The Mystery in the Mansion - 6. The Tornado

"Thank you baby," Jack said with a grin. "And, as I recall it has been, what, three days now since I last got to do anything for you?"

"I think what you've been through is more than excuse enough for that," Brad said with chuckle.

"Sure, but looks like somebody is needing attention, though," Jack replied, reaching down to grope Brad's bulge, as Brad was rubbing his. They kissed hotly some more.

"Shall we take this to the bedroom, baby?" Jack suggested with a big grin.

"Are you sure you're up for it?" Brad asked, and then they both laughed at the unintentional pun, given how rock hard Jack clearly was.

"Just let me get back to our bed, and get me naked, and you'll so find out how up for it I am, baby," Jack said huskily.

They went down the hall together, and Brad was happy to see that Jack was no longer a bit unsteady on his feet. But, as Jack sat down on the side of the bed, the soreness in his chest was still obvious from the grimace he made. He then grabbed both of Brad's ass cheeks and pulled him toward him, then reached up and unbuttoned Brad's shorts. They fell to the floor and Brad kicked them aside.

Brad and Jack were both already barefoot, having lost their sandals in the living room while watching TV. Jack reached up with his left hand and started rubbing Brad's bulge through his boxers. Brad groaned slightly. Jack pulled Brad's boxers down, allowing Brad's fat five and a half inch cock to plop out and stick straight out in front of him.

Brad stepped out of his boxers, standing there in front of Jack in just his t-shirt now. He moaned softly again as Jack reached up in under his t-shirt and began running his big warm hands all over Brad's tummy, then over his furry chest. He then lightly pitched each nipple. Brad groaned louder.

"Take off your shirt," Jack requested, his voice still husky with a mixture of love and lust for his man. Brad laid his glasses on the bedside table, then took off his t-shirt and tossed it aside. He was now standing there completely bare assed naked and hard as hell right in front of Jack. Jack was still dressed in his sweat shorts, boxers (both very tented, and with a big wet spot of Jack's tasty sweet precum now visible all the way through!), and a t-shirt.

Jack took in the sight of his cute, naked, hairy-chested, tall, stocky lover. Jack was filled with both true love and hot lust for every bit of the six foot, one inch tall, 226-pound man in front of him. Brad had short dark brown hair, gelled back on top and buzzed closer on the sides. His glasses were off now, making it easier to see those pretty pale blue eyes.

His chest was covered with a moderate amount of brown fur. His small pink areolas had very erect nipples in the center of each of them at that moment. Brad had a chubby round tummy, just chubby enough to be found hot by a guy like Jack, without being too much. (Brad had felt that it WAS too much before he had lost over 40 pounds earlier that year!) Now, he just had what most would call a "beer gut," although Brad hated beer!

Brad's tummy was dusted with a lighter amount of hair. In the center of it was a small innie belly button. Below that was Brad's brown bush. Then there was that throbbing hard, extremely fat, five and a half inch long cock, which was five inches around at the base. Brad's cock tapered some from the base to the head, and his cockhead was rather small. Below the head was a bit of foreskin, which had been left when he was circumsized as a baby. This skin was rolled completely back now, giving his cock the appearance of being fully cut. The cockhead was flushed a deep shade of red. Brad had rather small balls, about the size of walnuts when full, as they were at this moment. They were dusted with a fair amount of brown fur. Below this were Brad's long legs, which had a light amount of brown fur on them as well, and his big number 13 feet.

Jack loved every inch of his man! He engulfed Brad's cock in his hot mouth. "Oh, FUCK, baby!" Brad moaned. Since it had been so long since he had had a release, Brad knew that it would not take much of Jack's excellent, naturally talented cock sucking at all to make him cum. "Uh-Ah! UH! FUCK!" Brad groaned.

Jack simply loved this. Brad tasted so damn good. He swirled his tongue all around Brad's fat cock and bobbed his head up and down on it. Jack reached up and fondled Brad's balls. Brad groaned again, already feeling his balls start to churn.

“Wait, baby!" He gasped.

Jack pulled off Brad's cock, and looked up at him with a devastatingly sexy grin on his handsome round face. "Good?" He asked evilly.

