Transition Plan Chapter 110 - Searching for Jeanne Part 28

Author's Notes: Well they got through the matter of Eleanor better than we all expected. Especially with Eleanor helping. There are a number of other issues to work through. Remember this is the 1920s and behaviors and habits that women do now are quite common now but were scandalous then, especially among 'proper' families like the Clayton's. So stopping a number of Meriem's 'bad' habits in order to be acceptable behavior was very difficult for Jeanne. On the other hand, most parts of readjusting to jungle life together daily as Mangani promised mates becomes a great deal of fun for them.

…

In the morning, Jeanne turned around from their comfy spooning position to be in Jack's arms face to face. Her tunic squished with rain water from the storm. She was soaked the bone. He was too. The wet tunics must have weighed 50 pounds. She was chafed and chilled. Something would have to be done soon. She shivered. It actually felt cold.

Jeanne kissed Jack on the nose. He startled awake until he realized who he had in his arms. He smiled. It was still true. She was his.

She smiled back with a sparkle in her eye and emphasized her feelings for him, "Good morning, sweetheart."

"And good morning to you too, dear," giving her a full kiss that she savored, "Those are words I need to hear more of, Jeanne," he emphasized.

She rattled off a bunch of terms of endearment, "Oh really? Well then... how about: boyfriend. Cheri. Sweetie. Beloved. Mon ami tres intime. Lover. Honey. Dearest. Liebchen... Is that enough, Jack, dear?"

She couldn't wait for 'fiance' to get added to that list. And 'husband'. But that was for Jack to bring up.

He enveloped her against his muscle-laden chest though it was covered in the soggy tunic. She was completely lost in his embrace, and she gave him a nice little contented "Mmm…" sound.

He teased with the squeeze, "That'll do… for now… and I think you made up your mind about what I told you."

She gazed up at him, "You know I couldn't stay mad forever… I'm the one who did all the awful things in eight years."

He rolled his eyes at her, "You seemed pretty set on being mad permanently…"

Her eyes didn't leave his as she confessed, "Jack, cheri, I thought about it long and hard. But it took someone else to convince me completely, or I could have been mad at you for weeks, Jack. But not forever dear. Please remember that…"

He said seriously, "Eleanor…"

She was surprised at how he knew that, and yet not, "Yes. You saw her too?"

"Not this time. Only right after she died. And Meri, our unborn daughter. I saw just Eleanor's wisp form after you snuggled with me here."

In Jeanne's eyes he could see the miracle encounter between the two young women unfold as she explained, "I saw her as she is in heaven. She was truly beautiful, Jack. I understand why you fell so hard so fast. I would have too had I been a boy. I understand everything. She was so sweet, so giving, so kind, but also so weak, so lost, so hurting. She was on the verge of death every minute she knew you, sweetheart. She was much weaker than you realized. I understand why you did what you did. You made her whole life worthwhile in her last few months. Jack, both of you made a huge mistake, but once you realized that, you did the right thing. For her, and now for me. You were upfront right away and told me the truth about you and her when you could have kept it all a secret. Yesterday, Jack, dearest, you asked me to forgive the unforgivable sin."

"And?" he asked hopefully.

With complete earnestness in her tone, "I forgive you, Jack, sweetheart. Truly and totally forgive you."

She gave him a light kiss on his lips, and then gave a reassuring smile for him, and then a much deeper kiss to seal her true feelings.

She added further, "As God is my witness, I forgive you all of it."

"Thank you Jeanne, I really don't deserve you," he noted with gratitude.

She kidded, "Oh yes you do. Who else would take you now? No noblewoman wants a cheater. We commoners have to take the leftovers."

She giggled and he just shook his head slightly at her with a smirk. He deserved that jab.

She kissed his cheek and took her index finger and traced the contours of his nose, as she noted, "Jack, can I give you some advice?"

"Certainly," he answered, being thrilled by her light touch.

"Never do the 'right thing' with another woman again, Jack. Unless it's with me."

"I promise, Jeanne. Believe me. Besides I just gave you a slingshot and you already have a knife..."

They both laughed and just cuddled wordlessly, just happy to be so close together. This was the reunion they should have had yesterday.

She felt ashamed of her vicious verbal attack on him and apologized, "Jack, I'm really sorry I yelled at you so badly. Every day of my life I fought with Karl-Heinz, Gunter and other men who always demanded stuff of me none of which I wanted to do. I lashed back whenever I could to fight them. it was the only power I had over them. I always let the instantly angry 'Meriem' come through in me, when she just should have shut up and listened to your confession to me before passing judgment. I'm ashamed that my anger sounded just the same as any attack I made on Karl-Heinz and Gunter. I loathed them. I am glad they're dead and that you and Akut and the leopards killed them just the way they deserved. You are the man I love. You didn't deserve for me to be so angry in return. But my dear Jack. You messed up terribly. Even so, I shouldn't have been that angry. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"It's all right, Jeanne. I was really wrong in this. You had every right to lash out."

"I kind of take after my mother. She has a short temper too..."

He knew that fact first hand but said nothing.

She put her head against his hairy chest that the tunic didn't cover and… and enjoyed the softness and the tickle. It appeared everything was sort of furry on him, even the parts he hadn't seen yet. His chest felt like the finest down pillow, and she couldn't wait to simply nest with him Mangani style tonight with no worries. The rest would take care of itself when it was the right time.

