This story is for persons of eighteen years or over. All comments, good or bad, are welcome and all will be answered.
Part Thirteen
What followed was one of the most poignant memories for Audrey, when she and Brendan sat on the leather couch in front of the fire that Ruben had built. They'd been left alone and she curled her legs up and admitted that the couch was the softest she had ever sat upon. So, curled up against Brendan, the fire giving off not only heat but light, they looked through the wedding photos that had been sent down to the ranch.
It was an idyllic peace for Audrey to lay half across her husband's lap as, by the firelights glow, they looked at the captured memories of their wedding day.
It was silent tears that ran down her face as she looked at them, remembering exactly when they were taken and of how happy she had been when they were taken, not that she wasn't happy now. They just were proof of what she had felt then but no way did they inspire her to be any happier than she was now, in the arms of the man she had married and loved to distraction.
No one, but no one, she felt could or would ever be as happy as she was at that moment. A warm fire, a lovely home, a loving husband and the whole world at her beck and call with their time machine.
Brendan,' she said dreamily when they had finished looking at the photographs. We keep calling our ship by many names. Space ship! Time machine! The sphere! Ship! It! Why don't we give it a proper name?'
`Do you have such a name in mind my sweet?' he asked drowsily.
`Well I have had an idea or two and played around with them. I think we've established that the first letter is equivalent to our letter C in our alphabet, right?'
`Yes,' he murmured.
`Well the third and fifth symbol are the same, so I'm assuming that they would be a vowel. Now if that vowel was to be an O, we would have C, block block O block O block. So if we made the first block an R and the next block an N and the last one an S, we would have the name of Cronos. Which if you play the word around in your mind, you would come up with chronology, the study of time, Cronos. Before you say anything, hear me out. There are two versions in mythology of Cronus and the one I prefer is that of what was called a golden age. The fruits of the earth were in abundance, and men lived a carefree life like the gods and, the most important part, lived without old age!
I know that we can argue over the fact that we will age, but look at the ages we will have covered! Tens of millions of years and age is miniscule in comparisons to what we can see in those years. Our ship I believe in my heart was named Cronos by the people who conceived and built it. Therefore, I think we should henceforth call it by that name.'
`Very well put darling though I think many people would be able to pick holes in your assumption,' he said.
Darling!' Audrey came back at him. Nobody else is going to be able to pick holes in it as you said, for didn't you yourself say that nobody else is to know of our find?'
`Touché, and I am hoisted by my own petard. You're are perfectly right my sweetheart and so it shall be named, Cronos it is.'
Having failed to carry his wife across the threshold, he made amends by taking her up into his arms and carrying her into their bedroom and to the bed where not only him but his father had been conceived upon. Where also were Christian, Marion, Clayton and Astra, though with some years between which comes later in another episode.
Audrey stood there feeling a fool out in the stable yard after breakfast. She had not a stitch of clothing in the ranch house other than what she had been wearing when they arrived and Brendan had helped her get dressed in a pair of his jeans, rolled up at the bottom for his legs were longer than hers. A belt was a definite requirement which bunched up the front because of their waist difference. The shirt too had to have the sleeves rolled up but the one saving grace was that they were able to find a pair of boots that fitted.
Feeling like a clown, she stood there in the yard as Sam introduced her to Dancer. He made no comment on her attire for which she was grateful.
Let her smell you,' was the first lesson Sam was giving her as she fed the filly with an apple that he had given her to give to the horse as a token. Stroke her and speak to her. Let her get used to your voice. Don't be too soft in your speech but be firm. You've got to get her to know that you are de boss.'
Brendan held the bridle while Sam showed her how to mount the horse properly, helping her to put her foot in the stirrup. Brendan then passed the reins over to Sam for him to carry on with the lesson while he went and sat down on the edge of the water trough to watch.
Sam only had her up on the horse for an hour, which was enough for the first day. The rest of the morning was learning how to curry comb the horse and begin to learn the names of the tack used. Within a week she was able to saddle the horse herself and find the right pieces of tack such as the harness and reins and how to put them over the head of the animal. Though Thomas would clean most of the gear at a later date after riding, she still had to know how to do it herself to know if it had been cleaned properly. She could also now canter out in the paddock for Dancer seemed to like this tutorial as much as she did.
