This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any real person is just proof there is a pattern to randomness in the universe. All characters are eighteen years and older.
Suzanne lay in bed beside her husband. She rolled over. "I'm worried, Bill."
Bill wasn't asleep, and he opened his eyes. "What? Worried? What are you worried about?"
"Jessi and Ryan," She whispered in the dark. "I'm worried if the tests don't come out the way they hope they'll do something..." Suzanne felt tears welling up in her eyes.
"Hush." Bill reached over and put his arm around his wife. "You've nothing to worry about. I had a talk with Ryan a couple of days ago. He promised me they wouldn't do anything foolish."
"I hope so," Suzanne replied quietly. Bill's arm around her comforted her.
"I'm glad you didn't listen to your mother's advice and married me anyway." Bill kissed Suzanne softly on the cheek. "I've never regretted marrying you, not for a minute."
"I haven't either, Bill. I could never see myself being married to anyone else." Suzanne paused as she thought for a few moments.
"Do you suppose that's how Jessi and Ryan feel about each other?" Suzanne asked.
"I think it's exactly how they feel." Bill's voice was warm and soft.
---
Charlie was up before the dawn. The older he grew, the earlier he rose. His wife teased him that before long he would be getting up before he went to bed.
This was his favorite time of day. All was quiet. The slate for the new day was clean and always held promise. He gave thanks as the sun rose. He had been granted another day. Winter was almost upon them, and Charlie knew he was in the winter of his life. More and more, he looked at each day as a precious gift not to be squandered.
He thought of the two still sound asleep in the tent. His son was in the summer of his life, and Ryan in the late spring. So much lay in store for the both of them. Charlie smiled. There was no envy in him, only joy.
There were no regrets. What was the point of regretting what was already done? Charlie was well aware at times, he had made poor decisions in his life. He hoped he had learned from those choices and had tried to not make the same mistakes a second time.
Steam rose as the orange flames from the fire licked at the soot-covered coffee pot. As soon as the coffee was ready, Charlie would start cooking breakfast and wake the sleeping pair in the tent.
Charlie felt an affinity to this place. This is where his ancestors had lived. It was a link to his past. He slipped his hand inside of his shirt and felt the bear claw necklace Ryan had given him. It was another link to the past.
The aroma of brewing coffee and the sizzle as it boiled over broke Charlie's reflections. He pulled the coffee pot from the fire, opened the lid, and poured a cup of cold water into the pot to settle the grounds.
The smell of coffee and cooking bacon found its way into the tent. Ryan opened his eyes and lay there for a moment. His stomach growled and reminded him he was hungry. He pulled his pants and shirt out from beneath his sleeping bag.
Ryan wasted no time in getting dressed. The chill in the air saw to that. As he pulled his boots on, he called over to Walter. "Hey, Walt, you might want to wake up. It smells like your dad has breakfast cooking."
Walter opened his eyes and stretched. "Yeah, we better get out there, or he'll eat it all."
Charlie looked up as Ryan came out of the tent. "Good morning! Hope you slept well."
"Like a rock," Ryan replied as he stretched.
"Is Walt awake?" Charlie asked as he kept watch on the frying pan full of sizzling bacon.
Ryan nodded his head as he picked up a towel and a bar of soap. "Yeah, he's getting dressed."
The cold water sent a shock through Ryan's body as he splashed it on his face. There was no doubt he was fully awake now. He watched the steam rising from the creek as he knelt by the water. He couldn't imagine a more perfect morning. The sky was clear, the air was crisp, and the aroma of fresh coffee and bacon beckoned.
---
Norm Campbell finished his cup of coffee and looked Vincenzo. "If you have more guys coming, you need to call Tony."
Vincenzo turned from watching the rising sun. "What for?"
"I need a couple of gallons of nitric acid, and a couple bottles of mercury."
"What do you need that for?" Vincenzo was curious.
"I have some with me, but not enough for the number of people coming. The nitric acid is used to dissolve the impurities. Mercury is then added and boiled off, leaving pure gold," Norm replied. He thought for a moment and added. "Make sure his guys get steel gold pans, and not aluminum."
Vincenzo shrugged his shoulders. "Does it really make a difference in the pans?"
"Yes, the mercury reacts with the aluminum, and will end up destroying the pans, among other things," Norm explained.
The sun had fully risen by now. Both men got up from their seats at the table and put their dishes into the RV's sink.
As he pulled his coat on, Norm commented, "I'm going to head further up the creek and see what I can find."
Vincenzo picked up his camera case. "I'll be up there in a while. I want to take some pictures first."
Norm left the RV and pulled his pack from the storage bins located underneath the vehicle and began to make his way towards the stream.
After Norm was gone, Vincenzo pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a familiar number.
"Good morning, Vincenzo." Tony answered his phone.
"Good morning, Padron." Vincenzo greeted his boss.
