Tina's Story -Chapter 81 In the Begining -A Gray Muzzle story
Tina's Story- Chapter 81 - In the Beginning - A Gray Muzzle story
(I'd like to thank Spikey Pete, whose idea served as the basis for this story. Beyond this idea though, I'd like to thank Pete for his daily conversation, his ideas, his inspirations, and the day to day support of a fellow writer. Thanks, Buddy! Here's your story.)
Violet woke to a lovely sunny morning. It was Saturday, but not just any Saturday, it was the day of the big move. Years ago, beaten and sexually abused, Violet came to Peteena's House, a shelter for abandoned and abused Poodle hybrids. For Violet, it was a chance for a new life. She wore clothes, slept in a human bed, and was, for the first time, treated like a human being. The past, however, haunted her. She could not entirely put the years of abuse behind her. Violet was the 'wild child' of the house. She broke the rules constantly, had a quick temper, and loved to walk around in the nude.
She was a practical joker, which didn't sit well with everyone. Still, there was progress. A natural athlete, she held aerobics every morning. A quick study, Violet learned to do hair, and became the house beautician, doing Poodle coats and wigs with equal skill. In the end, the girls came to love Violet, even with all her quirks. For many, it would be hard to imagine Peteena's House without her quick laughter, or her purple brushcut hairdo.
Violet got up, and picked through a box on the floor. She fished out a pink tank top, pink panties, and a micro mini pair of denim shorts. Dressed in a minute, she ran a brush through her short purple hair, and found some flip flops under the bed. With a quick look in the mirror, she went downstairs for coffee.
"So, Violet, this is it?" Kelly asked. Kelly was the newest guest, and the youngest houseguest.
"uh huh" Violet replied
"Didn't you like it here?"
"Not the point" she cut the young girl off. "It's just time. I grew up in Alaska, where every living creature pulls it's own weight. I don't feel I'm doing that. Time to move on."
Violet leaned back, and took a swig of coffee.
"Well, good luck!" Kelly chirped "See you around!"
"Yeah." Violet answered.
By the time she'd finished her coffee, Koji had arrived. A wof/Malamute/human hybrid, Koji was a reporter, and Violet's boyfriend. More than anything, it was Koji that brought Violet out. In the weeks they had dated, Violet seemed more focused, more herself. She was also a lot more feminine, in dress and manner, and she seemed....well, happy.
"Hi, Koj!" Violet greeted her friend with a kiss and a hug.
"Hey, Sugar! Ready to get started?
They went to Violet's room. For a girl in her twenties, she didn't have much. There was a box or two of clothing. She had some beauty supplies, and some sports equipment. She had a Wii, which she loved, an Ipod, a phone, and an old TV, with a coat hanger antenna.
"Is this it?" Koji asked
'Yeah, pretty much" she replied, with a little sadness.
Koji and Violet brought the boxed downstairs, where they were met by Marcia and the girls.
"We wanted to say 'Good Bye' and wish you well" Marcia said.
"Well, thank you"
"We wanted you to know how much we all love you"
Marcia stepped aside, to find the girls had gotten her a cake.
"Awww guys, you didn't have to...."
"The girls chipped in and got you this..."
Several of the girls carried out a big box. Violet unwrapped it to find that the girls had gotten her a lovely flat screen TV.
"We weren't sure what you'd like" said Lucy, the oldest "Then we remembered how much you love your MTV, and that sorry TV with the broken antenna."
Violet started to choke up, which was unlike her.
"Awwww guys!......"
The girls gathered around, hugging Violet, and saying their good byes. After cake and coffee, the boxed were placed in Koji's Civic. With Violet's bike lashed to the roof, they were off.
"Off to Aunt Georgette's " Violet stated
"I thought we'd stop by Target, and get you a few things. My housewarmimg gift.
So they drove to the local Target. Koji and Violet shopped housewares. They got Violet blankets and a bedspread, a trash can, and some sheets and pillows. All in various shades of purple. When they got back to the car, Koji handed her a package.
"I figured you didn't have any pictures, so I got you this"
Inside was a frame, with a picture that Koji had taken of the two of them in the hot tub at the house.
"It's perfect, Koj!" she said, giving him a big hug.
It wasn't far to Stan and Georgette's. Koji slipped the Honda up to the curb in front of the neat, white wooden house. Georgette and Stan Russel were waiting on the porch.
"How's our favorite niece?" Stan greeted.
Violet hugged him.
"Uncle Stan! You know I'm your ONLY niece!"
Stan smiled
"But if we had a hundred, you'd STILL be our favorite."
Violet loved the flattery, giving her Uncle another hug.
'Hi, Auntie Georgette"
"Hello, dear. Who's your friend?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Aunt Georgette, Uncle Stan, this is my friend Koji"
Koji shook hands with the Russels
"You're a fine young wolf" Stan observed "I think my niece has a good eye for boyfriends..."
"I didn't say 'boyfriend', Uncle Stan" Violet replied, somewhat defensively
"You forget, we talk to your cousin" Stan responded "Need help with those boxes?
"Now Stanley! You're still recovering! Don't overdo yourself...."
"YAK YAK YAK YAK....Stan mocked.