"So fuckin' good!" Brad exclaimed, still breathing heavy. "But, I'm not ready to cum yet, babe. We haven't even gotten you naked yet!"

They soon did something about that. Brad carefully helped Jack manage to get his t-shirt off, which was a little tricky given the soreness in his chest. Jack moved around to prop up on the pillows. Brad chuckled at the enormous tent in Jack's jogging shorts, which now had that big and so fuckin' hot looking wet spot in the front from where Jack's precum had soaked through both his boxers and the shorts.

Brad then yanked Jack's shorts and boxers off together, and pulled them off his big feet, tossing them aside. Despite his poor bruised lower chest, which had already turned several dark colors beneath the fur, Jack was still sure a very fucking sexy sight lying back on the pillows of his king sized bed. His rock hard six and a half by five and a half cut beer can cock was sticking straight up, with precum glistening around the big red engorged mushroom head. His big hairy egg-sized low hanger balls looked so full.

Brad was soon between his baby's legs, sucking that tasty cock for all he was worth. Jack groaned, and caressed Brad's hair with his hands. "FUCK, baby! Ah-UH! Uh! You are so fuckin' good - AH-UH! - at that!" Jack grunted.

Brad let Jack's cock plop from his mouth, and got up to reach over into the bedside table for the lube. He applied a generous amount to his ass, and added some to his spit, which had already lubed Jack's throbbing meat. He then just straddled Jack and sat all the way down on that fat cock, facing Jack. He did it all very quickly, as Jack grinned in anticipation.

As he felt his throbbing cock go balls deep into Brad, Jack groaned. "Are you sure this isn't going to hurt you?" Brad asked, wondering if maybe it was too soon to make love because of the continued soreness of Jack's chest. But, Jack was more than willing to potentially endure a little pain in the chest for some pleasure in the cock. He needed it. "Oh, fuck yeah baby, I'll be fine, just fuckin' ride it!" He cried.

Brad just sat still on Jack's cock, and leaned down and kissed him gently. He then said, "I want to try something, baby."

"Anything," Jack gasped with a grin, loving the feeling of Brad's tight chute clenching and unclenching on his throbbing thick meat as Brad sat still on it.

"This," Brad said with an evil grin. Golden rays of early afternoon sunlight were gently, warmly slanting in the window and across the bed and the naked bodies of the two lovers, as Brad sat there happily astride his hot beefy dream cop. Brad slowly rose up just then, almost all the way off Jack's fat throbbing meat, and then slowly eased back down on it, taking it balls deep again. God, how it filled his chute with amazing warmth and thickness and his heart, mind and body with purest love! Brad then repeated this up and down lovemaking maneuver a couple of times, going painstakingly slow, and pushing down on Jack's thighs beneath him with his hands to let him know not to thrust up.

"OH, GOD!" Jack groaned, knowing where this was going. "Mmm, FUCK, you are so hot and tight, Bradley!"

"I want to see how long we can go, big fella," Brad grinned, as he continued his slow ride. "We both love edging, and too, this way I can go really slow and - Uh! - not jar you too much or make your chest hurt worse, hopefully. So, - Ah! - are you up for that?"

"Doesn't it - AH-UH! UH! - OH, FUCK! - feel like I'm up for it?" Jack asked with a grin, as his throbbing hard cock was slowly being tortured by the very slow up and down riding of Brad's hot, tight ass.

So they continued. Five minutes went by, and then ten. Jack just lay back perfectly still and enjoyed it so much, resisting the nearly overwhelming urge to start thrusting fast and hard up into Brad's hot tight ass and just fill it with a big load of his spunk. Brad was resisting his own urge to really ride 'em cowboy. He was going excruciatingly slow as he rode up and down up and down on Jack's throbbing pecker. He leaned down and they kissed lovingly some more.

"AH!" Brad gasped, "That big cock feels so - Ah! - fuckin' good in me - UH! Ah! - Jack! I love you, baby! Oh! AH!"

