The Inn at the Lake

 The car slowly began to sputter, and before they knew it, Clay and Emily were sitting on the side of the road in the late afternoon Southern heat. 

The couple looked at one another in disbelief. 

Once it became apparent that they weren't going anywhere, they looked at one another in desperation.

Emily stretched a shapely leg out of the car, and retrieved her suitcase, and makeup case from the back seat, the leash of her adored terrier, Revel, in one hand. 

"I can't walk far in these heels.", she told Clay, even as they sunk into the damp soil. "What are we going to do? It's getting late."

Clay scrambled with some discarded papers that they'd picked up at the rest station when they'd crossed the state line a short while ago.

"We'll go here. Look at it! It's beautiful! A lake and everything..... we'll have a rest and you'll feel better in the morning.", he promised. He paused and added, "It's only one night, Emily."

She sighed and nodded. "I guess so."

"I can't walk far in these heels.", she told him. "And it's hot and I'm tired. I want a bath, and some clean clothes."

Clay sighed, and nodded, even as he took a large box out of the back seat. He reached under the front seat and retrieved a bottle of rye whiskey, and his leather journal, along with a small paper envelope of cash.

The stranded couple walked a short distance along the road in the woods, until they came to a small clearing, where they saw a dilapidated wooden building in the distance. 

Emily gasped as the left heel on her shoe broke, and she leaned against Clay for support. She slipped off her shoes, limping towards the inn in damp pantyhose. A  small water blister was forming on her foot, and she wasn't happy....to say the least. She was ready for a perfumed bubble bath, some soft music, and a glass...or two.....of chilled white wine, preferably her favorite French Chardonnay, followed by some cuddling with Revel.

As the distressed couple walked alongside the country road they had been traveling on, eventually,  in the rapidly fading late afternoon sunlight, they saw a clearing in the woods. 

Emily's spirits perked up when she saw a building near the beautiful blue lake.

"Hey, look!", she said to Clay, as she tugged his sleeve. "I think it's a hotel or something!" Revel barked and wagged his tail. 

Or something turned out to be right, because as they got closer, it became increasingly apparent that the sighted building was in less than stellar condition; in fact, it looked downright dilapidated.

While Emily (and Clay, for that matter) would have ordinarily been inclined to refuse staying there, they were not in a position at the present time to choose. Their car had broken down, and it was either sleep in their car overnight, or stay at the decidedly rundown hotel. 

As they walked closer, Emily said, "Well, maybe the rooms are clean....."

Her makeup and suitcase were getting heavy, and her feet hurt.

Clay sighed, as he struggled to carry the box in his arms. "Maybe so.", he halfheartedly agreed.

"Well, the hotel is awful, but it IS right on the lake! Isn't it beautiful?!", Emily enthused. The blue lake glistened in the late afternoon sun.

Clay's spirits perked up then, and he smiled. He was glad he was carrying the heavy box. Emily (and Revel) would love it.....

He sat the box down for a minute, and opened the wooden screen door of the small inn. As soon as Emily and Revel and he were inside, he turned to the open door and picked up the box again.

The clerk at the desk was obtuse and uncooperative, as well as looking like he hadn't bathed in several days, but they signed for a room, and he handed them a rusty key to room number 15. 

"It's the one nearest the lake.", he told them vaguely. 

"Good to know.", said Clay, who was mildly irritated by the attitude of the dirty clerk. He supposed that he should be grateful that there even WAS a lake.

Emily had a strange look of disbelief on her face as she looked at Clay. She TRULY could not believe they were staying here for the night. If it wouldn't have caused all kinds of trouble for the three of them, she would have had Revel sink his teeth into the dumb clerk's leg!

In a short span of time, Clay had unlocked the door, and Emily, Clay and Revel had gone inside and viewed their ....interesting....accommodations for the night. Within an even shorter (or so it seemed to Clay and Emily, they were sharing French Chardonnay and a gourmet picnic (Clay's heavy box contents) on the screened- in porch of their room, by the rippling lake.

Emily clasped Clay's hand, and squeezed it. "Let's buy the inn!"

Clay nodded, Revel barked, and it was a done deal!

Midnight Session: Intro

Just a few hours before, Samantha Monroe's life had been turned upside down, when she'd discovered her lover, Alex Maxwell, dead following an execution-style murder. More importantly for all of the elite 77(Samantha included), their leader had been killed. Because of Samantha's personal relationship with Alex, she very well knew that a contract was out on her, too. 
From what she had observed at the time, she instantly knew who had ordered the hit on Alex. It had the 99's signature all over it. It was like they had left a bloody calling card for her....and the rest of the 77. 
In addition, she knew about the long-standing intense rivalry between Alex and the head of the 99, a man named Jason Masters. 

