Weary Traveler

After that first week together 3 months ago when Stacie met Jason, the Weary Traveler, they knew they would get married and have lots of children. Or at least they would get married. Jason's job as a teacher sometimes made him question if he wanted to come home to his own children after dealing with other peoples' kids all day long.

Every weekend after their first encounter they got together. Usually Jason headed to Jamestown (where she was finishing up her associate's degree) because she had set him up with a rewards account at the hotel chain she worked for. Sometimes, however, she came to Springfield to visit him. She would finish her bachelor's degree and maybe a master's degree there, where Jason worked and lived.

Stacie was a rare beauty- she was not only gorgeous but more importantly, she was modest about it. A real head-turner who had no idea that every set of eyes was on her. Jason looked good, also, but he knew he had to work at it. Stacie's beauty was not lost on her dad, and he made it known to Jason the first time they met.

Stacie's dad was a retired Sergeant Major and Army Ranger. You just don't fuck with or try and bullshit men like Roger Miller.

When they met for the first time, Roger shook Jason's hand, squeezing it hard. Jason didn't cave, but didn't really want to get into a pissing contest, knowing it probably would happen anyway between the two alphas. Jason's handshake was firm and strong as well.

"So, you are the guy sleeping with my daughter out of wedlock, and trying to steal her from me," he said, a statement and not a question.

"DAD!" she cried.

"Yes, sir, I am the man she loves and I intend to spend as much time with her as I can because I love her as well," Jason said, looking him right in the eye.

Still locked in a death grip, Roger asked, "Why MY daughter? Why not some high school girl, or a woman your own age?"

"Dad, that's enough!"

"No, fair question, Sergeant Major. I met Stacie when I checked into her hotel when I was taking a class for coaching and officiating. She was kind, helped me by ordering a meal for a tired, weary traveler who had had a bad day, and her eyes and smile lit the room up. It melted my heart and when she was kind to me, I knew I was blessed for her to even talk to me, let alone share several meals that week..."

"And your bed, too," he added like a dagger. "So, Skippy, you are a coach and a ref. Are you biased? Do you play favorites at all?"

"Sure, we all have favorites, but a good coach and good referee can box those up and not act upon them. I'm only human, but I think I do a good job of coaching young men in baseball and football and also in making both basketball teams play fair when I officiate. Most people are fine if their team loses fairly, but no one likes a cheater, and I don't intend to let that happen."

"Why did you call me 'Sergeant Major' and not 'Sir' moments ago? Are you trying to not show me proper respect? I am her father. Are you trying to be disrespectful? "

"Of course not, but I know men like you who 'work for a living' don't like to be called 'sir'. Officers like my father or your son like it, but not senior enlisted men who actually make the Army work."

"What was your father? WHO was your father?"

"Colonel David G. Bennett, 75th Rangers," Jason said, as he felt the death grip on his hand release.

"Why don't we go inside, Jason, and have a drink. I have a bottle of Scotch that I keep for special occasions, such as promotions. And you, Son, have just been promoted."

***************************

7 years later...

The big Bed and Breakfast was lonely and never would be Jason's house. It was Stacie's. Her dream, not his, but he went along because she got the most beautiful sparkle in her eye when talking about it, making plans, decorating and running the business.

Jason and Stacie had gotten married but never had children. They tried, and Jason thought maybe he was just too tired after teaching while taking classes so he could become an administrator and helping Stacie build and run her dream.

It wasn't his fault, it was Cancer. They didn't know how bad Stacie had it until it was too late. She died one month after their 4th anniversary

Stacie's Dad and his new wife had basically given her the land for her dreamhouse. It sat on just under a thousand acres of scrubby grazing land and had a lake to the west, setting the scene for beautiful sunsets. The land had been useless, priced cheap because of no good dirt when Stacie's dad bought the land 30 years before, but the narrow road had evolved into an interstate nearby, and the city had blossomed less than 10 miles away. Even without the B&B house, the property had probably increased in value more than 20 times what the Sergeant Major had originally paid.

But Jason wanted nothing to do with it, but couldn't sell it because of the sentimental connection to Stacie.

Jason lived in the small servant's house next to the empty stables while Stacie's dad and stepmother stayed in the big house, renting out rooms occasionally.

