It was hard to believe six months had passed since Shawn’s death; it didn’t seem that long ago. Stacy was days away from delivery and everyone was on baby-watch. Stephanie and Ryan received orders to Edwards AFB, California and they would be leaving within the month; Cathy and Gio’s divorces were finalized and they married one another before the ink was dry; Lisa and Tony were expecting another child. Mo returned to school while Tess was busy making eyes at John. John, on the other hand, was oblivious to her advances. She pulled out her arsenal but was unable to capture his attention. Paula tried to warn her: John was notorious for inadvertently breaking women’s hearts.


Most importantly, Charlie and Paula were engaged and in the throws of wedding plans. Fortunately for Charlie, his advice was seldom sought. Moving out of his apartment and in with Paula was a headache in itself.


Stacy convinced Cathy to forgo a baby shower in lieu of a dinner party with all their friends. The last thing Stacy wanted was to be fussed over. She was at her limit with all the attention everyone poured on her. Yes, she realized they loved her and Shawn but she wasn’t given a moments peace. And the pressure carrying his children was wearing on her. Shawn was adored by those who knew him but judging by the amount of attention she received, you would’ve thought she was carrying the next King of England.


She smiled and shouldered her responsibility well…but the pressure to live up to Shawn’s legacy was becoming increasingly more difficult as her due date drew closer. Everyone: their families and friends, people who knew him, the cats and dogs…all watched and waited. Strangers would stop her and politely ask how she was doing—they wouldn’t have if they’d known the stressed it caused. Stacy lived her life in a fish bowl; random people peered and judged.


She saw the other widows and spouses giving interviews and talking about their loss but Stacy just wanted to be left alone to grieve. Her friends formed a protective barrier around her but it began to suffocate her. The only time she was truly alone was with Charlie; he had a knack for kicking people out of the house. More and more, she depended on his steadiness but there was one favor she had to ask of him and it could wait no longer.



“Charlie,” Stacy pulled him away from his conversation with Tony. They stepped into Cathy’s study, away from the noise of the party. She looked up at him but hardly knew how to begin. “I need to ask you for a huge favor,” she started confidently enough but stammers followed. “Please don’t feel any pressure to say yes…you don’t have to do it…I can find someone else…John or my dad…”


“What is it?” Charlie cautiously interrupted.


She drew a deep breath. “Paula has agreed to be my birthing coach but I’d really be grateful if you were there as well.” Judging by the way Charlie sat in the chair; she knew he hadn’t expected her proposition and she began regretting have asked. “I’m sorry. I’ll ask John.” She mustered a grin and walked towards the door.


“Stacy, wait.” He sighed. “Can you give me a few days to think it over?”


“Sure, take your time.” She’d won—it was good as a yes. She met Paula in the hallways and directed her to the study


Charlie’s face was in his hands when Paula came upon him. She knocked on the doorframe.


“What?” he peeked between his fingers.


Paula jiggled and sat at his feet. “She finally asked you?”


“You knew about this?”


“Oh course. You and Shawn were like brothers. I’m surprised she hadn’t asked sooner or even needed to, for that matter. I thought it was understood: you would stand in for Shawn.”


Charlie rubbed his eyes. “Who understood this? Not me.”


“You’ll do it,” Paula massaged the tension in his calves. “You will be there for her because it’s your duty.”


“Don’t talk to me about duty. My whole life has been spent doing my duty—to my family, to my country, to you.” He exhaled heavily. “I don’t know if I can do this. I mean, there has to be a limit and I think this is it!”


“And you suppose to stop now? Charles Willis, you’ll never stop doing the right thing. You’d rather chew off your own fingers then let Shawn down.” She stood. “I suggest you stop all of this hemming and hawing…do whatever you have to do…pull yourself together because those babies are coming regardless!” she left in a huff.


“Yes ma’am.” He said under his breath and palmed his face again.




                                                        ******




Charlie spent the next evening packing. There was a ton of work to be done; dissembling and packing all of Shawn’s electronics and computer gear was a three day project in itself. Luckily, Tony and John were available to lend a hand.


It was time to start letting go of the past—this hard chapter of his life was ending. He hadn’t expected his bachelor days would result in cannon fire or be somberly lowered to the murky depths of obscurity in a diving bell, but this…this moving on was effortless. Where was the sense of loss men always complain of? Where were the sleepless nights and passionate prayers, “God, I hope she doesn’t turn into her mother”?


Charlie didn’t have any second thoughts. His future lay with Paula—simple as that.


John returned with Chinese takeout and they kicked back in what was left of the living room.


“Well, I guess I’d better tell you guys first,” John said. “I got my orders, I’m leaving.”


“Damn,” Tony sorted through his food. “When are you leaving?”


“Next month. We’re headed to Andersen, Guam.” John rested his feet on the coffee table. “You know what this means—you all should be getting orders soon.”


“First in, first out.” Charlie added. “First Ryan and Stephanie and now you. Harley and Shane are both gone. Who’s next?”


“Gio’s getting out, he’s on 30 day terminal leave. So, it’ll be you and Lisa,” Charlie pointed to Tony. “Mo, Stacy and me.”


They sat chewing in silence. The heaviness of the moment wasn’t lost on them. Finally John said what everyone was thinking. “Shawn should be here. Not having him here seems…I don’t know…weird.”


Tony looked around the room and smiled. “Yeah, it’s weird. I miss having his big mouth around.”


The tightness in Charlie’s chest triggered by the mention of Shawn’s name began to fade and he no longer avoided conversations. “It is quieter without him.”


“So are you going into the delivery room with Stacy?” John asked Charlie.


“Do I have a choice?” he sighed.


“Not really,” John replied. “We’ll be there but Stacy needs you by her side.” He paused. “It’s what Shawn would’ve wanted.”


