Chapter Twenty-Seven: Distractions and Upgrades

AN: THANK YOU TO ALEXLUKE, GIRAFFECHAN and RAP BEAR for your continued feedback and support!

AN2: Sooooooo sorry about the delay. This chapter gave me fits. Could NOT find a happy medium with it. First one thing, then another. I think my muse got so frustrated she rowed herself out into the middle of an ocean somewhere and remains lost at sea.

I'm having some difficulty in molding this story in the direction I wanted it to go. I apologize for the delay in posting and I hope the muse returns to let me know exactly where this story should lead.

On the plus side, I'm working diligently on the next chapter for FIRST QUAKE and TAKE TWO so they should be updated within the week, fingers crossed!

Please, don't strangle me for late postings. *puppy dog eyes* Sometimes the muse does NOT want to cooperate and no matter how much I stare at a screen, I can't think of a scene or chapter to advance that particular story. My muse is as fickle as a pickle with a nickel!

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Sable wasn't sure how she survived her niece's birthday party. Within an hour of arriving she had a splitting headache, and a crick in her neck. She also had a dull pounding between her legs that would only stop when someone thick, slick, and green was between them.

Excusing herself early from the party, Sable made to the pharmacy, zeroing in on the pain medication aisle and popping two tabs at the register.

"You look pale," the cashier said worriedly. "You alright? Not gonna faint are you?"

"What?" Sable asked, rubbing her temples. "No, nothing like that. Just have a headache from hell. Niece's party. Thirty-three children, twenty adults, several of which were complaining about bodily functions and horrible things that happen during childbirth."

"Gross," the cashier gagged. "Why do people want to share such things?"

"No idea," Sable said. "But between the smell of burning burgers, detailed descriptions of bodily fluids, and four kids screaming over who's turn it is to ride a pony, I'm ready for a hot bath and some peace and quiet!"

"I hear ya," the cashier quipped. "Hope you get feeling better."

"Thanks," Sable said, waving goodbye and exiting the store.

A traffic accident was reported on the highway meaning she was going to have a wait while it was dealt with. Though she still had a bit of a headache, now that she was away from the noise, people, and stench of burnt offerings her brother called 'hamburgers,' she thought she'd pass time by stopping at a local strip mall.

Still needing some peace and quiet, her first stop was a candle store, where a conglomeration of smells greeted her upon opening the door. She wanted something simple and not overly strong for when she cooked Donnie dinner.

By Sable's calculations, when Donnie arrived this Friday, it would be their one month anniversary. She didn't count the mindless fucking at the lab, but the first time they made love. Her nipples tightened at the recollection and she had to distract herself before she fell into a dangerous fantasy.

The lady in the shop was polite and patient, showing Sable to the back of the store where there were more subdued fragrances. She chose two long tapered candles of soft linen scent to use in her grandmother's silver candlestick holders on the dining room table.

Wanting to set the whole house in a romantic stage, she bought a couple dozen tea lights to place along the steps and in her bedroom. She always wanted to make love by candlelight. The thought made her lower regions wet and aching. Hoping to keep a straight face, she paid for her purchase and hurried to her car.

She deposited the candles in the backseat, feeling noticeably flushed and very horny. She missed Donnie so bad, he was becoming his own private ache… right between her legs. As if the heavens were smiling upon her, at the far end of the strip mall, a sign announced the opening of a new adult store.

Not caring who saw her going in, Sable boldly entered the shop and squinted in the dim lighting.

"Good afternoon," came a cheery female voice from the back. A short, full figured blonde emerged from between two racks of bondage wear. "Is there something I can help you find?"

Sable hoped the woman couldn't see her blush.

"I was hoping to find a decent vibrator."

The blonde placed several packages of fish net stockings on the countertop and motioned with a finger.

"This way. And you're in luck because we're having a sale. Buy two toys, get your choice of free butt plug, lube, or finger massager."

Strangely enough, all appealed to Sable. Since her little voyeurism with Donnie last night, she had been thinking more and more about satisfying her own needs when he wasn't around.

Maybe it was the newness of their relationship, or his ebbing virginal experience, or the taboo of their relationship, or hell, maybe she was finally realizing she had nearly died and was living life to the fullest. Whatever subliminal reasoning she held, she needed something to get her through the horny nights when she was alone.

