19 year old Rosa Walbrun stood in front of the Dubuque City Hall with I guess you could say her fiancé, Adriel Randall. The beautiful, fashionable young lady had on a fur coat, given by her Aunt Kate. Kate Sedlmair owned her own dress shop called Sedlmair Smart Wear in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and gave her sister's children each a nice fur coat. The fur coat was one of Bert's favorite items in her closet, Eddie wore his when he went to special events and to work sometimes…..And now Rosa could hardly believe she was standing in front of City Hall with the man she loved….wearing that pretty fur coat! She felt like a million dollars! This was her dreams coming true, she thought. She couldn't wait to marry Adriel and become Mrs. Adriel William Randall. She wished she could this very moment. Rosa knew she would if she could too!

"I'm sooo very excited Adriel!" the young lady nearly squealed, and was so excited. The teenager's bright brown eyes looked over at the nervous young man. He was tall and lanky and wore glasses and looked very nerdy. She didn't care at all. Rosa thought he looked distinguished and handsome and so very intelligent. She absolutely could not wait to marry him and be his wife! Rosa so wished time would hurry up already! She breathed a breath in complete awe and smiled at the boy. "Adriel…just think….in a few weeks or months we could be married and on our honeymoon!"

Adriel smiled and held her hand in his. " You're sure we can do this, Dimples?" He said but then grinned his handsome smile at her with his squinty blue eyes, calling her his little pet name while they were dating. Adriel thought Rosa had the cutest little dimpled cheeks.

" I can't wait to marry you…. I want to marry you as soon as possible! I just can't wait, Honeybee!" Rosa exclaimed and daringly kissed him in front of the City Hall. It was cold and nippy but she didn't care. "My One and Only…..Love of my Life…My True Love…My Heart's Desire…."

"Rosie….My Pretty Girl…" Adriel smiled at her and grabbing her hand, they headed into City Hall to get that marriage license! She wished she was marrying him right this moment though. If only she could, she knew there was no doubt she would.

"We'd like to apply for a marriage license!" Rosa said boldly to the man behind one of the counters. She found herself clinging to the young man she was head over heels in love with. The man brought out the important paper and they gave him their information, birth certificate and everything. Adriel gave them their names and paid the money and the man said they would get their marriage license back in 2 to 3 business days.

"I'll take you home and tell your folks…..I guess we're engaged!" he chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"This is amazing,…I love you, Adriel William!" Rosa Walbrun gazed up at him with her bright smile. They kissed for the second time ever. Adriel had wanted to save their kiss for their wedding day but she had already kissed him! It was new and different but he didn't complain! She was quite a good kisser! He was excited he was the man to get to kiss her for the rest of his life.

"Rosa Katherine Walbrun….gosh I love you…." Adriel grinned and his hands felt her little waist and then he closed his eyes and gave her a sweet peck on the lips and then the two young loves went back to his automobile and drove for the Walbrun residence on Simpson street. Rosa felt like she was floating on air and Adriel too was on cloud nine! He was happy to be engaged to this beautiful woman and wanted to marry her on the spot if he could. They walked in hand in hand with big smiles and bright eyes and couldn't keep their eyes off each other. However they glanced and noticed Bert sitting at the kitchen table with her head bent down.

"Whatcha looking at, Bert?" Rosa asked softly, her giddy countenance still present.

"Oh….the Sears catalog…" Bert sighed with a smile. "Paul has talked of moving back here…so I thought I'd browse…the houses….." She looked at the page she was on. "There's a nice home on Cleveland Avenue for sale…..I never thought you could buy a home like this!" She chuckled.

"Are you going to be moving back?!" Rosa exclaimed excitedly. "But Bert….you can't just move away for years and come back just when I'm getting married and moving away myself!"

"Rosa!..." Bert said, standing up from her spot at the table. She was at a loss for words.

"Yes Bert!" Rosa sighed happily and gazed at her fiancé and flashed her pearly whites up at him. "We're getting married…..We're engaged!" The teenager let out a giddy breath and tilted her head and kissed him. It was like they were the only two there and the only two who had ever been in love before.

"Rosa…" Bert let out a surprised breath and tried to remain calm. "Do Mother and Daddy know about this?..."

"We're going to tell them now….." Rosa smiled and gazed with her glassy brown eyes at Adriel's lips and beautiful blue eyes. The girl was SO love dazed she couldn't take her eyes off of him. "Where are they?"

"Daddy's driving around with Johnnie again….And Mother went to go look at some property she'd like to buy and sell….."

"We've already set a date, Bert…." Rosa sighed happily and her hand clung to Adriel's. The young man couldn't help but smile. "December 27th….." Adriel grinned at her and held her lovely hand wearing the ring and his lips brushed her forehead in a dainty kiss.

"Of next year? Two years from now?" Bert asked her 19 year old sister.

"No,…next week…" Rosa sighed with happiness and love at her Sweetheart. She hardly heard her older sister's reaction to the news. She was much too busy smiling, gazing into his eyes….and at that very moment, kissing Adriel….again.

"N-Next week?!...Rosa, you're going way too fast!...Think about this a little, you can't just get married next week!"

"We can and we will!" Rosa said boldly, looking at her sister. "We have the ring, oh look Bert its just gorgeous!" She exclaimed, waving her newly ringed left hand at her sister so she could see the lovely ring. "We applied for our marriage license and we'll get it in a couple days….I have money and so has Adriel, we'll be ok, don't worry about us, Bert!"

"Well we'll just see what Mother and Daddy have to say about this! I don't think Mother especially will go for this at all….it's way too soon. You're going about this all wrong,….Rosa I don't know if you're ready, you're only nineteen! "

Rosa was just about to raise her voice and give her sister a piece of her mind when both Bert and Rosa's heads snapped to the door as their mother came through the front doorway, followed by their younger brother John Jr. and their father.

"Mother…Daddy….Adriel and I are engaged!" the 19 year old girl broke the news to her very German parents. She showed off the promise ring turned engagement ring to them. Rosa couldn't stop smiling. "What do you think Daddy?! It is alright that I'm engaged now isn't it?!...I'm sure it is! Isn't it?! Oh Daddy I'm so happy!" The 19 year old left her fiancé's embrace and hugged the tall, soft spoken skinny man. His normally kind brown eyes and sweet smile turned solemn. He had hoped the young man would come to him and ask permission to marry his daughter. So he and Adriel had a talk right there.

"Hast du einen guten Job? Was machst du, junger Mann?" John Henry Walbrun spoke in his native language. He did not speak in English well. He was embarrassed at his English so he mostly spoke in German.

"What did he just say, Rose?" Adriel whispered to her.

"Daddy asked you what kind of job you have!….Oh Adriel, don't be nervous! Tell Daddy what you do for a living. He'll think it's interesting, I'm sure he will!….Don't worry, he understands English he's just too shy to speak it."

"I um…,well, I uh…well I remodel apartments or homes and rent them out. More of the work I do is the remodeling and it makes real good money, sir…." Adriel gulped with the nervous pressure in the room.

"Wo wirst du leben?" The solemn man spoke to his soon to be son-in-law, his thin arms at his side and then he brought a hand up to his chin. He only looked on at Adriel. The boy looked on and did not know how to take him. He wasn't extremely intimidating….just very quiet. Adriel glanced back at Rosa, as he still didn't know what her father had said to him.

Rosa looked up at Adriel and happily sighed and hugged him. "He asked where we will live!" She replied dreamily. Adriel replied that they would move to his hometown of Gutenberg, Iowa where he would find a home for them there.

"Wirst du dein eigenes Zuhause umgestalten?" John Henry Walbrun asked the young man if he would remodel the home they would live in. He asked if he would build the home for him and his daughter. Rosa of course translated her father's German to Adriel, helping him communicate. John ran his hand over his clean shaven face and still was quiet. Finally, and surprisingly to Adriel, he spoke the only English words Adriel had heard the man speak, all though it was broken English and you could tell that Mr. Walbrun had a thick accent. "Very well…" he said softly and walked into the other room, muttering something in German about their wedding date.

