The Marine And The Heiress

Looking out over the field where he first met the young woman that was on his mind was a hurtful reminder of how they first met, Alex had driven down to go fishing in the mass lake one morning and while walking to his usual fishing spot he met this young woman. She was what every school boy dreams about slender body blond hair and blue eyes and the face of an angel, she was getting ready for a day on the lake with her friends when he realized they were not more than a few feet from where he usually did his fishing. At first he just noticed her and didn't say anything because all he wanted to do was just get to his spot and get his lines out, so he walked right past them set up his lines and threw them out. Not more than an hour later he heard someone belly splash in the water, he knew the day was ruined and he was angered beyond compare. "What are you doing," he yelled at the three about to get into the water, "The beach is on the other side you can't swim here!" The young woman acted as spokesman for the group, "We were here first your going to have to move on." The man was irate at this point, " Yeah I know I'm going to have to move on now but you will too once I get the conservation officers up here," at this point he packed up his stuff and was ready to go. "You could stay and have lunch with us," the young woman said trying entice him. Alex wasn't going for that he could smell a bribe from a mile away, "No thank you I've been coming here for years but you all are the first to jump in." Just then the man who actually did jump into the water was walking toward them soaked with a smirk on his face, "Aren't you leaving yet?" He was a large man around 6'3 and 210 pounds of muscle, "Good packed up with the tail between your legs good I wouldn't want to have to be persuasive." The last thing Alex could handle was a braggart but he knew if he fought him that Alex would be the one going to jail after, "Listen bub," Alex said "I just spent three years of my life in Afghanistan as a Marine, I don't think you want to say anything to me that would make me cross against you." The large man just smiled arrogantly, "So what was its name?" Alex was curious as to where he was going with that question, "What are you asking me?" Just as big of a smile he asked again, "What was the name of the doberman that replaced you in Afghanistan?" Alex was seeing red he had heard that joke before that the Marines could be replaced by dobermans at any time, so Alex did what any self respecting Marine would do, he dropped his poles but held on to the cooler, hit the man in his chest so fast that Alex was able to catch his poles before they hit the ground. The man acted as if he couldn't breath and all his friend gathered around him cursing and yelling at Alex, the young woman wasn't reacting to all of this like the others were she just stood there eyeing Alex like he was a prize. Alex didn't say anything else just started walking back to his truck to load it up and leave, just then he heard, "Hold on don't think you can hit me like that and just leave." Alex knew what was going to happened next so before it could he said, "Listen do you have anything training in fighting at all?" The bigger and taller man smirked, "I don't need training to handle you." Alex smiled, "I've been train to kill, not hurt, not maim but to kill and believe me I've done enough in my life so just let it stand where it is." The big oaf was about to open his mouth for a retraction but he was interrupted, "Billy just drop it, he got the better of you with only one punch, and you lighten up its not like that spot going to be closed all year you know." Alex thought about it for a moment and realized the woman was right, and he smiled, "Alright fine what's your name I'm Alex," it was obvious that he was trying to flirt with her and she recognized what he was doing. She cocked her head to one side smile a slight smile "That's funny they call me Alex but my name is Alexandra." Alex wasn't wasting any time, "Is that offer for lunch still open?" The woman nearly laughed, "Your pretty sure of yourself aren't you?" Alex got into his truck leaned his head out of the window and said, "Bring your friends here tomorrow and you'll all be in for a treat, oh uhh leave bubba at home though alright." The woman laughed, "Alright we're here all summer, we'll see you here tomorrow then." The next day Alex brought his grill and Alex had been on the bank all morning and had a huge mess of fish freshly caught from the lake grilling on the grill, when the jeep arrived with Alexandra and her friends he noticed that the big guy was with them. "I thought I said to leave the children at home?" Alexandra smiled, "Well I couldn't do that considering he's the one with the rented car." Alex accepted that, "Well dig in I've been working all morning on this I hope you enjoy." The big man walked over to the grill and looked, "Fish, I don't think so we'll be leaving now," He turned over the grill and smiled watching all the fish Alex had caught that morning end up in dirt. "Are you crazy, Leave! Just leave." it wasn't Alex doing the yelling it was Alexandra she was so angry she couldn't see straight. The bigger man turned to her, "Come on you can't be serious about him look at him he's just a nobody you're never going to see when you leave this place." Alexandra slapped him, "Just leave." The big man got into his jeep with two others going with him, and tore up as much of the ground he could going, Alexandra turned to Alex and said, "I'm sorry he's a jerk my mother wants me to marry but it's not going to happen now that I've seen how arrogant he is." Alex wasn't angry about the fish because they were only fish, "Not to worry, are you hungry though?" Alexandra smiled, "Famished." Alex walked over to the shore line, "My mother used to tell me not to put all my eggs in one basket," he pulled out a string with three more fish on them and grinned. After he had worked on another batch he got to know Celine