"Mmm," Jack replied, as they looked deeply and directly into each other's eyes, thoroughly enjoying the intense feelings, both physical and emotional, that this slow lovemaking was bringing them. "Baby - UH! - This feels so fuckin' - AH-UH! - Incredible! I love you too! Uh! UH! OH GOD!" Jack groaned, as Brad's slow up and down riding, and tight clenching ass were working magic on his throbbing member. Jack's heavy breathing was a bit painful due to his soreness, but the way Brad's ass was making his aching cock feel had momentarily made him forget all about that, though.

The fifteen-minute mark of their exquisite slow-fuck torture of one another came and went, and still they stayed in this same pattern. Jack was managing to keep from getting to the edge, and so was Brad.

"AH-UH! UH!" Brad gasped, as Jack's hot, throbbing, meaty knob now seemed to be hitting his love button any way he eased down onto it. "OH, fuck! BABY!"

"Yeah, give me that big load - AH-Uh! - Shoot it all over me, Brad!" Jack encouraged. Jack's own cock was feeling incredible now too.

"Not - Ah! - Yet!" Brad gasped, as he settled all he way down onto Jack's fat meat and sat there very still again. It took all his willpower for Jack not to cum, as Brad's ass clenched on him as Brad tried to make himself, and it, relax. But, Brad managed not to cum too, though.

Brad sat still there on Jack's rock hard, throbbing fat dick, and they stared silently, lovingly into one another's eyes again. God, to feel so full, so loved - so one - with his big guy! They kissed, more passionately now. Brad slowly started to ride again. Twenty minutes had passed now since he had first climbed astride Jack's cock.

"Uh! So good! FUCK!" Jack groaned, as Brad's ass started working its slow-speed magic on him again. "AH-UH! So GOOD!!!" He moaned again.

"Oh, yeah! - UH! - I fuckin' love having - AH-UH! - that big - UH! - cop cock in me!" Brad growled.

Five more minutes passed, and then ten. They were now at the thirty-minute mark of their lovemaking. Jack could rapidly stand no more of this wonderful cock torture.

"Gonna have to - AH-UH! UH! OH! - Fuckin' CUM!!!" Jack groaned, now trembling from head to toe from the powerful, overwhelming sensations that were coming from his throbbing dick having been slowly edged by his man's tight ass for half an hour now. "Oh, BRADLEY!!!"

"FUCKIN' - UH! AH-UH! OH GOD!!! - FILL ME UP, - UH! - DARLIN'!" Brad growled gazing in Jack's eyes and continuing his slow ride. Brad's own cock was rock hard as well and dripping precum, but he had not touched it throughout their prolonged lovemaking session, and neither had Jack. Brad did not increase the pace of his ride any, but he shifted so that Jack's big knob was once again hitting his love button every time now.

"AH-UH!" Brad groaned, "OH FUCK! FUCK!!! That big dick is - UH! - SO good! JACK!!!"

"AH-UH! UH! OH FUCK!!! OH! UH! BRAD!!!" Jack grunted and groaned, his eyes seeming to literally roll back a little. His whole big body trembled. "OH! FUCK! AH-UH! AH-UH!" His big chest convulsed, and his thighs jerked beneath Brad's bare ass. "I'm gonna - UH! AH-UH! FUCK!!! AH-UH! UH!!! CUMMMMMMM!!" Jack yelled, as he totally lost control and enormous tidal waves of powerful full body orgasm started sweeping over him. Brad could feel literally torrents of hot cum filling his insides as he settled down on Jack's dick again, assaulting his prostate with Jack's spasming knob. "BRADLEY! UH! AH-UH! BRADLEY!!!" Jack was grunting, moaning, and screaming loudly in pure passion, as he orgasmed very, very hard all over, and his huge hot, thick load coated Brad's insides.

"AH-UH! UH! FUCK!!! JACK!!! BABY!!! OH!!!!" Brad grunted and yelled, as he started shooting a huge load of hot cum all over Jack's furry chest and tummy. "OH, GOD!!! JACK!!! UH! AH-UH!!! BABY!!!" Brad was moaning loudly and panting, with tears of ecstasy literally coming to his eyes as he too orgasmed amazingly hard, there astride his big wonderful man's throbbing, cum-shooting fat cock.

