The Jilliad
Book 3
Mark’s Expanding Family
Chapter 15
I Saw Her Today at the Reception
“By the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you ‘Husband and Wife’.” smiled Dana Leavitt, the Justice of the Peace.“You may kiss the bride,” she whispered.
Pete kissed her and then dipped her before pulling her back upright into his arms and kissing her again.
Sarah started playing a piano arrangement of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” from the fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony.
All eyes were on the happy couple as they proceeded up the aisle. Next came Jason with Josie and Alexis on each arm, followed by Mark, with Trish and Monique on his arms, then Jeff and Wendy, and finally Rich and Willow. Finally the parents of the bride and the groom.
Mark saw Pete and Kimmy flock to Pete’s parents. Pete watched as his father held his mother with his arm around her waist like it was the most natural thing in the world. His mother was acting giddy.
Mark felt bad, but he needed to interrupt. “Hey you guys go and mingle. I need to borrow your folks for a little while Pete.”
“As long as you bring them back as happy as they are,” grinned Pete.
“I’ll try,” said Mark wistfully.
Mark led the Hunters to the basement sleeping area. “Mr. Hunter...”
“Please call me Jon, Mark.”
“Jon, there are some things that you and Monica need to know.”
“Mark, I know you changed me. I’ve never felt happier in my life.”
“I did. But I’m afraid the change is not necessarily permanent,” he said gravely.
“What do you mean and how did you change her.”
“You’re not going to believe me.”
“I’m willing to listen.”
“I have the ability to alter a person’s emotions, thoughts and brain functions.”
“Mark, you’re a nice kid, but there is help for people like you,” said Jon somewhat, but unintentionally condescending.
“Jon, I know this sounds farfetched, but it is vital for the sake of your marriage that you accept what I’m telling you.”
“Jon, he’s right. I think that there is not much that I wouldn’t do for Mark if he asked me,” said Monica.
“What wouldn’t you do for Mark?”
“I don’t know... maybe kill somebody?”
“You mean you would do everything else?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation.
“Kiss him,” said Jon.
“I don’t want to. I’m your wife.”
“You said you’d do anything for him,”
“She did. But I didn’t ask her to break her marital vows. You did,” observed Mark.
Jon thought. This was ridiculous. He couldn’t believe that his wife was feeding the poor delusional boy’s fantasy. He needed to help. He knew that when push came to shove, Monica wouldn’t go through with it. “Make her want to kiss you,” he stated.
“Jon, you should know that if I do this, there is a good chance that she will have a crush on me for the rest of her life. I don’t want that to happen. I have another idea how I can convince you. Wait here.”
In about five minutes, Mark returned with five women; Trish, Linda Martino, Sonia, Monique and Amber Lynn. “This is my fiancée Trish, and four of my other spouses.”
The Hunter’s stood there in disbelief. “You’re Kimmy’s mom. You can’t be married to Mark,” observed Monica.
“He’s my second husband,” smiled Linda, as she sidled up to Mark and they made out hard, in front of the group.
Jon was in shock. “Your husband is upstairs.” said Jon.
Linda reluctantly broke the kiss. “He understands and is OK with it.”
“And you..” started Monica to Trish. “You’re his fiancée.”
“I am. I love Mark. He means the world to me, but I love others just as much,” said Trish, as she pulled Monique into a kiss and they deeply frenched.
After Mark broke the kiss with Linda he began to make out with Sonia, Amber Lynn, Monique and finally ended with Trish and after breaking the kiss, he wrapped his arm around her.
The Hunter’s stood there dumbfounded. Finally Monica said, “I believe you.” She then added to her husband, “I believe that Mark could make me do that to him based upon how I feel.”
Jon’s first instinct was to pull Monica out of the room with him, jump in his rental car and drive to the nearest police station. His frame of mind changed when he felt Mark put his hand on his shoulder. He grew impossibly calm.
“Look, Jon. I’m not going to hurt you or Monica. You know if I had wanted to, I could have made her another of my spouses and sent you back to your girl in Canada.”
“Why aren’t you doing that?” asked Jon.
“ I don’t want to. It wouldn’t be fair to Pete and Kimmy either.”