Alexandra's friend who stayed with her and found out they were just here for summer vacation and wouldn't be here for very long, and Alexandra wasn't even from this country but from France, that's why she spoke with a bit of an accent. "So you're going back to France after this year?" "Yes I'm afraid so my mother wanted me to get a little bit of uncivilised American culture as she put it, so she had my spend two years here, so tell me what do you do?" Alex went into his time in Afghanistan but with no certain details, and then he went on to tell her that he was going into the family business of a saw mill. The sun was coming across the lake and evening was upon them, they said their goodbyes and he asked as he dropped them off at their hotel, "Well if you want come back tomorrow I'll be here I have a month or two off from work, my uncle was a Marine and he told me he didn't want me jumping right back in to work right away so I've been coming here when I have the chance." Alexandra turned around as she was walking to her door, "We'll see" she smiled and walked away. The next few weeks Alex and Alexandra met in their usual place, every night he asked to see her again, until one night Alex asked her that same question, a tear was coming from her eye, "Alex this summer was a dream but that's all it was a dream, I go back to school tomorrow and when that is done I go back home." Alex knew that the summer wouldn't be as long as he wanted it to be but this seemed like it was too soon, "So that's it I can't call I can't write nothing?" Alexandra knew it was time for truth, "I'm an heiress Alex, and I've begged my mother but I cannot come into my inheritance unless i marry who she chooses for me and I'm afraid you've met him." Alex hung his head, "You mean that big accent to his mother is to be your husband!" Alexandra didn't have one tear from her eyes but she was crying mercilessly, "I'm sorry Alex that means we only have tonight," she leaned over to him and kissed him gently, "Take me to your place." Alex thought about it for a moment, "Alexandra one night of passion won't carry me my whole life." "But it will deny him what he wants from this wedding," Alexandra spoke to him into his ear as though it was a whisper. He drover her to his place, opened the truck door can carried her inside, the next morning he woke and she was gone, he looked out his window and saw the jeep and her getting inside and then they drove off. He didn't visit the lake for another year and four months by then the weather was cooling and the leaves were gone from the trees. Looking out over the Field where he first met the woman that was on his mind was a hurtful reminder of how they first met, "You know for a brave Marine, you don't fight too hard for what you want." He turned around, and saw it was Celine, "Celine what are you doing here?" Celine was standing there with a disapproving look on her face, "Are you a man or a mouse?" Alex was tired of her games, "What do you want Celine?" Celine finally answered him, "She getting married next month, and if you want her you're going to have to do something about it." Alex was angry, "She's getting married what can I do she made her choice, she chose her inheritance over me." Celine scowled, "You think you know everything at this moment right now she has a photo of you in her dresser she looks at it everyday." Alex was tired of her beating around the bush, "What am I supposed to do?!" Celine grabbed his hand, "Here Merry Christmas." Alex looked and saw it was a airline ticket, "It leaves in a week, how am I supposed to pay for anything while I'm there." Celine laughed to lighten the mood, "So you'll go?" Alex not really sure if he would, "I'll consider it but where will I stay what will I drive, how will I get there." Celine smiled, "She's not the only one who is rich you know." Alex turned to the lake and then turned back around again, "Whoo yaaaa." The next week he was standing at the doors of a chapel where the guards where standing, "Invitation sir?" Alex turned to Celine and she handed them her invitation. The guard looked at her and said, "It says your name but there isn't anyone else and there is not plus one." Alex decided he didn't have any time to squabble with these men so he hit them both so quickly they didn't have time to realize what happened to them. As they walked inside they found the ceremony was taking place, and the priest was coming to a familiar place, "Let he speak now or forever hold their peace." Alex wasn't bashful, "I SPEAK." Alexandra turned around saw it was Alex and dropped her bouquet, "Alex." A tear and a look of relief came over her, "I love you Alex, I love you so much." "Alexandra pick up that bouquet, and you get out of here there is a wedding going on here, go, off you go." It was only what Alex could imagine was Alexandra's mother, "Mother no I love him and I won't marry Jean." The older woman looked like she swallowed a mouse, "You mean you would run out of here with that, run out on Jean, run out of me and" she paused here, "your inheritance." Then a third voice spoke out, "You mean the money my mother promised you once she married my brother?" Alex turned to Celine, "You never told me he was your brother." The woman looked like she was stabbed in the back, "I suppose it was your idea he should be here today." Celine smiled a wicked smile, "Yes it was me and to everyone surprise my mother left everything to me when she passed and not little brother, so if she marries him I will not give you anything, nothing all of our dealings are off." At that point Alex began walking up the aisle and Alexandra began running, Jean began running after her but before he could so much as get near her Alex was there hit him in the same spot he hit him the first time and Jean went down on his knees, he turned to Alexandra and kissed her so passionately it make the priest turn his head in shame. "I'll never leave you again." Alex laughed, "Better not if you leave me I'll just have to come with you."

