The First Mate

By Ed Carlson

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This story is purely fictitious. The names used herein are for character

identification and should not be construed as real people, alive or dead.

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Chapter 1

I was sitting all alone in my apartment here at the marina. The one advantage of the Pacific Northwest is the water—both in the form of rain and beautiful boating. It was my home now, having given the other one to my ex—the one that was paid for. I got a lot of stuff that I had accumulated over the years, especially my computer and all the ES images. We both had our careers and good incomes. The divorce was a mutual thing, and I still have an amicable relationship with my ex. I did manage to get out of the marriage with all of my retirement programs intact. After the divorce, I was lucky enough to come into a relatively large and unexpected inheritance. I had managed to set up some good investments, which now provide a good income. My general manager really runs the company, and now I only need to go in to work when I want to. I bought the sailboat that I always wanted. The only thing that was missing in my life was a good first mate to help me sail the thing. It was only a thirty-six footer and rigged to single hand so I could sail it by myself, but bobbing around out in a bay by yourself can be lonesome.

It was still early, so I went down to the local watering hole. The usual crowd was there and greeted me as I walked in and took a seat at the bar. The bartender asked me if I wanted my Scotch and water, just before she started to pour it. I always enjoy watching a bartender work—especially one like her who really knows how to fill out a tank top. When she bends over to wash glasses, you know for certain that the boys lined up at the bar are being well entertained.

The talk at the bar was the same as last night, and the night before that, now that I think about it. I think too that maybe I’ve been spending too much time here. I wanted a little more quiet so I took my drink over to the table by the window. The window overlooked the marina, and I watched the boats all neatly tied to their mooring piers. The usual early evening breeze was still up, and I could hear the halyards clanking on the masts. The late summer sun had just gone down, and the bartender busily raised the window blinds. The place had filled up pretty well since I arrived, and there were very few seats left.

A sweet sounding voice said, “Is this seat taken?”

“No, please be my guest,” I said without even looking up. I turned and looked up at her and suddenly thought to myself, ‘this can’t be happening to me.’

“Hi, my name’s Deb,” she said as she sat down.

“I’m Sam. Deb, nice to meet you,” I managed to stammer. She was probably one of the most beautiful females I have laid eyes on. She appeared to be just a bit younger than me. She had dark brown hair and was about five-nine with brown eyes. Her ample breasts complemented her beautifully embroidered sweatshirt, and the strap that was around her neck accented her cleavage as it crossed to her purse hanging at her side. Her long slender legs seemed to go on forever from the white shorts she was wearing.

“Do you come here often?” she asked as the waitress brought her drink. It was in a tall glass with a straw.

“Yes, quite a bit,” I said. “I live here in the complex. This seems like my other living room. I haven’t seen you here before.”

“I’ve just moved into an apartment here at the marina,” she said.

“Well, we’re neighbors then,” I said proudly as we both took a sip on our drinks. She didn’t pick up her drink but bent down and drank through the straw while the glass sat on the table. “I live in B building on the other side of the creek.”

“I’m in C building on this side of the creek on the ground floor near the pool,” she said. “Do you have a boat here in the marina?”

“Yes. I have one of those sailboats out there,” I said. “My ex didn’t like boats, and I always wanted one, so now I’m a captain. Do you like boats?”

“I think I would,” she said hesitantly. “I’ve never been on a sailboat before. We were from the Midwest, and I haven’t been around boats at all. I think that I would like to try it sometime.”

“Well, maybe I could take you and your husband out for a ride,” I offered.

“I don’t have a husband anymore. He died in a car accident two years ago. I was hurt pretty badly too. My whole life changed that dark night,” she said as a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

“I’m sorry to hear that. You look like you miss him,” I observed.

“That’s why I decided to move out here to start over,” she reflected.

“Can I buy you another drink?” I asked.

“OK, just one more,” she said. “When are you going to show me your boat?”

“Do you want to see it now, or in the daylight?” I questioned as I signaled the bartender.

“I suppose we should finish the drinks that you just ordered first,” she replied with a smile.

The drinks came, and we talked more as we became better acquainted. She was very intelligent and a really nice person, as well as stunningly beautiful. We had a chemistry that seemed to click, and we hit it off right away. Every eye in the place was on us as we got up and left the bar. We walked to the gate at the head of the pier. I took out my key and unlocked the gate. As I turned to hold the gate for her, I glanced up at the bar. It seemed like everyone in the place was standing at the window watching us. She walked down the ramp ahead of me. She certainly did wonders for those shorts. The main pier was wide enough for us to walk side-by-side.

“Have you ever been around the water at all?” I asked.

“Only on the big ferry boats,” she replied. “Walking down this floating pier is kind of like being on the ferry.”

“This is it,” I said proudly as we reached the end of the large pier. “I was lucky enough to get an end birth.”

“Wow, this is a pretty cool looking boat,” she said in amazement. “I can hardly wait to go for a ride. Can we get on it?”

“Sure,” I said. “Let me see your shoes. Most boaters only allow soft soles that won’t make scuff marks.”

“These sandals have hard soles,” she said. “Can I go barefooted?”

“Yes, that will be OK,” I replied as I looked down at her beautiful long legs.

“Could you unbuckle the little straps for me?” she said in a sweet voice. “I always have trouble with them.”

I got down on one knee and unbuckled the strap around the beautiful ankle on her right leg, then the left. She stepped out of her sandals, and I picked them up as I stood up. I walked down the finger pier and set her sandals on the seat before I unlatched the gate on the safety line. She followed me down the finger pier as I pulled the boat in tight to the dock.

“Just step over the rail and onto the seat before you step down into the cockpit. Watch your head on the boom,” I instructed.

She stepped onto the boat and down into the cockpit. I followed and was standing very close to her. We paused a moment before our lips met tentatively. The first kiss was a light one and seemed to end all too soon. I unlocked the padlock and removed the back door. I slid the hatch back.

“Can you swim?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I haven’t tried since the accident.”

That was a strange answer, I thought.

 “Let me go down the ladder first and turn a light on,” I said as I started down into the darkness. I found the main battery selector switch and turned it on and then felt my way to a cabin ceiling light, then turned it on. A soft light flooded the cozy interior.

“Come on down. Watch the ladder, it’s steep,” I said as a first, then a second, beautiful leg appeared on the ladder. Those long, beautiful legs carefully worked their way down the ladder, followed by the white shorts and beautiful sweatshirt containing those fantastic breasts. Soon all of her was standing next to me.

“Well, this is it,” I said. “Welcome aboard.”

“Thank you,” she said as she glanced around the cabin. “This is beautiful. I love all of the woodwork and nautical decorations.”

“This is the main cabin; the settee folds out to become a bunk,” I said. “The galley is over here. It has a hand pump for cold water. Hot water is heated on the stove.”

“Why does the stove move like that?” she asked.

“It’s gimbaled so that if you have something on the stove while we’re sailing it won’t fall off. The stove stays level and the rest of the boat tilts,” I said. “The head is this way toward the bow, and the forward birth is beyond that.”

“I want to see it,” she said.

I led the way down the narrow passage; she stood close beside me as I opened the door to the head and said, “This is the head, A.K.A. bathroom.”

She poked her head in the doorway as I continued forward and sat on the bunk. She followed and sat on the bunk beside me.

“This is the front bunk where I like to sleep. You can hear the waves better here,” I said.

“This is so cool. I’ve always wanted to be on a sailboat,” she said. “After the accident, I never thought that I would ever be doing anything like this.”

She laid her head on my shoulder. Soon we were kissing. I thought it a little strange that she didn’t put an arm around me. We broke off the kiss and she said, “When can we go sailing?”

“Well, how about tomorrow?” I said.

“Where can we go?” she asked.

“There are lots of places to go,” I said. “How long do you want to stay out?”

“Oh, could we stay overnight on the boat some place?” she asked.

“I know just the place where we can anchor,” I said. “If you think you can trust a lecherous old man like me.”

“You seem pretty trustworthy,” she said with a sly grin before she gave me another kiss.

“OK, tomorrow it is,” I said. “Let me check our supplies.”

I stood up and went to the galley. She followed and looked over my shoulder as I looked through the drawers. “It looks like probably all we need to pick up is some meat, milk, and ice.”

“I’ll buy it,” she offered.

“No, this is my ship, and the rule is the Captain always buys,” I said. “But I’ll let you cook if you want. You just bring an overnight bag.”

“OK,” she said. “I think I can do that. This will be fun. I can hardly wait.”

We exchanged another kiss. ‘She can hardly wait; hell, I can hardly wait,’ I thought to myself.

“Do you want to go back and have another drink, or have one here on the boat?” I offered.

“I’m not much of a drinker and two is about my limit. But thanks anyway,” she said. “I should go home and get ready for the big trip.”

“Let’s get out of here then,” I said, “You can put your sandals on up in the cockpit. I’ll get the lights.”

She started up the ladder. As I viewed her from the rear, I thought to myself, ‘what did I do to deserve this?’ I went forward and turned out the lights. When I got back into the main cabin, I saw the beautiful creature sitting there. “Could you please do the straps on these sandals for me? I always have a hard time with them,” she asked sweetly.

“Your wish is my command,” I said gallantly as I stood on the first rung of the ladder and reached her beautiful feet in the cockpit. “How’s that?” I asked as I as I turned off the battery switch and came up into the cockpit.

“You’re so wonderful,” she said as I slid the back door in the slot. I closed the hatch and secured the lock. She sat on the back of the seat and spun around and stood up on the finger pier. She walked to the main pier as I stepped onto the finger pier and refastened the lifeline gate.

“Will you walk me home?” she asked as we started down the pier.

When we got to the top of the ramp, she waited for me to open the gate. I held it for her as she walked through. “Thank you sir,” she said as she gave me a little peck on the cheek. “Do you want to put on a show for your buddies in the bar?” she teased.

“No, let’s not,” I said. “Let them use their imagination,” I said as we started walking toward the apartment complex. We talked as we walked down the sidewalk and up to her door. She pulled the keys out of her purse and dropped them as she started to put them in the lock. I reached down and picked them up, put them in the lock, and unlocked the door.

“Thank you. I have a hard time with holding things since the accident. I’d invite you in, but the place is a mess, and I’m still not unpacked completely,” she said as she gave me a passionate kiss. “I’ll be ready at ten.”

“See you then,” I said as she went into her apartment, turned, and smiled when she mouthed a kiss.

I walked over to my place and went in and sat down. I turned on the tube, but couldn’t get interested in anything. My thoughts were with the beauty just on the other side of the creek.

I was up early and made a quick run to the grocery store. I packed a small bag. I had a complete toiletry supply on the boat. I knocked on her door promptly at ten. She opened the door and welcomed me with a kiss and invited me in.

“This place isn’t a mess,” I said. “You should see mine.”

She was wearing a white sweatshirt and cutoff jeans. Her long, nicely tanned legs were tantalizing. “I’ve been up since five,” she said. “I’m so excited that I could hardly sleep. I’m ready I think. Will these shoes work?”

“Those will be great. Let me carry your bag,” I offered.

“OK, I’ll carry the picnic basket,” she said. “Do I need to bring a sleeping bag?”

“No, we have plenty of blankets on board,” I said.

“I’m ready then,” she said.

“What all do you have in the bag? We’re just going overnight,” I said as I picked up her large duffel bag.

“Just stuff I might need,” she said. “You know how women are, or have you forgotten?”

“No, I remember,” I said as we walked out the door. She pulled the door shut behind us, and we began walking to the marina. The bar was empty when we walked by. I said hi to one of my buddies as he held the gate at the top of the ramp for us. We walked to the end of the pier. “Did you see the look on Larry’s face?” I said.

“Yes,” she said. “He looked pretty envious. Your sailboat is more beautiful in the daylight than it was last night. I wanted to thank you for last night and for not trying to take advantage of me.”

“Deb, I really like you a lot and want to build a relationship with you. You know you’re just about perfect for me,” I said as I hoisted the bags over the safety line and put them on the seat. I released the gate and pulled the boat next to the finger pier and Deb stepped on board. I followed and unlocked the cabin door. I slid back the hatch and stowed the door. “Why don’t you stow our stuff below, and I’ll get the sails ready?” She went down the ladder, and I passed her the bags. I noticed that she was having a bit of trouble with her heavy duffel bag. “Do you need any help with that?” I asked.

“No, I think I can manage OK,” she replied. “If I’m going to work on this boat, I need to pull my own weight.”

I readied the jib and tied on the sheets and ran them down each side through the blocks. I took the cover off of the main sail. The lazy jacks held it in place. I put out the cushions, and I was ready topside so I went below. “How are you doing down here, Mate?” I said, noticing that she was a bit weepy.

She walked over to me and looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “Would you just take me in your arms and hold me?” she said softly. “It’s been two years since I’ve been really held.”

I put my arms around her and drew her close to me. Her warmth felt good. This was wonderful.

My hands touched what felt like a corset on her back. I just held her for a few minutes.

“Thank you. I really needed that,” she said. “You are so gentle. I appreciate that in a man”

“Are you wearing a back brace?” I asked in a concerned voice.

“No, that is my harness that you felt,” she said. “I guess we haven’t talked about that. You’ll find out anyway; I guess I should tell you.”

I had a puzzled look on my face.

“What you felt is the harness that holds my prosthetic arms,” she said. “I lost both arms in the accident that killed my husband two years ago.”

I was dumbfounded. “You have artificial arms? I didn’t even notice,” I said. “They look so real.”

“Without my prosthetic arms, I’m pretty helpless,” she said. “I only have very short stumps. These arms are myoelectric and need to be recharged every night. They have a new covering that looks and feels like skin. They are also the reason I drop things and have trouble with little straps on shoes.”

“Wow” was all I could say. This was my dream come true.

“I brought my old manual arms with the hooks. That’s what makes my bag so big and heavy,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. We can still go, can’t we?”

“You bet we can. Let’s get ready to cast off,” I said. “We’ll get along just fine.”

“Thank you. You don’t know how much this and you mean to me,” she said as she gave me a very passionate kiss.

“Let’s do it,” I said. I looked down at the battery switch. “Good girl, you remembered how to turn on the power.” I went up to the cockpit and turned on the blower switch, then came back down into the main cabin.

“What’s that noise?” she asked.

“Those are the blowers. We need to run them for at least five minutes to be sure that any flammable vapors are cleaned out of the engine compartment,” I said. “An explosion on a boat is something neither of us want to experience.”

“I’ve had a lifetime worth of those experiences,” she replied with a shudder. “That is something I never want to go through again.”

It was obvious that I had struck a tender chord with her past. “Let’s check to be sure things are stowed. If we hit a wake or a big wave, it can make a mess,” I said as I began to tidy up a bit around the galley.

“I’d help, but I don’t know where things go,” she said.

“Could you put those magazines in the rack over there?” I asked. It was amazing to watch her use her prosthetic arms to pick up the magazines and maneuver them into the rack.

“TA DA,” she said as she dropped them in the rack. “How did the poor armless girl do?”

“You did wonderful,” I said as I kissed her again. I helped her with a life jacket and then put on mine. “Let’s start the engine now.” We went topside to the cockpit. I turned the key and the engine came to life. “We need to let it warm up a little,” I said as I checked the exhaust.

“Now what are you doing?” she quizzed.

“I’m checking to be sure the cooling pump is working. On a boat, you don’t have a radiator like a car. Water comes in from below and is pumped out through the exhaust,” I said. “Without it, we would soon overheat and be stuck out there.”

“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

“Why don’t you just sit right here while I untie us?” I said. She sat where I had instructed as I stepped onto the finger pier. I untied the spring lines, then the bow. “Are you ready for this?” I asked as I untied the stern line and gave a little push away from the pier as I stepped on board.

“Oh yes, this is so much fun,” she said with a huge smile on her face.

I put the boat in gear, and we began to move forward. I moved the tiller a bit to get us out away from the other boats and into the center of the channel. When we cleared the breakwater, I increased the throttle.

“Would you like to take the helm?” I asked.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said tentatively. “I might hit something.” She moved in beside me.

“All you need to do is steer now. There is nothing out here for you to hit,” I instructed as she put one of her prosthetic hands on the tiller.

“Sam, it’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun,” she said as she gave me a little kiss. “How far do we get to go?”

“Not too far, but because we’re sailing, it will take a while to get there,” I said.

“It has always been my dream to go to some little cove and sit in the moonlight,” she said softly.

“That’s the kind of place I had in mind for tonight. Turn to starboard,” I said. “To the right.”

She moved the tiller, and the boat responded. “What’s that thing do?” she said as she pointed.

“That’s the radar,” I said. “It sees things in the dark or fog that we can’t. See that thick wavy line. That’s the shoreline, and that missing part with the line through it is where we’re going to be headed eventually. It’s called Full Moon Cove. That round white thing about halfway up the mast is where the signals come from.”

“That’s amazing. What do these other things do?”