"I was talking with Mr. Campbell this morning. When you send the men, there are some items he asked be sent with them."
Vincenzo listed the items Norm had requested. "I have been forced to rethink our conversation of last night."
"How so?" Tony enquired.
"I think I will need Mr. Campbell until we are finished here. It seems the process of obtaining the gold may be a little more complex than I first thought."
"I trust your judgment, Vincenzo."
Norm hiked up the creek. He noticed a change in Vincenzo last night. Hank's words of warning echoed in his head. He slipped his hand into his coat pocket and felt for the weapon Hank had given him. He felt relieved to find it still there. At least Vincenzo hadn't gone through his pockets.
He stopped and thought for a moment. He turned around and made sure he wasn't being watched. Once he felt he wasn't being observed, he pulled the gun from his pocket and ejected the magazine. A wave of relief washed over him when he saw the ammunition was still there.
---
Stella looked over at Kenny. He was still sound asleep. She smiled and reached over and stroked his cheek with a gentle touch. There was no doubt about it. She had fallen in love with him. It didn't matter that he wasn't exactly handsome. He treated her far better than any man before. For the first time since she could remember a man treated her as a person and not just as a sexual toy.
He did nice things for her, bought her little gifts for no reason, sent her flowers just to let her know he was thinking of her. The one thing above all else, the thing which meant the most to her was, when he asked her opinion, he actually listened to her.
She had been nervous when they had entered the DA's office yesterday. Kenny patted her on the knee and promised that everything would be okay. By the end of the meeting, Kenny got what he had wanted. The felony charges would be dropped, and she signed an agreement pleading guilty to a single misdemeanor charge of trespassing.
Kenny paid the fine for the misdemeanor at the courthouse. They went out to dinner to celebrate. There weren't many choices for fine eateries in the small town, but the one steakhouse there was, promised local beef. Kenny grudgingly complimented the quality of the food.
After returning to the hotel, they engaged in a long bout of lovemaking. They both were exhausted by the time they were done, and Stella had fallen asleep with his arms wrapped around her.
She leaned over and brushed her lips over his chest and left a soft kiss. There was no response and she smiled. Her voice was quiet. "I love you, Kenny. I think you know that."
A grin spread across her face as she whispered, "And I know just how to wake you up."
Stella slipped her hand under the blank and brushed her fingertips across his flaccid member. She raised the sheet and watched her fingers teasing him. The sight of his cock beginning to become erect pleased her.
There was still no response from Kenny. His eyes were still shut and his breathing was slow and quiet. The tips of her fingers continued to slowly graze up and down the length of his growing erection.
She slipped her fingers down further and ran them over his balls. From experience, she knew that if she wanted him to stay asleep, not to touch him there for anything more than a short period of time.
His organ slowly swelled, and the blood filling the spongy tissue and Stella smiled as his cock continued to thicken until it was fully erect. She used the tip of her finger to stimulate the sensitive area on the underside of his erection.
The first time she had done this, she had been able to make him orgasm with just using the tip of her index finger, and Kenny hadn't woke up until just before his cock had pulsed, sending streams of thick, white jizz all over his stomach.
That's not what she wanted today though. She wanted him to wake up and enjoy her giving him pleasure but—not just quite yet.
Stella slipped her free hand between her legs and her fingers dipped between her already swollen lips. She exhaled in a slow stream as her finger slid up and down her wet slit.
She repositioned her body so her head rested on Kenny's belly. Her tongue flicked at the tip of his swelling cock-head, moving it in little circles. Occasionally, the very tip of her tongue probed the slit at the end of his cock.
Her head moved slowly as she opened her mouth and let his cock slide through her lips. Stella was careful not to move too quickly. She wanted him to wake slowly as she sucked him.
The feeling of his organ filling her mouth and what she was doing turned her on. Her fingers rubbed her clit in a slow circular motion. She swirled her tongue around the head of his erection. She took him further into her mouth in a slow, deliberate fashion.
She held him deep in her mouth for a moment and slowly began to pull her head back, sucking lightly until just the tip remained in her mouth. Her finger dove into her velvet-soft tunnel and began to slide in and out.
Stella moved her head back and forth over his fully engorged cock. She liked how the smooth skin of his wet shaft felt as it moved over her lips. The tip of her tongue caught the slightly salty taste of his pre-cum leaking from his swollen head.
Kenny was dreaming. He was in a courtroom, trying a case. After taking a seat, he found he had a hard time hearing what the judge was saying. He felt a set of lips on his cock. He looked down and saw Stella dressed in a business suit sucking his cock. The more she sucked, the less he could hear.
The courtroom slipped from his sight as his eyes began to open. The image of the black-robed judge evaporated but the feeling of his cock being sucked only grew more real. His eyes slowly opened to the realization Stella had his erection in her mouth.
She felt his hand move to her head and he began to stroke her hair. He was awake. She felt his hips thrusting in time with movements of her head.