Veterns Day

You know sometimes in your family you have that one soldier that tells the story that is hard to believe, well I am no different only I have more than one, I have at least three members of my family and extended family that has those kinds of stories in thier family. One for instance would be my great uncle on my mothers side of the family he fought for two years in Korea and his story is how he got his purple heart of how a morter shell exploded near him and he to this day is carrying shrapnel in his leg. My Grandfather who would laugh about his time in World War II saying all he did was peel potatoes because he stayed in trouble but something tells me he wasn't telling the entire truth because he would get that glassy look and stare for a while lost in memory. Or the two uncles I have who both fought in Vietnam one was dropped on his back from a Hewy from fifty feet, and the other who was hit by a morter shell but watched his best friend get hit by that same morter and we killed by it. Today though I'm going to tell you of one though in my family that has spread like wild fire through the ranks of the family mainly because it was a famous ship that was involved, my Uncle Woodrow Terry, he was a spitfire of a man who didn't take much off anyone, and he felt my father was one of his own sons. Uncle Woodrow, was on the U.S.S Indianapolis, they hadn't done a lot on the sea but he was in the Navy and they were called upon to travel across the ocean and deliver the atom bomb because the war in the Pacific was getting harder and harder and so they went. They made thier delievery and on their way home when on July 30th 1945 U.S.S Indianapolis was hit by a torpedo and sunk in only a few minutes, my Uncle said he was floating on a plank of wood for three days with the horrors of his friends deaths all around him. Not only did the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine kill many of the crew, but the sharks were having thier turn, but it wasn't only that the dehydration, and exposure was also took thier toll. No food, no water they could drink, it was a luck and the grace of God that the PV-1 Ventura crew spotted them in the water, only 316 survivors were found and rescued, Uncle Woodrow was one of the survivors. On this day let's raise our brave men and women of the armed forces above on our shoulders they have carried us it's time we allowed them to shine brighter than they already do. So remember when a child asks you, what is that man in the uniform was, tell him that is a soldier, he protects his country and his country is our country. So when a freedom cries for help no matter where, I do believe President Rosevelt put it best:

"With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God."

This Is It For A While...

I'm out of photo's so I'll try and do just one week for a while, but that will only be until I am able to get my stock of photo's back up. So this blog called photo's by the day, is for a while going to be Photo's By The Week.

I'm sorry for dedicated readers, but will return with more photo's and more stories.

Kentucky Halloween

Well here it is Halloween, but instead of giving you a ghost story like I have a few times this month I'm giving you a true story for this day, complete with family history that has brought a lot of laughs many times over, I'll write it in a story fashion though.