"Ja….we sit down und plan wedding date for you!" Rosina said happily and took a seat at the kitchen table and motioned for the young couple to sit with her and go over plans. "Sit….sit!...Oh, and wedding colors!" Rosina exclaimed very excitedly.

"Actually…..Mother…." Rosa beamed, going over to her mother and held her hands in her own. The short, petite lady stared back with a furrowed brow and didn't say anything.

"Adriel and I have set a date already, Mother….December 27th." The nineteen year old beamed up at her fiancé and smiled as he brought his arms around her waist, standing behind her. "And I have colors chosen too. I have my ideas for my wedding….I've planned it since I was 13 years old!" Rosa chuckled and rubbed the tip of her button nose against Adriel's and her grin broke into a bright smile.

"Oh….Oh, nice, nice." Rosina said in broken English and was a little let down. "You not need me…Well…December 27th…." She stated in her broken English and sighed. "Das ist gute….two years from now, very gute…." Rosina said softly and still stared with that furrowed brow.

"Mother….We're getting married next week." Rosa said boldly. And she didn't care what her mother thought. She loved this young man and she wanted to marry him as soon as possible.

"Holy smokes, that's fast….you want to "do it" that much?!" 16 year old brother John Jr. piped up but his mother shushed him. No comments from him, she told him.

"Meine Kinder werden in den Zwanzigern heiraten und erst dann…." Rosina told her daughter. She was stubborn and serious and insisted that her children would marry when they were in their 20's, and not before then. …And certainly not NEXT WEEK, she had added.

"I'm an adult, Mother!….I'm 19 years old for crying out loud!" the girl raised her voice, which did not sit well with Mother Walbrun.

"You act like adult then!….You not know how cook, clean!…How you take care of child, you thought that ever?!" Rosina snapped back.

"I AM an adult! I'm nineteen years old and I can make a decision like this!...I know how to clean and I know how to cook some….and no one said anything about any babies!"

"That's a part of what marriage is….Rosa, please listen to Mother…." Bert spoke up.

"I will not!" she replied boldly, cutting her sister Bert off. "Not when YOU did whatever you wanted!...Mother doesn't even like Paul and you still married him!"

"I love Paul….and Mother has come around a little bit…" Bert smiled that little Mona Lisa smile at her mother….She and her mother had gotten to talk about things at her visit home and Rosina really saw how good of a guy Paul is to her daughter. "I was also in my 20's as Mother and Daddy wanted!" Bert was quite bold with her younger sister.

"You were an old maid! I don't want to be almost 30 before I'm married!"

Bert rolled her eyes and shook her head and stared at her little sister. She knew the truth. Bert had been in her early 20s…and yes she and Paul were in love but they had rushed a little though they didn't plan to….but it all turned out alright. Bert knew it doesn't always turn out for good that way and worried for her little sister and didn't want her taking such a risk. What she and Paul had was something special and rare. Such is hard to find or hard to create and keep. Marriage is hard work.

Now…all sorts of memories of their wedding day,….the good, the bad, the ugly…flooded her mind. Bert sighed a little and became quiet as she remembered her parents did not attend the beautiful day. From her family it was just her Aunt Kate who came….and from Paul's family, just Paul's mother. Bert smiled at the thought of her Aunt Kate and of her mother-in-law who was there for them from the start. Bert did not admit it to herself still, but it hurt her still to know that a good part of her family was not there to attend. All because of religion. Bert was Catholic, and Paul was Methodist. What did it matter?! It didn't matter to them…..but apparently it mattered to the church and her family.

She remembered how Rosa was her bridesmaid, she had been so happy for that. Bert snapped back into attention as her sister raised her voice again. Bert was silent and wished their fighting could be over with.

" I don't see the problem." Rosa huffed. "I LOVE ADRIEL…..I'm over 18…Adriel loves me too! We're not just two kids in puppy love!"

"Up to room, now!" Rosina snapped at her daughter in her broken English. "Schnell! …..John Henry!" the short little lady bellowed for her husband and went into the other room. "Du musst mit diesem Mädchen reden!" In English she said, "You need to talk to this girl!"

Rosa saw her mother leave and stared at her older sister Bert. Bert had her mother's same bold look on her pretty face, yet tears hung in her brown eyes for her little sister. She was worried for her and was afraid of her making the mistake of rushing into it. She feared her little sister would end up hurt.

"You all are treating me like a little baby!" she yelled in tears. She hadn't even noticed that Adriel had seen himself out. He was trying to be mature about the situation and agreed with her parents about waiting. Rosa ran upstairs into her bedroom, locking the door behind her….leaving her sister Bert and younger brother John by themselves in the front room. John Jr. had started for the stairway until Bert stopped him.

"Don't, Johnnie….she's not in the mood to joke…"

"But she…." Johnnie stammered. His tone had softened and he just wanted to help his older sister. He drove Rosa crazy most of the time but he still loved her and saw how she was hurting and he felt sorry for her.

"I'll go talk to her…..Whether she wants to talk to me or not!…" Bert said boldly however, she let out a sigh and made her way up the stairs. John Jr. sat quietly in the front room by himself, hearing his parents' discussion in the next room. He thought he heard "December." And his ear turned toward the door.….."They wouldn't just let her have her own way,…would they?!" He thought.

"Rosa…." Bert said quietly and knocked softly on her sister's bedroom door. It used to be her's before she was married to Paul and still lived at home. "So she took over my bedroom…." Bert thought, and couldn't help but chuckle. She managed to pick the lock on her old bedroom door, and saw her sister crying on the bed with a heap of blankets around her on that cold December night.

"Honey…..I'm sorry….Rosa." Bert whispered and sat down on the bed by her sister, who was crying under the heap of itchy, yet warm wool blankets. Rosa sat up with the blankets around her and sat next to her sister.

"Where's Adriel?" Rosa asked miserably and Bert saw pathetic tears drown her sister's beautiful face. Bert brushed back dark tendrils of her sister's hair, as dark and black as her own. She saw her little sister's lovely, soft brown eyes. They had a certain bright loveliness, a certain innocence to them that couldn't be described. Bert always thought her sister Rosa was the more pretty Walbrun girl! Sure, Bert had been a flirt and a tease who had all the young men after her…..but she thought her younger sister was even more beautiful than she, and the boys didn't deserve her.

"He went home, honey….He thinks Mother and Daddy are right with waiting with this. At least I think so….he was quiet about it and saw himself out….."

"He doesn't want me!" she cried and couldn't stop the tears from falling. "if he really did, he'd be here! And he'd marry me now…"

"Honey,…he still wants to marry you. I'm sure he does. He'd be stupid not to see what an amazing girl you are!"" Bert whispered, trying to wipe her little sister's tears away. Bert's heart broke to see her like this. She wished she could fix it for her. Bert sighed and spoke softly to her sister. "…you need to be patient and wait, honey…."

"I….I…I feel so ready for marriage!" Rosa could hardly breathe between crying and trying to talk. " I want to be his wife! I love him so!"

"I know, honey….Rosa, I know…." Bert hugged her little sister. "I know you love him….but you need to be ready for this and you can't rush into this…"

"But I feel ready!,….You and Paul are so very happy and in love! I want what you have!" Rosa cried and felt the tears come again.

"Rosa...it takes time….and…..You don't know what all we've been through, sweetie…." Bert told her with the tears coming. "I want to protect you from that hurt…but it could happen to you too…..have you thought of that?"

"You couldn't help losing Paul Jr…." Rosa looked at her older sister.

Bert shut her brown eyes and tried to keep the tears away, holding in her pain and anguish, guilt, and embarrassment about her experiences with pregnancy. She was silent for a long time with her eyes shut and her head held high. Till she brought out a hanky to dry her tears and softly whispered as she told her little sister the truth. "Paul and I…have lost 6 babies…..honey." Bert told her, getting more choked up as she spoke. "Mother and Daddy don't even know that!" She finally broke. "….we only told them about a couple of the first ones….and…you all know about Paul Jr." Bert brought her handkerchief to her face and let out a sad sigh while feeling her little sister hug her. Rosa held her older sister as she felt Bert crying and Bert began to sob a little more. "...I'm sorry…..I'm sorry!...It's just so hard!….." she managed to whisper and sobbed again. Bert hugged her little sister. Rosa could hardly understand her sister through her tears. Bert buried her face in her sister's shoulder and tried to talk, but her speech was laden heavy with tears. "I don't want that to happen to you, honey!…..I hope you have no problems like I have!...Please, make sure you're ready and can handle it….if it does…...What am I even saying?!" Bert sniffled and took deep breaths and tried to dry her face but the tears kept on coming. "That's the worst pain I think I've ever gone through in my whole life!…..The worst pain a woman could go through!…Rosa, I'm begging you….please wait and don't rush. Whether you feel absolutely ready or not! Please…..Married life isn't just happiness and romance and sex. There's arguments to work through, there's hard times you as a couple might go through…..please….wait. Don't rush into what you want to last forever…."

