“I don’t do it every day. Just on the days that I know that I’m going to be stressed out. Like today. This is very stressful for me, and I think that you people here should foot some of the blame for my actions in this room.” Barkley, her father-in-law, asked him about the day he’d tried to kill one of his techs. “That was entirely his fault. He should have just stayed out of my way when I’m high. Everyone else does it when I’m working under stress. The other nurses, too, they keep to their business and cover for me when I’m stressed out. You have no idea how much stress it puts me under to do my job well.”

  “But you’re not doing your job well, Mr. Harris. In fact, we’ve gone over your surgical records, and it seems that you’ve been having your nurses do your surgeries for some time now. What do you have to say to that?” He just waved Barkley off as it was of little matter to him. “I think I’d like for you to answer that question, sir. I want to know how you think that having someone with a lesser education about how surgery works to do your job for you?”

  “It got done, didn’t it?” Lizzy had been shocked by that. “What does it matter who does the surgery so long as no one dies. I mean, you should be paying me more instead of bringing me in here to question my ability to do my job. I should be the model of all surgeons. Don’t you think?”

  “No, I do not. This hospital is paying you good money for you to do the job that you were hired to do. And you having others do it because you’re too stoned or too drunk to do it means that you’ve voided your contract with us.” It didn’t take them long to vote to fire Harris and to take not just his pension away to pay for lawsuits when this hit the papers, but also he was going to be losing the perks that came with being head of surgery. “I want you to also understand that I’m going to be contacting the State Medical Board and having you disbarred from practicing ever again.”

  “No, that’s not right. How will I work if you do that? That’s not right. You can’t take away my license. I do have to work, you know.” Barkley told him not as a surgeon he wasn’t. “I don’t think you’re seeing the entire picture here, Mr. Strong. Not everyone was handed a lot of money the day they were born. You need to step back and let me work out my years until I can retire on my pension. Taking that away from me at this point is sort of petty, don’t you think? No one died. You have to remember that. I didn’t kill anyone, so I’m good at being high and having my job done.”

  After about ten more minutes of him trying to convince the board that he was good at his job, security was called, and he was escorted out of the building. The seven of them, including her, had sat there after he was gone, Lizzy thought, stunned beyond belief that someone could be that incredibly stupid. Especially when it came to cutting someone open and performing surgery on them.

  Picking up her cell phone when it rang. She was thrilled to see her father’s face there. He asked her first of all if she was busy. Then he launched into what he’d been doing since he’d left the house this morning.

  “Barkley gave me a list of homes that the family owns. I didn’t realize just how rich your new family is, honey. Anyway, he told me to go and have a look at them and to pick one of them to live in. I told him that I wasn’t able to afford rent right now, and he said that I was family. My goodness, honey, I can’t believe how generous these people are being to me.” She felt her eyes fill with tears in thinking that the Strong family had really opened their arms to both of them. “I was calling to see if you’re going to be off soon. I would like you to go with me to see them. Clay told me that you only had to work a half day today.”

  She decided not to mention her mother calling and told her dad that she was finished up for the day. And she told him that she’d buy him lunch, her treat. He told her that it would have to be her treat as he had no money.

  Hugging him like she’d not just seen him this morning, the two of them sat down at the pizza place in town. They had wonderful subs, and she convinced her father that she was going to get one too. Ordering both of them the footlong version, she thought that he could take it back to the house with him and snack on it later. If Clay didn’t find it first.

  “I’m going to go to the bank with you to open an account. And I don’t want to hear about you not having any money to put in it.” She slid the thick envelope to him. She wasn’t surprised when he didn’t touch it. “When we got married, people wanted to give us wedding gifts too, but it was such short notice. They all gave us money. Even before we left for our honeymoon, Clay said that he was going to give the money to you, and I was happy with that. We don’t need the money, and Clay said that it would help you get yourself a fresh start on doing things the way that you want them. If you don’t take this, dad, I’m going to open the account up anyway and give it all to mother. You know that I’m not kidding about that.”

  “No, I know you’re not.” He finally picked it up and laid it back down after glancing at what was in the envelope. “This looks like a great deal of money.”

  “It is. Almost eleven grand. You can get yourself some new clothes. Whatever you need. However, Clay and I have already spoken, and we’re going to supply you with furniture and some linens and things like towels and such. We can well afford it, and I really want to do this for you.” He told her that it was great of her to do that, but all he needed was a bed. “And what will you do when we come over for a visit? Have us sit on the floor. No, we’re doing this so that you can feel like you have a home. Something that I think you’ve been wanting for a good long time.”

  “I have. I have to admit that I’ve wanted a place of my own that didn’t have wheels under it for a very long time.” Dad picked up his sandwich before speaking. “I’m an emotional mess right now, so how about we just enjoy our lunch and then go look at houses.”

