They reached a brownstone building. Several little kids that had been playing on the stoop ran up to them."Hi Uncle Lee!" They crashed in to him, from the youngest that looked no older than three to the eldest that was as tall as Tory. He seemed to be prepared for the tackle and accommodated each of them with hugs. She even got a hug from the three year old and that put a happy smile on her face. The children were gorgeous, some pudgy, some stick thin and all happy to see their Uncle."Hey guys, don't knock over my girlfriend.""Sorry, Ma'am." One of the smaller ones said solemnly while watching her with big light brown eyes."I don't mind being bowled over, as long as it's with hugs and kisses." She hadn't realized that it was an invitation but suddenly she was swarmed by little bodies as well. Lee laughed merrily and rescued her by picking up two of the smallest ones who giggled happily.Someone darted up the stairs of the building and Tory could hear the distant voice shouting
"Yes." The third woman in the room said. "You don't make a play for a woman's man right in her face!""Yes, but Roz always thought that she was the boss over Lee." Kaye added. She was slicing thick crusty bread. "We love Roz and we don't spend a lot of time gossiping about family."Macey took a sip of her own rum drink. "But we're telling you this; that maluca, was wrong."Francie entered the room; the eldest, along with another sister, also as plump and shapely as the others. Her name was Senna.Senna was nodding even though she had entered at the tail end of the conversation. "Don't worry about Roz. She told Leticia about the fight; she and Leticia are best friends, but even Leticia had to say, Girl, apanhada do juízo?! You are married to Brice and have two kids!' She said, 'Give that girl a chance. She will make my brother happy.'" Senna nodded her head as if that was a given fact.Francie began placing the sliced bread into a pretty woven basket lined with a linen napkin. "Wel
"Uncle Lee, Tory is here." A boy about sixteen said. Lee turned in his seat and held out his hand from where he was sitting on the couch. "Hey, querida. Welcome back." Paulo stood and moved to the chair, allowing her room to sit next to Lee. She smiled her thanks to him. Lee pulled Tory into his arms snuggling with her and she passed him the beer."Cerveja for you, honey." She said."Where's my wife with my cerveja?" Paulo asked playfully."Last I checked she was carving the biggest leg of lamb ever known to man."Rafael winked at her. They were a playful, winking family. "We're going to have to trade our wives in for new ones like you, Tory.""I heard that!" The woman that had taught her to make the aletria was suddenly in the doorway holding several beers. "For that I take these right back to the kitchen-"There were several protests and she pretended to relent, and walked around the room passing out the beers to the adults, slapping the hand of the 16 year old when he reache
Lee turned on the sound system again and found Reggaeton for them to listen to. She was a little tired, but the memory of their night at the club overpowered the need to sit down and relax."Come here, Tory. I want to show you something." She placed her hands in his and his body began to sway sensually to the music. She watched him for a moment until she was able to mimic his simple repetitive steps. Still holding his hand she moved from side to side, hips swaying to the beat. He moved in closer until their bodies moved as one."Bom." He said pleased. "Muito bom." Then his hips began to move rapidly and she hesitated, still swaying as he originally had been. She would never be able to do that in a million years."Just wiggle your hips." She tried and it looked more like a shudder. "Imagine..." His fingers began to creep down her spine. "...a caterpillar has fallen down the back of your shirt and you have to wiggle it out." And then she suddenly knew the movement she'd need in order
The next day she could have lingered but she got up, dressed and after kissing and hugging Lee goodbye, Tory went to the bus stop so that she could go home. That evening after she'd finished cleaning her apartment and doing the laundry her phone rang and it was Lee explaining how much he missed her. He'd gone to the grocers with one of his sisters and had gotten his shopping done and now he was thinking about her dancing."Oh. I got you a present. I'll give it to you tomorrow on the bus." He said."A present? You found something for the mantle?""No. This present you aren't going to want to keep on the mantle...maybe a little closer to your person.""So...are you going to give it to me on the bus?"He sighed. "Tory, you know what you do to me when you talk dirty...But if I could give IT to you on the bus, I most certainly would. But the present I have for you—now that I can manage on the bus."They talked for almost an hour and then she showered and put on pajama bottoms and a te
She felt a gentle tug on her nipple, the warm flick of a tongue and then the sound of soft sighs. Tory's eyes remained closed as she snuggled closer to Lee, her legs going around his lower body, capturing him between her thick thighs. He struggled, not to get away, but to seek her warm inviting core. While continuing to lap at her breast, he thrust forward, slipping into her yielding opening and hearing her gasp of pleasure. She always wondered how one could be so hard so early in the morning. Lee was like steel encased in velvet. He pumped his hips, slipping that magnificent piece of manhood into her only to withdraw it and push it into her again—so many times that she was lightheaded with need. She cried out words that had no meaning and yet he understood each command, every plea, and every moan of pleasure. Later, the couple lay cuddled in each other's arms. "Good morning, bela." He pulled Tory into his arms tighter, nuzzling her neck. She placed her lips against the soft curl
