a need to know (continues)

One day Mandy was going through a box of old stuff when she came upon their
prom picture. A very sad memory came back to her that took her breath away. She
had found herself pregnant with Dave’s child. They both knew they couldn’t keep it.
They both wanted to go to college. The only way out for them was an abortion.
Dave was with her the whole time. The only thing she could see was the blood on the
doctor’s shoes.  The only thing that got her through it was how he held her hand, and
without saying it, let her know she was going to be alright.
He was going to be right there by her side.
                                                        Chapter 2                                          9
                                                          1st Draft                                                   
      He was finally here someone who she believed was going to treat her right.
Mandy always thought she was 2nd runner up in just about everything in life. But it
was ok because she knew she was number one with God.
Cindy, Mandy’s other lifelong friend told her, 
    “No honey, you have it all wrong. You are number one with me, Linda, and
everyone who happens to come your way. You just don’t see it. I hope one day you
do see how special you are.”
      Mandy hung her head and said, “I’m scared Cindy, I’m scared to death. You’ve 
been through all of this kind of thing with me before. You know what a mess my life
has been. Remember how I had to get you to drive me down to the striper’s club to get
money for the kids. We were out of food and diapers. Do you know who helped me?
Dave That’s who.”
    Cindy gently took her little chin and lifted up so that she could look her in the
eyes. “This has to be fate. What else could it be? Why now with all of the sadness in
your life does something like this happen? “God gives you what you need when you
need it. This is it for you. Please try to be happy. Now, I want you to go to the
hairdresser and get all that hair done” 
      Hair, she had plenty of, it billowed down her shoulders and back. Mandy always
wore it in a ponytail because she didn’t know what to do with it. It was not only long,
but thick as well. When she did wear it out it resembled a lion’s mane. 
When Mandy returned from the hairdresser’s she looked like a different person.
Linda thought, my god she is a beautiful girl and she doesn’t even know it.

                                                                                                                        10 

Linda prayed for Mandy because she wanted to protect her from further harm. If this
didn’t work, if he wasn’t for real, she didn’t know what kind of person would emerge
from the darkness and pain of rejection. So Linda prayed, “I pray to my Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ to protect my friend from harm of her heart. The heart is what
makes a person who they are and she is a good and loving person. I don’t want that to
change.”
    It was unbearably hot and humid the week Dave arrived in Boston. Mandy’s
asthma was bothering her and Linda didn’t have an air conditioner. She refused to
leave she just had to see him. Mandy was worried because she quit smoking over two
years ago and had gain a lot of weight. Her doctor told her it was normal and she
would lose the weight after her body adjusted to the change. Mandy lost 20
pounds while she waited for Dave to come to Boston. She was still losing
more and more each day. She hoped he understood and supported her.   
      Mandy waited for Dave all day. She told him his family would keep him busy and that is just what
Happen. It was so hard for her because she just didn’t trust anyone anymore. Mandy had been lied to in
ways no one would believe and she was too ashamed to share it with anyone, even her closest friends.
    The text came in and it was him. He was on his way and he knew where she was, he could find her
because his family wasn’t far away.
Linda smile and said, “This is like a fairytale or a romance novel”
Mandy held her head down and whispered, “Fairytales are for children and romance novels are make
believe this is real life where dreams often don’t come true”
Linda didn’t know what to say about that except, “Ok, out on the front porch. Let’s go wait for him out
there.”

                                                                                                                                                      11   

          Dave was nervous, his hands were sweaty and that hadn’t happen to him in years. He just had to
see her, feel her, taste her, his Mandy, and she was his. If not, he was going to make her his before the
night was over.  Her smile, her laugh, and the way she danced, the way she made love, the way she gave
her whole heart and was faithful to him until he drove her away. To many time he had the taste of her
tears on his lips from his trying to kiss the hurt he caused away. Too many times he said he wouldn’t
hurt her until one day she was gone forever.  He turned left onto her street, drive down the road a bit
until he saw two figures standing on a  porch, illuminated by the street lights. He knew this was his
destination.  Dave parked
across the street and jumped out of the car. He knew the small figure hiding behind the one of the pole
was Mandy. He walked across with determination, purpose and elation because he had his Mandy
again.
    A red mustang pulled up across the street, Mandy hid behind one of the post, suddenly shy, suddenly
shaking. It was Dave, and he hadn’t changed a bit. He still looked the same. He body was lean and
strong, he moved across the street with determination and purpose.  Mandy wanted to disappear,
Just turn into vapors made of her embarrassment and just dissipate into nothingness. 
    Dave walked up the stairs and pulled her into his arms and hugged her, kissed her forehead, her lips,
And said, “precious, so precious, my Mandy” Linda came over and hugged Dave too because she was so
happy.  Dave put his arm around Linda as well. Linda introduced herself, then told them to go in the
house and spend some time together. No one was going to bother them. The house was hot and Mandy
was having a hard time breathing. She didn’t know why. All of a sudden she just couldn’t breathe.
When they walk into the living room it was a bit better. After they sat down she reached for her inhaler.
He asked if she was ok and she said yes. A few seconds passed and before he knew it he was kissing her
And he groaned because she reached for him, she wrapped her arms around him and moaned because
                                                                                                                                                                                12

it had been 7 years since anyone touched her, held her, kissed her the way she was being kissed now.
And for a moment she felt transformed into the girl she was and he was the young man he was and they
were stealing a moment to become one. But this promised to last longer than a moment and that’s what
Mandy needed and wanted with enough desire to move a mountain.
Dave reached for her breast and found that they were still firm. He couldn’t wait to taste it, roll the little
nipple in him mouth until he made her moan for him. She had on a little summer dress that fit her to a T.
The zipper was on the side so when she stood up and unzipped it for him he shouldn’t have been
surprised. When she stepped out of it for him, he shouldn’t have been surprised, and when she ran her
hands  all over his body and reached for his zipper, he shouldn’t have been surprised. But he was.
So when she decided to take charge and make love to him he let her. Dave grabbed her by her waste
and straddled her on his lap. When he entered her it was like entering a virgin. My God! She was so tight
      Dave flipped her onto her back and she wrapped her legs around him and all at once they were on
their way.
    Mandy bit her lip, it hurt at first but then it began to feel better, and better, and Better, and she lifted
her hips to meet him and they were both there unified as one in ecstasy. Her climax was earth shaking, 7
years without being touch. It was over. She belonged to the human race again. She belonged to Dave for
the moment.
    There was something different about him. His eyes held a coldness that made her look at him a bit
closer.  It was age, sadness and indifference. It was as if the perils of life’s bad choices had seeped into
his once warm eyes and touched them with a hint of cruelty. He was a walking oxymoron, perfect body
with a mean old man’s eyes. He had frown lines and crowfeet and thought lines in his forehead. David
was showing all of his 57 years of life on this earth in his face and the face never lies.