Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Dinner with the Hardesty family was great, as can be expected.  Ann's a
good cook, one of those who can take a recipe and make it her own.  We ate
well, although Bill and Theresa were itching to get back outside with the
fireworks.  And Cindy.

   Cindy and Theresa helped Ann clear the tables and secure the kitchen
after dinner.  Jim and I moved outside and started setting up the bigger
fireworks I'd purchased.

   "I need a place to site these, Jim," I said.

   "Dan, you spent some bucks here," he said, eyeing the collection of
pyrotechnics.

   "I thought we might want to set the neighborhood back on its heels. 
Sometimes fun costs money." I unloaded another box full of wires and a box
with lights and switches.

   "Man, you don't want to drag THAT through the airport, Dan.  What is
it?" Jim asked.

   "My homage to my electrical engineering.  It's an electric firing
system. Help me string these cables." We strung a pair of wires to each of
the fireworks and I taped electric igniters to the fuses.  Then I connected
the cables to the control box, turned a big key switch to 'test' and tested
the circuits.  Satisfied, I turned the switch to 'off' and stuck the key in
my pocket.

   "You've done this before," Jim laughed.

   "Uh, yeah ...  buncha times.  This is my civilian version"

   "Ooo-oohhh!," Jim said.  "Combat engineer stuff."

   "Or whacked out pyrotechnic fool stuff.  Or maybe a little of both. 
You'd've thought we got enough of this way back when..." I said.

   "Yeah, but just like flyin', sometimes you get the itch..." Jim
answered.

   "Yeah, and this is a whole lot more fun when you're not worried about
keepin' people on the other side of the ditch.  These are a lot prettier
than claymores, too."

   About that time, Ann walked out with Cindy.  "Guys..." and then she saw
my toys, "Omigod!  Dan!  You're nuts!" She laughed.

   Cindy laughed too.  "I told ya, Mizz Ann.  We flew back with that in the
cargo compartment."

   "Yeah," I said, "Like Jim says, I would have had soooo much fun getting
that on a commercial flight ...  even without the little explodey things."

   "Explodey things?" Ann asked.

   "Yeah.  Each of these wires goes to an electric igniter, just a little
tiny one, but big enough to give TSA apoplexy.  When I put the key in and
arm it, pushing a button lights off the igniter and that sets off the
firework.  And I get to sit waaaay back here in a lawn chair and watch the
stuff instead of lighting them by hand and running."

   Cindy looked at Ann.  "See ...  don'cha just love it..."

   Jim said, "We can go inside or we can stay out here." 'Out here' was
noisy as the neighbors were all having their own celebrations.  The various
bangs and flashes weren't much of an impediment to conversation, though. 
"I vote for out here."

   Ann said, "Cindy, wanna give me a hand bringing our loving husbands some
snacks?"

   Cindy knew how to handle this one.  "Or we could just stand her and let
them be satisfied with our presence..."

   Ann laughed with Cindy.  ""Oh, baby, I've tried.  He STILL wants beer
and chips!"

   "Oooo-kay, then ...  let's feed 'em..." Cindy said.

   Jim and I waited for our wives to return, then the four of us sat ... 
Make that three of us.  Cindy joined Bill and Teresa in adding to the
sights and sounds, shooting rockets into the air.

   "I didn't ask," I leaned over to Jim and Ann.  "Were you guys planning
on hanging around until midnight?"

   "Can you stand it?  "Ann asked.  "That's what we were planning..."

   "Okay, then.  We're in it until midnight."

   We watched and talked, occasionally joined by Cindy, but she was
playing, doing things that I honestly think she'd not been able to do in
her previous life, watching, talking, excited as other groups of kids from
up and down the street made their way around.

   Finally she came and sat in the chair next to me.  "Okay!  I've done
that."

   "Done what, baby?" I looked at her.

   "Lit off just about every firework they had.  All we have left to do is
our big ones."

   Jim said something to her.

   "Yessir.  You know, Mister Jim, I halfway expected my husband to tow one
of those artillery pieces out from somewhere.  I mean, he keeps surprising
me..." she smiled at me.  "Baby?"

   "Jim, she doesn't know.  And it wouldn't fit in the plane to bring
back..."

   "Oh, shit, Dan.  You have artillery?" Jim was incredulous.

   Cindy was staring.  "You DO?"