"Oh, FUCK! That was so fucking amazing, Bradley!" Jack finally declared, while still gasping for breath a few minutes later.

“Thirty minutes well spent, big guy?" Brad asked with an evil grin.

"Damn right!" Jack said with a big evil grin. "But get ready baby, next time I'm just gonna fuck the hell out of you fast and hard to make up for that. I think my chest is even more sore after all that, but it was worth it, though!"

They adjourned to the bathroom, where Brad ran water in the big garden tub and they both climbed in. They turned on the Jacuzzi jets, which felt great and eased Jack's soreness, and they enjoyed a long hot bath together. They were both too spent from their intense, prolonged lovemaking to get horny again now. But, they both enjoyed the tender closeness of their bath, though. They washed each other tenderly and lovingly, just reveling in the total intimacy of that.

Jack opted to go shirtless the rest of that afternoon. He wore only a clean pair of comfy jogging shorts with no underwear, and Brad decided to do the same. After their bath, they went into Brad's new room, which Jack had of course not seen since Brad had gotten everything set up.

Brad had put his desk and chair and his desktop PC, along with his stand with all of his vinyl record collection and vintage turntable in the room. He had also brought in a big floor to ceiling bookshelf with his collection of various books. Completing the room was his favorite old recliner, and his TV, DVR, and DVD player. The room was decorated with various old movie posters and vintage reproduction advertising signs. A retro neon "Coca-Cola, 5 cents" clock hung over the turntable.

"Looks great!" Jack exclaimed approvingly. "Now we each have our own office and 'man cave'!"

Brad chuckled, "Yep! If you're not here, or if we just want to watch something different or whatever, we both can this way."

"I notice you didn't see the need to keep my guest bed in here," Jack grinned evilly.

"Nope," Brad replied, also grinning. "There may be times we want and need our own space, and I think that is a good thing, since we're living together now." Jack nodded in agreement with this. "But, there's only ONE place I plan to sleep from now own."

"Right in my arms," Jack said with a grin. "Naked, that is."

"YEP! I love you big guy," Brad said, giving Jack a gentle kiss, as they each felt the other's furry chest against their own, and smelled the fresh clean scent from their recent bath together.

"I love you too, baby," Jack replied softly. "So much."

They both slept well that night, as the pain pill he took before bedtime had eased the ache in Jack's bruised chest. They were talking in the living room in the early afternoon the next day, a couple of hours after Brad had fixed them each a big homemade chef's salad for lunch.

"I'm not about to try to swim as sore as I still am," Jack said. "But, if you want to swim you can, I could always sit on the deck with my legs in the water or something. Or maybe I'll just walk around in the pool, like you did before I taught you how to actually swim," Jack chuckled teasingly.

"Nah, thanks anyway, babe," Brad said. "It has gotten cloudy anyway, and they're giving storms I think."

Brad also teasingly reminded Jack of what Miz Vivian had previously said about Barney Finkster, Jack's queeny older neighbor across the back fence. Finkster had apparently overheard some of Brad and Jack's previous poolside lovemaking episodes.

"We'll have to keep it down next time I guess, or either just keep giving ol' Barney something good to listen to and get off on!" Jack joked.

Barney Finkster was a 58-year-old freelance florist and decorator, who mainly only worked weddings and other big events these days. He had formerly owned his own flower shop and design house, but these days he was semi-retired and only worked what he referred to as "the best" big society events in the region. Barney had always been sort of the "town fairy" there in Pleasant View.

That is, that one very obvious, stereotypical, and oh-so-effeminate gay man that the whole town knows is gay, but yet never really totally acknowledges that fact. That one gay man whom everyone accepts because he is one of their own, and is considered so necessary to have around and to assist with whatever particular floral, decorating, and/or gardening functions at which he happens to excel. In Barney's case, he excelled at all three.