"Vibrators here," the blonde said motioning left, then right, "Dildos here, just in case you want something filling and not noisy."

"Thanks," Sable said, realizing she wasn't as embarrassed as she thought she would be.

Her headache was feeling better, too. Probably from the pain tablets, but being out of the sunlight helped. The longer she stayed in the dimly lit store, the more her eyes adjusted and her headache lessened.

Course the pounding between her legs was becoming a nuisance.

The expression about shopping while hungry came to mind. Sable thought it should also apply to being horny.

Sable picked out a rabbit vibe, a clit stimulator, and two dildos, one with a suction cup to use in the tub. Without shame she placed them on the counter, grabbing a couple tubes of warming lubricant on the countertop display. Without Donnie and his natural production of lube, she'd need some help when using the toys.

Yup, definitely shouldn't shop while horny.

The drive home was a slow buildup and by the time she thoroughly washed her new toys for their first use, she was amply wet and in desperate need to cum. The little bunny worked it's magic tickling her clit while it massaged her inner walls, making her grip the sheets and cry out. It wasn't Donnie, but it would do until he could share the experience. She repeated the performance when he called that night, and as she lay, spread eagle with the toy working it's magic, she heard Donnie join her in bliss.

Sable signed off, feeling satisfied and counting down the hours until Donnie arrived.

Sable was up just after dawn, packing her car and preparing to meet up with buyers for some of the junk she and Mikey cleaned out of the attic. The pile was slowly dwindling, freeing up space and making her feel less claustrophobic. She hurried through the transactions and by the time she got home, she was nearly vibrating with excitement. She was in the tub when Donnie texted.

'Leaving now. Can't wait to see you. Don't wear panties.'

She giggled, hurrying up and toweling dry. Though he didn't want anything complicated, she slipped on the purple nightie, covering it with the wrap around dress. Securing it in the back, she checked on dinner and set about lighting the candles.

The kitchen she kept fully lit, but her bedroom and the stairs were lit with votive candles safely residing on ceramic saucers. She waited until she heard the van roll up the drive before lighting the long candles in the silver holders and began removing dinner from the oven.

As soon as Donnie stepped inside, he froze.

"Wow," he breathed, taking in the form fitting dress, styled hair, and provocative red lipstick.

Holding back her desire to run into his arms, Sable motioned to the food.

"Happy One Month Anniversary, my love."

Donnie blinked as the words sunk in. He mentally counted the days and weeks and realized that they had indeed been together for at least a month. The thought made him want to weep with joy.

He couldn't hold back. He ignored dinner and marched to Sable, clasping her face in his hands and drowning her in passionate kiss. There was no way she could miss the massive strain in the front of his pants.

"Etiquette," Sable chastised playfully, though she felt herself soak the nightie. She wanted to make it an anniversary Donnie wouldn't soon forget, but it difficult.

"Happy Anniversary my love," Donnie breathed between light kisses. He helped Sable carry the dishes to the table and pulled out her chair as a gentleman. He seated himself and as if the two were dining in the most expensive establishment in New York.

Sable tried hard not to fidget, her pussy aching fit to burst. But through dinner they conversed easily, making general conversation, the tension growing between them. Neither could eat much, their attention more drawn to each other and their building desire.

Donnie couldn't take it anymore. He grasped her hand.

"I need you."

Sable smiled demurely, rising from the table and taking Donnie with her. She purred seductively.

"Then it is my wish to see your needs fulfilled."

She stepped away, tugging on the tie at her back and opened the dress to reveal the dark purple negligee. Donnie's breath hitched, mouth dropping open.

"Allow me to pleasure you," she said, taking his hand and leading him up the candlelit stairs.

Once inside the bedroom, Donnie's brain continued to remain frozen. Numbly he watched Sable undo his pants and wait patiently while he kicked off his shoes. She slid the material down, exposing his tail which sprang out to greet her.

Stepping out of his pants he stared, mesmerized as her ruby stained lips parted slightly, her small hands grasping his growing cock and guiding it to her lips.

She pulled a face at his taste (mustard coated sweat sock and burnt plastic), but didn't withdraw. Her tongue traced along the girth and tickled the slit, which earned her a dribbling of precum.

Donnie's brain switched off. He was running purely on instinct. He growled, dropping to his knees and slamming their lips together. His cringed at the taste on her tongue but plundered her mouth thoroughly as he lifted her up, opening her legs to slide her onto his rigidity. She cried out as he filled her, throwing her arms around his neck and grinding down with reckless abandon.