   I smiled.  "Well, sorta ...  One of my jobs, we were messing around in
the machine shop of this powerplant, and there was the huge lathe and a big
chunk of steel..."

   Jim's attention was mine.  "And..."

   "And we build a bowling ball mortar.  Dump in a few ounces of black
powder.  Drop a bowling ball on top of it, light the fuse, and WHOOM!!!!  A
bowling ball goes a few hundred yards."

   "I cannot believe, Dan.  I mean, I've HEARD about those..."

   Cindy was resting her chin in her hand, elbow propped on the arm of the
chair.  "Mister Jim, I told ya.  We should've known..."

   "Awww," I said, "It's really not that big a deal.  I mean, just a toy.
After you shoot a dozen bowling balls, it kinda loses its appeal..."

   Jim was shaking his head.  Ann understood.  "Jim, he was SINGLE.  He had
toys ...  You're married.  You got me.  And Teresa.  And Bill."

   "And I'd trade all of my toys for Cindy," I said.

   "Awwwww," Ann said.

   "Nuh-uhhhhh!" Cindy said.  "I LIKE your toys.  I get to play with 'em.
Unless you're gonna buy me a red Extra..."

   Jim's ears perked up.  "Extra?  Like aerobatic..."

   Cindy grinned.  "Oh, Dan didn't tell you?!?"

   "I didn't get around to that part, cutie..."

   "So YOU tell me, Miss Cindy.  I'm all ears."

   And Cindy related that story.

   "Now I'm jealous," Jim said.  "I always wanted to play with one of
those."

   Cindy fueled the fire, talking about controls and visualizing maneuvers
and then cooled things down.  "But Mister Jim, YOU got to play with a
fighter jet!"

   Jim smiled.  "Yes, Miss Cindy.  But that was then.  This is now..."

   Ann reached over and touched Jim's arm and smiled sweetly.  He patted
her back and feigned a pout.  "Cindy got to have fun in a little red
airplane an' I didn't!"

   "We'll do something fun later, Jimmy," she said, and then turned bright
red.  Stammering, she said, "I, uh, meant the fireworks."

   Cindy giggled.  "Oops!  Sorry!"

   Ann looked flustered.  "Mercy!  That came out wrong.  She playfully
slapped at Jim.  "See!  See what you caused!"

   He kissed her hand.  "I'm sorry, my love!"

   Playful banter, chips and dip, another beer, and it was pushing
midnight. By this time of the evening, word had gotten around, too, as in
"Hey, they got some BIG fireworks at the Hardesty's" and we had over a
dozen more visitors, adults and kids.

   "It's show time," I said.  I reached in my pocket and retrieved the
arming key for the firing box, then bent over and inserted into the
keyhole.

   Jim asked, "Wanna countdown?"

   "Yeah," I said.  "I have ten shots.  Nine little, and a big one.  Let's
start at thirty seconds to midnight."

   "Okay, you have fifteen seconds to go."

   "Everybody stand clear, folks!" I hollered.  The crowd was waiting.  I
held my hand out.  "Cindy, love..."

   She smiled, face glowing.  "Whatever you're doing at midnight on New
Year's Eve..."

   "Thirty-five ...  four ...  three ...  two...  " Dan counted.

   I hit the first switch.  BOOM!  A star shell.  When it exploded in the
sky, I shot the second ...  Heard oooohs and ahhhhs.  Third ...  Fourth ...
sequencing.  Cindy was holding my arm with both hands.

   Somebody in the crowd started "TEN ...  NINE"

   Hit my fourth to last...  "EIGHT ...  SEVEN ...  SIX..." third to last.
BOOM!  "FIVE ...  FOUR ...  THREE..." second to last.  BOOM!  "TWO ... 
ONE..." Simultaneously with shouts of "Happy New Year!!!" I fired the
biggest shell and scooped Cindy against me, kissing her in the varicolored
glow of the chrysanthemum shell high in the sky.

   Our lips parted and I noted that Ann and Jim kissed just a little
longer. I shook Jim's hand and hugged Ann and Cindy got hugs from both of
them, then the kids.

   "Jim, Ann, I hope this New Year brings us as much good as the old one
did.  I put my arm round my little red-headed cutie.  "I started it out
right."

   "Yeah, buddy," Jim said.  "If we can just live up to what our wives
deserve..."

