Chapter 1

I walked into my bathroom and a clothesline full of panties, nylons and hose slid under my chin, almost choking me. I jerked backwards, the rug under my feet slipped and I landed on my ass - hard!

"Shit!" I announced as I started to get up, already hearing the sounds of running feet from the other two bedrooms. I was sitting up, cross-legged, surrounded by fallen underwear when the hallway lights went on and three half-naked females appeared in the bathroom doorway. Debbie took one look and started laughing, the twins looked puzzled.

"I forgot that women in the house meant bathroom booby traps," I said from the floor.

"We're sorry, Uncle Doug!" the twins chimed in unison...

"But we didn't know where else to put them," finished Hannah.

"That's okay, Hannah. No harm done," I said, standing and turning on the bathroom light. "I'll put up some lines for you in the basement this afternoon." Just then, I heard the first sounds of the baby stirring in Debbie's room and knew it was about to cry. "Well, it's 5:30 and we all need to be up in an hour anyway... Deb, the baby is about to go off, must be feeding time. Rachael, can you get me my cigarettes from my night stand? Hannah, a pot of coffee would be nice."

"Yes, Uncle Doug," They all chimed in unison.

As they left I closed the door and turned to drain the lizard, thinking about the current crowding of my house and how it came to be.

At 48, I looked late 30s. I was in good shape, and had maintained the same 185lb on my 5'11" frame, plus or minus 5 pounds, for the last 20 years without real effort. I'd never married, was moderately successful with my own service business, and owned my own three bedroom home, 50 acres of mostly wooded property, backing onto a river... fully paid for, and without really looking for that type of thing, I was constantly catching women from their teens on up, looking twice and/or "checking out my butt". Without being arrogant about it, I seldom doubted myself, and if I was looking, I almost never came home without female companionship.

My current situation was, however, completely unexpected, by all involved. Debbie was 32, a shade under 5' and only ever saw 90lb when she was pregnant. Her twin daughters, Rachael and Hannah, had been her 16th birthday present, being born three days before her birthday. She and her mother had raised them for the first three years alone, her father having died when she was eight, while Debbie finished High School. Then she married their father, attended two years of community college, divorced their father, moved from Indiana to Michigan and moved in with Keith after a couple of years. 10 months ago, the baby, Susan was born and the trouble started. Two months ago, Debbie found she was pregnant again. Then a week ago, she and the girls came home to find their mobile home mostly empty, Keith gone, and the park manager advising them that their trailer was sold, by Keith, and they had a week to move out - under terms of the sale.

So, here we are... I had, by chance stopped by the day after all of this, for one of my haphazard visits, and Debbie and the girls had poured their hearts out to Uncle Doug.

Yeah, 'Uncle' Doug - I was really no relation, except emotionally. I'd met Debbie when she was 5. She had two sisters and two brothers, all 12 plus years older than she. I'd been in the US Air Force with her oldest brother and, at their request, had stopped by the family home to meet everyone when I returned from overseas. Long story short: I was immediately adopted by Mom and Dad as another son, I was everyone's new brother, and as they all had families of their own, I was Uncle Doug to everyone's kids. So it still stands today, though they will barely talk to one another, Uncle Doug is welcome everywhere and is big brother or Uncle to all, equally. So, when Debbie had this problem come up, and further found that Keith had somehow emptied her personal bank account as well, it was suddenly her 'brother' Doug to the rescue.

My house was fairly large, and adjustments could be made, plus there was the added benefit that twins would stay in the same school... so it was decided, they moved in with me. It took a few days to get things ready for them, as it was definitely a bachelor's home. My business office/computer/video game room, I emptied and made into my bedroom. I put up a new shed beside my garage, to catch some of the overflow. The family room (My old living room) became the twins bedroom. The breakfast nook was now the dining room. The old formal dining room was now the living room, and my old bedroom was now Debbie's and the baby's. With much shuffling around, five trips to the dump and moving my business office to a corner of the basement, I suddenly found myself with three women and a baby as housemates. A fact I was immediately reminded of as I stepped from the bathroom and walked into the kitchen.

