His Daddy's Car

After six months the original indictments were a mess. Several of the people involved that the prosecutors hoped to make deals with started turning up dead. The continuing investigations by the FBI found a more complex criminal organization than originally thought, and now included definitive evidence of Russian mob influence stretching all the way to Moscow and Odessa.

We had also learned of two other families that my parent knew who had been killed. It was becoming obvious that our need for protection was going to go on indefinitely. The Marshals started coaching us on what the future held in store, with new identities, changes to our appearance, and so on. I was only a couple of months from delivering our baby, so I asked if I could wait on trying to change my appearance until after the baby was born. The concept of mother and child having as many physical traits in common as possible made sense to the Marshals as long as it allowed my own appearance to be changed enough to fool a casual acquaintance from my past.

Are you hungry?"

Bobby chuckled, "I could eat. What would you like to have?"

Katie kissed his nose, "A Double-Double with cheese."

Bobby kissed her nose back, "When was the last time you had one of those?"

"The Sunday before I left, when you took me to the In-N-Out Burger on 19^th Street in Costa Mesa and then we went to the Newport Pier to watch the dolphins playing."

"That was my last time too. It's one of the many things that felt too painful to do after you left. Getting away from all the memories that haunted me wherever I went in Orange County is the only thing that allowed me to function. But anyway, since there aren't any Double-Doubles within 300 miles of us, would you settle for a steak and baked potato?"

"There's an In-N-Out within 300 miles and you want me to settle for steak? Okay, but you should be darn glad I love you buster."

Bobby leaned over and began to kiss her nose again when he changed direction. He knew that they had both been avoiding a real kiss because of what it would stir inside each of them, and they had so much that needed to be discussed first.

Bobby thought that a simple, brief kiss on her lips would be manageable, but oh how wrong he was. As always, Katie sensed Bobby's actions, and eagerly brought her lips to his. If they had both had their hands tied behind their backs and their legs shackled to the bedframe, a simple kiss may have been possible, but Bobby doubted it.

The instant their lips met their bodies and limbs went into autopilot; melting together into the form-fitting entity that was their physical love for each other. Together they existed in a singular world that knew nothing except their passion for each other. While both had changed to some degree physically, the changes in each were obviously complimentary to the other because they fit together now as they had 10 years ago.

As Bobby entered Katie, there was no urgency, no need for movement. They had accomplished their objective of being as physically connected as a man a woman could be. They lay joined for several minutes before either moved, and then it was simultaneous. As Bobby entangled his fingers into Katie's hair, she brought her hand up and lightly caressed his face as they stared into each other's eyes. As he held her tight, Katie pulled Bobby fully on top of her body and wrapped her legs around his thighs, pulling him as closely as she could. Bobby allowed Katie to position them so that her desires were met, and continued to not only respond, but to preemptively meet her needs before she even realized they existed. Neither lasted long before achieving their mutual orgasms, but there were no regrets. They had found each other again.

Bobby didn't want to use the barbeque outside because he didn't want to leave Katie in the house for a minute, and she should not go outside without her glasses and contacts. He turned on the oven broiler to allow it to heat up as he took two Rib Eye steaks out of the refrigerator and set them on the counter. He was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts and Katie had commandeered his terry cloth bathrobe.

She asked him where he kept the potatoes, and he pointed to a pantry door across the kitchen. Katie selected a couple of medium sized potatoes, cleaned them in the sink and prepared them for the microwave.

As Bobby was placing the steaks into the broiler, Katie started the microwave.

"Do you want a salad or anything else?" asked Bobby.

"Meat and potatoes are fine for me tonight, unless you want something more."

"I would like to keep it as quick and simple as possible so that we can get back to more important matters than food."

"My thoughts exactly," Katie said as she walked over and put her arms around his waist.

"Do you want to continue your story?" Bobby asked her.