To be continued....... 

The Mysterious Hiker: A Misadventure

 Marilyn had just gotten out of the shower. She'd been gardening earlier and needed refreshing. Once she'd pulled on some white capris and a black cotton blouse, she poured herself a glass of that cold French Chardonnay that she was so fond of(which she would NEVER let her cabin run out of), put on her tortoiseshell Chanel sunglasses and headed out with her terrier, Ellie, for a walk.

In the distance, she saw a man approaching. A hiker, she figured. 

At first she merely noted that he was there, but he got more of her attention when it appeared that he was actually headed straight for her cabin.....

Hmmmmm.....

Jim was a little cross with himself. He had been driving through the area and decided he needed to take a break as he had been driving for a while and was aware how a little inattention when you are tired can end up in a serious accident. So he decided to stretch his legs. It was beautiful countryside and before he knew it he was out in the wilds just gazing around. He checked his cell to see where he was and found out there was no signal !

He was about to start back the way he had been coming, then stopped. The first rule when you are lost is to stay way you are, he remembered hearing somewhere.

Then he peered through the trees and saw a cabin. "Thank goodness" he said to himself as he started up the slope. "Hopefully there is somebody there that can direct me back"

Marilyn peered at the approaching man over her glass of Chardonnay , and she and Ellie started walking towards him. Ellie's ears had perked up, but she wasn't barking, and since Ellie was generally a good judge of people, Marilyn figured he was ok. 

"Hello", she said, as she reached him. "I'm Marilyn." She gave him a smile of welcome. 

Jim breathed a sigh of relief as he saw her come out of the cabin and come towards him.

"Hello Marilyn" he replied. "I was beginning to get worried that there was no one around here." He waved his hand at the surrounding countryside. I'm afraid I got carried away in my walking in this beautiful area" He showed her his phone. "I am so used to using this to keep track of my whereabouts, but there is no signal here "

He stopped and said "I''m sorry, I should have introduced myself. My name is Jim."

Marilyn nodded when he said that he had no signal. "Spotty at best", she agreed.

"Hello Jim. I'm Marilyn, and this is my dog, Ellie."

She stopped for a minute, and then asked, "Would you like to have a glass of wine or something?"

And so began the friendship of Marilyn and Jim.....

A Golden Spring

 It was early in the day, but the sun was already bright in the blue sky. After a simple breakfast of bread, freshly churned butter, and warm spiced black tea, Susanna had ventured out to the area close to her cottage where she tended her herbs, vegetables, and flowers. She was glad the weather was at last warm enough for to be outside in the sunlight.

Her adored animal companion, a grey fox named Jack, was curled up nearby. He always kept watch over his Susanna. 
Jack was Susanna's sole companion. The residents of the nearby village avoided her like the plague. They were afraid of her. Everyone said that she was a witch. Why, she had to be, didn't she, with that flame red hair of hers, and those fiery emerald catlike eyes. Besides, she wasn't a local, and she had the audacity to take up residence near the village, and not explain how she came to be here. The general consensus of the villagers seemed to be: she'll leave if she gets cold and hungry enough.....only, so far, she hadn't left.
The soil had hardened during the cold winter, and Susanna found as she worked it that it was difficult to break up with only her hands, so she got a small hoe and began to dig with it, as best she could. Slowly but surely, she made progress. As she lifted the hoe and brought it down again, she felt(and heard) a sound as it struck something under the soil. A large stone, perhaps?, She thought to herself. She touched the hoe down in the same spot, and heard the same noise.
Out of curiosity, mostly, she laid the hoe on the ground, and dropped to her knees. With both hands, she began brushing the dirt away, to see what was hidden in the dirt. She discovered that it wasn't just a stone; it was much to large for that. It was actually an old iron chest. She picked up a stick and a stone, and began trying to pry open the rusty lock of it open, so that she could see what was inside. 
At last, success! The lock popped open!
Jack trotted over to see what treasure his Susanna had found. She rubbed his ears affectionately. 
Her green eyes opened wide when she saw what was in the truck: antique, real gold coins! 
She didn't stop to count them, she just hugged Jack tightly, and happily.
"We won't be hungry or cold any longer, Jack! ", She promised him. He barked his pleasure to her, and she laughed.
"The villagers may hate us, but they'll take the money easily enough", she told him. She took a handful of coins out of the chest, then closed it and recovered it with enough dirt so that it was hidden in the midst of her garden plot. Not that she ever had visitors; it was merely a reasonable precaution.
She went inside with Jack and changed into a green dress that matched her eyes, and covered it with a green cloak of the same shade. She and Jack made the short walk into the village for supplies. After the first shop that they went in, for wine and cheese, it seemed that they attracted followers...at a safe difference, of course, since she was a witch. Susanna found that she was right....they took the coins eagerly enough. 

