Grand Virtues Nemesis – Chapter 01

Charity Hess is a thirty something woman that is doing quite well for herself. She owns a huge late 1920’s era Theater Building. It contains two large apartments, several office suites along with several storefronts. The building also contains a restaurant and several other businesses she owns.

One of the storefronts contains her own photography business that she operates. One morning a short few years ago, a very tall over six two and handsome man entered her business looking for a photographer for his friend’s wedding.

His name was Adrian Landau and he also seen the ‘apartment for rent’ sign in Charity’s photography business window. It was almost love at first sight. After a slightly rocky start, Adrian rented the vacant apartment and paid the rent three months in advance; Charity never cashed the check. She kept it as a memento of the day she met and fell in love with the man of her dreams.

Their relationship grew so fast; within a couple of weeks, he became a regular overnight guest in her apartment. Within a month, Adrian moved in with the woman of his dreams. They were so in love, everyone that seen them in public thought they had a glow about them.

Their friends called them the odd couple because of their physical appearance and height differences. Adrian was of medium build, two hundred thirty-eight pounds and over six-two in his socking feet. He has a very light complexion, slightly large steel grey eyes and wavy black hair. Charity is petite build, one hundred and seven pounds fully clothed. She has very long blonde hair, deep blue eyes and under five feet tall with thick socks on.

Adrian has been living with Charity for a few months now. On the sixth month anniversary of their meeting, Adrian asked Charity to marry him. She refused by telling him; “Why should we ruin a great relationship with some legal piece of paper?”

Every morning while the couple was having their morning coffee at the kitchen table, Adrian would propose marriage and Charity would refuse. This did not go un-noticed by her mother. Since her mother rented all the office suites in the Theater Building, she would see her youngest daughter almost every day.

Charity and Adrian were about to enter the restaurant for breakfast one morning when they met Charity’s mother outside; that’s when the sparks started flying.

“Adrian; are you going to marry my daughter and become my son-in-law? You realize my husband Karl and I are not getting any younger.”

“Mrs. Hess, I gave Charity an ironclad prenuptial. I propose to the woman I am madly in love with every morning and I always get the same answer; no.”

“Even if my youngest daughter insists on living a life of sin, you can still call me mom.”

“Thanks mom. I hope Karl won’t mind if I call him dad.”

“I know Karl would love for you to call him dad. Maybe on some level, my husband wishes he had a son along with his daughters. We will never know for sure.”

“Mom, I’m going to leave you to wait for your other daughters to arrive. If you ladies would excuse me, I need to get inside and use the restroom. I’ll get us a booth by a window.”

“Don’t bother Adrian, my other daughters and I have business to discuss. We’re going to have a business breakfast meeting without the phones ringing.”

Adrian excused himself and went inside.

Charity placed her hands on her hips; “Oh mother, sin is so over rated; Adrian and I are fine the way we are. Adrian does what he does at Zocalo Pharmaceuticals and I run my LLC. If we break up, nobody loses anything. Adrian goes his separate way and I maintain ownership of the LLC. That’s why we are never getting married mother. Not that it’s any real business of yours.”

Charity’s mother Nancy was shocked at what her youngest daughter had told her.

She became very agitated; “Is that what you think of the man that worships the very ground you walk on? You’re worried that he’ll take half of your precious LLC in a divorce? If your grandfather was here right now and heard what you said; I can’t even imagine how pissed off at you he would be. I’m pissed off at you for being such a self-centered little bitch.

Before you were born, you kicked the hell out of me at all hours of the day and night. I was in labor for several hours because you didn’t want to come out. When you did arrive, I swear you were hanging on to everything to prevent from coming out. I swear you came out sideways.

When you were thrown out of college and arrested; I was at my whit’s end. You’ve been a radical all your life. When my dad agreed to take you in, I was worried about him! … Dam it Charity, you have all the tools for a great and complete life; drop your guard for once.”

Charity had folded her arms and was postured in a cocky stance.

Nancy composed herself before she continued; “If you’re so dam worried about losing half of your precious LLC in divorce, become partners.”

“Mom, we are partners. We have been sleeping together for months now.”