“You did it to Kimmy’s mom.”
“That was an accident...”
“That was mostly caused by me.” said Linda.
“No Linda, I shouldn’t have lost control...”
“Both Joe and I are glad you did,” smiled Linda.
“Your husband is happy about this arrangement?” asked Jon.
“Let’s just say that I didn’t just have a wandering eye. I planned to seduce Mark, not to mention divorce Joe. Now I’m more in love with him than ever before. I know he loves me just as much.”
“What about Mark?”
“I love him almost as much,” she said before adding to Mark, “Sorry baby, he is my first husband after all.”
“That is how it should be,” beamed Mark. Mark then turned to Jon, “Do you believe me now.”
Jon nodded his head. “Where do we go from here?”
Mark looked at his women. “Thanks, guys. Why don’t you head back and join the celebration. We’ll catch up later.”
Everyone exchanged farewell’s. Trish tried to leave, but Mark was still holding her tightly in his arms. “Aren’t you going to let me go?”
“I’m never going to let you go,” he smiled as he leaned over and kissed her sweetly.
“So, I’m staying?”
“If you want.”
“I want.” she grinned.
“Jon, I know this is probably freaking you out, but as I said, your marriage is still at risk, so I need to tell you both a few things.”
“OK,” said Jon cautiously.
“Monica, when Trish and I came over this morning, I did change you. I amplified your better side and reduced your negative emotions. This allowed your true feelings to come out for Jon and for you to understand them. The problem is that you will always be susceptible to your negative emotions. It happened when Jon came and he rebuffed you. It will happen again.”
“What can I do? Ii don’t want to go back to the way I was,” said Monica.
“Then that will go a long way towards staying the sweet person that you are. Still, eventually that will not be enough.”
“So what can we do?” asked Jon.
“Mark created a preset that will reset Monica to her current setting,” said Trish.
“Right babe,” he smiled at his intended. “I’m going to make it so it will work for both of you. I do need to do something first.”
“What?” asked Monica.
“I am going to knit you together as tight as I can short of getting overtly sexual.”
“How do you mean ’ knit us together’?” asked Jon.
I am going to make your love the perfect balance. You will love Monica as much as she loves you.”
“I already do.”
“You may think so, but because of what I did to her, she loves you way more than you love her. For me to give you access to her personality, I need to be sure that whatever you do is for the good of your marriage.” said Mark, then quickly adding. “I’m not saying you would intentionally hurt Monica, but you’d be surprised what happens when you have such power over a person. Unfortunately I have found out the hard way,” he said, as Trish nuzzled his neck comfortingly, making him sigh.
Mark then whispered something in Tricia’s ear and she nodded. “Monica, please go with Trish for a moment. I need to talk to your husband for a moment.”
When Mark saw her start to walk by her he caught her arm and whispered “’Robot’. Follow Trish and do anything she asks,” he said, as she nodded.
“Jon, I am going to say a few things and I need you to understand, so please hear me out before you say anything.”
“OK.”
“There are two ways I can bind you two together. One way is permanent, but it involves me engaging in sex with you and your wife. I know... I figured that option would not be a good idea. The second option would not be permanent in itself, but over time may get there. That is the method I used on Kimmy’s brother Jason and his fiancée.”
“You seem to be controlling a lot of people,” said Jon.
“You don’t know half of it.” sighed Mark. “The thing is that everyone is happy.”
“But isn’t that happiness an illusion?”
“No. All I have done is removed obstacles that stop people in love from being happy. When I am done, you and Monica will be the perfect couple. You will be unselfish and will always do the right thing for your family.”
“Doesn’t all that perfection and harmony get boring?”
“No because your love life will become incredibly passionate and uninhibited. You also become completely fulfilled in your lives. There will be other benefits you will receive from binding with me that could improve your mental and physical capabilities.”
“OK, option two, I guess.”
Trish and Monica walked back into the room. Monica seemed expressionless.
“What’s the matter with her?” asked Jon.
“She is in ‘robot mode’. Her emotions are completely turned off. I want to start this way. You need to kiss Monica for the next ten minutes while I touch her. You need to close your eyes when you kiss her.”