Susanna carried a large cloth bag on the way home from the village, and Jack helped by carrying a small bag between his teeth for her. There were all sorts of delights within: wine, cheese, flour, wildflower honey, spices, a package of dried apples, and fresh winter vegetables and herbs to supplement those that Susanna had managed to harvest and store for them out of her own garden.

She bought some cloth for new clothes, a pair of shoes, and a pair of gloves. Lastly, candles, and a heavier quilt for the bed, so that she and Jack would be warmer at night. Jack seemed especially interested in the freshly caught fish she had bought to prepare for that night's dinner. "Tonight we dine like royalty, Jack.", she told her adored shape-shifting fox. 

Just as they arrived back at the cottage from their trip into the village, a soft misty rain began to fall, and Susanna and Jack hurried inside out of the harsh elements. 

Susanna lighted two of the beeswax candles that she had purchased in the village, and opened a bottle of the crimson wine, so that it could breathe. When she turned around, her beloved Jack had shape-shifted to his human form and was building a fire for them to relax by, and savor a glass of wine together. He wrapped his arms around his Susanna and kissed her. 

A Hot New York Minute

 Marilyn was used to Joe tracking her. She groaned inwardly, knowing Joe would beat the crap out of her and then maybe follow it up with rough sex. But the thing with Joe was, once his blazing hot anger dissipated, things were usually squared between them, and they went on with their lives. Good thing her makeup artist, Whitey, was the wizard he was; most people never saw the cuts and bruises, so they could pretend they weren't there. She really didn't want people seeing who didn't care, and the people involved didn't want to see, either.

The thing with being The Blonde was, everybody wanted sex goddess magic, but nobody wanted human Norma Jeane. It was all about her bombshell body, not her mind or her personality(who she was).


Joe was LIVID! Neither his wife nor her lover had emerged from the bathroom, and his patience was an end!
"I will break down the damned door this minute if the two of you don't come out!", He roared.

Marilyn stepped out of the shower as calmly as she could under the circumstances, and wrapped a white towel around her body. 

She told Frank nervously, "We need to open the door. Trust me, he means it! It'll be worse if we don't. He'll kill both if us! Joe has a terrible temper!"
She was practically begging him at this point.

“I was going to open the door, Marilyn”, Frank said “We can’t exactly stand here all night; we’ll have the whole building wondering what’s going on.”

He stepped forward, unlocked the door, and stepped back again quickly.

Marilyn smiled a little sadly when Frank said something about the whole building knowing. She patted his arm lightly. "They always do when things happen, don't they?"

She took a deep breath and looked down at the floor. Then she walked out of the bathroom in her white towel to face Joe, her angry husband.

Once she was within arm's length of Joe, he gave her a blistering blow to the right side of her face.
It was so strong, it almost knocked her off her feet.
It took her breath away.
He clutched her against him with an iron grip.
"What in the hell do you think you are doing, Marilyn?!", He snarled at her.
Marilyn didn't say anything; she knew better than to utter a word.
Joe shoved her against the wall roughly. 
Marilyn's white towel fell to the floor as he slammed her against the wall. She hit her head hard, and it made a resounding thud.

"I will tell you what I am going to do now, my wife! I am going to firmly establish for you and Frank and the whole damned building just who exactly it is that you belong to, is that clear?"

Marilyn whispered "Yyes". Her throat hurt, so her voice could barely be heard.

Joe glanced over his shoulder at Frank, his eyes darkening. "I'll deal with you later, Frank, and make sure that we come to an understanding about some things."

Frank didn't say anything, but gave an almost imperceptible nod. 

Joe picked her up, carried her to the bed and tossed her on it carelessly, like she was a doll.
"If you move while I am taking my clothes off, I WILL kill you!", He threatened.
Marilyn watched as he undressed. She put a hand up to her already swelling face, and began to cry.

Joe stripped off his clothes quickly and efficiently. 

He sat down on the edge of the bed, beside where Marilyn was curled up in a ball. 

"Turn over on your back and look at me.", he demanded. 