“The display with the wavy line and the numbers is the depth sounder. Right now, we’re in two hundred feet of water. The wavy line is the bottom underneath the boat. Sometimes it will show fish too. We really don’t need it now, but we will when we get in close to shore,” I said. “The other is a GPS. It receives signals from satellites and plots our position electronically. It can give us a latitude and longitude reading anywhere in the world and tell us within three hundred feet exactly where we are. It’s connected to the laptop computer in the cabin and the auto-pilot. We can plot a course, and the boat will steer itself and tell you when you get there.”

“Will it make dinner too?” she joked.

“Not quite,” I replied.

“Good. I wouldn’t want to lose my job,” she said with a grin. I put my arm around her and held her close. “Thank you; that feels good.”

There was just a light breeze blowing. “Are you ready to sail this thing?” I asked.

“I suppose so,” she said. “What do I do?”

“You’re going to steer, and I’ll run around and do everything else. We need to head directly into the wind while I put up the sails,” I said. “See that little red arrow up on top of the mast? Just turn the boat until the arrow is pointing straight ahead.”

She began to turn the boat into the wind as I released the main sheet. “Watch out for the boom,” I cautioned and then went to the mast. I pulled up the main sail out of the lazy jacks and secured the halyard. I went back to the cockpit and let out the roller furling on the jib. I guessed where the sheet on the leeward side should be and tied it off. I tied off the main sheet. “We’re ready to sail. Turn a little to port; that’s to the left.” As she did, the sails began to fill with wind. I put it in neutral and turned off the engine. “We’re under sail,” I said. “It’s all up to you now.”

“I don’t have the foggiest idea what I’m doing,” she said nervously.

“You’re doing just great,” I encouraged. “See those pieces of yarn through the little window in the sail up there? Just steer the boat so that both of the pieces of yarn are streaming straight back. She let the boat fall off a little more, and soon the yarns were both streaming back. I tightened the jib sheet with the winch and wrapped the cleat. “How are you doing?” I asked.

“This is fun,” she said. “I never pictured myself sailing a boat. When the boat leans to its side, it makes me feel a bit nervous—even with this life jacket on.”

“If it feels too uncomfortable for you, turn back into the wind and the boat will straighten up again,” I said as I relaxed beside my dream girl. “Then you can fall back off again.”

She tried it and then brought it back on course. “It’s impossible to make this sailboat lay too far over. It just won’t do it with all of the weight in the keel and all of the wind spills out of the sails. I’ll show you a picture of the bottom when we break for lunch.”

“I’m feeling more confident all the time,” she said.

We sailed until the wind dropped at about two o’clock. We had the delicious fried chicken that she had brought along. I helped her remove her sweatshirt and revealed the tee shirt that she had been wearing beneath it. I was fascinated watching her use her prosthetic arms and hands. “You really do quite well with those prosthetic arms,” I commented.

“Thanks. I have two choices,” she said very directly. “I can use prosthetic arms, or it’s teeth and toes. I chose the arms. Some people don’t though. I’ve had a lot of training and practice. It’s lucky I had a good lawyer and can afford these arms.”

“Do you want to tell me about the accident?” I asked, “You don’t have to.”

“I don’t mind telling you, because I really like you a lot,” she began. “We were on our way home from shopping after work. It was winter and dark. The crossing gate wasn’t working when we crossed the railroad track. Neither one of us saw the train. I remember the screeching of metal. The next thing I remember is waking up three days later in the hospital with no arms and no husband. They said he died instantly and that, when I was thrown out of the car, my arms were up over my head when the car landed on them. Another inch or two and it would have landed on my head. My hands and arms were pinned under the part of the car that caught fire. They were literally burned off.”

“You must have been in a lot of pain,” I said softly.

“Yes at first, but they kept me pretty doped up,” she continued. “My stumps were longer, but the surgeons had to shorten them to get rid of the burnt flesh and do the plastic surgery. They would have been pretty ugly otherwise. It took a couple of months of recovery before I could even begin rehab. At first, they taught me how to use my toes to pick up things. Next, I was fitted with the manual hooks that are in the bag. I can get along quite well with them. The jury was good to me, and now I can afford these myoelectric arms. I really like them. They look so real that most people don’t notice that they’re artificial.”

“I sure didn’t,” I said.

“The only problem is that they need to be recharged every night. I have to take them off and plug them into a regular wall socket overnight. If I don’t, they won’t work the next day. The problem is, I can’t get them back on by myself. If I were to take them off now, I doubt if I could get them back on. I’ve hired a physical therapist to come in every day to give me a bath, massage my stumps, and help me get my arms back on. She wasn’t real happy about getting up at five this morning.”

The afternoon wind came up, and she sailed the boat like a trouper. She was gaining more confidence each time that we would tack. All too soon, the sun started to go down. She held the boat into the wind while I wound up the jib on the roller furling. I released the halyard and dropped the mainsail. I’m always amazed how easily the lazy jacks work. I snapped the sail cover in place. We started the engine. “Set a course of one-nine-zero,” I instructed.

“Aye, aye Captain,” she said as she turned the boat around.

“We have about a half hour run to get to where we anchor,” I said as I cuddled in beside her. “Did you have fun?”

“You don’t know how much it means. This is wonderfully therapeutic for me. It’s real easy for me to sit around and feel sorry for myself,” she said. “You know, you’re pretty special too.”

I took the tiller as we cruised into the cove. It was deserted, and we had the place to ourselves. I watched the depth finder and eased back on the throttle as the bottom started to come up. I had been here many times alone and knew that the anchorage was excellent anywhere in the cove.

“Deb, how’s this?” I asked as I put the boat in reverse and came to a stop. We were in thirty feet of water in the middle of a little tree-lined bay.

“Oh, Sam, this is beautiful,” she said breathlessly.

“OK, let me drop anchor,” I said.

“What can I do to help?” she asked.

“You can back up the boat when I tell you to. Just move this lever to the rear when I signal, and then move it to where it is now when we’re through,” I said as I went to the bow. I dropped the anchor and watched the tags as the chain came rattling out of the locker and disappearing into the blackened water. At seventy-five feet, I stopped the chain’s descent and signaled for Deb to put the boat in reverse. We started moving slowly backwards, and I could feel the chain begin to straighten out and the boat stop. I signaled for Deb to put the boat in neutral, and we started slowly drifting forward. “Good job,” I said as I stepped back into the cockpit.

“Are you sure, or are you just saying that?” she said.

“You did just fine,” I said. “Let’s be sure that the anchor is set.” I put the boat in reverse again. As we reached the end of the chain, I increased the throttle. When we didn’t go anywhere, I put it in neutral and turned off the engine. The quiet was instantaneous and wonderful. “We’re here,” I announced.

She came over and kissed me and whispered: “This is so peaceful and romantic. I could stay here with you forever.”

She fixed dinner, and I broiled the steaks. We ate dinner below in the main cabin by the light of the oil lamp. After dinner, I did the dishes. She put her sweatshirt back on, and we went back up on deck with a blanket—just as the full moon came up.

“Let’s sit out here and enjoy it,” I said. We sat down on one of the side seats and put the blanket over us. I leaned back against the bulkhead, and she snuggled up in my arms. ‘It just doesn’t get any better than this,’ I thought to myself as we sat there in the moonlight. We chatted for a long time. I could feel the chemistry continue to build between the two of us. She responded with a passionate kiss when I placed my hand on her breast.

“I don’t know how to ask you this, because I’ve never done this before,” she said. “I really like you, and I don’t want to foul up a great new friendship, because I really do like you a lot.”

“Go ahead and ask,” I said.

She closed her eyes and swallowed. “I want you to make love to me tonight,” she said softly.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?” I replied.

“Yes, I think that you want to as badly as I want you to,” she said. “I haven’t been with a man in over two years, since Jerry was killed.”

“You’re right. I do want to make love to you,” I said. “Let’s just sit here and talk for a while longer. We don’t get this many beautiful evenings.” She was sitting between my legs and leaned back against my chest as we talked interspersed with kissing and light breast massage and fondling.

After about an hour, we decided to go below. I went down the ladder into the cabin first and held out my hand for her. I slid the back door into place and slid the hatch closed. I held her close and kissed her as we stood in the middle of the cabin bathed in the soft glow of the oil lamp.

“I want to take my arms off,” she said. “Promise that you’ll help me put them back on. I can’t get them back on myself. I’m helpless and vulnerable without them.”

“I’ll take good care of you.” I said as I lifted the sweatshirt over her head. Next, I removed her tee shirt, then her bra to expose her harness and those very ample breasts. She moaned as I fondled them and ran my fingers around her very erect upright nipples. I released the cross straps on her shoulder harness, and she bent forward and raised her arms over her head. I gently pulled on the harness, and both arms and the harness came off as one unit. I turned around and placed them on the rear bunk. “Will they be OK there?” I asked.

“Yes, It felt like the batteries were about run down anyway. I’ve been wearing them since early morning,” she replied. “It really feels good to get those heavy things off.”

I turned back to her. She was standing there, as beautiful a creature as you would ever want to find—especially for a devotee. The stumps of her little arms only came down to about the line of her nipples. I removed my shirt to bare my chest. She came over to me and put her arm stubs on my shoulders as I held her close and we engaged in a wildly passionate kiss. I unbuttoned her cutoffs and slid the zipper down. They fell down around her ankles, and she stepped out of them. I unbuttoned my jeans and slid my zipper down. She dropped to her knees and, using her little arm stubs, pulled my pants down to my knees. She used just her teeth to pull down my shorts.

I finished removing my pants and shorts, then I removed my shoes and socks. Her white bikini panties were dripping wet when I slid my hand down into her crotch before I pulled them down. We were both standing there totally nude. “That feels so good,” she moaned as I began to fondle her magnificent breasts again. “Please do my little arm stumps too.” Her stubs were so soft and supple. She was standing on her tiptoes and writhing as I gently massaged her little arm stumps. It was exciting for me too.

I turned off the oil lamp. I led her to the forward birth and had her lie down, then I began to rub my hands all over her. She was getting more aroused by the minute. She squealed when I licked the scars on the tips of her little arm stubs. I could tell it was driving her wild. I put my head between her legs and began teasing her inner thighs with my tongue. She grew more excited the higher I went. Almost as soon as my tongue touched her clitoris she exploded into a wild orgasm. She moaned and then screamed as she writhed in ecstasy. She gasped for breath. She could hardly speak when she said: “I want you in me now, but I want you to wear a condom. If you don’t have one, I have one in my bag.”

“I have some here in the drawer,” I said as I retrieved a package from the drawer. I removed the packaging and quickly unrolled it. I was soon on top of her. She had her long slender legs wrapped around me as we both climaxed simultaneously. We tried several other positions; each climax was as great as the last. She went absolutely wild when I had her sit on top of me while I held her by her little stub arms and massaged her scars with my thumbs. We were both totally exhausted as we lay there together afterwards. I got up and cleaned our love juices with a towel.

“Why do you have condoms on your boat?” she asked jokingly.

“I need to be ready in case a beautiful armless girl comes aboard and wants me to ravage her body,” I replied.

“You have permission to ravage me any time you want,” she said as she began to passionately kiss me again.

I crawled back into the birth beside her. I pulled the covers up over us as we lay there together. “Do you have anything to do tomorrow?” I asked.

“No,” she replied. “I want to spend the day with you, if you don’t mind.”

“I want to spend more than a day with you,” I said. “In the morning, let’s plan a trip.”

“Oh, can we,” she said. “I just want to be with you.” I held her close, and we drifted off to sleep to the gentle lapping of water on the hull.

The sun was streaming through the porthole when I opened my eyes. It took me a moment to realize where I was and how I had gotten into the birth with this beautiful armless woman. I quietly slipped out of the birth, trying not to disturb her. As I did, Deb rolled over and exposed one of her little arm stubs. I could feel Mr. Happy begin to enjoy the sight. I went in the head for my morning relief, then grabbed my clothes and went into the main cabin. I quickly got dressed. I lit a burner on the stove to take the chill off of the cabin and opened the curtains. It was going to be another beautiful day.

I sat down on the rear bunk and began to examine Deb’s prosthetic arms. The skin cover felt so natural; it was amazing. The fingers had what looked like polished acrylic nails. I found the socket that she uses to plug in the charger. That got me thinking. I examined how they were made. The shoulder harness was made out of a soft flesh-colored plastic. The shoulder joints were ingeniously designed to allow her to elevate her arm to the side, as well as to the front and rear. I looked down into the sockets and could see the sensors that picked up the signals sent out by the remaining muscles in her little stubs. There also appeared to be some sensors on the shoulder harness.

“Those are pretty amazing, aren’t they?” Deb said as I jumped.

“You startled me. I didn’t hear you get up,” I said as I looked up at the nude armless beauty standing in the doorway. “They certainly are. Did it take you a long time to learn how to use them?”

“I’m still learning,” she replied. “These have new biofeedback sensors so that I can tell how hard I’m grabbing things. They say that it will make them easier to use, but the jury is still out.”

“Do you want to get dressed?” I asked.

“What’s the matter, don’t you like seeing me like this?” she replied.

“I don’t mind looking at you at all,” I said. “I really enjoy it. I just thought that you might be a little bit chilly.”

“No, it’s nice and cozy in here. Do you mind that I only have these little stubs for arms?” she said as she held out her arm stubs toward me. Then she walked over and sat down beside me.

“No, that’s one of the things that makes you special,” I said. “I think that you are the most beautiful person that I have ever met.”

“Even if I’m this disfigured?”

“Yes!” I said. “Especially because you are disfigured, as you put it. I have a confession to make. I’m what’s known as a devotee.”

“Aw shit!” she said as she jumped to her feet and ran into the forward birth.

I could hear her crying. I just sat there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, I could feel the boat move and she appeared in the doorway again.

“Please sit down,” I said softly.

She sat down and turned to me with tears streaming down her face. “Damn it, I fell, and fell hard for you, and now you tell me you’re some kind of pervert!” she said as her voice cracked.

“Do you know what a devotee is?” I said.

“Yes, we were warned about guys like you in training,” she said angrily. “I got picked up by one back in the Midwest while I was still in rehab. When he attacked me, I found out what kind of weapons were hanging where my arms once were. I really did a number on that guy, but he deserved it.”

“Now think for a moment; did I attack you last night or the night before; did I try to take advantage of you; did I force you to have the best sex that we both have had in a long time?” I said.

“No,” she replied quietly.

“Yes, being a devotee means that I am especially attracted to women that are missing limbs,” I said. “But think back for a couple of days; we were attracted to each other before I even knew of your condition.”

“I suppose you’re right, but . . . ,” she said as I interrupted.

“Damn it Deb! I like you because you’re you. All of you,” I said emphatically. “Not just because you only have little arm stubs. Hell, that’s just the icing on the cake for me. I’m a devotee who wants to do nice things for you and help you, not beat on you.”

“Sam, thank you for making me listen,” she said. “After my first experience, I’m scared what someone might do to me. Hell, if someone took my arms off, I’m completely defenseless. They could do anything they want to me, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. That’s why I asked you to walk me home the other night.” She moved over and snuggled close, then said: “I think that we should go back to the front birth again. Why don’t you turn off the stove while I use the head?”

We got up, and I turned off the stove while she went into the head. “I’m going to need a little help here,” she said from inside the little room. I opened the door to see her sitting there with her little arm stubs hanging limply from her beautiful shoulders and almost in line with the nipples on her ample breasts. “Could you please wipe me?” she said sheepishly. “I can’t do it without my arms on.” I reached down and wiped her. She squirmed a bit when I hit her spot. She got up and crawled into the birth as I flushed the marine toilet. As I walked into the room, she said, “Why don’t you take your clothes off and join me?”

I didn’t need a second invitation.

The sex that followed was wild and wonderful, and soon we were exhausted.

“I’m sorry about before. I should have known that you were different from that other jerk,” she said as she lay there kind of on top of me with an arm stub across my chest.

“That’s OK,” I said. “I understand where you were coming from. I’ve decided that I’m going to be in this relationship for the long term, and it was something about me you needed to know.”

“Thank you for being honest and up-front with me,” she said. “I want to be in this relationship for the long term too.” She crawled completely on top of me, and we engaged in a passionate kiss. “Let me know when you’re ready for breakfast.”

After a while, we got up. I helped her put on her bra and panties. I helped her put on her stump socks and get into the harness for her manual prosthetic arms. They were flesh-colored fiberglass with shiny stainless steel hooks. I helped her with her tee shirt, and she put on her own cutoff jeans while I got dressed. “It looks like you use those arms quite well,” I observed.

“Thanks,” she said, accompanied by a little kiss. “They’re a lot different to use, but they’re OK. They’re kind of like doing things with metal chopsticks.”

I marveled at her dexterity as she fixed breakfast for us. She asked me to cut her food when we sat down to eat. “I can do it, but it takes me a while,” she said. We finished breakfast and cleared the dinette table. She sat and looked at the charts while I did the dishes.

“Where do you want to go?” I asked.

“I don’t know. How much time do you have?” she asked.

“A couple of months if you want. The weather stays pretty nice here through September,” I said. “After that, the rains set in and it isn’t nearly as much fun.”

“We could go to the Caribbean then,” she said.

“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it,” I said. “How much time do you have?”