Debbie was sitting at the dining table, her pajama top open as Susan suckled at her freckled breast, red hair in disarray around her shoulders. Rachael and Hannah were bustling around the kitchen counter and stove. At 5' 3", they both had their mother's red hair and freckles, petite frame and ready smile. I'd found out the morning before that none of the three wore pajama bottoms to bed. Debbie wore an old shirt, bikini panties and socks to bed. Her daughters wore muscle T-shirts and thong panties. With their pert, matching 34's swinging free under their T-shirts, I didn't know if I was in a bachelor's heaven or hell... after all, I was 'Uncle' Doug. Myself, before they moved in, if I was alone I slept in my jockey's and a muscle T. When it was decided they were moving in, I bought myself half a dozen pair of sweat pants, cut them into shorts, and added them to my nightly and morning wardrobe.

As I sat across the table from Debbie, Hannah set cups of coffee before each of us. Tasting mine I found it to be just right, enough sugar to take the bitterness off, but not enough to really sweeten it. "Someone was paying attention to how I like my coffee," I commented, noticing that all three faces reddened a little at the comment. 'They must have been talking about me before I came in, ' I thought.

I picked up the remote control and turned on the small 9" television on my china cabinet as Hannah replied, "It was easy, you and Mom like it the same, though you do make coffee a lot stronger than she does."

"Too many years in the military," I said off-handedly, tuning to the news for the weather reports. "If it's not strong enough to peel paint, it's not coffee."

"We'll get used to it," Rachael said, bringing cups for Hannah and herself. She placed my cigarettes, lighter and an ashtray before me. "Hannah and I have always been a little surprised that you drink yours the same as Mom, that's all. Most people seem to take it black, with cream, or way more sugar than you do."

"Where do you think I learned how to drink my coffee?" prompted Debbie. "Sitting up late or first thing in the morning with your Grandma and your Uncle Doug. The first time I ever drank coffee was at the table with your Uncle Doug. I made such a face, that he showed me how to add just the right amount of sugar. What was it you said, Doug?"

"Just enough to take off the bite, but not enough to destroy the taste... add too much sugar and you might as well just drink hot sugar water since you can't taste the coffee for the sweet."

"That's what Momma told us when we first started drinking coffee," remarked Rachael.

"Now you know where I got that, too," added Debbie. "I was nine when I had my first cup of coffee. I had this massive crush on your Uncle Doug, and I was trying to be oh so-o-o grown up for him."

I chuckled softly for a moment and put in, "Too bad you never got over your crush, Debbie."

Her daughters looked stunned for a moment, then seemed even more surprised when Debbie grinned and added, "Have I been that obvious?" She took Susan away from her breast, passed her to Hannah and cleaned her teat with a towel before closing her nursing bra and buttoning her blouse. Hannah placed Susan on a towel over her shoulder, and began that gentle mother's rock as she gently patted the baby's back. "I thought I always did well at acting normally when you were around."

"Oh, I don't think your brothers or sisters ever caught on, your daughters obviously never did, but your mother knew, and tell me, haven't your fights with Keith always seemed more bitter right after one of my visits? Why do you think my visits were always so haphazard in nature? Though I never try to overstep my bounds or cause trouble; yours wasn't the first relationship where my presence seemed to cause problems."

"I always forget how perceptive you are. You always seem to know what's going on. But, you knew you were always welcome, or did Keith say something to you?"

"No, Keith never said a word. He was always affable and friendly, at least on the surface. It wouldn't have done him any good if he had said something, the only thing that would have changed is that I wouldn't have entered the house. I would still have stopped by to see you and the girls, and I think he knew that. Besides... you laid down the law about me more than once, didn't you?"

"Like I said, perceptive. Well, if you will excuse me, I need a shower."

"Uh, Mom," began Rachael. "We, um, need to talk for a minute."

"Yes, Rachael?"

"Well, um... ah... Hannah and I need something..."

"What do you need? You know we don't have any money until I get paid Friday." Today was Tuesday.