"I need to"

Then she continued, "The next major confrontation between me and the Marshals occurred when they started working on our new identities and cover stories. I could accept them giving me a new identity to match those of my parents, but I was adamant that my baby would carry your name and the birth certificate would reflect you as the father. We argued over this for more than a month before someone high up in the Department of Justice conceded to my demands.

Once JR was born and it was obvious that he had your eyes and blonde hair, I was able to start working on changing my appearance. The Marshals provided cosmetic contact lenses that matched JR's eye color; I bleached and colored my hair to get close to his, and started wearing non-corrective glasses. My mom and dad could then try to bring their new appearances in-line with mine and JR's so we would more closely resemble a genetic family.

Almost a year to the day from when we entered the program, we were moved to our new house where we have lived since then. The place may look somewhat rustic, but it is a virtual fortress. Of course you can see the ten-foot wall that surrounds the entire five acres, but what you can't see are all the cameras, sensors, alarms and even traps that also exist.

The house itself is almost like a maximum security prison with some of the features the Marshals have installed. Any door in the house can be electronically opened, closed, and sealed tight from the Marshal's remote monitoring station here in San Antonio. The house was built with fireproof materials and the additional suppression systems would quickly extinguish any fire that did occur inside or outside the house. There are four separate panic rooms, and each one has an escape tunnel routed out of the complex."

The microwave timer sounded and Katie asked, "How are the steaks coming?"

Bobby turned the steaks and said, "Just a few more minutes."

Katie wrapped the potatoes in Aluminum foil to allow them to continue cooking while waiting for the steaks. "Which cupboard has your plates?" she asked.

"I'll get them. Why don't you get some silverware from that last drawer over there? What would you like to drink?"

"Do you have any iced tea?"

"One of the first things I did when I unpacked the kitchen was to make a jar of sun tea. Do you still take it unsweetened?"

"Yes," she said, "Thanks for remembering."

Bobby winked at her and they smiled at each other as he poured her a glass.

While Katie set places at the table for them, she continued her story, "Dad started having problems with his circulation a few months ago, mostly concern over blood clots, and then about the same time, mom had a mild stroke. They both ended up in a skilled nursing home here in San Antonio to make it easier for the Marshals. As long as they can receive the needed treatments and therapies there, it eliminates the problems associated with transporting them all the way from the house. We expect that they'll both be able to come home sometime next week."

"That about brings us up-to-date," Katie said.

"Not quite," said Bobby. "You haven't told me anything about you and what you have been doing."

He pulled the broiler pan from the oven, put a steak on a plate for each of them and handed one to Katie. They each stood at the counter and prepared their potato before sitting down at the table.

They had been eating silently for several minutes when Katie set her fork down. After chewing her last bite of the steak and nodding her approval to Bobby and said, "Once JR was born my initial focus was on raising him. When he no longer needed breast feeding, and the Marshals felt it was safe to venture into San Antonio, I started looking for classes I could take. San Antonio has some great art schools, and while they tend to have a very Hispanic culture influenced approach to their programs, the watercolor techniques they teach easily transfer into other areas. After completing every program I could find related to watercolor or pastels, I then looked for programs related to commercial art. Combining watercolors and commercial art is a natural, and is very popular for presenting design concepts in architecture.

One of my instructors introduced me to some local designers and architects, and I was soon in business on my own. I still like to paint on my own, doing mostly landscapes of the local area."

"And the occasional car from what I understand," said Bobby.

Katie's eyes grew wide with surprise as she looked at Bobby.

He smiled at her and said, "JR mentioned that a new picture of a car that looks just like mine appears every year on Easter Sunday."

"Not exactly like yours I've learned," said Katie with a mock pout. "My paintings didn't include the personalized license plates according to JR. When did those come about?"

"They were my prom night present to you," Bobby told her. "I picked them up from the DMV on Friday and put them on right before going to your house to pick you up.

Tears sprang to Katie's eyes as she ran around the table and crawled into Bobby's lap. "I have never stopped loving you Bobby," she cried. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Franc" she said.

