Mary's Guardian Angel Ch. 01

Aaron is a patron of the Arts. He first met Mary during an Impressionist Exhibit on loan to her husband's art gallery and there was an instant attraction between them. She is drawn to his honesty and strength of character, despite the fact he admitted to her he is agnostic. She admired him for all the obstacles he overcame while growing up. She being married limited their relationship to casual friends.

She's read all his books-everything he's written actually, favoring his compilation of illustrated short stories with their sweet Romantic undertones and his pen, pencil or charcoal drawings accompanying each short story.

Aaron finds Mary to be delightfully demure and naive. He enjoys her natural goodness and kindness toward others. He can sit for hours listening to her play the piano, which she often did at the Art Gallery when she helped her husband out as an unpaid hostess during all of the art exhibits' first openings.

Mary required the skill of an artist and someone familiar with publishing companies, so naturally she asked him to help her with a memorial gift for her church. He did the artwork of several detailed pen and ink drawing of the church for her. He greatly enjoyed creating the intricate religious theme borders framing the pages of the hymnal and book of psalms because he did them for her.

They spent several afternoons together chaperoned by the head librarian, Agnes Davis, when they reserved the conference room at the public library and requested she be a technical advisor of sorts and Agnes gladly accepted to be included. In consideration he presented Agnes with three autographed copies of each of his books for the library's upcoming new addition fundraiser and insisted she keep one of each for herself.

In the beginning, Mary and Aaron saw each other at various on loan exhibits at the art gallery or other charity fund raising events. Mary helped him with two of his book signings when he was promoting a new book. They were friends at those public events for a few hours, two or three times a month for two years until Mary's arrest...

IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY WITH THUNDER and lightning serenading them as they left the lockup. Unfortunately he had to park two blocks away. He insisted she put on his trench raincoat and fedora. The coat was too large for her so he wrapped it around her and cinched the belt in place to keep it closed.

Mary was able to tuck her hair under his hat to make it fit. As she looked up at him smiling, he had an almost uncontrollable urge to kiss her lips and hug Mary gently to him. Hug and kiss her to assure her she was safe and everything would be fine...and it would be as her attorney had connections having retired from the Justice Department 'But not yet...not yet.' He thought assuring himself the time will be coming soon. Before they left Mary and Anita hugged in the holding center's main lobby.

After her harrowing experience, Mary was exhausted and relieved to be out of there. She fell asleep on the way to Aaron's house on Long Island Sound in the new Chevy Suburban he purchased at the Chevrolet Dealer in Ohio. This was the same dealer he had his Silverado towed to after he broke down. He explained his problem to the sales manager and offered them full sticker with the understanding they get it prepped and registered as soon as possible and to their credit they did... Aaron left the Chevy dealership in less than 6 hours from the time he arrived there.

As he drove he was thinking about his stint in lockup. At that time he was still elated after spending all of August with Frank as a youth counselor paying forward to the troubled youths that he once was. He was arrested a few short days after he turned seventeen when he was looking forward to the upcoming football season as the first string quarterback.

That Thursday evening in September, Aaron pummeled an aggressive Jamaican pimp to the sidewalk. The flashily dressed pimp's street name is Diamonds. Aaron allegedly disrespected him when he and his date accidently bumped into him while leaving a restaurant. Anne Granger a pretty blonde cheerleader was his steady girlfriend at the time.

Aaron apologized and tried to leave and Diamonds got in his face and blocked the way. He attempted a shake-down, demanding two pineapples; a pineapple is street slang for fifty dollars. Diamond's alternative apology was to have Aaron's date apologize by pleasuring him with her mouth in the backseat of his wheels.

Diamonds was flipping a butterfly knife open and closed at the time. Anne was frightened and damn near in a state of panic when she fled back to the restaurant to telephone the police. Anne safely inside was Aaron's catalyst to action.

He was calculated and merciless and the pimp was rewarded with ruptured testicles from a well placed kick, followed by a concussion when Aaron banged Diamonds' coconut forcefully on a mailbox leaving most of thug's gold front teeth on the ground.