"Yeah, we know that. But, this is something that can't wait. It's um... well... ah," and she trailed off as both she and Hannah glanced at me.

Suddenly I knew what the problem was and I started chuckling, loudly, almost choking on a sip of coffee.

As all three turned to me I asked Rachael, "Tampons, pads, or panty shields?" Debbie caught on grinned, turned and walked away from her daughter's surprised looks. After a few moments of silence I looked each girl in the eyes and added, "Look, girls, I am going to tell you something that you should have already realized, long ago. A thing I told your mother when she was 8 or 9. I am as apt as not to say what I think, just because I thought it. I don't get embarrassed, and it will never do any good to get embarrassed around me because of what I do or say. Especially since it won't stop me. Now, I helped you pack up and move. I know what you brought and your 'monthly' items weren't part of it. The question still stands, do you two use tampons, tampax, full pads, or shields, and what strengths? Tell me the brand and specifics and I will pick them up while I'm out working. When are you due, anyway?"

"Tomorrow, sometime," from Hannah who was flushing slightly.

"Well, make me a list with the specifics," I said standing and picking up my cup. As I walked away I added, "If you need douches or deodorants, add that as well." I kept my back turned as I slowly poured another cup of coffee, then continued to my bedroom to lay out the day's clothing. I didn't want to further embarrass the twins, so I moved slowly allowing them plenty of time for recovery. When I returned, they were both perky and cheerful again, working at the stove on breakfast. Susan was sitting in her playpen fascinated by the toys around her. A notepad was lying on the table with a list of their needs. I glanced at it then sat silently watching the news until Debbie emerged and joined me. She was wearing jeans and a brassiere as she toweled her hair dry. Sliding the notepad and pen across the table to her I said, "Add to that anything you and the baby will need before Friday. I'll pick it all up while I'm out today."

Debbie picked up the pen and thought for a minute before adding a few items to the list. Sliding the pad back to me she said, "I'll pay you back on Friday, Doug. But until then, thank you."

"Deb, my dear," I commented, putting the list in a pocket, "If you even try to give me any money I will paddle your bare ass. I won't care if your daughters are present or not. You know me," I added looking deeply into her emerald green eyes. "After all these years... you know me."

"Yes, thank you."

After a breakfast of sausage, eggs, bacon and pancakes, I showered and dressed for the day. When I came back to the kitchen, I was moving normally, for me that is. Debbie and the girls were sitting at the table talking about me. They didn't hear me come into the room. Hannah was just asking her mother if I would really spank her and Debbie was saying, "I don't really know, he might. Doug will quite often do exactly what he says he'll do. He's spanked me before."

"He has?" from Rachael.

As I moved to the coffee pot I joined the conversation, "Rachael, you must remember something. I am 16 years older than your momma. When we first met, I was 21 and she was 5. Your momma has always been willful and kind of stubborn. I did find it necessary, once or twice, to emphasize my words to her with a swat or two on the butt. Only once or twice, and only when circumstances made it really necessary."

As I carried my cup to the table and sat, I looked each twin in the eyes and added, "Although nothing has been said, yet, in the next few weeks there will come some rules, or things/places your are never to touch or enter. I will tell you one thing, right now... disobey my instructions, while you live here, and 16 year old young ladies or not, I will bruise your asses with my hand. Got it?" They both nodded and Debbie grinned. "Good, now that the ogre has had his say, you two had better hit the showers or you'll be late for the bus." As they moved away from the table I turned to Debbie and asked "Do you need anything for the Day Care? Lunch or gas money?"

"No, Katy's giving me a free month of day care until I'm back on my feet. I've got plenty of gas and others at the shop have been feeding me at lunch."

"Good enough, just be sure the one's treating you to lunch won't expect favors you don't want to give." She just smiled, ever so slightly and raised an eyebrow at me. "If you need anything before Friday, let me know." She reached across the table and squeezed my hand as her eyes misted a little. Then she left the table to finish dressing.

Forty-five minutes later the twins were at the bus stop, Debbie was on her way to work and I was climbing into the Service Van, clipboard loaded with the day's stops and the shopping list.