   We picked up the debris from our little display, accept a few thank yous
from the neighbors who'd come over for our finale, and rolled up the cords
for my magic box.  Finally we said bye to Jim and Ann and headed home.

   "Did you have fun, little one," I asked.

   "I sure did, baby," she said.  "I know I sort of ignored you for a while
there, but I never got to do that..."

   "Do what?" I asked.

   "You know, just run up and down the road with kids, and doing fireworks
and stuff."

   I glanced at her.  Every now and then my amazing wife was replaced by a
fourteen year old girl.

   "No, it's not like that, my love.  You give me, us ...  we have a whole
different level of excitement.  But it was fun for a little while ...  and
then I realized, whatever those kids were playin' at doin', we, you and me,
we're doing it for real.  Like playin' Flight Simulator on the computer or
preflighting Sissy." 'Sissy' was Cindy's name for our airplane.  Like in
"Dan, Cessna?  That's close to Sissy.  And I think she needs a name."

   "Thank you for telling me that, sweetheart.  Sometimes I wonder if I'm
robbing you of your childhood."

   "Dan, I'm fourteen!  My childhood was over, what little of it I got to
enjoy with Mom.  I was gonna be a young lady, and Mom wasn't much help for
that at all.  You know we've talked about this."

   We had.  "I know, cutie, but still..."

   "And exactly what was happening to YOU at midnight?  I MADE my choice."
She had that 'and you KNOW I'm right' expression.

   I gave up.  "Oh, I was kissing the most amazing woman on the planet..."

   "There!" she huffed.  "I will NEVER leave you, Dan."

   "'Kay, princess," I said.

   She folded her arms across her chest, feigning upset.  "Like I'm gonna
dump everything WE are to go pop firecrackers twice a year..."

   "You made Jim jealous with that Extra business," I said.

   "I didn't mean to make him jealous.  I just wanted him to know how
excited I was that I got to do that." She smiled at me again, finally. 
"Like you said, he flew Harriers."

   "I know, sweetie, but sometimes us older guys would like to have some of
the adventures from their younger days.  Kinda like me with those
fireworks."

   "How's that?" she asked.

   "When I was in the army, we used to mess around with hundreds of pounds
of high explosive.  A twenty dollar firework shell is NOTHING.  But it's
what I have now..."

   She was thinking.  "And you didn't tell me about that bowling ball
thing?"

   "Oh.  The mortar.  Honestly, babe, I haven't played with it in years. 
It's just stuck in the corner of the garage."

   "Do you have any OTHER surprises, my guy?" In the dim cab lighting, I
could see the angelic face, bright eyes, and smile."

   "I'll have to think, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing significant..."

   "You know what?"

   "What?" I asked.

   "We need to take Mister Jim and Mizz Ann on one of our weekend trips. 
We could fly somewhere, and rent a car.  I'd sit in the back seat with Mizz
Ann.  I mean, since everybody knows we're married, we could be two
couples..."

   "That's a thought, you know, princess." I smiled, lightly kicking myself
for not seeing the idea myself.

   "And we need to find US a concert, too.  I love going with you to those
things.  It feels good getting dressed up and going out among nice people
and hearing beautiful music.  What'd you say, four or five hundred miles
for a weekend trip?

   "Five or six hundred, if we're ambitious.  Maybe a bit more," I said.

   "So that's uh ...  Houston.  Atlanta.  Kansas City.  Charlotte.  We're
bound to find something..."

   "Somebody's been thinking about this," I said.

   "Yep!  According to the manual, we have a thousand mile range, and you
usually cruise at a hundred thirty-five knots.  That's like a hundred and
fifty miles an hour." She smiled.

   I should've known better than to imagine otherwise.  "Okay.  Cindy's
done her homework."

   "Just thinking.  You.  Me.  Concerts.  Something I like." Smile.

   "You know, Cindy, I've loved this music all my life.  I've had a wife
and a couple of girlfriends, and they just tolerated my choice in music. 
And then there's YOU."

   "No, Dan, there's not ME, there's US.  And YOU got me started with this
music.  I remember the first one..."

   "First one?  Moonlight Sonata."

   Squeal!  "You remember too..."

   "Of course I do, sweetness.  You are memorable." I remembered the
perfection of her innocently sweet, soft frame pressed against me that
night.

   We pulled into the RV park at near one in the morning and Cindy hit the
shower first, followed by me, followed by bed.

   "Leave the little light on," she said.