“As much time as we need,” she replied. “The only plan I have is to get you into bed some place tonight. Where it is, I don’t care.” We engaged in a rather passionate kiss again.

“I don’t know if I can keep up,” I said. “But I’ll try. How about if we start with the San Juan Islands?”

“That would be great. How soon can we start?” she said excitedly.

“Tell you what. Let’s head back now. We can sail or motor back. I want you to call the company that makes your myoelectric arms and see if we can rig up some kind of charging arrangement for here on the boat—maybe with a solar panel. That way, you can probably use your myoelectric arms every two days.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “I really don’t mind using these hooks if you don’t mind seeing me in them.”

“Deb, I don’t mind,” I said. “I made the suggestion because that’s what I thought that you wanted.”

“I can do just about anything with the hooks that I can with the hands. But I still can’t lift heavy things with either one,” she said. “Sometimes it’s harder switching back and forth. Let’s not worry about it.”

“OK then. Hooks for you it is Mate. Let’s head back and load up on supplies and clothes,” I said. “We’ll load up this afternoon and overnight at my place.”

“Aye, aye Captain,” she said as she gave a salute with one of her shiny hooks.

“Start the blowers, Mate. I’ll make ready to weigh anchor,” I said as we started topside. She started the blowers as I checked the forward deck. After our five minutes were up, I had her start the engine. I stepped on the switch, the anchor windlass sprang to life, and the anchor chain started retrieving itself into the chain locker. I had her drive the boat forward, and soon the anchor was free. I finished retrieving the anchor chain and stowed the anchor. She had swung the boat around and was heading for the entrance to the cove by the time I got back to the cockpit. I went below and grabbed my camera and snapped a picture.

“Don’t take my picture,” she said as she stood at the helm with her hooks firmly holding the tiller. “My hair is a mess.”

I smiled and said: “That one’s for the scrapbook. There’s not enough wind to sail this morning. Just aim for home.”

I took the tiller as we rounded the breakwater by the marina. “Do you need my help landing, or can I go below now?” she asked.

“I can get it. Go ahead,” I said as she disappeared into the cabin. I turned into the marina and eased to a stop in my space. I got out and tied up, got back on board, and stopped the engine before I went below. I was surprised to see Deb naked from the waist up, with her arms and hooks off. I had a puzzled look on my face.

“You have one last chance to fondle my breasts before we get back to my place,” she said. “And don’t forget to fondle these little arm stubs too.”

I obliged her request and soon my hand was down in her pants.

“Get your hand out of there,” she said.

“What are you going to do about it?” I teased as my fingers found her private parts.

“I’m going to give you exactly one hour to quit that,” she replied with a big grin on her face. I fondled her a while longer and then became involved in passionate kissing. “I want to wear my other arms up to the apartment,” she said. “I don’t want anyone else around here to know that I don’t have any arms. I worry about being attacked when I’m alone. OK?”

“I understand,” I said as I picked up her myoelectric arms. She leaned forward and stuck her arm stubs over her head. I slipped the sockets over her little stubs and slid the harness down to her shoulders. She straightened up and let her arms fall to her side. I attached the front strap just below her breasts. “Anything?” I said as I saw her moving her shoulders a little.

“No, they’re dead. I thought they probably would be,” she replied. “Help me put my clothes on, and we can fake it until we get up to my place.” I obliged and replaced her bra, tee shirt, and sweatshirt. “Thanks,” she said and sealed it with a kiss. “Let’s leave these hooks here on board; that way you won’t have to pack them back down here. I have another set of hooks in my apartment.”

I gathered all of our things and put everything in her large duffel. I shut off the batteries, and we went topside. I had to do everything for her. She could swing her arm but couldn’t bend the elbow or open her fingers. I released the gate on the safety line and held her upper arm as she stepped onto the finger pier. She walked out to the main pier as I locked up and stepped onto the finger pier.

The restaurant was still deserted when we walked by. I fished her key out of her purse and opened the door. We walked in, and I shut the door behind us. “Thank you for being so kind,” she said as she slipped out of her shoes. “Forgive me for ever doubting your sincerity.”

“I am the way that I am, and you are the way you are. We just need to accept each other the way we are,” I said. “Circumstances change, people don’t.”

“It would take wild horses to drag you away from me now,” she said.

“Well you’re safe,” I joked. “Horses aren’t allowed in the apartment complex.”

“Oh good,” she replied as we walked into the bedroom. “Please help me take off these arms that died.” I removed her clothing that I had just put on her down on at the boat and removed her arms and left her standing there in just her cutoffs. “Set them over there and plug it into that cord,” she directed.

I plugged them into the charger, and a red light came on that read ‘RAPID CHARGE.’ “Do you want help with your other arms?” I asked.

“Not yet, I want to take a bath. Will you help me?” she asked as she rubbed her breasts on my shirt.

We walked into the bathroom, and I started the bath water. I sat on the edge of the tub as I pulled down her cutoffs and panties. I drew her close and gently kissed her pubic hair. I stood up and helped her get into the tub and sit down. She slid way down and put a foot up on the wall. I went into the kitchen. I noticed a note with a key on it on the kitchen counter. I walked back into the bathroom and said, “There was a note and a key on the kitchen counter.”

“What does the note say?” she asked.

I began to read the note. “Dear Deb. Please consider this note my resignation. I find the hours you keep and not even the courtesy to let me know that you would not be home this morning to be totally unacceptable. My resignation is immediate. Sincerely, Jane.”

“Well hell, now what am I going to do for an attendant?” she said rather dejectedly.

“Can I apply for the job?” I said.

“Do you realize what all the job entails?” she said. “You would have to wash my back, and other parts, every day. You would have to massage these poor little stumps every day. You would have to help me put on my prosthetic arms every day.”

“I think I can handle that,” I said as I kneeled down beside the tub.

“You know that you would have to kiss me a lot and make mad passionate love and share a bed with me,” she said.

“I don’t know if I could keep up, but I’ll try,” I replied.

“OK. I’ll put you on a two-month trial, but only if you supply the sailboat,” she said. “Please wash my back.”

“Yes Ma’am!” I replied as I began washing her back and kissing her at the same time. Soon I was washing her front as well, and she was becoming quite aroused as I ran my fingers around her nipples and lightly touched the scars on her little arm stumps. I gently began to massage her clitoris, and soon she was thrashing around the bathtub having a full-blown orgasm. I was drenched as her little arm stumps flailed around in the water. Soon, there was water everywhere.

“Whoa, I’ve never had a bath like that before,” she said when she caught her breath. “Are you going to wash me like that every day?”

“If that’s what you want,” I replied.

“I don’t know if I can keep up, but I’ll try,” she said.

“I think that’s my line,” I retorted. “Do you want me to wash you some more?”

“I think that’s enough,” she replied. “Let’s get me dried off.” She stood up, and I began to dry her with a large fluffy bath towel. She stepped out of the tub, and I finished drying her, especially her firm breasts and arm stumps. The drying was of course interspersed with kissing. I brushed her hair. We went into the bedroom, and I helped her dress. We found some stump socks, and I helped her with her other manual hook prosthesis. They looked a lot like the ones on the boat except these had different hook terminal devices. “We can put some hands on these arms if we need to leave the apartment before the myoelectric arms are charged,” she said. “Why don’t you help me pack? There’s another large duffel in the front closet.”

I retrieved the duffel bag from the front closet. “How much more stuff are you going to take?” I asked. “You have about four feet of hanging closet space and three dresser drawers. I’ll need the rest.”

“I think I can just make it,” she said. “Please be a dear and reach the case on the top of this closet. I can’t work overhead with mechanical arms.” She continued to pack.

“Are you sure that you don’t want me to rig up a charging arrangement for the boat?” I asked.

“No. It’ll be all right. I got along pretty well without the myoelectric arms before. Besides, I’m worried about what the salt water might do to them,” she replied.

“Good point. Salt water can really raise hell with electronics if they’re not completely sealed,” I said. “What else can I get you?”

“How many days will we go without going to a Laundromat?” she asked. “We do get to wash clothes, don’t we?”

“Most marinas have laundry facilities, but let’s plan on ten days,” I said. “We have a cruising guide on board that tells what each marina has to offer. Sometimes ice can be a problem.”

“Let’s grab some dehydrated stuff when we’re at the grocery store, just in case,” she said. “I think I’m about ready. Let’s go to your place. There are hands in that drawer,” she pointed with a hook.

I opened the drawer and took out the hands. They certainly felt artificial—nothing like her others.

“Let me relax the operating cable. Now release the cable on the hook. Good. Now just unscrew the hook from the arm and screw the hand in. Great. Now do the other. Now help me put on a sweatshirt. Great. Now how do I look?” she said.

“Have I told you that you are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever known?” I said as she began to blush. “I’m serious.”

“Let’s get out of here before I attack you,” she said as she regained her composure. “We can come back later and get my stuff. Just put those hooks in my purse in case I need them at your place. These hands can’t grip anything. They’re just for looks.” She led the way, and I followed her into the living room. “Why don’t you take that key?” I picked up the key and opened the front door and closed it after us.

I opened the door to my apartment, and we went in. “This is done really nicely,” she complimented as I opened the curtains. I took a large bag down from the shelf in the hall closet and went into the bedroom. “So this is where we have sex,” she said as she sat on the bed.

“You keep that up, and I’ll have to ravage your body again,” I said as I began to pack my bag. Soon I was finished packing my duffel bag and a garment bag for hang-ups. I turned around and she was lying on the bed. I lay down beside her. “You don’t really want to have sex now, do you?” I asked.

“No, after last night, this morning, and the bath, I don’t think that I’m up to it,” she said with an ear-to-ear grin. “I’m saving myself for tonight. Are we going to leave tonight or in the morning?”

“What say we spend the night on land and tomorrow we’ll go to sea?” I said. “We still need to go to the grocery store. I have some videos here. We might want to get some more.” We lay there for a while, and soon we were asleep.

It was mid afternoon when we awoke. I kissed her and said, “We should be thinking about supplies.” She stirred and was soon awake. After a few more kisses and some nuzzling, we got up. “We can take my car,” I said as we left the apartment.

We walked into the grocery store, and I got a cart. She said, “Here, mold my fingers around the handle, and I’ll push the cart while you get the stuff.” It was a strange feeling for me to be wrapping her fingers around the shopping cart handle. We walked up and down the aisles, and soon the shopping cart was full. I released her fingers before we got in the checkout line. I paid for the groceries and put them in the car.

When we got to the marina, we got a dock cart and took our supplies down to the boat and stowed them. Of course the process took longer because of all of the kissing that kept happening somehow. It was dusk by the time we headed back to her apartment. “How about a bon-voyage dinner out?” I suggested.

“That would be wonderful,” she said. “Let’s get dressed up and go somewhere nice.”

“Great,” I said. “I’ll go get ready.”

“Before you go, will you help me put on my myoelectric arms?” she asked. “Once you do, I can do the rest myself.” I followed her into the bedroom; she turned and faced me. I removed her sweatshirt. She held her mechanical arms over her head, and I took them off. “The stump socks too,” she said. “The myoelectric arms have a different lining, and the sensors need to touch my skin to work.” I removed her stump socks and tee shirt. “The bra too,” she said. I removed her bra and massaged her breasts a little. “I love to have you touch me like that,” she said. “You don’t know how much I want to touch you back.” I unplugged the charging cord from the myoelectric arms and slipped them down over her upraised little arm stumps. I fastened the front strap. “That’s great. I’ve got a couple to things to do,” she said as she began to move her hands and elbows. “Why don’t you go and get ready? I’ll come over when I get dressed.”

I gave her another kiss and then went to my place. I got dressed in slacks and blazer with a tie. I poured myself a drink and turned on the TV. In about an hour, there was a knock at my door. When I opened the door, I thought that my eyes were going to pop out of my head. She was beautiful before, but now she was absolutely stunning. She was wearing a short black dress that showed off her wonderfully long legs especially in the high heels. The sleeves came down just far enough to hide the top of her prosthetic arms, and the collar scooped low enough to show plenty of cleavage, and wide enough to show all of the roundness of her breasts. Her hair was teased slightly, and her makeup was perfect. The diamond necklace and earrings fit the outfit perfectly.

“Wow” is all that I could say. After a long pause, I managed to invite her in. “Deb, you are absolutely stunning. You were beautiful before, but now . . . I can’t describe it,” I stammered.

“You’re embarrassing me,” she said as her face began to redden. “I’m still the same person,” she said and gave me a kiss. “All I did is change clothes.”

“I . . . I . . . I know, but it’s how well you wear them,” I said. “Come on in.”

“I’ve got some good news,” she said. “I talked to Ted.”

“Who’s Ted?” I asked suspiciously.

“He’s my prosthetist, in Utah,” she said. “I ordered new myoelectric arms that will have replaceable batteries. He’ll get me extra batteries and a twelve-volt charger. They’ll be skin colored fiberglass and have a mechanical look.”

“That’s great,” I said. “Are you going with hooks or hands?”

“I don’t know. I’m leaning toward hooks,” she said. “What do you prefer?”

“Hell, I don’t know. I think that hooks look pretty cool, but I’m not the one wearing them,” I said. “You look great with hands too.”

“I’ll go with hooks then, if you don’t mind,” she replied. “He also is building a charging cord for these arms that will charge on twelve-volts. He said that salt water spray shouldn’t bother these arms or the new ones either; although, we might have some trouble if they got dunked and stayed under any length of time.”

“Well, you’ve really been busy for the last hour,” I said. “All that ordering and making yourself gorgeous too.” She came over and gave me a kiss. “How soon are you getting all this good stuff?” I asked.

“That’s another little question I have,” she said hesitantly. “Where were we planning on being on Friday?”

“Probably somewhere near San Juan Island,” I replied. “Why?”

“Is there an airport there?” she asked.

“Yes. A small paved strip,” I said. “Why?”

“Because that’s when Ted will be here with my new arms,” she said. “I’ll just have him fly out there to do the fitting. That way we won’t have to interrupt our trip.”

“Will he do that?” I asked.

“He knows that he’ll get paid. It’s part of the court order,” she said. “Besides, he doesn’t get many DAE women, and he treats me special.”

“I’d like to treat you special,” I said as I gave her a hug.

“Ted said that he would like to talk to you about the recharging system. We can call him now if you want.”

“OK,” I replied. She dialed the phone and asked for Ted. She told him what kind of hooks she wanted and talked a bit more, then handed me the phone. I talked with him. He seemed like a very intelligent individual who knew his trade. I gave him the charging capacity of the auxiliary engine and told him that we could increase the alternator size if necessary. We discussed the possibility of adding a third separate battery system that could be either solar recharged or recharged using shore power. We also discussed the possibility of using a wind charger. I gave him my cell phone number, and he said that he would see us in a week. I hung up and said: “He seems like a real sharp fellow. He’ll be here in a week.”

“I’ve got some other good news too,” she said excitedly. “Now when are you going to feed this poor armless girl?”

“Let’s go,” I replied. “I have reservations in a nice place across town. I’ll be damned if I’m going to share you with that bunch in the marina bar.” I held the door for her and locked it behind us.

Chapter 2

We talked about the trip all the way to the restaurant. I had the valet park the car. The hostess showed us to a quiet table overlooking the city. We chatted about her new arms while we had cocktails. She was really excited. She told me that Ted had a plaster bust of her in the shop and worked from that. We ordered dinner and soon were enjoying our food. We were both really excited about the trip. A three-piece band was playing softly in the bar. We went in and had a drink. It was wonderful holding her while we danced a slow dance. Every eye in the place was on the beauty I was holding. We went back to our table and sat down. I about lost it when she crossed her legs. Her stunning beauty was almost more than I could handle. The absolutely crazy thing about this odyssey was that she was as crazy about me as I was about her. We went back to my apartment.

“I didn’t tell you my other good news,” she said as we walked in.

“Well, the suspense is killing me,” I said.

“I received my HIV test, and it’s negative,” she said with a sigh. “I wasn’t concerned about getting pregnant. I’ve had my tubes tied. I was concerned about my exposure to HIV because of the blood transfusions after the accident.”

“That’s great,” I said. “I tested negative too.”

“I want to spend the night in your bed tonight,” she said as she kissed me. “I want you to go barefooted.”

“What about charging your arms?” I asked.

“Let’s just go down to my place and put them on the charger and come back here,” she said. We went to her apartment. I unlocked it, and we walked in. “If you unzip the back of my dress and slip it down to my waist, you should be able to undo the front strap.” I unzipped her dress and let it drop around her waist. I released the front strap, then lifted her arms and harness as she held her arms over her head and leaned forward. I set the arms down and plugged in the charger. The ‘RAPID CHARGE’ light came on. By the time I straightened up, she had turned around with her back to me. I reached around and fondled both of her breasts. “I want to go to your place,” she said. “Just pull my dress back up and zip me up.”

“What about arms?” I asked. “Don’t you want your hooks?”

“No. I don’t think so,” she replied. “I want to be totally at your mercy tonight.”

“Well, OK,” I said as I zipped her up. I put a light coat over her shoulders, and we left her apartment. We started up the path to my apartment. On the way, we passed Larry and said hi. He had that same envious look.