Both could only concentrate on the mating of their bodies and the animalistic sounds the other made while they fucked as mindless creatures. Sable barely registered Donnie lifting her off his cock while he placed her on the floor, kneeling, before sliding back in to a keening cry.

No words were exchanged. No kisses. No looks of love or sounds of endearment. The room was filled with the sounds of slapping flesh and a mixture of pants, moans, and gasping cries as Sable continued to shake in an neverending climax.

Donnie lost consciousness after his last load, curling over Sable protectively as he remained buried in her heat, his mark blistering as it seeped from the join of their bodies. It took several minutes for him to return to his senses.

Sable smiled sleepily, muttering over her shoulder.

"I love you."

"Love you, too,' Donnie answered, drawing on his strength to get up and move them to the softness of the bed.

Sable sighed contently, gazing into the face of her bespeckled lover. The mutant who had stolen her heart and made her life complete. Words alone could not express how deeply she had fallen in love with Donatello.

Donnie tucked in their blankets, curling around Sable and offering delicate kisses to her temple, along her jaw, exploring the softness of her lips. Sable hummed in appreciation, returning his affection until they dozed into a restful sleep.

Donnie woke the next morning, reaching out for Sable but found only cold pillow. Muttering about sleeping all night, he crawled out of bed and went to the bathroom. A quick wash up and the smell of bacon and eggs drew him down the stairs, where he found Sable at the stove wielding two spatulas as efficiently as a ninja chef.

He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her narrow waist and dropping a kiss to her neck.

"Oh!" Sable exclaimed in surprise, then tilted her head further.

"Little more, please. To the left."

Donnie snickered and obeyed, licking her pulse point before sucking carefully along her pale throat. His tail twitched, thickening a little in anticipation. He made sure to rub it affectionately between her buttocks.

Sable moaned, capturing his wandering lips and nipping at them.

"Later, lover. Promise. Breakfast first."

Donnie grumbled and released his hold, opting to set the table for their meal. His gear still resided by the back door where he had deposited them upon arrival. As Sable cooked, Donnie checked his electronics.

As he waited for the screen to start up, he poured a cup of coffee. The steaming liquid was barely to his lips when he read the screen, finding the urgent alert that had been flashing a warning without his knowledge.

"Shit!" Donnie barked, slamming down his mug and tapping the screen.

Sable jumped, startled by his outburst. "What? What is it?"

She joined him at the table, frowning at the fast scrolling text that was gibberish to her.

"Decryption algorithm encountered an anomaly," Donnie said absently, tongue pressing between his teeth as he concentrated. "Unknown perimeters, but if I'm not mistaken, the code is interspersed with the language from Dimension X, which means I need to augment the original decryption to factor in the new variables."

"Good or bad?" Sable asked, a sinking sensation filling her gut.

"Bad," Donnie muttered. "I need to write the entire program and upload it on my main network at home."

Sable's expression fell.

"Well, so much for a romantic weekend."

Donnie put down the Ipad and pulled Sable to his chest.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but I promise, I'll more than make up for it when I get back."

"I know this is important," Sable said, giving him a kiss that made his shell swell. "I understand that saving the world has to come first. I was just hoping to enjoy some quality time to celebrate our anniversary."

"I celebrate every single day that I have someone so loving, and beautiful, and kind," Donnie said, peppering kisses along Sable's jaw and capturing her lips. "I don't need an anniversary to remind me of how much you mean to me."

"Sap," Sable muttered, pressing her ear to his plastron to hear the reassuring thud of his heart. "I'm going to miss you."

Donnie wanted to weep from the love he felt for this small human woman. He held her tighter, cursing his failed electronics, the Foot Clan, Shredder, Krang, and everything else that popped into his head.

"I'm going to miss you, too."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Dunno. If there are any complications, this could take awhile."

Sable gave a mournful sigh, capturing Donnie's face in her pale hands and gazing deeply into his eyes.

"Whatever happens, promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise," Donnie said, grinning boyishly, his dimples pronounced.

"I'm serious," Sable said sternly. "Promise me you'll be extra careful."