She looked up from the cuddle, smiled, and asked seriously, "Can we just start over today, Jack?"

"If you want to, Jeanne. yes. I sure do want that."

She couldn't hear her real name enough the sweet way he always said it. The English way, phonetically: 'Jeen', not the French 'Zhawn'.

"I really, truly do, And Jack?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I do love you. I was just mad at you."

He fell apart at that. His tears fell freely and she felt the dampness on her. She wiped them with her fingers and kissed his face tenderly with her kisses, tasting the saltiness. She was going to dry his tears but both had completely soaked tunics.

"Sorry, sweetheart..." acting sort of embarrassed at his emotional outburst.

"It's OK, Jack."

Her heart was once again filled with gladness and joy. She felt the reunion moment she was so desperate for so long.

Jack noted, "I am so glad to hear you say that. Are you hungry?"

"Famished. Screaming at you takes a lot of energy, sweetheart," she winked at him.

She savored the fresh taste of a banana she'd knocked down with her slingshot, and offered her boyfriend another one. Then she asked, "Jack. Now what do we do?"

He shrugged and asked, "Well I was going to ask you the same thing."

"About what?" she inquired.

He tentatively asked, "About you… Umm… can you tell me more about that huge list of things I have to forgive you for?"

Laughing lightly, she reached over and beeped his nose, and raised her eyebrow, using a long-unsaid term of endearment for him, "Don't push your luck jungle boy…I get a 'free pass' for awhile on forgiveness after this fiasco with Eleanor, Jonathan Robert Clayton IV."

He was grateful in the extreme for that. He shrugged and smiled sheepishly, "That would be hard to disagree about. Seriously, though? We simply pick up where we left off."

"Which was…?" she asked, because the distant memory of being with him as a child was dim.

"Two Mangani kids living naturally in the jungle together," Jack reminded her.

She joked, "Well, we aren't kids any more. And we sure don't look like kids under these tunics. But we are in the jungle together. And I feel as Mangani as the day I was kidnapped."

"You know what that means," Jack asked with a sweet smile.

She spoke seriously, "Yes. Yes I do. For eight years I've been ready to become Mangani with you again in the jungle. As long as you don't think it too forward of me?"

She had to remember English gentry sensibilities not those of the slums of urban life in darkest Africa. Or the burlesque halls.

"Not at all, Jeanne," he replied, impressed that she would consider English sensibilities first.

She started to get excited, "So we're agreed, but no peeking while we get ready? 'K?"

He loved hearing her voice. Hers was a musical, lilting French voice, in deeper adult tones now. Her accent was so soothing.

Jeanne made sure she was taking tentative steps to get reacquainted, and not letting Meriem take her over. She knew that being around Karl-Heinz and Margrite and their ultra aggressive sexual repertoire, she knew many things that her Viscount boyfriend would never know - much less ever do. Or want to do.

Jeanne suggested, "Well... we shouldn't simply strip down in front of each other. It's too soon to be reminded of my strip tease act. Or that slave post…"

Jack agreed, "I was forced to see at you in the slave market, but that hardly counts. I felt so awful for you. I couldn't really look at you. That's hardly peeking."

She shuddered and reached for a cuddle. He immediately hugged her for comfort. The past couple of days' events were still too fresh in their minds. He was hyper aware of her need for protective physical comfort from him whenever it was needed.

"Not to worry, Jack. I was just a piece of meat for sale. Not a woman. But I will give you a private showing of my dance someday. When it's the right time to do that."

She almost said 'when we're married' but that was not for her to say.

He blushed, "Well I… um…remember… I caught your act… uh… twice."

She laughed, "Twice huh? You paid to peek double, jungle boy! And that's way more than 'just peeking' watching my act."

She could see him totally blushing, trying to extricate himself from his witnessing her show, "Well… uh… there was a big crowd. It was dark. And I sat in the back, so I didn't see much."

She patted him on the top of the head like an obedient puppy,"Nice excuse, jungle boy, but I'm not buying it…"

They both laughed, but she cleared her throat, and asked quickly and shyly with a blush, "Whatdidyouthinkofme?"

Without thinking, he launched into an enthusiastic, highly detailed review of her entire number, ending with, "… overall it was incredible, Jeanne, especially on those deep knee bends and leg stretches. I saw your anchor tattoo when you cartwheeled. Unfortunately, so did everyone else. I thought I was going to faint when you pointed right at the crowd plumping your brea…!"

And then he realized what he said and how excited he was. She had a crooked grin listening to every word he said with her arms crossed and tapping a bare foot before her in fake disdain. And she could see him replaying her dancing image in his head. Every detail of her.

"Uh oh…" he blushed again.

She guffawed and hugged him happily, "In the back, eh? Too dark to see? Couldn't see much, Hmm? Was that the only time, pervert? Or have you been watching me for weeks?"

He assured her, "I swear. Just once and just the night before last. I concentrated on searching the streets and checking on the brothels when I first got here to save you from those cursed places if you were there. And then I had to check all the restaurants with dancing. Your message in Mangani had no word for 'burlesque'. Do you know how many restaurants in Dar es Salaam have dancing?"

"Uh. no."

"231. Every race and nationality. I must have gained 10 pounds eating. You can't just stop by for five minutes and go on to the next one. They want you to order something."

She snickered.

He held her by the shoulders and assured her, "Jeanne. Cherie. I never once thought about them making you dance burlesque."