“Do you think he noticed that I didn’t have my arms on?” she asked as we got to the door.

I unlocked the door and replied, “No, he was too busy looking at your beautiful legs to notice much of anything else.” We went in, and I removed her light coat. It looked a little strange to see her wandering around my apartment all dressed up, in heels, with just the tips of her little arm stubs showing below the abbreviated sleeves of her dress. I didn’t mind at all as did Mr. Happy, who was now erect and at the ready.

She sat down on the couch and crossed those beautiful long legs. “Sam, you told me that you are a devotee,” she said.

“Yes,” I said tentatively, not knowing where the question was leading.

“I read that male devotees usually have pictures of female amputees,” she said. “Do you have any?”

“Yes,” I confessed. “They are on the computer.”

“Can I see them?” she asked.

“I suppose,” I replied. “Why do you want to see them?”

“I want to see my competition,” she said.

“None of them can hold a candle to you,” I said as I turned on the computer. “Remember I put all of these on the computer before I met you.” The computer warmed up, and I signed on using my password. I called up the first image and looked at Deb’s face. It was a picture of a bilateral high DAE, much the same as her. I looked at her, and she looked back at me and gave me a little grin. I brought up another image and got the same reaction. We continued until we had looked at close to fifty, mostly DAEs. “Do you want to see any more?” I asked.

“I think that I’ve seen enough,” she said as she got up and struck several provocative poses. “I didn’t realize that there were so many DAEs,” she said.

“There aren’t,” I replied. “Most are figments of imaginations.”

“Yours included?” she asked as she sat down and crossed her long legs.

“Yes. Mine too, I must admit,” I replied.

“So these little stump arms really do turn you on?” she asked as she wiggled them as just the tips appeared from under the sleeves of her dress.

“You know how I turn you on when I massage your stumps,” I said. “I get turned on the same way by doing the massage.”

“So then it’s good for both of us,” she stated.

“Yes, I think so,” I replied.

“I don’t mind you having pictures on your computer,” she said. “But, I want you to have pictures of me. I’ll be glad to pose for you any way you want, but I don’t want my pictures floating around a photo lab somewhere. I think that we would be better off if you had a digital camera so that we wouldn’t need to send the film out. What do you think of that?”

“If you’re willing to pose, I would love nothing more than to have an exclusive library of ‘The Beautiful DAE Deb,’ ” I said. “I’ll dump these others in a minute.”

“Do you have a digital camera?” she asked.

“No, but I’ve been thinking about getting one. There’s a model out there that uses standard diskettes for image storage. I’ll get one of those,” I replied.

“The Mall is still open, can you get one there?” she asked.

“Yes, that’s where I saw it,” I replied.

“Let’s go get it now,” she begged.

“We need to go over to get your arms then,” I said.

“Screw it, let’s give them a show,” she said boldly. “I’m with you, and I feel safe.” We got up and started for the door. I locked the door behind us.

The crowd at the mall had thinned a bit. We certainly got a lot of looks as we walked through the mall. It’s not every day that you can see a beautiful armless girl, wearing heels and a short black dress parading through the mall. We stopped at the camera store. The model I wanted was in the display case. The very nervous clerk’s hands were shaking as he showed us the camera. He loaded it and took our picture. He turned the camera around and showed us the picture on the little screen on the back. It was perfect. I gave him my platinum card and signed for the purchase. The next stop was the computer store where we bought two packages of disks with fifty disks each. We went by the fountain in center of the Mall. Deb struck several provocative poses while I clicked away. We left when security showed up. I took several pictures of her getting into the car.

When we walked back into my apartment, she said, “Let’s see what you’ve taken so far.” I put the disk in the computer and put it in slide show mode. Each picture seemed to be better than the last.

“Well, what do you think?” I asked.

“Not too bad for a start. Do you want to take pictures of me taking off my clothes?” she asked.

“I would like it, but only if you would,” I replied.

I began shooting. She stood up and removed her shoes. I unzipped her dress, and she wiggled to get it off, all the time I was shooting. It dropped to the floor, and she stepped out of it. With the camera still clicking, she got down on her knees and picked up the collar of the dress in her mouth and got to her feet. She carefully laid it over the back of a chair. She continued to pose as I took bra and panty shots. I put a new disk in the camera, then released the catch on her bra, and she took the bra off using her teeth. I got some good ones as she held her bra in her teeth before she laid it over the chair. She used the couch to slide her panties down to her knees and then did some interesting gyrations to free herself from them and posed totally nude. The photography really turned her on. It turned me on too.

I was removing my clothes as I led her to the bedroom. She was already on the bed when I turned around. After very little foreplay, she erupted into a wild orgasm. I climbed on top of her, and soon we both erupted in unison. We tried sex in several other positions. We enjoyed them all. When we were finished, I cleaned the both of us with a nice warm washcloth. We kissed as we cuddled in my bed. It was wonderful having this wonderful and beautiful armless girl beside me. We fell asleep with her in my arms.

I was up first. She got up shortly after. She used the toilet and called me to wipe her. I fondled her breasts first though. We showered together, and I had the pleasure of completely washing her from head to foot and all points in between. I dried us off and, still nude, fixed breakfast. “Can you eat with your toes?” I asked as we sat down at the table.

“I used to be able to,” she said as she stuck her foot on the table and worked at picking up the fork. She finally managed to take a bite. “I thought I could still do it,” she said proudly. “But I won’t starve if you’ll feed me.”

I finished feeding her, then ate mine. “Let me see you put your panties back on,” I said.

She got up and went to the couch where they were lying. She put one foot through a leg hole, then the other. She sat down and brought one foot up to above her knee bringing the panties with it. She tightened the knee that had the panties and extended her other leg to get the panties around both knees. She bent over and used her little arm stubs to slide them up to her bottom. Then she got down on the floor and slid and rolled until they were up to her waist. “I surprised you, didn’t I?” she announced proudly. “I bet that you didn’t think that the poor little armless girl could do it.”

“What a show!” I said. “Can you do your bra?”

“Let’s not push it,” she said. “I thought I was doing good with the panties. It’s not easy being armless.”

“I bet it isn’t,” I said.

“At first I just wanted to kill myself, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it,” she said. “But now I’m sure glad that I didn’t.” She came over to the table and straddled my legs as she sat on my lap and rubbed her breasts in my face. “Think of what we both would have missed,” she said before we kissed. “Are you going to take me sailing, or are we going to make mad passionate love again?”

“Both,” I said. “Let’s get ready to go. We’ll make mad passionate love out on the boat.”

“Are you going to let me take my arms, or are you going to keep me under your control all of the trip?”

“What do you think?” I asked.

“Deep down you want me to leave all of my prostheses behind,” she said. “But you will say ‘go ahead and take all of them that you want.’ ”

I just smiled before I began to fondle her breasts. She responded with more kisses as I also fondled her little arm stumps.

“Please take me now,” she said breathlessly. “Hold me down and make love to me.” I picked her up in my arms and carried her to the bedroom. I laid her on the bed and removed her panties that she had worked so hard to put on and held her down. Just the act of holding her down seemed to drive her absolutely wild. When I let up for a minute, she tried to get away, but when I grabbed her again, she was even more wild than before. This new style of sex for us was exciting, to say the least.

“How was that?” I asked.

“That was wonderful!!” she said as she tried to catch her breath. “I don’t know what came over me. Normally I can’t stand to be restrained. With you, it’s so different. It’s like I want you to control me. I’ve never felt that way before; it’s usually just the opposite.”

“Let’s talk more about this while we’re underway,” I said as I got up. I got dressed while she lay there watching. I stopped every now and then and gave her a kiss. My armless beauty was a sight to behold. I finished dressing and helped her with her panties again before we returned to the living room.. I helped her with her bra and to put on the beautiful black dress. I combed her hair, and she slipped into her heels. “I do like taking care of you,” I said.

“I know you do, and I’m glad,” she replied. “I want you to take care of me.”

I slipped her jacket over her shoulders and put my bag and the new camera in my folding dock cart. I checked to be sure that everything was turned off. I opened the door, and she went out ahead of me. I locked the dead bolt lock behind me.

I used my key to open the door to her apartment. We both walked into her bedroom. She turned and kissed me very passionately. “I just can’t get enough of you,” she said as I unzipped her dress. She wiggled her shoulders and little arm stumps, and the dress fell to the floor. She stepped out of her heels and the dress all at once. I picked up the dress and laid it on the bed. “I’m going to wear my myoelectric arms for a while, if you don’t mind—at least until we get underway,” she said. I removed her bra and unhooked the charging cord from the arms. She bent over and I slid the sockets of the myoelectric arms over her little arm stumps. She straightened up, and I tightened the strap below those beautiful breasts. She wiggled a bit and her arms came to life. I helped her with her bra and tee shirt. She put on her shorts herself and slipped into her shoes. I put her bags in the folding dock cart. She checked to be sure that everything was turned off. “Should we bring the charger for these arms?”

“Sure,” I said. “If we pull into a marina for the night, we can use shore power to charge them. Once Ted gets here, we can charge them when the engine is running.” I put the charger in the cart. She opened the door, and I pulled the cart out onto the sidewalk. She pulled the door closed and locked the dead bolt. “Good girl. You didn’t drop your keys,” I teased.

“I don’t drop them all the time,” she teased back as we walked down the sidewalk.

We met Larry on the dock, and he asked where we were going. I told him that we were heading out for a couple for weeks. He wished us a good trip, but looked envious as he walked away.

I released the safety line gate and pulled the boat close to the dock as Deb climbed on board. I climbed aboard behind her and unlocked the hatch, then removed the back door. She went below and turned on the batteries. I set the contents of the cart on the seats in the cockpit. I climbed aboard and passed the bags down to Deb. She just kind of put them in a pile. “They’re all too heavy for me,” she said. “If you take them forward, I’ll stow the stuff while we get underway.” I started the blowers and went below. I moved the bags to the front birth. “That’s great,” she said as kissed me. “I can get it now. I’ll help you cast off if you want.” We both went back on deck. She started the engine.

I stepped onto the finger pier while she stayed on board. I completely untied both spring lines and passed them to her to coil. I untied the bowline from the dock cleat and placed the line on deck. I untied the stern line from the dock cleat and passed the line to Deb. I pushed off as I stepped back on board. I put the engine in forward gear. The boat slipped effortlessly through the quiet water of the marina. “Next stop, gas dock,” I announced as we pulled in.

The young attendant tied us to the dock cleats and handed me the diesel hose as I shut off the engine. I began to fill the tank and asked him to pump the waste holding tank. He didn’t have a happy look on his face, but did as I asked. I finished filling the diesel tank and passed the nozzle back to him. He passed me the fresh water hose, and I began filling that tank. Deb held the hose while I went into the gas house to pay. The water was just beginning to overflow as I emerged and shut it off. Deb passed me the hose. I coiled the hose and got back on board and restarted the engine. The attendant released our lines and gave us a big push off. I let us drift out a way before I put it in gear. “Next stop, high sea adventure,” I announced as I started down the channel with my armless beauty by my side.

Once we cleared the breakwater for the marina, Deb went below. The morning fog was just beginning to lift and there was absolutely no breeze at all. Sailing was out of the question so I continued to motor up the strait. The water was flat and only had a gentle roll caused by ground swells. We were still out in the open, and I was glad things were calm. I’ve been out here when things were more than a little exciting. After a while, Deb came back up into the cockpit. She was naked except for her shorts. She had a short sleeve sweatshirt in her mouth. I reached out and took the sweatshirt from her. “Can you help me with this sweatshirt?” she said as she stood close enough to encourage me to fondle her breasts. After a little more breast fondling, I held the sweatshirt up while she put her head and little arm stubs through the holes.

“What happened to your arms?” I asked.

“I didn’t think that I would need any for a while,” she replied. “I’m trying to save the charge in the myoelectric arms until I really need them. The manual hooks are lying on the rear bunk below. I think I can steer with my feet if we’re not sailing.”

“Here, sit and try,” I said, and she moved into the seat at the helm. She put a foot on the tiller. The boat stayed on course. “Just hold that course for a while,” I said. “Watch the depth when we get close to the point of that island that you’re heading toward.”

“I’ll watch it,” she said as she continued to steer the boat with her bare foot. “I thought I’d try it for a while without any arms or hooks to see how well I could do it.”

“You don’t hear me complaining, do you?” I said. “It looks like you’re able to handle it OK. If you’re doing all right, I want to go below and check the charts for a minute.”

I went below as she continued to keep us on course. I fooled around with the GPS and plotted several waypoints. I was studying the charts when Deb called.

“The fog is suddenly starting to in again,” she said with a tone of concern in her voice. “What do I do now?”

“Let’s let the auto-pilot do all the work,” I said. “I’ve programmed our waypoints into the computer to get us to the ferry boat dock. The auto-pilot can steer, and we can watch the radar for anything coming up. We’ll need to keep a sharp eye out for deadheads and floating logs.”

“Go ahead and turn it on,” she said as I flipped the ENGAGE switch. The boat swung slightly to port and then back to starboard, before it settled down on its course. “That’s pretty cool,” she said. “You took away my job.”

“Now you get to be a lookout,” I said. “Keep an eye on the radar too. It looks like we’re running parallel to the island, just like I planned.” I went below and got a jacket and brought one back up for Deb. “It cools right down when you get in a fog bank like this.” She stuck her little arm stubs through the sleeves, and I zipped up the front. The empty sleeves hung limply by her sides.

“Thanks for taking care of me,” she said as she gave me a kiss. “Have I told you how much I enjoy being with you?”

“You know the feeling is mutual. I really do enjoy you too,” I said. “Besides, I still have a month and twenty nine days left to go in my caring for you contract.”

“We’ll have to see about renegotiating an extension if you keep up the good work,” she said as she snuggled close to me. We continued on through the fog, and soon it began to clear. “I sure like being able to see where we’re going again,” she said. “Do I get to steer again?”

“Not quite yet,” I replied. “We’re just about to a waypoint, and I want to see if the auto-pilot will make the course change.” We sat there close and just enjoyed each other. After a while, we got to the waypoint and the boat magically changed course and we were aimed at the ferry dock. “Just the way I planned it,” I said. “You can steer now if you want.”

“Thanks. That auto-pilot works pretty slick,” she said as she put a bare foot on the tiller and I disengaged the auto-pilot.

“Now you’ve got your job back,” I said. “Keep on this course. We might have to wait for the ferry to leave before we cross his lane.”

I went below to look at the charts. When I came back on deck, the ferry was still in its slip. I throttled the engine to an idle and the boat slowed to a crawl. I looked at my watch and said, “The ferry is scheduled to leave any time now.” I had no sooner gotten the words out of my mouth when I saw them drop the gate and deckhands scurrying around making ready to cast off. Soon the ferry was moving and gave a loud blast of its horn. We waited for a few minutes, and then I increased the throttle.

“Steer between the dock and ferry now,” I said.

“Those ferry boats are really big, aren’t they,” she remarked as we passed the ferry dock. “I think it’s fun to ride on them.” We continued to follow the beach up the island and talked about the houses on the beach. The sun was back out, and it was starting to get warm. “Honey, would you take off my jacket please? It’s starting to get warm.”

I removed her jacket and mine too. “As soon as we round that point, we might get some wind at our back. We have the tide with us so we can sail a while if you want,” I said.

“Oh yes. Let’s put up the sails for a while. Should I put on my hooks?” she said.

“It’s up to you,” I replied as I slacked off the main sheet and started taking off the mainsail cover.

“I think I’ll try it for a while like this,” she replied. We continued to run parallel to the beach.

 Soon we rounded the point. A nice warm offshore breeze picked up once we were out in the open.

“Do you want me to bring it into the wind while you put up the sail?” she asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “And hold it there until I get back in the cockpit with you.” I raised the mainsail and secured the halyard to the mast. I returned to the cockpit and slacked off the main sheet even further. “OK, let her fall off to port back to our last course,” I instructed. She turned the tiller with her foot and brought us around until we were back on course and the wind was at our back. I shifted the engine into neutral and shut it off. It was a wonderful silence. “How are you doing?” I asked as I gave her a kiss.

“I’m doing great. I love to sail. It really gets warm in a hurry going with the wind doesn’t it,” she said.

“It’s because we’re going the same speed as the wind,” I said. “Now is when you need to watch the boom closely. If we drift into the other wind quarter, we’ll have an accidental jibe. That’s when the boom swings hard around to the other side. If you’re not watching, it can knock you overboard.”

It was really nice now, and I stripped down to just a tee shirt.

“I’m too warm. Sam, could you take off my sweatshirt?” she requested. I did as I was asked and removed her sweatshirt to expose those beautiful breasts and her short little arm stubs. I slipped one arm behind her and began to fondle her breasts and arm stubs. She began to moan as I kissed her neck. I slipped my hand behind her waistband and down into her pants. I let my fingers do the walking around her pubic hair and into her wet crotch.

“I love the way you touch me,” she said breathlessly. “I’m going to do things to you tonight that a girl with two good arms can’t.”

“Just what do you think I’m going to let you do?” I whispered in her ear as I rubbed my manhood against her nice firm buttocks.

