A Knight in Shining Armour

Author's Note: In this story, I have used section dividers to indicate a change in either place, time or both. I have also used section dividers to separate the same event from the perspective of a different character.

--- o --

What happened that night was never far from Julie's mind. Julie closed her eyes for a moment. Instantly her memories of fourteen years earlier came vividly to mind. She was just completing her sophomore year in college. She had just had her 20 ^th birthday. Julie was invincible, or so she thought, and had no fear the consequences of taking all sorts of chances. When the end of school year party finally broke up at 3am, Julie left to walk back to her dorm by herself.

Forty-Ninth Street is not a good neighborhood in the middle of the day. At night it's just not someplace you want to be.

Julie wasn't drunk, but she had a few beers and at 3am, she was dead tired. Straight down Forty-Ninth Street was the fastest way home, rather then walking east and then south through the campus and then back west to the dorm. When Julie got off the bus, she looked east to the college campus as well as south on Forty-Ninth. There was no one around in either direction at this time of night. There was nothing moving, there was no sound other than the bus , now disappearing down the street.

At 10pm, with the streets filled with cars and pedestrians, there was no question that Julie would walk the extra ten minutes to avoid walking down Forty-Ninth. In retrospect, Forty-Ninth is probably safer at 10pm then it is at 3am, but Julie didn't think of that until much later. Now, however, Julie was tired, she was a little drunk and she just didn't feel the need to go out of her way.

As Julie came to the corner of Forty-Ninth and Spring Garden Streets, she was not paying much attention to her surround ings. She never heard or saw the person coming toward her from behind.

She jumped and let out a startled yell when the man came up suddenly behind her. Her mind cleared instantly as he grabbed her hair from behind and pulled causing her to arch her head, neck and back. With his other hand, he held the knife where she could see it. Her eyes grew wide with fear her heart beat quickened. Julie put up her hands and offered no resistance.

"Don't yell bitch. Don't do nothing 'cept what I say and you'll live."

Julie offered him her purse, but he pushed it away. "Shut the fuck up bitch." He pushed Julie down a narrow alleyway between the streets. About thirty yards into the alley Julie realized they were behind a church that faced the main street. He pushed her into the churchyard.

"Don't make no noise bitch. Take off your fucking clothes." As he said this, he put the tip of the knife to Julie's throat. Julie knew what he wanted. Julie was determined that she was not going to cry but it was hard not to let out a small whimper now and then. Her hands trembled as she unbuckled her belt and dropped her jeans to her knees. She stood there for a moment, in her pastel cotton blue panties, hoping that he would stop and go no further. For a moment time did stop. Neither of them moved or said anything. Finally, he waived the knife at her again.

"Every fucking thing bitch or I cut you. Take off all your clothes – everything." Julie knew he was getting agitated and she was fearful of resisting further. She unbuttoned her blouse and let it drop to the ground and then she removed her bra. Julie covered her nipples with her left arm. "Fuck that shit. Move that arm bitch, I want to see your tits." Julie lowered her arm. The man put the knife in his left hand and reached out toward her left breast with his right hand. Julie pulled back.

The man stepped forward and put the knife to her throat. "Don't mess with me bitch!" Julie froze. The man reached out with his right hand again and grabbed Julie's left breast. Julie somehow thought he would just massage her breast the way her boy friend always did, but it wasn't to be that way. The man grabbed it very tightly, to the point of pain. Julie opened her mouth. "No noise bitch." The man pulled Julie forward and down to the ground solely by his grip on her breast. Julie was sitting on the ground when he finally let go of her breast. She was grateful that he was no longer squeezing her breast. Then he slapped her hard across the face. "Don't never mess with me bitch. Now get out of those britches, shoes too bitch."

Julie untied her sneakers and took them off. Then she slid her jeans off the rest of the way. When she stood up she was wearing only her panties. "Them too bitch, don't keep me waiting now." Somehow in that moment, Julie had moved from fr ight mode into survival mode. She amazed herself at how calm she had suddenly become. Her senses were still on high alert, but her fingers were no longer trembling. While she hadn't conscientiously thought it through, she had nevertheless decided that removing her clothes for this thug was no big deal, and neither was being raped by him; the only important matter was surviving this night.

Julie hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her panties and dropped them to the ground. Julie made no effort to cover her pussy with her hands. In fact she stood with her legs somewhat apart, completely unconcerned with his lust for her.

The man instructed Julie to turn around for him several times so that he could see everything. He had her spread her legs and bend over while he put his finger into her asshole.

When he had seen enough he gave a new order. "On your knees bitch, kneel." Julie knelt before him; certain of what would come next, and amazingly calm about it. The man lightly placed the blade of his knife against her left cheek, just for emphasis and to confirm that he was totally in charge.

He switched the knife back to his left hand and then with his right he opened his fly. His cock was incredibly long. Julie was startled by its size. She was not a virgin and she had given head to her boyfriend before. Her expectations were that this guy would be about the same size. Her boyfriend was about six inches in length; this guy was at least ten inches and thicker! His cock was not hard yet. Julie placed the tip and as much as she could take into her mouth. She used her tongue to stimulate the underside of his cock. She also used her hands to stimulate him.

As Julie worked on him, the man reached down with his right hand and pinched her left nipple very hard. At first it startled her and then it hurt. Her breast was still sore from his earlier manhandling of her. She started working his cock more vigorously, thinking the faster he cums, the sooner this will all be over. It was then that Julie realized that the pain in her nipple was stimulating her. This is the last thing she thought would happen and the last thing she wanted to happen but it was happening and she couldn't think of anything to do about it.

His cock was getting stiff and straight now. She kept working it hoping he would cum any moment and it would be over. The man pulled out of her mouth without any warning to her. She sat back and looked at him for a moment. His enormous cock was hard, straight and stiff. "Lie back bitch, I gonna fuck you now." He said it in such a matter of fact tone like he was ordering a hot dog at a lunch counter (i.e. no emotion at all).

While Julie changed her position to lying on her back on the grass, the man took off his pants and shorts. As Julie lay back on the grass, she felt something under her buttocks. She moved slightly to the side, off the object. She then reached down with her hand and touched the object. It was the grating on a small storm drain in the grass.

When he looked at her again, he said, "you one fine looking white bitch." Julie would later remember thinking how odd that was. She was Latina with dark olive skin. Julie couldn't remember anyone ever referring to her as white before.

He got on top of her. He guided her left knee up and out with his right hand. Julie moved her right knee in the same manner. He reached down and found her pussy with his left hand, and smiled at her. "You wet bitch, you gettin off on me ain't you."

He guided his cock into her and began pushing. It seemed like it just went in and kept going. Julie was sure that the head was somewhere well up in her abdomen. As long and thick as he was, that first thrust into her was somewhat painful, but in her survival mode, Julie was able to suppress her discomfort.

When he finally was into her as far as he could go, he moved his right hand with the knife in front of her again. He placed the tip of the knife at the corner of her mouth. Julie was once again on high alert; her earlier calm evaporated. "Don't hurt me, please."

The man began humping in and out of her. She was acutely aware of him, not only because of the size of his cock moving in and out of her, but because of the knife in his hand and the fear she felt from it.

Julie's body was betraying her mind. She was mortified by the realization that she had been on the verge of an orgasm for several minutes. With all her willpower, Julie stifled the impulses racing through her groin.

The man slowed for a moment. He moved his right hand, with the knife, away from Julie's mouth, and placed the blade against her left breast just to the left of her nipple. Julie let out an audible gasp. The man moved the blade slowly across Julie's breast, occasionally brushing against her nipple. Julie was scared.

The man slowly ran the tip of the knife blade down the side of her breast leaving a one inch line on her skin. A moment later, a small trickle of blood appeared on the line. The man began humping her faster as he placed his mouth on her tit. He sucked and licked off the small trickle of blood.

The small cut on her tit really didn't hurt, but the implied threat was too much for Julie to handle. She completely lost her self-control at that moment.

It was her self-control that had been stifling her orgasm. The longer Julie was able to stifle her orgasm, the more pressure built for an orgasm and the more effort Julie exerted to stifle the orgasm. This escalating cycle had been going on for almost ten minutes when he cut her breast.

With her defenses down, it was like a dam breaking. Julie's body convulsed in one enormous orgasm. She shook like a rag doll. Muscles tensed and released and then tensed again. She was totally out of control for at least ten seconds.

The man stopped humping her. "You okay, lady?" It took a few moments for the orgasm to subside. Julie opened her eyes to see what she perceived as genuine concern on the man's face. It was then that she first really looked at his face. The man was no more than a boy.

Julie's breathing was still quite rapid, but she managed to get out "I'm fine." Julie then wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. "Don't stop." She gasped between breaths. He began humping her faster than ever. It took another few minutes for him to reach his climax. During that time Julie held him very tightly with her arms and legs and made no effort at all to stifle her reactions. She came again while he humped her.

Julie watched his face contort as his orgasm began. She felt the twitching of his large cock inside her. Julie realized she was cuming a third time while he came. Julie held him very tightly with both her arms and her legs. His humping stopped. He pushed into her as far as he could. She could feel every movement of his huge cock as he came.

When at last he had delivered everything, he collapsed on top of her. His breathing was fast, but eventually became steady. Julie unwrapped her legs and arms.

For a few moments, he was just motionless on top of her. She studied his face and she began to realize that he could be no more than sixteen or seventeen years old at the most. He was probably even younger. She wondered if he could be as young as thirteen or fourteen and the thought of having sex with someone as young as that repulsed her. She immediately rejected that thought though; after all she wasn't having sex with him, she was being raped by him. Julie also realized that she had committed his face to her memory. She would recognize him if she ever saw him again. She never did.

Without any warning, he got up and began putting his shorts and pants back on. He gathered up Julie's clothes and tossed them over the wall into the next yard by a row house. Without another word, he was gone down the alleyway.