They did cut one morning short for Brendan to drive her into Dallas where they spent most of the day shopping for new clothes for her, including a couple of riding outfits. At the same time, they collected Cronos, Audrey taking it to one grid before the homestead and then waiting for Brendan to pick her up in the car so that they both arrived at the ranch house together. At least the machine was now closer and could be moved at anytime now.
This they did two weeks later, moving it close to a small copse by the Sabine River where, now that Audrey could ride enough to be able to go out with Brendan on their horses and tether them in the trees to browse while they went off in Cronos.
It took them a month to grid mark the ordinance survey maps according to Cronos before they got down to the serious business of hunting the Dinosaur of North America. It was amazing to be in the Jurassic period and see the low lying jungles and swamps left by the retreating ice packs. The lush vegetation that many species of Dinosaur lived on for most of them were plant eaters.
By flitting through the years they were able to see the development and change of these animals, though they were really classified as reptiles. The Apatosaurus, formerly called Brontosaurus was one of the largest and it was the cross breeding that saw the beginning of the carnivorous emergence such as the Allosaurus which was the forerunner of the larger Tyrannosaurus.
It was this latter that began the demise of the Dinosaur for he would attack the plant eating ones until they were finally wiped out and then without meat, they too died simply from starvation.
It was in the middle of these jaunts that Audrey said that she wanted to do some shopping in Dallas and so they took a day off and drove into the city. It wasn't the shopping she wanted really, it was so that she could visit a doctor and later, in a restaurant having lunch, she announced to Brendan that she was pregnant.
Oh darling!' he exclaimed, almost dropping his fork as his eyes lit up and he held her hand across the table. You're sure?'
Yes,' she nodded, her face wreathed in a big smile. I popped in to see a doctor and he confirmed it.'
`Wait until mom and dad hear this. They'll be thrilled to bits. So will Sarah and the others at the ranch. Oh Audrey, it's wonderful news. When?'
`About seven months.'
`That puts paid to your riding lessons then,' he said.
Nonsense! I asked him about that and he said I can still ride for another three. Then I've got to start taking it easy,' she replied. I've got to be a Texan before it's born.' He laughed.
Oh darling I can't get over it,' he smiled. You a mother and me a father! Will time travel affect it?' he said suddenly alarmed.
I shouldn't think so,' she laughed, though it will be well travelled by the time it's born.'
`We'll have to curtail our travelling now though.'
`Again, nonsense. We will go on as planned and peg the site of a fallen animal and then check it back,' she said. What this meant was that when they found a Dinosaur that had either died from natural causes or had been killed but not ravaged, they would note this on their map. They could now work Cronos to jump ten years or so to check if the carcase is still there and if so, keep jumping years until it eventually got buried under earth or covered by some other mishap. At this point when they were certain that it wouldn't be disturbed for a few million years, would take off their helmets and peg out the site and record it on their modern map.
It all took time for invariably the remains would be scavenged and they would have to find another one. Two they followed in this way were found to have been discovered as it were by a dig and the skeleton removed.
In spite of this, they found and traced four and these would be `found' by the two Professors to earn them the title of being The Fossil Hunters. These sites produced the most complete remains ever found, the best one being that of a Triceratops, a two horned Dinosaur.
Audrey could now ride the horse Dancer, it being regarded as hers now, at a mild gallop when Brendan insisted that the time was up for her riding as she was now six months gone. Her mother and father-in-law paid a visit to the ranch and spent a week with them, thrilled at the expectancy of becoming Grandparents. Audrey couldn't stop her mother-in-law from arranging to have two nurses move in when she would be due to see and help with the delivery.
After they had gone back to Boston, Brendan went off to get funding from Universities and students to start digging for the fossils while Audrey stayed at the ranch and wrote an in depth book on the Tyrannosaurus. It was published to much acclaim by members of their profession but panned again by sceptics, but this was later.
