Jessica Ann Ch. 02

I was student teaching Biology at an inner city high school when I met Frank. There's only one problem with meeting someone during student teaching, a student teacher has barely enough time to prepare as it requires inordinate amounts of time and energy; all else is excluded.

We met at a fall "back to school" party and I liked Frank from the very beginning. He was different; kind, considerate and witty. His dry sense of humor and sharp observations about life at college appealed to me.

Our date was a fun filled riot of a night. Frank took me to a vintage movie cinema and we saw "Casablanca" on the big screen. Afterwards, we ate at a classic fifties type diner. He introduced me to malted milk shakes and a cheeseburger with... "With" I learned meant with cheese and onions. Over drinks at Doyle's College Bar, we laughed and talked with an ease that shouted "in tune" with each other.

The following morning we met for breakfast and it seemed as though we just picked up were we left off at Doyle's. However, at the end of the meal, I explained to Frank about the time commitment with student teaching.

"I'll be happy with any time you can spare." He stated with sincerity.

We walked back to Frank's apartment holding hands and I realized my heart was beating faster than usual. Unfortunately, I was late for a meeting with my faculty advisor and hoped Frank would understand.

Later that night, I had the urge to call Frank and when he answered, I smiled and darn it but my heart was beating faster. He assured me he was a patient person and if I needed his help for any reason to call him.

Our conversations evolved into a nightly fixture and I was dying to go out with Frank again. After two weeks of talk, talk, talk, I told him I had some spare time on Saturday and that night we went to see a new rock group at the college auditorium. Afterwards, we sat at Doyle's and shared some laughs as we drank a couple of beers.

Frank's humorous stories, relaxed attitude and the caring way he gazed at me, had a profound effect on me. As he was relating a story about his brother, I put my hand over his and squeezed it affectionately.

We were standing in front of my apartment and he was saying goodbye.

"I'll call you tomorrow." He said in an elated voice.

As Frank gave me peck on the cheek, I pulled him close and kissed him with undeniable passion. When I pulled back, he looked surprised but smiled contentedly. He was trying to leave but I held him fast.

"Jess, student teaching, remember?" he said with concern for me.

I wanted to kiss Frank and didn't care about student teaching. I put my hands on the back of his head and pulled him close for another mouth mashing smooch. Then, I pulled him towards my apartment door and inside we went.

"Jess, listen to me. You can't stay up half the night and hope to be prepared for Monday." He said with the same concern.

Frank was right as rain and my eyes got watery in recognition of the truth. I agreed to meet him the following Saturday night for dinner at his apartment.

"Bring whatever books or lesson plans you need and work while I make dinner." He stated with honesty.

"At least I can be near you." He said with a hint of love in his voice.

The following Saturday, I sat in Frank's apartment working on lesson plans as he prepared dinner. I had been working for about two hours when he handed me a beer.

"Break time!" he declared.

I gazed at him lovingly as the cold liquid warmed my insides.

"Dinners almost ready." He stated and took my hand in his.

The inexorable forces of nature took control as I pulled him close and we kissed like lovers. Every nerve ending in my body was alive with feeling as I ran my hands up and down his body with yearning.

"Jess, what about dinner?" he asked in a breathless voice as I mashed my mouth on his.

"You're looking at it." I growled at him.

Our clothes flew in all directions as love's raw sexuality would not be denied. Moans and growls poured from my panting mouth as Frank hungrily kissed and suckled my breasts.

My insides were on fire by the time Frank nestled his face twixt my thighs. His hot breath on my slit had me squirming in anticipation. He timidly lapped my needy slit and I was sure of his sexual inexperience.

But, Frank was a determined cuss and valiantly licked me until I had a small but genuine orgasm. I pulled him up and kissed his face wet with my juices. He had a sheepish and shy expression on his face.

"I'm not very good at satisfying a woman, ah, sexually." He said with humility.

"Are you a virgin?" I asked bluntly.

Frank's face turned several different shades of red and I had my answer. I hugged him with all my might. I wanted to fuck him silly and prayed he had a condom. When I saw him produce the foil wrapped packet, I thanked God because I would have screwed him whether he had one or not.