Violet, Stan and Koji began to bring the boxes in. They carried all the boxes upstairs to the simple bedroom where she would live. There was a dresser, a nightstand, a mirror, and a single bed. There was a single window that looked out on the small, but neat backyard. After the boxes were brought in, Stan invited then downstairs, where he had the grill going.
'I thought we'd cook out. Hamburgs, hotdogs"
They had a very nice cookout. Stan grilled, while Georgette had made potato salad. She had also boiled sweet corn. Stan had a cooler with ice and beer. After lots of food, and a little talk, Koji went home in the early evening. Violet retired upstairs to get unpacked. Between unpacking, putting things in their place, and making her bed, it was almost midnight. After a day of activity, Violet was still very much awake. She went downstairs for a glass of water. She was surprised to find Georgette still up, sitting at the kitchen table.
"Sit down dear, take a load off. You've been working hard."
Violet sat down. Georgette poured her a cup of coffee from the pot she had made.
"That Koji seems like a nice young man."
Violet smiled, and blushed
"He's...special"
Georgette smiled, too.
"I remember being young and in love." Georgette responded "But you don't want to hear the ramblings of a crazy old woman."
Georgette didn't have the look of someone reminiscing over their first love. Perhaps that's why Violet answered as she did.
"You're not crazy, Aunt Georgette"
" I may not be now, dear, but I was....."
Violet didn't say a word. She sat back and looked at her Aunt, not knowing what was to come. After a time, Georgette began to speak, slowly, and without emotion, as if remembering a dream.
"Life......was very different for us back then. I mean, for our kind, particularly the girls. It wasn't that long that we were pets....property. The early years after the emancipation weren't much better. Maybe worse. Many thought so. At least owners had to care for us. We were left to care for ourselves, no money, no jobs- nothing. Girls in particular, were disposable. Men could labor. Bitches were pretty useless, since people couldn't own us, so breeding us was worthless. There was no education. So, we sat home, or what passed for it. My parents were strict, they kept me in. All day, every day. Cook, clean, wash. Never to leave. That was to be my lot in life. Then, one day I was beating the rugs. I saw this young Black Poodle. He was the most stunning male I'd ever seen! And he had a job! I knew it, because he carried a lunch box, and had money to ride the bus. Well, the next day I was on the front porch, shelling peas, and I saw him again. This time, he saw me. He smiled at me! My heart was in my throat! I'd never had these feelings before. I was young, maybe fourteen, and I see this incredible creature. I couldn't think of anything else. As days went by, he seemed to come by earlier for his bus, to be longer at the stop. He's walk by, and he'd say 'hi'"
"Did you talk to him?" Violet asked
"No! My parents would have KILLED me! He must have been, oh, twenty four or so..... But, ....eventually, we found ways. I had this signal, when my parents weren't home. Then we could talk. We went on like that for months. Then, I just felt I couldn't wait another day! I HAD to be with him! So, we made plans. I'd sneak out my window, and we'd be together the only way we could- in the night. So the time came, and I slipped out my window. He was there, waiting. We went to the park."
Georgette paused and took a sip of coffee.
"You can't imagine what it was like! I was free, for the first time in my life. At long last, we could speak, touch...kiss. "
Georgette turned suddenly serious
'I was a naïve young girl. I didn't realize that I was in my first heat. Before the night was over our kisses turned to......we mated. It wasn't him; I wanted him so desperately! We were together like that for hours, II never wanted for it to end. But it was getting light, and I had to get home."
"There are things a bitch knows" Georgette stated "I knew I was pregnant the next day. I was so scared! My parents were strict. They would kill me! Worse, they would have him killed!"
"Killed?" Violet asked
'Killed. Child, it was like that then. A hybrid's life wasn't worth 2 cents! So I devised a plan. I told my parents I'd been raped by a human. That would save him....and me. They believed me. I stayed at home, as before. One day, I was doing wash. I knew it was time. I put some towels and a blanket in an old wash tub. In time, Mom heard me wailing. She and the neighbor ladies saw to my needs."
"How many pups?"
"Just one. A perfect white girl."
"Cousin Tina?"
"Cousin Tina"
"Did you see him again.?" Violet inquired
Georgette smiled
"He never left me. He was always there, at least as he could. When Tina arrived, I introduced him to my parents. They didn't like him, as he was Black, but they came around. Let them sniff his ass, Got to know them. At this point, my parents figured he was as good as I'd get. He proposed, and my parents let us marry."
"Uncle Stan?"
"One and the same"
"And you lived happily ever after"
Georgette grimaced
"Not by a longshot. Remember, I'd told everyone I was raped. So, everyone had to think that Stan was the stepfather. And it began...."
"it"?
"The great darkness. It began slowly at first. I was depressed, angry. Slowly, it got even worse. I was so depressed, so angry over my life, I just withdrew. I wasn't a wife to Stan, I blamed my problems on Tina. "
"So, does Tina know...this?" Violet asked
"She knows the truth now. But she doesn't know all that I've told you. No one does.
Violet went over and hugged her Aunt Georgette. They stood together in the kitchen for a long time, just standing in the kitchen, Violet holding her Aunt.