In the fifties a mother had her hands full in Kentucky with five children to feed, especially if one is in the woods all day long one stay home most of the time another works every day, another is still very small but the oldest one was a bit of a roamer. No one knew exactly where he went on is Saturday nights but Stella sure was getting tired of it all she would see him leave in the afternoon and not come back until the night had its moon and most of the kids were in bed, or sometimes he would just stay out all night long. However this night she had planned since it was Halloween night she was going to have fun with her son, "Roy do you think that if we got under the bridge from the road to the house that he would see us?" Now Roy spent most of his days working on farms and most of the time he would be pretty tired and all he would want to do is wash eat and sleep when he got home but seeing how he was the second to oldest and was always up for tricks on his brother, "Mommy I don't think he'll see anything." Take in mind the bridge in question about twenty-five feet from one end to the other, over a pretty good size creek, and when the wind whipped through it would chill anyone to the bone if it was a cold night. So that Saturday's Halloween came and off the older brother to town, the mother and son had a plan though and this should fix things at least for a while, when the time hit around nine o'clock they both took their place under the bridge, when a lot of time past by and the moon was full, they heard the familiar long strides of the oldest son. The time had come for her plan to take effect, as soon as his foot hit the bridge, both Mother and Son began screaming as loud as they could sounding like ghost and people in pain. All they heard from the bridge above was three steps and then nothing, "Do you think he got past the bridge already, Ma?" Stella knowing that the bridge was far too long for someone to take it in three strides began to worry in her motherly way, "Oh lord we've killed him he died of fear he's up there right now, dying of heart attack." They raced out from under the bridge and to the road where the top side of the bridge was but he wasn't there, they knew what had happened and nearly died themselves laughing realizing he had in fact ran that bridge in three strides. Walking into the small house the young man was by the fire place, he turned to see them walk in, "Ma be careful out there, there's ghost out there tonight." Stella was one smart woman but even she was smart enough not to tell her son until years later that it was she and his brother under the bridge that night.

A Blessed House, A Cursed Man: A Gift Of A Rose

The knock at the door was a reminder that there was a life outside her doors, although she wasn't where wanted to be, Katie locked herself in her house because when they returned home she went back to the small town and there was no Spence. She drove all day that next day but when she go to the old house Spence was no longer there, the stables were emptied and the house looked like no one had been inside of it for years. She was sure she hadn't dreamed all that had happened because she spoke with Debbie since then and she confirmed it. Slowly she walked to the door and peered through the spy hole and saw a man standing on the other side she kept the chain lock locked but opened the door, "Can I help you?" The man was mangled scars all over his face his teeth were yellow, he smelled horrible, "I was wondering Miss if you could afford a meal I'm awfully hungry and like a stranger in the night I come to your door." Katie was reminded again the night she and Debbie came to a door of a stranger and he so kindly let them in, she was about to open the door and allow him in when, "What are you doing Katie stop don't let him in, get out of here you wretch." It was Debbie, somehow she always knew when she was at her weakest point and now she was there to get rid of a old homeless man at her door. "Katie what were you thinking letting a stranger in like that he could have killed you?" Katie was a bit angry but she supposed she should be grateful, "Well I was reminded of the two of us going to some one's house and he let us in." Debbie was being patient with Katie knowing this was a touchy subject for her especially after the silent ride home, "Katie did he ever kiss you or say he loved or even