"Promise," Donnie repeated, sealing the vow with a kiss. He perked up, green eyes sparkling, "Hey, why don't you come stay with me for a few days? Dad said it was okay to visit and approves of our relationship! This will be a great time for you to get to know everyone, and we won't have to be apart for an indeterminate amount of time."

Sable grinned.

"That's a great idea! I'd love to!"

Donnie beamed, pecked Sable on the lips.

"Everyone is going to love you!"

He paused, his own words sinking in and the implication behind them. A tiny crease formed between his eyes.

Leo.

Though the oldest sibling swore he would behave himself, Donnie was still a little apprehensive. Leo's emotions were volatile. It took little to no provocation to set him off.

But Donnie had to trust in Leo's word. If there was one thing he could always count on, it was Leo's honor. The turtle had it in spades.

"I'll pack up tonight and head over tomorrow morning," Sable said, eyes twinkling with the thought of meeting Donnie's family.

She already adored Mikey, despite his unwanted presence during a romantic weekend, and Raph seemed to be pretty easy going. She would have no trouble winning him over.

The eldest, she wasn't so sure. From what Donnie and Mikey explained, Leo was aloof toward his family and a stickler for rules. And a madman for training and perfecting his skills.

The only way Sable would know where she stood with the eldest is to meet him personally. She was already willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, knowing deep down, he was suffering heartache but refusing to face his demons.

She only hoped he didn't perceive her as a manifestation of said demons, and attempt to remove all reminders of love and loss.

Then there was their father.

A rat.

A talking, intelligent, GIANT… rat.

Sable wasn't a big fan of rodents, but if she was going to be a part of Donnie's family, she needed to get used to the fact that his father was a rat.

She shivered involuntarily.

Well, the sooner she faced the reality, the sooner she could overcome it. She only prayed she didn't say or do anything foolish and embarrass not only herself, but Donnie as well.

"I need to get dressed," Donnie blurted, as if just realizing he was standing in the kitchen with his tail in the wind.

Sable had hoped for a quick romp, but when Donnie had the Electronic Glaze in his eye, she knew better than to distract him. When he was focused upon a task, the world simply fell away.

Sable gave him a swat to the ass, pausing a moment to massage the muscular rump, and nodding toward the stairs.

"Get that wonderful ass in gear. Breakfast will be done soon."

Donnie offered a bashful look and darted up the stairs. Despite being with Sable for a month, he still wasn't used to her compliments concerning his physique.

Dressing quickly, Donnie decided to help Sable out and strip the bed. Love making was always messy and required a lot of laundry. Donnie was just glad the bed had a protective sheet beneath the linens to keep the mattress dry.

Rolling up the sheets, he got the spare from the wardrobe and quickly tucked in the corners, giving Sable a clean bed to sleep in tonight. Placing the pillows back on the bed, he took a moment to smell Sable's. Her scent lingered, fresh and clean and only for him.

It took a lot of effort to pull himself away, but he hurried downstairs to find Sable sitting at the table, breakfast steaming from two plates.

"Eat up," she said around a mouthful, pointing to a plate that was loaded with food. "I know you forget to eat when you're in your electronic world, so you better fuel up now. Don't need you passing out from hunger when you're trying to save the world."

Donnie grinned, settling down and wolfing down his breakfast. It was true. He had passed out from low blood sugar on more than one occasion. Master Splinter had given him stern lectures on the need to keep one's self fueled, rested, and healthy.

The lesson had barely lasted an hour before Donnie became ensconced in a project, his brilliant mind being most at ease when multitasking.

Sable had to hold back her snickers upon watching Donnie. He'd smile at her and engage in conversation, but his eyes kept drifting to his Ipad, which was lying on the table where he had left it.

Oh, how she loved the geeky turtle, despite he often trailed off mid-sentence, his focus going to the screen that continued to speak techno babble to him.

Finishing breakfast in record time, he put his plate in the dishwasher and grabbed Sable's phone, programming in directions that would lead her close to the lair, but provide adequate cover so she couldn't be spotted or followed.

The Ipad beeped a code, the screen flashing red, reminding Donnie of his duty.

He sighed, lifting Sable into his arms. He held her tight as he kissed her senseless.

"Promise you'll be careful,' Sable reiterated.

"Promise," Donnie parroted automatically, reluctantly breaking their kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow. Call me before you leave so I know when to expect you."