She'd written the first draft for Brendan to add to when she went into labour. The nurses had arrived ten days before, sharing one of the bedrooms and dining with them, happy with this arrangement. The doctor had been put on stand-by and as his fee would be high, was prepared to drop everything when the time came.
Well it did and he arrived at the ranch an hour before the birth to see that all was going well. Brendan was hustled out of the room for the doctor and nurses to take over and assist Audrey. Brendan paced the lounge after phoning his parents to tell them that it was due any time and so they stayed in their home to await the news. It was four and a half hours after she began her pains that he heard the wailing cry of a new born child and he was now hopping about, waiting for one of the nurses to come out and tell him. It was the doctor who emerged from the bedroom into the lounge, wiping his hands on a towel.
`Well Brendan, you have a fine healthy son and the mother's doing fine,' he beamed at a successful delivery. Brendan shook his hand, his face alight with joy as he kept on shaking it.
Sarah!' he called out for he knew she was in the kitchen with the others waiting to hear. It's a boy,' he cried out as she came into the lounge, followed by her husband, Sam and Rubens.
`Open the champagne! Can I see them Doctor?'
In a minute,' he laughed. Let the nurses get everything clean and ship shape,' he said as he took the proffered glass from Sarah, Brendan taking his and they clinked glasses.
`To Christian Fowler!' Brendan declared and they all drank to the toast.
`You can go in now Mister Fowler,' a nurse said coming into the lounge. He put his glass down and startled the nurse by grabbing her and giving her a big kiss before hurrying off to the bedroom.
There was Audrey sitting up in their big bed with an even bigger smile on her face as he stepped into the room. She was holding a small bundle in his arms.
Is he big enough to be a Texan?' she asked. He weighs nine pound and two ounces.' Brendan had moved over to the side of the bed as she had spoken and looked down at the pink face all screwed up.
Of course he's a Texan, just as you are my sweet,' he replied as he bent down and kissed her. A kiss for a wonderful mother and a beautiful wife,' he said as he kissed her again, oblivious to the smiling nurse standing on the other side of the bed.
Christian,' she said to the bundle in her arms as her finger stroked the small soft lips, meet your father. Brendan, meet your son.' Tears were running down her face as she said these words as Brendan lifted up with his finger the small fist that grasped at it and held on tight.
`Can the others come in and see the heir?' he asked Audrey who looked at the nurse.
`Just for a few minutes. Mrs. Fowler is tired and needs some rest,' she smiled. He quickly went to the door and called out for those waiting to see the new baby. They came in and stood and all cooed over the baby, Audrey getting a kiss from Sarah. The nurse only just gave them the few minutes before shooing them all out, Brendan included.
The nurse took the baby from Audrey and placed it in the cot beside the bed and settled her down to rest and get some sleep. The nurse stayed in the room while Audrey slept, though the nurses did change places once, having a drink of champagne with Brendan in the lounge. The doctor, after a couple of glasses had left and Sarah was busy getting dinner ready while the other men drifted off to their chores.
Brendan had his dinner on a tray sitting on the edge of the bed as Audrey ate hers, though she only really pecked at it but drank two glasses of champagne. He then sat and watched as she breast fed the baby and also watched the nurse clean him up afterwards before settling him down for the night in his cot before saying goodnight herself and going off to her room.
Brendan quickly got undressed and got into bed and held Audrey in his arms, kissing her and telling her how much he loved her. Tired as she was, the birthing pains almost forgotten, she was thrilled and exhilarated at being able to give her loving husband a son, and still in his arms, they both fell asleep.
It was still dark in the early hours of the morning when the baby woke up with a cry and Brendan was out of bed in a flash and hurried round and picked it up and was rocking it in his arms when the bedroom door opened and a nurse stood there framed in the light from the hall.
I heard the baby cry,' she began. Oh, Mr. Fowler!'
He realised instantly that he was naked, for he always slept like that, and here he was with just the small bundle in his arms showing all that he'd got. But with him being in the middle of an erotic dream, he'd had a massive erection when he jumped out of bed. It was starting to subside when the nurse had walked in but even though it was now drooping, it looked, well to her, that he was more of a horse than a man with a cock like that.