*******************

"Mr. Bennett, your final interview is here. I have her set up in the teachers' lounge and the others are already there," Alice, the school secretary announced at Jason's office door.

"Thanks, Alice, I will be right there."

When Jason waked in, he saw the elementary school principal and the high school history teacher, and a young, harried looking woman. Jason would make up the third member of the interview panel, or tribunal, and the young woman would hopefully be Lori Ellis, the final applicant for the 5th grade teaching position.

So far, the other applicants had been less than stellar, and this one looked like she had a hard time putting herself together. Strawberry blonde hair, emerald green eyes, high cheekbones, a cute, sharp nose. Probably a head turner if she tried, but today she sported wrinkled khakis, a white blouse with a white granny bra visible underneath, messy hair and some sort of brown/ tan yuck on her shoulder. It was a really small spot, but Jason was the Superintendent for a reason. He was observant among other things.

He failed to care that she had a very athletic build and had been a great high school and college volleyball star at one time. Lori had been a volleyball starter at a D1 university her junior year and had been star her senior year as well until she put her legs up in the air once too often and had gotten pregnant. The khakis were wrinkled because she had driven 3 hours one way to get to this interview. The granny bra was in fact a nursing bra, and the "yuck" on her shoulder was baby food from hugging her little angel goodbye, just before she handed her off to the babysitter. Lori may have looked disheveled but was more put together than any of the other candidates.

**********************

"Ms. Ellis, if you will excuse yourself to the hallway, I'd like a word with my panel," Jason said at the end of the interview.

"Okay, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to interview. I hope you will make your decision soon. You have my number," the young lady said, almost dejected.

"No no no, don't go anywhere. I just need a minute off the record with my panel. We should call you back in here in about 5 minutes. I know you drove a long way and we value your time," Jason said.

Lori excused herself, and as she did, Jason stood up like a gentleman, and the other two followed suit. When the door was closed, Jason bluntly asked, "Well?"

The history teacher, Mrs. Jackson said, "She reminds me of my daughter. She is by far the best one we've seen."

Next, Ms. Clapper, the elementary principal said, "I like her. She is well organized and an amazing young woman. And she will be one heck of a volleyball coach. I remember seeing her play at ISU a couple years back and wondered whatever became of her. Now it makes sense."

"What makes sense? Also, she is 'organized'? Didn't she seem a little disheveled?" Jason asked.

"You get that as a nursing mom, Mrs. Jackson said.

"The nursing bra. I feel bad and want to tell her about the apricots on her shoulder, but don't want to embarrass the poor thing."

"Oh, I know," said Ms. Clapper. "But I like her. My decision is made. Do we need to have a vote?"

Jason, having made up his mind also, mirroring similar thoughts said, "Well, let's vote, then we can give her the good news. Who wants to tell her?"

"You should, you are the Super..."

************************

After telling young Lori Ellis she would be the new 5th grade teacher starting in 2 weeks, she beamed, but then flashed some unease. "2 weeks? I need to find a place to stay. And daycare. And..."

"It's okay. We will work with you, but we really need to get a licensed teacher in place soon so we can replace the long-term sub," Jason said.

Some more discussion ensued, and Lori left, feeling much better. Better than she had felt in well over a year. Maybe her prayers had been answered.

As she was leaving town, her bald tire finally gave out. No spare, she was stuck. She needed to get back home to her baby like a mother always does, but she also felt her nipples leaking. She had pumped breast milk once ready, and kher breasts felt like water balloons about to explode.

Just then, a tall, hard man in a big pickup truck came by, and seeing her tire predicament offered to help.

"Ma'am, you look like you need some help," the stranger said.

Head in her hands, crying, Lori looked up, makeup all a mess. She couldn't even speak.

"Ma'am, my name is Roger, and I live right over there. I would like to help if that's okay."

"Sure, I guess," Lori squeaked in a mouselike voice.

"If you want to ride over there with me, you can sit with my wife while I pick your car up on a trailer and fix the tire. It will be quicker than a tow truck."

"Thank you, sir."

"Oh, no need to call me 'sir', I used to work for a living," Roger said.