She blushed, "Thank you. You are so innocent, cheri."

But then Jeanne thought it through and the magnitude of what happened two nights ago, "But Jack, dear, if that was your only night at the dance hall, if you hadn't come there then, when all the trouble happened, you would have never seen me ever again. They put me on the block that next morning. For refusing…" she couldn't finish.

"Refusing what, Jeanne?" He still didn't really know what prompted her being sold to slavery.

She closed her eyes and completely confessed, "For refusing a man's advances in exchange for 2 million Pounds Sterling cash for my freedom to come home."

"Jeanne, goodness sake, no!" Jack exclaimed with the twin shocks that he got to the burlesque at the last possible moment to save her and that she'd been offered an irresistible sum to be a prostitute for a night.

They both realized had gotten within hours of losing each other forever,"Yes Jack. It's true."

He stated the obvious, "Then you'd be in a brothel right now, and I'd still be looking in vain."

She crushed him in a grateful hug, "Just hold me. God really did send you there just in time. I felt somehow you were there that entire time. I was praying you were in the crowds, but I had no idea you were actually at the dance hall and then later bidding on me..."

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you any indication without giving myself away to Karl-Heinz too."

Without letting go of Jack, she said softly, "It's all right. You did what you had to do. I would have blown your cover. It was bad enough that I shouted your name at the end when all hell broke loose. But that's not the worst thing, Jack."

Jack was incredulous, "What could be worse? You were almost sold into slavery for refusing prostitution, but you would still have become one against your will. That guy I was bidding against was a… excuse the expression… a flesh peddler."

"No offense, Jack, but seriously. it's my turn to confess."

"Confess away," he steeled himself. This was going to be really hard but really necessary.

There was a man in Dar es Salaam - an Englishman - who was obsessed with me for over a year. Yes, I'm sorry Jack, but I danced burlesque over a year, but for a long time I tried not to show myself, Jack. I was mostly a cocktail waitress in a skimpy costume but got more assignments with the chorus line. One night I got offered nearly 30,000 Pounds by this man to do a complete strip tease act for him and his friends in a private party when I was only a chorus line girl. I did it, Jack. It was my debut as 'Lovely La' and I have to confess, I was really good at it and did it ever since. I replaced another stripper. God forgive me that I agreed to do the act to get the money. I wanted the money really badly to pay off my ransom. While I was always hopeful of you rescuing me, I actively paid down my ransom, if you didn't ever save me. I had to so some awful things. I put millions down on the ransom working for Jaeger as the bookkeeper for a lot of illegal businesses."

Jack responded and tried to be humorous to help her feel better, "I know that from the court records and your ledger, Jeanne, and I forgive you the stripping. That's not so bad. Heck, I would have watched you every night too!"

"You perverted jungle boy!" she kidded and playfully punched him, and then she confessed, "I would have given you the front row seat every night, dear. That was 100 Pounds a night to sit there… Every stripper wants a cute young handsome stud they can dance for."

Flaunting his rich heritage a bit, Jack retorted, "Whooeee! That's cheap to always get the front row seat for Lovely La!"

They couldn't stop laughing. This was fun for Jeanne. He wasn't all stuffy and proper. He didn't condemn her forced behaviors. They were playing with each other. She kissed him, but then it got more serious.

"But Jack, it got uglier. The year passed and every night he saw my show. The night you came to see me that same guy offered me and the burlesque club 2 million Pounds if I would sleep with him just one night. One night, Jack. 2... million... Pounds..."

He was still utterly stunned, and asked the difficult question, "And then what did you do?"

She looked down at the ground and then directly in his eyes, "After some terrible anguish, I said 'yes' to his offer at first Jack, but I assure you I didn't go through with it. I swear, cheri. I said 'no' to Jaeger and I said 'no' to this guy too. Before it was too late. He was disgusting…"

"Oh dear… Jeanne, I'm so proud of you. You said 'no' to 2 million Pounds to be free?" Jack reeled with this.

"No Jack no, don't be proud of me. That's what's so bad about this. I said 'yes' first before I said 'no'. I was going to get all the money and my freedom in one night, until I chickened out at the last second. We were almost in bed. He was furious Jack, he was going to kill me. He choked me. That why I have these bruises on my neck now. Only Margrite saved me at the last minute. She shot the man in the arm. Margrite would never hurt a fly."

All Jack could do was blink. Jack was stunned into speechlessness. This was just as bad as Eleanor, but not quite. She did say 'no'. She took his hands in hers, because she could see his shock, as he added, "But I was watching from across the street. I was watching you and Karl-Heinz and was going to rescue you when you walked home from the dance hall. Nothing seemed wrong. Until the gunshot…"

"I know Jack. It was all too smooth. Until I said 'no'. That's why they sold me to slavery. The man was angry beyond belief. He gives the dance hall millions for his private client business parties. His name is Mr. Farnsworth. He took it all back and threatened them. Margrite shot him in the arm or I would be dead now."

"You were so brave, honey."

"It was killing me inside, though. Brave or not. I have to beg your forgiveness. Saying 'yes' to something like that… is awful. If I were really a good girl, I would have refused from the start. If I'd taken the money, whether it was one time for money or a million times for money, I still would be a prostitute. You would never want me if I'd sold myself. Even once. I had to say 'no'."