“Adrian wants a marriage, so give him one. Didn’t you tell me that Mister Aoyagi you see twice a week is a Shinto Priest? Ask him to marry you. Adrian gets his wedding, your dad and I gain a son-in-law and you get a husband. Everyone gains and nobody loses. It’s not legally binding because you’re not legally married. I think Adrian would settle for a street preacher marriage.

Now; do you really love him or is he your boy toy because he’s tall, younger than you, handsome and good in the bedroom?”

“I’m completely in love with him mom. I would go through fire and darkness for him. Besides he’s great in every room; including the shower. I don’t know about the front hall.”

“That’s way too much information this early in the morning. … Do you want to get married or just keep him around as the sperm donor for your future children; if you ever have any?”

“Oh mom, I love him so much it hurts. I want to get married, but I don’t want a prenuptial hanging like an albatross over our marriage. That’s why I always said no to his proposals. Grandpa warned me to get a prenuptial when I found Mister Right. I guess I may have taken his advice a little too far.”

“Here come your sisters, don’t get them started on this. We’ll never get them to stop talking about marriage and children. Charity, I believe your grandfather would say to look inside your heart and do what’s right.”

Several weeks later, Mister Aoyagi married Charity Hess and Adrian Landau on the stage of her movie theater. Charity’s mother and father were there along with her sisters, their husbands and all of their children. Almost every friend and acquaintance the couple was present for the wedding. Along with almost every employee of her LLC was there. Charity’s two sisters Faith and Hope wrote the vows for the wedding.

Adrian’s legal name was Adrian Landau; no middle name. He is so in love with Charity, as soon as Charity accepted his proposal; he legally added Hess to his name to become: Adrian Landau Hess.

A Gathering of Soldiers

A Novel in Five Parts by: Ralph C Johnson

Edited by: Jacalyn A Johnson

It’s a late fall morning at Kansas City Edgebrook Hospital, Mental Health Unit.

The round table of Army veterans have gathered and discussions are about to start. Doctor McIntyre is overseeing the group, these are his patients.

These are stories about their lives and more importantly, their loves.

These are the stories of their lives and loves.

The KCM Chronicles: Book Five

These files are now in a PDF format

Restoration of Lost Love

A Novel By: Ralph C Johnson

Edited By: Jacalyn A Johnson

By A Random Act of Fate,

He Discovers the Unrequited Lost Love That Has Been Lost For Years.

The KCM Chronicles: Book Four

This is my humble first attempt at writing a novel. It contains 522 pages and 236,538 words.

It is in PDF and MS Word formats. Please feel free to download and distribute any of my stories.

I would be honored if you did.

Dreams Are Never Lost

A Novel by: Ralph C Johnson

Edited by: Jacalyn A Johnson

This is a story of human triumphs, tragedies, romance, friendships and adventure.

The KCM Chronicles Book One

Dreams Are Never Lost by Ralph C Johnson is licensed under a

William J. Cann had spent four years in the U.S. Army. After his enlistment has ended, he was recruited as a soldier of fortune. He eventually became a personal bodyguard for the King of an oil rich country.

After years in the service of others he was planning on going home at the end of his last work day. Due to a critical injury while guarding the King, he wakes up in a Kansas City hospital some weeks later.

The story involves the people that he comes in contact and interacts with. There are people in the hospital, a young girl without a father, saying goodbye to a loved parent and finding a lost love that he never stopped thinking of.

There are all the people he meets while he is on his quest to make a new home for himself. He dreamed of having a real life in his hometown near the old neighborhood. The dream of having a home, family and his dream girl he left so many years ago.

His dream girl thought that someday he would return and they would be together again. Her dreams were lost a few years ago when she thought he died. His uphill struggle against his physical and mental issues is almost constant. His lack of social graces causes concern and humor to his friends and newly created family.

Was it karma, fate or destiny that affected the lives of so many people, who knows?

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, companies, products and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, companies or businesses or products or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental. This is a fictional story meant as entertainment.

This work is intended for adults only. Some of the content of this fiction is graphically violent and/or sexual in nature. It is intended for readers age eighteen or over. Anyone underage is prohibited from reading. Do no read if to do so is illegal in your jurisdiction.

If you develop a rash or other discomfort, seek medical help. If at any moment you become ill or displeased, stop reading immediately! No animals were harmed while writing this book.

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