By the time Roger got back with Lori's car, she was no where to be found, and neither was the Chevy Impala. He asked his wife, "Doris, where is the car?"

"I sent Lori with it. She will bring it back in a week when she returns. In the meantime, you are going to get her 4 new tires."

Used to his new wife of 5 years ordering him around, he was afraid to ask, but had to. "Okay...why?"

"She is the new 5th grade teacher Jason just hired, and she has a young baby to get back home for. She is a nursing mother, and I did what any nursing mom would do for another...I did everything to encourage and help her."

"Jason hired her?"

"Yep. Imagine their surprise when they figure it out."

"Small world," Roger mumbled. It could be a very small world at times.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, Lori will be renting a room from us, and I am going to do daycare for her until she gets settled in," Doris said.

******************

Weeks turned into months. Doris loved having a baby in the house and relished playing Grandma, and even though they didn't charge Lori much, having someone help pay towards the house payment was nice.

Lori was a fantastic teacher. The students loved her, the staff loved her- especially when she would bake for potlucks- and the parents loved her. Especially the dads.

Lori's first semester teaching was coming to an end along with the school year. For a teacher to assume control half way through the year and succeed in her first year was quite a feat, and the school board had no problem offering her a new contract.

Lori was conflicted, however. She loved the job and the people. She loved the Millers also. She was unsure about being a boarder again and didn't know what to do over the summer. "You will stay here with us," Doris stated, giving Lori seemingly no choice.

Living so near her boss and also with a bonafide war hero like Roger Miller was at times uncomfortable. Lori's dad had never served, but Cody, the man who was Aiden's father, had been a Marine. Lori opened her legs willingly when she went with him to the Marine Corps Ball her junior year. By her senior year she had fallen for him, and when she had become pregnant, they talked about getting married. Then he left for Iraq, never to return. And because they weren't married, and no proof other than her word on paternity, she was left less than a war widow.

***********************

Jason spent a lot of his summertime by the lake. He loved the lake for the fishing and boating, but mostly because it was his private connection to Stacie. The B&B was expensive and a lot of work, but the lake was their peaceful place to relax. The island he looked towards everytime he watched a sunset was the island they liked to go out to and make love amongst the trees and privacy.

He still loved the lake, but couldn't seem to go to the island.

Lori and Aiden also liked the lake. That was understandable and it wasn't his lake, but it was his memory. He wished he could keep it all to himself.

But on no particular day on some random steamy July morning, Jason traipsed down to the lake on the well worn path. He must have been quiet or Lori was deep into concentration while performing her Yoga routine and didn't notice him, and he just watched her for a few moments.

Jason had never paid attention to the young lady who was his newest employee and neighbor. She had a tight body, even for a young to middle twenty-something. Strong, lithe, flexible- it was easy to tell she had been a top tier athlete not all that long ago. Emerald green yoga paints that look like they were painted on and a matching sports bra, darked with sweat in the right places. Her leg was bent in some way that was erotic. Jason started to stir...

NO! NOT HERE! He couldn't think that way, not in his place he had made so many memories with Stacie. It was wrong.

Later that same day, the ice started to chip away with the help of an unlikely source- Roger his father-in-law.

"Jay, what do you think of Lori? Doris loves having her around, and the baby, and honestly, so do I. I know she is your employee so is that weird for you?"

Jason thought for a second until his mind went back to that pose he saw a few hours ago. "I'm fine with it. No one questions it, and the entire staff loves her. If I made her leave here someone would pick her and Aiden up and take them in. Also, I think if I caused her to leave the school district you would have to search for me in the bottom of the lake!"

"That's what I hear. But I mean, 'what do YOU think of HER?'"

Silence.

"Jason. Son. Listen," Roger started out. Jason knew where this was going and he couldn't help it, but he didn't have to like it. "Jason, when Stacie died, I was devastated. Worse even than when her mom died. I have seen death and I have caused death, but NOTHING prepared me for the despair I felt when my daughter died. More than once I looked at my service pistol and thought, 'I could be with them only if...' but I couldn't. Would either of them want me to suffer here? No, of course not."

