5   LOVE

The day to leave Canada to catch the cruise had arrived. Now that Helena was convinced that Leo had far more intelligence than she had suspected, she asked Leo to get the things together he wanted to take with him and he understood perfectly. They packed their bags with all that they thought they would need.

The previous day she had purchased an outfit for Leo that resembled the Star Wars character Chewbacca and it disguised his lumbering gait. She made sure he packed that and he told her that he liked it much better than the clothing he had before, but he just could be without any clothing and pretend it was a costume. That would have made sense if Leo's ability to talk clearly would have been more advanced and Leo conceded that to be true and said he would work harder on it. What surprised Helena the most was the fact how much better she could converse with Leo logically. She understood him better than Gábor did and translated to him what her son said. Gábor thought he understood some words, but only with great effort and concentration. However, he was getting a hunch that Leo would become a big surprise for him. By the end of the day when they retreated to their bedroom he doubted Leo's intelligence much less.

They were in bed, naked as usual, and soft, indirect lighting illuminated the room. Outside it was quite cool, but the house inside was cozy and warm, and they covered themselves only with a light blanket. Leo was in his favourite room in the basement. Gábor's arm was under Helena's head, his hand on her shoulder, and she snuggled close to him. They talked about the plan. Helena wanted to cancel it. Gábor asked her how she imagined Leo going to school, and she could not answer that.

Lying on her side with her knee bent and over his leg, a hand on his chest, she listened to his voice as he asked her what ideas she had in regards to the upcoming trip. She hoped tonight he would show interest in her. Having in mind to make love with him, she snuggled closer. She wasn't ovulating, but she used a preventative device anyway; Gábor didn't have to worry. Still, he didn't have much confidence in the chemical prevention and his worries dictated his sexual practices. At her age, Helena was more confident and her sex drive was at its peak.

Whenever they were with each other, they spoke in their native language, Hungarian. The sound of their language was more familiar and intimate to them than English. In Hungary, they went to school and learned English, German and French, which they spoke sometimes, but not as fluently. They still had a bit of an accent that many found interesting, even charming.

"Could we not have a homeschooling permit?" Helena asked.

"I thought about it, but I was told we are too close to Gibson's or Lund to qualify.

"What about correspondence school?"

"Same thing, Lena."

"What else is there?"

"I wish I knew. I feel we are up against the wall, and I can't see how we could win. I do not want to leave him alone with only Ivan around on some forsaken island without any help at all. Ivan is very capable, and I trust him. I know they could take care of themselves, I see how he is doing it here, but alone in a strange environment? I don't know. What if something happens to either one of them? I love him as you do and want to be around him when he needs me. Here I can't fight the whole society. There, without people other than Ivan, he might have a better chance."

In the dim light, the pain was clear in his eyes, and Helena felt a strong urge to comfort him.  She whispered. "I know. At least I think so. I love and trust you, and I'm with you," she kissed his hand.

"I love and need you, Lena," he answered, pulling her tighter to him.

She slid closer and turned a bit. Her breast touched his ribs and hairy chest. Her face hovered over his, smiling, then lowered to his lips. She kissed him lightly and tentatively, several times.

For a little while, they were content to be just close to each other, to caress, one holding the other. But as before, their desire took over, and, like a kindled fire, it caught on. Her hand under the blanket moved tentatively down over his chest toward his belly and caressed him, and then moving lower until she felt his coarse pubic hair. Her fingers played over it gently and hope for his love flared up in her and she was thinking. ‘Please, make love to me'.

"It has been a long time since we made love, Honey. I miss you."

"You're not ovulating, are you?"

"No. I took my temperature this morning. It's normal," she said, she was close to ovulation, but trusted the device she used.

With his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her closer and returned her kisses, their tongues playing with each other. Helena opened her lips wider and slipped her tongue into his mouth. She lifted her left leg over his, loving the feel of his hairy thighs on her skin, she felt her body getting aroused almost instantly. Gazing into his eyes and his face, she marvelled again at how she had managed to earn his love. His love for her had never faltered before Leo's transformation. He was as reliable as the phases of the moon and she was happy that he wanted her. After a personal growth seminar, their sexual activity improved in frequency although only during the times of her infertility.