“I’m going to rub you all over with my little stubs until you explode,” she whispered back as she stuck her tongue in my ear. “It looks like Mr. Happy is ready right now. You steer for a while. Get your hand out of my pants.”

I removed my hand and grabbed the tiller as she turned and dropped to her knees. She used her teeth to unzip my fly and get Mr. Happy exposed. She wrapped her lips around him, and began moving back and forth at the same time massaging the tip with her tongue. At the same time, she was massaging my thighs with her little arm stumps. She stopped suddenly just as I was about to explode, she stood up and rubbed her breasts against my chest and said, “That’s just the beginning.” We engaged in a passionate kiss. When the kiss broke off, she asked sweetly, “Will you pull down my shorts and panties? I want to work on my full body tan.”

I reached down and slid both her shorts and panties off in one motion. They dropped to her ankles and she stepped out of them. My armless beauty was standing totally nude in front of me. “Do you like what you see?” she asked.

“Here, you steer for a minute,” I said. She put her foot on the tiller again, and I went below. I came back with the digital camera. I took several pictures of her steering the boat totally nude and steering the boat with her foot, while her little arm stumps hung limply by her side. “Does that answer your question?” I asked.

“Sam, that’s what I like about you. You’re a man of action,” she said. “Do we have to wait until we get back to see me in action?”

“No, we can use the laptop computer down below if we want,” I said before I went below again. When I came back on deck, I had the camcorder with me and began filming her steering the boat. “We can watch you on TV now,” I said.

“Put that thing away,” she said as she gestured with an arm stub. “I don’t want the whole world to see me nude.”

“Not even me?” I asked.

“That’s not what I meant,” she recanted. “I love to have you look at me. You can do it any time you want.”

“These are for us only,” I said firmly. “I’m not about to share you with anyone else.” I moved in close and continued filming before I gave her another kiss. “You know if we survive this trip without being at each others throats, we can survive anything.”

“I want to be with you more than anything in the world,” she said. “Sam, you’ve put purpose back in my life. You’re the only person I want to be with. These few days have changed my life. I owe it all to you and your tenderness with me. I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

“If you don’t mind,” I asked. “How did your husband treat you?”

She thought for a moment, then said: “He was all right; we grew up together. He could be rough and abrasive at times, and he was sometimes verbally abusive. He slapped me around a couple of times, and we were beginning to fight more. We were having an argument when the train hit us. I thought for a long time he was the winner of the argument. It was like he just went away and left me an armless cripple “

“I’m sorry that he treated you that way,” I said. “I’ve never struck anyone in anger, and I certainly don’t intend on starting with you. I want to be gentle and kind to you, and I want you to tell me right up front if I offend you in any way. I guess I’ve never seen you as a cripple. Armless yes, but not a cripple.”

“Thank you,” she said as tears began to form in her eyes. “I’ve never had anyone tell me that before. Oh Sam, I want to be so right for you that you’ll never think about being with anyone else ever again.”

“Deb, if this works out the way I want it to, we can get married and make this a permanent relationship,” I said.

“Is that a proposal?” she said.

“No, not quite yet. We’ve both been hurt before. I don’t want to rush,” I said. “Let’s see what our voyage brings.”

“I can wait. As long as you don’t try to jump ship on me,” she replied. “I’m like you, I want our relationship to build and mature the way that you want it to. As long as we’re together, I’m satisfied for now.”

The wind had dropped, and we slowed to barely a crawl as the sail began to slack. “Where would you like to spend our first night?” I asked. “We have lots of choices. We can go to one of three towns, or we could find a buoy in a state park, or we could find a cove and anchor. It’s up to you.”

“I think I would like to see one of the small towns, if they’re on the island and quaint,” she said.

“The closest one is probably the most quaint. It’s off-season now so we can probably tie up to one of the town buoys. The dock is pretty small. We can use the dinghy to go ashore,” I said.

“Let’s do that,” she said. “I like to poke around small towns.”

“Go ahead and bring her about, and I’ll drop the sail. We’re about out of wind, and I’d like to get a little further while we still have the tide with us,” I said as I started the blowers. She brought the boat about, and I released the mainsail halyard at the mast. The sail folded itself neatly in the lazy jacks. I went back to the cockpit and started the engine and put it in gear. “Aim for that point for now,” I said. She brought the boat back near our original heading while I strapped down the main sheet and put on the sail cover.

“Honey, I’m getting cold, could you help me put on my clothes?” she asked.

“No, go ahead and do it yourself,” I teased.

“If you don’t help me, you’re cut off,” she said with a big smile as she kissed me.

“Well, being as you put it that way, OK,” I replied.

I turned the auto-pilot on and picked up her panties. I held them as she stepped into them. I pulled them up, but just before I pulled them all the way I stuck my hand in her crotch.

“I thought that would get a smile out of you,” I said.

I put her short sleeved sweatshirt over her head and outstretched little arm stubs and pulled it down. I held her shorts as she stepped into them, and I pulled them up to her waist.

“Thanks, that’s much better,” she said as she kissed me. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’d probably be sitting back in the bar,” I teased.

“Probably not,” she said. “I just went in there on a whim.”

“Then your whim was my good fortune then,” I said.

“The fortune was mutual,” she replied. “Can I steer again?”

“Sure,” I said as I turned off the auto-pilot. “Can you work the throttle and shifter without your arms?”

“I don’t think I can,” she said. “Do I need to put my hooks on?”

“We should be near the town in about a half hour. I’m going to need you to handle the boat while I grab the buoy,” I said.

“Why don’t you help me put them on now then?” she said.

I put the engine in neutral and we went below. I helped her take her short sleeve sweatshirt off and put on her stump socks. She held out her little arms, and I put her bra straps over her shoulders and fastened the catch. She bent over and shook her breasts back and forth to get them comfortably back in the cups. She straightened up and said, “Did you enjoy the show?” This of course brought an ear-to-ear grin to my face. I picked up the mechanical arms and held them as she raised her little arm stubs and slid them into the sockets. She lowered her arms, and I tightened the straps. She hunched her shoulders and opened and closed both hooks. “Thanks, I can do the rest, you wonderful guy,” she said with a kiss.

I went back up to the cockpit and got us underway again. After a while, she joined me wearing a long sleeved sweatshirt and carrying a plate with sandwiches. She set the plate down and went back into the cabin. When she emerged, she was carrying a beer in each hook. “They call me a double hook drinker,” she said jokingly as she passed me a beer. She held out the other and said, “Please.” I reached over and popped the top on hers. We were just finishing our lunch when we rounded the point. The tide had changed and we went through a tide rip. The boat started bobbing around. “What caused all of those waves all at once?” she asked nervously.

“Those are tide rips. They occur when tides come together from different directions. These were small ones. I’ve been in them up to ten feet high. Then it’s not fun,” I said.

“We’re not going through anything like that are we?” she said with a look of fright on her face.

“Not if I can help it,” I replied. “The boat can handle it OK; we just do dumb things sometimes. The town is right ahead.”

“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

“See those buoys ahead. We’re going to tie up to one of them,” I said. “You drive the boat. Slow down when I signal and bring the boat right alongside and put it in neutral. When I grab the ring with the boat hook, you put the boat in reverse until we stop. Then put it back in neutral. Can you do that?”

“I think so,” she said tentatively. “I just hope I don’t hit anything.” She took the tiller.

I went forward with the boat hook. I signaled, and she cut the throttle. The boat continued to glide effortlessly toward the buoy. She was lined up perfectly. I reached out with the boat hook and grabbed the ring. Like clockwork, she put the engine in reverse and our forward momentum stopped. Just when we began to drift back, she put the engine in neutral. I gave her a thumbs-up wave and tied the bowline to the buoy. Then with another line, I doubled our mooring. “Great job,” I said as I kissed her. “You do pretty good for a poor helpless girl with no arms. I think I’m going to keep you.” I turned the engine off.

“Is that a promise?” she replied.

“That’s a promise,” I said.

We worked on getting ready to go to town. I lowered the dinghy from the davits and tied it to the side. I went below and got out a sweatshirt. “Are you going to wear hooks, or do you want to put on your other arms?”

“I’ve been standing here thinking about just that,” she said. “Except I was trying to decide whether to wear these hooks or no arms at all. What would you prefer?”

I held her close and said: “As long as it’s part of you, I really don’t have a preference. I just know how wonderful the girl that I’m with is, and that’s all I really care about.”

We engaged in a very passionate kiss. “I’m having a hard time coming to grips with my good fortune. Sometimes I think that it’s all a dream. I never thought that I would find a man like you. You have suddenly given me a new lease on life,” she said.

“Well, what did you decide to wear?” I asked.

“I’m going to wear these hooks,” she announced. “And if people want to stare, the hell with them because I’m with the most wonderful man in the world.”

“Wow, that’s a lot to try and live up to, but I’m sure as hell going to try,” I said as I started up the ladder. We got into the dinghy, and I rowed it over to the dock. Deb stuck out one of her hooks and grabbed a dock cleat to pull us next to the dock while I tied up. I got out and then steadied her by holding onto the hook that she held out to me. We walked down the dock and began looking in the windows of the little shops. We went in a couple of places that sold nautical items. Neither of us found anything that we couldn’t live without. We stopped and got ice cream cones. I don’t think the young girl selling ice cream had ever passed a cone to someone wearing prosthetic hooks before. The look on her face was ‘like what do I do now.’ I’m sure that by the time that we got back to the boat we were the talk of the town, but I didn’t tell Deb that.

We rowed back out to the boat. I held it while she scrambled back on board. She used a hook to hold the dinghy tight while I climbed out. I positioned the dinghy and hoisted it again on the davits. I went below where she was already preparing our evening meal. “Are you having a good time?” I asked as I sat down on one of the settees.

She sat beside me and said: “I can’t remember a time when it’s been better. Now that I’m with you, I really don’t have any wants. It doesn’t even matter now that I’ve lost my arms. I am so happy that I can’t find words to express it adequately.” She gave me a steamy kiss, got back up, and finished preparing dinner. We ate at the table in the cabin by candlelight. I enjoyed watching the light dancing off her shiny hooks as she ate her dinner.

After dinner, I did the dishes and let Deb relax for a while. “I want to see the pictures you took today,” she said. I took the disk out of the camera and loaded it into the laptop. I began a slide show using my new images. “I do that pretty well, don’t I,” she remarked.

“Considering all that you’ve been through, I think that you do very well,” I said. “I hear music coming from the tavern in town. Would you like to go for a row in the moonlight and stop in and listen?”

“That would be fun,” she said enthusiastically. “I don’t want to get drunk though. Maybe one or two beers. Let me put on some blue jeans.” She went into the forward birth to get her clothes while I launched the dinghy again. I was sitting in the dinghy when she came back on deck. The blue jeans she was wearing were so tight that it looked like she was poured into them. I held the dinghy steady as she got in and sat down. As I pushed off and began to row, she said: “This is only the second time I’ve been in a little boat like this. The first time was this afternoon.”

“Well, all you need to do is sit still and stay in the middle. Just like you’re doing,” I said as we reached the dock. She reached out with a hook again and held us to the dock while I tied up. I held the dock so that she could get out. I followed while she held the boat.

While we we’re walking down the dock, she put one of her hooks in my hand and said, “Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” I replied. “I’m honored that you want to hold my hand.”

“I only wish that I had hands to hold you with,” she sighed. “These hooks seem so cold.”

“Well, you know how I feel,” I said. “I accept you the way you are. I’m falling in love with the wonderful person who’s wearing them, and that’s what’s important.”

“Sam, that’s the first time that you’ve said that you were falling in love with me,” she said. “I’m glad my charms are working, because I certainly have fallen in love with you.” We stopped at the end of the dock for a steamy kiss before we walked on to the tavern.

The band was just getting ready to take a break when we walked in. The tavern was crowded, but we found a table in the back by the restroom. We sat down, and the waitress came by and offered a pitcher of beer. Deb specified a regular size beer glass. The waitress began to question her until Deb held up a hook that had been on her lap. The waitress’s mouth almost dropped open when she saw the hook, but she didn’t say anything. She just picked up her tray and walked up to the bar. I could see her bending over and talking to the bartender and looking in our direction. The waitress brought our beer and the glasses that Deb had requested. “Sorry about before, I didn’t know.”

“That’s OK,” Deb said. “Don’t worry about it.” The waitress left, and I poured the beer for both of us. Deb deftly picked up her glass and offered a toast, “To us.” I returned the toast, and we both drank at the same time. When we put our glasses on the table, almost everyone in the place was looking at us—partly because we were strangers, but mostly because of Deb’s hooks. The band started again and played a couple of songs, and the dance floor began to fill a little. I asked Deb to dance to one of the livelier songs, the kind where you dance individually. Just about every eye in the place was on us as we danced, especially Deb with her shiny hooks. The music ended, and we sat down after a brief kiss. “Now you see why I usually don’t wear these hooks in public. Everybody stares at me,” she said a little self-consciously.

“I think they make you look more sexy—even more than you look with your myoelectric arms. I like to see you wearing your hooks,” I said.

“OK then, I’ll wear them just because you want me to,” she pouted as she picked up her beer glass.

“You do what you want to do,” I said as I took out the digital camera and snapped several pictures of her using her hooks to hold the glass and drink.

“All right, I’ll give them a real show. I’ll take off my sweatshirt and bra, then get out in the middle of the dance floor and wiggle out of these hooks. I’ll let them bang on the floor while I shake my boobs around,” she said.

“Go ahead,” I said with a big smile on my face. “Can you swim out to the boat by yourself?”

“Well, being as you put it that way, let’s dance again,” she said as the band started a slow song. It felt good holding her while we danced. My hand on her back could feel her harness as I held her close and held a hook in the other. It was one of those songs that you don’t want to end. The song did end though, and we sat back down. We finished our pitcher of beer and left the tavern. All eyes were on us as we walked out the door. “I felt really uncomfortable in there,” she said once we were outside and down the path away. “I thought everyone in the place was staring at me.”

“Maybe they were; so what,” I said. “Remember, we were the strangers there. Probably everyone else in the place knew each other. In an isolated community like this, most of those people probably went to school together.”

“Even so, I felt on display,” she said. “I just know everyone was watching me use these damn hooks that I’m cursed with.”

“Yes, you were on display,” I said as we started down the dock. “It wasn’t because of the hooks. It was because we were the strangers and you were the most beautiful woman in the place. Pure and simple. These little communities out here are tight knit, and we are the outsiders from the big city.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way though,” she said.

“Maybe not, but that’s the way it is out here,” I said as we reached the dinghy. “I once had a friend who moved to one of these places when he was in high school and was still considered an outsider twenty years later.” She knelt down and held the dinghy while I got in and sat down. I held it for her, untied it, and pushed off. I began to row to the sailboat and said: “Tomorrow night let’s go to a different town and you wear the same outfit, except wear your myoelectric arms. Then see if they still stare at us.”

“That sounds like a good experiment,” she said. “I don’t like the stares, but as long as I’m with you, that’s all that matters.” She leaned forward and gave me a kiss. After the kiss broke off, I continued rowing out to the sailboat. I held the dinghy close for her to get off, and she in turn held it for me. I tied the dock line to a cleat and let the dinghy drift. We went into the main cabin, and I lit the oil lamp. The soft glow filled the cabin and shown on the beauty there with me. “Are we ready for bed yet?” she said as she rubbed her breasts on my chest. “You promised to ravage my body tonight.”

“I suppose we could,” I teased. “But I thought that you were going to do wild things to me.” She pulled my sweatshirt up over my head using her hooks. I took her sweatshirt and bra off to expose those beautiful breasts. I closed the hatch and slid in the back door. We were alone now in our own cozy little world. We stood there and kissed some more. I felt her hooks trying to undo my belt and top button of my jeans. At the same time, I unbuttoned her jeans. She used her hooks to unzip my pants, and I did the same to her. More passionate kissing followed. I pulled her jeans down around her ankles, and she sat down. I pulled her shoes off and finished pulling off her jeans. She used her hooks to pull my jeans down. I kicked my shoes off and held out a leg while she clutched the cuff with both hooks and pulled my foot out of the pant leg. We did the same for the other leg.

“Take my hooks off now, please,” she asked breathlessly. I released the straps, then she held her arms up. I grasped each arm by the elbow and lifted each one clear of her shoulders. She leaned forward so that I could get the back harness clear of her long hair. I laid the arms on the rear bunk. She held out her little arm stumps, and I removed her stump socks. I massaged her stumps, paying particular attention to the scars on the tips. As soon as I touched the scars, she was up on her tiptoes and moaned, “Oh yes, that feels so good.” She tried to pull my shorts down with her little arm stumps, but had to resort to her teeth because of the problem Mr. Happy was causing. She wrapped her lips around Mr. Happy and began to suck and move back and forth while teasing the end with her tongue. All the while, she was rubbing her little arm stumps on my thighs. Almost too soon, I erupted and filled her mouth with my love juice. I pulled back while I was still erupting and deposited more on her face. She looked up at me and smiled. “How was that?” she cooed.