I got on top of him and taking command unrolled the condom over his above average cock. I positioned myself and slowly lowered my gaping gash onto his hard dick. Little by little, I worked his fat cock into my pussy until I had him balls deep.

It was time for "ride em cowgirl" and I fucked Frank with searing passion. I repeatedly stuffed his organ into my drooling slice and I was grateful for the desensitizing effect condoms had on cocks as I rode my lover to orgasmic bliss.

With his hands tweaking my nipples, I erupted and screamed.

"Oh! God! Oh! Frank! Oh!" I yelled and Frank joined the chorus.

I swear Frank's eyes rolled back into his head from what I guessed correctly, was an orgasm. I was enormously proud that I had taken his virginity. He lost it in the best way possible, to someone that loved him.

Afterward, we ate dinner stark naked and exchanged loving looks. I wanted Frank for dessert and found out he wanted me as well. We feasted on each other in a sixty nine position. With his tongue buried in my soggy folds, I wantonly sucked his cock until it exploded in my mouth.

I got precious little work done as we continued our lovemaking into the wee hours of the night. I spent the next day playing catch up with my schoolwork but Frank insisted that I stay and he waited on me hand and foot.

Somehow, I survived student teaching and over Christmas break, I took Frank home to meet the family. After he left for home, Amy and I sat in the den and talked.

"He's a nice guy." Amy stated with honesty.

"I love him." I exclaimed.

Amy regarded me with suspicion.

"You mean..." She asked quietly.

"Yes!" I shouted emotionally.

I was in love and in my heart I was aware that Frank was the "one", the person I wanted to settle down with and marry.

"Amy, I'm sure of my feelings." I stated with passion.

"You've come a long way Jessica." She declared proudly and embraced me.

Spring semester, my final semester at college, Frank and I were inseparable. Our relationship grew with each passing day. One warm spring afternoon, I was waiting for Frank at the student union when I remembered how immature I acted during my Freshman year.

I chuckled when I recalled my Dad lecturing me like an adult in the hopes of setting me on the right path. However, I frowned when I remembered my sordid affair with Tyler. It all seemed so long ago. I would be twenty two in a little over a month and I wanted Frank to marry me after we graduated.

After our graduation ceremony, Frank and I went to Doyle's for old time sake. He was unusually nervous and fidgety.

"Are you alright?" I inquired.

"Yes, but, ah, Jess, I ah, wanted to ask you..."

"What?" I asked in an exasperated way.

"Will you marry me?" he blurted out and handed me a small box.

Inside was an engagement ring and I stared in disbelief.

"It's not much but I'll make it up to you later." He stated timidly.

As I put the ring on my finger, I practically flew across the table and hugged him.

"Yes!" I shouted to the rooftops and looked with surprise as the patrons in the bar applauded my decision.

My father and Amy were happy when I told them. My poor dad, Amy had informed him she was moving to an apartment and I was leaving in less than a year. He would be alone for the first time in a long time.

For the next year, I substitute taught at the local high school until a position became available via a teacher retiring. She recommended me because I was the only substitute who corrected papers and in general, cared for her students as much as she did.

With Frank's new job in financial planning, we married and embarked on our life's journey together. Amy was living in her apartment with Janelle and seemed very happy. They met on a singles cruise and became a couple shortly thereafter.

My father had a hard time accepting Amy and Janelle as a couple but his love for Amy overrode any negative feelings that he had. We enjoyed the holidays as a family and Janelle was as much a part of the family as Frank.

Life was good and Amy was as much a part of my life as before. Our nightly phone calls had continued uninterrupted since my freshman year of college. She was still my best friend and sister who I could talk to about anything.

However, I never lost the feelings of foreboding that existed deep in my psyche. They surfaced occasionally and I would visit Amy with the sole purpose of appraising her physical look.

Amy and I were headed to the mall for some last minute Christmas shopping when I looked at her and thought she looked unusually tired. Every nerve ending in my body went on full alert; condition red. She looked as our mother had when she was diagnosed with Leukemia.