"And you did say 'no', sweetheart. Believe me, I forgive you. And even if you had done it, I would still have forgiven you. My worst nightmare was to find you working in one of those awful brothel places every day and I would have still forgiven you and wanted you. I don't care what the gentry would have said. That's how much I love you. You did the right thing when I didn't. How can I not forgive you? You resisted. I didn't."

They hugged harder than ever before, and she cried in his arms.

She gripped his hands harder, and smiled, "God bless you, Jack. You are the most forgiving, understanding man I ever met. What I did – and what I almost did - was far worse than you."

"It's OK Jeanne. But it's even worse still."

"How? I just told you everything," she puzzled.

"I know him. That man is Mr. Farnsworth. I saw him leave the house really angry and hold his wound. Now I know why. He works for my father, Jeanne. He runs the Dar es Salaam office for Clayton Shipping. He doesn't have that kind of money to give away. He stole from my father's business. And even more awful, Jeanne. Every Clayton Enterprises employee all around the world has been asked to report if they discovered or contacted you. For over a year, Jeanne, Mr. Farnsworth has said nothing to Dad about you being at the burlesque. He's been hiding what he knows."

She sat up straight, "Oh dear God, no…"

Jack was adamant, "We have to tell Dad. We have to punish this man."

"We will. We'll figure it out," Jeanne added in agreement.

The young man promised, "But not until we get home to return you to your parents. That is most important."

"Jack..." she dared say, "If it's all the same to you, dear, I do want to see my parents again, but I was sort of hoping I might be able stay with you when we get home."

There was no more said except for a knowing glance between them, but then he got a smirk on his face.

"What?" she grinned back. She knew it was going to be some kind of 'money for sex' joke to lighten things up.

Jack looked off into the sky pondering, "Well… about that 2 million in exchange for your favors…"

"Uh… yes, Jack?" she asked waiting for the punchline, but wondered she would say and do if he would ask for her favors right now.

"Sweetheart, I would have taken the 2 million from Farnsworth."

Her eyes got huge, her jaw dropped, and asked in total shock, "Good Lord, Jack! Why, lover?"

He grinned mischievously, "Because after what I did, I'm not worth turning down that kind of money, cherie."

They laughed and she played it for what it was worth, "For certain, Jack. Had I known then what I know now, I would have - two timer!"

They put their foreheads together and laughed harder. They were thoroughly enjoying each other's company.

"But Jack, I wouldn't have done that unless it was offered by you," she noted in a very sexy tone.

"Oh really? I have about 200 thousand left after buying you outright. Interested in a little 'fun'?" he joked.

"Too low a bid, Viscount. I'm used to big money now, rich boy! 2 million or nuthin', " she dismissed his offer in jest and chuckled. She ached to say 'yes' but knew she couldn't take his offer as serious. Unless he really did mean it.

While they weren't serious, they were having a very good time together, able now to joke about terrible situations. But both quietly indicated their physical love interest in each other.

Jack mused, "So look at us. The cheater and the stripper-turned-harlot together again… some 'perfect couple' we turned out to be. Wait until this hits the gentry social gossip columns!"

He could not have been more poignant and more humorous at the same time.

"I guess that means we're perfect for each other, Jack," she retorted.

Jack got a look of sudden remembrance, "That reminds me, I have something else for you."

Jeanne was very curious, "What other kinds of stuff do you have in that bag?"

"No peeking. My bag!" he teased and kept it away from her clamping the opening closed.

"Uppity English nobleman," she snorted and crossed her arms in feigned disgust, "In Douala, I'd have had your whole bag in my pockets right now and be telling you what's in there."

"A pickpocket and a thief? I thought so. That's why I took the precaution of putting this giant stinging centipede in there."

He reached in and pulled out the wriggling six inch beast and shoved it right in her face.

"Gahh!" she screamed, 'Jonathan Robert Clayton IV, I hate you!"

"Well, then at least we have somewhere to start from. First you hate me then you love me and now you hate me again. Make up your mind, Jeanne Marie Clayton! I want to... Oh!... oops..."

He realized he slipped by calling her by his surname. They both blushed and exchanged tender looks at each other wordlessly, and she gave him a cute giggle at his mistake. But they both were praying that this was the future for them.

She simply took his hands in hers again, smiled, and squeezed contentedly. This was absolutely delightful banter to her. His personality was just as amazing as it was at 9 but more adult. She had more fun in about an hour with him than she had in eight years of captivity.

He freed only one hand because he really didn't want to let go of her, winked, and rummaged around in the pack. He pulled out her 'going steady' bracelet - the one that was ripped off her wrist by Karl-Heinz and Gunter and left behind in the mud the day they kidnapped her.

Her entire face lit up and her hazel eyes were as big as he had ever seen them. Happy tears immediately flowed, "You wonderful man! It wasn't lost or destroyed. You kept it all these years for me?"

"Of course, mon ami tres intime. Only for you."

She couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for him to keep it that long without it being on her arm. She wondered, "Did he have it with him at Doula? At Walvis Bay?"

She knew he would have had the bracelet both places and it was endearing to her.

"Oh Jack…" she gushed.

He put it on her wrist. It was a little snug on her now. So they adjusted it.

She admired it for some time and hugged him, "That feels pretty good now. Je t'aime, Jack."

"Moi aussi," he assured her.

She whooped as he grabbed her and he held her high above him and she bent a knee gazing down at him in complete joy. Her tunic was pretty much completely fallen open to him in this upside down position and she didn't care. She sighed in the joy he was bringing her.