"If you'll even answer the phone while engrossed in your work," Sable quipped. It was meant to be a joke, but Donnie's expression fell. Realizing she had inadvertently hurt his feelings, she drew him close. "I didn't mean it that way. I just know how focused you get when you set your mind to something."

Donnie sobered, offering a weak smile.

"I promise I won't forget. I'll keep my phone on the highest setting so I don't miss your call."

"Better not," Sable quipped, giving Donnie's butt a sharp smack. "Then I'd have to call Mikey, and you know that little shit won't let you live it down."

Donnie's lips pursed sourly.

"Yeah, not happening."

Sable pulled Donnie down for a long, passionate kiss.

"Be safe. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You better," Donnie growled, rubbing his achy tail along Sable's belly. He desperately wanted to ease the tension, but duty came before he did.

Sometimes, being a responsible adult SUCKED.

One last kiss and the couple broke apart, Donnie hurrying to the moving van and barreling down the drive like a crazy person. His taillight disappeared around the end of the drive.

Sable wiped a tear away from her eye and put the dirty dishes in the washer. A pile of dirty sheets were at the bottom of the stairs where Donnie had deposited them. She smiled, picking up the laundry and carried it to the washer, the aroma (and stickiness) of their romance still fresh upon the cotton.

Laundry started, she decided to check her email, settling down at the computer Donnie had set up in the far corner of the living room.

Three monitors showed the full perimeter of the house. He had left no angle untouched. The fourth monitor was the main computer screen, allowing Sable to browse the internet.

Several emails were from her family, sending her photos of the birthday party. Mostly the pictures involved the children, which Sable saved to print later for her family album. She turned her nose up at the pictures she appeared in, having never been one to find comfort in front of the camera.

There were also a few messages from the bidding site hosting several of her auctions, including the dolls. Curious, she opened them and found requests for added pictures of described dolls.

Clicking the link to the auction site, she found the doll collection was currently at three thousand dollars…and one penny.

Jaw on the floor, she could only stare at the bids, disbelief keeping her numb. After a moment, she snapped out of it, bolting out of the chair and up the stairs to put on some clothes and take pics of the mentioned dolls.

She smiled upon finding fresh bedding already in place, and hurried to her closet to fish out something to wear. Clothes in hand, she went into the bathroom, disrobing and sighing at her slick thighs.

She loved Donnie with all her heart but honestly, the turtle was prolific in his release. Wiping down her thighs, (again,) she put on panties, her lip pressing between her teeth when she noticed the fading love bites along her pale skin.

Donnie had been very thorough in his celebrations last night.

Fully dressed, she grabbed her phone and went to the garage, where Mikey and Donnie had stored the dolls until they could be packed for delivery at auction end. Pushing aside the two chairs Mikey had propped up against the door (to prevent the dolls from escaping), Sable found an old 2by4 wedged under the rusty handle. She tossed it aside easily.

The door creaked and groaned on its hinges, mindful of a haunted house, complete with ghostly spider webs and a musty, dry rotted smell, and allowed admittance to its cluttered innards.

Sable stood frozen on the threshold.

The dolls were exactly where they were placed several days prior. They had not moved (naturally).

However, they were totally surrounded by crucifixes.

As in, every single cross Sable's grandparents had owned, lying directly on the dolls, with makeshift sticks and metal rods surrounding the group. There was even an old framed picture of the Last Supper positioned directly in front of the dolls, blocking the door.

Sable sighed at Mikey's safety precautions, though secretly glad he did take drastic measures, and found the dolls mentioned in the email. Taking pictures of their faces, heads, and backs, she replaced everything the way she found it, -including the picture- and exited, putting the 2by4 and chairs against the door.

Avoiding the doorjamb, she sent the pictures and climbed the stairs, going into her room and finding her suitcase.

She wasn't sure what she should pack. Would the sewers be cold? Too hot? Smell too bad to even stay? Wet? Slimy?

Oh, the possibilities were endless. And not at all pleasant.

Deciding on five changes of clothes, two PJs, one sexy nightie (just in case), and two sticks of deodorant (another precaution), and toiletries all fit nicely in a small travel case. She sat the case by the back door, already eager to go, though it was barely noon.

Needing to distract herself, she set about cleaning the house, paying particular attention to Mikey's room. Wrinkling her nose, Sable found his discarded clothes in a pile in the corner and removed it to the wash room before mopping the floor. To her surprise, Mikey had made the bed, tucking in the corners and fluffing the pillows.

