Crucifix: Longing Ch. 03

Chapter 3. They meet.

Almost four months passed and though they did not know it, Erin and William were destined to be thrown together by the circumstances of their lives.

******

Erin had to deal with two harsh realities. First was coming to grips with the realization that James was gone. Gone. Never coming back. And worse yet was that she didn't even get to go to his funeral. Her parents went and told her it was a moving ceremony. They said that several of his students came to say their goodbyes as did his friends. But she didn't get to go. The one person who loved him and needed him more than the air around her, didn't get to go say a proper goodbye.

Second (and she didn't know if it was worse than James being dead) was the agonizing truth that she was never going to dance again. And the prospect of walking seemed to slip farther away from her with each passing day. As she lay there in the semi-dark stillness of her hospital room trying to fall asleep, all she could really do was listen to the buzz of the pale yellow light in the sterile bathroom off to her left. The sound of it drove her crazy. Why couldn't she remember to ask someone to turn it off?

Erin willed her legs to move, but to no avail. Not that she would have been able to get to the switch so she could turn it off herself; but rather, so she could simply have the satisfaction of knowing that she could do it...if she wanted. But she couldn't and she knew the odds were against her ever being able to jump up out of any bed to do anything.

After three weeks she was nearly ready to pull her hair out by its roots. Thankfully the doctors released to her parents for home care. She felt so worthless knowing that she couldn't really 'do' anything and had to rely on her parents to help her. The next two and a half months were almost as nerve wracking as being in the hospital. The living room was turned into a makeshift bedroom since there was no way Erin could make it up the stairs in a full leg cast. Her parents made sure she had all the 'comforts' an incapacitated girl could want. TV, video games, magazines, and parents who doted on her.

Comforts, damn them. And when Karen and Randy came over all she wanted to do was throw up. Erin was actually mad at the two of them. Why? Because neither one of them 'looked' like they'd been in a car accident that had killed one person and left another irrevocably injured. But when they told her what had actually happened she wasn't sure if she should have cried or blasted them for telling her.

Karen spoke with tears in her eyes, "It was so bad. I remember hurting all over and looking over to see Randy..." Her voice trailed away.

Her husband, the quiet, humble banker cleared his throat, "I don't really remember much. I was pretty much out of it until the next day."

Erin could hear the tightness in her sister's throat when she started to speak again, "But I was wide awake." She absentmindedly played with the tissue in her hand, "And I couldn't do anything. I was pinned. When the paramedics came, they told me that Randy and I would be fine." Karen started sobbing so loudly she was barely able to catch her breath. "And then...and then...Oh, God, Erin. I...I'm so sorry."

Even though Erin was pretty sure of what Karen was going to tell her next, she had to know. She had to hear it. "Go on."

Karen sniffled and dabbed her eyes, "I asked them where you and James were because I knew you weren't in the car. And they said you were fine. Bastards."

Erin shook her head. The memory of looking around as she lay in the ditch on the side of the road rushed forward. She remembered screaming and seeing a motorcycle in front of her, its rear tire spinning like a child's top. And then, just as Karen started to talk, she got a flash of something so horrible she felt her blood run cold.

In her mind's eye, hidden deep within her subconscious, was the image of James lying halfway out of the car, his head resting on the pavement. His eyes were closed like he was sleeping. But she remembered seeing the pool of blood oozing away from him toward the ditch, following the practically invisible slope of the faded pavement. Erin knew he was dead right then, but for some reason, her mind told her it wasn't real.

She remembered feeling the gentle rainfall on her skin, but it wasn't real, either. Or was it? Erin couldn't separate what she knew to be fact from what she prayed was fiction. The next thing she really remembered was waking up in her hospital room. She'd been successful in forgetting about it all...until Randy and Karen opened their big mouths.

Karen looked at Randy as he leaned to kiss his wife's hand. Randy continued where Karen left off, "The troopers told us that the accident happened because...well...it was raining you know. And I...well...I..." He looked at his wife. Neither of them said a word.

Merle Durant quietly finished what his son-in-law started, "Honey, it seems that Randy ran the red light and there was a tractor trailer coming through the intersection at the same time. It...uh...it hit the Tahoe broadside."