   That meant only one thing at one-thirty in the morning.  Cindy wished to
play.  I wished to play whatever Cindy wished.  Sassy red hair bounced
above green eyes and spectacular smile.  "What you're doing on New Year's
Night, you're going to do all year..."

   "Who you're doin'..." I said.

   Giggle.  She rolled atop me and kissed me, filled with glee.  "You.  Me.
US.  We're doin' US.!"

   "Us is better'n I ever hoped, Cindy." I passed my hands over that
outrageous copper hair, kissing her again, then I rolled her onto her back
and went from her face downward, kissing, nibbling, savoring every squeal,
shudder and giggle as her hands controlled my head and my hands wandered,
exploring a body that was absolute delight.

   I ended up brushing my lips through the light fuzzing of reddish brown
hair on her pubic mound, kissing, studiously avoiding going near a cleft
glistening with expectation.  She spread her legs and pushed on my head,
guiding me, and I teasingly kissed on both sides of her pussy, its lips
pink and turgid, parting slightly.

   "Ohgod, Dan!  Stop teasing me!" Her hands clamped on the back of my head
and she curled her torso, planting my face where she wanted it.

   Okay.  Time to stop teasing my doll.  "Mmmmmm," I hummed, savoring the
scent, and as my tongue flicked between those lips, the taste and texture.

   It was her turn to go "Mmmmmmm." And "Oh, Dan ...  that feels so
good..." her hips became mobile as my lips and tongue roamed.  "Dan!  My
button!"

   I can follow directions.  The 'button' in question was pushing its
little pink dome among moist folds of delight and I knew that my baby liked
to have my lips work on it.  I did.  I was rewarded by gurgling, breathless
hisses and then "Nnnngghhhh!  Yesssss!" She was rewarded too, apparently.

   Her fingers curled and dragged on my head.  That was a sign that my
face's presence was required elsewhere.  I moved up near her.  Her face was
relaxed, smiling, post-orgasmic, but not ready to quit yet.  Giggle.  She
slid down me, her lips parted by her pink tongue.  Two hands wrapped around
my excited shaft.  Another giggle.  "I like it when you're excited."

   "I stay excited around you, red-head," I said.

   "But it's REAL excited!" An electric pulse coursed through me when her
tongue flicked the head of my dick.

   "Ohhhhhh, Cindy..." I moaned.  "Mmmmm..."

   "I like this," she said.  "I like feeling you..." Her head bobbed,
pushing soft, moist mouth over my shaft.  I felt teeth grip the skin, and I
felt the giggle as she played with me like a toy, teasing with teeth,
sucking, her tongue mobile in her mouth, working me.  "Mmmmm!" giggle.  "I
tasted that!" Her hand milked me.  "Gimme another one." Her right hand kept
my dick from going too deep into her mouth and her left curled under my
sack, toying, tugging, working my balls, and I was on the way to the
precipice.

   "Cin, doll ...  You ...  I'm close!"

   Giggle.  "I know that, baby," she said, then her mouth covered me again,
her right hand milking me into her mouth where her tongue augmented the
suction.

   I could feel my sack tightening.  I knew she could feel it by the
activity of her fingertips, and I felt the "Mmmmmm" from her lips, and that
was all it took.

   Her "mmmm" ended in "mmmmppppphhh!" as my first spurt escaped.  She
sucked, her tongue active as she swallowed, and she squeezed gently and
tugged in time with my pulsations and kept right on sucking as my orgasm
passed and I started to soften.  She climbed back up beside me, her right
hand dallying with me as she kissed my face.

   I turned so our lips met and we kissed, keeping our mouths together,
breathing though our noses for some minutes as I stroked her hair, then
down her back to her firm, sweet butt.  When our kiss broke, she moved over
me and fastened lips and teeth to my left nipple.

   I growled from the intensity of the feelings.  "You KNOW what that does
to me, baby," I said.

   "Yes, guy, I do.  That's why I'm doing it.  That, and it's fun to feel
you wiggle." Giggle.

   I was getting hard.  She knew that my left nipple was sensitive, almost
too sensitive, and capitalized on the knowledge.

   Her hand squeezed.  Squeal.  "It's hard!  Again!" And in a youthful
bounce she was astride me and I was inside and god what a wonderful place
to be, under a giggly Cindy.  I enjoyed her riding me, meeting her hips
with my own thrusts, knowing that she was already halfway to orgasm from
her earlier one, and I was only able to stand the intensity of the
sensations because I'd had one of my own only a few minutes before.