liked you?" Katie smiled, "We were down by the river that last day, and leaned over while were talking and kissed my cheek at first then gently caressed his lips with his and that was it." Debbie looked concerned, but she didn't know anything else but to get her out of the house she was locked up in, "Listen it's Halloween night tonight and there is a party you're coming with me no arguments I'll not take no for an answer so get up and shower and let's go get you a costume." Katie was too depressed to argue so just followed instructions, in less than an hour she was at a costume shop buying the southern belle gown. "Katie why did you buy that one," A very curious Debbie asked her friend. Slowly Katie answered, "Because I liked it that's all." Later that night Katie and Debbie was at a party and Debbie was doing her usual drinking mixed drinks after mixed drinks though even Katie would admit the sexy Devil costume made her look good. Just then she separated from the party and walked outside for some air but she startled a bit when she heard a familiar voice behind her, "Miss I was wondering if you could spare the money for a meal?" It was the same old scarred up homeless man that was at her door earlier and she turned she didn't see anything malevolent about this man, "Of course come with me." She left Debbie at the party and walked this man to her home, when they got to her door he stopped at the front step, she turned and said, "Come on in you're welcomed here." Together they walked through the door she gave him some old clothes that were her fathers, let him take a shower in her bathroom and gave him food, "Now do you have a place to stay?" The old man's eyes were tearing up, "No unfortunately and no one has shown me more decency than yourself." Katie's mind was set, "You're staying here tonight then." They went outside to the back yard made a fire in a fire pit then just sat and talked and talked it seemed like she was feeling better with every minute spent with this man that was in her home, just then a knock came at the fence and Katie went to answer it. Debbie was on the other side, "What are you thinking letting this man into your house, up get out you're not welcomed here, did she show you love of any kind?" Katie was confused but angered at the same time, "No it's you that needs to get out he came here needing a meal a shower and a place to stay, you and I were like that only two months ago and we got the help we needed and what do you mean did I show him any love at all?" She turned and saw the man's face was all aglow he reached into his bag and pulled something out, "Will you except my rose?" Katie looked the rose was half black and white with what looked like tears on its pedals but the center was pure red, and she was reminded, "One rose that he possessed gave him only one chance to end the immorality." She walked to the man and his Rose with tears in her eyes she took the rose, "I except the rose and all my heart to go with it." Debbie was pleased, "You've passed every test I sent your way, you defied your friends, you braved the cold nights, you fought hard against someone you cared for all in the name of love, Spencer your curse has lifted." The Debbie transformed into a beautiful woman beyond compare even Katie paled against her, "Spencer the house is once again yours, Katie the business is yours, and I am off to find another man who shuns people away in the name of pride." With that Debbie was gone never to be seen or heard from again. Katie turned to Spencer, but it wasn't the Spencer she knew this man had a beautiful face no scars, his teeth was pearls, the mustache was neat and clean, "So the story was true?" Spencer answered, "Yes my dear it was true and now thanks to you and your love I can once again, be mortal but better I can love you more and more everyday." Then as they kissed the flower she had in her hands wilted and disappeared, and on the twelve stroke of midnight of all hollows eve, the curse was officially broken from the Man, for now he was complete. "What was Debbie Spencer?" Spencer was frightened to say it but he knew he must, "She was an immortal sorceress from Hungary, she was my own sister and this was her way of punishing me when I left my family and their evil ways." They spent the rest of the night cuddling next to the fire talking the night away as if it was only but a dream.