Jon was concerned, but he had had a taste of what new Monica was like and he wanted her. His feelings for Matilda were uncertain. Her behavior concerning his feelings for his son had bothered him. He would end it when he got home. “OK, Mark.”
Jon got into position in front of his expressionless wife and brought his lips to hers. Soon they were kissing deeply. Mark hiked up Monica’s dress and began to finger her panty-less crotch, as her body began to respond to his actions. Soon she was mindlessly moaning.
“OK, time to make Jon feel good, as he mentally gave Monica a command. Soon her hand snaked down, undid his fly, pulled down his zipper and then his pants and boxers in one motion. Then she started to stroke his cock underneath his shirt front.
Jon moaned in his own mindless passion. Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine his wife doing what she was doing to him. He was so far gone in lust that he could not feel his brain being reprogrammed. He loved his wife. He loved his family and his in-laws the Martino’s and his wonderful new daughter-in-law. But did he ever love his wife, who was now and would always be the love of his life. Jon trusted Mark completely. He knew Mark wanted what was best for him and his family. As he came to this realization, Monica had broken the kiss. Both she and Mark dropped to the floor , so Mark could still access her pussy and she could use something else on Jon’s cock. Soon she was blowing Jon, which was something that she never had done in her life.
Monica became more aware of what she was doing and what was happening to her, she heard the moaning that her loving husband was making as she orally pleased him. She loved doing this now. She couldn’t imagine why she had not done this before. His texture, taste and smell overwhelmed her senses pleasantly. She also felt a finger begin to stroke in and out of her drenched pussy. She was on the verge of coming. She knew what she needed to do. She would go with Jon wherever he wanted. Rationally she knew that his job was the best thing for their family, so she would move to Canada, as soon as it was possible. She loved her son and Kimmy, as her new daughter. She was excited about the baby. She was looking forward to spending some time with the Martino’s so they could all get to know each other. She was so grateful to Mark for changing her life. Soon she felt her husband fill her mouth with his seed. She did her best to swallow everything, but only missed a little bit. As she heard her husband groaning as he came down from his orgasm, she felt her own orgasm ripping through her body. Soon she collapsed on the ground at her husband’s feet.
Mark stood up and looked at the scene. Jon had lowered himself to the floor and began to stroke her hair. It had worked. Additionally, he had given the capability for them both to use the “optimum” mode. Mark and Trish then walked into the bathroom as he washed his hands. Then Mark walked over the couple and said the word “optimum”, as he and Trish walked up the stairs hand-in-hand.
Monica looked at her husband as he lowered himself on top of her and began to kiss her deeply. He didn’t care about his flavor in her mouth. Finally she was his and he was hers. He could see it by the way her beautiful eyes shone into his. After a few minutes of kissing, they hopped back into the shower for a second time that day, got clean, dried off and redressed to see their family.
When Mark and Trish got back to the ballroom, they decided to split up and mingle. After hitting the buffet, Trish went over to sit with her family and Mark with Bill, Marie and Michelle.
All the Winthrop’s, including Marcy, Mike and Lauren were sitting with the Meyer’s, including Rich. Mark noticed the Martinelli’s had come and Isa was sitting on one side of Brad with Rachel on the other. Tommy and Sheila sat across from the young people, as they were smiling at each other. The Martino’s with Josie were sitting with the Hunter’s at the head table. Mark saw a bunch of his mates sitting at another table. The he looked at the DJ table and laughed. It looked like the ill-fated radio team of Fern and Amy was back on the air again.
Amy and Fern had a radio show on campus sophomore year. They had angered so many people with their over-the-top, militant feminist dogma, that despite their talent, they were drummed off the air.
Now they were working together, spinning some various oldies and some songs from Fern’s iPod.
Mark really got some time to talk to his dad. Lately, he seemed to get pulled in so many directions and he wanted to catch up with him, Marie and Michelle. Mark could tell that his dad was happy.
Despite enjoying talking to his dad, he was really missing Trish. It was really rather ridiculous. He had just been with her a little more than half an hour earlier. He periodically looked over at the Winthrop’s table and she seemed to be laughing with her sister and Jeff about something. Then she caught his eyes looking over at her. The next time he looked, she was gone.