“Wonderful” was all I could mange to say. I had her stand, and I sat down on the settee. I pulled her close and used my teeth to remove her panties, which were dripping wet by this time. I began to explore her lower body with my fingertips and used my tongue to explore her pubic area. I slid to the floor between her legs and had her kneel on the edge of the settee. It was the perfect angle for my tongue to engage her clitoris. When my tongue had hit its mark, she began to move and I grabbed her firm buttocks to keep her from wiggling away. Soon it was her turn to have an orgasm. I slid back up to the edge of the settee and had her beautiful long legs around my waist when Mr. Happy found his home. I was able to assist her move up and down by holding her little arm stubs and lightly massaging her scars with my thumbs. After a very brief time, we both erupted. I held her close while we rested. “My God, that felt good,” I whispered.

“That was wonderful,” she said. “You touched those sensitive scars just right to send me into orbit.” She got up, and I followed. I used a damp washcloth to clean her face and our private parts. “All that beer is running through me. I need to use the head,” she said as she started up the passageway. She went in, and the boat shifted slightly causing the door to swing open, then swing close and latch. Soon she said, “The door latched, and I’m stuck in here.”

I opened the door for her and said, “We’ll have to put a lever handle on that door for you.”

She kissed me and said, “You really do look out for me, and I love you.” She went forward and used her teeth to pull back the covers on the front bunk while I also relieved myself of some beer.

I climbed in beside her and held her tight to me and said softly, “Deb, I love you to.” We began a series of passionate kisses and our second round of lovemaking was underway.

I awoke to a rocking of the boat. Deb was not in the birth beside me. I got up and went into the main cabin to see her wrestling around in the rear bunk. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’m just trying to get these damn hooks on,” she said disgustedly. “The straps are twisted, and I’m trying to straighten them out. If my stumps were longer, I’d be able to use them for something. God, I miss not having any arms.”

“Let me help you,” I said. She slid out of the bunk and gave me a kiss. “How did you get those stump socks on?”

“The same way I always do. I pulled them on with my teeth,” she replied as I removed the arms from the bunk. I straightened the harness straps, and she held her little arm stumps up for me to slide the sockets over. She dropped her arms, and I fastened the straps. “Thank you. I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed,” she said.

“I want to watch,” I said. “I love to watch beautiful nude girls cook breakfast—especially ones with nice shiny hooks.”

“Does watching me use my hooks really turn you on?” she asked.

“What do you think?” I said as I looked down at a very erect Mr. Happy.

“I guess I do turn you and your friend on,” she said as she slid up on the galley counter and spread her legs apart. “Come over here and let’s see what we can do about your friend’s excitement.” I walked in between her spread legs and she wrapped them around my waist as Mr. Happy found a home. It was soft and warm just like before. We engaged in some passionate kissing. She had both prosthetic forearms around my back, and I could feel the cool steel of her hooks on my back. Soon we were both erupting. “Is that better than orange juice or what?” she teased.

“I guess that’s what you call fresh squeezed,” I said as she released her grip and her legs. I stepped back and picked up the damp washcloth from last night and cleaned the remnants of our lovemaking from her crotch and Mr. Happy. She slid down and gave me another kiss. I went back to the front birth while she continued to fix breakfast.

Soon she brought in a tray with breakfast for the both of us. She sat cross-legged, and I propped myself up on one elbow. We chatted about plans for today’s cruise and our destination. We talked about going ashore tonight but with her lifelike myoelectric arms. Our destination for the next small town was just a short way, so we decided to not sail today but to just motor over and get dock space where we could hook to shore power.

After breakfast, we both got dressed. It was my good fortune to be able to help her with her bra. I did the breakfast dishes while Deb took care of morning chores. I started the blowers and stowed the gear. Deb was ready to go about the time I finished tidying up the cabin. I started the engine, and she took the helm. I went up on the forward deck and untied the mooring lines. I signaled Deb for reverse, and we started backing away from the buoy. I pointed in the direction I wanted to go and signaled forward. Deb turned the tiller and shifted into forward. The boat began to effortlessly slide through the water. We had cleared the other mooring buoys by the time I made my way back to the cockpit, and Deb had increased throttle to cruising speed.

I called the harbormaster on the VHF radio and got a slip assignment. She continued to stay at the helm until we were about to enter the breakwater of the marina. I took over the helm and had her put out fenders. I eased the boat into the assigned transit moorage slip. The harbormaster was there to meet us and help tie up. We went to the marina office and paid for the night’s moorage and shore power. The harbormaster watched Deb, especially the way she used her hooks, but didn’t comment. We went back to the boat and hooked up the shore-power cable. We went below and set up the charger for her myoelectric arms.

“Let’s go for a run before lunch,” she said, “We were cooped up here all day yesterday. I think a little exercise will do us some good.” I nodded in agreement and started to change into my running clothes. When I finished, Deb changed into running shorts and shoes. She brought out a tee shirt. “I don’t want to wear any arms while we run,” she said. I removed her sweatshirt and bra. I undid the straps and removed her arms. After I set them on the rear bunk, I helped her with her abbreviated tank top style of sports bra. This top completely left her shoulders and little arm stubs exposed. You could see at a glance that she was a DAE, with very short stubs. “Do you like my running outfit?” she asked.

“No doubt about it,” I replied as I held her tight and kissed her.

When we kissed, she put her little arm stubs on my shoulders. “I’d love to be able to put my arms around you,” she said as her eyes began to tear up. “Some days I feel so inadequate that I’d like you to find a girl with two good arms.”

“Why in the hell would I want to do that?” I said. “I’ve found the girl who I’ve always dreamed of, and you’re it.”

“But will you feel the same way twenty years from now when I’m old and wrinkled?” she said. “Don’t you think that you’re going to get tired of always doing everything for me?”

“I don’t know if I’ll feel the same way in twenty years from now. I hope to love you even more each day,” I said. “I know I won’t tire of doing things for you and challenging you to try and do things for yourself. I can only guess how difficult it is for you to have the limitations that you do. I want to be there for you. Do you understand?” I said.

“I think I understand,” she replied. “I want to love you more each day too, and I think that I am. I just don’t want to be a burden to you or anybody else.”

“You sure as hell aren’t a burden to me,” I said as I tied her running shoes, “I like being needed by you. Enough of this, let’s go for that run. The trail goes out around the point.” I started up the ladder into the cockpit, and she followed. I got onto the finger pier first and held her little arm stub while she got off the boat. We walked briskly down the dock and out of the marina. We both stretched at the picnic table and started up the path. The path led around the point. We were about halfway through the trail when we stopped to rest.

“Sam, I just don’t want you to think that I’m trying to trap you or something,” Deb said.

“You aren’t trapping me,” I replied. “I’m falling more in love with you every day. And soon when the time is right, I’m going to ask you to be my wife. OK?”

“That’s OK with me,” she said. “I hope you know where I’m coming from. I just don’t want to be a burden. These little things make me a lot different than other women.”

“Deb, that’s exactly what I’m weighing right now, and the reason I haven’t asked you to marry me,” I said. “I need to be sure that it’s you who I love, just not me being a devotee with a dream amputee. I haven’t completely decided, but I think it’s love. I need to be sure.”

“Sam, thank you for being so honest with me,” she said. “The more that we’re together, the deeper my affection for you grows.” She had tears in her eyes as she got up and continued running up the path. I followed close behind her.

We were running around the bend. The trail drops off onto a rocky bay about a hundred feet below. Deb stumbled and fell. She started to slide toward the cliff. Her little arm stubs flailed wildly around as she continued sliding. She screamed as she tried to stop herself with her little arm stubs, but couldn’t grasp onto anything. She was about to drop. One leg was over the cliff . . .

Chapter 3

I dove and grabbed a small tree root with one hand and got my other arm around her waist just as one of her legs started over the cliff. Her little arm stubs flailed about frantically as she desperately and unsuccessfully tried to grab onto something. Once I had her momentum stopped, I swung my legs around and under her. I was able to brace my feet against a rock. I rolled her back onto my lap and slid up the hill to the trail on my butt. When we were both on the safety of the trail, I held her in my arms as she began to sob uncontrollably. I gently kissed her, and after a while, she calmed herself as I continued to hold her. “Oh Sam, I almost died,” she said between sobs. “I tried to stop myself, but I couldn’t grab anything.”

“It’s OK. You’re safe with me now,” I comforted. “Let’s move down the path a little further away from this cliff.” I helped her to her feet, and she stood with her back against the rock face away from the waterside. I got up and led her down the path by holding on to one of her little arm stubs. Soon we were away from the cliff and at a bench with a fantastic view of the water. “Sit down here for a minute,” I said. She sat down and I sat down beside her. “Do you realize that I almost lost you forever back there?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I started to fall and couldn’t stop. It was the most terrible feeling I’ve ever had. I kept sliding, unable to grab on to anything.”

“In the instant that I saw you start to fall, everything became crystal clear,” I said. “Now that I’ve found you, I don’t ever want to lose you.”

“What are you trying to say?” she interrupted.

“What I’m trying to say is, Deb, I want you to marry me,” I said. “In that horrible instant I knew—without a doubt— that’s what I want to do.”

She gave me a very passionate kiss. We broke off the kiss, and while our lips were almost touching, she said, “Sam oh yes, I will be proud to marry you.” We kissed again.

“I don’t have a ring to offer you now,” I said. “I wasn’t prepared to ask you this soon.”

“Sam, don’t worry about that,” she replied. “I don’t have any fingers for you to put it on anyway.”

We kissed passionately for a while and then got up and started to walk the rest of the path together. As we walked, we talked about wedding plans. “How soon do you want to get married?” she asked.

“Just as soon as possible,” I replied. “Neither of us have any family, so we don’t have to worry about them. So I guess it’s up to you.”

“Could we get married on San Juan Island, when Ted is here this weekend? He is as close to family as I have,” she said.

“We could do that.” I replied. “There’s a county courthouse there so that we can get a license. There’s also a quaint little chapel on the other side of the island overlooking a little bay.”

“That’s great,” she said excitedly. “Ted can give me away.”

“I have some old college friends out there that can be witnesses,” I said.

We were back to the marina by this time and ran into the harbormaster out on the dock. “We’re getting married!” she exclaimed excitedly. The old harbormaster just smiled broadly and nodded. We walked back down to the boat and down into the main cabin. She turned and put her little arm stubs on my shoulders as we engaged in more passionate kissing. “Oh Sam, I’m so happy right now. What can I do for you to let you know how wonderful you are?” she said.

“You just did,” I said. “You accepted my proposal. I’m the one who has found the most wonderful woman in the world for me.”

“Even if I’m cursed with these little arm stubs for the rest of my life?” she said.

“Yes girl, I love you so much,” I said. “You know how I feel about those little arm stubs of yours.”

“Sam, I want you to make me naked and ravage my body right now,” she said almost demanding.

“Even while we’re all hot and sweaty?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m going to make you a lot more hot and sweaty than you already are,” she said as I began to remove her clothes. Soon I had removed all of her clothes, and she was standing there completely nude in the main cabin. “Hurry and take your clothes off now,” she said excitedly. I pulled my shoes off and my running shorts and underwear down. I started to remove my tee shirt. She dropped to her knees and had Mr. Happy in her mouth. I finished removing my tee shirt and helped her to her feet. We engaged in one more passionate kiss in the main cabin before I picked her up and carried her to the front bunk.

It was early afternoon when we decided to go up and take a shower. I threw on some clothes and dressed Deb in just a sweatshirt and running shorts. I helped her slip on her shoes, then grabbed towels and soap.

“What’s in the film canister?” she asked.

“It’s the quarters that make the warm water in the showers work,” I replied as we started up the dock. Luckily, the shower rooms were unisex. We went in and locked the door behind us. I undressed myself and then Deb. I turned the water on, then deposited a quarter. Instantly the water warmed. We got in, and I had us both lathered when we heard a loud clunk. I had heard the sound before, and Deb wondered why I stepped out of the shower. She soon found out when the water turned ice cold. Almost instantly, she was there with me. I put another quarter in the machine, and we were able to rinse off before the hot water shut off again. We got out, and I dried Deb before I dried myself. I dressed myself, leaving my armless beauty standing there. “My God, you’re beautiful,” I said. “I never tire of looking at you.”

“I’m yours to look at anytime you want,” she said with a smile. “I kind of like it when you touch me too.”

“I noticed that a while ago,” I said as I dressed her. We walked back toward the dock. The old harbormaster saw us coming out of the shower and only smiled as he walked past. We walked back to the boat and down into the main cabin. “I want to go to town now. There is something I need desperately to get,” I announced. “Do you want to go with me or stay here by yourself?”

“I want to do both,” she said. “I want to be with you, but I also want some time to myself to digest the wonderful thing that has happened to me.” She sat down on the settee, and I sat down beside her. “Why don’t you go ahead and go by yourself? I just need a little time alone for a while.”

“Do you need help putting on some arms?” I asked.

“No, I can do it. Why don’t you just go ahead without me?” she replied.

I changed clothes. Blue jeans and tee shirt was the dress code. “Are you sure you don’t want to go?” I asked again.

“I’ll stay here. I’ll be all right by myself,” she replied. “But hurry back.”

“I’ll be back in a flash,” I said as I started up the ladder. ‘Sam, you’ve got to be the luckiest guy in the world. A DAE wants to marry me, and she’s beautiful besides,’ I thought to myself as I walked up the dock. I called a cab, and he must have been right around the corner, because he was there in flash. He drove me to town and parked right in front of the jewelry store. I went in and told the clerk what I wanted. She showed me several, and I picked out the diamond-studded heart-shaped one. She showed me an extra sturdy chain that had a locking clasp. I kind of swallowed when she told me the price. I gave her my platinum charge card. I don’t ever remember charging that much.

She ran the card. “I thought that would happen,” she said. “I need to call the credit card company. They usually want to verify that your card isn’t stolen. One moment please.” She picked up the phone and dialed. She gave some identifying numbers and then handed me the phone. The operator explained that she needed to verify my name and address. She also asked for my mother’s maiden name. After I passed the pop quiz, I handed the phone back to the clerk. “I hope that you weren’t inconvenienced,” she said. “I don’t think I would want that large of a charge on my card if it were stolen.”

“No, I’m glad that they did,” I said as she handed me the bag. “This will be perfect. Thank you,” I went back outside, and the cab was still setting there. He took me back to the marina. I paid him and walked over to the pay phone. I called my attorney and told him what I wanted. I hung up and walked down the dock to the boat. “Hi, I’m back,” I said as I went below. Deb was sitting there. She had taken her top off and was sitting there with her beautiful breasts exposed and her little arm stubs hanging limply by her sides. It looked like she had been crying. “What’s the matter? Why were you crying?”

“Oh my emotions are all mixed up,” she said. “Sam, I love you so much. I hate the way I am, with no arms. I don’t want to be a burden to you. I get so frustrated sometimes at not be able to do what I used to do. It took me ten minutes just to take my top off.”

“Deb, I love you more than I have words to describe, and I’ve asked you to be my wife,” I said.

“Yes, I know,” she interrupted. “I want you to know what you’re getting yourself in to.”

“Believe me; I’ve given it plenty of thought. I realize that some days are not going to be as wonderful as others. Life is like that,” I said. “I know exactly what I want, and what I want is you to be my bride.”

“Sam, I said yes up there on the cliff, and I meant it,” she said. “I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life loving you as your wife.”

“Back up on the cliff I told you that I didn’t have a ring for you,” I said.

“And I said I didn’t have any fingers to put it on,” she replied.

“Well, how about this diamond heart-shaped pendant as a token of my love for you,” I said as I opened the box and held up the pendant and chain.

“Oh Sam, it’s beautiful. Let me look at it, because once you put it on me, I’m never going to take it off.” I held it so she could look closely at it. “I absolutely love it. Please put it on me.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“More sure than I’ve ever been about anything. Sam, you’re the perfect man for me,” she said. I put the pendant chain around her neck and locked the clasp. She got up and ran into the head to look in the mirror. Soon she came back out crying.

“Now what’s wrong?” I inquired.

“Nothing. I’m just so happy I can’t keep from crying,” she said. “After Jerry was killed and I ended up this way, I didn’t think that anyone would ever want me again. Then you came into my life. Now my life has purpose again. Sam, I want to make you the best wife that I can.”

“I know you will,” I said as I took her in my arms. I could taste her salty tears as I kissed her tenderly. We sat down on the settee in the main cabin and just enjoyed each other’s company for a long while. It was a wonderful feeling to be sitting next to the girl I loved and who loved me. We chatted about a lot of things. I said, “Deb, I called my attorney when I was up at the marina office, and I’ve asked him to draw up a prenuptial agreement.”

“Why would you want to do that? Do you expect me to take all of your money?” she asked. “That’s not my intention.”

“Honey, I know it isn’t. I love you and know that you love me. I also know that we both want this relationship to last forever. And I think it will,” I said. “I’m trying to protect you. Just in case anything crazy happens, we’ll have set down the way things are to be.”

“I suppose,” she said warily. “What did you have him put in it?”