"Okay, Bert….." Rosa whispered. Her sister had opened her eyes a little about married life and the things that come with it. She wasn't the happiest about it, but she decided to do what her parents asked and decided to marry Adriel the next year in December of 1939.

"Do you think you and Paul will have a baby….someday?"

Bert was silent for what seemed like ages. She was numb of feeling and at last, managed to whisper, "I don't know, honey…" The pain was present in her soft, low, womanly voice. "…by some miracle I might be still able to….but I….I don't know. Part of me pictures it and then…I don't know. I'm very tired with every pregnancy ending the same way….I just feel…done."

"But…but…You can't just give up!…." Rosa said softly and brought her arms around her older sister again. "I think it'll happen….I pray so much for you and Paul. I really do!"

"Thank you, sweetie…." Bert said while drying her tears and had to blow her nose. She blew and wiped her little button nose and put her hand to her head. Her head hurt from crying so much….she was sure Rosa's did too. Worse than hers she thought, all the crying Rosa had done. "It's only going to be harder for me to have children as I grow older….I don't know how much more I can take and I can't put Paul through this any longer….He's been so good with me…." Silence settled in till she spoke again.…"I know one thing…" Bert sighed and patted her sister's back while she hugged her sister again. "Even if I don't have my own…..I'll be a wonderful auntie to your kids….and Eddie's…..and Johnnie's too when he finds a girl!" Bert chuckled and so did Rosa. "That's the truth!" Bert smiled at her sister and hugged her again. "Paul and I will spoil them rotten, no doubt!"

"I pray you will have a baby though…..just try once more, Bert!"

"I'm not going to get my hopes up, sweetie." Bert sighed softly and patted her sister's knee. "I think I'll be alright either way though. "

Rosa really felt for her older sister and thought of something that would brighten both of their spirits! "Lets go see little Dale on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day! He's grown like a weed since you last saw him, Bert! We could play in the snow with him and make snow angels….and…"

"And a big igloo like Daddy and Eddie and I used to build!" Bert laughed a little. "Our yard was always a big hit with the neighborhood kids!"

"Oh Bert, its going to be so fun!" Rosa's lovely chocolate brown eyes shown bright and her cheeks were pink.

However silence soon settled in again and the two young women sat there on the bed.

"Do you….regret marrying Paul?" Her sister asked and looked at Bert.

"No honey…." Bert felt tears wet her soft cheeks again and she shook her head. "No…" she managed to smile and took a deep breath. "I absolutely adore him. I respect him….I love him….and while it's not the most important thing in a marriage, I'm absolutely attracted to him…..and he to me." Her lips formed a smile, thinking about her husband, her lover. She realized how much she missed him then in that moment. She craved him. Her body craved his so much, it almost hurt.

"About that…." Rosa softly spoke up and she was slightly nervous about what she wanted to talk to her sister about. Something the Walbrun family were very open about.

"About what?..." Bert asked her tenderly and hugged her sister. "Honey, you know you can ask me anything…."

"Well, you know….you've done it!...Adriel and I…talked about it." Rosa muttered, putting her head down as she felt slightly ashamed. " We said we both imagined "it" with each other…."

"Honey, I think that's normal,…" Bert patted her little sister's knee and chuckled a little. "Wait…..and when it's the right time, go slow, talk it through together…I'm surprised you're asking me!" Bert's brown eyes lit up and she shook her head with a chuckle. "I thought you spoke to Mother about this?" she enquired.

"Mother rambled on and on in German and then mentioned about her and Daddy getting married and coming to America on their honeymoon and liking it so much they stayed! She got off topic most of the time! Or told me it wasn't time to talk about sex and stuff...But look at you! With Ted Bowman and Paul too!"

Bert nodded. "You may not believe me….but wait."

"But you did it and you and Paul are happy and so in love!"

Bert smiled a little. " I got to teach and show Paul a lot of things….so it worked out alright. But he saved himself for me….just before we married of course….but he planned it that way. That the woman that he would be intimate with was the woman he would marry…. I was still his only lover...it was still beautiful to me. I sometimes wish I would have done the same. Honey, that's a beautiful gift to give…..trust me on this one and don't follow your big sister." She said softly and lay a hand over her sister's. "I want to see you so happy and so in love….with no regrets…You can give to him and love Adriel freely….someday…..on your wedding night…..Isn't that a beautiful thought?"

Rosa smiled softly and nodded at her older sister. She decided to trust her. "…..I'm sorry I yelled at you, Bert!" Rosa wrapped her up in a hug after awhile, and as she usually did, Rosa was overcome and cried some. She was more touched and emotional with things than Bert was sometimes. Bert was tougher and only really cried when she really felt about something deeply. "I'm sorry! I'm an awful little sister!...Most awful there ever was!"

"No you're not…" Bert sniffled. "It's ok kiddo….Its ok. We're good. We always have been, little sister!...Don't worry, it's a clean slate!" Bert smiled, tears coming to her brown eyes. "God made you my little sister…..One knows the world couldn't handle us as twins!" Bert laughed and Rosa did too still hugging her older sister.

"It's bad enough people mistake us for twins!" Rosa laughed.


The young women went over to Eddie and Helen and little Dale's new home on Peru Road on Christmas Eve and opened a few presents with them. Everyone pretty much received clothing. Even so, they were thankful. Eddie had carved something for them to use for next Christmas. He was so proud of it and hoped Helen would like it and be proud of it as he was. He was excited watching her open it.

"A manger scene…Oh how lovely! Eddie, dear….how did you?" Helen glanced at him and Eddie grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. He was so confident and proud of the gift he made. It was Christmas enough for them. The little manger scene was pretty and simple with its carving to make it look like stone walls and a wooden roof. Eddie had carved the manger and Mary and Joseph and Jesus and he had hand painted each figure.

"How did I do?...do you like it, Babe? "

"Eddie it's wonderful!…..I'd say you're a master carpenter."

Eddie softly grinned at her but shrugged. "I'd say the Almighty is…." And glanced up and smiled. "I don't know….I got inspired. Christmastime and all."

"It will be beautiful for next Christmas."

Eddie nodded. "I'll carve some animals next. Donkey and sheep….and shepherds and wise men. I just didn't have quite enough time."

Bert smiled at her younger brother. "You do very nice work, Eddie. Quite a lovely, rustic manger scene. I'd love one next!" Bert giggled and turned to her little nephew. "Aunt Bert has one last little gift for you, little Dale. Well I shouldn't say one!" Bert laughed at herself. "One large one and one small…."

"Oh Bert, now don't spoil him!" Eddie laughed.

"I'm his Auntie, I have a right to!" Bert laughed, "In fact,…Not every adorable little man has an Aunt Bert! Do they?!" She smiled at him. She was so proud that little boy was her nephew!... Bert sat him down on her lap with her and gave him the smaller gift. She helped her little sweet 3 year old nephew open the Christmas present. It was the 1930s children's book, "The Night Before Christmas."

"Aunt Bert will come home and read it to you every Christmas!" Bert smiled and cuddled the chubby, honey-blond haired boy, with kisses on his chubby cheeks and another loving squeeze! Little Dale smiled with his charming brown eyes and looked up at her as if to ask her to read to him right away!

"Well now, you have to see what my other present for you is!…..And then we can have hot chocolate and I will read you your new book tonight!" Bert turned to her younger brother and grinned. "Eddie…you'll have to bring it in for me it's so heavy….."