He was arrested without incident and the pimp taken to the hospital by ambulance. Aaron told the police he would cooperate and answer questions with an attorney present. He pointed out he was a minor and they had the pimp's knife making it a clear case of self-defense. They allowed him one telephone call to Marie's brother's home in Chicago. They were attending a funeral on Marie's side of the family. They planned to stay the weekend and return Monday.

As bad luck would have it, Marie's little niece answered the telephone and accidently pushed the off button disconnecting the line before Aaron could speak. The following calls to that number resulted in busy signals.

The arresting Officer was a mere four years older than his suspect in custody.

This was his first arrest. He wondered why Aaron was so calm and cool and why he took his arrest and questioning so lightly. He was sure Aaron was a recalcitrant violent street thug to be able to handle this pimp so easily and thought the phone calls a ruse.

Aaron spent three days in a youth detention facility until his attorney had him released into Frank's custody pending a court appearance. While in lockup, Aaron's reputation preceded him. At the recommendation of his arresting officer, he was assigned a small secure room rather than being housed in the dormitory for the safety of the other youths there. He was respectful and polite and requested an interview with Mrs. Edith Smith the social worker on staff.

They were separated by a concrete wall when she saw him and talked through a heavy mesh screen for her safety.

During the interview, Aaron gave her a verbal resume, omitting for obvious reasons the details of the confrontation with the pimp and the subsequent charges against him. She didn't ask about his arrest, although she took notes of their conversation. At the end of the interview he requested a few books if possible, "Great Expectations", "War and Peace" and "Moby Dick" to pass the time between sit ups and pushups.

He gave her telephone numbers to call as she was leaving and she stopped to write them down. She went to her office and made the calls to verify his veracity. Edith talked to his football and wrestling coaches, who in turn got her in touch with the Dean of Boys. A few hours later, Edith talked to the arresting officer and she talked to Frank and Marie in Ohio. She then brought him two of the requested books.

Frank met with the arresting Officer and the Officer's patrol Sergeant. Frank and the Sergeant, Richard Davis, fought in the same Marine Rifle Platoon during in Nam. Afterward they graduated the same class in police academy. The meeting turned out well and all three came to an understanding. Before the court appearance, Frank staked out the rundown hotel the pimp rented by the hour for his whores to ply their trade.

He cornered Diamonds in the stairwell. Frank slammed him against the wall while swiftly drawing a sawed-off 16 gauge double barrel shotgun from a custom shoulder holster from underneath a trench rain coat. He jammed it underneath the pimp's chin and it must have hurt like hell as Diamond's jaw was wired shut.

Frank's Lupara was menacing looking enough to stop most hostilities without a shot being fired. It was lethal for close range encounters when loaded with slugs or buckshot for those who didn't surrender immediately. It had a pistol grip carved from the stock, double-triggers and polished back-bored and meticulously crowned 14 inch barrels.

"I love the boy." he said quietly. "I don't like you!" Diamonds' swallowed hard through his pain and Frank continued. "You're not going to ruin his life.

For your sake his arrest better not turn out bad for him. Listen carefully, you blood clot..."

At his evening court appearance, Aaron had an attorney representing him and Diamonds didn't show up to testify against him. Edith Smith did to testify in Aaron's behalf and the courtroom was packed with his friends and teachers from school, including most of his football team. Motions were made and the arresting officer and District Attorney agreed to have the charges dropped...

WHEN HE PULLED INTO HIS DRIVEWAY Mary was still asleep. She looked very innocent and vulnerable and he felt very protective towards her. He put his hand on hers' to gently wake her and she sighed, opening her green eyes to look at him. "I'm so tired, thank you, Aaron." and she squeezed his hand. "What am I going to do now?"

"You're going to move beyond this unfortunate setback. You bravely faced down those two detectives and according to Anita stayed strong in the lockup" and he squeezed her warm hand and continued to hold it. "A good meal and a few more hours sleep is what you need the most. My house is yours for as long as you need it. Let me help you inside. I put myself at your service pretty lady." he said making her smile.

And he was thinking. 'It must have been terrible for her in the woman's holding center and yet she stayed strong. I'm very proud how she stood her ground with the detectives. Oh my brave and resolute Mary. Damn her filthy dirty stinking skunk of a husband and what he put her through. Although what a beautiful smile she has! As far as I'm concerned she's only married to the flea infested mangy polecat on paper now. He abandoned her. He tried to entrap and implicate her.

