No introduction to this chapter. Wait for the wrap up. It's long enough.

Chapter 36

The morning after

An early day's tension, a holdover from the night before mellows with the joyous giggling of the infant. For no apparent reason, the child has decided to set off a round of gurgling shrieks and high pitch chuckles.

Both parents were awoken by the sighs and laughter of their son.

"Ben, he has become so big. Soon too big for the crib." Ryn sits with the boy nestled on her chest, as Ben flips a steaming pancake.

"I guess he's taking after your side of the family." He remarks.

"Your mother will be happy." Ryn states, still unsure of Elaine's position concerning their situation. "She has said, at least at times…when she is friendly." Little Ted brushes his fingers along his mother's cheek. "That she wants to buy his first bed."

"Is it a Wednesday?" Ben asks with a smirk on his face. He takes the still steaming stack to the kitchen table. "She loves us on a Wednesday." He exhales a measured laugh. "Maybe every other Tuesday? I just can't figure her."

He refers to the woman's almost bi-polar episodes of pure love for the little family, mixed at times with pure hate.

"Ben, will you see if Hope is up. I'd love for us to eat together…after…"

"Ryn, I talked to her. Everything is ok. These things happen." He bends down to place a kiss on his son's cheek, then the lips of his love. "I'll run upstairs. We were up late." He exhales, "it was intense. But she understands."

"I'm just afraid of what she'll do. Her words about Helen." Ryn's tone brings Ben back to her. "I worry about Maddie."

"There is too much love in this house for you to worry about anything like that. She is your child. Ryn, you can be proud of her."
"She is your child too. Ben, never forget that." They kiss again. As they pull their lips apart, Ryn reaches for the back of Ben's neck. This kiss is much longer.

"I love you, Ben."

Placing his hand to her face, "I will always love you."

"Maddie did not come home last night." Ryn tells Ben.

"She probably spent the night at her father's place." He uses a finger to tickle Little Ted's belly. "I wish she would just move in with us. There are too many memories at that place."
"It is her choice." Ryn reminds her lover. "Even though, last night, we could have all been in each others arms." She stops to inhale. "We did not make love cause I was so upset."
"Ryn, this thing with Hope will pass." He smiles at her. "Maddie will be with us, tonight."

Ben turns and speeds up the stairs. His strides take two steps at a time.

"Hope, sweetheart." Her door is ajar.

He uses his fingers to gently push the door. His words are low.

"Sweetheart. Can't you smell those pancakes?" He enters the hushed room.

"Hope?" His eyes scan the bedroom. Her bed has not been slept in.

"Oh no." He whispers.

A top level room of the Beach Front Inn

Standing on the balcony stood a nude man. His audience the sea. Inhaling the scent of the ocean, the man's developed chest grew. A cringe shook the well-defined torso. Placing a hand on the balcony, he steadied himself as the rays of a morning sun skipped over the roof of the Inn. The Eastern Dawn threw its warmth toward the rear of the building. Joe could still feel its subtle traces of a new day sun trickle over the roof and onto his tanned skin.

"Joe, you look beautiful like this." She whispers in his ear as strong fingers draw circles around an old wound.

"You love that area as much as your little toy between my legs." He clenches his teeth. Her embrace from the rear has sent an array of aches from last night's tryst.

"My sweet boy," Angel's breath rolls over Joe's cheek. "You are wrong on both counts. I play with that damaged tissue cause I fear that you might have been killed." She places a kiss on the indented area. An exit wound for a 7.62x39 mm bullet. "And my toy as you call it is anything but little."

Joe wants to add one of his typical sarcastic answers but is stalled by the ache in both shoulders.

"I'm sorry." She lowers a head of loose ashey beige hair. Her moist lips skim the collection of finger size bruises on his upper arm. The ones of the left are larger. "But you disobeyed me." She sighs, then whispers in his ear. "You know what happens when you disobey?" She nuzzles her lover's neck.

"Yeah! I know." He reaches behind and touches his right butt cheek. "I have bruises on my ass."

"Oh, I feel you. Can you feel the moisture? Just from being this close to you, I am as you say so hot for you."

"I'm really sorry I ever told you that." He chuckles and becomes reminded of the ache at the back of the neck.