Eddie smiled and nodded and soon returned with the larger present. A 1930s child's wooden snow sled. Bert was absolutely spoiling her little nephew and was loving every single moment of it. She bundled him up later, playing in the snow with him and rode with him each time on the sled down the little snowy white embankment through the woody trees by the little brick home. She always stopped just at the wooden gate, facing the little gravel road. It was great fun for little Dale and his laugh was like pretty music to her ears. Bert enjoyed making her little nephew happy and seeing him have so much fun. She obeyed each joyful, excited squeal of "Again!" until they both were tired and cold and their faces were iced and rosy. They warmed up inside with blankets and yummy hot chocolate and she read him his book till he was so tired he fell asleep on his Aunt Bert's lap, snuggled against her close. Her heart swelled and she ran her fingers through his sandy blond hair and looked at that precious angel face with those long eyelashes, cute button nose and pouty lips. For once the thought of what she wanted so deeply, hardly crossed her mind. She was proud to be "Aunt Bert"…That was good enough even if no child would ever call her "Mommy." She sighed as her sister in law, Helen scooped the little guy up to lay him down for the night and soon the adults stayed up late feasting on more hot chocolate and coffee and Christmas cookies. Talking and trying to hush their laughter.

"Bert,…I forgot to give you one of my presents." Rosa told her sister and gave her a tiny wrapped box.

"What did you get me?" Bert slyly grinned. "Earrings?" she said as she opened up the little box and glanced in. "Why you little trickster! The box is empty…..Now where is my present?!...Don't do this to me, Rosa!" Bert laughed and got so tickled. "I'm thinking pearl earrings, now where are they?!"

"You have one little wish…" Rosa smiled at her older sister.

"I wish for earrings!" Bert laughed.

"I'm serious Bert!" Rosa smiled. "One little wish and I bet we all know what it is!...Let God work His Christmas magic!"

"Ok…ok….I'll make your dingy wish…." Bert giggled.

"Yours!" Rosa stared at her and crossed her arms. " And it's not dingy!"

"Ok…ok….but I won't tell…..besides, I could wish for something completely different and you wouldn't even know!"

"I hope you get what you wish for whatever that may be." Helen genuinely smiled at her sister-in-law.

Bert returned the smile with her own, closed her brown eyes, and made her wish before she closed the box back up….The wish was wished half heartedly, and Rosa could tell.

"I hope you get double or triple what you wish for just for being a frump and thinking this is dingy!" She told her sister and Bert just laughed it off.

"God knows what will happen anyway so why should I wish?!" Bert laughed.

"Well Bah Humbug to you, Mrs. Scrooge!" Rosa said. Everyone could hear the sass in her voice. Most everyone laughed except for Rosa.

"Oh, make like coffee and simmer down, kiddo." Eddie chuckled. "You can sure tell you two are sisters. And I was always stuck in the middle between you two. Do I need to go tell Mother and end your fighting like I used to when we were children?"

"Oh hush up, Eddie!" Rosa laughed and threw a pillow at her older brother. To which he laughed and his face turned red and he started coughing, he was laughing so much.

Christmas came and gone and it was time for Gilbertha to head back to Colorado. She was met at her little car with hugs and kisses plenty. She was standing there, warm and cozy in the December snow in her pretty fur coat.

"Rosa…" she smiled, hugging her little sister and kissed her cheek. "I will talk to Paul when I get in…but sure enough, I KNOW I will be back this time next year for your wedding! I wouldn't miss it! You know that…." Soon she felt a little pair of hands and a hug around her legs. Little Dale looked up at his Aunt Bert like she was some fancy, rich lady…..She grinned and chuckled at her adorable nephew! She picked him up and he hugged her and wouldn't let her go.

" I don't want to say goodbye either! " Bert smiled yet she wiped away tears and hugged and kissed her little nephew and her forehead pressed against his a moment. " I'll come back every year! You stick with your good old Aunt Bert and you'll have fun!" She let out her adorable giggle. "….Oh, I wish you could come with me for two weeks! You, me and your uncle Paul would have so much fun on the ranch!"

Little Dale hugged his Aunt Bert and he turned his cute little face to look at his dad as he spoke. "We'll just have to make a trip out there, Birdie…..Or you and Paul could just move back here, ya know!" He laughed. Bert passed her little nephew off to his mother and gave a little hug to her.

"Don't get your hopes up." Bert chuckled at her brother. "We've got the ranch….we both love it. It's home to me now…..Well, we'll just have to make a trip out here too!" Bert grinned and hugged her little brother Eddie. "Goodbye for now, little Brother. " Bert sighed and smiled, hugging her brother and gave him a pat on the back. "I'll see you all this time next year for sure!" She got in and started her little Ford car. Her family wished her well and sent her off to her little home on the cattle ranch in First View, Colorado.


Bert drove all those miles in the cold and snow alone. She was cool and calm but beneath her bold and confident exterior, she began to worry a little about making it home alright. She was nearly out of gasoline and her automobile started making funny noises. Thankfully, she finally pulled into the little gravel driveway next to Paul's Nash-LaFayette car and Bert's little orange 1930s Ford just totally gave out! She opened the hood and took a glance and sighed. She would have Paul help her look at it later. She went inside her little ranch house and breathed a sigh of relief. She was home and made it in one piece. Bert had driven herself to a whole other State and back home and she was proud of herself. Bert hung up her pretty fur coat and purse on the wooden coat rack in the cozy living room and kicked off her pretty heels, setting down her luggage and then tiptoed into the little kitchen. There was Paul at the double sink, washing dishes and Bert tried her best to stifle a giggle!

"Taking over my job are you, young man?" Bert grinned and wrapped her arms around her husband, from behind him. "Pretty soon you'll be wearing my apron…." Bert chuckled and her slender fingers smoothed the cozy fabric of his sweater he was wearing. She saw his smile and she realized how much she had missed him, how much she missed his presence. She craved his touch and his kisses. Her own body craved his so much she couldn't stand it. Bert didn't even hear him tease her about their three year age difference by calling her "some cute old lady" when she stared at his gorgeous full lips, trying her hardest not to kiss them but she finally gave in. She kissed him softly and gently till her mouth and tongue mingled with his. Paul's brow furrowed and his body froze as they leaned up against the kitchen counter a few minutes and just kept on kissing. His arms just began to caress her and he pulled her warm body closer, when she broke their series of kisses, almost out of breath.

Paul stood there, unable to open his hazel eyes for a few seconds. "What a honey cooler!...My God, I missed that…." She heard his voice go hoarse. "I missed you…." He mumbled and went in for another, grabbing the back of her neck and his hands ran down her back and drifted lower till he grabbed at her ample tush, wishing her skirt and under clothing wasn't in the way. He took a deep breath and let it out, wanting to be a gentleman,…although he was her husband.

"How was your Christmas?" He whispered and his hand held hers as she led him into their little living room and sat down on their 1930s velvet couch. She surprised him as she kissed him again. "It was fine….but I missed you…"

"Tell me all about it….every little thing…." Paul whispered and pulled her body gently into his so that he breathed in the lovely smell in her black hair and of the perfume on her neck. The soft notes of rose, jasmine and Lily of the valley….the woody notes of sandalwood, vanilla and amber…..it was all so intoxicating, to him. He took a deep breath, eyes shut till he glanced at her and grinned. He put his focus back onto her and what she was telling him.

"By this time next year…we'll have a wedding to attend." Bert grinned at her husband. "You were right….Adriel and Rosa got engaged before Christmas."

"See, I knew it." Paul smiled. "Good for them!...How are your parents taking the news?"

"They're finally okay with it….With our marriage too."

"Well…that's….nice…" Paul said quietly.

"You think they're not too young?" She asked him.

Paul stretched and put his arm around her and there was a gleam in his eyes. "Better to marry than to burn with passion…." His eyebrows flickered and he gave her that little smirk.

"Is it now?…." Bert grinned at him and, grabbing his face with both hands, she softly went in for a kiss.

Paul sighed a huge sigh after awhile, trying hard not to get physically excited just yet.. They hadn't made love in quite a long time, and he had really missed her with her being gone over Christmas. "How did Dale like his little gifts we bought him?" Paul grinned that little boyish grin where his eyes just seemed to light up.