Their intimate encounters were never boring or routine and involved games and fantasies. His playfulness excited her. She never really knew if he seduced her or if it was her wanting him constantly. There was something about him that attracted her and she had noticed that other women were interested in him as well and she found that to be charming, but Gábor seemed not to notice it. Even Sandra, his receptionist at the office, had an eye on him. In any case, Gábor was fun to be with. He noticed any little changes she made on herself and he let her know how they pleased him. He was not in the habit of floral expressions and sometimes she missed that, but she felt being seen by him and not only as a sex object, although that was just as welcome.

This morning he remarked on the color of the elastic that held her hair in a ponytail and how it had a decorating effect on her. It was not the most eloquent compliment, she'd heard much better from strangers, but Helena felt his love in his words. In her eyes, Gábor was the most authentic man she had ever met, and she loved him from the deepest part of her being. This love, she knew, would never fade, not from her side or his. There was always the thrill of being together. Only during the time of Leo's transformation has he retreated from sexual intimacy for fear of another being like Leo. She missed it and so did he.

Happy that he wanted her she wrapped her fingers around Gábor's hardening shaft, and his breath accelerated. With her left hand, she pulled his foreskin down, peeked under the cover, and saw the large head exposed and erect, she threw off the blanket. Looking at his, strong cock, her fingers caressed the gland slowly.

"I love looking at your magic wand, Honey."

"He's looking back at you, winking."

"Yah, well. It's more like squinting if you're asking me."

"In that case he needs some assistance looking."

Removing the cover he scanned over her slender frame.

"I love looking at you. You are the sexiest woman I've ever known."

"To how many women did you tell the same lie?"

"If I told you, you'd kill me. But in your case, it's an honest lie."

She wrinkled her forehead. "How honest can a lie be?"

"Like the lie that says that you're a nympho."

"With you I am. Take advantage of it," she said laughingly, inviting him. "I'm all yours. Forever."

Encouraged like that his hands began stroking her back and her sides, sending a tingling wave over her whole body. Helena's nipples hardened. A pulling sensation in her vagina made her squirm, and she felt herself getting wet between her legs, her hopes rising with her excitement. When his hands reached her hips, her buttocks, caressing her satin-soft flesh, she was ready and kissed him again, urgently, deeper and harder, stroking him, wanting him in her and these, in her mind, rare opportunities, were precious to her.

Married seven years now, their lovemaking only got better and exploratory over time. Before Leo's changes had become evident they used to make love at least once a day, usually twice. They loved each other and Leo despite his strange appearance, but their confusion about him and what possibly went wrong had created ambivalence in their expression of that love. Now they wanted to assure each other that their love was still intact. Both wanted each other more than anything and now it was one of those happy moments.

Gábor moved his spread fingers up her spine to her neck and buried his hands in her hair, then moved to her face, and with a feather-light touch, like a blind person's fingers over Braille, he traced her face, nose, and eyes and then her neck and shoulders. Her legs straddled his thigh as she lay half over him, still on her side, rubbing her pelvis on him. His fingers traced her arms with a feather light touch, starting at her triceps, slowly down to her fingers, caressing her palm and the inside of her wrist and moving up her arm to the sensitive crook of her arm caused her to shiver. Sliding his palm over her breast and briefly playing with her nipples made Helena vibrate and hum like a guitar string. Lowering his hand toward her pubic, he caressed her belly and hip in passing. Helena moved a little to align her body more on top of him and felt his pubic hair and shaft on her sex impatiently wanting him in her.

Moving restlessly, feeling his fingers on her pubes she began breathing hard through her nose. A little moisture lubricated his fingers, he teased her by gently probing around her pubes, gliding his fingers over her swelling labia, then searching a little deeper until he touched her clitoris. She jumped, her mouth separated from his, and she inhaled sharply.

"Gábor, you're getting me all wet and horny. I want you."

"You're always horny and almost had me this morning," he smiled.

"Yes, but you ran," she said and gave his penis a squeeze.

"Ouch! Only five K's. And you were dressed when I got back."

"You could have peeled it off me. I would have been game."

"I thought you had enough of me." He nuzzled her breast.