"It's Monday. The Jewel is going to be serving seafood cataplana today," Lee said later that evening. Cataplana is what they called paella. Tory had intended to head straight back to the apartment. She was a little tired. Mondays were always rough because she hated leaving behind their lovefest weekends for the reality of the real world. Mmmm but the cataplana at the Jewel of the Azores was the best thing in the world. And it also meant that she wouldn't have to cook. Tory had gained a renewed love for cooking since being introduced to the das Torres family. Their lives revolved around food, which is the reason that even though she had dropped several pounds she was destined to remain a 'big girl.'"Mmm that sounds good, baby. Let's do that." They had to search for parking. The Jewel had been featured in the city newspaper and now reservations were a must—well at least for anyone other than family. One of the nephews had designed a website and the traffic there was unbelievable. Ther
"I know I'm supposed to put a ring on your finger…but I wouldn't dream of trying to pick out your engagement ring. Maybe we can do that this weekend."His brothers were there slapping him on his back and joking that he would have to do the entire thing all over again. Lee's sisters were kissing her and wiping the tears from her cheeks and then someone thrust a telephone into her hands. What the-?She heard someone speaking rapid Portuguese and she knew that she was speaking to Lee's mother. Anxiously she covered her other ear and strained to hear the woman who was speaking to her from thousands of miles away. "Victoria?""Yes, ma'am. How are you?"There was a pleasant chuckle. "Congratulations. I am very pleased to have an addition to my family. It makes me proud and I'm so happy that Leandro has found someone special."Tory blushed. "Thank you Ma'am. Would you like to speak to Lee?""Yes, please. I'll talk to you soon." Tory put her hand on Lee's upper arm and instinctively he
"Why?" Francie asked. "Why can't you wait a few years? We're just starting to know our new sister and now you want to take her away from us!""Uncle Lee, it won't be the same without you here!""You can't leave now, Lee!"He held up his hands grimly. "I don't want to lose you guys, either. But if you think about it, Flores would be a wonderful place to raise that baby that is in Tory's belly, as well as all of the other ones that we plan to create. So you see-"Someone screeched in joy and then suddenly everyone had left their seats to hug and kiss the couple.Ten sets of hands touched Tory's belly although she didn't want to say that the roundness there wasn't due to a baby bump. In light of this new information there was a change of heart. The baby would be Portuguese and that was that. The parents had no say. It would be born on Flores and then they could return to the states at a later date. It was settled. Tory and Lee just hugged and grinned. Whatever; as long as the argui
She sat down and pulled him down on the edge of the bed next to her and placed her head on his shoulder. "I can ask you the same thing, honey. Most men that would look at me would just see an overweight, under-employed college drop out...with a pretty face."After a quiet moment he nudged her head with his. "Hey, stop talking about the mother of my baby like that. I happen to be very attracted to overweight, under-employed college dropouts with pretty faces."They sat that way for a while, quiet, holding hands and thinking about how lucky they were to have each other. "Tory…""Hmm?""I need to show you something."She looked at him. He seemed worried. "What baby?""I need your computer."She led him to the computer. She had the built in voice activation turned on so that he could use it to check his emails. He sat at her desk while she watched him peck away expertly. "Is everything okay?" She asked. He looked up at her. "Yes. I found this and when my parents were here I sh
He nodded and stood. "I'm so sorry. I was being childish and lashing out because…" he ran his hand through his hair in distress. "Because you can't control the world? Earth to Lee; Even us sighted people can't." After a few moments he reached out and she gave him her hand. He pulled her towards him and hugged her. "Tory…you deserve so much more than this. You should have someone who can-""Take care of me?"He nodded. She swallowed. "Would you rather…" She stepped out of his arms. "Would you rather be with someone like Rosalind?""Tory!""Someone who can anticipate your every need and who doesn't need to be taught how to care for you? Someone who would leave her husband so that she can be with you in the right way?""For the last time, I don't want Rosalind!""Good. For the last time, I don't want anyone but you. Got it?! I don't want a guy just because he can see! I don't want to be in love with anyone but you!"He looked towards her quietly. His posture relaxed and then