Mark shook his head. I’m being crazy about this,” he thought. He went back to conversing with Marie about she and her dad’s wedding plans.
Amy and Fern were getting frustrated. Pete and Kimmy had their first dance. Kimmy danced with her dad, Joe. Nobody else seemed to want to dance. Then they saw Trish as she walked over to the DJ table. She had changed into a beautiful, black dress, and she wore her shoulder length hair down. “Do you guys take requests?”
“We’re trying to get people to dance,” said Fern.
“The song I’m thinking of might work.”
“What are you thinking about, roommate?”
“I want you to dedicate the song to someone special. This is what I want you to say.” she smiled.
Mark was laughing at something Michelle said when he heard Amy’s voice over the P A., over the sound of choir boys voices singing a famous melody. “This next song is dedicated to Mark Samuels by the woman he should be looking at.”
As he looked at the dance floor he saw the back of a beautiful blond haired woman wearing what appeared to be a sexy, black cocktail dress. As he heard the strum of the guitar, she turned around and looked at his table. Her blond hair looked wild. He did not recognize her immediately as she had been wearing a different dress, her hair was worn in a bun and her makeup was different. Then he knew who she was, as she beckoned to him. He shot out of his chair like a cannonball.
“I saw her today at the reception...” sang Mick.
Mark was already on the dance floor, gently swaying with the sexy vamp, loving her that much more. She shook her head in a sultry way, as her voluminous golden hair settled over his shoulder as they danced. Her soulful look spoke volumes with her vibrant blue eyes telling the story of her love for him. Mark grew lost in her eyes.
“You can’t always get what you want, " crooned Mick.
“I don’t just want you, Mark. I need you,” she moaned.
“I need you just as much, Lady Trish,” said Mark, as he leaned in and kissed her.
“You get what you need,” cried Mick’s voice, as the beat picked up.
Soon, Mark and Trish were surrounded by couples and groups of people dancing, the infectious beat of the Stones’ tune created a frenzy. After that, song after song continued playing and people continued to dance, but not Mark and Trish. After the first song, they ran out of the ballroom, down the hall and downstairs. Soon they were undressed and passionately kissing and caressing on the floor. Soon their bodies were driving each other’s to orgasm.
In the afterglow of their lovemaking Mark smiled. “It was because we were at a wedding, right?”
“I think so. I was going crazy not being with you. It all felt so wrong.”
“That is exactly how I felt too. I needed to be with you less than ten minutes after we separated,”
“Me too. I finally realized you felt the same way when I caught you looking. Then I knew what I needed to do.”
“You are the sexiest, most beautiful woman in the whole world, Babe! More importantly, you are my best friend!” smiled Mark. “Promise me you’ll always be with me at weddings!”
“I promise, Marky,” she smiled as he tightened his grip of her and they began to kiss again.
After the wedding reception and the large clean up detail had pitched in to clean the ballroom and the kitchen, It was time for everyone to get packed up and return to their respective destinations
The Meyer’s left, marveling at the strange but wonderful, long weekend they had. Jeff, Wendy, Rich, Willow and the Winthrop’s managed to keep them away from the craziness of Mark’s domestic situation. In the end, they left loving Wendy and her family. They were also on cloud nine concerning Willow and Rich. They had come to Concord with great apprehension, but left with the notion that their children’s lives were full of happiness and so were theirs.
Jon and Monica got into his rental car and drove back to their house. Tonight he would be sleeping in his own bed for the first time in more than a year. He felt like he was on his honeymoon. Needless to say he would contact his attorney in the morning to cancel the divorce proceedings. He would also have to speak with Matilda. She had left him about a dozen voice messages.
Monica was happy, perhaps for the first time in her life. She had always loved Jon, but did not have the tools to show him. Now she could. She would be able to find a job in Canada eventually, but that was not urgent. All she really wanted was to be with Jon, for Peter and Kimmy to be happy and to be a good grandmother, when the time came. She would get all three of her wishes.