'Les amis tres intime' they were once again. While that phrase could mean a lot of things, to them it was clearly: 'Best friends who are sweethearts'.

They drank in the sight of each other in their soggy, dripping tunics, and remembered how uncomfortable they were. But the conversation and confessions couldn't wait.

"I feel like a prune in this wet tunic, Jack."

"I agree, cherie. We look like drowned rats."

"I've seen better looking drowned rats in the gutters of Douala, Jack," she observed.

They snickered.

"Well I have an idea," he grinned.

"Oh really? Umm... Jack do I dare ask again: 'so what's next Jack'?"

"No more bad surprises Jeanne. I promise."

"Thank God!"

He made the bold suggestion, "Jeanne, Umm… Are you ready now to be a Mangani female again?"

She grinned broadly, "As long as you do this too, am I ever! You've seen me twice, pervert. I haven't really seen you since Kamina. You don't know how many times I've gone to bed replaying the vision dream with the 20 year old 'you' in it, lover. That's not fair!"

She just didn't know yet how accurate that dream was.

Jack kidded, "That dream doesn't count. Besides, who's accusing whom of peeking? And who's the pervert now, Jeanne?"

They couldn't stop laughing.

"Well if we want to do this, then let's have some fun, Jeanne."

"How?" she wondered.

"How about a game?" he grinned.

She smiled broadly, "I'd say that fits in the category of 'two kids having fun in the jungle together'. A game. It's been eight years since the last time we ever played a game."

"Exactly."

"So how do we play this game, jungle boy?" she teased and giggled.

Being natural the Mangani way was just a life style, and was not inherently supposed to be stimulating, but she was finally going to get to see the body she missed being natural with so much, not the ones she was forced to see. She did not want to appear overly anxious.

Jack made up the rules to their new game as he went so they'd have a good time.

"Well… hmm. Just like hide and seek. We turn around so we can't see each other. We take these awful wet tunics off with closed eyes, stand hand in hand back to back, then count 1.. 2.. 3… ta-da! We turn around for 'the big reveal'," he joked.

"I like that game," then she got a little closer and dared to say a little more sultry, "I'd like any game like that with you, Jack."

He gulped. They absolutely weren't children anymore.

"And I'll race you for who's first to dump the tunics!" she grinned.

"Deal."

It was a great game they highly doubted their parents would approve of. Even though they had lived naturally years ago as children. This was different. They were Mangani, but adults who were lovers with adult bodies and feelings.

They were in a really big hurry. This made 'the reveal' really special.

"Remember, Jack. No peeking till you count to three," she stated.

"I would never peek, Jeanne."

Jeanne complained to her man, "Liar. I caught you peeking plenty when you thought I wasn't looking way back then."

They were in full teasing mode. It was like eight years had evaporated.

Jack shot right back, "Yeah, well I liked how often you posed for me. You made it easy to peek. No wonder you are a world-class stripper now."

She pretended to be aghast, "Jack! You creep!"

He poked her again verbally, "Nice girls don't show off to their boyfriends."

She retorted in as sexual a voice as she could muster, "I haven't been a nice girl for eight years, boyfriend. It'll be worse now. I have a lot more to look at."

"Don't I know that," he quipped.

"Jerk! You did peek!" she scolded.

"Remember I saw the show…" he kidded, "to make sure it was you."

"Uh huh, right, buster," she smirked.

"I told you I was too far away. I need a closer inspection now."

"You dirty-minded bastard! You're worse than Farnsworth!" she smacked him playfully and giggled.

They both loved each other's easy, more adult banter. Life really was fun again without being dirty.

"OK, Jeanne, here we go."

They faced away from each other, and each heard the sound of their dropped, soggy fabric tunics as they plopped on the ground. They both felt fifty pounds lighter instantly.

"Jeanne, I think you won that round."

"Oh goody," she snickered.

"Ready?"

They were back to back, eyes closed, and clasped both hands together.

He drew it out to tease her mercilessly. Their bare bottoms pushed against each other. They couldn't resist the urge to wiggle them against each other, and laughed. He realized how big her bottom was now even without seeing it. That was delightful to him.

"Well, Jeanne Jacot, without peeking, I can honestly say you are naked."

"That means you are too, Jack."

"Funny how that works out," he teased, and joked, "I hope you wiped…"

Her instant response was, "Ewwww! I turned down being a brothel slave for this kind of 10 year old behavior?"

Both exploded in laughter. They couldn't wait for the rest.

Jack really dragged it out, "1… 2… 2 and a half. Two and two thirds. Two and three quarters…."

Jeanne immediately reacted, "Aughhhh! I hate you Jonathan Robert Clayton IV. Get on with it already!"

She kept her eyes tightly shut and she jumped up and down with anticipation like she was 9, not letting go of his hands. Despite all the fun humor and insults, their palms were both sweating and they knew it.

Her old phrase warmed his heart. He felt her excitement. He loved this 'like old times' game.

And he simply said, "3!"

They tuned and beheld each other after eight years.

They were instantly taken with each other. They were once again natural together as promised Mangani mates.

"Oh my goodness, Jack..." was all she could say and smile. And look...

But she chuckled silently what her prostitute friend from the dance hall would think of her man, "Jack's so magnificent that Gina would actually pay him take a 'trick' with her!"