  Dad had a list of things that he wanted in a home. It wasn’t that complicated, but she did make sure that he got what he wanted. A nice tub that he could soak in when he was needing it. A larger kitchen that he could eat in. Also, he wanted to have a place that was all on one floor. He thought that he’d feel safer if he did that.

  “I’m not getting any younger, and I think that I’d like to save my knees from getting older than me.” They both laughed. “I’d also like to be able to walk to the store when I need something too. Or the library. I have a card to it now, thanks to Lisa, and I’m going to use it.”

  While she didn’t want her dad to move out, she could tell that he was getting restless about living with them. He never complained, but she thought that he needed to be more structured about his life and his daily activities.

  They ate when they were hungry. With both of them working now, it was easier for them to just grab something on the go, too, during the day. Breakfast was the only meal that they usually got to eat with dad, as they both she and Clay left the house at the same time. She didn’t blame him at all for wanting his own way of doing things.

  By the time they were through about half the list, she was exhausted. Dad looked to be too, but they were going to muscle through his words one more house then he wanted a long nap. Lizzy loved how they had spent most of the day laughing and having fun, but even that was too much after such a long day for her.

  As soon as she pulled up in front of the house, she fell in love with it. Dad had mentioned that he wanted a dog to keep him company, and this house had a fully fenced-in back yard. When they entered, using the keys that Barkley had brought them, she was sure that her dad had found his dream home. His, what she had hoped, was his forever home.

  “Look at this floor. It’s all hardwood, isn’t it?” Dad ran his hand over the mantle in the living room, marveling how he’d not have to chop wood to have a fire as it was gas. “I can see me sitting in here with a good book and a dog at my feet. Oh, we have to look over the rest of the house quickly before I fall in too much more love with this place and we find things wrong with it.”

  It checked off everything that he wanted in a home. Not only that, but it had four bedrooms, enough for him to have the grandkids he wanted over to spend the night, he told her with a sly grin, and there was a smallish garden in the back that he thought he could grow some of his veggies come summer. She called Barkley when her dad said that he’d live there.

  While they were still walking around the house, someone opened the front door. Almost as if they’d conjured them, dad and she were discussing where he’d put his couch when he got it. The entire Strong family showed up with not just food for them to eat in his new home, but furniture and groceries, as well as Clay had brought dad a puppy.

  Dad held onto the little dog and sobbed. He told her that he was emotional these days, and she had to admit that this was something to be emotional about. A puppy could make the entire world a better place. And having her dad happy couldn’t have been better.

  ~*~

  Clay was ready to turn off the shower when Lizzy joined him. Turning around, like he did every time she was near him naked, he marveled at how gorgeous she was. Even with clothing on but he preferred her like she was now, naked.

  “Surgery was canceled. I don’t have to go in until after lunch. I was thinking that the two of us could have a round of good sex, then I’d go back to bed for a few hours.” He laughed until she put her hand around his cock. “What do you think, big boy?”

  “I think you have excellent ideas.” Pulling her to him, he kissed her long and hard. “What is it you want, Lizzy? I’m at your beck and call.”

  “Eat me.” He nearly fell in the shower when she said that. “Unless you don’t want to. I know that I can be a bit demanding, but—” She squeaked when he sat her on the seat that he’d never understood why it was there until now.

  He wasn’t sure how this was going to work, but he was going to give his best. He was still too tall to do what he wanted, but after smelling her sweet scent, even though the water was pouring over the both, he slid his tongue between her nether lips and was rewarded with a wonderful taste of her.

  Pulling her to the edge of the seat, he devoured her. Every time she came, several times, as a matter of fact, he would get a mouth full of her. Sliding his fingers into her sheath, he fucked her slowly through two more powerful climaxes before she jerked his head up from her. ‘

  “I need more.” He pulled her fingers from his hair and put her legs up and over his shoulders. “Clay, please.”

  He didn’t stop, even when she pleaded with him, telling him that she had nothing left inside of her. When she pulled up on his hair again, he leaned in and sipped at her breasts, nibbling on the tips until she cried out in another powerful climax.

  Pulling her off the seat, he told her to turn off the water. Pulling her down over his cock, crying out at the tightness of her and how she seemed to vibrate around him, he stood up and took her to the wall. Fucking her as hard as he could, he kissed her everywhere his mouth could reach, including her beautifully firm breasts.

  His climax was right there on the edge as he held her. It was so close, nearly at his throat, when she dug her nails into his shoulders and cried out she was coming. Watching her face, seeing the beauty of her release, nearly made him forget that he needed to come with her. Pounding her hard, knocking shampoo and other items off the shelf above him, he bit down on her throat to taste her skin when she came.

  Colors blinded him with their brilliance. He saw stars and rainbows as he emptied himself inside of Lizzy. Even as he came, emptying his body of all that he was, he came again, then a third time before he was able to stop.