The most difficult thing about being in love with a blind man is remembering that his being blind is the least of it all. Being in love with a man that had his own individual thoughts, feelings and reactions was just as much of a consideration. Tory rolled onto her side in her lonely bed and tried to sleep. She tossed and turned before falling into a restless sleep well after midnight. The ringing of the telephone woke her up and she checked the time, 9 am. She reached for her cell phone and saw that it was Lee. Her heartbeat spiked but right before she was going to answer she put the phone back onto her bedside table. Yeah, I'm chickening out. But it was more than that, she was actually a little angry. His rejection last night had been devastating. She wasn't ready for an angry confrontation—not until she at least had gone to the bathroom.She used the bathroom, brushed her teeth and then lifted up her nightshirt and stared at her stomach. Today she would make an appointment for
Tory spent hours at the hospital getting tested and treated for what turned out to be a mild case of pneumonia. Her doctor wanted to admit her in order to put her on an intravenous course of antibiotics but she begged him to allow her to go home. He met her half way and gave her a three hour I.V. and then released her. By that time it was well after six and she was nearly fit to be tied with anxiety and worry. In the hours that she'd had to sit and think while accepting the I.V. Tory replayed Lee's words, examining them from all angles and she came to a difficult realization. She needed to tell him everything about her rape. Maybe he would think that she was dirty for having an STD; the clap, and living with it for months. It was a stigma that she couldn't live down, especially since her mother and father had to be told once she was emitted to emergency. What if Lee looked at her with the same shock, disappointment and disgust?Tory stopped walking, suddenly feeling overwhelmed as h
Lee chuckled. "You are really out of it today. Are you feeling okay?""Yeah, I'm just…I quit my job this morning.""Did they hassle you?""No, it actually went pretty smooth.""Good. I wouldn't want to have to pay them a visit. I can do a lot of damage with my cane." Tory smiled and then reached for his hand and held it. "So, do you want to go ring shopping?"She forced herself to put her past behind her where maybe she could bury it again. She smiled at her man. "Hell yeah! Let's go ring shopping!" They found their rings that very day and were told that they would be ready for pick up in about a week. They scheduled their final doctor's appointment for the same day and then after the check up and the ring pick up, the plan was to visit the restaurant and show them off to the family. Lee had already called everyone to a gathering and Tory suspected that he was going to propose again but this time present her with the engagement ring. She was becoming spoiled at his attention bec
"Tory," Rosalind said quickly, "I'm not trying to interfere in your life! We all love Lee and just want the best for him-""Rosalind! Cala-te praí! This conversation is over! She doesn't want to be friends with you and that is it. For the rest of you, I need to tell you, that you are driving me NUTS! I can't freaking breathe without one of you calling or stopping by! I love you, but this has to end! Now, I know you worry but it's not needed."There was some vocal disagreement and Lee argued back. Rosalind got up and left the table. She collected her boys and then left the house. "Lee, I can't believe that you think that we can just turn off our love for you!" Francie stated. "STOP IT!" Mr. Torres stood and slammed his fist on the table. "You children are worse than the ones playing in the other room!" He looked at Tory. "Please forgive us. You must think we're a crazy family."She smiled. "A passionate family. A loving family…but yes, a little crazy, too." There was a single c
"Rosalind, watch your mouth.""I don't mean any disrespect. These are just the words of a broken hearted woman." She stood. "Excuse me. I'm going to take cerveja to the men." Tory counted to ten…and then to twenty before she felt it was safe to stop gripping her chair handle so that she wouldn't jump down Roz's throat! "Who invited her?" Macey muttered after a few quiet moments. Everyone chuckled. At dinner Lee was having a tough time feeding himself because it was too difficult to cut the beef with the cast. Tory took great pleasure in feeding him and shushing him when he complained that he could do it. She delivered a kiss to his cheek to quiet his protests and then the men laughed and complimented him on figuring out how to be served so efficiently. Tory joined in the good-natured razing and despite the careful glares by Rosalind, Tory felt like everything between her and the Torres family had returned to normal. During dessert, Rosalind commented that she would be willing to
"Tory, if I had my fondest wish, it would be for you to quit work and to allow me to take care of you financially."She made a face. "But then you'd have to give me an allowance…""No. Why would you need an allowance for what is essentially ours? The only thing I'd ask is that if we make any major purchases we discuss it first. Other than that what's mine is yours; ours.""Well…" she bit her lip. "I do have these student loans...""Tory, I make a hundred and twenty thousand a year without even trying. I can make double that just by transcribing more books. Visually impaired people are always going to want books, even in the digital age and there is never going to stop being books that people need transcribed. I have great benefits and my boss is also a personal friend of mine. We've been buddies since we met at the blind academy when we were both sixteen. When he started this company I was the first person he contacted and I've been with him for ages. So I'm in a secure job, my fi