"Little Dale loved his book and his sled and all the other little toys we bought him…." Bert smiled at her husband. She and Paul were happy to spoil their little nephew.

"Good…" Paul's kind hazel eyes smiled back at her and his warm lips found the softness of hers. "And?" he mumbled in the midst of a kiss and couldn't help but smile.

"Rosa and I went shopping and I bought something very nice…." Bert whispered and gently pressed her hand against his chest letting him lay back against the little couch. "I'll set my hair tonight…." She mumbled in between a kiss, "So my hair will be pretty and curled tomorrow….and I can wear my new robe all day long for you…."

"You look absolutely fine…..Gorgeous right now." He breathed as he felt her hair fall all around him and he felt her kiss again.

"You're just saying that…." She whispered and soon she found herself snuggling close with him, laying down on the couch.

"I don't think so…." He smirked and his mouth found hers again.

"Mother thinks I'm getting fat….." Bert whispered and laced her fingers with his and softly ran a finger up and down his strong arm. Then her hand. She missed just getting to touch and feel him.

"You have curves." He told her. "You look so great…..ignore her." Paul whispered and kissed her, his lips pulling at her bottom lip after the kiss.….He knew she wasn't as lanky as she was when they had met….but he had to admit, he thought she looked better now than back then. "More to grab onto….that's a good thing." Paul let out a hoarse whisper and sighed and gazed at her face. "My God, you're driving me crazy…." He grinned and rubbed his scruffy cheek against her lovely smooth face. "Don't ever go away like that again….I can't stand it…" He sighed a little and chuckled but kissed her. "What?" He whispered and looked at her. Paul went silent and studied her face.

"She asked me if I was pregnant again….."

Paul pressed his head against hers and she felt his loving hand stroking her shoulder….and then her arm. He let his hand glide down her side and Paul Bardrick then pulled her into a soft embrace. He felt her tears that fell and neither whispered a word. Yet, they both understood the other. They both remained quiet awhile while Paul's fingers played with hers a little while. His hand gingerly caressed her face and his mouth found hers again. Breaking the kiss, Paul blinked back tears. "Please, don't cry…..I'm here…..Its alright, I'm here." He breathed and stroked her blacker than midnight hair away from her pretty brown eyes and he wiped away tears on that lovely face of hers with the brush of his thumb.

"I…blame myself…" he cried moments later and bit his lip, hunched forward on the couch with his head in his hands.

"Don't…." Bert let the tears flow and buried her head in his neck and kissed him. They cried together. "I feel like giving up…." She admitted and couldn't stop the tears. "Then,...I feel either way….I'll be fine. If we have a baby, then wonderful!" The tears streamed her face yet it broke out into a smile. "If we don't….I'll still be happy….I have you…." Bert buried her face in his chest and hung onto him.

He titled her jaw up softly so he could look into her eyes again. "You've been to the doctor so many times. They say you're healthy….I don't think it's you…..there has to be something wrong with me…"

"Paul…." She whispered, with tears streaming down her cheeks. "It could be me just as much…if not the sole reason. You know it takes awhile for us to conceive and every time we finally do, I lose the baby….." Bert started to sob, and turned her face away from her husband. He brought her back to him and wrapped his strong arms around her.

"Let me go and see what's wrong with me….."

"Nothing is wro-" she began to say but his mouth met hers again. The kiss made her forget what she was saying and so silence settled in a few moments. "I'm sorry I wasn't here with you on Christmas….what kind of a wife am I?" she whispered, kissing him and sighed.

"You needed time with your family….I hope it went better than you thought it would…."

"It was okay….I missed you the whole time….Judging by my welcome home kiss…." She whispered and straddled his thigh, one of her knees on either side it, her arms draped over his thick shoulders.

"I craved you too…" he mumbled and again came the warm, wet sensation of the French kiss. She started unbuttoning her blouse but his mouth found hers in another kiss. "Wait…..a minute…." He mumbled, kissing her once more.

"I don't care if the ranch hands walk in or not…." Bert whispered boldly. She tilted his head up with her dainty hand on his jawline and her hair fell around them both.

"They won't…." Paul grinned "I sent them home early and gave them the day off tomorrow" He kissed those beautiful lips and pulled her closer. She straddled his lap, kissing him. A hand ran through his light brown hair and Bert fumbled with his tie, trying to loosen it and tried unbuttoning the little buttons on his white dress shirt. "Right here…." She mumbled before her slightly open mouth found his again. "Don't tease me….get me all revved up for nothing, Handsome….Besides, I'm the one who loves teasing!" She confidently smirked and slowly unbuttoned more of her blouse with one hand. He went in for a neck kiss, sending her a tingle.

"My, she can sure tease a fellow…." He mumbled, raising his eyebrows with a smile as he gazed at her. That was what was always said about Bert during her single years.

"You know,…there's something I've always wanted to do with you….my wife…." He whispered. His much deeper voice was smooth like expensive silk and his mouth found hers again and letting out a breath, Paul kissed her again. "I'm still in the experimentation stage with love making…..Sweet, let me enjoy you….I want to give to you…."

"Oh, I'm not complaining!" she smiled at him. Her breath became deeper as he kissed her neck. "Do it right here…I'm all yours, Honey…." Her eyes were shut and she breathed, running her fingers through his hair. She felt so aroused already, she knew sooner or later she might begin to feel a dull ache she sometimes felt.

"I've always wanted to kiss you….your lips, kiss and suck your neck…spend a little time here…." He teased, touching her clothed body on her chest and then down her waist. "All the way down…."

Bert batted her dark eyelashes and heaved a breath as he kissed her lips. She came up for air and gasped. "Is this wihout clothing?" She exhaled and her voice softened with a low giggle and she sighed, clinging to her man. What he had described sounded amazing to her…. She thought of other things he could do with her.

" Its always been a dream of mine with my wife….You. " He smiled at her. "…I was thinking….little by little, I'd undress you….kiss you…" His rough voice breathed, and kissed her lips and neck and gave a small lick on her neck.

Bert felt heat and moisture and that constant tingle. That yearning and longing for him. "Oh God…" she breathed and her chest heaved a little. "I don't care what you do….let's just move this to our bed…."

"Let's not worry anymore….let's just enjoy each other again…." Paul whispered.

"Whatever will be, will be…." She heaved a breath and her whole body felt hot. She felt him unbuttoning her floral blouse all the way and felt his lips and tongue on her skin. He brushed off her blouse and she felt her brassiere unhook behind her back and soon after she felt his soft, loving touch. She felt his warm hands, made rough from his work on the cattle ranch, caress her flesh. "Oh Paul…" She drawled out and kissed him. Her bare stomach heaved slightly with her breathing. She flipped her hair away and Paul saw it cascade down her back and he grinned and couldn't stop gazing at her. "You're beautiful…My wife is gorgeous…." He let out a breath. He thought just seeing her was enough to turn him on a little.

"Oh, shut up and just kiss me….." She breathed. Paul remembered she had said that before their first kiss years ago and he couldn't help but smile at her. Though, her mouth found his this time. He ended up later unzipping her skirt and removed her 1930s black lace underthings. Bert found herself moan out a little as she felt his warm mouth and tongue on her dampening, needy place. "Mmmmm….Oh,….oh Paul…" She breathed out and her brown eyes found his hazel ones for a moment. She saw a sparkle in them and he placed his head back down when she began to run her hand and gentle fingers through his hair and Bert held on a moment. She throbbed for him. She heaved and sighed in her breathing and her hand drifted down his head to his strong shoulder. She held onto him. "Honey….let's go to our bedroom….I want it so bad I'm aching…." She breathed. Paul straightened up and his warm, moist kisses traveled back up to her face and he kissed her luscious lips.

"I know…" Paul grinned and teased her with his lips and tongue like she taught him their first time being intimate. He had become so confident with pleasing her now in their years of being married. He got so excited seeing and feeling her become so aroused by him and his technique. "At the rate you're going, I'm going to explode…." Gilbertha panted breathlessly for a moment as he stopped for a second and her hand hung on again to his straight, light brown hair.