"I don't think I will ever have enough of you," she moaned and then followed his lead in this dance, feeling his shaft on her pubes.

"I hope not," he whispered.

Helena's sexual scent filled Gábor's nose. He wished she would move up on him, allowing him to taste her. He knew she loved oral sex, but this time he wanted her to do what she wanted. He withdrew his fingers and slowly circled them up to her belly just above the hairline of her pubic, then down to her thighs, moving outward up to her round buttocks. Sliding into the crevice, his hand trailed from there up to her sides, then along the sensitive area from her hips up again over her ribs and armpits to her breasts, while his other hand caressed the nape of her neck. It was almost too much for her. Her breath caught in her throat and quickened. Her hips began to undulate and roll. Pressing her pelvis against his erection and coating it with her nectar made his shaft slippery. Little whimpers and cries escaped her, and her laboured breath pulsed gaspingly over her lips. She could hardly control her desire to insert him into herself. Loving his thick and rigid shaft as it slid over her labia, she savoured and extended these moments of sheer pleasure.

"Lena, you're driving me to the edge. I can't take much more of this. I want to be in you now."

She wanted him inside her too and pressed her pelvis hard onto his shaft, the prolonged tease almost uncontrollable.

"Just hang on a moment. Let me reposition myself," she panted and moved his gland all over her sex, teasing herself a little more.

Gábor's hands kept moving over her breasts and finally began kneading them, playing around her areolae, and his palms burned on her hard, large, nipples. Helena rose, bringing her vagina in line with his shaft, spread her legs wider and straddled him, his shaft touching the length of her folds, her juices coating him. Rocking back and forth she lowered her breasts within reach of his mouth. He accepted her offer. This was what she wanted to have every day. His fingers rolled her nipple, his mouth closed on her other breast, and gently biting he licked her nipple, sending waves of pleasure to her pelvis. Her mouth opened and sounds of pleasure escaped from her throat as she moved and enjoyed the hardness of his shaft, her wetness making him more slick and slippery with each pass of his shaft on her pubes. Gábor's breath was deep and ragged. He moaned with her ministrations. Suddenly she bent down to him and kissed him, hard and urgently, while her hand grabbed his shaft and guided him to the opening of her vagina.

"Now I'm ready."

His enlarged glans spread her lips apart, penetrating her. She gasped and moaned with pleasure as he entered her, slowly, then pushed deeper; he pulled out and drove back in again.

"You still love me, don't you?" Gábor asked with a heavy breath.

"Gábor, I'll love you forever. I'm crazy about you and just can't get enough of you. I need your love. Please come back to me. Love me like you did before. I miss your love terribly."

 Hugging her tight to him, tears flooded his eyes.

‘I'm here. I've never left. I love you and would die for you,' he wanted to shout, but the words stuck in his throat. Gábor was not much of a man of words and often said the wrong things when under emotional stress. Looking at her he whispered: "I've never stopped loving you."

She saw the hurt in his eyes and desperately wanted to heal him, hoping fervently her love would do it.

"I prefer to feel it," she replied, driving herself deeper onto him.

Helena was hot, wet, and the silky texture of her sex engulfed him. He felt her vaginal walls milking him like fingers. She rode him, rising and falling slowly at first, but gradually increasing her tempo, alternating between shallow and deep penetrations. Her breathing and passion took on urgency, and her thrusts came harder, plunging deeper onto him until he touched her cervix. Rotating her hips as if she was dancing, she closed her eyes and threw her head back exposing her throat.

A wailing sound accompanied her movements like a symphony as she worked herself into frenzy. Turning, and facing his feet without slipping out, she rode him as if she would a horse while he rose into a semi-sitting position and let her use him. Moving his hands up and down her sides, he slid them to her breasts, kneading them, circling the elongated, hard nipples, watching her slender form, waist, and buttocks, admiring her trim shape as she moved vigorously off and on his shaft. She was beautiful and making love with her were the highlights in his life. Her skin felt and looked hot and flushed, and perspiration coated her body. Helena's breasts were firm and had stayed supple after Leo's birth, and they were very sensitive. Gábor could bring her to orgasm just by stimulating her breasts.