"Wait, Franc knows who you are?"

Katie wiped her tears and said, "My fainting at the sight of you kind of made her curious..." Katie giggled.

"Franc was asking questions trying to figure out what caused me to faint, and when she asked if I might be pregnant, I assured her it wasn't possible. I told her that I hadn't had sex since JR was conceived and had taken a self-imposed vow of celibacy as penance for the pain I felt and for breaking the heart of my one true love. When I told her how I had just disappeared out of the life of the boy who loved me, she saw the similarities to what you went through, so I confessed that I was the girl that you had lost and seeing you is what made me faint. Franc knows that she has to keep my secret for the safety of all our families. By the way, when did you figure it out?"

"It was a gradual process," said Bobby. "The change in your appearance was good but I sensed a familiarity about you. Others seemed to sense it too. When we shook hands and I felt your touch, I guess that was the first unexpected sign. Then today, as you moved to sit down in the chair next to me, the way you did it caused another tumbler to click in my mind. The clincher though was watching and hearing you speak. Your voice isn't exactly the same...there is some Texas 'twang' evident, and I don't know if that is purposeful or simply a result of where you have been living. Even with the slight difference in your voice, I still recognized it as you. I may be the only person who would hear the love in every word you ever spoke to me, and that's what I heard today. You had also been avoiding my eyes, which now I understand why. You could make the color of your eyes pea-green purple and that would never disguise the love I see in them when you look at me. I hope you see the same in mine now that I know who you are."

Katie kissed Bobby and said, "The love appeared in your eyes right before you said "Hello PattyKat", and hasn't left them since. If you're done with your dinner, could I talk you into getting more comfortable with me again? I'll do your dishes for you tomorrow after I cook you breakfast."

Bobby rose from his chair with Katie in his arms and carried her back to bed. She threw off the robe and waited for him to join her under the sheet. Propping some pillows against the headboard, Bobby leaned back and Katie snuggled into his chest.

"Now it's your turn," she said as she played with the hair on his chest.

"Well," Bobby said "I know now that you understand how terrified I was when I arrived at your house to take you to the prom and no one was there. I sat in front of your house until Sunday afternoon, leaving my car only when I saw one of your neighbors so I could ask if they knew where you and your family were. I finally went home and told my dad what had happened and he returned to your house with me. We walked around the outside trying to see if anything was amiss, but we didn't see anything.

My dad finally called to police and they sent a patrol car to your house to take a report and talk to us. After that we went home and I tried to remember all I could about any other friends or relatives you had mentioned to me that might know where you were. Keri Gordon was the only friend I could think of, and since I didn't have a number for her, I took off school on Monday and drove to her house in Van Nuys.

She was in school when I got there, so I waited for her to get home that afternoon. She was surprised to see me and even more surprised and very concerned about you and your family disappearing. She thought that she might have names of some of your parent's friends and agreed to contact them to see if they had any information. I headed back home and by the time I got there, Keri had called to report that she had had no luck with anybody knowing where you were.

I didn't return to school until graduation. Up until the day I had to leave to start the Air Force Academy, I just spent my time working at the shop or sitting at the beach thinking about you and trying to figure out what to do to find you. I threw myself into the academy routine as an escape from my constant fear that I would never see you again.

You had mentioned that you thought you had broken my heart, and I don't know if that is an accurate description. If you had purposely left me, I'm sure a broken heart would have been the result. I wasn't convinced that you had left ME, but always just felt that you were gone against your will, and I guess that belief is what left me with what I can only describe as an unfulfilled love. The love was inside me, bursting to get out, and without you, I had no release. Do you understand that?"

Katie raised up and touched the tip of her nose to his, "Wow Bobby, you have described exactly the way I was feeling. Even once JR was born and I had the love for him I could express all the time, just like you, I was unfulfilled by having to keep my love for you contained rather than releasing it on you. Please go on."