   Sensations?  Every one of them: Sight?  She was just plain cute. 
Nubile, young, perfectly formed, face like an angel WANTED to be, freckled,
green eyed, and every thrust of hers caused a sassy shake of that red hair.
Smell?  Clean.  A perfect hint of perfume.  And the heady musk of sexual
excitement.  Sound?  Started with a happy giggle, then excited moans and
hissed breaths, and anything from a growl to a squeal when she came.  And
touch.  Everywhere she touched me, it was like a straight path to the
centers of pleasure in my brain.

   And she was doing that "Mmmmmm" breathe, "Mmmmm" and her bottom lip was
tucked behind her teeth and the corners of her mouth were turned up,
smiling, and she was coming and I started coming myself and I wrapped her
in my arms.  Her eyes were squeezed shut.  They opened when her breathing
normalized.  And she kissed me.

   I lay back on the bed, carrying her gently with me.  Another kiss.

   "Mmmmm.  Love, turn out the little light.  And turn on the music."

   I did.  "Moonlight Sonata."

   I woke up to her stirring.  Happy New Year, baby," she said.

   "Happy New Year, sweetness," I answered.

   She tugged and I moved close and kissed her.  "Let's go find breakfast,
baby doll," I said.

   "Uh-huh.  Move.  Bathroom!"

   I got out of the way and then followed her, standing patiently, waiting
my turn.  I went in, heard her brushing her teeth, then came out and did
the same thing while she was dressing.  I got dressed and we stepped out
into the weather that the previous day's overcast had foretold, nasty,
blustery, bits of rain blowing, and she scooted into the truck in a hurry
as I ran around to the other side.  That console that once separated us?  I
considered it a thing of the past.  Cindy's place was in the center seat,
buckled in beside me.

   A few minutes up the road and we walked into the little restaurant. 
We're regulars, as in "Hi, Cindy.  Hi Dan.  Pick a table.  I'll bring
coffee."

   The waitress showed up with two steaming mugs and some little creamers
and took our order, pancakes for Cindy, hash brown potatoes, eggs and
sausage for me.

   "Mizz Becky, this isn't your regular day," Cindy chirped.  We had a
pretty good handle on the staff of the restaurant.

   "No, hon, it ain't," Becky said.  "But the boss needed help coverin'."

   "So here you are," I said.  "I know the feeling.  I've had those days."

   "Uh-huh," she said.  "Lemme go put your order in."

   Cindy and I weren't alone in the place.  Apparently a lot of people
wanted somebody else to cook breakfast on New Year's Day.  We ate, left a
heftier than normal tip, waved at Becky as we left, and drove back to the
park.

   Back in the trailer on a nasty day, Cindy watched as I started the
preparation of cabbage and blackeyed peas for the traditional Cajun New
Year's Day meal.  After we got the pots simmering, we retired to the sofa,
the TV on, playing cards.

   Her green eyes looked at me, sublime smile on her face.  "Dan, this is
the first time in years that I didn't do New Year's by myself.  Thank you."

   "Oh, no, baby," I said.  This has been the best one for me since, I
can't remember, too."

   "It's gonna be hard getting back in the routine Monday, you know..."
Monday was her first day back at school, and naturally, my first back at
work.

   "Yes, I know.  You know I love my work, but YOU came along, and there's
more to my life than work, now." I grinned at her.  "You're an excellent
reason to be independently wealthy, doll."

   Giggle.  "We'll do okay.  A day at school, and it's so good to get home
to you.  'Sides, how we end up together every day, and what we did, that's
some of the adventure."

   I smiled.  The little redhead was turn both of us into philosophers.

   I flipped open my cellphone.  Her eyebrow raised.  "I'm calling YOUR
sister-in-law!"

   The grin I got in return was adorable.

   My phone rang, then a voice: "Happy New Year, brother!" Tootie.

   "Happy New Year, sis," I said.  Cindy leaned her head against mine to
share the speaker.

   "Hi, Tootie!  Happy New Year!" she chirped.

   "Oh, hi, Cindy!  Didja have a good New Year's Eve?"

   "Yep!  I was kissin' YOUR brother at midnight!" Cindy's eyes were
laughing.

   "Well," Tootie picked, "I'm sure it'll get better..."