When his hands moved to her hips and pulled her harder to him, she knew he neared his climax just as she hurtled towards her own. Using her vaginal muscles with small movements for a while, she drove Gábor to the edge of his orgasm. He pushed harder and faster into her, groaning with effort, gritting his teeth, still holding back his own release. Suddenly she disengaged, turned again, and without any play took him into her mouth. She sucked him deep into her, while her tongue stroked his pulsing member until he almost came but unexpectedly, she let go of him. He groaned and just about had lost his control and ejaculated into her mouth. He knew she loved it and most often swallowed his seed.

"Honey, I want you, but I want to feel you come in my pussy now," she managed to say as she moved astride him with her knees at his sides and inserted his hard rod back into her slick, hot sex and then grabbed his hand and put two of his fingers in her mouth and sucked on them, the sensation being that of sucking on a penis while she plunged down hard and fast several times onto his shaft, feeling his other hand around her hip urging her on and after a few thrusts the familiar churning in her abdomen signalled her imminent orgasm. She threw her head back and a long wailing moan tore from her lips.

"Oh yes, god, Gábor, I'm coming. I want you to come with me," she barely articulated and with a keening sound, she came hard, and a feeling as if a thousand birds fluttering their wings inside her engulfed her. She sucked harder on his fingers; her tongue swirled around them as if it were his cock. Then abruptly, his head arched back, his face tensed as in pain.

"Ah, Lena. I'm coming," he shouted, his body tense.

The sensation of her mouth on his fingers amplified his arousal and he bucked upward, feeling the heavenly pleasure of his release surge through his shaft as it gushed into Helena's sheath, squirt after squirt.

Helena held her breath when she felt his first blast in her. It felt as if his penis swelled with each jetting of his ejaculate into her and amplified her arousal in turn. It was the pinnacle of her experience when he came.

"Yes, ah yes. I love you shooting into me," she groaned around his fingers, pressing her pelvis hard against his groin, his gland at her cervix. "God, I love when you're filling me," her own abdomen roiling with her release. His hard rod ploughed deep into her, and his entire body shook with his climax. Helena let go of his hand and kissed him, sucking on his tongue while he ejaculated into her depth.

The intensity of their coupling steamed up the windows, and her shrieks of pleasure, muffled by his tongue deep inside her mouth, were of extreme passion. When his spasms ended, she briefly ended the kiss, but it wasn't over. Looking at him with lust in her eyes she repeated what she had stated many times before.

"I never know what I like more; you coming in my mouth or in my pussy. It's a hard choice for me."

"So you keep telling me and I don't know either what I like most, eating you or fucking your pussy. You are very talented with both and I would love to do both at the same time. The ‘sixty-nine’ position is the closest to that. You want that now?"

"Later. Just let us keep doing what we're doing right now."

"That's an invitation I love to get from you. I love you," he assured her and she replied. "I love you Gábor and always will."

Gábor was a very skilled lover and demonstrated that through his care, but he was not talkative. He was a practical man. Words were cheap he used to say, but sometimes she longed to hear them. It was his way to show his love for her and she accepted it. He didn't use words often during intercourse though she would have loved to hear him say words of love, but now he loosened his tongue and whispered words she wanted to hear and it increased her ardor. It took a while for Gábor getting used to talking during sex and Helena had to encourage him although she needed to work on that too. It wasn't often, only when the mood struck them and this was one of those moments.

Riding the waves of passion at a much less urgent pace and looking at each other's eyes and seeing the expression of their enjoyment and the frequent kisses and caresses during their lovemaking created a magic that swept them along to higher levels of ecstasy.

Inflamed with her intense enthusiasm and fire, he caressed her buttocks and her rectum and then using trigger points between her anus and vagina he affected a deeper arousal and sustained level of excitement. Helena felt a sensation flooding her as if her body contained a boiling liquid that seeped into every cell. Wave after wave raked her body like a storm at sea tossing her from side to side, her juices flowing freely around her husband's shaft, she planted another kiss on his mouth, sucking on his tongue fervently, she came again, more intensely than before, while her moans of pleasure mingled with his grunts, their pleasure excruciating.

Her orgasm ripped through her like a firestorm. Helena almost passed out from the intense release. Blind and deaf, her whole body vibrated, and then her panting breath settled into a steady rhythm as she reached a higher plateau after her climax.  A feeling of love and peace permeated her being.