Paul's hazel eyes gleamed up at her and he continued. He kissed "her" and licked and sucked and brought his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Shivers and goosebumps appeared when he caressed and kissed her inner thighs. His arm hooked under and over one of her beautiful, soft thighs and he sunk his face in deeper. Paul heard her panting become deeper and she let out a sharp moan of pleasure, then he stopped for a moment. He made a trail of kisses back up to her face. Being such a gentleman that he was, Paul sensually kissed the flesh of her hand, up her arm to the soft skin of her shoulder, her chest, he just couldn't stay away from.….. He eventually kissed up the front of her neck, each ear and cheek, and lastly her lips and he pulled away for a second and gazed at her. Then he kissed her neck again. He knew that drove her crazy!

"I guess I taught you well… Enough fooling around…." She panted, breathing out a laugh and her head whipped around and met his and her hand caressed his face as they deeply kissed again. "Bedroom…." She whispered. "Then I can make you feel good and be fair."

"Not about being fair….I love just giving you pleasure. Besides, you need to finish…." Paul whispered, grinning. He stood up, his lips smacking with hers as they kissed again. She soon raced toward their bedroom door, stopping just at the threshold and glanced back at him with that confident, sly Walbrun grin of hers. Her fingers in her black hair and her elbow on the door post. Paul drank in the sight of her, fully unclothed and using the door post to hide half of her body. She looked at him.

"Sex is giving….you've never known me not to please you too…." Bert smiled, shooting him a flirty look, an eyebrow raise and motioned with a jolt of her head to follow her. Bert wasn't worried about getting pregnant or not getting pregnant now. Whatever was going to happen would. She just ached for her husband and just wanted to enjoy this time. She decided that's the attitude she was going to have from that moment on.

"What a Fox!….Yeah, you're minxy, Baby. " Paul grinned and stretched his arms out as he now sat on the little couch. His legs were spread as a man usually sits and he brought his ankle back up and rested it on his right knee. That handsome face smiled back at her. "You look snazzy yourself in that sweater….." Bert told him, still standing in the doorway, sensually though, to excite him. He was wearing a snazzy blue pullover sweater with a dark orange tie slightly peeking out the front, a clean white dress shirt and navy blue slacks and socks to match. He looked handsome as always, she thought….. Her naked form walked back over to him. Her mouth found his, almost animalisticly. "I'd like it better if those clothes were off though. You gonna sit there all night on your keister, being such a blabbermouth? Or are you coming to bed with me?" Bert grinned at him and grabbed his arm. She kissed him hard and deep, and ran her hand down to his waist to take his dark blue sweater off and Paul was soon fumbling with his tie. It was the same solid color dark orange tie he had worn on their wedding day, 7 to 8 years before. In fact, dark orange and deep blue had been their wedding colors. Their bridesmaid had worn a lovely gown of Wallis blue velvet and Bert had carried a bouquet of bronze Chrysanthemums.

"Damn little thing…" He muttered about the tie. Paul had wanted to look good for her upon her coming home. She loved that type of outfit of his. Gilbertha finally helped him undo the tie and she unbuttoned his dress shirt. Her open mouth found his in another deep kiss and her fingers undid his pants. "You're driving me crazy on purpose….." She whispered, her breathing, crazy. Her body, tingling. Her naked body pressed up close against him, standing there. Her palms flat against his chest and torso….. He grabbed at her whole back and pulled her into him with a hot kiss. The next thing Paul knew, Bert had wrapped those gorgeous long legs around his waist and he managed to stumble into their bedroom, holding her up by her rump. Something he always really enjoyed. At last, they found their bed and Paul felt his wife's hand sliding down his 1930s boxers. She found him partially erect and just a few touches of hers made him ready.

"How should we….." He whispered, trying to take his tight fitting underwear off… but then her mouth engulfed his in an open-mouthed, ravenous kiss. He smiled and ran his fingers through her dark hair. Her palm, running along his hand he had placed on her face. "I love it when you're on top and your lovely hair falls all around us….God, you're beautiful…Bert…" He whispered with a hot breath. "Gilbertha Theresa,…I love you." He mumbled, and breathed as he felt her nibbling his ear and teasing him with her lovely red lips. Most of her lipstick had rubbed off with kissing though.

She climbed onto him and kissed him hard again. "You don't feel dominated?..."

He grabbed her whole back and pulled her into him in a kiss again. He knew she loved that move. She turned her head a second and caught their reflection in the full length mirror, she confidently grinned and gazed down at him, after seeing her body melting into his.

"I'm not tied to your apron strings…" He whispered, looking up at her, with grinning hazel eyes. Paul was very secure in his masculinity. Then again, Paul was more concerned with her satisfaction than his own. "…..Besides, you love it….it's one of your favorites…."

She flashed him a smile and his mouth found hers once again. She soon took in all of him, feeling his fullness within the slickened, wet heat of herself. She heard him as he grunted while she moved with him, their familiar rhythmic movements and noises. Their own dance set to their own music, so to speak.

Bert loved how he grabbed her but then just as softly, he always lovingly touched every inch of her lovely body. As manly and strong as he was, he was gentle and soft too. He brought her to orgasm just as he intended. Calmness settled in as she finished and her lips hungered for his. She kissed him, and she lay there beside him, letting them rest and recover awhile. Her fingers ran through the hair on his chest and her lips teased his softly.

"Oh….Paul Ivor…I love you…" Her low, sultry voice whispered. Bert ran her fingers through his hair and down his face and neck and kissed him while her hands explored his chest and the rest of his body. It had seemed so long since they had been together the last time. She craved him, just as much as he craved her, she figured….if not more. His rugged, Young Marlon Brando type physique got her going again. "You haven't been fair, Dear….Let me return the favor. Let me make you feel amazing…." She whispered, kissing him and she fondled that rigid part of him just how he usually liked but he smirked and gently grabbed her hand, preventing her from doing anything more. His thumb stroked the back of her hand and he brought it up to his mouth to kiss it. "Slow down, Sweet…." Paul grinned at her and kissed her neck. "I haven't done round 2 for you…." He whispered and his mouth encased hers in loving passion. "…just like in the living room….but…I forgot to pay attention to some beautiful curves and lines….."

"Paul…." She let out a sigh as she kissed him and felt his hands, lips and tongue glide down her naked body once again. He paid special attention to an imperfection on her stomach. Her abdominal scar. It had been nearly 4 years since her late term miscarriage of their son…Something inwardly had burst and she had bled out too much. Doctors had started to perform a hysterectomy when they found she had two wombs. They removed the smaller one that gave her the most problems, and left the normal sized one in, complete with the rest of her functional reproductive organs. The surgery had saved her life. Paul was forever grateful.

Paul kissed her there and ran his tongue along the little crevice, and along the tiny holes and markings where the stiches had entered and exited her body. He loved her the same as he did before, if not more.….Blemishes and flaws and all. Bert wriggled with the sensation of his warm mouth in that place and she seductively panted and sighed, her back arched. She extended her long, lovely neck and saw him in action. " How can you think any part of that is sexy?!" She panted and lay her head back down against the bed, as he moved lower on her body. Paul grabbed those love handles of hers and locked eyes with her a moment. "That scar is a reminder that your life was spared….How could I not love every single part of you?" His rough voice breathed out and his chest rose and fell with his breathing. "Your curves, tiny imperfections, your scar, your freckles….it's all you…and I love you. Your flaws, even your past doesn't matter anymore…You're mine."

"Paul….You're such a wonderful man!" Bert gulped and began to roughly cry. A fist covered her mouth and she began to wipe away hot tears that streaked her face.

"Sweet…..What's the matter, baby?" His strong arms brought her warm body up to him and he laid his head against her heaving bosom. He kissed her, while she just cried a river of tears. His warm mouth caressed hers and he whispered, "Bert….Don't cry…..Talk to me…."

"I'm such a sap!...It's so beautiful…You don't judge me for what I've done….." She cried and her face pressed against his. He hugged and kissed her, trying to help her calm down. But she just cried.

"You don't judge me…." He whispered, softly gazing at her.

"You're such a saint!" She cried. "You are, Paul Ivor Bardrick….I've put us through so much…."