As a result, just as they always revere the "town fairy" in small town Southern society, in Pleasant View, the old matrons and widows of the town universally loved Barney Finkster. This now included Miz Vivian, ever since she had moved to Pleasant View and they had gotten to know each other at the Garden Club's weekly meetings that summer. Finkster always seemed to have a mixed drink and/or a cigarette in his hand. He also had a raspy voice, totally over-the-top queeny demeanor, and exaggerated mannerisms, all of which along with his physical appearance reminded everyone who met him very much of the hilarious late actor, Paul Lynde.

By 4:00 on that Monday afternoon, August 15, the weather forecast had proven accurate, as there were severe thunderstorm warnings up for much of the region, and ominous black storm clouds filled the sky.

"This looks more like April than August," Jack commented. Jack didn't pay a lot of attention to storms, although he still had common sense enough to take precautions for the really severe stuff, though. Brad, on the other hand, had always been rather terrified of storms. Thunder rolled in the distance.

The guys had a 6:00 dinner date at Miz Vivian's mansion. She was treating Jack, Brad, Justin and Eric all to dinner that Monday night. "Least I can do after you got yourself shot!" She had exclaimed to Jack on the phone that morning. Jack had asked her more than once if she was sure she was feeling up to it. He thought that having actually shot and killed a man just three days before, even in self-defense, and even a total scumbag like LeRoy Fawlkes, had to still be a pretty traumatic thing for Miz Vivian. It was, but in typical steel magnolia fashion, she had gotten up that Monday morning, looked in the mirror, and decided to just go on with her life.

By 5:30 the guys had gotten dressed in dockers and polos. Justin and Eric were going to come directly to Miz Vivian's at 6pm. They both were getting off work at 5:00 that afternoon, so they would have time to run home and change before coming to the little dinner party.

Just then a wail filled the air, as the wind picked up and the skies got even darker outside. It was the big, old school air raid siren on top of the nearby firehouse going off.

"Oh, hell!" Brad exclaimed, throwing an arm around Jack's back reflexively as they sat on the couch together.

"Easy baby, we'll be OK," Jack reassured. He flipped on his police radio, which was on the end table, and changed it to the weather band.

"The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for Burnside County, Kentucky, effective until 6:15pm. At 5:29pm, Doppler radar indicated a possible tornado located near Ducksburg and moving east at 45 miles per hour..."

"Oh, hell!" Brad exclaimed again. "That's coming right this way, isn't it!"

Before Jack could answer, Jack's cell rang. "Vivian Arnow" read the caller ID.

"Hullo," Jack answered calmly.

"Oh, hell's bells!" Miz Vivian exclaimed loudly in his ear. "Do they have to set off those damn end of the world sirens like that? Those damn things unnerve me even more than the thought of an approaching tornado!" Brad shared Miz Vivian's sentiment about the storm sirens.

"Yes, Ma'am, umm, I mean Miz Vivian," Jack replied, remembering that the feisty older lady really HATED being called 'Ma'am.' He then continued, "That's mainly just to warn folks outside that they need to get inside. We were just listening to the warning on my police radio."

"I had the TV on, but it just went out," Miz Vivian replied, her steeliness seeming to have come back now. "Looked to me like the damn thing was heading right for us, Ducksburg ain't really all that far the other side of the lake!"

"Does sound that way," Jack replied grimly.

"Well get your cute asses on over here and let's get down to the cellar!" Miz Vivian commanded, clicking off before Jack could even reply.

Brad and Jack went out and got in the Mercury, with Brad driving. Brad, just out of nervousness, had stopped by the front door and grabbed Jack's mail out of the box, and had then tossed it into the seat between them once they were in the car. Lightening was streaking across the dark skies now and the wind was gusting hard, so they weren't about to try to just walk across to Miz Vivian's as they normally would have.

In a few moments, Brad pulled the Grand Marquis up right in front of Miz Vivian's big white-columned porch, and left it there on that part of the circle drive. He and Jack dashed up the wide old stone steps just as the rain was starting. Miz Vivian threw open one of the two big front doors, and they dashed on into the foyer.

It was still only 5:40pm, but had gotten as dark as midnight outside, and the sky had also taken on an ominous green cast. Miz Vivian was clutching a large flashlight in her hand, and it was a good thing, as just then all the lights went off.