“I told him to draw up a document that would become effective on the day were married. It would simply say what you had before we were married would remain yours, what I had when we were married would be mine, and that anything that we accumulated once we were married would be ours jointly,” I said.

“That sounds simple enough, but I would rather that we just combine everything and keep it as one,” she said.

“I don’t know how much you’re worth. I guess it’s probably more than I’m worth. I want to see that you’re adequately protected,” I said. “I would really want your attorney to look it over before you signed it.”

“I’m still not to keen on the idea. I want you to have my money as our money,” she said.

“Deb, I love you for you. Not for any money you may have,” I said. “Why don’t you call your attorney and ask him?”

“Her,” she said. “Sandra is definitely a her, and yes, I’ll call her. Can you dial her number on your cell phone?” I picked up the cell phone and dialed the number that Deb gave me. “Mary, this is Deb. Is Sandra available?” she said as I held the phone for her. “Sandra, this is Deb. Oh, wonderful. I’m getting married . . . That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Sam’s lawyer is preparing one, and he wants you to review it . . . Saturday on San Juan Island . . . In the middle of Puget Sound . . . Well, why don’t you come; we would love to have you . . . OK, I’ll make hotel reservations and call you back . . . Bye.”

“Guess what!” Deb said excitedly.

“She coming to the wedding,” I replied.

“Yes, I’m so excited,” Deb said. “I’ve known her since we were roommates in college. She went on to become a top-notch attorney. We really became close after the accident, and she helped me through the settlement.”

“That’s great,” I said. “What did she say about the prenuptial agreement?”

“Sandra said I needed one, and she was glad that it was your idea,” she replied. “She wants your attorney to call her.”

I picked up the phone and called Phil. I gave him Sandra’s number and told him she was waiting for his call. He said that he would be up on the island and would meet the three of us there. “Phil is coming to the wedding too,” I said. “I should probably call Dick and Barbara and let them know what’s happening.”

“Good idea,” she said. “Our simple little wedding is beginning to snowball.”

I called Dick and Barbara. They said that we were welcome to stay and to have the wedding at their place. “Dick and Barbara want us to have the wedding on their deck overlooking the strait,” I said. “What do you think?”

“Are we going to have a judge or a minister?” she asked.

“I had a minister last time,” I replied.

“So did I,” she said. “That one wasn’t working out that well. Let’s see if we can get a judge to do the wedding on their deck.”

“That sounds good to me,” I said as I gave her a kiss. “I was going to poke around getting there, but maybe tomorrow we should just motor straight through. Then we can poke around on our honeymoon.”

“A sailing honeymoon sounds wonderful,” she said. “Let’s go for it tomorrow. But tonight you promised to take me to town with my arms on.”

“That’s right, I did promise,” I said. “Remember our experiment, you have to wear the same clothes that you wore last night.”

“I’m getting hungry. You’re going to have to take me out to dinner,” she said. “Help me get ready.” I helped her put on her myoelectric arms, which had been charging most of the day. Then she was able to do the rest. I was still amazed at her dexterity with that piece of machinery. We both got dressed and walked up to the marina office to use the pay phone.

We passed the old harbormaster and told him we were going to town for dinner. He scratched his head as he looked at Deb. “I got a question. Do you have arms or not? I could have sworn when I saw you this afternoon that you didn’t, and now you do.”

Deb smiled. “No, I don’t have real arms. I lost them both in an accident. These are mechanical.”

“Well, they sure do look real,” he said.

The cab pulled up. It was the same driver. We got in and told him to take us to the best restaurant in town and that we were celebrating. He admired the pendant and said that he’d gone back to the jewelry store to find out what I bought. Soon we pulled up at the restaurant. It was a quaint little place. A person that appeared to be the owner showed us to a table by the window. He commented how beautiful the pendant was. Deb blushed. The clerk from the jewelry store stopped by our table and admired the pendant. “See what I told you about a small island community. Everybody knows everybody else,” I said.

“I’m beginning to believe you,” she said. We had a delightful dinner and dessert. We decided to go to one of the local taverns for the rest of the experiment. We walked in and found a booth opposite the bar. The band was just starting to set up. The waitress came over and took our order for a pitcher and regular size glasses. This one didn’t question her request. We clinked glasses and proposed a toast to us. We looked around and everyone was watching us. “Sam, they’re all staring at us.”

“We’re the strangers in town,” I said. “This is just like the place last night.” Soon the band started, and the patrons were busy with them rather than us. After the dance floor was part way full, I asked Deb to dance. It was a slow dance, and I enjoyed the opportunity to hold her close. I could tell that she was enjoying it too. As we sat down, everyone was watching us again. “See,” I said. “They’re watching the strangers and the most beautiful woman on this island.”

“Well maybe so,” she replied. “At least they’re not watching me use my hooks.” The band started a fast song, and we got up to dance. The dance floor was about half full. We enjoyed the dance, and again as we sat down, everyone in the place watched us. “Wow, this is just like last night,” she remarked.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you about isolated communities,” I said. “I bet before we get back to the boat tonight that someone will think that it was you that almost fell off of the cliff.”

“We were alone when you saved my life,” she said. “Nobody saw us out there.” We ordered another pitcher of beer. “Do you mind if I get drunk tonight to celebrate?” she said.

“Only if I can join you,” I replied. “The boat is tied up safe and sound. Besides, we don’t have to row home tonight.” We lifted our glasses to another toast. We finished off the pitcher and ordered another.

“I have to use the little girl’s room,” she said as she stood up. She wobbled around a little and then started toward the restroom door.

As soon as she was gone, one of the guys who had been sitting at the bar came over and slid into the booth. “Wasn’t she the one who almost fell off the cliff earlier?” he asked.

“Maybe,” I replied evasively. “What makes you ask?”

“Well, I was watching with my telescope, and I saw two people up on the cliff trail. She tripped and almost fell off, but he caught her. I would have sworn it was the two of you, but the girl on the cliff didn’t have any arms,” he said.

“Well, I guess that wasn’t us then,” I said. “My girl certainly does have arms.”

“Maybe you two weren’t the ones then,” he said as he stood up. He looked closely at Deb’s arms as she sat down. Then he staggered away.

“Who was that?” she quizzed.

“That’s a guy who thinks that he saw you almost fall off of the cliff today,” I said with a smile.

“You got to be shitting me!” she said.

“I told him you weren’t the one because you have arms,” I said. The waitress brought another pitcher of beer. She said it was from the guy who had been at the table. We both held our glasses up in a thank-you salute, and he acknowledged it. “Now that’s island hospitality,” I said. We worked on the pitcher and danced. Deb was sitting down, and now it was my turn to use the restroom. When I came back, the guy was sitting there talking to Deb. She was holding her own with him. I slid in the booth and asked him to join us. As the night went on, one thing led to another and we were both pretty drunk. Deb began to have problems controlling her arms.

“Honey, my arms don’t want to work right,” she slurred. “I can’t hold the glass. I don’t think the battery is wearing down.”

The guy’s ears perked up. “Have you been egging me on all night that she doesn’t have artificial arms?”

“Do they look artificial?” I said.

“No,” he replied.

“Yes they are,” she slurred. “I’m busted. I’m the one that damn near fell off the cliff. If the man I love, sitting right there, hadn’t caught me, I’d be deader than hell right now.”

“I thought you were the one,” he said in a loud voice.

Deb stood up on the bench and said: “I want you all to know that I damn near fell off your cliff today, and I want you all to know that I don’t have any arms. Just so that you don’t have to guess.” She pulled her sweatshirt off over her head. She jumped down and ran to the middle of the dance floor. I sat there dumbfounded as she took off her bra and undid the front cross strap. She bent forward at the waist and with her arms over her head shook herself. Her arms fell off and slid across the dance floor toward me. She stood up and waved her little arm stumps in the air and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Now all of you get a good look, and that man who I love is going to take care of me.” Her beautiful breasts were also available for everyone to admire.

I picked up her arms and bra, then led her back to the table. I slipped the sweatshirt over her head and pulled it down. Then we both sat down.

“I’m sorry,” the guy said. “I didn’t mean for you to have to do that.”

“Oh Sam, I’m so embarrassed,” she said and she hid her face in my chest. “I don’t know what got into me. I told you I’m not used to drinking—especially this much.” In a few minutes she said, “Sam, I think I’m going to be sick.”

I helped her up and into the women’s rest room. I pulled her sweatshirt off and opened a stall door for her. She got down on her knees and rested her little arm stubs on the rim of the toilet. Soon most of the beer and her dinner were history. When she finished, I helped her back to her feet and out of the stall. I washed her face with a wet paper towel and slipped her sweatshirt back over her head. “I think that we’d better leave now,” she said.

We walked out of the restroom, and I picked up her bra and stuffed it in my pocket. I settled up our tab and picked up her arms by the harness and slung them over my shoulder. As we walked out the door, every eye in the place was on us. The taxi was sitting out in front of the tavern when we walked out. “We’re going to walk back,” I told him as we started down the center of the deserted road.

The brisk night air did us both good, and after a while, we were back at the marina. The old harbormaster was in front of the office when we walked by. “Heard there was a little excitement down at the tavern,” he said.

“You might say that,” I said. “We’ll be pulling out early. Good night.” We walked on out to the boat and went aboard. I plugged her arms into the charger and set them on the rear bunk. I undressed Deb and helped her get into the front bunk. I took off my clothes and set the alarm. Then I joined her. She was out completely. There would be no wild sex tonight.

The alarm jangled early, and I got up and dressed quickly. Deb only stirred a bit. I started the blowers and then finished dressing. I started the engine and got it warming up while I pulled the shore power plug. I wrapped up the cord and cast off the lines. The water was flat calm and the boat eased back effortlessly out of the slip. I changed direction and steered my way out of the marina. I waved at the old harbormaster standing at the end of the dock. I brought the boat to cruising speed. Soon Deb popped her head out of the hatch.

“Good morning sunshine,” I said cheerfully.

“I need some help for a minute,” she said. I turned on the auto-pilot and went below. I helped her with her stump socks and manual hooks. She kissed me and said: “Oh Sam, I’m so sorry about last night. I don’t know what got into me. I’ve never in my life done anything like that before.”

“Hey, we had a good time, and nobody got hurt,” I said. “What’s done is done. I only ask one thing.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“That you only flash those nice breasts of yours for me only,” I said as I rubbed her breasts.

“It’s a deal,” she said. “These babies are for you alone from now on.”

“One more thing,” I said. “No more falling off cliffs too.”

“You got it. I’m yours and yours alone,” she said as she gave me a kiss. “Do you want me to make breakfast?”

“That would be great,” I said. “Let’s eat up on deck. I want to get through this narrow pass at slack tide, and we need to keep going to make it.” I went back on deck and checked for floating debris. The auto-pilot continued to hold us on course and turn at the waypoints that I had set. Soon the smell of breakfast came wafting from the main cabin. I was still standing debris watch when she brought our breakfast into the cockpit. She was fully dressed and looked like her hangover was subsiding. We enjoyed breakfast, and I enjoyed watching her deftly use her hooks to eat. I cleared the breakfast dishes as she stood debris watch. I came back on deck as we approached the narrow pass. “We have to hit this point at slack tide,” I said. “The tide can run through here twice as fast as our boat will go. If the tide is running, we can’t control the boat.” We cleared the pass, which was solid rock on both sides, and soon were out into open water. I turned the auto-pilot back on. You could see several islands now.

“Which island are we going to?” she asked. “There look like a lot of them.”

“It sits behind the one slightly on the starboard side,” I replied. “We have one more pass to make. But it’s not as bad as the last one. The computer says we’ll be running with the tide when we go through. I’ve done it before, and you only get some rip tides.”

“I remember those,” she said. Soon we had crossed the strait, and the auto-pilot kept us right where I had plotted. I turned it off as we came up on the rip tide. Deb went below and came back up wearing a life jacket. “I don’t like those,” she said as the boat started to bounce around. Soon we were through them, and we were in the pass. The water was running at a pretty good clip, and we really started moving. Our speed slowed as the bay opened up and the water spread out. Deb took the helm, while I radioed for a slip assignment. She brought us right to the entrance to the breakwater when she asked me to take over. I slowed the boat as we rounded the end of the breakwater and started for our assigned slip. I had Deb put out the fenders. The dock attendants were there to catch us. Deb deftly threw them the bowline. She had perfect timing opening her hook. The attendants held the boat while I tied up. Deb passed me the shore power cord, and the attendants checked to be sure that we were connected safely. I went back aboard, and we both went below. “What do you want me to do about these?” she said as she held her hooks out to me. “Do you want me to wear these or my myoelectric arms?”

“Well, we’re going to meet Dick and Barbara,” I said. “It won’t matter to them, and they’re going to find out sooner or later. Why don’t you save your myoelectric arms for when we go to get the license and probably dinner afterward?”

“That sounds OK,” she said. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Now wait a minute, “I said. “I want you to do what you want.”

“I don’t know what I want,” she said. “I’m still hung over from last night. Let’s go.”

We started down the dock. Dick and Barbara were walking toward us. We greeted with hugs, handshakes, and introductions. Deb and Barbara hit it right off, just like I knew they would. We walked back to the boat and gave them a tour and then walked up to the head of the pier. Dick drove us all out to their place. Deb instantly fell in love with the house and the setting. She was especially thrilled about getting married on the deck. Barbara and Deb fixed lunch in the kitchen while Dick and I sat out on the deck.

“You’ve done really well for yourself,” Dick said. “She’s smart, beautiful, and armless, just the way you like them old buddy.”

“Dick, you won’t believe this. She has a set of arms down on the boat that you can’t tell are artificial,” I confided. “You know me. It wasn’t until the second time that we met that I knew—and then, just because I touched her back and asked her if she was wearing a back brace. I get so turned on taking those things off that I damn near popped right then.”

“Sam, she’s beautiful enough to make you pop even if she did have arms,” Dick said.

I just smiled. Barbara and Deb brought lunch out onto the deck. We all chatted as we ate our meal. Deb had fit right in with these two—just the way I knew she would. She even told them about her accident and how it happened. We were all comfortable with each other. They asked us to stay with them, but we decided to stay on the boat. They took us back to the dock after lunch, and we made a date for dinner.

Deb and I walked back down the pier to the boat, and I helped her put on her myoelectric arms. We changed our clothes into something a little more fitting for getting a marriage license and started back up the pier. We climbed the hill to the courthouse. The clerk snickered when she asked us for ID to be sure we were of age. I paid for the license and walked over to the judge’s chamber. We were lucky enough to catch him in. He graciously invited us to come in and sit down. We told him of our plans and asked him to perform the ceremony. When we told him we were friends of Dick and Barbara, and that the wedding was going to be on their deck, he consented in a minute. Having taken care of today’s business, we went back to the boat and relaxed for a while. Deb called Ted to be sure what time he would be here tomorrow.

It was early evening when Dick and Barbara knocked on the boat. We were dressed and ready to go. We invited them on board for a cocktail before dinner. Deb showed them how well her myoelectric arms worked. They had made reservations for dinner at a quaint little restaurant on the other side of the island. It was a beautiful evening, and we were seated at an ocean view table just in time for sunset. We had another drink and then a delicious dinner. We had a leisurely drive back. We made arrangements for them to take us to meet Ted. They offered the use of their pickup and the use of their place with their very complete shop. We said good night, and Deb put her prosthetic hand in mine as we walked back down the pier toward the boat.

We got back to the boat, and she stepped out of her heels before she went aboard and into the main cabin. I picked up her shoes and followed. I shut the hatch and put in the back door while she pulled all of the curtains. She put her prosthetic arms around my neck as we engaged in a very passionate kiss. “Sam, I want to make love to you now,” she said.

“Right now?” I teased.

“Yes, right now,” she said as she pulled my shirt out of my pants and began to unbutton it. I was unbuttoning her blouse too. Soon we had each other’s tops off. She started on my belt and pants at the same time that I pulled her short black skirt down. I stepped out of my slacks while she stepped out of her skirt. I removed her bra, and she removed my tee shirt. She pulled down my shorts and touched Mr. Happy with her prosthetic hand. We engaged in another steamy and passionate kiss.

“Take my arms off now,” she whispered as she stuck her tongue in my ear. I released the front strap, and she bent over. I gently tugged, and they slid off. I laid them on the rear bunk, then plugged in the charging cord. I turned around and held her in my arms as we kissed again. I slid my hand into her dripping wet panties and felt her crotch before I pulled them down. She stepped out of them as she led me to the front bunk. She had me lay down as she began to run her tongue over just about every part of my body. Mr. Happy was at the ready when she slid herself over him. It wasn’t long before we were both exploding.

We awoke to the sounds of other boats moving around the marina. I helped Deb put on her bra and myoelectric arms. She finished dressing herself while I dressed. Today was tee shirt and jeans day. I opened the hatch and noticed a chill in the air and grabbed lightweight jackets for both of us. Deb put her prosthetic hand in mine as we walked. The covering felt extremely life like. Dick was waiting for us in the parking lot with his pickup. We got in and started up the hill into town. He pulled into a little coffee shop, and we all went in. The donuts were freshly made, and the coffee never tasted so good. We all had seconds and filled Dick in on our plans once Ted got here. We checked our watches and decided that we needed to go to the airport.