Amy saw my reaction and gave me the "shush" sign. Outwardly I tried to remain calm but inside I was in turmoil. For the next hour a torrent of questions and emotions flashed thru my mind. When we finally arrived at her apartment, I turned on my heels and asked Janelle in a panic filled voice, "What's wrong with Amy? Janelle, please tell me the truth!" I screamed.

Janelle had tears in her eyes and that's all I needed in the way of an answer.

"Why? Why? Why? I shrieked and broke down in sobs.

Amy comforted me and whispered reassuring words but I was inconsolable. I held her tight, deathly afraid of the losing her to that accursed disease.

"Jessica, please listen to me." She said in a soothing voice.

My chest heaved with sobs as I clutched her to me.

"My dear sister, try to be strong and don't over react." She said in the same soothing voice.

With as much strength as I could rally, I took deep breaths and exhibited some self control but I refused to let go of her.

"Now, listen carefully. I was diagnosed last August and I've been on chemo since then. The doctor says it looks like I'm responding and with some luck I'll go into remission." She stated with reassurance in her voice. . This couldn't be happening. I had lost my mother to Leukemia and now with Amy diagnosed, I was aware of her chances of remission. And, that's "the rub" as Shakespeare wrote. Remission is not a cure as the disease can reemerge at a later time. Every day I visited the small chapel near my apartment and prayed for Amy's recovery. I begged God to spare her.

My prayers went unanswered. When I accompanied her to the oncologist, it was bad news. Her response to the chemo was temporarily successful but the cancer had returned and her symptoms would worsen rapidly. Her time was limited, weeks maybe months.

I remained stoic; Amy needed my strength not hysteria but, inside, I was gripped with anger, terror and grief.

Amy held my hand as I drove her home. She was serene; accepting of her fate.

"Jessica, I always knew that I would never see old age. When the doctor told mom that it was likely one of her offspring would develop the disease, I was positive it would be me. You took after Dad's side of the family. You have his strength and personality."

She sighed in a sad way and mulled over her next words.

"After mom died, I wanted to take care of you. I wanted to prepare you for life as she would have done herself if she had lived. I'm proud of you. I'm proud of your accomplishments and look at you, married with a respected profession as employment. You've come a long way and I will miss you." She remarked sadly.

Tears flowed in an unbroken stream down my face. I kissed her hand and held it against me.

"I love you Amy." I said in a sobbing voice and she sighed again.

"I know Jessica. I never doubted your love for me." She replied in a weepy voice.

As the doctor predicted, Amy's condition worsened rapidly. My father, Janelle and me took turns caring for her until it was necessary to call Hospice. I went on a temporary leave of absence and devoted myself to her as she had done for me.

Allison, our neighbor, was a lawyer and handled all the legal papers gratis. She ran errands and just about anything we asked of her. She was fond of Amy and it showed.

But, the disease progressed so rapidly that she declined sharply in only a few weeks. I was sitting with her one evening and she was pale, thin and weak. In a harsh whisper she spoke;

"Take care of Janelle for me. She's a good person."

The hospice nurse advised me that her vital signs were weak. As I held her hand, Carmen called my Dad and Frank and expressed the urgency of the situation.

Before they arrived she lapsed into unconsciousness and with all of us present, died shortly after midnight.

My sister, my surrogate mother and best friend was gone. My Dad put his arms around me and held me as I wept with deep sorrow over the loss of someone so dear to us. I was a motherless child; lost in the wilderness without a compass or guide to show me the way.

Frank held me when my Dad broke down in sobs and fell to his knees in abject sorrow. Janelle comforted him as he wailed with impassioned intensity. He had to bury a child that he loved dearly. . I visited her grave often and spoke to her as though she were still living. It was the only way I knew how. Frank was the most understanding husband when it came to my obsessive visitations. Sometimes, he went with me and waited in the car so I would have some privacy.

When the lease expired on her apartment, we gave Janelle the personal items that she treasured and kept the rest. Allison saw that there were no legal problems with the handling of her estate. As I said in the first chapter, she proved to be a valuable friend.

I miss Amy terribly but life goes on. In her selfless way, she had prepared me for life and its challenges. She wanted the best for me and gave me the tools to find my way. For that I am indebted and eternally grateful.