"C'mon!" She exclaimed. Just then, there came a frantic kicking sound on the big front doors.

"Lemme in! lemme in!!!" Came a desperate, raspy cry from out on the porch.

Miz Vivian threw open one of the doors again, and there stood a panic-stricken Barney Finkster clutching his tiny toy poodle, Fifi, to his chest with one hand, and holding a Marlboro Light and a tall mixed drink in the other. Just then the tornado sirens started wailing again.

"Oh, sweet JESUS!" Barney exclaimed raspily, and he shook all over, the cigarette falling from his hand. "It sounds like the end of the world!"

"Gawdalmighty!" Miz Vivian exclaimed, quickly stomping the cigarette and then picking it up and giving it a fling off the porch and out into the swifty-approaching storm. "Get your ass on in here, Barney, before we all get blown away!"

Soon, Barney (still clutching both his drink and his dog), along with Jack and Brad, all followed Miz Vivian down the stairs that led from the back of the foyer down into the cellar. They all sat down in some old folding chairs that were over near the wine racks. Jack glanced in the direction of the concealed doorway, where everyone now knew that the hidden staircase from upstairs, and the entrance to the tunnel to the old kitchen were both located. Jack had brought his handheld police radio, and was glad that despite the storm and despite being down in the big old limestone-walled cellar, its reception was still just fine. The weather bulletins seemed to indicate that the storm was still heading right for Pleasant View.

Jack got on the radio then and said, "This is off duty Unit 604 to dispatch."

Dispatch soon advised Jack that they were doing exactly what they should be, by being in the cellar. They then asked him to call the station on his cell for further details, and he did so, equally relieved it was also getting a signal down there. He then found out that Officer Earheart had called in upon arriving home a few minutes earlier to report that he and Eric had watched a large funnel cloud touch down across the lake from their house, right after they had both gotten home from work. They and their house were fine, as the tornado was going away from them, but it seemed headed right for downtown Pleasant View, though.

Thirty minutes passed, and word came over the radio that the tornado warning had been lifted. They had all heard the sounds of what was clearly a very powerful thunderstorm outside coming from upstairs, but nothing that had sounded overly violent though. Jack had silently decided that if he had heard anything like the stereotypical "freight train" sound of an approaching tornado, he would have taken them all on back into the old tunnel.

Jack was glad he had not had to do so, as he knew this would have totally freaked Brad out. And Jack didn't even want to think about what a reaction it would have elicited from Barney Finkster. Jack guessed that both Barney and Fifi would have peed right then and there, out of total fright and panic. Jack reasoned that even though this house had now stood for over 150 years, given the way tornadoes had been so violent and powerful all over the country this year, it was still better to be safe than sorry. The four of them soon ventured upstairs, with Miz Vivian leading the way with her flashlight. Barney still clutched Fifi, but he had long since downed the rest of his drink, so the tall hurricane glass in his other hand was empty now.

"Well, thank Gawd, everything looks fine!" Miz Vivian exclaimed.

She opened one of the front doors, and they all gazed out. It had already gotten a little lighter outside, and only a misty rain was falling. There were a few limbs blown down here and there, but everything else appeared fine. They could see across the Thomason estate's grounds and across Crabapple Street that Jack's house looked just fine too. Beyond that, over across Jack's tall back fence, they could also see that the roof of Barney and Fifi's home was still in place, too.

Another check with the station confirmed that the rest of the town had weathered the storm just as well, fortunately. The tornado had lifted back up just in time, and had passed high overhead, thankfully missing Pleasant View altogether. It had touched down again somewhere over in the next county, and done some damage there in a rural area. Jack's cell rang again.

It was Justin, telling them that now that the storm was over, he and Eric were on their way, if Miz Vivian still wanted to do dinner. She told Jack to tell them to come on. The power was still out, and they had found out this was because of the fact that when the tornado had touched down briefly over across the lake from Justin and Eric's house, it had destroyed two things. These two things had taken a direct hit, and had been the site of the only damage in all of Burnside County: Chief Morganfield's old barn where Hannity and Fawlkes had once had their trysts, and the main electrical power substation that served all of Pleasant View.

