All in a Night's Wor

36 Hours Later

Off the Georgia Coast.

Mary Ellen opened her eyes to bright sunlight. She wondered if Heaven was always so bright. But something was wrong. She sure didn't belong in Heaven. She could smell the ocean and feel a gentle rocking movement. She pinched herself on the arm. Damn it hurt. If you're dead you shouldn't feel anything.

Her eyes adjusted to the light and she could tell she was in a cabin of a boat. As she moved to get up , she noticed she was naked. A toweling robe lay across the foot of the bed. She pulled it on and began her search for the bathroom. Suddenly the urge to pee was overwhelming.

She was lucky, It was behind the first door she tried. After taking care of the necessary things, Mary Ellen looked in the mirror.

No makeup, hair wild which was unusual for Sweet Thing who always perfectly made up without a hair out of place. But she was dead. Only Mary Ellen was left. She brushed her hair out at let it hang loose. She kind of liked it that way. She looked young and free with no problems, no worries and no hidden agendas.

Leaving the bathroom she looked around the cabin. Checking in the drawers she found lingerie in one drawer and shorts and tops in another and bikinis in a third.

Smiling she choose a day glow orange string bikini. Not much more than a few small patches of cloth and several strings. No way would Sweet Thing wear such a piece of fluff. But she was dead. Mary Ellen loved it. Thank god she had a wax job done the other day. She was bare except for a small triangle above her pubes and a thin strip down each side.

Putting it on and finding a pair of flip flops she walked through the door anxious to see what her new life would be like.

Walking down a short hallway, she entered the galley. The smell of fresh coffee overwhelmed her senses. Seeing the pot and a mug on the counter, she filled it with the rich brew adding cream from the fridge and adding sugar. After a couple of tries it was just right.

Holding her mug in both hands she continued her exploration of her new home. Home at least for awhile.

Walking through a door to the outside, she saw a narrow stairway leading to the bridge. She could hear someone moving around.

What the hell, she told herself. Let's get this over with.

Climbing the stairs she saw a tall man with wide shoulders and dark hair adjusting some control. He must have heard her.

He turned around. Mary Ellen's heart bounced. It was Brady. Her Brady.

"Hi Mary Ellen. Finally awake. I thought you were gonna sleep forever." He said with a smile, holding his arms open for her.

With a shout of joy she entered them. "Brady. Where are we. Why am I still alive? You said I had to die." She asked backing away sipping her coffee to cover her trembling hands.

"I said Sweet Thing had to die. She did. I buried her at sea yesterday. Mary Ellen is here now. The woman I fell in Love with. The woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. The woman I want to have my children." He explained

As she thought about what he said, it made sense in a strange way. Sweet Thing was as much fiction as Brady Solon had been. She was the woman Mary Ellen invented as protection from ever being hurt again. The hard shell, not afraid, not controlled by emotions. The survivor. She never let Brady or anyone else call her Mary Ellen. It was too country, too wimpy.

Now Sweet Thing was dead and gone, leaving only Mary Ellen. The country girl with dreams and hopes. Who wore her emotions on her sleeve. Wanted to love and be loved. Yeah, it was a great day to be Mary Ellen.

Looking at Brady, she said, "Good. I never liked that bitch anyway. Too bossy and conniving for my taste." She said, sending any thoughts of Sweet Thing to the trash bin.

"Where are we?

""About 200 miles from Savannah. We're kind of just putting along. The plan right now is to make the American Virgin Islands one of these days. But we're not on a timetable. Plenty of food, fuel and supplies, and enough money to buy more as we go. You might need more clothes later on. Samson only included the basics for me. The female stuff belongs to his wife Angel." He explained

"Sounds like a plan to me. I need to work on my tan anyway. An all over tan." She said raising her eyebrows. "I look like a ghost."

"No one to see you anyway. The long range forecast is for good weather for the next month. Not any storms expected, but that could change. I'll keep checking."

"I'm hungry. Let's eat breakfast. We got a freezer full of food." He said

Mary Ellen said, "You get washed up. I'll cook. I do a mean breakfast."

Seeing his skeptical look, she laughed. "Yes I know how to cook. But the bitch thought it was below her. So she pretended she didn't know how."

Brady shook his head. He walked over and gave Mary Ellen a big kiss. "She's gone. Do as you please." He turned and walked to the head (bathroom) to shower.

Mary Ellen enjoyed herself. She had forgotten how much fun cooking was and how relaxing. She had worked at the Waffle House first as a waitress then as a cook.

Sweet Thing had buried all kinds of memories. Ones that didn't support the image she was trying to project. Mary Ellen hadn't had a chance to think or dream in years. That bitch had control. Thank God she was dead and buried at sea. Never to return.

Brady came into the dining area just as Mary Ellen Finished breakfast. Eggs, bacon , sausage, hash browns, pancakes and toast. And lots of coffee.

"Wow, Brady said. What a spread! You can cook can't you. Looks good." Brady sat down and started digging in to the feast his wife had prepared.

"I used to cook at the Waffle House. I was working my way through college. Paid pretty good and had flexible hours. Free meals too." She explained

Brady laughed.

Mary Ellen gave him a stern look. "Don't you dare say it. Yes I had teeth."

{Authors note: It's an old Joke that one of the major requirements to work at the Waffle House is that most of your teeth be gone. If you stop at WH, look and see for yourself.}

Brady held up his hands in a sign of surrender. "I didn't say a word!"

"Good thing. You could get hungry." She laughed

They sat and ate without words being spoken. All communication was by looks and body language.

Mary Ellen finally broke the silence. She looked him in the eyes. She said one word, "Why?".

"Why not? I had nothing to lose. For all intents and purposes you're dead. A body in the fire will be identified as you. Also one as me. No loose ends. If you piss me off, all I have to do is kick you out in the middle of the ocean. You have new identity papers in the safe."

"But the real reason is that I love Mary Ellen. The more I get to know her, the better I like her. She's not Sweet Thing. If anything the good parts of Sweet Thing. We'll get to know each other. The real us. Not the facades we used before. Let's see how it works out. If we can't make it, we go our separate ways. You with your money." Explained Brady

She looked at her husband somewhat in shock. This was too good to be true. Where was the catch. What was in it for him.

She did a mental shake. That was Sweet Thing's thinking. She was dead. Brady was doing it for the reason he said. She could see it in his eyes. He really loved her.

"Okay. Sounds like a winner to me. I always wanted to travel." Said Mary Ellen

She looked at her husband. Doing an exaggerated eye lid flutter, she said, "Darlin there are lots of things I've never done."

"Can we do one of them now? she asked. "I want to make love naked in the sunshine on the deck."

Brady looked at her and smiled. A look she'd never seen in his eyes in a long time. A look filled with love and passion.

They retired to the master stateroom. A flurry of hastily removed clothes flew.

Hours of sweet love making combined with wild monkey sex followed. The lovers couldn't get enough of each other.

It was the beginning of many days and nights together.