Erin remembered seeing the lights of the truck. They came at her so quickly, blindingly. But the image of the motorcycle tire spinning weighed heavy on her, "The motorcycle...what about the motorcycle? Was the driver ok?" She didn't even seem to hear that it was Randy's fault. Maybe her mind was telling her not to hear it.

"Oh, that." Karen cleared her throat, "He's okay. He skidded out to avoid going into the whole thing. He had on a Kevlar suit." She giggled a bit, "Lucky rich bastard. Only got a broken arm and a sprained wrist. And there were two other cars that hit the back of the truck. But they weren't too seriously injured. Bumps, bruises, cuts and a couple of broken bones."

It was around this time when it dawned on Erin that her father said the accident was Randy's fault. Erin looked at her brother-in-law and was filled with a blind rage. Not at him, though. But rather, at herself. If she hadn't been fucking James and if she hadn't been taunting Randy, none of this would have happened. It was her fault. Not Randy's. James was dead because of her. Erin could taste the bitterness of bile that rested at the back of her mouth.

Erin didn't pay much attention to anything they said after that. She simply 'turned herself off' and fell into a deep depression. She didn't want to see anyone, talk to anyone or eat. The next week was a blur for her.

"Honey," Merle Durant walked into the living room, "the center just called and said we need to go ahead and schedule your sessions since you'll be getting your cast of next week."

Erin stared at the TV and tried to ignore the constant itching on her thigh. Not only did she have a cast on, but she'd had surgery to set the bone with pins and the incision site with its stitches was driving her nuts. {Physical therapy? What the fuck for?} "Yeah. Okay, Daddy. Whatever." Erin had no idea of knowing that the call her father was about to make to the Grayson Center would change her life forever.

******

William dealt with Vicki like he always did when she got upset. After sleeping in the guest bedroom and honestly feeling that Vicki just needed to get over 'it', he decided he'd have to do the 'usual' to get back in her good graces. Hence, two days after the 'workroom blowup', which he thought was ridiculous and without merit, he decided to give in and admit he was wrong.

He set his plan in motion shortly after Vicki dashed off to the Grayson Center for the morning shift. He bought her a beautiful bouquet of roses, a box of Godiva caramels, and ordered a meal from Chez Monique to be delivered to the house no later than seven PM. That always seemed to work.

Yes, Vicki was a tad high maintenance, but she was worth it. Well, she was really good in bed, and in the living room, and the car. He grinned as he thought of the 'make up sex' that would surely follow his 'sincere' apology. To make it even better, he bought her a beautiful bracelet. Something shiny always helped Vicki get over things much quicker.

Later that night as they sat there eating a meal that was entirely too expensive for the quality, William thought to himself that Vicki had certainly milked the whole miscarriage thing for all that is was worth. Especially when he saw her staring at her slim, tanned wrist and the beautiful bracelet that now adorned it and the deeply satisfied expression that crossed her face.

He swallowed his asparagus and smiled. {How can a bracelet and candy make it all better? Shit. Goddamn her.} Maybe it was harsh of him to feel that way, but he was getting tired of her using the miscarriage it against him, to get what she wanted. It was his child, too...or did she forget that? William looked over the rim of his wine glass inwardly smirking as he wondered where the night would fall on his 'Vicki scale'. {Seven? Nine? It's been a while...she wants it...be realistic, eight...yeah, eight}

The Vicki Scale was simple enough to understand:

Zero = no sex at all, utter denial (a number which he'd been living under for a week now).

3 = 'Better make the best of it' sex.

5 = 'A mediocre blow job and fairly good sex'.

7 = 'A fairly good blow job and damn good sex'.

8 or over made for the stuff of locker room talk.

And sometimes, a few rare times, Vicki would give him an 11, which equaled, 'leave you shaking uncontrollably sex.'

William thought it ridiculous that he had started rating his sex life on a scale. He didn't do that before. Never. He used to think it was so conceited when he heard other guys say, 'she was a 4 or she was an 8'. It always seemed to him that those relationships were on the rocks and destined to fail. Maybe it wasn't a good sign.