"Well, I need to start supper," Miz Vivian said.

"How?" Brad asked, since the electricity was obviously still off.

"Honey," Miz Vivian drawled with a big confident grin, "us real cooks have gas ranges! You wanna stay for supper, Barney?" She then asked.

"Naw, thank you anyways, Miz Vivian," Barney rasped. "I'm afraid that my little girl here and I have both had way too much excitement for one afternoon! We're heading to the house!" With that, he flounced away in the direction of his house, little dog and empty hurricane glass both clutched firmly in either hand.

In spite of not having any power, Miz Vivian did just fine bustling around the kitchen, with plenty of natural late afternoon light coming in the big window over her sink. The sun had actually come back out in the west now, and a light drizzle was still falling from the bank of dark purple clouds that were still overhead and off to the east.

Miz Vivian was at the sink filling a saucepan with water. "Oh, boys!" She exclaimed to Jack and Brad, who were sitting at the small table in the eat-in nook off of the kitchen. "Look, a double rainbow!"

Sure enough, back in the direction of Pleasant View Lake an enormous double rainbow was filling the sky. "That looks like it is probably right over Justin and Eric's house, practically," Jack commented.

"How appropriate!" Brad couldn't resist quipping. They all laughed at that. Just then, a knock came at the front door.

"That'll be Justin and Eric," Jack said. "I'll get it, Miz Vivian."

Soon Jack was back in the kitchen along with Justin and Eric. They all asked Miz Vivian if there was anything they could do to help with the meal. "No, thank you, boys. Why don't ya'll go make yourselves comfortable out in the family room. This meal's gonna take me awhile to get together, especially gettin' a late start like I did on account of the storm. I would say watch TV, but obviously that's not an option with the electric off," she laughed.

The guys went down a long corridor to another part of the big old house, and settled into the comfy overstuffed furniture of Miz Vivian's large family room.

"I wonder what the dear old thing wanted with a house this big," Eric said. "I mean, it is gorgeous, but one lady all alone living in a place this size?"

"I think she was hoping that Dr. Arnow and his wife would either move in with her, or at least come over and stay along with their kids a lot," Jack reasoned. "But, they frankly don't seem too interested in her, even after she moved up here to be near them. I mean, sure, they were here for her when everything happened, but it seems like that in normal times they're not going to really want to come around that much."

The two couples sat and chatted awhile. Even though it was normally light outside until later in the evening during August in Pleasant View, more clouds had rolled in from the west now, and it was starting to get pretty dark in the old mansion. The weather forecast was now only predicting a few rain showers for that night, fortunately, with clearing again later. Given the direct hit the power station had taken from the tornado, it was no telling when the power would be back on.

Justin commented that he was very surprised he had not been called back on duty to help direct traffic, given that the traffic lights were probably all out. He noted that the couple of lights they had passed on the way there were functioning, though, to his surprise. Jack reminded him that Pleasant View had wisely invested just a little while back in backup generator systems for the traffic signals.

The guys went back to the kitchen, and found that Miz Vivian had lit a large old antique kerosene lamp and was finishing preparing dinner by its light. They helped her carry all of the platters of delicious-looking food into the big dining room. They found that she had already gone in there and lit the two sets of candlesticks atop antique sterling silver candelabras, in the center of the long antique cherry dining room table.

Once all the food had been brought in, along with a pitcher of homemade sweet iced tea, Miz Vivian brought in the lamp from the kitchen and sat it on the big cherry buffet that stood along one wall of the dining room. The candlelight and lamplight gave the big old room a very timeless quality. The two couples enjoyed a delicious dinner and the pleasant company of their charming older hostess.

After dinner, the guys helped Miz Vivian move all of the stuff out of her rapidly thawing fridge and freezer, down into a big deep freeze in the cellar. They reasoned that the deep freeze would not thaw out for a long time, especially being down there. Justin had checked with the station, and they said that the power company was saying that it would be at least sometime the next day before they could get another power source routed in to get Pleasant View's power back on.