The nurse's face was quite red, her mouth open and her eyes even wider seeing him like that and tried to stammer out her apologies for barging in.
`Well now you've seen the son's and the father's,' he said, hastily passing the baby to her as he dived back under the bed covers for the nurse to carry the baby round to Audrey who was just sitting up.
Let's hope he grows up to be like his father,' she laughed to the nurse, for to him, everything is big in Texas.' The nurse laughed though she was still blushing as she handed over the baby and quickly left the room.
`Did you have to parade yourself like that?' she asked though it was spoken with a smile as she pulled one breast out of her nightgown for the baby to feed.
`I didn't know she was going to come in the room,' he replied.
She'll tell the other nurse and they'll probably have a good laugh about it,' she chuckled. I just hope it wasn't erect with you not having had sex for a month.'
`Well it wasn't and I don't see what she would have to laugh about,' he said in a somewhat petulant voice.
`Oh lighten up. I can see the funny side of it even if you can't,' she said as she transferred the baby to the other breast.
The nurse had the decency to blush when they met later at breakfast though nothing was said about the incident and the two nurses only stayed for another few days before they said farewell, taking home a nice pay packet each, Ruben driving them back to the city. The doctor dropped in two days later just to check both mother and son and left pleased that both were doing fine.
Cablegrams, cards and flowers were coming in from the time Brendan phoned his parents with the news of them having a Grandson, the first cable being from them naturally.
Audrey knew of Brendan's dreams at night in bed for she would often feel his erection pressing up against her back and knew that it was time she helped him. He had not pressed her for sex since the baby had been born and she had seen the desire in his eyes and now it was time, for she felt that she could now accept him back into her body.
She turned over in their big bed and went down under the covers and gently lifted up his erection and though she couldn't see it, knew from her touch that it was really throbbing. She licked her lips and took the head of his cock into her mouth. He gave out a groan and rolled over onto his back as she sucked and tongued him, bringing him to wakefulness.
`Audrey darling. That's not where I want it,' he said, his voice thick with sleep. She released him and moved up and kissed him.
`Now darling,' she said and moved over onto her back. He rose up and rolled on top of her, keeping his upper torso up, not wanting to squash her over full breasts. His prick was really hurting him and it needed what she was offering and as her legs opened, he slid himself inside her and gave out a big sigh as his shaft was gripped tight inside the warmth of her body.
Oh Brendan,' she gasped as his pulsating cock filled her once again, having him back there again. I've missed having you.'
`I've missed this too darling,' he cried as he stiffened and came inside her, much too quickly such as been his need. She clung to him as she felt his seed and pulled him down onto her breasts and held him tight.
A big party was held at the ranch two months later for the christening. Mother and father, uncles and aunt stayed at the ranch while friends, who'd been ferried down by their private jet, were put up in hotels in Dallas where limousines ferried them back and forth to the ranch.
Outside caterers were brought in for they had nearly as many people for the christening as they had for their wedding. The baby was duly christened as Christian Ulysses Fredrick Fowler and later became known affectionately as Cuffy.
Brendan had raised half of the money required for this first dig of his on American soil from the University, himself putting up the other half. This meant that whatever was found, it would be split two ways, not the fossil itself but the monies it would be sold for. Though Audrey had been with him to find these sites that they later excavated, she stayed back on the ranch with Christian. Though she did visit the dig quite often by using Cronos and keeping her helmet on and thereby, could sometimes snatch an hour or two of loving with her husband in his tent without anyone else knowing that she had ever been there.
It only took them ten days to uncover the first bones and the crew of students were ecstatic at finding them so quickly. So much so, that they worked longer hours than they should. They were amazed that the leader of the dig, one Professor Brendan Fowler, could tell at a glance of the few bones that they uncovered, that it was belonging to a Tyrannosaurus. It was proven two weeks later when they had removed the top soil to reveal the fact that it was.
With this now being an established fact, he went back to the University for more money to begin another dig while the others finished off this first one. He got three quarter funding this time. Though he made the news with the Tyrannosaurus, it was even bigger news of the finding of a complete skeleton of a Triceratops with a new group of students.