Julie waited without moving for several minutes. She looked at her watch, the only thing she was still wearing. It was two minutes before 4am. She climbed over the wall and retrieved her clothes. He had even left her purse with her cash and credit cards. Julie crossed back into the churchyard and started to make her way to the street. As Julie passed the spot where it had all happened, she tripped on something. She reached down and discovered the knife. He had left his knife behind. Julie placed the knife in her purse and left.

Julie had survived.

--- o --

Julie was now far from being the same woman she had been fourteen years ago. She had never called the police nor had she told anyone in her family what had happened to her. She knew she could identify the kid, but she didn't want to tell anyone how her body had betrayed her. For the longest time she was mortified by the fact that she had "enjoyed" it. It took her several years to realize that having an orgasm when physically stimulated and enjoying sex is not the same thing.

As the years passed, she had come to terms with what had happened and her own reactions to it. But no matter how she rationalized her reactions, no matter how she dealt with the memories, no matter what else happened afterwards, her rape remained the central defining event of her life, even though she was the only person who knew it had happened.

Slightly more than a year ago, she had been diagnosed with cancer. She was undergoing chemo therapy when she met Alan. Alan was also a chemo patient and she would see him everyday when she went to the cancer center.

Julie had received her first chemo therapy as a patient in the hospital. For the next month and a half, she had to come to the hospital each day for chemo. Once the doctors were sure that she was tolerating the chemo therapy well, she was allowed to go to the cancer center closer to her house for treatments.

The routine was the same each time Julie was at the cancer center. There was a chemo chair for each patient, sort of like a well padded lounge chair. Each area had a curtain to pull around it for privacy, but most of the patients wanted the curtains left open. Julie's chair was directly opposite Alan's. They would face each other across the room while they received their chemo as well as the other drugs to control nausea and other side effects. Afterwards, each patient would be given a snack before going home. Julie and Alan became friendly while eating their snacks.

Alan seemed to connect to Julie in a way that no one else did. She could talk to him. She could discuss things with him. Other people didn't understand her the way Alan did. Even her husband did not understand her the way Alan did.

--- o --

Alan was fifty-three. He was divorced and lived alone. Alan was lonely.

He had been coming to the cancer center three times a week for several months when she appeared across from him one day. Alan's cancer was under control. Alan's treatment was termed maintenance chemo. He would stay on chemo as long as he lived.

There had been many patients across from Alan over the course of his time there. Some men, but for some reason most of the patients were women. Even at 53, Alan was one of the younger patients at the cancer center. Some of the patients were on walkers or were pushed in wheelchairs.

So it was, until Julie came to the cancer center. Alan immediately noticed the 30 something girl amongst all of the elderly patients. The second thing he noticed was her smile. She had a great smile; what a wonderful thing in a place like this, a smile.

Alan watched closely as the young woman opposite him came in and took her seat. The nurse closed the curtain for a moment while the woman removed her blouse and bra and put on the hospital smock. When the curtain opened again, the young woman was removing her jet black wig and placing it on the wig stand next to her seat. Alan looked at her and smiled. For a moment, he thought, she looks better with just a bald head then with that wig on.

Alan had seen the routine several times. The women always wear a wig or some sort of large hat and/or scarf to cover their bald heads. The men, for the most part, don't care. Alan was one of the rare patients who did not loose his hair. The doctor said it happens in less than one-tenth of one-percent of the cases. It wouldn't have made that much difference to Alan if he had lost his hair. The women are more devastated by the loss of their hair then are the men. It's too bad, he had thought many times before, that one of the women didn't get to keep their hair instead of me. He watched the young girl opposite him as she finished straightening her wig on the wig stand and took her seat. If I could give it away, I would give it to her, Alan thought, what an angel!

Alan's day at the cancer center had just taken a dramatic turn for the better. Alan would later discover that her name is Julie. Julie was about 5'6" tall and quite thin. He guessed that she was perhaps 105 lbs. Chemo therapy can cause a weight loss as can the cancer itself, so it is not unusual to see thin people at the cancer center. Alan was mesmerized by the girl sitting opposite him. I'm going to make a point of meeting her, he thought.

Alan did meet Julie. He positioned himself, very carefully, to be seated next to her for their snack after therapy. Alan sat with Julie from then on, each day. Over the next several weeks and months, Alan had gotten to know Julie. He learned that Julie was married and had two kids. Julie chatted with Alan mostly about her family and her husband, but Alan sensed that there was a negative undercurrent in her marriage. Julie said that she lo ved her husband, but she never said she was happy. In fact, many times she gave strong hints that she was very unhappy. The other clue is that most of the patients come to the cancer center with a relative or close friend. Alan had no one, but he knew from their conversations that Julie had a family. Yet the only person who ever accompanied Julie to the cancer center was her sister, Jennifer, who worked full time and could not make it there very often.

When Alan felt, after several weeks, that he and Julie had become good friends, he decided to mention this to Julie. The first time Alan asked Julie if she was happy, she simply smiled at him and continued eating.

It took several more sessions before Alan could get a meaningful response from Julie. In the meantime, Alan assured Julie that he was only there to listen to her and nothing she said would ever go any further.

--- o --

Julie liked having the company of this older man after her chemo therapy. He was nice, kind and very attentive. Julie enjoyed having someone to talk with, someone who understood what she was going through.

Julie and John had been married for the past eight years and had two children, a boy thirteen, and a girl seven. Julie's son was not actually John's child, but John had taken to him just as if he was his own.

--- o --

Julie had missed her period two and a half weeks after the rape. Her immediate thought was that she had gotten pregnant that night. Her decision not to tell anyone that she had been raped now seemed pointless until she remembered that two days before the rape she and her boy friend had sex and had a condom malfunction. There were two possible candidates for the father and she had no way of knowing, at this point, which one.

Julie took a semester off from college, once she started to show. She moved home and was under the constant care of her parents and her sister. Julie's dad was particularly upset at first. He had been thinking that his little girl was still a virgin. Her mother and sister seemed to take a more practical approach to the situation.

All three, however, were terribly frustrated that Julie refused to disclose the identity of the baby's father. For her part, of course, Julie didn't really know the identity of the father and was determined not to offer any explanations until the last possible moment.

On the day that William was born, Julie had her answer. William had pale white skin, blond hair and blue eyes. He was the image of her boy friend. The release of tension in Julie was remarkable. For the first time in almost a year, her rape was finally over.

Julie and her boyfriend never married, but he provided her with child support.

Early in their marriage, John and Julie had a very healthy sex life that was mildly adventuresome. Julie had gone back to school and graduated. They met while in graduate school. Julie was in law school while John was working on his PhD in engineering. Their daughter was born shortly after Julie's law school graduation. Only she and John would ever know that Sally was conceived on a park bench in the nature preserve behind the law school parking lot.

For the longest time, Julie had been happy being married to John. Then she had gotten sick. At first, neither of them knew what was wrong except tha t Julie didn't feel well. As a result, their sex life suffered. Once the doctors made their diagnosis, John seemed more shocked than his wife.

John stopped asking Julie for sex. When Julie asked John for sex, his first reaction was always "are you sure that you're up to it?" Julie always said that she was, but John was still hesitant. What had been a very active sex life deteriorated to a very occasional episode of missionary sex in bed. John often stopped when Julie moved even slightly, and asked if she were still okay.

Julie was becoming very frustrated. "Despite what you may think, John, I'm not that fragile and you won't break me."

Despite her frustrations, Julie never told her sister or anyone else about her marital problems, so it was a shock when Alan asked her if she was happy. After all, she had only known him a short time and only for an hour each day.

Julie smiled at Alan and tried to ignore his question. Was it a lucky guess or is this man really that tuned into my feelings she wondered. Alan kept asking Julie each day about her marriage and her happiness and each day Julie put him off without answering. Finally, on the way to the cancer center, she decided that she was going to answer Alan and put an end to him prying into her affairs.

"Alan I don't know where you got that impression, I am ….." Julie stopped in mid sentence. Her facial expression turned from strong resolve to about to cry. Alan gave Julie a hug and Julie did start to cry. Alan held her tight. Julie sobbed and shook in Alan's arms. Alan held Julie for several minutes until she regained her composure.

--- o --

It took a while for Julie to open up completely, but this was the start. Over the next few visits to the cancer center, Alan learned that Julie's sex life had dried up since she was diagnosed with cancer fourteen months ago. "It's as if he thinks I'm too delicate to have sex with him anymore. He thinks if we do something, I might break. I've tried to talk to him about it Alan, I really have, but he just has the idea that I'm no longer capable of it. I am capable of it and I'm getting very frustrated."

It was that day that Alan asked Julie to meet him for dinner one night. Julie hesitated for just a moment and then said yes. She set it for a night that she knew John would be out of town and arranged for her kids to stay at her sister's house that night.

Alan took Julie to a Thai restaurant at Fortieth and Chestnut Streets. His favorite, he said. They talked all during dinner. Of course, they had been talking for months at this point over their snacks at the cancer center, but this was different, Julie was opening up, she wasn't holding anything back.

By the end of dinner, Alan had learned that Julie's husband is not the father of her thirteen year old son. They had been married for eight years and they have a daughter together. Alan had also found out that Julie was quite adventuresome in bed. She had had a number of lovers before she was married, including one episode with several men. Julie had experimented with BDSM on several occasions while in college. It seemed that Julie likes to be tied up, and she likes to be spanked among other things.

Julie admitted to Alan all of her sexual frustrations since she had become sick. "I'm getting the impression that I'll never be ready for it again in his mind." Julie sat back with a look of frustration on her face.

"Well maybe he's just concerned for you, Julie."

"Or maybe he's found someone else. Either way, Alan, I'm as horny as I can be right now." Alan smiled at Julie and then leaned over and kissed her. She kissed him back, very passionately.

"Would you like to come over to my place?" She nodded yes and reached for her purse. Alan paid the bill quickly and led her outside.