As usual, for that time of year - mid May, I rolled in about 9:00, a little after sunset. I would be working 12 - 14 hours daily six days a week for at least five more weeks. I really didn't expect to interfere with the girls lives much before they had enough to get their own place again. When I walked in and set the shopping bags on the kitchen counter Hannah hurried out of the living room, already dressed for bed, and started diving into the bags until she found the boxes of Tampons. "Thank God," she said heading for the bathroom. As she walked away, I noticed the edges of a folded paper towel sticking from the back of her thong panties.

Walking into the living room I found Debbie and Rachael also dressed for bed. Surprisingly, the TV was tuned to TNT for WCW Nitro. Goldberg was doing a spear on one of the newer no-names preparatory to putting him down for the count. Debbie got up from the couch to hug me hello, but had to stop and stretch first. After the hug I looked at her and said, "Back?"

"Yeah." Debbie had broken her tailbone in a childhood accident. As a result, when she was overtired or during times of extreme stress, her back would bother her. Taking her hand I moved to the couch and sat near the edge with my knees spread. Pointing to the floor between my legs, I said simply, "Sit." Debbie sat on the floor between my legs and I spent the next fifteen minutes massaging her back. Rachael kept shifting her attention between the wrestling on the television and me rubbing her mother's back, neck and shoulders. Hannah too was interested when she emerged from the bathroom and sat on the other end of the couch.

After I was done, I placed my hands under her elbows and gently lifted. Debbie shifted her weight into my palms and I helped lift her to her feet. "Better?"

"Much, thank you. Want some dinner?"

"I grabbed a burger and some fries an hour ago. I'm all right. What I need, is a shower and a little relaxation."

Debbie wrinkled her nose and said, "Especially the shower."

"Smart ass," I remarked as I got to my feet and headed to my bedroom for underwear and sweat pants. "Next time I might rub you the wrong way."

"Not possible," her voice pitched to follow me as I moved about my bedroom. "I've never taken exception to or been offended by anything you've ever said or done. Not a single thing."

"What about when you were 11 and I paddled you in front of your girlfriend?" I called back. "As I remember it, you didn't speak to me for the rest of that visit."

"I was afraid to talk to you after that. I was so positive you were furious and hated me for knocking over your motorcycle. I just knew I'd really disappointed you and you'd never have anything to do with me, ever again. Besides, I'd seen the way you were looking at Donna (her sister) and I was jealous. When you left without specifically saying goodbye to me, I just knew I was right about your hating me. I was miserable for three months, until I received that Kimono and birthday card from you."

"I'd almost forgotten that," I said as I stepped back into the room. "I never asked, did you like it? Although it probably did fit you like a full kimono, it was actually an oriental smoking jacket."

"Mama," chimed in Rachael. "Is that the blue and purple one you keep in the bottom of your underwear drawer?"

Blushing furiously Debbie said, "Yes, dear. That's the very one your Uncle Doug gave to me all those years ago."

"Why don't you ever wear it, Mama?" asked Hannah. "All you ever do is wash it by hand every couple of months and then put it away again."

"I used to wear it all the time, though it was way too big for me. When I first got it, I even wore it to school and slept in it at night. When I'd had it about six months, I was wearing it in the kitchen one night and put a small tear in it. I cried for hours. Your Grandma sewed it up for me, and she did it so carefully that it's almost invisible. I've never worn it since. I promised myself I would keep it and care for it and never again wear it except for your Uncle Doug, so he could see me in his special gift."

Both girls had moved and were sitting cross-legged on the floor, engrossed in their mother's words. As I turned to head for my shower, Rachael asked, "Did you?"

"Did I what, dear?"

"Did you ever wear it for Uncle Doug, like you wanted?"

"Not yet, dear. Sometimes I would forget until after his visit was over, sometimes there were other things happening and the time didn't seem right. Finally, I got old enough that the idea seemed a little childish. No, I never have."

After my shower, I stepped back into the living room to relax and watch a little tube, cigarettes and Zippo in one hand, soda pop in the other. It was just after 10:00 and Debbie said, "All right girls, he's back... it's time for bed... you promised."