We pulled into the parking lot just as the small commuter plane was landing. Ted was one of the first off of the plane. He walked briskly over to meet us once he saw Deb. She ran out to meet him and threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. I felt a little jealous. Deb brought him over to us and did the introductions. Ted was about my size and had a firm handshake. We chatted briefly, and he said that he had brought a lot of equipment. Dick talked with his friend, the airport manager, and drove the pickup right out to the plane. We loaded the boxes into the pickup and all four of us squeezed into the front seat. We were pretty crowded and glad that Dick and Barbara lived near the airport. We pulled into Dick’s driveway, and all got out of the pickup. Dick showed Ted the shop. They decided that it was more than ample for Ted’s needs.

We brought in the boxes and watched as Ted opened them. The first thing he took out of the boxes were Deb’s new forearms. He showed us where the battery motor drives were. He said that because her stumps were so short that he had room to put the removable battery packs in her upper arm, just above the elbow. He took Deb’s arms off and set them on the bench. This was the first time Dick had seen her without any prosthesis. Barbara drove up and walked in. She was introduced to Ted. I think that both Dick and Barbara were surprised how short Deb’s little arm stumps really were. I helped Dick and Barbara haul in groceries while Ted continued to work on Deb’s new prosthetic arms.

By the time I got back, he had her fitted in the new harness and showed me where the back pickup sensors were. He had essentially duplicated the same harness as her other myoelectric arms. He had her move her shoulders, and we watched the needle on an instrument move. He said that it was picking up the electrical impulses sent out by the muscles in her back. These would be used for opening the hooks, just like the same muscle group opens her hands now. The other side checked out fine too. He fitted the new sockets. Luckily, her little arm stubs had not shrunk any further and the fit was perfect. He had small holes drilled in the sockets in the same location as her other ones. He inserted test probes through the holes and had Deb make the needle jump. Things were going together fine.

Barbara called, and I went upstairs. “This is pretty amazing watching him put those things together,” I told them when I reached the top of the stairs. She said that I had a phone call. It was Phil telling me that he had talked with Sandra and both had agreed on the language. He said that he would meet her at the City Airport, and they would fly out together in the morning. I told him that the wedding was going to be here at Dick and Barbara’s place. He was happy because he had known them for a long time too. I chatted for a moment with them and then went back downstairs.

Ted had both of the upper arms in place and was working on attaching the elbows. He finished the elbows and attached the forearms. Ted took great pains to be sure that I knew how they went together in case that I needed to make emergency field repairs. He put in the batteries and had Deb work the forearms and her shoulders. The last thing that he did was screw on the hook terminal devices and attach the operating cable. He had her put them through their paces. Everything was working wonderfully, and Deb was excited. I could tell that he was proud of the job that he had done, and I complimented him. Deb put on her tee shirt by herself and went upstairs to show off her new myoelectric hook prosthesis.

Ted and I stayed down in the shop and talked about chargers. He showed me the twelve-volt adapter that he had made up for her existing arms. He also showed me the new one that could charge the battery packs when they were taken out of her new arms. He had brought along enough extra batteries to make three complete sets. He estimated that she should have enough battery power for at least four days. I told him about the solar chargers that I had seen in town, and we decided to go and have a look. He also had a regular house current charger for the new batteries.

We went upstairs to ask Dick for the use of the pickup. He said sure, and that he didn’t want to go back to town now that the game was on TV. Deb and Barbara were busy in the kitchen. She was using her new hooks as if she had been wearing them for years. Ted was amazed. I gave her a kiss and told her where we were going. Ted and I got in the pickup and started to town.

“What have you done to Deb?” Ted asked.

“What do you mean?” I questioned.

“She’s a completely different person than the girl that I fitted six months ago,” he replied. “She wasn’t taking care of herself. They were even taking about amputating her stubs right at the shoulder. Six months ago she was talking suicide. Now she’s alive and excited about life again.”

“I don’t know what I’ve done,” I said. “I met her in the bar where we both live and invited her for a ride on my sailboat. It’s been a whirlwind romance ever since.”

“Well, whatever you’re doing, keep it up,” he said. “She’s a pretty special girl, and it’s great to see her so happy. How long have you known her?”

“About a week now,” I replied.

“And you’re getting married so soon?” he questioned.

“It was kind of her idea to start,” I said. “She was running the other day without her arms and tripped. She couldn’t stop herself and damn near fell of the cliff. Luckily, I was right behind her and was able to grab her. If I hadn’t, you’d be here for a funeral rather than a wedding. I made my mind up the minute that I held her in my arms again that I wasn’t going to let her get away.”

“Wow, that’s quite a story,” he said. “She showed me the diamond heart pendant that you gave her. That was the perfect thing to do for her you know.”

“She said that she will never take it off,” I said.

“And I’m sure that she means it. She loves you very much,” he said.

“I love her too,” I said as we pulled into the parking lot. “I don’t think I could stand to be without her now that I’ve met her. She’s a real wonderful person.”

 We went into the store and looked at solar chargers. Ted looked at the ratings and said, “I think if you had two of these and a decent sized battery, you should be able to keep all of the batteries of all of the arms charged.”

“Let’s do it then,” I replied. I got a shopping cart and loaded a battery. Then we picked out two solar chargers. Next, we picked up marine grade cigarette lighter sockets, fuse holders, and a large roll of heavy wire. “I have all the tools and marine connectors on board,” I said. I paid for our purchase and we loaded it into the pickup. “Ted, you did a great job on her new arms,” I said as we backed out of the parking space. “I think they’re exactly what she wanted.”

“Thanks. I’ve never taken an order over the phone before,” he said. “I’ve never had a patient like her before either. Bilateral above the elbow amputees are quite rare. I had quite a time getting a good fit on her other myoelectric arms. I finally had to build a plaster bust to work on. It’s a duplicate from her waist to her neck. The harness is my own invention. The only thing I don’t like about the design is that she needs to rely on someone to help put them on.”

“I suppose that’s my job from now on,” I said. “You did a great job on her first ones too. It wasn’t until she told me that I realized they were prosthetic. The skin feels natural and the acrylic nails give them the final touch.”

“Thanks. I was pretty happy with the way that they turned out,” Ted said. “She has really learned to use them well. That’s the biggest trick of all, to get them to move in a natural fashion. She was pretty helpless when I first met her and couldn’t do anything for herself.”

When we got to the marina parking lot, I found a dock cart and loaded the battery and solar panels. We wheeled the cart down to the boat. I opened the compartment that held the batteries. My memory was correct; there was a space for one more. I lowered the battery into the space and tightened down the strap. We found a suitable place for the solar panels and found a wiring route that would not leave the wires exposed. We attached the panels and ran the wiring back to the battery compartment. I attached the fuse blocks. I set up two cigarette lighter sockets—one in the cockpit near the helm and the other in the main cabin near the rear bunk. We completed the wiring and tested our circuits. Ted complimented me on the boat, then said, “Are you sure that marrying Deb is the right thing for you?” as we sat and had a beer.

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” I said.

“You know that she has problems with periods of depression,” he confided.

“I suspected as such,” I replied. “I think that I can help her through them though.”

“As long as you know what you’re getting in for,” he said. “You realize as her husband that she’ll expect you to help her with the things that she can’t do because of her serious limitations. I can’t emphasize enough the need to massage her stumps daily, without fail”

“Yes,” I said. “Being able to help her is one of the things that I enjoy doing.”

“Good,” he said. “She’ll need all the help you can give her. Of course you can always hire outside help if you need to. Money should be no problem for her.”

“She told me that she had gotten a settlement out of the railroad,” I replied. “She never told me how much, and frankly, I don’t care. The attorneys will be here in the morning with a prenuptial agreement. It was my idea. Deb wasn’t keen on it at all.”

“Good, then you’re just not after her money,” Ted said.

“No, I love her. We can live comfortably on the income from my business,” I said proudly. “Let’s head back up to the house.” We took the dock cart back to the parking lot and drove up to Dick and Barbara’s place. Barbara’s car was missing. We went in to find Dick finishing up the game on TV. “The girls went wedding dress shopping,” he said. “They should be back any time.” Dick got us both a beer.

Soon we heard the car drive up. When Deb and Barbara came in, they were both loaded down with packages. “Are they going to have to restock the island?” I asked.

“No. We just got some girl stuff,” Deb said. “I wanted to look nice for the wedding. You didn’t want me getting married in jeans and a tee shirt, did you?”

“As long as you were in them, I don’t care,” I said as I gave her a kiss. “What happened to your new arms?”

“I decided that I didn’t want to wear hooks to town to buy wedding stuff,” she said. “Barbara helped me change. Ted, I really do like the new ones that you built. They’re just what I wanted.”

“Thanks,” he said. “Sam rigged up the solar charging system on the boat. You should never run out of power unless the sun goes out or you park the boat in a tunnel.”

“Not much chance of that,” I replied. We had lunch, then all sat around and talked for the rest of the afternoon.

That evening the five of us went for a seafood dinner at a little restaurant next to the ferry landing. The food was scrumptious, and we all overate. It was neat watching Deb and Ted interact. He had helped her through some very tough times—tough times that I hoped were over for good.

Dick drove the three of them up to the house while Deb and I walked along the waterfront to the pier. When we got to the boat, Deb slipped off her shoes, and I unlocked the hatch. She went below, and I picked up her shoes from the dock, then took them below with me. I closed the hatch and turned to her, face to face. “Thank you for being so wonderful,” she said as we began to kiss. “Sam, I love you so much, and I just can’t wait to be your wife.”

“I sure do need you in my life,” I said. “I love you too and want to be a good husband for you.”

“I know you will,” she said. “Tomorrow is the big day. I’m so excited, I’m about to burst. Let’s go to bed now. Will you undress me?” I removed her blouse and bra, then her skirt. She was still wearing her panties and myoelectric arms. I removed her arms, placed them on the rear bunk, and plugged in the charging cord. I turned and held her for a moment and ended the hug with a long and steamy kiss. I removed my clothes, and she led the way to the forward bunk. I pulled back the covers and removed her panties. I helped her into bed and removed my shorts before I joined her. Almost before I was in bed, she began kissing and rubbing me with her little arm stubs. I began to massage them the way that Ted had told me. My touch was driving her wild. Soon we were engaged in multi-orgasmic sex.

I awoke to the sound of my cell phone ringing. It was Phil at the City Airport. He had made connections with Sandra last night, and they would be leaving for the island in an hour. I told them that we would meet for breakfast. I hung up and hurriedly got up and shaved. As soon as I left the head, Deb needed to use it. I began dressing and helped her finish up when she was through. I held her set of myoelectric arms with artificial hands, and she slipped into them. She turned and faced me, and I tightened the front strap. She let her arms fall to her side and then put them through their paces. I helped her with her bra and panties, then we both finished dressing. I called Dick, and he said he would meet us in fifteen minutes at the end of the dock. I opened the hatch. “It’s a beautiful day for a wedding,” I said as the morning sun filled the cabin.

“I am so glad,” Deb replied. “It was raining the first time I got married and look how that turned out.” I brushed her hair and sneaked a kiss on the neck. “No more of that until after the ceremony.” She finished her makeup, and we walked to the head of the dock. Dick was just pulling into the parking lot when we got to the top of the ramp. He drove us up to the airport. We were a little early so we went into the coffee shop. The waitress obviously knew Dick. We were again in another small community where everyone knew everyone else and their business. Soon the plane came in. We watched from the gate as Sandra and Phil got off the plane and walked over to us. She had the look of a woman lawyer who you wouldn’t want to tangle with. Sandra gave Deb a hug, while I shook hands with Phil. Introductions were done all around. Dick announced that breakfast was being readied at their place as we spoke. We put their luggage in the trunk and all drove off.

The smell of breakfast cooking filled the house as we walked in. Introductions were performed again. Sandra and Ted knew each other, as Phil knew Dick and Barbara. We sat down to a huge breakfast of every type of food that you could imagine.

After the breakfast dishes were cleared, Deb, Sandra, Phil, and I remained at the table. Phil produced the prenuptial agreement. Sandra indicated that she was in agreement with its contents. Deb and I each read our copies. The document appeared to me to say exactly what I intended. Deb said: “OK, I’ve read it, and I still don’t like the idea. Sam, it’s like we don’t trust one another.”

Sandra spoke up, “Deb, as your attorney and a good friend, I think that you need to sign this.” Deb and Sandra went out onto the deck and closed the door. They were engaged in a very heated and lively discussion.

Deb was crying when she came back in. “OK, where’s the damn thing? I’ll sign it.”

“No, you won’t. Not unless you want to,” I said. “I don’t want you pressured into doing something that you don’t feel absolutely comfortable with.”

“Sam, I still think the thing says I don’t trust you,” she sobbed.

“Deb, look at it this way,” I said. “It says to each of us, I love you for you and not what you possess and that we are going to grow together with the decisions that we make together.”

“Wow, that’s a different way of looking at it,” she said. “Sandra, is he right?”

“Absolutely,” Sandra replied. “That’s the best description of a prenuptial agreement that I’ve heard. Sam, is it OK if I use that argument with other clients?”

“OK, I’ll sign it,” Deb said. “Sandra, I want you to make me a new will with Sam as my sole beneficiary.”

“Technically I’m not allowed to practice in this state, but I’m sure that Phil and I can work something out,” Sandra said.

“Phil, while you’re doing it, change mine to. I want my entire estate to go to Deb,” I said.

First Deb signed the document, and then I signed. I was amazed at Deb’s beautiful signature with her prosthetic hands. Sandra and Phil then signed as attorneys of record. Barbara said: “My notary commission is still valid. I can notarize it if you need me to.”

Phil said: “Yes, it needs to be notarized. Please do it Barbara.” She went into the other room and came back with her notary seal. She signed and sealed the documents.

We all went out onto the deck for a bit of fresh air. We all sat around and chatted for the rest of the morning. Around noon, I borrowed Dick’s pickup to go to the boat to change. Deb would change there at the house.

It was one o’clock when I got back. Luckily, some of the yacht clubs have dress codes that require a coat and tie, so I had brought one along. The judge was there, and the other guys had changed. Deb and the other women were still getting ready. Soon they called for Ted, and I knew that we were about to get underway. I suddenly became very nervous with anticipation of the moment. Someone said we’re ready, and everyone walked out onto the deck.

Barbara came out first, followed by Sandra. They both had large smiles. Deb came out next, holding Ted’s arm. The dress that she had chosen was stunning, and her hair was impeccable. She was the most beautiful bride in the world. Tears started coming to my eyes as she walked toward me. She smiled broadly, and I smiled back as Ted put her hand in mine.

The judge cleared his throat. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today . . . You may kiss the bride.”

The first kiss with my lovely armless bride was as exhilarating as the first time we kissed. Just knowing that I was now married to my dream girl gave me a feeling that was indescribable.

A champagne toast was given by Dick. His toast offered us what I longed for, many years of wedded bliss. The food that Barbara and Deb had been working on was brought out. Someone brought out a CD boom box and played a song that we could dance to for our first dance. It was a wonderful afternoon with friends and my beautiful bride. Dinner reservations had been made for all of us at the restaurant in the hotel where we had reserved the rooms for Sandra and Phil. They also seemed to be hitting it off well.

We had a great meal. Ted had taken Deb’s new myoelectric hooks and the accessories down to the boat for us. So when I walked down the dock holding the prosthetic hand of my new bride just before sunset, all was in readiness on board. When we reached the finger pier, I picked her up and carried her aboard. We went below to the main cabin that had been decorated by our friends with a banner and balloons. An ice bucket was chilling another bottle of champagne. We kissed a long kiss. I started the blowers, then removed my coat and tie. I helped Deb with her jacket. I put on a windbreaker and helped her with hers. We went back topside, and I started the engine. When I looked up, I saw all of our friends standing there to give us a send-off. While the engine warmed up, we removed the shore power and untied the dock lines. When I stepped back on the boat, Deb put it in reverse and backed slowly out of the slip. She turned the boat as she backed up until it was parallel with the main dock before she put it in forward gear. The boat slipped effortlessly through the quiet water of the marina. We waved at our friends still standing there on the dock as we cleared the breakwater.

The sunset cruse to the deserted little cove was as spectacular as my beautiful armless bride. We anchored and went below. I lit the oil lamp and opened the champagne. I sat down on the settee and cuddled next to her. She asked me to remove her arms, and I fulfilled her wishes. “I love these arms but they get heavy after a while.” I removed her arms and plugged them into the charger in the back bunk, right next to her new ones. We chatted about what we wanted to do next. The subject of finances came up. She asked quietly, “Now that we’re married, how much money do you have?”

“I would guess that my assets are in the neighborhood of seven hundred and fifty thousand,” I said. “How about you?”

“The settlement netted me two hundred million after taxes and Sandra’s fees,” she said calmly. “Plus, they pay me two million tax free annually for the rest of my life. Do you think that will hold us for a while?”

“Oh, it probably will,” I said as I smiled at my beautiful armless bride.

. . . And They Lived Happily Ever After . . .