Julie was ama zing in bed. First she undressed herself in front of him, so very slowly, just the way he liked. Alan had always thought that Julie had a great tan. As she took off more and more clothes, he realized that she had a dark complexion. When the last item came off, her panties, Alan knew he wanted her.

Alan had always been partial to the shaved pussy look on women, so he was delighted to see that Julie was hairless. It quickly dawned on him that was because of chemo, she didn't have any hair anyplace. Whatever the reason, he liked it.

Alan's apartment faced a small park and then another apartment building on the other side of the park. As Julie stripped for Alan, he had moved to close the curtains. Julie said nothing, but moved over next to him and gent ly stopped him from closing the blinds. She was totally unconcerned if any wandering eyes saw her nude. Alan was even more turned on by this amazing creature.

Once Julie was nude, she danced for him. Alan sat in a chair, while Julie danced around, swaying her hips to the music from his radio, twirling, showing herself off for him. Alan loved it. At one point she even danced out onto the small balcony at which point Alan said, as calmly as he could "I don't want to get thrown out of the building. Come on inside."

When Julie came close to him, Alan reached out and touched her ass. Julie turned around in mock surprise, but then she came over, leaned down and kissed him. Then she straddled his lap without sitting down. She gently and gracefully ran her tits across his face. He kissed each of them, and sucked on her nipples. Julie let out a sigh.

"Alan, put your finger in my cunt." Alan was a little shocked at how Julie had become. He was also a little taken aback by the language she used. He supposed that he might be showing his age. He put his finger in her pussy. He pushed it into her and out twice. She was already quite wet. He found her clit and began to stimulate her further. Julie moved and groaned very erotically as he stimulated her.

Alan was sure that Julie had cum twice already when she reached down and began unbuckling his belt. Julie said nothing, but had an amazing "I want you now" look on her face. Alan pushed her back, gently, stood and removed his clothing himself. Julie was all over Alan before he even had a chance to react. As soon as she saw his cock, she pushed him backwards against a wall. She knelt down in front of him and took his cock in her mouth. She began sucking, licking and stroking him. Alan couldn't remember the last time a woman had done this for him. He was sure that whenever it was it was never this good.

Alan was delighted and didn't think he could hold out much longer when Julie stopped. Julie took his hand and led him back to the chair he had been sitting on. Alan sat down. Julie mounted Alan and guided his cock into her pussy. She rocked gently but firmly up and down on his cock, while passionately kissing Alan on the lips. Alan kissed back and began kneading Julie's tits with his hands.

Alan knew that he was horny. He hadn't had a good piece of ass in quite some time. He was no match for Julie, however. He had never seen a woman this hungry for sex before. Alan loved it.

Alan came. Julie came again at the same time. Before Alan had even caught his breath, Julie had gotten off and was licking his cock clean of their combined juices.

Julie fell asleep on Alan's bed. Alan couldn't sleep. He had the lights out in the apartment, but he could still see by the moonlight and the city lights. All night he sat in his chair watching the wonderful nude girl sleeping on his bed. All night he thought how lucky he was to have found this angel.

--- o --

Julie had hesitated for only a moment whe n Alan asked her out. It took her only a moment to conclude that she and John might never have normal sex again. This was her chance to start over with someone who was not afraid of her condition.

Dinner at the Thai restaurant was great. Julie held nothing back. She told Alan everything that had happened to her that was significant. Everything, that is, except the rape. She wasn't quite ready for that yet.

The date was going wonderfully. Julie did not have to be home at all tonight so anything else that happened would be great. When Alan asked her to come to his apartment for coffee, she jumped at the chance. She knew there wouldn't be any coffee; in fact she was counting on it.

Once Julie was certain that Alan wanted her as much as she wanted him, she became almost obsessed with pleasing him sexually. For the first time in over a year, she had the opportunity to have wonderful sex and she made the most of it.

Afterwards, Julie fell asleep on top of Alan's bed, still totally nude. When she awoke, it was just before sunup. Alan was already awake, just sitting in his chair and watching her sleep. She smiled at Alan. Alan smiled back at Julie.

--- o --

Alan got Julie a cab, kissed her passionately and sent her home. He smiled, not only because of the wonderful night, but because he would see her again in just a few hours.

Julie's affair with Alan was always subject to the travel schedule of Julie's husband. Whenever John had an out of town trip, Julie would let Alan know that she would be available that night.

It didn't seem possible, but the ir affair became even more passionate as time went on. Julie and Alan still had their regular snack after chemo but now the discussions were even more open then before.

The day after the first date, Julie admitted to Alan that she was something of an exhibitionist. She liked to have sex outdoors and she was turned on by the danger of being caught. Alan became only the third person to learn that Sally had been conceived on a park bench.

Four days after the first date, on the eve of their second date, Julie told Alan about her rape. At first, Alan was speechless. Then he held Julie and gave her a kiss. Julie kissed Alan back and told him she was okay, that it was behind her and she had made peace with her past. Alan wasn't totally convinced that she was past it.

Alan also opened up more. Julie learned that Alan loved knives. "I'm not certain when I first became interested in knives as it relates to sex, but I'm pretty sure it was as a teenager, maybe 14 or 15 years old. I seem to remember a movie scene where a guy gets in real close to a woman, she puts her arms around him and he stabs her low and deep in the belly (back then, I'm sure they had clothes on). It made an impression on me though, and I couldn't get the scene out of my head." Alan explained to Julie that he would never use a knife on anyone. What Alan loved was the power and the implied threat of the knife.

"Alan, I understand. You are like me; you want to have high adventure as part of your sex life. I do too." Julie smiled at Alan in a way that was different then her previous smile. It was more of a foxy smile. "Are you up for some adventure tomorrow?" Alan looked at her for a moment and then shook his head yes. "I'll set it up, just pick me up at seven."

--- o --

Alan was at Julie's house at seven sharp. She had just gotten off the phone with her husband who was a thousand miles away on a trip. The kids were already at her sister's house.

Julie wore a yellow and white dress that had several layers of white lace across the bodice and the skirt portions. She also wore white ankle strap shoes with about a three inch heel, making her somewhat taller than Alan. The dress was pretty, but a little too involved, for Alan's taste. Alan preferred simpler styles.

"How do you like my dress?" Alan smiled and told her that it was very pretty. "My dress is somewhat unusual, why don't you come closer and take another look?" Alan did not know what she was getting at, but he was ready to play her game.

Julie bent down so that Alan could kiss her. "I know that the heels make me a little too tall, but they also make me stick my ass out when I walk and I thought you might like that." Alan laughed. "Now Alan, I want you to take a close look at the layers of lace on my dress. Touch it if you like. It is very special lace."

Alan reached for the top layer of lace that was just below Julie's neck. It was heavier than he expected. He realized that there was something sown into it to give it some weight. Other than that, it seemed like ordinary lace to Alan. Julie indicated that he should look at the next layer of lace that went across Julie's breasts. This layer too had extra weight to it. Alan lifted the layer of lace to see what it looked like underneath. As he did so, he saw Julie's tits totally exposed under the lace. Julie's dress came up to just under her breasts and then there were two oval cutouts for her breasts before the dress became whole again above to the collar. The only thing covering her breasts was the lace.

Alan laughed and he gently massaged her nipples with his fingers. Julie laughed and then sighed. Finally, she moved his hands away from her tits and replaced the lace covering. "There'll be time for that later and there is more dress to explore." Alan found two more such cutouts in the back of the dress. There was one each for Julie's ass cheeks. In the front, Alan found the fifth and last cutout, a neat round circle that revealed Julie's hairless cunt. That wasn't Alan's word, but that's what Julie said.

Julie and Alan had had a talk at one point about language. Julie's language was quite colorful (as Alan called it) at times. Alan didn't tell Julie not to talk that way, but he did say that he had never met a woman who talked the way Julie talked. Julie smiled at Alan. "Sweetie, four-letter words are some of the most powerful words we have. I like them. I like the power they have."

"Now Alan, how do you like my dress?"

"It is the most extraordinary dress I've ever seen. It's gorgeous!"

--- o --

Dinner was a blur for Alan. All he could think of was her goodies covered only by a layer of lace. After they left Julie's house, Alan realized that he could actually see some shadows through the lace. At least he though he could.

By the time the y reached Alan' s apartment, both of them were hot. Sex that night was intense and passionate. Alan told Julie that her dress was very naughty and that she would have to be punished. Once she had taken off all of her clothes, Alan led her out onto the balcony. While Alan was trying to be adventuresome, he still had his limitations. Alan turned out all of the lights in the apartment before taking Julie out on the balcony. On the balcony, Alan took Julie over his knee and spanked her very hard.

From their conversations, Alan knew that Julie enjoyed a good spanking and that she liked it rough. Alan didn't let her up until he could see actual redness on her cheeks. The

added spice of being spanked outside on the balcony, for anyone to see, was too much for Julie. Alan knew that she orgasmed during the spanking.

Julie and Alan made passionate love that night. Alan was amazed, at his age, that he was actually able to make love to Julie twice during the evening.

--- o --

Alan and Julie continued to see each other at the cancer center. The often talked over ideas for future dates. The next date, however, was slow in coming since John didn't have any trips planned for a while.

It had been six weeks since their last date when Julie told Alan that John was going to Africa to supervise some project and would be gone for two weeks. Alan was overjoyed.

"We have to plan out something really fun while he's away."

"Yes, I agree. I won't be able to get rid of the kids every night, but I can tell my sister that I'm having lack of energy problems to get her to take them several times while John is gone."

--- o --

Their next date was the night after John left town.

Julie wore a white chiffon blouse with a matching scarf. Alan could tell that she did not have a bra underneath it. She also had on a dark brown cotton skirt that was so wonderfully skin tight around her hips and stomach. Unlike the peek-a-boo dress from their last date, this outfit did not have any hidden holes in it. Also unlike the last outfit, this was very stylish to look at. This was the type of outfit that Alan really liked on a beautiful woman.

