Disclaimer: This story is a work of pure fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental, and no harm or slanderous intent is implied or intentional. Other than that the usual disclaimers apply.
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End of Chapter 13
Then, after the Judge regained his composure, he took the chief's hand and pulled him close and whispered in an angry tone, "Do not provoke me, Mike. In two months your reappointment as Chief as well as your departmental budget will come before me for review. As the head of the Justice Department, I have always liked to provide you with all that you needed to function. Ahh, need I say more?"
The Chief had no thought of complying with what the Judge had demanded, however, he just nodded and moved on...
Chapter 14
After being introduced to the social life of the town as the Judge's Social Secretary, Dexter noticed a change in both his and the town's attitude. He started to fit into the social structure of the town. At first he was unsure if this new feeling was genuine or if it was just Yethro's influence that had pressured the town's people into accepting him. In any event, Dexter began to feel a part of the community. The town council had approved his being hired as Yethro's second clerk. They even allocated a small salary to cover his expenses. He had started to study Arabic and made the effort to use more and more of it when he would talk to people. This made the old timers even friendlier. He found that they smiled and opened up to him. They enjoyed correcting his grammar and helping him to speak correctly. While the language was not at all easy, he enjoyed not only learning it but also learning about the customs of the people. His work at the courthouse was interesting. It fascinated him to see how they were twisting and adjusting American jurisprudence to fit into Sharia law. Slowly but surely, his past faded from the minds of both the town's people and himself. They no longer looked at him as an outsider or even as a slave. Except for a rare occasional meeting with one of Sultan's patrons, people just forgot about his past and things settled down to what could be called a normal life. He began to relax and enjoy this new life and his arrangement with the Judge just flourished. He did have to admit that it did have its advantages and that there were times during the day when he forgot about his slavery. Now, just six months after they had moved into the new house, Dexter decided it was time for an official rapprochement of sorts. After all, it was not the town's fault that he was still a slave and now he wanted to show his gratitude to them. The idea of some sort of thank you party formed in his mind. Yes, a party, and he would use the fact that it was the half-year anniversary of their new home as the party's theme. One night, as they were getting ready for bed, he broached the subject to Yethro. At first the Judge was a bit apprehensive.
"Why do you want to do this?" asked Yethro. "Are you not satisfied with just the two of us living here together? Are you now longing for younger companionship? Are you getting tired of me this soon? Perhaps I am not enough company for you?"
"Younger companionship, no it is not that at all. How can you even think that! I'm more than satisfied with you. But I am beginning to feel at home here. Not only that, but you and I have begun to fit into this town. They have accepted our living together and our life style. In the beginning I thought that they would hate me for stealing you away from your wife. After all, she was one of them and a daughter of one of the founding fathers. Me, I was the outsider, an infidel prostitute, who had torn you from her arms, so to speak. The had every reason in the world to hate me. However, it did not work out like that. I don't feel that way anymore, I think they like us and have begun to understand that it was not like that at all. But in spite of all this evidence, they refused to treat me like the home wrecker that I really was. I just want to say thank you to some of them. They no longer make me feel that I'm anything like a prostitute who corrupted their native son and brought him down into the gutter. They know that while I'm still your slave, I had nothing to do with the trouble in your marriage. Now they treat me as if I belong here and I think I am not only getting used to living with you, but that I like them as well as you."
The Judge was ecstatic. "See, I told you so! Do you remember the conversation we had at the cabin before we moved here when I told you that you would sooner or later become a part of us?"
"Yes I remember it well and if you remember, at the time I told you that as a slave I could not become your willing lover nor anything more than a passive courtesan. Only a free man could bind himself to another person or community."
"Yes, I remember. At the time I might not have understood, but since then I am beginning to understand and appreciate your position," the Judge said, "However, this understanding still does not make me sympathetic to your situation and therefore we are in a quagmire! I can either keep you as a slave or risk losing you by setting you free. I am just afraid to set you free and find out that you are no longer in my life."
"I'm afraid that's really our only solution. Before I can give myself to you or anyone completely, I must be free to do so," Dexter said but then, seeing the look of disappointment in the Judge's eyes, he added, "Judge, I don't know. Maybe this party is my way of telling both you and the community that I am getting used to the situation and trying my damnedest to make the best of it. Yethro please, this party, is a way of saying to you that while I'm stuck in this situation, I'm also happy to have you as my 'Master'. I want you and our friends to know that in spite of my social position, I like you and them and this party is my way of saying thanks to you and your friends."
"Well, it may not be all I want, but it is a start. And it is a start in the right direction. I really did not expect you to soften up so much, so fast. I now predict that someday soon you will come to your senses and accept the one, true God and his prophet...", Yethro said and left the rest hanging in the air. "Yes! We will have your party and who knows, I might even have a present or two for you."
"Thank you, Yethro. But no presents. You have made me very happy and that is enough. What do you think about making it a swimming party? In a few weeks the solarium will be finish and since it will enclose and cover the pool we can have the party there. That way we can show it off and even go swimming if the weather is a bit cool." Dexter said.
"Good idea, I was thinking of having the builders rush to finish it and I also want to have the gardeners finish the plantings and landscaping. I would like to make it look like our place at the lake. Everything was going to be ready by late June but I think I can get them to hurry it up. As soon as they complete the job you can set the date," the Judge said smiling and then added, "you know, Dex, the reason I wanted an indoor pool here in town was because I do miss our time at the lake. I loved the time we had at the lake and I wanted the pool to remind us of last summer every time we go in for a swim. I still remember the times both of us spent on the swimmers' raft making love last summer. I can't wait to do it with you on an air mattress in the middle of the pool!"