"Sweet…our hard life isnt your fault...And, Baby...You still don't judge me,…and I don't judge you…." He told her, and Paul kissed her once again, his hands caressing and smoothing up and down her arms and shoulders, and lastly her back.

"I know, that's what so beautiful!…" she panted through tears, looking at him, straight into his beautiful hazel eyes. "I'm sorry I'm bawling!…..It's just so beautiful to me!….If I hadn't fallen in love with you before, I know I would have right this moment! Paul….I don't deserve you, you seem too good to be true sometimes!…"

"I'm here to stay, Honey….I'd be a fool to leave a gorgeous woman like you…."

"Paul…Oh, Paul….I hope our relationship,….our marriage, isn't based on sex….I'm sorry if I ever made you think that!…." Her mouth found his again. "I love you, I really do….Paul…." She whispered. Tears streamed her face still. "Oh, Paul Bardrick...I love you so much!" She cried out.

"I know it's still important to you….." He breathed, wiping her tears away with the soft brushing of his thumbs. "Sweet, you're way more than your sex appeal. I knew that from the start.…Remember when you and Ted Bowman and I went to that movie? I met you for the first time?"

"Yes…." She smiled and giggled a little. "I was dating Ted…..We invited Helen too but she swore she couldn't do it, it wouldn't seem right to her she said, her dating my brother Eddie at the time. "

"I assured her I knew my place. Always a gentleman." Paul smiled sweetly and nodded. "….Bert,...I thought you were the most gorgeous woman I ever met when I saw you that night…..but I knew there was so much more to you than that. Ted never saw that…..He and all those other men didn't treat you like the queen you are…..Gilbertha….Sex is a huge plus with you…." He whispered and ran his hand lovingly down her black hair. "Not the basis of our love….That never even crossed my mind…."

"I love you so much, Paul…..I'll always be yours from now on….. I promise." She whispered. Bert confessed moments later how she felt guilty about her past with other men….about enjoying turning heads….being physical before her marriage to Paul.

"I understand, baby….." He hoarsely whispered, wrapping her up in his arms. "You wanted love…..You wanted a man to love you, kiss you…" He breathed, kissing her face and neck and breast. "You craved your body to be loved, kissed, sucked, fondled…..You craved intimacy...You yearned for attention…..We all do…..Baby, it's alright….I'm here now." Paul kissed and embraced her again. "I'm here to stay." He whispered, holding her close.

"I'm so sorry…" she cried. Gilbertha smoothed his chest with the palm of her hand and kissed him. "I sometimes wish I would've stayed a virgin like you were our first time…."

"Honey, that was several years ago…." Paul softly gazed at her and inched his face closer. "I was so nervous I had no idea what to do first….I had no idea how a woman liked to be touched and loved….You showed me how without embarrassing me….I'm glad it worked out that way….Seriously."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better about myself…." Bert turned her head away from him and let some tears fall. He brought her face back to his again. "No…." He whispered comfortingly. "You've always been a bold, vibrant, and yes, experienced woman…..and I truly love that about you. It worked out fine….I wanted to know how to please a woman, my wife, the way she should be….and you taught me how…..I needed to learn that from you and I'm glad I did…" Paul kissed her deep and slow and gazed at her again. "I could never imagine being intimate with anyone but you…."

Gilbertha later pleased her husband as she boldly told him she would. With them, there was lust for each other but also an abundance of love. It seemed as though their bonded union would never produce children, and still, they loved each other. It didn't matter what would happen after this. From this point on, they had each other.

"Come closer…you're always so warm!" She whispered and her flesh snuggled up close to his. Her head on his shoulder, the flat of her hand found his chest and he smiled, amazed at her and gently kissed the top of her head. "…Oh, I don't know what it is with us Walbrun women and a masculine man with chest hair!" Bert smiled, saying "man" through gritted teeth with a bit of gusto.

"What, too much?" Paul grinned at her, smoothing his hand down his chest and torso.

"No, you're just perfect….I love it, remember?…." She kissed him and let out a breath. "I love you…." He gently kissed her and softly turned her on her side, her back to him and he cuddled and spooned her. One hand caressed her hand and fingers and the other cupped her breasts and travelled up and down her whole body with such softness. "I love cuddling with you the most I think…" he whispered, planting a kiss upon the soft skin of her shoulder.

Paul couldn't help but chuckle at her reactions to him. "Am I going to have to go out to the barn for some ice water and pour it on you?"

"You may have to!" She giggled and rolled over and was nose to nose with him. "Let's just fall asleep just like this….just like we used to….." Bert whispered, gazing lovingly at him.

"I love you….Sweet…." He whispered and drifted to sleep with her, close pressed against him. His eyes fluttered later as he awoke to her half sleeping beside him. He lay there wanting to touch her and a smile was plastered across his face and he lay there gazing at her. Soon her eyes opened and found his and her beautiful face lit up and she let out a long sigh and kissed him. "I'd say good morning but I don't know what time it is….." She whispered and her lips teased his. Paul turned his head to glance at the clock and saw it was after midnight and she brought his head back around and kissed him. "I don't care what time it is. " Her loving voice whispered and her eyes darted back and forth as she gazed at him and smiled. "You….didn't exactly get to finish last night…..that's not fair…"

"I'd much rather you enjoy it, Sweet…." His mouth found hers in soft passion.

"I've always wanted to make sure my man is satisfied too…." Bert whispered and gazed at him. "Do you want me on top again?"

"I like anything we do…." Paul kissed her. She indeed ended up on top of him again, lying flat on her back against his warm body. His hot breath tickled her ear as he whispered softly and kissed her. He tasted the salty sweat on her body and the aroma of her natural scent was now present as her perfume had faded. She turned her face to him to kiss him while he wrapped his manly, yet gentle arms around her body. "You let me know if it isn't good for you and we'll stop….."

"Paul…" she sighed out and her hand smoothed his arm as he kissed her.

"I want it to be lovely for you too…." He whispered as his lips travelled to her lips and neck. He spent some time just touching her body. His hand cupped her breast and his solid hands and fingers smoothed down the front of her body. He softly felt her and noticed the dampness between her legs, and his fingers brushed against her most intimate parts….Yet, he waited for her to say it was ok to go further. Soon, he softly pressed into her womanly sweetness, lying below her and they began to move together. Her pretty, hourglass figure laying against him. Gilbertha turned her face to kiss him and her hand reached up and back to grab his, affectionately. Their movements were slow and soft, as Paul tried to make the position as loving and romantic as he could for her. He kissed her deeply and then his firm lips and tongue softly found her neck. She smoothed her hand down the front of her body and touched herself, mingled with his hands as well. Bert grabbed at him and held his hand that was smoothing across her body, turning her face to his and gazed at him, whispering he could go faster if he wanted. A deep, loving kiss started it off, and their speed picked up. Paul whispered sweet things into her ear and held her close as she began to meet his thrusting and rocking. Gilbertha felt his arms hold on to her and so she held on tighter as they rocked on their bed. Her head whipped back and forth against his chest and she shut her eyes tighter as she heard moaning escape her own lips and his breath began to match hers. Paul's legs began to slow them down and he kissed her deeply and whispered to her if she was comfortable. If she liked the movements they were making in the position. He heard her sighs and soft moaning now, but he wanted to be sure she was in fact enjoying it, so he asked. He slowed down almost to a stop and kissed her neck and ear as he whispered into it. "We can stop if you don't like it, Honey…."

She lay there breathless and her hand smoothed his jawline and her eyes closed as she tried to catch her breath again. Her open mouthed kiss caressed his lips and she glanced at him, still breathing heavy. "That was something else!" Her breathing was wild and she lay flat on top of his body, their hands and arms brushing each other's. She blew softly out of her mouth to try to calm down and her mouth found his again. "You're the one who's supposed to orgasm…" she gazed into his eyes as she panted and then kissed him. "What in the world are you trying to do?!" She laughed and was breathless as she gazed at him and closed her eyes in bliss, coming down from the orgasmic thrill, as he ran his fingers through her coal black hair. She decided then to roll off of him and again they began, with him on top….though it didn't last very long. She felt rest of the hard pulsing of his arousal, his slow, rhythmic movements as deep as he could, and she rose her hips up to meet his careful thrusts as the moved together in love….and then it was over.