For the first time since they had been going out, Julie left her wig at home. Alan found her bald head to be a turn on. He was delighted. "J ulie, I've thought this from the beginning, you look better without the wig." She smiled.

They went to a small Italian restaurant that night. The meal was delicious. Alan enjoyed the meal, but, even more, enjoyed the company. They had discussed several different ideas for this date, but had never agreed on anything. Finally, Julie had kissed him and just said, "I'll take care of it, don't worry, it will be spectacular." Alan wondered what she had in mind, but Julie gave him no clues.

When they had finished dinner and coffee, Alan paid the waitress with a credit card. Julie stood up and said that she was going to the rest room. Then she leaned down, kissed him and whispered in his ear. "Alan, wait one minute after the credit card slip comes back, then get up from the table and go into the men's room. If someone else goes into the men's room, wait for him to leave." She had Alan's attention.

Julie disappeared behind Alan walking to the rest rooms. Alan waited. Two minutes passed before the waitress returned with the slip and Alan's card. Alan signed the slip and gave the woman a generous tip. He then waited another minute as she had instructed him.

When the time was finally up, Alan turned toward the men's room at the back of the restaurant. Two men in business suits were just going in, so Alan waited. About three minutes later, one man came out. Two more minutes passed before the second man came out. Alan got up from the table and walked to the men's room.

The men's room had a sink on one wall and two urinals on the other. The back wall was covered by three stalls. Alan looked around, a little puzzled. The men's room was empty. He even leaned down and checked under the stalls, but he saw no one's feet. Alan went to the urinal and relieved himself. As he turned to walk to the sink, he saw the door of the center stall, which had been closed, swing open slightly. A hand reached out from inside and motioned him to come over. It was a woman's hand.

With a big smile on his face, Alan approached the slightly open stall door. When he peaked inside, he saw Julie standing, in a crouched position, on the toilet seat. Julie was wearing her chiffon blouse, but was otherwise nude. "Close the door sailor." She said. Alan stepped inside and closed the door. As Alan watched, Julie took a knife she was holding in her hand and one by one cut the buttons off her blouse until it was hanging open displaying her perfect tits.

--- o --

Julie had come up with the idea for this adventure. She knew that the danger of being nude and having sex in the men's room would be a huge turn on for her. She hoped it would be for Alan as well. When he told her of his passion for knives, she decided to add the knife to the scene for his benefit.

By the time Julie had finished cutting open her own blouse, she was incredibly excited. She would have liked to have Alan fuck her in the men's room, but she didn't want to take it so far that they got caught. I'll just give him a blow job, she thought, and he can fuck me later when we get home.

--- o --

Julie stepped down from the toilet seat and pushed him against the stall door. Alan realized that he was leaning against the rest of Julie's clothes hanging on the hook on the back of the door.

Julie kissed Alan, hard, and put her tongue in his mouth. Alan was already breathing hard when she got down on the tile floor, opened his fly and began to suck his cock. Alan was both surprised and excited. It did not take long for Julie to bring him to climax. Alan had a large ejaculation, but Julie swallowed every drop of it.

It took a moment for Alan to catch his breath. The men's room door opened and two men came inside. Julie quickly jumped back up to her squatting position on the seat. Alan stood where he was, leaning against the closed door. Julie motioned for him to come closer to her so that, for the benefit of anyone who might look, it would appear that Alan was standing in position in front of the toilet. Julie leaned down and gently placed Alan's now limp cock in her mouth. Alan was amazed and startled. It felt oh so good. Then he heard the sound of someone urinating and realized that Julie was urinating into the toilet. He wasn't sure if this was more of the illusion for the people outside the stall, or a turn on for him. Alan didn't care which; he decided it was probably both.

The men were joking with each other. Alan watched Julie as one man told the other a particularly vulgar joke. Both men laughed. Julie took her mouth away from Alan's cock and put her hand to her mouth as if pretending to laugh as well.

When the men left, Julie got down. She kissed Alan and told him to wait just outside the men's room door. "When I'm dressed, I'll call you on your cell phone to let you know I'm ready to come out. You let me know if the coast is clear." Alan agreed.

Once outside the men's room, Alan took out his cell phone and waited. Julie's call came about five minutes later. Just as she called to say she was ready, Alan spotted a man and a little boy coming his way. He told Julie. Julie told him to just wait there and she would call again after the man and boy left the men's room. Alan imagined Julie in the stall, squatting on the toilet seat. The man and boy left four minutes later. Julie's call followed. Alan told her it was clear and she was standing by his side before he could hang up. She was dressed just as she had been before except for the missing buttons on her blouse. Julie made no particular effort to keep the blouse closed. Alan found that incredibly sexy.

Alan kissed Julie very passionately and then they left the restaurant. Alan hailed a cab, and directed the driver to take them to his apartment. Alan and Julie necked in the backseat like a couple of teenagers.

--- o --

Julie was incredibly charged up by the adventure in the men's room. Julie loved the danger of being caught and the thrill of getting away with it. Julie hadn't thought of everything. She did not consider that her blouse would no longer close when she came out of the men's room. Oh well, she thought to herself, I really don't care if someone gets a little erotic peek at my tits.

The cab ride back to Alan's apartment was also fun. She knew that Alan was excited, so when he leaned over to kiss her in the backseat of the cab, she reciprocated enthusiastically.

At first she had her eyes closed, but after a moment, she opened her eyes. Over Alan's shoulder, Julie could see the cab driver's eyes in the rear view mirror. At first, she wondered what he was looking at. Surely, couples had made out in his backseat before. It was then that Julie realized that her blouse was hanging open and he was staring at her tits. Julie moved quickly to cover up. After all, we don't want to have an accident.

When they reached Alan's apartment, Julie asked Alan for a glass of orange juice. She would have liked alcohol, but that was a no-no for chemo patients.

--- o --

Alan got two orange juice glasses and when he returned from the kitchen, he found Julie sitting in a chair on the balcony with her feet up on the safety railing. She was also totally naked. Alan thought it was interesting that she was relaxing nude on the balcony. All the other times, she had been nude on the balcony, were in the heat of passion. As turned on as he was by the sight of her, Alan could not help himself as he turned off the lights in the apartment. Someone might be watching her, he thought, but I'm not going to help them do it.

Alan kissed her bald head and handed her a glass. They talked about what had happened at the restaurant. Both of them were still glowing in the memory. Alan told Julie that she was the most wonderful person he had ever met. Julie smiled, kissed him and told him that he was the knight in shining armor that had saved her life.

Alan and Julie sat and watched the city at night from the balcony for some time before they came inside and went to bed without further sexual activity. About 3am, Alan woke up to find Julie snuggled around him. To have such a wonderful sexy nude young woman like this seemed to him to be heaven. Julie did not wake.

At 6am, Julie woke Alan and started foreplay. They made love in the morning, and then Alan drove Julie home.

--- o --

Alan and Julie had a very exciting discussion at snack time the next day. Both of them were still glowing in the after affects of last night.

John had only been gone for two days. He would be away for another twelve days. They still had plenty of time to be together. Alan thought, however, there was no way that they could ever match the passion of last night. Still, Alan wanted to spend as much time with Julie as he could. He was delighted when she asked him to go with her after they left the cancer center that afternoon.

--- o --

Julie had decided that her relationship with Alan had reached the point where she could discuss anything with him. She trusted Alan more than she had ever trusted anyone else in her life. She had already told him her deepest secret, the secret that no one else knew.

Julie asked Alan to come with her after they left the cancer center. They had never left the center together before. She didn't tell Alan what she had in mind and he didn't ask.

It was one o'clock in the afternoon when Alan and Julie left in Alan's car. Ala n was driving and asked Julie where she wanted to go. "Forty-Ninth and Spring Garden Streets, the northeast corner." Julie offered no further information.

--- o --

Alan did not know the area well, and could not imagine what could be of interest at that location. Julie didn't seem to be in a mood to talk right now, so he just let it go.

Some of the neighborhoods they went through on the way were definitely bad areas. Alan became more alert as he surveyed the area and the people. He was even more confused about why she wanted to come here.

As the car approached Forty-Ninth Street, Alan noticed a definite change in the surroundings. They must be getting close to one of the college campuses around town. The dilapidated neighborhood and people hanging out on the sidewalks had given way to several large modern school buildings. This being late summer, the campus was mostly deserted.

Alan turned the car onto Forty-Ninth. Spring Garden was only a few streets up. They were still mostly among campus buildings as the car stopped at the corner of Spring Garden and Forty-Ninth.

For a moment, they just sat quietly in the car until Julie finally spoke. "These buildings weren't here fourteen years ago. The campus didn't come out this far then. Forty-Ninth, back then, was just like some of the neighborhoods we drove through on the way here."

--- o --

Julie had thought many times about revisiting the place where she had been raped. It was both a morbid curiosity and an irrational fear. It would be norma l if she was afraid of the rapist coming back. Somehow she never was. She expected that she would never see him again and she never did. Her irrational fear was of the churchyard. She was afraid of the place. It made no sense, but for fourteen years, she had intentionally stayed well clear of the area.

Julie had never asked John to take her to this place. She would not have felt safe with John. She would not have felt safe in this place with a squad of riot police by her side. Somehow though, she felt safe with Alan. Julie realized that she wasn't making a lot of sense even just in her thoughts, so she didn't say much.

--- o --

Alan froze. He realized that this was the place where Julie had been raped. Alan had no idea what to say, so he said nothing. He reached over and took Julie's hand in his. The two sat in silence in Alan's car for another five minutes.

--- o --

When Alan took her hand, Julie knew that he was her soul-mate. No one else understood her the way that he understood her. Julie knew, at that moment, that she wanted to spend forever with Alan. She didn't know how she would arrange that. She really didn't want to think about it now. She would figure it out, eventually.

--- o --

Eventually, Julie spoke again. "I haven't been back here in all those years. I'm amazed at how it has changed."