When Katie returned to her spot on his chest, Bobby continued, "I graduated top in my class from the Academy and then I was assigned to Eglin Air Force base in Florida. I completed some additional training there and then bounced around the world doing things that I am not at liberty to discuss.

I left the Air Force a few years back at the rank of Captain. I now have my own business contracting with the government in various capacities, which is what brought me here to San Antonio. I am contracted to do some training in my specialty at Lackland."

"Can you tell me what your 'specialty' is?" asked Katie.

Bobby reached under her chin with his finger and raised her head so he could look into her eyes. "Shock and awe," he said. "Shock and awe."

Chapter Three - Thursday

Bobby and Katie made love again before falling asleep in each other's arms. They awoke the next morning still embraced. It didn't appear to either of them that they had moved an inch during the night.

Katie untangled herself from Bobby and headed to the bathroom. On this trip, Bobby definitely focused on the sight of her body, largely due to the fact that she was walking away from him and her eyes weren't visible to distract him.

While she used the master bath, Bobby went down the hall to the spare bathroom and took care of his own morning needs. Bobby then detoured to his office to check his e-mail and update his client on his status. They met in the kitchen and functioned like a couple who had shared a kitchen for years as they efficiently teamed up to get coffee started, the dinner dishes washed, and breakfast on the table.

The synergies of their actions were not lost of either of them as they frequently stopped to hug, kiss, or caress each other. Once they were both done with their breakfast and had refills on their coffee, Bobby started things off, "Now for the fun part."

He wasn't smiling and Katie understood the meaning. "We need to keep secret Bobby," she said.

"Unacceptable for any long period of time. Losing you for 10 years is bad enough, but there's also JR to consider."

"I know, but the risk is still too high if mine or my parents' true identities were known. While most of the court cases have been completed, there are still several key figures who haven't been indicted yet. Even if they had no fear of my father testifying against them, there are still too many people -- very bad people -- who might want revenge for what has already occurred. The risk migrates to anyone who knows who we are, which now puts you and your family in greater risk than ever."

"Okay," Bobby said. "I can understand the short-term benefit of keeping our past history secret, but how about starting out new in the eyes of everyone else? As far as anyone other than Francis knows, you and I just met. What would be suspicious about you and me starting to date and having a relationship?"

"As soon as you and I are seen together, the Marshals will run a background check on you. Once they see where you grew up and then discover that you knew Patty Harper, our history would be known."

"Kirby Wallace already ran into that brick wall," Bobby grinned. "It was not a very pleasant experience for him."

Katie gasped, "What do you mean? Kirby has checked you out?"

"He tried to check out me and Franc. When he didn't get what he expected, he stopped me at the practice field lot yesterday."

Katie's hand shot to her mouth, "What happened?" she asked.

"I handed him my business card and gave him some simple instructions to call his headquarters in DC and to read the phone number on my card in reverse order. I told him I would wait by my car for him."

"What was the phone call about?"

"I can't go into details on most of what I do, or even what my role is relative to the government. Suffice it to say that Marshal Wallace learned that I am not someone he has to worry about where his assignment to protect you and your family is concerned. He placed the call originally to verify that he had the authority to arrest me..."

"Why would he want to arrest you?" gasped Katie.

"Because his background inquiries on me resulted in denials of access due to national security. His inquiries into Franc produced reports that were so censored that he was lucky to see who she was married to. When he made the call, he was informed that he not only didn't have the authority to arrest me, he didn't even have the authority to talk to me."

Katie snickered, "I bet that went over real well."

"It could have been worse," Bobby told her.

"What did you tell him?"

"Essentially, I told him I respected his position and tried to put his mind at ease about having some stranger show up near you and your family that he was helpless to identify to his satisfaction. I will remain an enigma to him, but I think he understands that we're on the same side. So, to address your concern about our past being discovered through me, that isn't going to be possible."