Marilyn slowly eased onto her back. Her  face was swollen, and her right eye was already turning an ugly blue. She trembled a tiny  bit, but she met his eyes. 

He slid atop her quickly, and held her hands at her sides. Marilyn would  have said that there was no need to restrain her at this point, but he did it anyway. 

Joe gave her an iron kiss, even as he roughly forced himself inside her body. His thrusts were the punishment that they were intended to be for Marilyn's body. 

His assault continued, and very quickly her nether regions were raw and hot, as though she had been peppered  and thrown  on a grill.

Joe's angered poured out of him in his thrusts, followed by an explosive ejaculation of volcanic proportions. He groaned with his release, and was out of her, and getting off the bed. 

Marilyn laid motionless on the bed, and watched Joe start to put on his clothes. Tears ran down her face, but she didn't say anything.

"Get dressed.", he told her curtly, without turning around to look at her. When she didn't immediately get up as she was told, he added sternly, "Now."

Marilyn winced as she got up off the bed. Her emotions were as raw as her body. Walking was painful. She picked up the discarded white towel and wiped the remnants of what had just happened with her husband off herself. But in this minute, she would have killed for a shower. 

She donned her lingerie and dress, and slipped her feet into her high-heeled shoes.  She looked at her reflection in the mirror, and ran her fingers through her blonde hair to tame it somewhat, as it had gotten very tousled in the encounter  she'd just experience at Joe's hands. Her face was swelling, and so was her eye. Whitey would have his work cut out for him if she had to do any public appearances for the next week. 

Marilyn hadn't really paid too much attention to what was going on between Joe and Frank, at first. It seemed like they were having a heated verbal exchange. It was when Joe socked Frank solidly that she watched more intently. Frank returned the favor, and they sparred in an angry fist fight that threatened to spiral out of control at any moment. 

Marilyn truly became afraid that the two men might kill one another over her. She came closer to where they were in the room, and begged, "Joe, please stop!!! You might kill him!! Or he might you!! Please stop!"

Even as she risked the possibility that one of them might hit her, she grabbed Joe's arm in hopes of getting him to stop.

Joe's anger was beginning to burn off the smallest amount, and he sighed. Frank had not thrown another punch, and they seemed to have settled the worst of it between them with the fight. 

"OK, ok", Joe said to Marilyn. But he looked at her, and put his hand over hers where it laid on his arm. 

"Let's go home now.", Marilyn said to him. "Come on."

The last thing Marilyn saw when she left the hotel room with Joe was the discard white towel, with blood and semen on it.  

Joe's Shirt

Marilyn slowly woke up, opening one eye, then the other one.

For a split second, she wasn't sure where she was..... then she smiled, as she remembered .She wondered what time it was, and her eyes scanned the room, looking for her Joe. She KNEW he was here, but she would feel more at ease when she laid eyes on him again.

She looked down at herself in bed, wearing only Joe's white shirt.

It was loose on her, and only half the buttons were buttoned.

It smelled like Joe; she loved that.

Just then, Joe himself appeared, a smile on his face, carrying a cup of tea for her in one hand, his own black coffee in the other.

He sat down on the bed next to her, and leaned over and kissed her gently.

"Was wondering if I was going to have to wake you up. We need to leave soon. But you looked so peaceful and beautiful sleeping in my shift, I didn't want to wake you.", he told her.

"It was a long day, yesterday.", Marilyn said.

Joe nodded. "Long night, too."

Marilyn nodded. She was still a little tired, but she had slept well, knowing that she was with Joe now. How horribly frightened she had been, thinking she had no way to get even a call to him, and then suddenly, just when she had lost hope, there he was in the flesh, rescuing her!

"I wasn't able to get many of your things from there, but there is some clothing.....assuming you don't want to keep wearing my shirt.", he said, giving her a grin.

Marilyn giggled. "Well.....not in public. But I love wearing one to bed."

"Looks better on you than it does me.", Joe quipped. "You can wear one anytime."

Marilyn smiled, and her eyes brightened.

"We should leave soon.", Joe reminded her. "I've arranged a car. Under the circumstances, I thought it might attract less attention. Some other arrangements have been made, as well. Try not to worry, alright? Let me handle it."

Marilyn looked into his eyes, and she nodded. She trusted him.

She didn't even ask where they were headed. She didn't really care, with him by her side. They were safer now than they had been, and, in this moment, it was MORE than enough for her.

She sat up in bed, and leaned against the pillows, drinking her warm tea. Joe finished his coffee, and they enjoyed a warm silence between, just at being together again.