She was capable of multiple orgasms and often had them with him but not because of any special technique that either of them used. The emotional connection and care for each other were always with them regardless what transpired between them and when they made love it was all or nothing like it was now. The adoration they felt for each other culminated in a meltdown and the two had merged as one for several minutes that stretched over a long period of time.

Slowly Helena regained her senses, but she still wanted to experience his climax once more. Over the years she had learned that he had incredible stamina. Somehow he could keep an erection even after multiple ejaculations and she was the one that had to ask him for a break on several occasions, something she had never had to ask a man before. She usually had worn them out and they went to sleep minutes after their orgasms, but not him. Apparently, he was inexhaustible or perhaps it was she.

She opened her eyes, smiling at him while moving slowly up and down on his erection, watching him seeing the love in his eyes that she felt for him. Laying down on his chest and loving his arms folding around her, she nestled her face into the hollow of his neck and shoulder for a few minutes, trying to relax, but she still felt the need for him.

Easing her body off him she wiped pearls of sweat off his face. He smiled and kissed her hand. With Gábor there was always, what he called LAST, Love After Sex Time. He made sure she was cared for, hugged and looked after her needs like having towels or tissues available, a bottle of water or juice and sometimes sweets that they both enjoyed. At this instance, she wanted a little rest but only to enjoy another session. He had remained in her, hugging her close, a practice she loved, and moved very slow, letting his hands gently caress her arms and legs in a non-arousing way. "Are you happy?" he asked.

"Extremely. And the sex is fantastic too," she laughed cuddling closer to him.

"Do you want something?"

"Yes. You again. It's not often that I have a chance to have you like this. But let me first recover a minute or two. Just hold me."

He did and enjoyed her body covering him. Her warm soft body, her radiant face framed by her wavy hair, now loose and a complete mess made him smile and for the thousands time, he wondered how this woman ended up with him. He could make love with her forever. Like on clue, Helena lifted her head from his chest.

"Are you ready for another round? I just wouldn't want to miss out on the opportunity to do it here at home before we go on this trip, you know."

"Are you worried I may not perform well on the ocean?"

"No. My worry is that you could have a relapse and not perform at all while we're on that trip."

"Ah. You mean my magic could fail?"

Pursing her lips she regarded him for a moment and then rolled off him. His penis slipped out of her and for a second he thought she changed her mind about another session, but then she replied with a statement and a request.

"Gábor, your magic never fails. Do it to me from behind now. I want it again until you touch bottom again. I love it when you're deep in me."

"Then let the games continue. Let's work your kitty while it's still hot," he laughed.

"With you, it's always hot," she assured and on her knees with her head touching the sheets, she wiggled her butt, offering her sex as he moved behind her.

"And it has never lost its fascination," he affirmed.

With his knees he spread her legs and entered her from behind, his hands reaching for her breasts and fondling them, sliding his palms over the nipples, and watching her excitement grow. He moved just the head of his penis into her, and then slowly moved in and out, with deliberate, teasing motions. Once every so often, he went deeper for a few thrusts, then back to shallow.

"Do you like this?"

Helena started to move her hips again with small circles, her back arched. She looked back at Gábor, whispering hoarsely.

"Ah, yes, that feels good." She rocked harder and wanted more, but he just kept up the slow, shallow teasing, driving her to a point where she just couldn't take it anymore.

"Deeper. Please. Fuck me harder. Fuck my pussy. I want you deep in me," but he wanted her to want him and kept teasing her. She wanted more. Her frustration took over, and she began to buck harder against his shaft. He took a handful of hair into his hand and pulled on it, not too hard, but it forced her head back and arched her spine. She let out a ragged moan as he began to thrust harder and deeper.

"That's it, Honey. Right there. Fuck me hard, dominate me."

Her butt and hips moved in a circular motion on him as he plunged deep into her. The sweat on his forehead dropped onto her back and mingled with pearls of sweat from her own body. With his hands on her slender body and flaring hips, he pulled her tight to him with each thrust. Her panting came hard, and she cried out when she felt her imminent release in her abdomen.

"Gábor, oh god, yes oh-h-h yes, Gábor, I'm going to come again."