At her words, both girls got up from the floor and came over to stand on either side of me. They both hugged me at the same time, each kissed a cheek and together they chorused "Good Night, Uncle Doug. Thank you. We love you." Then they were off to the far end of the house and their bedroom. I moved to my favorite recliner and sat back to enjoy the last 40 minutes of wrestling before the news and weather would come on at 11. Debbie sat quietly on the sofa, eating potato chips and sipping a glass of ice water until the baby stirred. Debbie gathered up a towel and the baby then approached the recliner. "Make Room," were her only words.

I moved to the left in my seat and raised my right arm to the side. She slid in beside me, snuggling up under my arm and tight against me before opening her nursing bra. She carefully positioned little Susan in the slight valley created by our cuddled bodies. Our positions, the slight angle of the chair, and the baby's own weight kept her in the perfect position for suckling without having to be held. Once the baby was feeding, Debbie relaxed into me. Her left hand resting on my right thigh, her right hand pulled my right arm down around her shoulder and held my hand comfortably between her breasts.

I was reminded of so many previous nights, years past, when we used to sit just this way (only without the baby) while she was growing up. From my very first visit when she was five, right up until the night before her wedding we would sit just this way, relaxed, watching television and enjoying the simple contact of the cuddle. We used to sit like this, usually with everyone else in the house already asleep, until she would fall asleep. Then I would carry her to her room and put her to bed, always kissing her forehead and saying, "Sleep well my love," before returning to the sofa where I slept during my visits.

"I've missed this so," she remarked. "Why did we ever stop sitting this way?"

"You got married. I doubt Eric, her husband, would have understood."

"No, you're right. He never would have accepted something like this... but I was always so comfortable this way. I never remember going to my bed, but I always woke up there. Did you put me to bed?"

"Every single time. Your mother used to give me such dirty looks sometimes, whenever she saw us sitting this way. She never said anything, I think she always trusted me, but the looks were a warning."

"She only said anything to me once, when I was twelve or thirteen, about it not being lady-like with someone who wasn't my boyfriend or my father. When was the last time we sat this way?"

"The night before you married Eric, when you were 19. You'd had such a hectic day that you'd changed into a T-shirt and loose shorts and cuddled next to me to relax for a few minutes before taking your shower. I think you were asleep within ten minutes. I carried you up to bed and thought I was going to wake you up getting those shorts off you. With the lights off in your room, I didn't realize you'd left your panties off until I had the shorts below your knees. I tucked you in, kissed you goodnight and went back downstairs for a last cup of coffee with your mother. I think she was more nervous about your wedding day than you were. She cried and we talked for hours after you were in bed."

"Want to hear something funny?"

"What?"

"I was so sure of what I was doing... so positive that Eric was THE one... I never had a doubt about my choices... until you showed up during my bachelorette party the day before the wedding. You walked in, got yourself a beer from the refrigerator and sat down in a room full of young women and the atmosphere was one of complete ease within fifteen minutes. Not one of those girls was uneasy about you being there. Most of them were saying things that they would normally never say in front of a boy. Somehow, you made the party so much better."

"Well, half of those girls had known me, through you, for a few years."

"Did you know that they were voting on jumping you and trying to get in your pants before the night ended?"

"That might have been fun... why didn't they?"

"I pointed out how tired you were and said if they jumped you, without warning, while you were that tired, someone might get hurt."

"Spoilsport."

"But, the funny part is that the minute you walked through the door and said 'Hello, Ladies.' I had my first doubts about marrying Eric. By the end of the night, or at any time up until the actual wedding, had you said even one word, I would have called it all off. Isn't that funny?"

"Not funny 'ha-ha', it's not."

"But, it's true. Oh, I've missed this so much," she said again, snuggling closer still, Susan shifting slightly as she moved, but never losing the teat from her mouth. "My only regret, during all those years, was that you weren't there beside me when I woke up, so I could hug you close and hold you."