   Tootie might have been joking, but my Cindy was dead serious.  And
smiling.  "I'm sure it will, Sis!"

   "Ya'll got lunch..." Tootie started.

   Cindy finished.  "Cabbage and black-eyed peas.  My husband smuggled the
sausage back from Louisiana."

   Tootie tittered.  "My brother..."

   "My husband," Cindy smiled.  "Tell Mike we called, 'kay?"

   "I'll tell 'im," Tootie said.  "Ya'll have a good day, little sister. 
Talk to ya later, Dan!"

   "Okay, Sis," I said.  "We love you!"

   Cindy kissed me and purred.  "Now call Jerry."

   The phone call to Jerry was much the same.  Sheila took the phone from
him and she and Cindy talked for five minutes while I tended the kitchen. I
could feel the winds from the cold front subtly rocking the tiny trailer,
and I was very much thankful that we had the day to ourselves, cozy, happy
in our strange little cocoon.

   I heard, "'Kay, Sheila!  Tell Jerry bye for us!" And then I had a hand
reaching to wrap fingers around my bicep.  "Whatcha doin' honey?" she
chirped.

   "Just tending pots, sweetie..."

   "Smells good!  Even the cabbage.  I thought you were crazy about the
cabbage."

   "My little cabbage," I smiled, "Just like you.  You're sweetness in the
most unusual places."

   Giggle.

   I was wrong, of course.  I scanned the form standing next to me, clad in
the most casual clothing, jeans, sweatshirt, athletic shoes.  She gave her
head a toss, flaring that red hair out, and I don't know ...  to me, she
was sweetness defined.

   By the time we ate lunch, the overcast was breaking up outside, clouds
chased away by a raw, gusty north wind.

   "Let's go for a walk, babe, ' Cindy said.

   "It's raw cold out there, doll, ' I said.

   "But the sky's blue.  Put your jacket on.  Just once around the park. 
If it's too bad, we can come back and warm up."

   How could I argue with that?  I opened the closet and pulled out two
jackets.  Out the door we went.  You know what?  Brisk, biting cold wind,
red hair, a fair complexion...

   We did a lap, half a mile.  One brave couple in their seventies were
seated in the lee of their big RV, bundled, soaking up the sun.  They'd
been in the park for a month.  From New York.

   Cindy waved.  "Hi," she chirped, her smile infectious.

   "Hello, little Cindy," the lady returned.  "it's good to see you back."

   The old guy laughed.  "Myra, her husband's back too.  You ignore him
like you do me."

   Myra smiled.  "Claude, look at her!  She's ...  beautiful.  Sorry, Dan.
You and Claude are just nasty ol' men."

   Cindy clung to my arm.  "Thank you, Mizz Myra.  We're just like ya'll.
Enjoying the winter sun." she swung her hip into me.  "An' he's not TOO
nasty..."

   Myra and Claude nodded, smiling.  We continued walking, then decided
another half lap.  After all the food over the holidays, the exercise was
good, and the chill wind made us step lively.  Ending up back at our
trailer, I started to open the door.

   Her hand touched my arm.  "Not yet, Dan." She stood on the step and
turned around, her face reddened by the wind, her bangs tossed in
delightful disarray to the sides of her forehead.  "I need an outdoor,
cold, wintertime kiss." The chilled air and bright sun made the eyes even
greener.  Chilly?  Warmed me right up.

   Several kisses.  Giggly, smiling kisses.

   We went inside the trailer.

   "You know, Dan, I'm thinking leftovers for dinner, and we don't have to
go back out today."

   "Okay, cutie," I said.  "It's supposed to be a hard freeze tonight. 
Good snuggling weather."

   Giggle.  "Set the thermostat for fifty-five when we go to bed and we'll
stay glued together all night." She paused.  "Not that we wouldn't
anyway..."

   The temperature continued to drop during the day.  We stretched out
together on the sofa with a movie in the DVD player and two laptops going,
our legs tangled together between us, laughing, reading, exploring.

   Every now and then Cindy would pause the movie and say, "Listen!" and
play me a sound clip.  Or my email would ding and I'd find a cute or funny
picture.  I did the same to her.  An hour on the computer was enough, a
decision signaled by a sock-clad toe tracing up the inside of my thigh.

   "You've got my attention," I said.