The sight of each other took their breath away, and their joy was palpable. She reached out to him with both hands' fingers intertwined and they were standing only a couple of feet apart, just enough to completely take in each other. She unconsciously swung their joined hands in simple joy. She bounced on purpose so he could see her jiggle. They just let themselves admire the other for a moment. Each modeled and coyly smiled. They gladly let their eyes wander wherever they wanted to. For the first time since they were very young, they were natural together just the way they wanted. They couldn't stop smiling at each other.

Jack couldn't believe the beauty of the full expanse of her dark olive skin, as amazing to him as it was nearly a decade ago the first time he ever saw her. He admired her very large, dark, perky, sloping and curvaceous bosom, wonderful wide hips and very round bottom, thin waist, the way her thick but beautifully shaped athletic thighs flowed from her torso into incredibly contoured legs that were separated sharply with a broadly triangular, very extensive, thick patch of black curls which extended from below her navel well down into her inner thighs. Her anchor tattoo was very effectively hidden underneath all that. An intriguing thin line of black hair extended upward from the top of that patch to her belly button. Like most women of the time, she had rich black underarm hair too. She was simply stunning with all that black head and body hair against her olive skin.

The Greek/Italian heritage young woman was like an ancient Greco-Roman goddess to him, and all of that was now his. But he belonged to her, too.

The reverse revelation of Jack's handsomeness was also true for Jeanne. At 6 foot five he towered over her. She was struck by his deep whole body tan, which after a year in the jungle and sun continuously, was much darker than her natural skin color. His musculature, particularly his abs and pectorals, all converged sharply at his hips. His chiseled body was very sharply defined from all the years of keeping in shape for her rescue, far more extensively than his father. His shoulders were incredibly broad that framed his powerful long arms. The muscles of his legs were incredibly thick and they displayed his pure power. He was covered all over his body in auburn hair, particularly his chest, and his beard was nearly rinsed clean of the coal black to its natural auburn that flowed into his dreadlocks. Even his eyebrows were thick, like his Grandfather. A heavy auburn patch surrounded and accentuated the extent of his pronounced masculinity, bigger than any man she'd seen in her life. That totally delighted her. Jack was more an auburn gorilla than a 'naked ape' with all his body hair.

Jeanne was first to speak. She was ecstatic and her eyes were wide with complete awe of every aspect of his physique, "Oh Jack, dearest Jack, just look at all of you. You're perfect. If I'm not the luckiest girl in the world I don't know why."

They were more attractive to each other than the vision ever revealed to them.

He smiled with her praise, and responded. At first he was simply stunned by her allure.

"Thank you. And you… Wow… Jeanne, you're simply amazing," he said aloud in complete admiration of her. She was truly voluptuous. The full extent of her total olive skin and her body's many dark features were nearly overwhelming.

He didn't care about the small number of scars and stitch marks from fighting with knives and injuries from a life of hard labor. Only the long knife cut scar behind her jaw made him want to know the whole story behind that.

She beamed back at him, "You took the words right out of my mouth, cheri."

"You're still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life."

She teased, "Oh? So you've seen lots of naked girls? More than Eleanor? Who else haven't you told me about, cheater?"

This time he was prepared to shoot back, "Well, all the other females in my life - Ndidi and her mother and all my Nigerian friends who are girls. My sisters. My Mom. Your Mom and your sister. They still dress the same way whenever they go as Mangani women."

Jack seeing Mom and her sister she'd never met startled her a little. She hadn't thought much about them being part of the extended Mangani family, but it pleased her.

"Good recovery Jack," she grinned. You're safe. For now. And I bet Ndidi is beautiful as ever."

"Even more so."

They intertwined hands and fingers and gripped each other tighter. They were headed toward a very passionate kiss.

But admiring her adult body caused an immediate problem in him which grew quickly. It was very obvious because the problem spanned most of ten inches they stood apart.

Jeanne giggled and noted with a raised eyebrow, noticing, "Well… I guess you're really glad to see me, Jack!"

This was as awkward as the first time she saw him with no loincloth.

"I can't seem to stop embarrassing myself around you, Jeanne," he admitted.

"It's all right, Jack. Don't worry. It's been a long time since we've been together like this," she assured him.

He couldn't help himself. Thinking about it made it even worse. The problem definitely wasn't getting any smaller.

"Hug me, Jack," she assured him and she opened her arms and beckoned him with her brilliant needful smile. He could not resist. He ached for her after more than 3/4 decade apart. An eternity in the lifetime of children who were now young adults.

"I'll calm you down, sweetheart. Come here."

He nodded and obeyed, and they simply pressed together tender hug. She felt not only his hardened stomach muscles against her toned, flat stomach, but something even harder pressed between them but that caused a bigger problem. His unclad body was very warm against her.

Jack was anything but calm. He knew where this was headed, "I have to let you go, Jeanne. I… I um need to…"

"I know," she whispered, hugged him tighter, and just stroked his hair gently.

She'd seen this too many times when Karl-Heinz and Margrite went at it and when Gunter and Gina were together, and all the men she never wanted to see or see again who showed themselves to her while she was dancing and the bouncers dragged them away and beat them to a pulp for doing that.

But with Jack it was something beautiful. She wanted desperately to simply join with him right now, but knew he wouldn't want her to.

Jack was nearly frantic, "Oh dear…. Jeanne. Please… I… can't… I have to…"

Holding him firmly, she ordered, "No! Don't let go. Don't you dare let me go, Jack Clayton!"