Phil looked at his brain trust. They were all bright, insightful people. He would need all of their input. The matter of getting Tammy Portnoy’s son, Aaron and her cousin who was watching him up to Concord was problematic. Both Chip and Joe agreed that they should fly out of a small airport. Joe and Mike were adamant that they should be protected with Wedgewood operatives. Both Chip and Phil ultimately agreed. Lauren pointed out that they had used a small airport previously, so it would be better if the protection picked them up at Claud’s niece, Becca Portnoy’s apartment. Mark was leery about involving law enforcement in Tennessee, as he was unable to trust anyone. Claud, on the on the other hand, said that his best friend from high school was a police captain in a town where Becca lived. He assured everyone that his friend, Tim, was Tammy’s godfather and they were still close, so he could be trusted.
After much deliberation, Chip dispatched his plane to Downtown Island Home Airport in Knoxville. The plane carried a three member security detail from Wedgewood, who would be dispatched to meet at a service station where the exchange with Captain Tim Garrison would occur. Then, they would provide and an escort to the airport. They would fly in to Logan International afterward. Tommy Martinelli agreed to provide a covert team of operatives from Martinelli Security at Logan to look out for trouble. Claud called his niece and told her what was to be expected.
Mark was confident that his future in-laws Tommy Martinelli and Joe Martino had the situation covered. It would certainly be a rocky night for all involved.
Then the topic turned to protecting Amber and Josie at Sanders. “I’ll follow up with Chief Murray when we get back to campus,” said Mark.
“Do you think that will be adequate enough?” asked Pierre.
“It will have to be for now. With everything that happened last week, I’m sure that the Chief won’t want a lot of personal security running around Campus,” said Mark.
“How would he be able to tell the good guys from the bad, right?” asked Trish.
“Good point, sweetheart,” indicated Phil.
“There is another idea. We can have Josie and Amber at the house. This way, they would not be on campus at night when they might likely strike,” offered Elsie.
“That would make sense. Since you live off campus, we could have Wedgwood operatives at your house, if you wouldn’t mind,” said Chip.
“I’m fine with it if it helps Amber and Josie,” said the pretty nurse.
“Chip, isn’t all this security costing you an arm and a leg?” asked Mark
“Mark, you have to understand that John Wedgewood and I go a long way back. He and I have a special relationship.”
“Mark, John was Dad’s Military Attaché when Dad was an ambassador in West Germany during the Cold War. They became great friends. Dad also fronted him the money to start the business and is still one of his partners,” said Phil.
“What about while they are on campus?” asked Claud, as Pierre echoed his concern with a nod.
“Remember, by tomorrow, Anatole may have already found out that the girls signed with me. That should take them off the hot seat,” said Mark.
“And put you right on it,” said Bill gravely.
“You know Mark. I was thinking. Little Paul Rivers was the guy that started this mess. Maybe we should have a little visit with him, just to let him know that if something happens to either of the girls, then something will happen to him,” said Jason.
“I don’t know, Jason...”
“The guy was trying to get in my fiancée’s pants, so I owe him a little chat anyway.”
“Mark, maybe a little intimidation might not be a bad idea. Right now David Rivers thinks that he can maneuver with no consequences. If you remind him that he has something to lose, it may distract him. Remember, he saw what you did to those enforcers, so he knew if you were unleashed on his kid, he would have something to worry about,” said Joe.
“OK, I guess it’s OK, as long as we use our words, right Jason?” mocked Mark as if he was his mother.
“You are such a smart ass!” laughed Jason.
Pierre was listening to his future son-in-law’s exchange with Jason’s father and his buddy. He was confused. How could this kid defeat two mob enforcers, was he a martial arts expert? Then he let his attention return to Josie. She could be in real trouble. He had to find a way help. He had hurt her so much in the past. Now it was time to change that.
Soon, Jeff and Wendy had their emotional goodbye. They would not see each other for three weeks, as it currently stood, but they both knew getting in that this long distance thing wasn’t going to be easy. Still, they knew that they were worth the wait. There were no tears. They did not want to waste a moment together that way. Promises were made to talk several times a day (so long as Wendy promised to keep up her class work) and soon Jeff got into Mark’s SUV and they were off to Smithville.