game.

“Hey, it’s the Braxtons!  You guys finally made it!” Kennedy shouted to Mike.

“Big feast tonight, and you two are sitting at our table,” Reagan joined in.

“You got it, Gipper!” Mike replied.

Exiting the park, the pair walked along a gorgeous cobblestone road that encircled the park.  They took their time as they went, admiring each of the buildings they passed.  Still able to hear the melodious sounds of Johnny and June in the distance, they reached the stone archway marking the entrance to their neighborhood.

Sighing contentedly, Melody could hardly believe everything that had happened that day, and couldn’t have been more excited for every new experience that was sure to come during their eternity in Heaven.  “So, what do you wanna do now?” she asked Mike, laying her head on his shoulder.

Mike slipped his arm around her waist.  “Everything.”

The pair shared a long look of admiration before kissing lovingly.  As they stepped through the archway of the neighborhood, nothing more needed to be said.  They were home.

[MintJulie]

This was an incredibly wonderful tale.   You have a special gift, Auguy.
I wish others would take the time to read this.   Tingle. Flash

I'm a person that loves music so I really enjoyed that blended in.    I'm not religious, which a large part of this was.   But that didn't matter.   Your story was fantastic.

Thank you for entertaining me these past few weeks Auguy.      

And one Woo does not do it justice.  So, I'll have to return here often.

I hope there are other story submissions coming our way.   I am a fan.

,
Jules

[bill2368]

This was a wonderful story.