"Debbie was asleep, breathing softly, within fifteen minutes. Susan finished nursing in another five, and was starting to drowse where she lay. I gently disengaged my arm and lowered the chair to a seating position. Setting Susan in my lap and leaning her forward into my palm, I gently patted her back until she burped, cleaned her up and laid her in her mothers lap. Carefully scooping the two up together I carried them into Deb's bedroom and laid them on the bed. I put Susan in her crib and kissed her forehead, saying "Sleep tight little angel." For Debbie I resealed her nursing bra and tucked her in. A kiss on the forehead and I said, "Goodnight, my love," before closing the door and returning to my chair to watch the news.

It was about three o'clock when I woke up and realized I wasn't alone in my room. Opening my eyes, the faint light from the windows revealed Debbie standing next to my bed, watching me while Susan again nursed at her breast, the right one this time. "Yes?" was all I said.

"Move over!" I moved to my right and she crawled in on my left side, again snuggling close and laying Susan so she was supported by both and nursing on her own. Debbie was asleep again almost immediately, and a few minutes later, I too fell asleep the only sounds in the room the soft suckling sounds of Susan nursing.

When I woke again, it was at 5:00 AM. Debbie was sleeping on her left side and had backed against me, my arm under her neck she was holding my forearm with both hands. Susan was sleeping squarely in the center of my chest and had just filled her diaper. It was a combination of some excess fluids flowing across my stomach and the unmistakable odors that had wakened me.

Taking Susan and disengaging my left arm I gently rolled off the right side of the bed and carried her to her mother's room. After changing her diapers and rocking her back to sleep, it was 5:45, too late to return to bed.

I made a pot of coffee and had just seated myself at the table when Hannah walked through heading for the bathroom. Three minutes later, she was passing back through when she suddenly changed course and sat in my lap. Putting her arms around my neck she rested her head on my shoulder and said "Good morning." I was quiet putting one hand loosely around her back and sipping my coffee.

Five minutes later, I was carrying the sleeping girl back to the double bed she and her sister were currently sharing. After gently putting her to bed, I kissed both foreheads and softly told them, "It's almost morning, my sweets. Wake up rested." Returning to the kitchen I drew a fresh cup of coffee.

Twenty minutes later alarms started going off around the house.

One of the few advantages to being my own boss and running a service truck, was that I could calmly sit and enjoy my coffee, while the others fought for the bathroom and the shower. I sat back, sipped and enjoyed the show, female bodies bumping into one another, trying to crowd around the bathroom mirror (the only one in the house), arguing over who got the hair dryer first. I moved the coffee carafe to a hot pad and started a second pot. Grabbing a note pad, I started making notes to myself as I watched the madness around me. Twenty-five minutes later I was joined at the table by three attractive women, mostly dressed, discussing their day ahead and asking what time I would be home.

"It depends... If parts I've ordered are at the supply house when I arrive, I'll be late, after dark. If the parts aren't in, I'll be earlier. I can't put an hour to it. I never know exactly how long a job will take until I get there."

"Hannah and I want to see more of you," pouted Rachael. "I know Momma does too. She was telling us so many stories about you last night and since we're going to be all together for a while... we were thinking we could finally learn more about you and do things together... "

"... Yeah!! We've always loved your visits and wished to see you more often. Momma never could tell us why you didn't stop by more, or why we didn't all do more together. We never knew there was any friction with Keith, but we did know that Mom really liked your visits. She was always so happy when you came by."

"Well, after last night, you now have your answers. As for my work schedules, I'm fully booked for the next three weeks. The only way I'll get time off, is if it rains, then I'll be behind and will have to work even harder playing catch-up. It will rain, I will get behind, I will play catch-up, and just when I get caught up, it'll rain again. Happens every year... but it's part of what I do. Tell you what, when do you two get out of school for the summer?"

"June 8th."

"Okay, Debbie, I'm going to block off the 12th and 13th of June in my schedule book and half days for the 10th and 11th - in case I need catch-up time. That's just over three weeks from now. You tell them at work that you need those two days off, and we'll all make it like a weekend, even though it will be mid-week. Sound good to everyone?"

"Yes," they all chorused. "But what will we be doing?" asked Debbie.