He burned her home down and fled the country and for what...money? I hope Mary realizes that too. Divorce him. She's well rid of him. That progeny of an imbecile and a pox infected whore doesn't realize he left the real treasure behind and she's sitting next to me!'

"Yes, a nap and something to eat will be so wonderful." she admitted. "I feel so dirty. I'd adore a long hot shower and be able to sleep in a real bed or even on a big couch for that matter. Since you've been so kind to offer, I accept." and with that the rain and wind picked up again and they hurried into the house.

"THE GUEST BATHROOM IS UPSTAIRS to the right." he told her cheerfully while helping her out of the trench raincoat coat and hung it on the hook in the mudroom. "You'll find everything you need; plenty of towels, soap, shampoo and other toiletries women prefer because I keep them on hand for Marie when she and Frank visit."

Mary took off his fedora and handed it him. He watched her long and silky auburn hair, now unconfined, spill down and flow over her shoulders and down her back. She was studying him intently as he hung it on the hook. She put her head on his shoulder and hugged him for the very first time. She could hear Aaron's heart beating and it was comforting and assuring. He stroked her hair, such beautiful thick and soft hair he always wanted to touch.

"Take your shower and get some sleep. You're safe now and I'll be here when you awake." Mary hugged him harder and kissed his cheek before letting go. She followed him upstairs where he pointed to the bedroom she was to sleep.

"There are pajamas or nightgowns in the dresser. You're very close in size and I don't think Marie will mind given the circumstances." and she followed him into the bedroom. He took a pair of soft yellow flannel cotton pajamas out of the bottom drawer and handed them to her before turning away to pull back the covers and close the curtains...

THE BATHROOM WAS CLEAN AND BRIGHT with the pleasant scent of vanilla air freshener. The hot shower was exactly what she needed. Mary stood underneath the jets of hot water for a long while before soaping her body twice to wash away all the residue and bad memories of the interrogation room and lockup, realizing it was mostly symbolic. Nevertheless, it made her feel better. She shampooed her hair twice and generously applied conditioner, massaging it in well before rinsing.

The soft cozy pajamas fit loosely, the way she preferred and returning to her bedroom she found Aaron sitting on the bed waiting for her. He changed out of his dark grey suit and was barefoot and casually dressed in green sweatpants and a red tee shirt with the US Navy emblem silk screened on it.

Mary slid into the big roomy bed and lavished in the cool, clean, and crisp white sheets and snuggled safely into the mounds of big fluffy pillows he left there for her. The hot shower relaxed her and made her sleepy. He pulled the top sheet and the green polar fleece blanket up to her waist where she could reach them if she wanted them higher. She hadn't been pampered like this at all while she was married and not since she left home to attend college.

As he turned to leave, Mary asked. "Will you stay here with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course I will Mary Susan." Aaron said gently, lying down next to her on top of the covers...

MARY AWOKE SEVERAL HOURS LATER to find she was snuggled up close to him under the covers while Aaron was asleep on top of them. She was thinking.

'This is so nice and this bed is so roomy. I always wondered what it would like to sleep with him' and that made her smile 'I'm only married on paper and that won't be for long if everything I heard about Randall is true. In my heart of hearts I know it must be true. Randall is gone...my house burned to the ground...I'm going to... no I can't think like that. I'll be fine. I will not be afraid. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Whom shall I be afraid?"

There are other churches and people are fallible while the Lord my God is not. First there was Anita and then God sent me Aaron when I needed him the most. He is my kind and strong Guardian Angel. Well, so much for a little adventure in my life, dear Lord, if this is the path you put me on then so be it.'

Mary pulled the covers down trying not to wake him and she was famished and needed to use the bathroom. She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed and felt his fingers caressing her hair at the nape of her neck giving her goose-bumps.

"I must have dozed off." Aaron said sliding over to sit beside her. "Since we first met I've wondered what it would be like to sleep with you." He teased, grinning as he got out of bed. He paused to stretch and yawn and rub his head.