" I know, I can be rough" Her expression is calm. She moves to his side.

"I love you so much. I can't believe it." She lets out a chuckle as a gust of wind sends her hair flying. "I hated humans, all humans. But now…you…" Angel sighs.

"Now you only hate Ryn" Joe states. His hands rest on her hips, as the nude woman's embrace bring them closer.

"My darling Joe, I promise when Ryn is dead," she kisses his lips. "Then we will do what you say." Her tone is one of excitement.

"That's right, my sweet Angel." He grits his teeth from the shoulder pain. "That part of you that is Tia will disappear."

"Oh, Joseph…"

"Don't call me that. Every time you do I wind up getting the shit kicked out of me." He takes a breath. "Was it really necessary to throw me against the headboard. That's why I last so long."
"What," shaking her head as she speaks. "I love that you are only interested in pleasing me with my little toy and this." Her finger presses on his grinning mouth.

"Pleasing you?" He asks as a right eyebrow shoots upward. "I'm too afraid to not please you. Especially when you're pissed."
Angel leans her head back from his chest.

Joe snorts out a laugh before speaking. "I gotta make you sore as hell, or you'll make me do it again sooner than usual." He lets out a chuckle.

The young woman stares into his eyes.

"Did you desire that Maddie person?" Her expression is serious.

"No, please don't worry about her. She's a kid."
"She is a woman. I know all women desire you." She speaks in a serious tone.

"Right!" He smirks. "There's a line outside the hotel now."

"If you ever...I will kill...both..." She glares at him.

"Stop, I only think of you." He sighs. "I belong to you."

"Good, Joe, do you know how much I love you?" She asks. "What I intend to do if the worse happens?"
"Will this test have multiple choice questions?" He asks.
"Stop it Joe." His lover's voice is firm. "If you are killed." She inhales. "I will follow."
"No, Angel. No, please don't say that. You know how superstitious I am" Joe's hands move up the sides of Angel's body. "See this cross." He picks the crucifix from his chest. "My mother gave it to me when I left for Afghanistan. I was eighteen. It's for protection."

"Is it some kind of magical amulet?" Angel asks.

"Well, I'm still here." Joe rubs noses with her. "But assassins, as you call me. And you know I do not like that. Well, I'm very superstitious."

"I don't understand" Her expression is one of confusion. 'Why can't you talk about this? You were a warrior. Death was and maybe still is part of your life."

"Hey, I just don't talk about it."

"But Joe, I have planned it all in my mind." She sighs.

"You have my funeral all planned?" He needs a breath. "How romantic?"
Joe's personality is rebounding.

"Yes, it will be romantic." The young lover leans onto his bare skin. "I will bring your body to a special place deep in the sea. A place that will never be disturbed by the prying eyes of humans." Angel's eyelids flutter. "I will remove your gold chain and put it around my neck. It will symbolize to the spirit world our connection." Her voice weakens. "With one hand, I will then slit my throat." She licks her lips. "I will hold your hand with my other and lay next to you for all time."
"You thought of this all by yourself?" Joe remarks. His eyes are tense as he looks down at his lover.

"Yes, because I want all to know of our love."
Joe runs tan fingers through black wavy hair. He could make several sarcastic and possibly humorous observations concerning his lovers future plans but restrains himself.

"I love you." He stares into her eyes. "Angel, no one has ever loved me as you do." He grabs her hand and leaves the terrace.

"Joe, where are we going?" She seems confused.

"We're gonna make love. Real love." He stops midway to the bedroom. "Before I do something stupid and you turn into that damn Tia again."

A chorus of giggles end as the bedroom door closes.

As the happy couple tumble onto the unmade King Size bed, Joe's cell phone left near the terrace emits a celestial chime. Even Angel with her sensitive hearing is unaware, or too preoccupies to notice.

For a moment, the screen of the black I-phone shows the bitmoji of a young girl with pigtails. Her light brown skin tone highlights the childlike appearance.

It is the bitmoji used by Maddie.

Note to the reader:

The usual cast of characters will soon return to the center of this story's focus. I have added two new ones that will obviously add new conflict to this tale.

PS: For some reason, I love this couple.