Chapter 34

^JULY 17, 1966^

DOROTHY

Today marks my eighteenth birthday. I plan to celebrate it by the pond. The day is beautiful, the sun is shining, and there’s not a cloud in sight.

Christopher has planned a picnic by the pond to celebrate my special day. I have a feeling he’s going to make his move and we’ll finally make love.

Ever since I moved into this enchanting house that my aunt left me, I’ve been dreaming about this day.

The house is magical. Every morning, the sun shines brightly, and the sky is always clear. The flowers around the house are vibrant and full of life.

I decide to walk around the house and pick some roses for our picnic.

Christopher has gone to the state store to get some illegal drinks. He plans to use his fake ID, the one he uses in college, to buy us some beer.

As I’m preparing for the picnic, I notice a young man standing by the pond. I walk down to the pond, and he’s standing on the dock.

“Hello there,” I greet him.

He turns and looks at me. “Hi,” he responds.

“Are you lost?” I ask.

He shakes his head in response.

“Can I help you with something?”

“No. My parents moved away about five years ago. I used to come here and swim when your aunt Clementine lived here.”

I furrow my brows when I hear what he says. Then it hits me.

“Would you like to tell me who you really are? Because I’ve only mentioned my aunt to my mother and my boyfriend.”

At that moment, it seems he realizes he’s been caught in a lie.

“Are you a ghost?” I ask.

He smiles at me.

“I got the beer!” Christopher announces from the back porch.

I look back at the pond, and the young man has disappeared.

I walk up to Christopher with a smile on my face.

“What’s with the smile?” he asks me.

“Nothing,” I tell him as he opens the door for me.

***

Later that night, after we’ve finished eating and downed a couple of cans of beer, he leans in for a kiss, and as always, I let him.

He lays me down on the blanket and starts to touch me gently. He looks into my eyes, seeking approval to continue.

I nod. I feel his hand slide up under my blouse. I arch my back, allowing him to unhook my bra. With a flick of his fingers, my bra is undone. His hands are on my breasts, gently squeezing each one.

I moan into his mouth.

He lets me up so I can take off the rest of my clothes.

“Don’t you want to go inside?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Nope, right here on the blanket,” I say.

“What about Willie?”

“I gave him the day off, and I told him you were taking my flower,” I say, giggling.

“You didn’t?” he says, laughing back at me.

I shake my head again. I look back at the water, wondering if the young man is watching me.

I strip completely and lie on my back. Christopher stands up and removes all his clothes, revealing everything he’s got.

I smile as he lies on top of me, kissing me passionately. I wrap my arms around his neck, and I can feel him grind against me.

He looks at me, cradling my head. I nod, giving him permission to make love to me. I spread my legs wider as he positions his cock at my entrance.

I mouth the words, ~Go slow~.

He nods, and I can feel him entering me. He moves as slowly as he can. My mouth is open as I feel every inch of him penetrate my virgin pussy.

“Stop!” I say, and he stops and looks at me.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“It stings a little,” I say.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No, the pain is fading. Keep going.”

The longer he stays inside me, the better it feels. As he begins to move, I feel him going in and out. “That feels good.”

“It really does feel good,” he says. “I love you, Dee.”

“I love you more, Chris,” I say as our lips meet, and he slips me his tongue.

He continues to make love to me as he starts to suck on my nipples. The sensation of his mouth on my breasts and his cock in me brings me to an orgasm I’ve never experienced before.

“I’m getting close,” he says.

“Don’t stop,” I say, panting, my arms around his neck. Then I hear a low moan from him as I feel his orgasm inside me.

We lie still for several minutes, regaining our strength as we continue to kiss each other. Christopher sits up, pulls out another blanket, and covers us both up. I lay my head on his chest as I close my eyes.

“Happy birthday, my love. Someday I’m going to marry you,” he whispers.

~You better.~

***

I wake up the next morning still wrapped up in the blanket by the pond, but there’s no Chris. I sit up and look around, and then I see him walking down from the house carrying a tray.

“Where’d you go?” I ask.

“I wanted to make you breakfast,” he says as he sets the tray down in front of me. He’s cooked me scrambled eggs with bacon and hash browns with a side of toast and a carafe of orange juice.

“Wow, this smells amazing,” I say as he leans in for a kiss. He steals a piece of bacon. “Hey!”

He chuckles and eats it.

“I need to go into town later. I need to do something for my father,” Chris says.

“You do whatever you need to do. I’m always gonna be here.”

***

After Christopher leaves, I decide to sunbathe by the pond. I think about last night and how he felt inside me. I can’t help but smile because I remember what he said last night about marrying me.

Over and over, I keep saying my name as if I am already married to him. “Dorothy Miller. Mrs. Dorothy Miller. Or just Mrs. Miller.”

I can’t wait for the day when I can replace the sign out front from Strange Estates to Miller Estates.

But that’s not going to happen until he finishes college. “I guess I can put up with it for a few more years,” I mutter to myself.

Suddenly, I spot the young man emerging from the woods.

“Well, hello there,” I greet him, propping myself up on my elbows.

He gives me a wave.

“Got a name?”

“Clayton.”

“Well, hello there, Clayton,” I reply, waving back. “How long have you been around?”

“Since 1911,” he answers.

“Wow, fifty-four years. That’s quite a while,” I comment, watching him nod. “Can anyone else see you, or is it just me?”

“Just you,” he confirms.

“Feel like talking about it?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “It’s a long story,” he says, running his fingers through his hair. “I saw you last night, with that man.”

“Did you now?” I respond, sitting up straighter.

“You’re very pretty. If I were alive today, I’d want my girlfriend to look like you.”

“Well, thank you. Don’t you have a ghost girlfriend?” I tease, laughing.

“No, I don’t have a ghost girlfriend!” he retorts, looking disgusted.

“Sorry, sensitive topic. I’ll steer clear of that one in the future.”

We chat for a while until Christopher returns, and then Clayton disappears.

His gaze never left my body. I could see him imagining what he would do to me if he were alive.

I still don’t know much about him or his past. He’s not much of a talker, but I can tell he’s got a lot to say when he’s ready.

I go to see my mother after Christopher gets back from running errands for his dad. My mom is upset. She won’t tell me why, but I have a hunch.

***

A few years later, my mother passes away. She always said if she died, it would be from a broken heart. My dad vanished when I was four, and she blamed her brother for his disappearance.

I don’t really know my Uncle Dan, so I can’t say whether he had anything to do with it. I don’t think my leaving helped matters, either.

When we bury her at the local cemetery, none of my family shows up for the service. It’s heartbreaking that no one cared enough to come. My boyfriend Christopher is there with me, and so is Willie.

We’re the only ones there to say goodbye.