Later that night, as they sat on the couch watching some stupid 'chick flick', Vicki 'forgave' William and let him kiss her. Really kiss her, not just one of those 'love you have a good night, sweetie' kisses. He watched her wipe her lip and then dash away. {Shit! What did I do now?}

But when Vicki stepped back into the living room wearing nothing but a cut off t-shirt and a tiny red thong, William knew that 'all was good in the neighborhood' and he grinned broadly. {Seven, gonna be at least a seven.}

Vicki dimmed the lights in the room and slinked over to the couch much like a fox sneaking up on the hen house. She slid between his reposed legs and lifted his shirt to reveal his tight, rippled abdomen. She trailed her fingers up and down his exposed skin and watched as goose bumps rose on William's arms making the tiny golden hairs stand on end. "God, William, your body is wonderful." Her voice was deep, and silky smooth.

"Thank you." William could tell from the way Vicki moved that she was just as wound up as he was. "Yours is pretty nice, too." He put his hands beneath her arms and pulled her up higher on his chest. As he did so, he could feel her nipples run along his chest. Which was, in and of itself, a nice sensation because her nipples were hard and taut enough to be felt through her both t-shirt and his shirt. {Alright} He felt her lips land on his and eagerly opened his mouth to let her explore.

Her tongue was hot and he could still taste a blend of caramel and red wine on it. William wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeper, desperately wanting to taste more of the sweetness her mouth held. When the kiss was finished, William grinned and shook his head, "Jesus, Vicki, I've missed this."

"I know baby. I know. And I'm so sorry." She kissed his ear and William felt a tingling sensation run down his legs to his toes. And oddly, that weird 'phantom leg' sensation became more pronounced. It always happened whenever he was sexually aroused. It was like he could not only feel his missing leg, but that he could 'move' it, too.

And he'd been without Vicki's touch for so long. The way William felt at that moment was so much more intense than he could remember it had been recently. Maybe it was because of the fight. Who really knew? Oh, they'd had sex a few times since the miscarriage but he always felt like it was sex given by her as though it were a requirement. It was good. Maybe a 4 but not a 5.

But as Vicki's hands started to explore the lower region of his body, William stopped thinking of the scale and let his mind wander. Her hands, the hands of someone trained in massage therapy, were strong yet gentle. And when she took hold of his already hardening shaft, she started to work her magic on him.

He felt her fingers glide up and down him. She moved them with such ease and skill. He envisioned the only thing that he thought could move with such fluidity. A snake. Maybe a sidewinder as it slithered across the hot desert floor. Or maybe a cobra with its hood revealed as it undulated back and forth in front of its prey. It struck William as odd to equate of her hands to the deadly actions of cold blooded reptiles because when he looked into her blue eyes, he could feel only an intense heat radiating from her.

Vicki kneaded him for a few minutes and could feel him getting so hot she knew she'd better stop. So, instead, she sat up and pulled her t-shirt over her head, revealing her luscious chest. She watched William's expression and grinned, "Wanna little taste, baby?" Even without so much as the tiniest nod 'yes' Vicki knew he did.

She leaned forward and let her right nipple brush across his lips. William reacted instinctively, impulsively, and took the offering into his waiting mouth as he grasped both her breasts with his large hands. He felt her nipple harden under the movement of his tongue and it drove him insane. How could they possibly get any harder? The mere thought of it made him want to seize her other nipple.

He hungrily pushed her left breast firmly beside her right one and ran his tongue across both erect nipples. Vicki moaned and he could feel her body give way to his actions. He felt her shiver and knew that it had nothing to do with being cold. No, not at all.

He knew she wanted him too, but he'd felt he'd been denied what he had craved for too long and wanted to make her wait a bit longer. William stopped kissing her breasts and whispered in her ear, "Vicki you know what I want, don't you?" He heard her say something but it was unclear what her words were; however, he knew simply from her reaction that she understood his subtly implied request.

Without so much as another word, Vicki slithered down William's chest and made her way to his midsection. She laid her cheek against his throbbing cock and felt a wave of unbridled desire course through her. Vicki took hold of his zipper with her teeth and slowly, effortlessly, tugged it down.

Then with yet another effortless, well practiced move, she slid her hands around the waistband of his boxers and swiftly pulled both them and his shorts off in one fluid motion. William lay there on the couch wearing only his shirt. He looked down at the tanned vixen between his legs and felt his cock start to twitch.