"We had better head on home," Justin said. "I was supposed to be off tomorrow, but I have a feeling I'll be called in first thing in the morning. Those generators on the traffic lights are only good for about 12 hours." Justin and Eric each hugged Miz Vivian, then told Brad and Jack goodnight, and headed out.

Miz Vivian blew out the candles on the table, and carried the lamp into the kitchen, as Brad and Jack helped her clear away all of the dishes and carry them back into the kitchen as well. They complimented her again on the superb dinner.

"I guess you boys need to be getting home soon too," she said. It was only about 8:15 pm now.

"No, not really," Jack said. "I've been put off work by the doctor all week, which I still think is pretty silly since my chest is already not nearly as sore as it was, and Brad can't work online tomorrow with no electricity anyway."

The old lady seemed very pleased to hear this. Brad carried the kerosene lamp into the formal parlor up near the front of the mansion. The room was gorgeous, filled with antiques. They wondered why Miz Vivian had requested they go in there after dinner, rather than to the more comfortable family room.

They soon found out. She cranked up the antique Victrola that was on a delicate antique table on one side of the room. She put on an old 78 RPM record, and soon the room was filled with the tinny, somewhat scratchy, but still unmistakable sound of the Andrews Sisters singing "Rum and Coca-Cola."

Brad and Jack grinned. "This was my Momma and Daddy's old Victrola," Miz Vivian explained. "I brought it and their old records with me from Georgia."

The guys thought this was sort of fun, listening to a few old records with the kerosene lamp glowing in the old house. Besides, what else were they really going to go out and do that evening with the power out all over town. This brought another concern to Jack's mind.

Ernest Tubb was singing "Walkin' the Floor Over You" on the Victorla, as Jack spoke up. "Miz Vivian, I think me and Brad should stay here with you tonight, just to be on the safe side. Your alarm's battery backup will be dead before much longer."

"Well, the preacher is dead," Miz Vivian said, shivering a little with the recollection of having had to be personally responsible for seeing to that. "And those other two jackasses are in prison, so I don't think I have too much to worry about."

"I'd still feel better staying here tonight," Jack said. "You never know what other local rednecks might try to take advantage of the power being out and you being here all alone."

"But what about your house?" She asked.

"It'll be fine. A cop's house is not exactly the first place they try to hit. Besides, if mine and Brad's cars are over there, it'll look like we are home." Jack replied.

So it was settled. Jack and Brad made a trip across the street in Brad's car, to grab overnight bags. Jack also got his gun belt and took it with them, just in case. They brought Jack's mail in out of Brad's car. Jack was really disturbed to see another letter from the Smithville lawyer regarding the Smith's Mountain property. After Jack read it, he insisted to Brad that it was still just technicalities, and nothing to worry about, though. They then walked back over to Miz Vivian's. It was nearly 10:00, and the full moon had finally come out, as the skies had mostly cleared now.

An hour later, after having visited awhile longer with Miz Vivian, they had put out the kerosene lamp, and had then used flashlights to get to the second floor. They told Miz Vivian goodnight. She showed them to a large bedroom way on the other end of the long second floor hallway from her own. Jack tried to say he would feel better being closer to her.

"Oh, nonsense," Miz Vivian had said. "Y'all know already how I can scream and holler if something happens and I have to," she chuckled. "And I can always call you too, for that matter, I'll have my iPhone right by the bed. Besides, I thought you two might want some privacy tonight."

The light of the flashlights, as they all stood there in the hallway, showed the naughty little smirk on Miz Vivian's face. "These old mansions can be damn romantic, especially with a full moon and no electricity. Remind me in the mornin' though, I forgot tonight to tell you guys one of the main things I meant to at dinner. I have a big idea that I want to share! Right now though, just get on in there - and enjoy yourselves." She added her trademark grin and note of suggestiveness to the word "enjoy."

With that, she said goodnight, turned, and with her flashlight showing the way, she disappeared down the long hallway in the direction of the master bedroom. Brad and Jack walked into the large bedroom, Brad shining their flashlight. They found that their room had an adjoining bathroom. In the bedroom was an enormous four-poster canopy bed. A few minutes later, the guys were lying naked together in that antique bed, as the soft moonlight shone in across them.