The Sergeant Major was not a cold, direct Army leader now, but he was Roger, father-in-law, replacement father, friend. And he had tears in his eyes as he continued, "Jason, I KNOW you loved my daughter, and I KNOW it devastated you when she passed." He stopped to sniffle a bit, and he placed his hand on Jason's shoulder and gently squeezed, and finished what he needed to say, "Lori is a wonderful young woman. Doris and I have taken to her like she is our own, just as I did with you. I don't know how that will complicate things at work, but Doris and I would love it if you would at least consider," he paused for a second, "at least consider Lori. She deserves a man like you to love her. And you deserve to be loved yourself."

*********************

Jason did consider it. Jason started spending time with Aiden who was walking and babbling and inquisitive. And that summer he opened up to Lori, getting her to the lake and in the lake. Roger and Doris were more than happy to babysit when Jason and Lori wanted to do things together.

Too bad Roger hadn't suggested this a month earlier so the had more time, but then again, Roger was no fool. He had good timing.

One early August day, a couple of weeks before Jason would need to trade in his swimsuit for his business suit again, Lori and Jason packed the boat for a day of fishing and water skiing. Lori came down in a wide brimmed sunhat and a tropical sarong. Her legs were tan and strong and she had a wide grin. Lori seemed to be alive with the possibilities that the day offered.

They had a cooler with some drinks and snacks and sandwiches inside, a tackle box and two fishing poles, and a pair of skis. Neither knew what to expect; the feeling in the air was different than what they were used to. Both had goosebumps and acrually were shivering a little bit, despite the high temperature.

First was waterskiing. Lori went first and and took her sarong off, revealing a perfect body. Jason had to cover up because despite his heartbreak over Stacie, he still was a man.

Lori, being an athlete and outdoorsy type, knew how to water ski, but she played ignorant. She "tried" a couple of times to get up, but always seemed to start from the wrong sitting position while in the water and would fall over amd get dragged behind the boat. Jason got in and wrapped his arms around Lori in her ski vest, showing her the proper way to wait for the boat to yank her up.

Since there were only two of them, Lori said she thought she had it, and Jason swam back to the boat and got into the captain's seat. He hit the throttle, the boat went ahead, the rope became tight, and Lori popped up out of the water, looking like a pro. Jason couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was amazing!

Looking back while driving forward is always a bad idea, and Jason looked ahead, saw a pontoon boat in their path and cut the boat hard to starboard, causing a huge wake. Jason glanced back, expecting Lori to have trouble, but was surprised to see her hit the wake, jumping up and doing a flip, letting go of the rope as she slowly lost speed and coasted to a splashy stop.

Show off!

Jason looped around and picked her up. She hopped up onto the ski platform and came in, all smiles. Once abord, she hugged Jason and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, "Oh, that was SOOOO much fun! The look on your face when I landed that flip was HILARIOUS!"

"Show off. You've been sandbagging this whole time. Part of me wants to go fishing now, but the other part doesn't want to get shown up, so maybe we skip that and leave some fish for the next time," Jason said behind laugh. Oh, how it felt good to laugh in the company of a woman again.

She hugged him again and kissed him, and this time both of them realized what just happened. They held on to each other, pushing back to arms length, then Jason pulled her in and kissed her quickly, broke it, then kissed her again.

2 kisses to 2, now they were even.

"Jason..." Lori breathed out.

"Yes..."Jason breathed. Both of their hearts were beating hard, and both of their breathing was like thay had just run a marathon. Lori had just come out of the water after skiing, but that was not the reason her body was so turned on.

"Jason, please make love to me. Ever since last month when you saw me doing my yoga...you have made me feel..."

So she had know he had seen her. She knew it was a matter of time. She had planned it. Why else would she keep going out there to do yoga?

Jason unbuckled the three clips in her ski vest, dropping it to the deck. Lori stood before him in an emerald green bikini that matched her yoga outfit he caught her in a month ago. Emerald green was definitely her color. It made her eyes pop.

Jason was fully erect and Lori could feel him poking her waist. Jason reached behind her and tried to unclasp her bikini like it was a bra, but it wasn't designed that way. She stepped back and pulled the top over her head, revealing two huge DD breasts full of milk. She was leaking which made Jason feel even more excited than he thought he would. Normally it frustrated him to see women breastfeeding in public, but now it made him realize what a normal, loving act it was.