And when she took hold of him yet again, only this time a bit firmer, he simply rested his head on the arm of the couch and let her have at him. Vicki wasn't one much for teasing his cock. No, she liked how it felt in her mouth and didn't want to waste time 'playing'. Which he actually sort of missed. All his other girlfriends would play with him.

Instantly he was taken back to the first really good blow job he'd ever had. God, if there was one thing that Janet Winston could do to do better than anyone else he'd ever known, it was to give him the most amazing, awe inspiring, drop to the floor when it was over blowjob. She was so slow, so generous and filled with the want of making him feel good, that sometimes he couldn't physically move when she'd finished. God she was good.

Vicki was good, too. But in a totally different way. She excelled in bringing him to an orgasm with her wickedly fast tongue and deep throat. And that night was no different. William felt her swallow him whole, practically devouring him in flash.

She slid her tongue mercilessly across his shaft and reveled in hearing him inhale sharply. It was like she knew just how far to go before she had to stop, lest the fun end too soon. Vicki started to suck on him like there was no tomorrow, like she needed whatever it was within him to make her whole. And he did love that.

William could feel his heart rate rising and tried to calm his breathing. She really was wholly awesome. Before he realized what he was doing he had her head in his hands and was moving her back and forth on him like a madman. She'd brought him to the edge and he had to an almost uncontrollable need to jump off the narrow precipice that kept him on this side of sanity.

He felt her moaning straight through his cock and he wanted more. William moved her head faster and faster. All those years of strength training gave him such control over her. And he loved knowing that there was nowhere she could go now. He loved knowing that even if she wanted to, she couldn't get away from him. And if there was one thing he was certain of, it was that she didn't want to get away. He could practically feel her desire to satisfy him, or maybe it was more a need to satisfy herself.

William could feel her teeth gently grating against him as he directed her head and he couldn't stop. Faster, harder, deeper. He felt his eyes roll to the back of his head and he was awash in bliss. He pumped her mouth so full, he knew there was no way she'd be able to consume all that he had to offer. And William was right. But God help her, she tried. And when he was totally spent, he could feel Vicki's hot, wet tongue sliding across his abdomen taking in every drop of him that she could find.

William lay there, collecting his thoughts and trying to come down from his orgasm. {That was a 9...yep...definitely a 9} He felt Vicki rest her head on his belly and could feel her hot breath blowing across his softer, but not diminished cock. Neither one of them spoke which allowed him to simply lay there enjoying the feel of her breathing on him.

Then, from somewhere deep inside, William felt a great surge of energy. He wanted more. Much more and he looked down at Vicki and had an insatiable desire to go to town on her. Yes, he loved when she would pleasure him; but, nothing drove him wilder than feeling a woman squirm beneath his lips.

He pulled Vicki up to him and kissed her rather hungrily. William loved how Vicki, or any woman for that matter, tasted with a bit of his saltiness still on her mouth. And that made him want to partake of her even more. William firmly but gently pushed Vicki down to the carpeted floor and started to kiss down her body.

He wasted no time in finding his way down to her thong. William slyly remarked as he slid the tiny material off of her legs, "Won't be needing these." He pulled them down and stared at her body.

How he loved looking at her when she was naked. She had the most amazing tan all over her body except for around the neatly trimmed and perfectly shaped triangle of hair that pretended to shield the most sensitive spot on her body. He smiled at her and politely offered her a pillow from the couch, "Get comfortable Vicki."

He watched her grin as she took the small burgundy throw pillow and rested her head gently on it. William smiled and spread her legs apart. {You better get comfortable. You're in for it, you know that don't you?}

She was wonderful to see when she was highly aroused and it turned him on like no one's business. William pushed her legs farther apart and looked at the perfectly shaped rosebud before him, and like any good gardener, he wanted to get closer to those delicate petals so as to inhale its fragrance.

William gently placed his thumb on her already pert clit and started to gently massage her. He watched an almost pained look of ecstasy overtake Vicki's beauty queen face. He watched her breasts rise and fall more rapidly and decided he wanted to watch her start to go over the edge. He loved watching her writhe under his touch.