Her head dropped to the bed, turned to the side and her mouth opened wide as if she needed all the air in the world. She went frantic and bucked harder; her vagina contracted and pulsed as if it had a life of its own. Supporting her body with her head on the bed, her left hand fingered her clitoris and his penis, and her right grabbed and fondled Gábor's testicles. He let out a moan and intensified his thrusts into her, feeling close to climax again.

"I'm about to come, Lena," he announced with a groan, his breath hard. Helena spurred him on.

"Yes, yes, come in me. I want to feel you come inside me again."

She paused for a few seconds, held her breath and then with an explosive exhalation and a shriek, she turned liquid.

"Ah, yes. God, you're amazing. I love you," she cried.

Copious amount of her fluids bathed his shaft and mixed with his semen. His breath came in puffs from bellows, his moans turned to grunts, and just as Helena climaxed again, he came too. His penis jerked and twitched, and he felt the strong spasms and vibrations rising up his spine to the top of his head. He exploded into her again as if he had not done it just a half hour earlier, jetting deep into her womb. Her shrieks of pleasure drove him to thrust deeper and he felt the constriction of her cervix. Her spasms shook her out of control; he stiffened and pressed deep into her, his release coming in hard spurts, shooting into her spasms. His grunts turned into a shout.

"Ah, Lena-ah. Oh, god, I love you."

When his spasm subsided a subjective eternity later, he collapsed onto her and covered her body with his. As he calmed, he felt Helena's spasms subsiding, also. He remained quiet, but his heart hammered in his chest. At this moment he was ready to die. His love for this woman was filling every one of his thoughts and he inhaled her scent.

Slowly his breath normalized. Inhaling deeply through his nose, out through his mouth, he waited for her to move. His hands gently stroked her hips and round buttocks. They rose to their knees when they recovered sufficiently and he held her from behind with his head on her shoulder and his chest against her back.

Helena felt as one with him as she felt his rapid heartbeat on her back. She matched her breathing to his. His arms crossing over her breasts made her feel protected and secure, and she let her head fall back against his shoulder. A happy smile was on her lips as she stayed with him, rocking from side to side, and she hummed, her arms pressing his arms against her skin.

"Oh, my god, Gábor, I don't want you to go to work tomorrow. I'll cancel my appointments, and we'll stay in bed all day, okay? Let the people postpone or work out their own problems for a day. We deserve a little time for ourselves occasionally. I love you Gábor," she whispered, satisfied and happy to her core. Gábor hummed, nodded silently and Helena felt his arms tightening around her.

"And I love you, Lena, and one day you will kill me with your kitty," he sighed into her ear, but he didn't sound like someone complaining. She laughed happily, catching her breath.

"Not until I have had enough of you, and that day will never come as long as you live. You're not getting out of this relationship that easily."

They did not disengage until his erection softened and he slipped out of her. Laid down side by side with his hand, cupping her breast, they relaxed in silence and her hand stroked his chest contentedly. Their breathing calmed, and their heartbeats slowed. She turned and moved a little away from him so she could see his eyes. Daringly she broached a painful subject.

"Don't you think we could have a normal baby, a sister or brother for Leo? Do you want to try? Perhaps this time it will be a human child. I would love to see us in our next child. I would love to see a resemblance of us in our children."

Gábor swallowed, but this time he remained centered, this time he talked.

"Honey, I would love to have many children with you, you know that. It would not make much difference to me, but it would be great if it at least one would look like you. Leo may have been a strange accident. I am more concerned about what will happen to him or any other child like him if people see their deformity if even that's what it is. Perhaps it's a leap of evolution, and we are the first to see it, and we just have to accept it. It is the society I'm worried about. I know you want to have babies and so do I, but I'm not comfortable in burdening you with the care of a child with an unknown syndrome. I thought we agreed on not taking that risk." His somber eyes told her he meant it.

"I'm sure we will find a solution, we always did in the past, and perhaps people will get used to Leo too. I can't and won't accept defeat until the end. I am sure that he is as intelligent as anyone of us Gábor. I know, you are sceptical, but he has made huge progress in the last two weeks, and today he began to practice reading and writing. I see him every day and see the progress and surely you do too. Leo is shy around you because he feels you doubt him. You could help him to connect with you and love you by accepting him. Let's see how things develop on this trip, and we'll take it from there. What do you think?"