She gave him a deep kiss that distracted him from his concern, and that made everything completely right being in her arms. He did calm emotionally but then everything let go. He gasped, and tensed against her. He got weak in the knees, and she felt a sudden warm burst on her belly. She didn't move.

He sighed as it ended and he started to relax, "I… I should have better control. I'm so sorry, cherie…"

Jack was so wonderfully innocent and genuine, and she said softly caressing and comforting him, "It's OK, dear. It's OK. Don't be sorry. It's all right, Jack. It was… really nice. Don't you want this to happen between us?"

He was still very embarrassed, "Yes… absolutely I do, but at the right time. The right way, but not yet. Not like this. The way things are supposed to be between us. I don't want to rush this for us. Not again."

"Of course cheri," she quickly assured him, and understood his implied apology again about Eleanor's pregnancy.

She kissed him ever so lightly on the lips, cheeks, and neck. He'd calmed, but not the way they expected.

She stroked his hair and beard and smiled, "You are such a man of honor dear. You respect me so much. That's what kept me going for all these years. What kept me pure for you. This may seem weird but I'm happy I made you feel so strongly about me."

"I guess. Well… Seeing you even more beautiful than you were… umm... I… I couldn't help myself, Jeanne."

"Not to worry dearest," she giggled. She didn't want to know if Eleanor had caused such a reaction.

"I love you Jack. I'm glad this happened."

"Yeah, I am too. And I love you too, cherie."

They relaxed their hug and surveyed the mess between them.

"So what do we do next?" Jack asked.

"Wash up?" laughed Jeanne.

Jack rolled his eyes, "I meant after that."

"We get reacquainted. And we train that thing to not be so eager," quipped Jeanne.

The influence of Meriem's life experiences made Jeanne very direct about matters that would make normal nobility blush.

Just being hand in hand in the jungle naturally with Jack was so freeing for her. Throughout her captivity, every move was watched and monitored and controlled.

"So we're Mangani kids again, jungle boy. This is wonderful."

"Yeah, that's for sure. And you remember what Mangani children do right, Jeanne?"

"Of course! Let's go play some games together, Korak!"

They took off at a run hand in hand through a stream to clean up and then into the deep jungle toward the west.

…

But life was not all playtime as they got reacquainted. Over eight years of being subjected to so much wrongdoing had left its mark and effects. There were a lot of readjustments to this new life that were not as pleasant and fun as living naturally together.

About mid afternoon, she had the craving for a cigarette.

"What's wrong dear?" Jack inquired.

"I'm dyin' for a smoke," she said anxiously. She looked pale.

"You have to get over those. There aren't any in the jungle," he cautioned.

"I know…" she lamented.

The craving went on for days and with it all the symptoms: headaches, twitchiness, hand wringing, nervous behavior, and irritability.

"What can I do for you sweetheart? You seem really hurting," he asked.

"It'll be all right if you get me a drink."

He sliced open a bamboo cane, filled with fresh water.

"No, Jack not that kind of drink. I had alcohol every day. Almost all the time."

"Oh? Well... I like wine. Sometimes."

"Riesling is my favorite," she noted.

"Drinking wine isn't so bad, Jeanne."

"Well… I drank too much alcohol," she admitted.

"Well how much is too much?"

"When I was a fisherman with the Russians off the eastern coast of Africa we each got our own bottle of vodka. A couple of times a week. Courtesy Captain Dmitri."

"Oh dear," Jack understood the true excessiveness of that, especially vodka.

Jeanne explained, "But it wasn't bad. It's just what Russians do. He and his crew were Christian, Jack. I got two years to recharge my faith, dearest. Right after we fled from Jaeger and the War and the flu epidemic. We dropped out of sight for a long time. I learned how to navigate a boat and fish, and a lot of other nice things. And jungle boy, can I ever cook! Stick with me and you'll gain another ten pounds, dear!"

"That sounds great, Jeanne."

"Captain Dmitri was like Papa, sweetheart, and he knew I was kidnapped, and tried to look out for me even if he couldn't free me. He had such a sweet family, and it drove Karl-Heinz crazy, because we couldn't ever do anything illegal or amoral since we were all stuck together on the boat. We prayed and studied the Bible all the time. I learned Russian fluently. But they did cuss a lot and drink a lot. I hope you can meet Dmitri's family someday."

"That's wonderful. I'd like to. I thought maybe you never had any let up from Karl-Heinz."

"With them I did, just when I needed it after Walvis Bay. The good thing in learning to drink with the Russians is that no one at the burlesque hall could get me drunk and make me do things I didn't want to do that way."

Jack agreed,"There is goodness in that, I suppose. Everything happens for a reason, dear. But we have to work on the smoking and drinking and cussing."

Jack realized Jeanne really had lived an entirely different life than Jack or she had intended and much of it was good, like the Russians, but he really disliked all the nasty habits she had.

"I know. I have terrible vices. I know you hate them. I can tell. I'm so sorry Jack, but I will get rid of them for you. I warned you that I'm damaged goods. I bet our parents did too."

"Like I'm not?"

"Well true. But are you sure want to be back with me? There is a lot wrong with me," she asked.

"Of course I want you, cherie."

She sighed, "I think I am only one step away from being an alcoholic at times, and if I don't stop smoking I'll get lung disease. Half the time I think I have it already."

"Don't talk like that. I have something to help. Letting you 'dose down' easily. Your mom's a nurse. She warned me about problems you might have like this."