Joe caught a glimpse of her breast peeking out from his shirt, and he couldn't resist cupping it in his hand, and squeezing gently.

Marilyn sighed softly as he caressed her.

Joe kissed her, and groaned, thinking of the time. He really wanted nothing more than to make love to her right now!

"What the hell", he muttered to himself, and pulled Marilyn into his arms. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck.

He reluctantly pried himself away from her for a few minutes, and made short order of removing the clothes he had on already.

Then he was back in bed with his Marilyn. He gently pushed her back on the pillows of the bed, and moved atop her, kissing her and running his hands over her beautiful body.

It was a quick but intense coupling for Joe and Marilyn, but after everything that had come through recently together, it was definitely something they both needed right now.

Marilyn moaned softly as Joe kissed her, and wrapped her in his arms.

"I love you, Joe.", Marilyn said softly, happily.

"Me too.", Joe said in a husky voice.

He held her in his arms for a few more minutes, then slowly started to get out of bed, and extended one of his hands to her.

"Come on; let's get dressed and get on the road.", he said.

Marilyn got up slowly. "Alright." She hated to give the shirt up.

Joe was dressed before she was, but she did try to hurry along.

She found a pair of white slacks, and a black and white polka dot silk blouse among the things that Joe had managed to bring with them. A spritz of Chanel No. 5 perfume, and a touch of red lipstick and she was ready to go.

Within the next ten minutes, they were in the car and Joe was driving them down the road.

Marilyn turned her head and looked into the back seat. Her eyes brightened when she saw a picnic basket, complete with a blanket and two bottles of wine.

"Why, you've thought of everything!", Marilyn exclaimed.

"No more snooping.", Joe said, in a falsely stern tone of voice.

Marilyn laughed. "That's not fair....but alright.", she said, and turned back around.

She slid over in the car so that that she much closer to Joe, and laid her head on his shoulder. He slid an arm around her and squeezed.

She squirmed a little against him, and he chided, "Now who's not being fair." But Marilyn could tell that he liked it. She liked doing things that Joe liked.

Marilyn reached over and touched the white shirt of Joe's that she had slept in last night. She patted it and smiled.

It was a reminder of what Joe had done for her. But it was really far more than that. It was a symbol of their new beginning, their second chance. This time, as Joe said, "It was for keeps."

He'd actually managed to convince her that they were going to get it right this time.

Joe glanced over and saw her hand laid on his white shirt.

He smiled that lazy grin of his at her that she loved so very much, and said, "Maybe you'll wear it in bed again tonight."

Marilyn flushed a little when she realized that he'd been watching her with his shirt, but she smiled at his teasing. "Maybe I will."

"I KNOW you will! I'll put it on you myself.", he told her.

Remember When

 August 1962: Marilyn is at Cal-Neva.

She's "The Girl".

Joe Dimaggio knows it. It is the way of things, and they both know it.

The thing that Joltin' Joe does for MM is really magical, and yet not so very much. He lets her be human. He accepts Norma Jeane as the flawed, yet perfect, individual that she is. Even as MM herself says that "Nobody loved Norma Jeane."

In her cabin at Cal-Neva that ill-fated weekend, Marilyn reflects on her successes, her failures, and her life in general. In that moment, it all seems worth it....and then some. She's had a colorful, interesting life. One really couldn't hope for much better than that.

She reflects on when she first met her Joe. It seems like a long time ago to her, now and yet it seems like yesterday.

To the girl dyed her hair blonde and who got her start posing for pictures, it seemed incredible that Joltin' Joe Dimaggio wanted HER. At times she was overwhelmed with inadequacy. He wanted the illusion, the blonde sex goddess magic that she never really was able to sustain 24/7, but which everyone seemed to always expect of her. She felt that she never could meet his expectations, no matter how hard she tried. She was consumed with guilt over it. She apologized to him all the time about it. At times, it seemed hopeless to her.....why should she try? NOTHING she said or did was ever enough. On some levels, it devastated her. WHY was she NEVER enough for anyone??!! Would she EVER meet someone that wanted human Norma Jeane???? It didn't seem like it would ever work out that way, to her. The thing with Joe was, HE was who she wanted to be enough for, so it mattered oh so much more to her when she didn't measure up.

She was basically under house arrest here(well, cabin arrest). No calls in or out, which made it really boring , and frightening at the same time. She supposes that people on some level know where she is, although it's probably reported in the press as a vacation or something. They could at least let her say goodbye, especially to Joe. She hopes he never forgets her.