By finding a capable nanny for Christian, Audrey was able to help out at the beginning of this dig, Brendan giving her the credit for finding this one and so that was when they became the Fossil Hunters. It was remarkable that nobody picked up the fact that though these two digs were nearly a thousand miles apart, Brendan had time to visit the other to supervise what was being done. It was naturally assumed that he had taken time off from one to go to the other, not that he could whiz between the two in a matter of seconds.
It was of constant amusement to Audrey and Brendan over this but they still took precautions by not overdoing this form of transportation. Though they still had two more sites pegged, they went out to find more but with the provisio that they would only reveal them one at a time after each dig had been brought to a successful conclusion.
It was during the second dig that she fell pregnant again. With the help of Cronos, she was almost able to be in two places at once. It was also idyllic that he would announce he was going into whatever was the nearest town for a few days, only to be picked up by Audrey in Cronos to spend those days at the ranch. They were getting the best of two worlds and were the happier for it which was how they came to be together when they conceived their daughter Marion.
Audrey was by now a competent enough a horsewoman to be able to saddle, bridle up and mount Dancer to go out over the ranch and even do small jumps. Though she still left the currying of the horse and the cleaning of the stable to Thomas.
When she was six months gone she then took the time out to start their book on the Triceratops. Its mating habits, life, eating and defence. Their nanny at this time, a feisty young Scot's lass by the name of Maggie, took care of Christian at this time to leave her free to concentrate on her writing.
Though unknown to either Audrey or Brendan, Thomas, who was half white and half Negro, had started paying court to Maggie, using the quaint old way of saying it. Maggie had come to love little Christian and she simply adored the strong looking master of the house as much as she did Audrey. With Audrey now being pregnant again which would mean another child to look after, decided to accept the attentions of Thomas for she wanted to stay and become a member of this tight knit and loving family.
When Audrey learned of this one evening through a personal tête-à-tête with Maggie, decided to act quickly, for she really would need Maggie when her own child was born. She had the two of them into the lounge one evening and asked point blank if Thomas loved Maggie enough to get married? He had said yes. Maggie said yes too to the same question put to her if she wanted to marry Thomas.
Before they knew it, they were married and Audrey had them flown by their family jet to Florida where they had a fortnight's cruise as their wedding gift for the honeymoon. Audrey, having had an austere upbringing where money was concerned had learnt since being married to Brendan than it was there to be spent in good causes such as this. It wasn't the money but the thought and consideration that was behind it that lent itself to winning the heart and the affection of those to whom it had been given.
Audrey didn't begrudge the fact that she had Christian all to herself for those two weeks, to feed, clean and play with. She just hoped that he would take to his new brother or sister as he had to Maggie.
Again, Brendan's parents were delighted with the news and made another trip down to the ranch, bringing expensive and somewhat unpractical presents for their Grandson. Audrey was delighted at their visit but was also glad when they left for Boston again.
The same two nurses were again employed at her lying in and assisted the doctor in bringing Marion into the world. Brendan was over the moon, dancing around in the lounge as they all drank champagne again, this time with Maggie being there.
It was almost as if planned that on the first night with the new baby crying, Brendan was up in a flash to be caught this time by the other nurse stark naked in the hall light holding the crying baby. Again he'd leaped out of bed with an erection and it had just begun to wilt when he was caught in the light. His half erect and swollen prick hanging there between his legs for this other nurse to see and agree that the man was really a horse. It became a standing joke that he flashed himself to every nurse the night after a baby was born, which later proved to be a fact for he was caught out on the next two occasions a few years hence.
Again the christening was well attended at the ranch much the same as for Christian, only it was now his sister to have the baptismal water poured over her forehead as she was christened, Marion Ursula Francis Fowler, to later be called much like Christian, as Muffy.
I think it is here that we should close the first chapter of Cronos with Brendan and Audrey now having a family. They still moved on to `find' two more palaeontology sites which added to their esteem as the Fossil Hunters. As for Cronos, well, he was a time machine of the first order, and as he had survived on earth for over a hundred million years, who can say how much longer he would remain?
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