"Do you want to get out and look around or just sit here some more," Alan asked. Julie didn't answer at first, but just sat silently in the car.

"Let's get out," she finally said. Alan quickly got out of the car and came around to Julie's side. She was already out and standing on the sidewalk before he got to her.

Alan watched as Julie's eyes darted around, taking in everything around her. "It all looks different now," she finally said, "even the sidewalk is new. The old one was kind of broken up as I remember." Alan stood at Julie's side and put his arm around her shoulders. Alan quite expected Julie to cry, but she didn't.

"I want to see the church." Julie moved away from Alan, but took his hand in hers and led him toward an alleyway between two very tall classroom buildings. The alleyway was narrow, and the sunlight was cut off between the two buildings. There was some bright sunshine up ahead. When they reached the other side of the building, they saw the back of the old stone church, neatly nestled between several high rise buildings that now surrounded it. "It's still the same."

Julie led Alan over the low stone wall into the churchyard. She came to a spot about fifteen feet in from the wall and stopped. "This is it Alan," she said in an amazingly clear and determined voice, "This is the spot where I was raped."

When they reached the church, it looked exactly as Julie remembered. Surrounded now by the high rise buildings that didn't exist a decade and a half ago, it appeared as if the church had been magically transported to a different neighborhood. Everything else was different, but the church was unchanged.

Julie led Alan over the stone wall and quickly found her landmark, the small storm drain. It was right where she thought it would be. Julie took a deep breath and then told Alan. "This is it Alan, this is the spot where I was raped." She was sure that Alan already knew, but she wanted to tell him anyway.

Alan took a step towards her and held her in his embrace. She wasn't afraid of this place any longer. Alan was here and he would protect her. In fact, Julie felt joy. Joy that she had conquered yet another fear, the fear of the churchyard.

--- o --

Alan looked down at the spot where Julie stood. She was directly on top of the graves of a husband and wife who had died in the 1870's. Julie told Alan that she knew the exact location because there was a small storm drain in the ground that she remembered touching with her hand at one point that night. Alan saw the small storm drain just beneath her feet. Alan took a step toward Julie and held her in his arms. He was sure that she would cry now, but she didn't. He could feel how tense he r body was as he held her close to him. Several minutes passed till Alan felt Julie's tension subside. Alan stood with Julie for several minutes, just holding her, perhaps rocking her a little bit. He was truly wondering what was going through her mind right now.

--- o --

Finally, Julie released from his embrace. "Come over here Alan." Alan followed her to the other side of the churchyard. The stone wall on that side was next to a walkway just outside the next high-rise building. Julie peered over the wall to the walkway. "This used to be a row house over here. This is the wall over which he threw my clothes and I had to climb over and get them back."

Julie chuckled. Alan asked her what is so funny. Julie pointed to a large glass window on the first floor of the next building. Inside the window, Alan could see what looked like a well appointed waiting room outside two private offices. "Alan, you see where that really nice looking coffee table is over there?" Alan nodded. "Right there is where a naked twenty year old girl sat and put her clothes on. It's funny how it has all changed so much." Alan gave her another hug.

Julie led him back to the spot near the storm drain. She stood and looked down, as if she were remembering more details from that night. Alan stood behind her and held her.

Finally, Julie told Alan that it was time to leave. They walked back out of the alleyway and back to Alan's car.

Julie was still quite silent on the ride back. Alan took her to his apartment and fixed them each a glass of orange juice. "Are you glad that we did that?"

Julie smiled at him. "Yes Alan, I'm glad that we did." She paused for a moment and took a sip of her juice. "When can we go back again?"

Alan looked at Julie with surprise. "Why do you want to go back again? Was there something that we missed?"

Julie looked into Alan's eyes trying to make a connection with him. "I would like to go back to the church at three in the morning. Can we do that?"

Alan's jaw dropped open. Julie looked at him for a moment and started to laugh. Finally Alan laughed too. When the laughter stopped, Alan spoke. "Julie, are you serious? Do you want to go back to the church at 3am?"

Julie looked straight at Alan, silently at first. Then in a quiet, but firm voice she said "yes Alan, I want to go back at 3am."

Now it was Alan's turn to be silent for several minutes. He could see the implication of what she had said, but he was struggling for how to handle it. Finally he asked her straight on.

"You want to reenact the rape, is that it?" Julie didn't answer, but she nodded her head in the positive.

At first, Alan tried to consider why she would want to do this, but finally decided that it was a much too complicated question for him to consider. He decided that Julie knew best what she wanted and that he should go along with her.

"I'll need some time to get ready for this. There are some things that I want to do first." Julie said that was okay and didn't ask what Alan wanted to do.

They agreed on two days from then. It would be a Wednesday, school would still be out and the area should be deserted, especially at 3am.

--- o --

During the next few days, Alan made his preparations.

Later that day, Alan called the church. He spoke to an elderly woman. "Saint James Episcopal" was the way that she answered the phone.

Alan told the woman that he was interested in genealogy and wanted to visit some old relatives who were buried in the churchyard. He gave the names of the couple from the 1870's. The woman told Alan that his relatives were indeed buried in the churchyard and gave a general description of how to find the grave markers. Alan told the woman that he couldn't come over right away and asked how late the church was open on Wednesday. The woman told him that the church closes at 5pm on Wednesday. Alan asked if there would be anyone around after that time to let him into the churchyard. He was told that no one would be there, but the churchyard isn't really locked, so he could come by after 5pm if he liked. Alan thanked the woman and hung up.

--- o --

Alan had several pistols. This was something that he had never told Julie. Until now it didn't make any difference. He hadn't had his pistols out in quite some time because of everything else going on in his life. Now he surveyed his collection. He selected one that he knew had plenty of kick, but was also small enough to easily conceal. Alan didn't own an ankle holster, but he purchased one, as well as new ammunition, later that day at a sporting goods store.

That afternoon, Alan thoroughly cleaned the gun and made sure it was in good working order. Alan put the gun in a lock box.

In that day's mail, Alan received a note. There was no return address on it. He opened the note and read: "Please always know, my love, that I was a damsel in distress. You are my knight is shining armor who came to my rescue. You are the one true love of my life. I will love you and be with you always, Julie"

Alan knew he was in love with Julie. The thing he found incredible was that she was in love with him. He wondered which of them had really rescued the other.

--- o --

The next day, Tuesday, Alan skipped chemo therapy. That morning, Alan took the lock box with the gun inside and placed it in the trunk of his car. Then he drove to a firing range where he used to be a regular. They still remembered him when he walked in with the box under his arm.

Alan paid for an hour on the range. Alan went to his assigned spot and spent the next hour firing his gun at paper targets down the range. The feel of the gun came back to Alan rather quickly. At first, his aim was somewhat off, but after a while, that came back as well. By the forty-five minute mark, Alan was able to fire five shots in rapid succession at the paper target and group them fairly tightly. Alan was satisfied that he could handle this gun. He spent the remaining fifteen minutes shooting at the targets, each time achieving his desired grouping.

When Alan arrived home, he cleaned the gun again. Alan was ready for Wednesday.

--- o --

On Wednesday, Alan went to chemo therapy. The nurse led Alan to his usual spot and got him ready for his treatment. Right on schedule, Julie came in and took the spot opposite him. Her nurse closed the curtain while Julie removed her blouse and bra and put on the hospital smock. Julie no longer bothered wearing her wig.

Julie was seated in the chair when the nurse opened the curtain. Julie smiled at Alan when she saw him. Alan smiled at Julie.

Alan sat with Julie for their snacks, just as he always did. For a long time neither of them said anything. Finally Alan asked Julie if she was ready for tonight. Julie said that she was. Alan asked her if she still wanted to do it and Julie assured him that she wanted to do this.

After they left the cancer center, each of them went home. When Alan arrived home by taxi, he got into his car and drove over to Saint James Church. The church faced onto Spring Garden Street, one building east of Forty-Ninth Street. Alan was looking at the front of the church for the first time. Alan parked across the street and waited. Alan was watching carefully, for anyone in the neighborhood that looked like trouble. Just before Alan left, he saw a man in clerical garb come out of a side entrance of the church and walk back to the alleyway. A moment later, he saw the same man driving a car that passed him where he was parked. That must be the Pastor, he thought.

Alan arrived home at about 5pm.

--- o --

Julie arrived at Alan's apartment at around 10pm. She had taken a nap that afternoon so that she would have plenty of energy reserves for the evening. She had gotten up from her nap at 6:30pm and took her kids over to their aunt's house. Then she came home and napped for another two hours before calling a cab and going to Alan's house.

Alan had fixed a late supper for them which they ate at about 11pm. After supper, Julie and Alan sat and talked over a glass of orange juice.

Julie reached into her purse and took out the knife that she had used to cut the buttons off her blouse. She handed it to Alan. "This is for you to use tonight."

--- o --

Alan loved knives. He found their power to be an aphrodisiac. Alan was well aware that the rapist had threatened Julie with a knife, so he had two of his knives packed for tonight. He told Julie that.

"I want you to use this one," she said.

Alan looked at the knife. It was a spring loaded switchblade about five inches long. It had no practical purpose other than to attack another person. The switchblade was sharp, but it still was not suited to cutting most things. The long tapered thin blade was only meant for stabbing.

Why this one, Alan thought. His knives were more elegant weapons; this piece of trash is meant for thugs. "Why this one?"

Julie waited a moment before answering. "That's his knife." She pointed at the switchblade still in Alan's hand. "It's his knife; it's the one he used that night; it's the one he used to cut my tit."

Alan folded the knife and put it in his pocket. He could see that Julie had become emotional again. Alan went to her and held her tight. After a few moments, Julie calmed down again.

"We don't have to do this, Julie, if it's too much for you."

"Alan, we are doing this. Please don't ask me again. I have the safe word. If I can't do it, I'll use the safe word. If I don't say the safe word, then please don't ask again." Alan agreed.

