Chapter 19: Party!

A month after the fire, the Victorian house had been fully restored and improved. Paul had used the opportunity to completely upgrade and replace the elderly wiring inside the walls, upgrade the solar panels, and equip each bedroom with a window-mounted air conditioner.

Talia found a new company to maintain the pool with improved chemistry—using only half as much chlorine. Paul’s skin rash issue was therefore resolved.

An unexpected result of the fire was that Ric’s airway improved and he no longer snored while sleeping. Kerri and Ric were now together every night in the restored third floor bedroom.

Yosef Abboud received, and rejected, a settlement offer from the state for $2,500,000. Then, after much wrangling, Talia settled for $6 million, with Abboud taking his $2 million share.

Right away she was planning for their new tradition of a Thanksgiving feast. After checking with Paul, she upgraded the kitchen with new appliances and marble counter tops. Then she began planning the menu.

Cooking started on Wednesday for the Thursday afternoon meal. Pam and Barry arrived that evening. Since it was still quite warm even after sunset, they simply dropped their clothes and climbed into the pool with Kerri and Ric. Then Sheila returned from her studio and joined them.

“Sheila, I’m surprised. Even though this pool is cool and refreshing, you still look all flushed and heated,” observed Barry.

“I guess a confession is necessary. A whole lot of my studio work is now, um, intimate with couples. That is, explicit. I had a young pair this evening that were just gorgeous and very enthusiastic. I must have shot 30 or 40 frames just while they were undressing each other. And he was so absolutely focused on her comfort and pleasure. It wasn’t until after her first orgasm that he began to include his own pleasure.

“I have to admit, I was feeling jealous of her. Don’t get me wrong. I love living here with Kerri and Ric, and Talia and Paul. But sometimes I wish I had my own intimate partner, like they do, and like you and Pam have together.”

“How many couples have you photographed?”

“About forty. They come from all different backgrounds, mostly in their twenties but a couple in their fifties or sixties. I’ve given a few of them discounts if they allow me to use their images (anonymously) in my portfolio for marketing.”

“Have you done Kerri and Ric?”

“One of my ironclad rules is that I never reveal any specific information about my clients. You would have to ask THEM.”

Kerri had been listening. “It’s OK, Dad. Yes, Sheila has photographed us. And, truth be told, it was so hot, uh, stimulating, that I just about fainted. There’s something so thrilling about exhibiting yourself in that way. And when I saw the finished album, well, I had to attack Ric all over again.”