This gesture reminded her of a small sleepy boy waking up. Aaron was anything but with that snug tee shirt accentuating long corded muscles and his hard flat stomach. Nonetheless, she found this so sweet. "I'll get our meal started, pretty lady. Meet you downstairs."

"What are you making?" she asked after finding him the kitchen.

"I've sliced some sharp provolone cheese and Genoa Salami to tide us over.

I'm out of crackers and good olives though." He continued slicing up the vegetables with a Chinese cleaver. "There's green mint tea in the ice box, very refreshing. I developed a taste for green tea when I was stationed in Japan."

"Stationed in Japan when you were in the Navy." she added going to the refrigerator and taking out the clear glass pitcher of tea. "And you boxed a Gox wearing yellow socks."

"Do you mean yellow socks as told by Theodor Geisel who is known to most as Doctor Seuss, pretty lady?" he asked laughing. "Yes, in the Navy I boxed many Gox wearing yellow socks, or as Theodor wrote, "Box in yellow, Gox box socks".

"Goodness that brings back memories. My Mom read me Dr Seuss so many times she had all the books memorized by heart, and that's the third time you called me pretty lady." she said laughing at their private joke of yellow socks.

"Do you want me to stop, Mary?"

"No, I like way you say it. It reminds me of something very pleasant." and she realized how perfectly at ease she was with him given her circumstances.

"I'm making us a jumbo shrimp, lobster and scallop stir fry with vegetables in a lobster sauce. There's rice in the dedicated rice cooker because it comes out perfect every time. I know this is one of your favorites. Ice is in the ice box and the glasses are in the top cupboard left of the sink. Will you please pour me a tall glass of minty green tea freshness with lots of ice?"

"A flagon of grog coming right up, Sailor." and Mary was delighted with the playful banter that came naturally to them. "Do you remember everything?" she asked as she poured him a glass of mint tea, pleased he remembered her favorite stir fry when they had Chinese takeout delivered to the library.

"Perhaps." he replied finishing chopping the vegetables and sliding them off the cutting board into a bowl using the cleaver as a spatula. Mary handed him the glass and let her hands linger on his before he took a sip. Aaron took a long sip and sighed with pleasure. "Thank you that hit the spot." he said gazing into her sea green eyes with concern in his brown eyes. "When you're up to it, and it can wait until after we eat, or even tomorrow, I want you to tell me everything that happened and don't leave anything out..."

MARY HELPED HIM TIDY up the kitchen after their delicious repast. They sat at the kitchen table across from each other. He told things he knew would upset her. He held her hands during the most difficult revelations. He also assured her all the charges will be dismissed and the planted evidence will be thrown out.

When it was her turn, she told him things that angered him, and particularly how the detectives violated her rights when they continued to question her after she asked for an attorney, and the bathroom debacle, and her jackass public defender not challenging anything and not contesting such a high bail.

Mary finished with. "I believe in the power of prayer and divine intervention when we least expect it. Anita gave me part of a very old Rosary to help me pray.

You must be my guardian angel. You showed up when my need was greatest and who says guardian angels can't be regular mortals sent by God and not even know they were sent? That's every day divine intervention we can understand."

"Nobody that I know of" he admitted "Although I've never thought about it this way before. I can assure you I'm no angel. Angels are good and pure of thought and action, whether in the ethereal spiritual form or in earthly corporal guise.

If anyone at this table should be an angel it's you, Mary. He did you wrong.

He betrayed and implicated you in his crime. He burned your home to the ground as a cover to misdirect and aid in his escape. Are you going to divorce him?"

"Yes, and it can't be soon enough me. As far as I'm concerned we're only married on paper now. I forgive him for the Bible says 'But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses'. It's God's will and I'm moving on."

"There you see! You forgive him! You're good and kind and forgiving and charitable. I'm not good or forgiving like you. I want justice here and now. Let that skunk litigate his soul at the Last Judgment. Give me one minute alone with him. If that son of a biscuit eater and ballerina walked through that door right now." and Aaron pointed to the door. "I'd kick his ass up between his shoulder blades for what he did to you! He better pray we're never in the same room together." and he was adamant.