He kissed her and brushed her hair back with his fingers. "Did it feel good for you too?" Paul whispered. "I always want it to be good for you."

"Oh, Honey it was just fine!" She let out a breathy sigh and kissed him. "You finished just how I wanted, Sweetheart." Bert mumbled, breathing heavily and her arms covered his back and pulled him closer. "I love you so much…."

"I hope I did my best this time…." He whispered and his lips tickled her ear while he whispered and sighed a little.

"What?" Bert whispered with her eyes closed, her arms around him and her hand smoothed his hair on the back of his head.

"I really hope we get pregnant this time…..or I'm definitely going to go get checked out."

"Give it some time, Sweetie….." Bert whispered, holding him close. She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "I'll try my best…." She smiled a little, burying her face into his neck.

"I know I wasn't making a choice, Sweet, I was wishy-washy about the idea." He whispered to her and snuggled closer. "But,…I really hope it took this time….I want children with you now…you'd make a wonderful mother…."

Bert lay on her stomach awhile later, with her head on the pillow as she drifted off….half asleep, feeling his warm hands on her back and his kisses again. "You're an amazing man….wonderful…." She sighed and yawned. Soon, he covered them both with their blankets.

"Would you like some steak and eggs for breakfast tomorrow?" she mumbled into the warm pillow, her breathing, shallow and soft.

"It is tomorrow, Darlin'…" Paul smiled a little, smoothing her back.

Gilbertha took a deep breath and let it out slowly in her warm relaxation. "Well then….after we wake up after awhile…." She mumbled, smiling, and fell asleep, with him not far from her.

Paul awoke a few hours later to the comforting, gamy, meaty smell of steak sizzling away on the stove and the savory smell of eggs frying in home churned butter. It was the BEST part of running their own cattle ranch….consuming the beef they raised, the milk and cheese too once in awhile if they hadn't sold it. Paul stretched himself and got out of their bed and walked naked into their kitchen. He stopped in his tracks and his jaw dropped a little at the sight of his wife at the stove in her heels and new silky burgundy short Kimono robe, cooking their breakfast at their little cookstove.

"Good morning, Lovely…." His husky voice whispered and he swept back her shimmering onyx colored waves and softly ran his fingers along her neck and shoulder before his lips connected with her naturally tanned skin. The Walbrun family were all very tan…There was Gypsy blood somewhere deep in that Family line, and they were also of German decent. "I dreamed all night of you in your robe…." He whispered and hugged her from behind, trying to loosen the silky belt in the front.

Gilbertha smirked and set the large piece of steak for him on a plate, along with two fried eggs with slightly soft yolks. "You did? Well I hope that was nice for you…." She grinned up at him. Bert brushed past him to set the plates of their breakfast on their little kitchen table. "Happy to see me this morning already, aren't you, Honey?" she gave him that look, glancing down and back up at his face, already feeling the pulsing heat of his maleness and her hand automatically drifted there, teasing him a little.

Paul let out a breath and kissed her. "Let's just say that robe of yours isn't going to stay on for very long…..and by the way, your reality is always better than anything I dream….."

She rolled her pretty brown eyes and led him to the table. "I think you should eat something first, Sweetheart…and I mean your steak and eggs…." Bert whispered into his ear the last and patted his shoulder. She went to go grab him a glass of milk and also water, when the silk belt of her robe unraveled.

"You did that on purpose…." She giggled in a whisper as he grabbed her hand softly and pulled her towards him. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on his naked lap and her robe front was open all the way. He smiled at her pretty face, her fantastic brown eyes, her nose, her lovely smile with those gorgeous lips painted with red lipstick. Paul's eyes drifted downward to the rest of her body and he saw the robe was all she was wearing.

"Oh, yes….reality is definitely better!" He chuckled. Bert smiled as she ran those fingers through his tousled, light brown hair, down his neck and her other hand stroked his chest, spread with hair.

"I love you…." She softly whispered, smoothing her slender fingers along his 3 day stubble. "Hmm…." Bert let out a little chuckle. "I wish I could always see what you and my exes saw in me…..you really think I'm beautiful?"

"After this many years of marriage you have to ask?!" He raised his eyebrows at her in surprise. "Sweet,….you're beautiful….inside and outside….Do me a favor…" He whispered and she just stared at him, still sitting on his lap in the kitchen, her burgundy silk robe sliding off one of her tan shoulders. " Go into our bedroom….and look at yourself in the mirror….no clothes…..you'll see it…trust me, baby…."

Bert went in for a sensual kiss and shot him a look. "I didn't say I never see it, Honey….I am pretty confident in my looks….and I know what men like…."

"Yes you do…" Paul grinned. He finished his breakfast with her and saw as she washed their breakfast dishes, that her robe was gone and she was standing there in just her heels. He was in awe as her lovely black waves of hair cascaded over her slim shoulders. He gazed at her from head to heel, and his eyes took in her beauty. Bert turned her head and her glance met his and then at their bedroom door and back at her husband. "Quick one before we go check on the cattle?" And she grinned at him.

A/N: I was looking up writing inspirations and there was something that said different things to write about when you have writers block…..Kill someone in the story, write a sex scene, etc. I thought I can't kill anyone yet….not time for that….and I thought the sex/love scene would fit with Bert returning home after her visit to her hometown and family.

I had gotten into some adult conversations with a young man, thinking I was mature enough to talk about it. We shared some things and I think he found I knew more about sexual things as a young Christian woman than he thought I did. We got to talking about each others past and didn't judge each other. I was so touched by that I started bawling….so part of that is my inspiration here. (Except you know, Paul and Bert are married and can kiss and hug and all that) We talked about things like that far too early and I realize that wasn't right or proper….even though I'm comfortable and mature with it. Nothing physical happened and I still intend to save my virginity, no matter what. I had to break things off with that young man before even dating him, which might be for the best….Maybe down the road something might happen again and we could pursue a relationship, but I'm not getting my hopes up. We learned a huge lesson. Anyway, I used some inspiration from that.

I got inspiration with the silky Kimono robe, there was a picture of Bert wearing something like it, with a burgundy necklace to match. Her hair up in a mess of curls and she wore red lipstick. And burgundy is my favorite color too which is interesting. I always thought her favorite color was orange….like I mentioned Paul and Bert's wedding colors.

My great grandma Helen had written to my great grandpa Eddie, "Oh, and I saw Bertha downtown today. My, she can sure tease a fellow!" And Eddie also mentioned something like, "I hope you're not like my sister Bert….that would crush me." Another thing Helen mentioned was Eddie's mother, my great great grandmother Rosina, wanting Helen, to go with Ted Bowman and Bert, and another fellow to a movie. Helen insisted she couldn't as she was dating Eddie (he was away in the C.C.C.), though the fellow insisted he would know his place…..I wonder if that man was Paul Bardrick. It was 3 years or so before he and Bert married, in 1937, and they had to have met somehow! I used inspiration from that.

Bert was actually 27 and Paul was 24 when they got married, November 3rd, 1937.

I used some 1930s lingo! Fox: sexy, attractive woman, Minxy: alluring/seductive, Snazzy: fashionable, Keister: the buttocks, Blabbermouth: Someone who talks too much. Honey cooler: a kiss

Sand n' Sable gave me the idea about the Sears Catalog that there were houses for sale in it. Thanks again!

My great grandpa Eddie worked at his dad's carpentry business, "Walbrun and Sons" and he had carved a large manger scene, today we own the stable he made for it. It has his name on it and the year…either 1938, 1939 or 1940 or something. I can't remember.

Trying to figure it out, but my great great grandma Rosina may have been involved in Real Estate. And Adriel might have been involved in remodeling.

Somewhere down the Walbrun or Schoeberl family lines, there were Gyspy people. I believe it was Walbrun though and the Walbrun's were also from Germany. Either way, I have a little Gyspy blood in me. Lol. It does explain the tanned skin and dark features some of our family members have. My mom and my Aunt are sometimes mistaken for Mexican or Native American. Interesting, huh?