Her eyes looked expectantly into his. His hazel eyes now had a brown tint to them, and he looked relaxed. A smile played on his lips as he drew her closer. She moved into his arms, resting her head on his upper body, inhaled his scent and splayed her hand on his chest, playing with the hair growing there.

"You will never give up, will you? Are you thinking of changing the plans, Lena? Leo can't remain here until he is mature enough to handle people. He is very strong, and if anyone attacks him, he could kill him or her. I can barely handle him when it comes to strength alone. Give him two more years, and he'll be stronger than I am. When he has learned to control his emotions, we will have a chance to introduce him to other people besides Ivan, don't you think? Let's give it some time. Once he has a working vocabulary we could hire a special teacher and perhaps he could make it into school as well. After this gig, we could assess the situation and take it from there, okay?"

What he said made a lot of sense, and she knew deep down the truth of it. She also saw the reason behind the logic, but she was a mother, and the thought of not seeing her child for more than a few months in a year made her shiver. Leo would be alone without anybody around, except Ivan. What would that do to him? Could they not let him live somewhere closer, perhaps build another house nearby, and look after him there? Then she thought of what Gábor had said. People must believe they had lost their son in the ocean on this trip. He had to disappear from the official records at least for a while.

Helena had no doubt Ivan would be at the rendezvous point to take Leo to Mehetia, their chosen refuge, and look after him. Mehetia was only about ninety nautical miles from Tahiti's main island, and a good inflatable boat with a strong engine could make it on a calm day in three-four hours. They'd chosen this Island because it was near to Tahiti, and no one lived on it. They were sure to find water and fruits, but there was not much meat there. Leo would have to get his proteins from the sea. Ivan assured them he could build a small shack there and get things they needed from Tahiti as long as the boat was running and they could stay in touch with a radio. The larger issue would be to stay out of sight of the authorities.

But what if he missed or intercepted the wrong ship? After all, Ivan had never seen the cruiser. He'd arrive only two days before them in Tahiti where they would meet. More importantly, would he be able to intercept the cruiser when it left from Tahiti towards the Leeward Islands? The staged "accident" was to be between Tahiti and Moorea not that far from land, but there was a lot of traffic in the area. Anybody could see the "rescue" if they were close enough. They would have to make sure Ivan saw the cruiser and was close enough to pick Leo up. She realized how nervous she was about the situation, but knew; Ivan wasn't stupid. Nevertheless, Ivan actually looked forward to the adventure and thought the time with Leo would work well for both of them. When they left Canada and said their good bye's, with a wink, he said he would see if the Polynesian women were as pretty as they say. Helena had replied to him in a jokingly manner.

"I heard they are civilized now and avoid men to gain heavenly favours after death."

"I'll talk them into the seventh heaven while they are still living."

"Why do I get the feeling it's not talking you're talking about?"

"Because it's not," he said with a wink. They laughed with him. Ivan was a unique, quirky character, honest and straightforward that both could relate to and loved. Helena looked at Gábor. "You really think Leo will be okay?"

"Ivan will be with him, and I trust him. If anybody can help Leo, it's he."

"Hmm, yes. I trust him too," she replied and reached for a towel beside the bed on the small cabinet then she asked Gábor to get clean bed sheets while she put the wet ones in the laundry, then they could shower together. He pulled off the bed covers and handed them to her after she put on her robe.

When she got to the bedroom door, she turned to Gábor and said with a frivolous smile: "Use the satin sheets. We might need them."

"Woman, you intend to kill me before we leave for Tahiti? Have mercy."

"You'll survive. And if not, you'll die very happy in my arms," she promised with a smile that made her look like a woman of twenty. Helena stepped out of the door and walked down the stairs.

"Now that's something to look forward to," he smiled to himself, his heart full of love for this woman.

With the changed situation of Leo's identity, he felt much more at ease. Sure, he looked different, but he had enough intelligence to communicate and with a good education, Leo would be able to overcome the deformity and Gábor as his father would do whatever it took to make sure no harm would come to him.