A few minutes after 2am, Alan went into his bedroom for his final preparations. He took out the gun he had been practicing with and put it on his left ankle with the ankle holster. Alan had decided not to tell Julie that he had a gun with him.

Otherwise, Alan wore jeans and a dark tee shirt. He had loafers on his feet so they wo uld come off and go on easily. He was ready.

Julie was wearing jeans and a blouse when she arrived at Alan's apartment.

--- o --

Alan and Julie arrived in the area of Saint James Church about fifteen minutes before 3am. Alan drove slowly past the churchyard. It didn't look as if anyone was around. Over the next several minutes, Alan drove around the neighborhood and up and down nearby streets. There was no activity anywhere. Alan arrived back at Saint James at about two minutes past 3am. Alan drove around to the back alleyway and parked behind the church in a spot marked "Father Girard."

Julie said nothing. The y got out of the car in silence. Alan checked one last time to make sure he had the knife and the gun. Both were where they were supposed to be.

"Ready?" Julie nodded yes.

They walked down the alleyway toward Forty-Ninth Street. Julie stood on the corner while Alan walked halfway up the block.

--- o --

Julie was standing on the corner of Forty-Ninth and Spring Garden Streets when Alan came up behind her. Julie was acutely aware that Alan was approaching her, but she pretended that she never heard him coming.

She jumped and let out a startled yell when Alan came up suddenly behind her. The story that Julie had told Alan was that the rapist grabbed Julie's hair at this point. Now, however, Julie had no hair, so Alan put his arm around the side of her head and his hand on her forehead, causing her to arch her head, neck and back. With his other hand, he held the knife where she could see it. Julie's heart beat quickened. Julie put up her hands and offered no resistance.

"Don't yell bitch. Don't do anything and you'll live." Alan didn't quite have the street lingo down, but he was doing fine, Julie thought.

Julie offered him her purse, but he pushed it away. "Shut the fuck up bitch." Okay, Alan, that's much better, Julie thought.

Alan pushed Julie down a narrow alleyway between the streets. About thirty yards into the alley they came to the back of Saint James Church, near where Alan had parked the car. He pushed Julie into the churchyard.

--- o --

Julie had given Alan very specific instructions on what to say. He hoped that it sounded right. "Don't make noise bitch. Take off your fucking clothes." As he said this, he put the tip of the knife to Julie's throat.

Julie let out a small whimper now and then. She unbuckled her belt and dropped her jeans to her knees. She stood there for a moment, in her pastel cotton blue panties. Alan couldn't help thinking how beautiful Julie was and how cute she was with her pants down. Alan caught himself just in time and got back into character.

Alan waived the knife at her again. "Every fucking thing bitch or I'll cut you. Take off all your clothes – everything." Julie unbuttoned her blouse and let it drop to the ground and then she removed her bra. Julie covered her nipples with her left arm, just as she had fourteen years ago.

"None of that shit. Move your arm bitch; I want to see your tits." Julie smiled inwardly, knowing that Alan was getting more into it now. She lowered her arm. Alan put the knife in his left hand and reached out toward her left breast with his right hand. Julie pulled back.

Alan stepped forward and put the knife to her throat. "Don't mess with me bitch!" Julie froze. Alan reached out with his right hand again and grabbed Julie's left breast.

Julie had told Alan how rough the man had been on her breast and that she expected Alan to do no less. Alan loved Julie's tits and didn't think he had it in him to be that rough with her.

Alan folded the knife and put it in his pants pocket. Now with both hands free, Alan took each of Julie's nipples and squeezed them between his thumb and forefinger. Julie was surprised that Alan was improvising, but she approved of this move.

"No noise bitch." Alan pulled Julie forward and down to the ground by his grip on her nipples. Julie was sitting on the ground when he finally let go of her. Then Alan slapped her hard across the face. The slap was harder than Alan had intended and he started to apologize when he saw in Julie's eyes that he should not.

Alan continued with his part. "Never mess with me. Now get out of those jeans, shoes too bitch."

Julie untied her sneakers and took them off. Then she slid her jeans off the rest of the way. When she stood up she was wearing only her panties. At this point, Alan was anxious to see Julie nude, so his next line was easy to say. "Panties too bitch, don't keep me waiting." A devilish grin came over Alan's face.

Julie hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her panties and dropped them to the ground. Julie made no effort to cover her pussy with her hands. In fact she stood with her legs quite far apart, inviting Alan's lust for her.

Alan no ticed that Julie was thinner than she had been when they first started to date six weeks ago. Alan knew that Julie was not on maintenance chemo, but was actually fighting an active cancer. Alan was worried about what would happen if she got much thinner. "Julie if you lose much more weight, the doctors are going to throw your ass back in the hospital."

Julie looked at Alan. "We can talk about that tomorrow. Now Alan, get back into character."

Alan told Julie to dance for him. He sat down on the grass to watch. He loved to see Julie nude from this angle, looking up at her.

She began to hum a tune as she danced in front of him. Her dance was sensuous and erotic. She gyrated her hips and several times ran her index finger through her pussy and then smiled at him as she put her finger in her mouth. After several minutes, Julie ran her finger through her pussy and then put her finger in Alan's mouth. She is as sweet as can be, thought Alan as he sucked on Julie's finger.

Alan knew he was already as hard as a rock. He couldn't believe that the stupid kid those many years ago could look at Julie nude and not be erect immediately.

Alan's thoughts were interrupted by a noise in the street. Alan pulled Julie down behind one of the grave markers and then crouched behind another. The sound he heard was a car and a radio. Alan reached for his left ankle and his gun. He had his hand on the grip, but did not draw the weapon.

Moments later, a police cruiser drove slowly past the church. A spot light swept across the churchyard. For a moment, Alan thought they had been spotted, but then the cruiser moved on down the road.

They remained behind the grave markers for several minutes. He looked over at Julie and motioned for her to stay where she was and keep quiet. It almost seemed to Alan that Julie was asleep; her eyes were closed and she didn't move.

Alan remained on alert until he was sure that the police had moved away and that they weren't going to drive down the alleyway next.

When he was sure the police had gone, he gave Julie a new order. "On your knees bitch, kneel." He had to say it three times before Julie started to move. Alan expected the safe word at any moment, but it didn't come.

Julie knelt before him as Alan lightly placed the blade of his knife against her left cheek, just for emphasis and to confirm that he was totally in charge.

Alan folded the knife again and put it in his pocket. Then he opened his fly.

--- o --

Julie reached into Alan's pants and felt his cock. Alan was already rock hard. Julie pulled Alan's cock out of his pants and put it into her mouth. She used her tongue to stimulate the underside of his cock. She also used her hands to stimulate him.

Julie continued to work on Alan's cock while he reached down and pinched her nipples very hard. At first it hurt. She started working his cock more vigorously. The pain in her nipples was stimulating her. Julie could feel herself getting more wet.

Alan pulled his cock out of her mouth. She sat back and looked at him for a moment. He was hard, straight and stiff. "Lie back Julie, I'm going to fuck you now."

Julie changed her position to lying on her back on the grass. Alan decided to just push his pants and shorts down to his ankles, rather than undress, since he didn't want Julie to spot the pistol.

As Julie lay back on the grass, she pulled her knees up and out. Julie moved her hand around until she found the storm drain. It was still there.

Alan looked down at Julie, lying on the grass waiting for him. "You are one fine looking woman. You are amazing. "

He got on top of her. He reached down and found her pussy with his left hand, and smiled at her. "You are wet, you bitch. You are getting off on this, I know it." Alan chuckled and Julie did as well.

Alan guided his cock into her and began pushing. When he was into her as far as he could go, Alan retrieved the knife again, sprung the blade and placed the tip of the knife at the corner of her mouth. Julie was showing fear on her face, but Alan assumed it was just play acting on her part. "Don't hurt me, please," she said.

Alan began humping in and out of her.

--- o --

Everything, except for the cops, was going as she had planned it. It was her intension to show mock fear when Alan put the knife next to her mouth. When the moment actually came, Julie truly felt fear, not from Alan, but from her memories of her first visit to this place.

Julie was also aware that her body was once again behaving as it had many years earlier. She was on the verge of an orgasm. With all her willpower, Julie stifled the impulses racing through her groin. Alan stopped humping her.

Alan moved his right hand, with the knife, away from Julie's mouth, and placed the blade against her left breast just to the left of her nipple. Julie let out an audible gasp. They had discussed this scene several times. Alan had suggested that they modify the knife to the tit part or drop it altogether. Julie had insisted that they leave it in, even the part about drawing blood. Julie had told Alan, "I have every faith in you; you'll do it just right."

--- o --

Alan could see a line on Julie's breast. The skin was just slightly paler than the surrounding skin. Alan knew that was the mark from before. He placed the knife very

close to the old mark and slowly ran the tip of the knife down the side of her breast leaving a one inch line on her skin. A moment later, a small trickle of blood appeared on the line. Alan put his mouth on her tit and began sucking her blood. When Alan was sure that the cut was no longer bleeding, he began humping Julie again.

--- o --

The small cut on her tit really didn't hurt, but it had the same effect on her as before. Two minutes later, Julie's body convulsed in one enormous orgasm. She shook like a rag doll. Muscles tensed and released and then tensed again. She was totally out of control for at least ten seconds.

--- o --

Alan was somewhat worried. He had brought Julie to orgasm before, but it had never been like this. In fact, he had never seen any woman shake like this before. It was the most colossal orgasm that Alan had ever witnessed. Alan understood now, why the rapist was worried about Julie; Alan was also worried. He stopped humping her.

"Are you okay, Julie?" It took a few moments for the orgasm to subside. Julie's breathing was still quite rapid, but she managed to get out "I'm fine, Alan." Julie then wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. "Don't stop Alan, please don't stop." She gasped between breaths.

Alan began humping her faster than ever. It took another few minutes for him to reach his climax. He could feel Julie's abdominal muscles contract and release around his cock. All that time, Julie's legs were tight around his waist. It felt wonderful.