  Weak in the knees, he held the two of them up as best as he could. Clay wanted to fall asleep. His body was so relaxed. He was able to fuck Lizzy through a few more climaxes until it hurt him. His balls and cock felt like he’d abused them sorely.

  “I can’t move.” He told her that he was just thinking the same thing. “I know you have to go to work, but I don’t think either of us will fare well if you were to move away from me right now.”

  He laughed. Even that took more of his strength than he was willing to admit. Cupping her bottom in his hands, he both staggered and limped his way to the bedroom. Once he was able to put her on the bed, none too gently, he thought, he dropped to the bed and atop her. When she giggled, he was able to muster up just enough to roll over her to his side of the bed.

  When he woke up, he knew that it was much later than he’d expected to be awake. Looking at his phone, he could see that it was just after ten in the morning. Getting up proved to be a bit more difficult than he thought it should have been, but he finally made his way to the shower. He was going to be really sore every time after sex if he didn’t start getting out more and exercising again. Not that he was complaining too much.

  Lizzy was gone when he got to the kitchen. She left him a note telling him that she’d been called into work and would be home in time for dinner. She hoped. As he grabbed some lunch, hoping that he wouldn’t be too far behind today, he took the sandwich out to his workshop and turned on the light. However, it wasn’t working. Clay moved from in front of the door to open it and let in some light. It was then that he saw Linda.

  “What do you want here? For that matter, how did you get here?” She said that she had had to resort to killing someone for money to make it happen. But he was going to give her some to pay the person she’d killed back. “I’m going to call the police.”

  Instead of reaching for his phone, he opened the two large bay doors and flooded the room with light. Also, a very cold breeze. When Linda started demanding that he close the doors, he did reach for his cell phone then.

  “Dad, I’m in trouble here. Send the police.” Putting the phone in his pocket, not at all sure where his calmness was coming from, he started moving around the room to where some of his equipment was. Hoping that there would be something there that he could use to defend himself if it became necessary. “I don’t have any money on me. Even if I did, I’d not be handing it over to you.”

  “Why are you such a selfish bastard?” he told her that it just came naturally to him. That he thought he might have inherited it from his grandda. “What are you talking about? Just give me some money, and then I’ll find that husband of mine, and we’ll be out of your hair.”

  “He was never your husband, was he? Just a nice man that you convinced couldn’t live without you. I think he’s doing just fine out here, and you should leave him alone.” She told him to fuck off. “Yeah, that’s what I thought you’d say. I’m going to—Alfred, don’t move.”

  Clay heard the sound of the gun just as he lunged for Linda. Wrestling her to the floor, the gun went off once more before he was able to get the gun free. Getting off the top of Linda, he looked at her and saw that she’d shot herself under the chin while they’d been fighting.

  “Son?” Clay had no idea how long he sat there, but when his dad came into the building, he had both his hands up and was talking calmly to him. “The police are here. So is Alfred. He said he heard you yelling at him not to move as he was coming out of the house.”

  “I thought I could fake her out by having her turn to look for him. It was all I could think of.” Dad said that the police were waiting to come in. He just had to drop the gun. “All right. I can do that. Will you call Lizzy for me? I think I’ve been shot too. When she fired, it went through my hand.”

  “Put the gun down, son.” He did, watching as the police came into the building with their guns drawn. Alfred had been warned not to touch him, but he did stand close. “Clay, they’ve called in an ambulance for you and Linda.”

  “I don’t think she’s alive, dad.” Dad told him that he knew that. “Her brains are all over my equipment. It’s like…I’m going to be sick.”

  He was too. Every bit of his lunch was now all over him as he couldn’t move quick enough to get to a trashcan. As he stood over the mess he’d made, he felt his head start to pound, and then he was out.

  Waking up in the hospital startled him for a moment. Then he remembered why he was there. Looking around the room, he wasn’t surprised to find his parents, Alfred and Lizzy, in the room. It was Alfred that spoke to him in a whisper as everyone else was asleep.

  “Linda killed four people, then robbed them.” He said that she’d told him that she’d killed to come here. “She took some of their clothing, too, so that she’d have luggage to come here. I don’t know what she was thinking about that, but she did it. She’d also set fire to the camper. Probably because she figured when she got here, there would be money enough to support her in something new.”

  “How’s Lizzy taking this?” He said that she didn’t seem all that concerned about Linda but more about him. “She loves me.”

  “Of course I do, you big idiot.” Lizzy climbed into bed with him as Alfred explained what had happened up to and after he’d been hurt. Lizzy told him things too that the police had told her. “They said that she’d found the gun while at the airport coming in. I don’t know what is going to happen with the man she took it from, but he’s in trouble as well.

  “The police here didn’t know anything about her on her way until you had your dad call. I’m sorry to say that one of the people that she killed was Tom. She blamed him for getting me to come here.” Alfred blew his nose then. “He was a good man and didn’t deserve to be killed. My heart hurts for his family.”