He had also hidden away the baby bed, mannequin, and baby clothes he intended to torment Raph with in the closet Sable left everything where he put it, including the box of comics sitting on the bedside table. Along with four plates and three cups Mikey had conveniently forgotten to take to the kitchen.

She gave the floors a healthy mop, cringing upon finding the blackened water from around the vents.

Remembering the filth in said vents, Sable called a local heating and cooling place. Her luck, there had been a cancellation for that afternoon. The technicians could be there by 3.

Sable drove into town, grabbing a rotisserie chicken with all the trimmings for her dinner, as she didn't want to use the stove while the technicians where there. She was just taking the last load of laundry out of the dryer when she heard a van door.

Three men exited a white van with the company logo on the side and their brilliant, neon yellow uniforms. Sable cringed at the color, pitying the poor men who had to wear such a lurid outfit.

"Afternoon," the first man said, tipping his head gentlemanly style. "You called for a full service?"

"Yes," Sable said, opening the door and letting them in. "Don't know how long it's been since the vents were cleaned, or if there are any filters. Grandparents didn't keep any records on such things."

"We deal with this kind of stuff all the time, ma'am," said a short man, barely five foot and buck twenty in weight, dressed in the same bright yellow uniform. He sat down a rolled silver hose. "We've seen it all."

"True," the other two workers said in unison.

"Anything you need me to do?" Sable asked.

"Nope, we're all good. Go about your business. We'll let you know what we find."

"Okay," Sable said, finding it hard to concentrate on anything as the three strangers set about their work.

To occupy herself, she checked the doll auction.

And nearly had a heart attack.

"Four…..Four thousand?" Sable breathed, staring at the unexpected number. "For those gruesome things? Creepy!"

At that moment, there was a rattling in the overhead vent, followed by a horrid scratching noise. Sable jumped a foot in the air, cursing under her breath. Her curse was echoed from under the front porch, where one of the men had shouted during his inspection of the foundation.

Sable sent a screenshot of the auction to Donnie, along with a sappy sentiment about using the money for a romantic vacation that promotes nudity. She didn't expect a reply, believing him engrossed in whatever technical problem presented itself to his geeky nature, but he sent back a panting emoji with the promise of fulfilling such a declaration.

Fanning herself, Sable returned to her house cleaning, avoiding the men who worked, bustling between rooms, hauling hoses, tubes, and coils of stuff she couldn't identify.

It was nearly seven when the men began to pack up, two working diligently to put away tools and supplies. The third man found Sable in the kitchen, where she was heating up her dinner.

"Do you want the good news, bad news, or badder news first?" he asked, holding a clipboard and scribbling a work order.

Sable felt her heart drop into her feet.

"Just give me the facts."

The man smirked, finishing up his work order.

"Furnace is total loss, as is the duct work. We found several animal nests in there. They got in via some holes in the foundation, mainly under your porch. We cleaned them out and sealed off those ducts to keep critters from getting in until you can decide what you want to do. The good news is, the overhead ducts are still in good shape. We got them cleaned out, so there shouldn't be so much as a speck of dust left in them."

"Or bugs," Sable said, making a face.

"Yeah, no bugs. Don't ask what else we found though," he put in pointedly. "Anyway, you're safe from anything trying to sneak in, bug or critter. But you have some options."

Sable suppressed a groan. She had a feeling she was going to get the typical run around from repairmen about needing unnecessary things. Repairmen were nearly as bad as car salesmen when it came to having a female client.

"First, I would recommend getting the house up to date on insulation," the man said without preamble. "There's nothing in the walls or flooring around the vents. That can drastically cut your costs. The basement is leaking and moldy, probably what destroyed your furnace in the first place. So, that will have to be dealt with."

Well, that was clear and to the point. No flim flam.

"Secondly, running window ACs is going to run up your bill, and giving the drain they put on the electrical system, you're potentially overloading the system that could start a fire. If you installed a central air system, it will take a fraction of the power and be more efficient, especially if you get this house insulated properly."

Sable narrowed her eyes. He was right; her energy bill was high due to running so many window units to keep the house cool. And insulation would be a huge factor in her heating and cooling requirements. But she had a feeling he was going to hit her with a high tally for an expensive unit that wouldn't quite live up to the hype and she'd be stuck with an inadequate system.