--- o --

Julie watched Alan's face contort as his orgasm began. She felt the twitching of his cock inside her. Julie realized she was cuming again at the same time. Julie held him very tightly with both her arms and her legs. His humping stopped. He pushed into her as far as he could. She could feel every movement of his cock as he came. When at last he had delivered everything, he collapsed on top of her. His breathing was fast, but eventually became steady. Julie unwrapped her legs and arms.

For a few moments, he was just motionless on top of her. She studied his face. Even though she knew Alan so very well, it seemed like she was seeing him for the first time right now. She studied the line of his hair, the shape of his ear. She listened quietly to the sound of his breathing. Julie knew that she had never been as happy as she was at that very moment. I will spend the rest of my life with Alan she thought.

Julie remembered how she thought that her rapist had gotten her pregnant. If it wasn't for her chemo therapy, she would wish that to happen tonight.

Alan got up and began pulling up his shorts and pants. He gathered up Julie's clothes and tossed them near the wall but not over. Julie was still lying on the grass. In the dim light, he could just make out the swell of her tits and the arch of her pussy. Alan leaned down and kissed Julie. Julie kissed him back, very passionately. Alan gently ran his hand over her body. He touched her breasts, he touched her pussy, he touched her legs, but mostly he touched her face.

Without another word, Alan was gone into the alleyway. Alan went to his car but did not get in. He stood next to the wall and waited for Julie. When several minutes had passed and there was no sign of her, he went back to look for her. She was still in the same spot, still nude and evidently fast asleep. Alan kissed her and she awoke.

"Come on sleepy head. You can't stay here all night."

Julie smiled at him as he helped her to sit up. "I'm just so tired Alan, just let me rest another minute, please." Alan retrieved Julie's clothes. When he returned, she was lying down again and asleep. Alan sat her up once more and began to dress her as best he could. Alan had some experience in getting women out of their clothes. He hadn't realized how much more difficult it was to get a woman into her clothes.

In the end, he had her panties on her, but he couldn't get the tight jeans on. Her blouse was on, but he didn't even try for the bra.

Alan grabbed the rest of Julie's clothes and her purse, ran back to the car and put them in the back seat. When he returned, he pulled Julie to her feet and carried her to the car.

Alan wanted to take Julie to the hospital, but Julie insisted that they go back to his apartment.

Alan carried Julie over his shoulder, into the lobby of his building and into the elevator. He wasn't worried about meeting any of his neighbors at this time of night, but he had no idea what he would say if one of them came along and saw him carrying a girl in just her panties and shirt.

Alan placed Julie down on his bed. Several nights before, he sat up the whole night and watched Julie sleep because she was nude and oh so beautiful. This night he did the same, but for a totally different reason. Every half hour, Alan checked Julie's pulse. Nothing happened. Julie slept soundly and seemed to be fine the next morning.

--- o --

Julie awoke at 9:30am. Evidently Alan had gotten up before her and was sitting in his chair watching her. Julie smiled when she saw him.

Alan fixed breakfast for them and then they dressed and went to the cancer center in the same cab.

After chemo, Alan and Julie sat together and ate their snack. For the first few minutes, they were both silent. "Alan, thank you for last night, it was the most wonderful night of my life." Julie smiled.

"It was my pleasure, Julie. It was exciting, it was fun, it was romantic, it was erotic and I was with the most exciting woman I've ever known. Julie and Alan both smiled. "I was a little worried though when you seemed to run out of gas at the end."

"I've been a little run down lately. I have an appointment with my doctor later this afternoon." Alan nodded.

For the remainder of their meal, they said very little, but they each looked into the other's eyes, held hands and smiled at each other.

At the end of the meal, Julie told Alan to go home and she would come by and see him after her appointment. Julie had been somewhat concerned herself about her weight loss and lack of energy, but she didn't want to burden Alan with any of this.

--- o --

Alan waited patiently if not nervously until 5pm. At that point, Julie came to Alan's apartment.

Julie seemed more like her old self. "He gave me a new prescription. It seems that I was anemic." She smiled as she said this.

Alan gave her a big hug. "Can you stay long?" Julie smiled when she told him that she could stay as long as she likes.

"Let's not go out tonight though, can we order something in?" Alan nodded in agreement.

Alan went out an hour later to get Chinese food and a DVD. He was back twenty minutes later.

To his surprise, he found Julie nude, sitting on the balcony, and sipping an orange juice. Alan had to smile thinking how this woman is so wonderfully uninhibited.

Alan and Julie ate Chinese food on the balcony. Alan was in his boxer shorts while Julie wore nothing at all. After supper, Julie curled up with Alan on the couch while the y watched the movie Alan had rented. It was starting to get a little chilly, so Alan got a blanket to put over them.

Several times Alan was sure that Julie had fallen asleep. It didn't appear to him that she was even facing the television. Then each time he was sure she was asleep, she would do something to show him that she was not asleep. One time, she started playing with Alan's nipple with her tongue. Another time, she put her hand in Alan's shorts and started stroking him.

Alan thought he was the luckiest man alive.

They went to bed that night without making love. Alan was so relieved that Julie was back to her old self that he didn't mind falling asleep. In his exhausted state, Alan really needed the sleep.

Alan had taken off his boxers and so they both slept in the nude. Julie wrapped herself around Alan. Alan had his hand on Julie's ass. He was delighted to feel how firm and round she was. Young people are amazing he thought. His last thought before he fell asleep was that he was the world's luckiest dirty old man. They both slept soundly.

It was still dark when Alan awoke. He saw the clock across the room said 3:40am. He still had cobwebs in his head when he realized what had awoken him. Julie was no longer wrapped around him. In fact, he couldn't even see her at first, but he could feel her. Somewhere down under the covers, she was licking his cock.

Alan was turned on immediately. He could feel his cock grow. This brought a giggle from the unseen person under the covers. Alan started to move his hand to push the covers back when he realized that his wrists had been lashed to his headboard.

"What is this?" Alan demanded as he feigned rage.

Julie sat up and pushed the covers off. "Last night you got to rape me in the churchyard Alan. Now turn about is fair play. Tonight I'm going to rape you, so prepare to suffer." Julie giggled.

Alan chuckled. This should be good he thought to himself.

"Well, I'd make you strip for me, but you're already naked so we'll skip that part. Now the second part last night was that I had to suck your cock. So tonight I'm going to make you eat my pussy. No complaining now Alan."

Alan laughed again. "No complaining here maam."

Julie moved to a position of kneeling over Alan's head. Slowly she lowered herself until her hairless cunt was within reach of Alan's tongue. Alan raised his head slightly and shot out his tongue. He got his target, the space between Julies cunt lips about two thirds of the way to the front. Her lips parted easily for him and he could taste her sweet wetness.

Julie pulled up away from Alan. "Oh you naughty boy."
A moment later, she was once again moving herself into position. This time Julie's cunt
came down tightly to Alan's mouth. His tongue was inside her again. This time he was

close enough to run his tongue the full length of her cunt. He was even able to get his
tongue partially inside her. She was amazingly sweet.
Julie put Alan through this "torture" several more times until she decided that it was time

to move on to other activities.
Julie untied Alan's hands and then climbed into bed next to him. They snuggled and
kissed for quite a while before Alan rolled over on top of Julie. Alan found Julie's cunt

and quickly got his cock into her. "I hope you're ready Alan because now I'm going to
rape you."
Alan laughed as he began humping Julie. Ten minutes later, both Alan and Julie came. It

was glorious as they held each other.

--- o ---

"Alan, I've decided that I want to spend the rest of my life with you." "That's sweet Julie." Alan smiled at her. "I'm not kidding, I don't intend to go home, I want to stay here with you forever." Alan realized that she was serious. He held her tight and kissed her. "What are you

going to tell your husband, your kids, your sister?"

"I don't know what I'll tell them, but I will. I don't ever want to leave you. I want us to be together forever. I was a damsel in distress and you are my knight in shining armor." Shortly after this, Julie fell asleep. Alan could not sleep and so he sat once again in his

chair and watched Julie sleep. At 8am, Julie woke up. Alan was still sitting, watching over her. Julie made breakfast for them. Then they took a shower together, dressed and left for the cancer center. --- o --

Julie had another doctor's appointment after chemo, so Alan came home alone and
waited for her.
It has been a magical two weeks, but Julie's husband is due back in three days. Alan

wondered what would really happen then.

Julie arrived at 6:30 together with several suitcases of her clothes and makeup. Alan realized that she had gone home and collected the things she would need to stay with him. Well at least he knew for certain that she was serious.

Alan and Julie went out to eat that night. Julie wore a dark purple knit dress that she called a jumper. In the cab ride to the restaurant, Julie showed Alan that there were no panties under her dress. Alan assumed that she wasn't wearing a bra either. Alan kissed her in the back of the cab.

The food at the restaurant was good. Alan made a move to put his hand up Julie's dress at one point, but she blocked him. "Not yet sweetie," she said with a grin, "wait till we get home."

After dinner, Alan and Julie took a cab back to Alan's apartment. Alan noticed that Julie was looking tired again.

At the apartment, Julie was out of her dress very quickly and offered herself to her lover. Alan took her and made passionate love, but was still concerned with her health.

--- o --

The following morning was one of those days that Julie was scheduled for chemo but Alan was not. Julie kissed Alan goodbye and left in the morning. This morning Julie seemed fine again. It was two days until John returned.

Julie called Alan in the afternoon. "The doctor wants to see me again, so I will be late." Alan told Julie that it was important to take care of herself.

Julie called in the early evening. "Alan I have to do something with my kids tonight, I hope you understand. I guess the simplest thing is to stay at my own house tonight and I'll see you tomorrow at the cancer center." Alan was disappointed, but agreed.

--- o --

The following morning, Alan left at the usual time for his chemo. He had a fitful sleep that night. He wasn't sure if it was from worrying about Julie or just missing her.