Jeanne smiled, "Dear Mama, always looking out for me, even long distance after eight years gone."

"You have no idea, Jeanne," he noted with a quick peck.

It made her feel really good that she was never really forgotten even if the silence from them was years since her father was almost killed. He went searching in the area, went to a floral tree that had strange cup-shaped flowers filled with honey-colored liquid thicker than water.

"Have some of this."

It looked pretty slimy. It had dead bugs in it that he picked out. Those he didn't eat.

Jack explained, "Tree sap self-ferments sometimes. Dad says it's as strong as some of the scotches he has at social events with the men. The alcohol concentrates in the bugs. Bite one and you're dizzy instantly. The liquid is milder."

She looked at it skeptically, but agreed,"I'll do it if you do it!"

They decided another game was to each drink a pitcher plant in a race. It burned Jack's throat going down. It made him blink and gasp.

She tried it. She upended it and swigged it down, and licked her lips. It was a lot like cherry vodka. She barely winced. She beat Jack in downing the powerful alcoholic liquid.

She tilted her head in satisfaction, "Woof! That's powerful. But a little sweet. It's kinda good though. Like a flavored vodka."

Her alcohol tolerance level was an order of magnitude stronger than Jack.

"And kinda rare. That tree only blooms four times a year."

She assured him, "Jack, I just have to get through this and tell myself to stop. Please understand. You help me just by being here, and with things like this - doing it all with me. Thanks for caring so much."

Jack was a one man support group decades before the term was coined.

He shrugged, "I don't know what else to do."

"Thank you sweetheart," she praised and kissed his cheek.

Gradually her need for that substituted liquor faded, thanks to Jack's encouragement and praise. The pitcher plant sap liqueur was actually quite flavorful.

…

Smoking was much more difficult and caused more severe withdrawal issues. She had really been a chain smoker. The nicotine addiction gripped her strongly. Sometimes she was irritable and restless in their nest. She found herself arguing and apologizing to Jack over stupid things.

The craving got to her one day. Finding some what looked like naturally growing tobacco, she rolled and lit up the nearest leaf that looked like tobacco. It wasn't. Tobacco only grew in America.

"What are you doing Jeanne?"

"I gotta have a smoke Jack. It's unbearable."

"You shouldn't."

"I know I shouldn't but I have to."

"Stop it now," he insisted.

She didn't. He got angry and ripped the smoldering leave out of her hand and crushed it, "It's not tobacco. It's hallucinogenic. It could kill you."

"I'm sorry Jack. I needed it so bad. It looked like tobacco."

Though it was harsh, he chided her, "It makes you taste bad, Jeanne. It makes me not want to kiss you. And I do so much want to kiss you."

That stunned her, "Me too, Jack."

That gave her a pretty good incentive to quit all by itself.

He continued his scolding, "And I value your health and body too much. You cough a lot and are out of breath when we hike and swing in their trek home. You have to rest a lot."

All of that was true, and it was disturbingly like what was happening to Eleanor at the end. He couldn't let this happen again.

She wanted to be angry but she knew he was right, so she said, "Help me fight this, sweetheart."

"I have an idea. Grandpa Porter still likes to smoke a pipe, even though Mom hates that, and since he's never gone back to England, he's long since run out of tobacco. Mom won't get him any from the export store in Lagos. Grandpa made his own brand of tobacco, but it's healthier, and it's not addictive."

"Can you remember the recipe?"

"I think so."

"If you could make some, dear, I could really use it right now," she urged, and actually looked pale.

Using the butt of his knife he crushed a mixture of bark, herbs, roots, and even some flower petals as best he could remember. To dry it right away he roasted it in a fire he made. Then he rolled some of it into a papery leaf.

He offered the faux cigarette to her, despite his better judgement, "Here you go, Jeanne. I hope I remembered right and don't make you sick."

"Thank you dear," she took it immediately and lit up, took a long drag, and exhaled with a sigh, "Not too bad Jack, in fact I like it."

He just watched. He had no desire for the habit and prayed she wouldn't either soon.

"But I need to know?" she noted.

"Know what?" he puzzled.

"This," she took a light kiss, "Was that OK?"

Jack smiled and smacked his lips, "Yeah. Actually it was. You taste kind of like peppermint."

Then she took a very deep, lasting kiss from him. Her tongue played hard with his. It was very satisfying.

Aside from coming up panting from the intense kiss, he said with the delectable spicy taste of her, "Wow! you taste delicious!"

She smiled, "Jack, dear. Making your Grandpa's tobacco recipe was really sweet of you. I tell you what. When these are gone, I will never smoke again."

He looked at her with some uncertainty, "Umm… Jeanne how about another 'test'? I am still not quite sure… there's an aftertaste forming."

"You!" she smirked and she helped herself to his lips and his entire mouth.

There were 24 'jungle cigarettes' for her to be smoked. She stopped after a few days at the 17th. But she didn't stop kissing.

The "kicking the habit" celebration they had that night was so intense that it nearly violated their promise of 'no sex before marriage'. She felt a huge weight relieved in kicking the smoking habit. And he felt relieved too, especially of his own urge, in a way that was unexpected and wonderful but she kept their promise. Jeanne knew there were some things Margrite and Karl-Heinz did that Jack would like, and accept enthusiastically. Jack just discovered one of them.

Fighting the bad habits of substance abuse weren't her only demons.