"We're having a sale on AC units," he said.

Here it comes, Sable thought.

"It would be wise to get it installed before the weather turns too hot," he continued. "I can have a crew here to install a new unit next Wednesday."

"Cost?" Sable asked.

"Well, I'd like to do the job proper, replacing all the duct work under the house and sealing off any entrances where an animal may get under there and cause some trouble. Also, it would be a great time to install a new furnace. Do the whole shebang in one go."

Sable felt the floor drop out from under her. She had a feeling it was going to cost an arm and a leg. It was a huge expense, but she knew the house really needed the upgrades. It was long overdue. And with Donnie and his family spending time there, they would need to be comfortable.

Well, hopefully the dolls could pay for it. It was the least they could do. Creepy things.

"How much am I looking at?"

"Sorry, but it's going to be about nine grand." He honestly looked sorry to deliver such news. "But I'll make you a deal."

"Oh?" Sable's brow shot up skeptically.

"If you let me have the old furnace, I'll knock off 15%."

"You can do that?" Sable asked, brow firmly entrenched near her hairline. "Don't you have to ask the boss or something?"

He shrugged.

"My dad's the boss and he loves tinkering with old furnaces. I know a lot of people sell them for the metal, but if you're willing to let me have it for him, I'll knock off a bit."

Sable paused, staring at the clipboard that had her info and the work already done for the day. The bill was 200.00. Less than what she imagined.

"So what would I be looking at, price wise, and for what kind of work detail?" she asked.

He took out his phone, tapping away for a moment.

"New AC, new duct work under the house, new furnace, and we'll make sure nothing can sneak under the house and mess everything up, you're looking at $8700.00, plus tax."

Sable nearly fainted. She was expecting far worse. The sale of the dolls would definitely put a dent in that price tag!

She nodded to the clipboard, "Deal. Write up the work order and I'll get my purse to pay for today." She opened a cupboard and pulled out her purse, extracting bills from her wallet and handing it over as he scribbled out the upcoming purchase.

"I'll be out of town until Sunday evening," Sable said, accepting the clipboard to sign her name. "Would it be okay to pay you on Monday?"

"I'll be here Monday afternoon," he said. "I have a job a couple miles away, so I can stop by around lunch."

"Perfect," Sable said, beaming.

He removed the carbon copy and handed it to Sable, giving her a nod.

"I'll see you Monday, and then Wednesday we'll be here for a gut and bolt."

Sable's nose turned up.

"Eww!"

"Sorry," he muttered. "Slang for removing old systems and installing new."

"It's okay," Sable said, waving her hand dismissively. "I have three brothers. You get used to gross outs."

He laughed.

"I have two sisters. If I have hear one more detailed conversation about weight gain, wrinkles, and tan lines, I'm going to scream."

"Better than boogers and farting contests," Sable shot back.

"Matter of perspective," he shrugged. He offered his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you, Ma'am. I will see you Monday afternoon."

Sable shook his hand, trying not to think about the germs from the vent cleaning, and escorted him to the door, shutting it behind him. Just thinking about the dead bugs and yuck that was in the vents, she decided to take a long bath before she ate.

Dinner kept warm in the oven while she ran a bath and soaked off the day. Sliding into the water, she sighed, melting in the heat of the bath. The scent of lavender filled the room and permeated her skin. She hoped the bath oils may offset any sewer smell when she visited Donnie tomorrow.

Biting her lip, she sank into the water, elated with the prospect of meeting his family.

o-o

o-o

-o-o

Yes, I know, not my best, but this chapter was 18 pages. Still not completely happy with it but I'm tired of banging my head on a wall and getting nowhere, so I wanna concentrate on the upcoming chapters and subsequent arcs I wanna add and drop hints. ;)

Also, my computer is having issues. A sensor went bad and it thinks its overheating when it's not. The cost to fix it would be nearly the same as a new computer… needless to say, I don't have that kind of money, so I'm hoping to be able to continue to use it. On top of that, my internet company is trying to get me to pay for a premium package. I keep losing connection and when I call to complain about it, they tell me I can become a VIP and receive uninterrupted service for an extra 20.00 a month. On top of what I'm already paying. Yeah…. NOT gonna happen! So I'm looking into possibly changing companies. This is ridiculous!

I'm having a really bad couple of weeks. So ANY bit of kindness and happy remarks would be appreciated.