By ten, Alan was in his chemo chair. Across from him he could see Julie's usual nurse getting everything ready for the patient. Julie would be here in a moment.

The nurse left and returned a minute later, pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair. The y stopped by Julie's chair and the nurse helped the old woman into Julie's chair.

Alan became upset. He asked his nurse "where is Julie?" The nurse said she didn't know, but that she would find out.

It took half an hour before Alan had an answer. Julie's sister brought her to the hospital last night at midnight. Julie was admitted with severe anemia. "After your treatment, you can go visit her," said Alan's nurse, "I know that you and she are friends."

--- o --

Alan skipped the snack after chemo. He wasn't in the mood to eat. It was a twenty minute cab ride from the cancer center to the hospital. Alan asked at the desk for Julie's room.

Just outside Julie's room, Alan found her sister, Jennifer, whom he had seen a few times when Julie first started coming in for treatments. Also there was a thirteen year old boy and an eight year old girl. Alan knew these were Julie's children, William and Sally. Alan introduced himself as a friend from the cancer center.

Jennifer invited Alan to come into the room and see Julie. When Alan entered the room, Julie was lying in the bed with IV's running into her. She looked very tired. "Her blood counts are way down," explained Jennifer.

Alan smiled at Julie and tried not to cry. Julie smiled back at Alan and motioned for him to come closer. Alan leaned down toward Julie's head and heard her whisper "I love you Alan."

Julie fell back asleep. Alan and Jennifer stepped outside again. "Alan, I'm glad that you came here, I know that you and my sister have been having an affair." Alan jumped when he heard this.

"Don't panic, no one else knows and I'm not going to say anything. I have never liked my brother-in-law anyway. You are the one who made my sister happy these past few weeks. I'm grateful to you for that." Jennifer gave Alan a kiss on the cheek.

"How did you find out?"

"It doesn't take a genius. Every time John is out of town, I'm asked to take her kids. I knew what she was doing and I knew that she was happy for the first time in a long time. I just didn't know who you were. I figured that Julie's lover would be whoever came to the hospital to see her. Alan, it's nice to meet you."

"Well, when you put it like that, I guess we weren't as discreet as we thought we were." Jennifer and Alan exchanged phone numbers and agreed to keep each other informed.

The nurse came by and told them that visiting hours are now over.

Alan skipped chemo the following day and went straight to the hospital. John would return tomorrow, so he probably shouldn't come by too much after that.

Julie was asleep for most of the time that Alan was there. She woke briefly at one point and spoke to Alan. "You're my knight in shinning armor, Alan. Never forget that. You're my knight."

"I love you Julie." Alan hoped that Julie heard him. He could see a smile on Julie's face. She was right back to sleep. No one else was in the room. Alan gave her a kiss on the forehead. "You are the love of my life, Julie."

At 3pm Jennifer arrived with Julie's kids. They exchanged some pleasantries and then Alan left them alone with their mother/sister.

Alan drove by Saint James Church after he left the hospital. The church was open and so he went inside and sat in a pew at the back of the church. Alan was not a church person, but it seemed appropriate, now, to be here. Alan did the best he could to say a prayer for Julie.

Alan arrived home at 5:30 and fixed himself a small snack. By 6:30 he was watching the news on TV, but he wasn't really listening to it. At 8:00 Alan began reading a book, but he wasn't really paying attention to that either. At 8:45, Alan fell asleep in his chair from exhaustion.

--- o --

The telephone rang. Alan came awake and looked at the clock. It was 1:00am. Alan reached for the phone. "Hello?"

"Alan, this is Jennifer, Julie's sister." Alan's heart skipped a beat.

"Yes, Jennifer. What's the matter?"

"Alan, Julie passed away about an hour ago. I'm sorry." Jennifer began to sob on the phone. Alan was in shock at first, and then he also began to cry. Alan and Jennifer stayed on the phone for several minutes crying to each other.

Finally, they each regained control of themselves. "Thanks for letting me know. I'm sorry Jennifer, I'm really sorry."

"I know, Alan. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know about arrangements." Alan thanked her again and then hung up the phone.

Alan did not sleep that night. Despite the restrictions of chemo therapy, Alan had several drinks.

Alan cried for Julie several times that night. At 10am, Alan's phone rang. Alan answered. It was Jennifer. Alan listened intently to everything Jennifer said. He noticed right away that she sounded just like Julie on the phone.

"Alan, are you okay."
"No, Jennifer, I'm not, but I will just get through it myself."
"John is due back today. " Alan said that he knew that. "John already knows that Julie is

dead. He's asked me to take care of the arrangements."
"What's going to happen?"
"Julie and John were never much for going to church, but I found in her check book that

she had been making donations to a church near her college. So I called over there and the woman told me that Julie had been sending them a donation every month for more than ten years, but they had never met her. It's so strange."

"It's Saint James Episcopal Church on Spring Garden and Forty-Ninth Streets."
"Yes it is, Alan, how did you know?"
"Julie talked about that church many times. She first went there when she was a

sophomore in college. We even went over there and walked through the churchyard last

week." Alan decided that he wouldn't tell her what else happened in the churchyard.
"Then it sounds as if this was her church. The church has long ago run out of burial
plots, but they have a columbarium."

"Jennifer, I have no idea what you just said."

"Alan it's a place to store ashes, or there is a memorial garden where the ashes can be
spread."
"Jennifer, that's perfect. I know that she would want her ashes spread in the garden."
Alan and Jennifer discussed the matter for several more minutes. The service would be

held next Wednesday at 3pm in the churchyard of Saint James Episcopal Church and Julie's ashes would be spread in the garden.

--- o --

Alan did not leave his apartment until Wednesday.

He wore the same jacket and tie that he had worn to the Italian restaurant with Julie. Julie had said that she liked the way he looked in that jacket.

The memorial service was very nice, although Alan couldn't remember what was said five minutes later. The rector, Rev. Girard said a few kind words. Then Julie's children and her husband spread her ashes in the garden.

After the service, Alan introduced himself to John as a "friend" from the cancer center and shook hands. John thanked Alan for coming. Alan tried to make small talk with John, without much success. He did find out that John was selling the family home and moving he and the kids to another state.

John had ignored Julie while she was alive, Alan thought, so why wouldn't he ignore her now tha t she was dead.

John and the children left. Jennifer came over and gave Alan a kiss on the cheek. "I know that was difficult for you." Alan nodded in agreement. "I knew that John would want only the children and himself to spread her ashes." Alan nodded again. "So I held some ashes back. I wanted to spread some of her ashes and I thought that maybe you did too."

Alan started to cry, but quickly got himself under control. Jennifer got a second container of ashes from her car. She and Alan walked in the garden and gently spread Julie's ashes.

"Will you be alright, Alan?"

"I'll be fine. Thank you so much. Your sister was the most wonderful person I have ever met and you're just like her."

Jennifer kissed Alan on the cheek again and they each left.

--- o --

Alan had dinner that night at their Italian restaurant. It was of course not the same.

Alan slept that night, mainly because he was exhausted.

It had been almost a week since Alan had gone to the cancer center for his treatments. His message machine was filling up with messages from the center asking where he was and was he alright.

On Thursday morning, Alan called Rev Girard at Saint James Church and made an appointment to see him later that day. Rev. Girard asked Alan to meet him at 1pm.

Alan put on the same jacket and tie he had worn the day before and went to Saint James Church that afternoon.

"Good afternoon Alan, I'm Father Girard." Father Girard held out his hand to shake Alan's

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Father." Alan wasn't completely comfortable with calling another man "Father," but he got through it.

"Didn't I see you yesterday at the memorial service?" Alan said that Father Girard had indeed seen him yesterday. "What can we do for you Alan?"

"Father, the person who was buried here yesterday (Alan knew that "buried" was the wrong term, but he figured Girard would get his meaning), she was very special to me. I want you to know that Saint James was very special to her." Girard smiled at that.

"Father, when my time comes, I want my ashes to be spread in the same garden as Julie's ashes were spread yesterday."

Father Girard told Alan that could be arranged, and suggested a prepaid plan since Alan had no close relatives. Girard's elderly secretary drew up the papers and Alan wrote the church a check that afternoon.

--- o --

Alan had dinner that night at the Thai restaurant where he and Julie had their first date. After dinner, at around 10pm, Alan drove to Saint James Church. By the light of the moon, Alan found the memorial garden. Alan smiled. "I brought you a present, Julie." Alan reached into his jacket pocket and produced Julie's switchblade. He was able to dig easily in the soft garden soil. Alan dug down six inches. He placed her switchblade in the hole and covered it up. Alan had chosen a spot near an irrigation sprinkler. He figured it would rust away long before anyone discovered it.

Alan would come to the garden and visit Julie often. Usually he was there two or three times a week. Over a couple of months, Alan became friends with Father Girard.

--- o --

Alan knew that he would be with Julie again. He remembered Julie's words that she wanted to be with him forever.

On the day following Julie's funeral, Alan phoned his doctor. Alan told the doctor that he was no longer going to be taking chemo therapy. "But Alan, " said the doctor, "you could live another twenty years with the right treatment. Without the treatment, you will most likely die before Christmas. It seems a clear choice to me."

"It's a clear choice to me also. I won't be back."

--- o --

Epilog: On a chilly afternoon in late fall, three people in overcoats stood in the memorial garden of Saint James Episcopal Church. Father Girard said some prayers, and then handed his prayer book to the elderly church secretary standing to his left. Father Girard then nodded in the direction of the third person, standing to his right.

Jennifer removed a card from her pocket and read. "Please always know, my love, that I was a damsel in distress. You are my knight in shining armor who came to my rescue. You are the one true love of my life. I will love you and be with you always, Julie"

The secretary was holding an urn of ashes. All three spread the ashes around the garden and then silently left.

--- o --

Endnote: The story and characters described herein are a work of fiction. The author is a thirty-three year old Latina woman currently undergoing treatment at a cancer center in greater Miami.

--- end---