Part Four Of Four: Concluded

A Blessed House, A Cursed Man: A River Ride

The sunlight crept through the blinds and had woken Katie, but she felt divine, the nights sleep after such a splendid evening was like waking up from a dream, a romantic dream she hadn't dreamed in many years. She looked around and didn't see anyone around Debbie had obviously been awake for a while now for she was no where in sight just then she heard footsteps coming to the door and turned to see Debbie walking through it. "Well hello sleeping beauty did you sleep well, I hope so it's nearly twelve-thirty I was coming up to wake you up." Shocked that she had slept that long but still she didn't care she felt like she had never slept before and now fully aware for the first time in her life, "Well it was the first time in three day's I have had a chance to sleep." Debbie looked at her with a look of scorn, "What's going on with you and Spence Katie, you were the one who just wanted to leave now it seems like you can't get enough of this place." Katie didn't know how to answer this how did she feel she was asking herself but she couldn't let on too far, "I was just being nice to him last night Debbie geeze and so what if I like him what is it to you?" Debbie was getting angry, "We're on out way home from vacation Katie you'll never see him again you do remember our business right?" Katie and Debbie owned a small store called the Magical Flower Shop and she knew they should be getting back but she was enjoying herself far too much here so she decided to change the subject, "Has the wrecker come this morning?" Debbie wasn't having any of that, "Don't change the subject, what's going through your mind, you're not acting like yourself at all." Katie now had enough, "Listen if you want to be bitter you can I'm enjoying my stay here, so what if I like this man is it any of your business I'm sorry we're not at the flower shop or home for that matter but we're going to have to make due if you want go to the Green Motel if you want but I'm staying!" Debbie was turning red, "You have no right to talk to me like that we met in college four years ago I stood up for you, I helped you finish your classes, I came up with the idea of the shop and this is how you treat me?" Katie was angry now, "Well you make it sound as if I owe you my happiness, I don't owe you a thing but loyalty of a friend something I thought you would do, I thought you would be happy that I'm falling for a man but no all you can do is yell at me for it." Debbie was pleased she got the answer she originally came for she had won the argument and Katie was oblivious to it, "You have one and a half days left and then we have to leave, enjoy it." She then turned and walked out of the room in a victorious sway with her held up high and a glint in her eye. Katie walked down the stair case and to the kitchen and made herself a small brunch and outside she went she saw Spencer by the stables and decided to walk down to them and talk with Spencer when she got closer she noticed something about his face she hadn't noticed before his eyes seem like they were sunken in but underneath all of that he was still handsome. "Good afternoon I do believe you slept the morning away but that is alright, I was about to take a horse out for a ride would you care to join me?" Katie was in a good mood in his presents, "Sounds nice but I've never ridden a horse and I don't know how." Spence just smiled and he mounted on a Morgan, "Just climb on and hold on to me we'll just walk him he can handle it," so she got hold of his arm and swung her on and slowly walked him back through the grounds. Katie thought this was a beautiful place full of life but she had a question, "So tell me Spence what really happened to the original owner did he in fact become immortal." It took a moment for the Spencer to answer this but slowly he finally did, "Well no he passed on and is buried on top of that hill there and on the stone they wrote, Never have there been a more private man in all the world." Katie thought that was the saddest thing she ever heard, "Makes a person sad to think they never found love and happiness." Spence gave a small chuckle, "Well who knows maybe he has and no one knows it." Katie misheard him she was sure, "What was that?" Spencer quickly answer, "Maybe he did and no one knows it." Slowly and surly the kept riding Katie was holding Spencer closer to her than she should have, but the feel of the man was intensely assuring to her and her comfort was getting stronger and stronger for him the comfort she knew would cost her, her very heart and with it her love. "Ah here we go this is where I was going to visit, alright now just step down." Katie stepped her foot down and saw a river ragging in front of her the place was a paradise and besides the water ragging mood it was peaceful, "This is so beautiful." Spencer smiling a large grin, and Katie noticed that his teeth were yellowed when she was sure they were like pearls the day before. "Yes indeed this is a beautiful place." They sat and talked until the sun threatened to go down on them so they went back to the house to find Debbie waiting for them, she had cooked a small dinner and at the table she said, "Katie they fixed the car and it's ready so if you don't mind I would like to get on the road home tonight, we still have a long way to go and there isn't any sense in waiting any longer, it's what we agreed to." Katie knew she was right it was their agreement so in a defeated voice she looked at Spencer again and in a heart broken voice, "It's been a dream being here, I don't want to go but I agreed to it and you can't be an honest person if you go back on your word so I guess this is goodbye Spencer." Spencer smiled a handsome smile as best as he could, "Then don't forget me, and come back you're both more than welcomed here." With that they went upstairs and packed their belongings and started the journey back home, when they were nearly ten miles from there Debbie broke the silence, "When we get back you'll start being yourself again, that guy was just creepy." Katie wasn't angry but she just simply said, "You've never fallen for anyone at first sight have you Debbie, then how do you know how it feels. The heartbreak that follows after you part, no; Debbie I've never noticed it before but you're cold and your more than likely to die alone. You could have cut my hands off and that wouldn't have hurt me any worst than I am right now, you could have let me have the one more day like you promised me but no you made me keep my promise didn't you." The rest of the ride home was done in silence.