   "Put the stupid computer down.  It's in my spot." She was setting her
own laptop down beside the sofa.  I did the same and was rewarded by Cindy
turning around on the sofa and snuggling back into my arms, her head on my
chest, my cheek against the top of that pretty head.  The movie ended and
we shifted to music, drifting along blissfully together.

   "It's like you wrap me up an' nothin' can ever hurt me, Dan," she said.

   "That's what I want to do, darlin'," I said, kissing the top of her
head. I pulled her closer against me.  Haydn symphony.  Cindy.  Perfection.

   The early darkening skies of deep winter ended our reverie and we
reheated the lunch and had that for dinner.  Cindy wasn't through.  She
handed me my jacket.

   "Sweetie, it's dark and it's thirty degrees outside."

   "So we'll walk briskly," she said.  "I want to feel that cold air, and
feel my face warm up and I want to get chilly and unzip your jacket and
snuggle ...  like today!"

   "Okay.  You've sold me, little one." In the dim light of dusk, the wind
gusting from the north like chilly blades, we did walk briskly.  She
flipped the hood of her jacket up.  One lap.  Back in the door.  She
shivered as she shucked her coat and then wrapped herself in my arms.

   "Mmmmmm," she said, burying her face into my chest.  "This is what I
meant!"

   I rubbed her back briskly, then tickled her ribs, collapsing her
giggling into my arms and I scooped her up, not an easy thing in the
cramped confines of the tiny trailer, but I did it, and deposited her on
the steps leading up to the bed.

   "It's kinda early for this, isn't it, baby?" she giggled.

   "Depends on what 'this' is," I said, crawling over her with the intent
of smothering her in kisses, but she wiggled down and beat me to it.  I
suffered horribly before she announced, "let's get showered."

   "Yes, ma'am," I said.  "One more kiss..." Okay, more than one, but we
did get up and while she showered I straightened up our little home.

   We traded places in the shower, and I paid attention to the hot water
supply.  Low temperatures might begin posing problems.  I managed to
shower, though, although I shaved with lukewarm water while she was drying
her hair.  I mentioned it.

   "I'm sorry, baby," she said.  "You're right, though.  We'll have to
watch that."

   "I never worried about it when it was just me.  But with two of us using
it ...  But I'd rather have you and cold water than hot water..."

   Giggle.  "I'm glad I have precedence."

   "I could make you shower last..."

   A pink tongue stuck out at me.  "We could both shower together if we
REALLY tried."

   We'd had this conversation before, and actually tried, one time.  We did
indeed fit in the enclosure, but actual showering, washing, was impossible.
"And I can just see the news cameras when they have to get the Jaws of Life
to cut this thing open to get us out.  You think you're famous now..."

   Another giggle.  "Or I could just watch how much hot water I use..."

   "Sit still," I said, wielding a hairbrush on her head, bringing shine
and order to her hair.  When I finished she stood and gave her head a
little shake, knowing full well that my adoration of that hair approached
fetish level.  And then she put her arms around my neck and pulled me down
to kiss her.

   "Mmmmm, life is good.  Let's sit in bed and play rummy." She smiled.

   That was a good part of life, and it was made better because after an
all too common ass-kicking at the hands of a fourteen year old, my hurt was
soothed by energetic lovemaking and drifting off to sleep the little angel
curled up in my arms.

   Sunday started off with a run to the restaurant for breakfast, then to
the airpark for a couple of hours of touring the countryside.  Last thing I
wanted was to let Cindy's burgeoning skills go away, so I let her do the
planning to an airfield seventy-five miles away as I watched, and then I
let her do the whole thing, following really close on take-offs and
landings, and making suggestions for altitudes and cruise settings. 
Unfortunately the destination airport was small and there wasn't a soul
there to see the satisfied look on her face when we dismounted to stretch
our legs and look around.

   A fast food burger took care of lunch and we were back to the trailer.
The wind and temperature had mellowed somewhat and the day was pleasant for
walking, as evidenced by several of the other occupants, mostly couples,
that we met on our own circuits.  We sat with one couple, joining them on
the sunny side of their RV for coffee and home-made cookies, chatting about
the weather, both here and their home on Lake Erie, their travels and our
own.

   We were having a pleasant time, too, because the shadows started
lengthening and we started talking about dinner plans and the four of us
ended up at the catfish joint for dinner.

   Back at the trailer afterward, we showered and sat down to catch some TV
and talk about Monday.  The holiday was over.