“Thanks, no pressure, right?”


“None at all.” Tony beamed. “You may as well man up! You’re gonna do it, you have too. It’s your duty.”


“There’s that word again, duty.” Charlie huffed. “I don’t wanna see Stacy…you know…blood. What if something goes wrong?”


“Do you really think the doctors would ask for your help if something went wrong?”


“No.” Charlie conceded.


“Well, shut up and do it!” John said “You’ve seen worse. And it’s your duty, it’s all of our duty to help Stacy…especially your’s so man up and do it.”


Charlie lost the fight. “Alright, I’ll do it.”


“We never doubted you would.” Tony added with a smile. “So, where are we going for the bachelor party? I’m thinking Amsterdam.”


“Hell no!” John protested.


“What’s wrong with Amsterdam?”


“There’re things I want to do in my life, but catching an STD in front of a live audience isn’t one of them.” John went to the kitchen. “Count me out.”







By the time Charlie arrived home, the house was quiet and Paula and Stacy were asleep. He went to Stacy’s room to check on her. He spent time listening to her sleep and began to wonder where her dreams were taking her; perhaps to Shawn…perhaps not. She twitched a little, then sighed and fell more deeply asleep. Satisfied that she was comfortable, he left, took a shower and crawled in bed and pulled Paula into his arms.


“How’s Stacy?” Paula snuggled her back against his chest.


“Fine.” He sighed. “I’ve decided to go into the delivery room.”


“I’m not surprised. You always do what’s right.”


“One day I’ll shock the hell out of everyone.” He turned Paula over so she faced him.


“No you won’t,” Paula rubbed her nose against his. “But it’s so cute that you think you can.” She caught a breath and grinned when she felt his cock pressed between them. “Are you serious? Stacy’s down the hall.” She whispered.


“Then I suggest you be very quiet,” Charlie kissed her lips, her chin, and her neck while his hands moved over her face, down the planes of her shoulders, into the valley between her breasts. He caressed them and traced around her hardened nipples…he besieged her with long, soft, lingering licks and kisses as his lips and tongue slid towards her wetness...along the curve of her waist, across her thighs. His fingertips traced up the inside of her thighs, delicately, teasingly...he moved down slowly and then up…bestowing small, gentle kisses along the way.


“God, you're so wet,” he whispered as he slipped his fingers along her lips before dipping them inside her. “How many orgasms have you had?” he kissed her clit tenderly and looked up at her with endearing blue eyes.


“I lost count,” Paula reached down to stroke the side of his face, tracing his jawline. He turned his head to kiss her fingers, sucking the tips into his mouth. She closed her eyes, tightening herself around him, feeling the wet, hot cavern of his mouth around her fingers.


He released her fingers. “Good, now tell me how you want it,” his tone was barbed with arousal. He gave her one small lick when she failed to reply. “We can play this game all night but until you tell me what you want, you’re not getting anything.” Cocky, yes, but he knew his voice always won the fight for her mind.


Paula moaned and arched slightly, knowing her words would orchestrate her own demise.


“Tell me,” he murmured against her lips. He needed to hear her words; his manhood demanded it.


“I want your lips whispering filthy little things against my pussy while you eat me,” she ran her fingers through his hair, hers eyes never left his. “Tell me how you’re gonna use me,” she caught a breath. “Tell me how you’re gonna impale me and make me beg. Tell me how much you love being between my legs.”


“Damn Paula. I love you.” Charlie groaned aloud and buried his face between her thighs. He reveled in the soft sighs of pleasure that instantly emanated from her lips. Her hands in his hair greedily pleaded for more. His tongue slid languidly up her wet slit... the lips parted around his tongue.


Paula gasped and pulled Charlie’s face into her but he resisted.


He slipped his tongue inside her depths, tasting her... hearing her throaty gasps of appreciation. “Open your legs, baby. I’m gonna fuck you up.” He cupped her ass and drank from her…fulfilling her request. He pledged his love between licks; corrupted her labia with his perverted words between broad sweeps; cajoled, consoled, provoked and enticed her between pacifying sucks.


“Ssshhhiitt!” Paula screamed, thighs splayed open to his assault…she was wet as hell and wanting more. “I’m cumming,” she warned but he continued dissecting every moral her parents taught her. His tongue laid waste to polite social convention and her throbbing clit…..swirling itself over and around….flicking and sucking it until she trembled under his care…his fingers, two of them, slipped into her and pushed deeper as his ravenous mouth drug her further and further into slippery hedonism.


“Paula, cum for me.” Charlie pleaded. His tongue performed acrobatics she never felt before, his finger ventured deeper, softer, harder and faster. She gripped the sheets. “That’s it,” he sucked her lips. “Cum.” He pumped and was rewarded with gasps and a delicious splash of wetness... her pussy sucked his fingers...his lips and tongue greedily worked her clit... licking and sucking …until she chanted his name like a mantra to his gallant victory over her being.


Charlie snickered to himself when Paula pulled his mouth free of her and curled into the fetal position. He lay beside her and drew her close.


“Oh my God!” she moaned and trembled. She felt his cock finding its way between her ass cheeks; she recoiled. “Give me a second to recover.”


“Recover!?” he eased her legs apart and fingered her. “Since when have you required recovery time?” He sucked her nipple. His fingertips swirled rhythmically around her clit.


“Normally I don’t…but shit!” Her head fell back begrudgingly giving in to him. Gently she thrust her hips forward to meet his fingers, driving them deeper as she began to shake and clench and whine with need. Charlie’s beautiful tongue lapped at her nipple, his fingers slid in and out of her wetness, gently and rhythmically teased around her clit until she came and groaned softly for him to fuck her.