Part Three Of Four

A Blessed House, A Cursed Man: Dinner And Tuxedo

The breakfast was just plain biscuit and gravy and the coffee was just as good as Katie thought it would be, but she knew they were only staying for as long as it would take to get to the nearest town. "Mr. King can you take us to town?" Mr. King turned and she finally noticed a scare going from the top of his brow to his cheek but there was a gentleness to his eyes, and his mustache was not well kept but then again he had been up all night talking to her, but he politely answered her question, "Yes of course we'll go as soon as your ready." Katie was ready so the three of them went to town and found the nearest repair shop but found that the man couldn't get out to tow the car until the next day because he was the only wrecker in town and he was back logged. When they stepped out of the service station she looked at Mr. King and found to her amazement that beyond the scar and the nasty mustache he wasn't a bad looking man, "Mr. King" but before she could get another word out she was interrupted, "Katie you have refused to give me your last name so please call me Spence." Katie realized she had been calling him Mr. King and didn't like to be formal, "Well Spence can you tell me where the nearest hotel is?" Spence looked like he had been slapped but understood her reasoning, "Well Katie that would be Greens Motel on the corner, but I know a house that is almost empty that currently has a car sitting practically abandoned until tomorrow that you are most welcomed to stay in for another night." Katie didn't say yes at first but after pulling Debbie to the side, "What do you think Debbie we could spend our money or stay another night out there." Debbie couldn't believe her ears, "Katie your taken with this Spence guy aren't you?" Katie nearly laughed in her face, "You have got to be crazy, I'm just thinking about money and a warm place to sleep." Debbie could see what her real intentions would be even if she didn't, "Alright we'll stay there but we're leaving day after tomorrow." Katie and Debbie walked back to Spencer who was buying a news paper, "Alright Spence we're going to stay one more night, but we're leaving as soon as the car is fixed." Debbie had laid the law down for the both of them and the directness of the young woman had shocked the both of them, but they agreed and drove back to the house. When they arrived the ladies went upstairs and Spencer went to the kitchen and started looking in the pantry for food for the night but then he thought, "Oh, that is a good idea." Right up the stairs and to the room the ladies had chosen for the night, he stood in the doorway as if he was stunned but cleared his mind and said, "I'm going back to town for a bit I'll be back so just make yourself at home, Katie you should catch some sleep you haven't had any, and Debbie you're more than welcome to join me if you wish. Debbie didn't need to think about that at all, "No I think I'm going to look over the grounds if it's alright with you." Spencer was pleased she chose that, made the surprise all the better, "Of course and if you know how to ride a horse, the stables has a few if you wish for a ride." Off he went to town and true to his promise he was back in a flash, Spencer spent most of all his day in the kitchen and smells coming from there made both, Katie and Debbie curious to know what he was cooking in there. "Debbie I don't know about you but I'm going to the kitchen and see what he is working on." Debbie was all for the idea, "I know I was thinking the same thing are you sure he's not a chef?" They walked into the kitchen but Spencer shooed them out as soon as they entered, "No please this is going to be a surprise don't ruin it for me." Then he stepped out of the kitchen with them, "I apologize but I have a surprise cooking in there I had learned in my travels and I have a gift for you ladies as well, please follow me." Up the stairs they went and into a room they had visited the night before, "Now Debbie I take you as a size eight am I correct?" Debbie couldn't believe he guessed her dress size perfectly, "Yes how did you know that?" Spencer smiled, "Another thing I learned in my travels, and Katie, a size four I believe?" Katie knew it was coming so just answered, "Yes." These packages are for you. They opened them together and inside were beautiful gowns and shoes to match plus make up, "I had to do a bit of guessing on the shoe sizes but if you would wear these to dinner I would be pleased." Debbie thought he had gone too far, "Listen we can't except these this is too much a place to stay is far enough a nice dinner is good but buying things like this is too far." Spencer smiled, "I expect nothing in return and I cannot take them back so please wear them tonight and leave them here if you will but tonight wear them you'll not be sorry." Later that night the two ladies wearing the gown looking very elegant walked into the hall and found a candle with a envelope sitting on the candle stick, Debbie grabbed it and opened it, "Ladies I would be very pleased if you would joined me in the dining room." They walked down the stairs and down the hall to the dining room and found the table filled with the most delicious food they had seen in a long time it looked like an Italian feast complete with the both red and white wine. "Spence you've done a lot of work here." Then Katie noticed him his hair was neat the mustache was gone and he was wearing a tuxedo he was handsome beyond compare and the smile he was giving them made him look angelic. "Well I thank you for noticing and you ladies look absolutely, amazingly, beautiful." They sat and dinner was divine, but the conversation was for only two, Katie and Spencer went on and danced to the old record he had, a waltz but Debbie was too practical and she wanted none of that. At the end of the evening they wanted help Spencer with the dishes but he declined their help because they were his guests, they climbed the stairs but when the two ladies got to the top she looked to the hall and saw Spencer watching them, he made a bow tucking on arm under his stomach and extending the other arm. Katie thought it was a joke so she did a small curtsy and went on to her room, when she got to her room she shut the door behind her leaned on the door and exhaled her breath as if she had been holding it all her life.

Part Two Of Four