Chapter 8

When he got to the farmhouse, he found Brenda and Annette had already returned. He hadn't locked the door, so the girls were able to get in the house. In the country, it probably wasn't all that necessary.

The girls were upstairs in his old bedroom, packing his boyhood possessions into cardboard boxes. "Don't worry," Annette said, "we're taking good care of your treasures." He noticed the pinup, no longer on the door, was folded up at the bottom of one of the boxes.

Karl turned and without a word went outside to unload the truck, piling all their purchases on the floor in the middle of the living room. He was strong enough to easily carry everything, but it was awkward pulling the mattress and box spring off the truck and maneuvering them through the doorway.

He got a beer from the fridge, stretched out on the sofa, turned on the TV and flipped through the channels till he found a ball game. "Karl, will you put the boxes in the attic?" Brenda called down from the head of the stairs.

"Later," he shouted, taking another swallow of beer.

He heard a car pull up out front, then Julie came in carrying a couple of big pizza boxes. "I've got lunch, two extra large," she called. She carried the boxes into the kitchen, then went upstairs without them.

After a few minutes, the three girls came down. They looked at him, but didn't say anything as they entered the kitchen. Soon Annette came into the living room carrying a can of beer. She sat on the sofa holding the can, resting it on her bare knee. "I brought you another beer."

"Thanks," placing the empty can he was holding on the floor, taking the new can, popping it open.

She looked into his face. "Are you mad, or something?"

He looked at her blue eyes looking back at him, her pretty face framed by long blonde hair. "No, not really."

Annette pressed herself to him, kissing his cheek. "We just want you to be happy."

"I know," he said into her ear, hugging her. "It's alright. Come on, let's get lunch."

When they got to the kitchen, Julie pointed at the boxes in the middle of the table. "We've got deluxe and vegetable."

"Sit here." Brenda indicated the seat between her and Julie. "What kind do you want."

He told her he'd have deluxe. When his first slice was gone, Brenda immediately put another on his plate. They were quiet until Julie said, "Karl, we know this is difficult for you, having us here, upsetting everything, your life. Like I told you at Wal-Wart, we don't need to live here, as much as we'd like to. We'll go back to our homes and when you want us, well, just call and we'll be available."

"It's because of what we did to your room, isn't it?" asked Annette.

Karl smiled at Annette across the table from him, then looked at the other girls. "Listen, it's gonna be okay. I don't want you leaving. It's just that I need some time to get used to this after being alone so long."

Brenda turned to look at him and touched his hand with hers. "Are you sure? If ... if it would make you happier, we don't have to be here."

"I'm sure," hugging her, kissing her cheek.

"We'll make sure we give you your space," Julie said, standing, coming to him, bending to hug and kiss him.

As Julie moved away, Annette hugged him and kissed his cheek. "We love you and we're so honored you chose us."

"Come on, girls," Julie said, "let's get it done." All three left the kitchen and went upstairs.

Karl took a swallow of beer and reached for another slice of pizza. "It may be that relationships with these females will result in a happier and more satisfying life for you," said Zal. "You will be alive for several centuries, you cannot live such a long life alone."

Without answering, Karl finished the slice of pizza and took another swallow of beer. Leaving the half full can on the table, he got up, walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs. There were three big cardboard boxes in the hallway by the door to his old bedroom.

He looked through the open doorway into the room. The girls had rearranged what little furniture there was. The bed was pushed all the way over to the wall now, with a huge pile of women's clothes on top of it. Annette and Brenda were hanging rose and white curtains while Julie supervised. Karl's old curtains with the sailboats were gone, packed in one of the boxes, he assumed.

He went to the end of the hall, reached up for the chain, opened the attic access panel, and pulled down the folding ladder. "Will someone give me a hand?" he called.

All three girls came out. "What do you want us to do?" Annette asked.

"I'll get up on the ladder, one of you hand me the boxes."

"I'll do it," said Annette, followed by Julie and Brenda returning to Karl's old bedroom.

He climbed about halfway up the ladder and waited while Annette handed him the first box. He lifted it above his head, setting it on the attic floor. After they did the same with the other boxes, Karl went up into the attic and piled the boxes by the eave.

When he came down the ladder, "What's it like up there?" Annette asked.

"Hot and dusty," he laughed. "You wanna see? Go on up, take a look."

He watched the slender blonde climb up the ladder and raise her head into the opening. "Eewe, you're right," Annette said. Beginning to back down the ladder, turning her head, seeing Karl looking up at her, "What you lookin at?"

"Your cute little bottom," placing his hands on her round butt, barely covered by cutoff jean shorts.

Wriggling her bottom under his hands. "You like?"

"I like," he laughed, moving his hands to her waist, helping her climb down.

When she reached the floor, Annette turned and wrapping her arms around him, kissed him, long and deep. "Any time you want," she said as they parted.

"Later, now back to work," he laughed, swatting her butt as she started for the bedroom. She turned and smiled at him before entering the bedroom.

Karl closed the attic and stuck his head in the doorway. The drapes were up now and the girls were working at hanging up their clothes in the closet. He didn't think they were going to make it. "Let me know when you want me to set up the other bed he said."

"I guess now is okay," Julie answered, placing her hands on her hips and looking around exasperatedly.

"You can use the closet in the downstairs bedroom, my office," he said. "The closet in my bedroom is pretty much filled with Terri's things, but if you can find room there..."

"Thanks, that's a good idea," Julie said. Then to the other two girls, "Come on, let's see what we can do in Karl's office."

The girls grabbed their clothes and hurried downstairs. Karl carried the bed frame up to the bedroom and set it up across from his old bed. He attached the headboard, then carried the box spring up to the bedroom. "You're so strong," said Brenda, touching his back.

"Just stay outta my way, this thing is hard to carry," he mumbled, his face in the quilting. After setting the box spring on the frame, he carried up the mattress, laid it on the spring, adjusted them, went downstairs yelling, "The bed's ready," got his beer from the kitchen, then spread out on the sofa again. The game was still on.

He watched the game while the girls filled the closet in his office with their clothes. Then they took the bedclothes still in the center of the living room floor. "We're gonna do the beds now," Brenda said with a smile.

There was a lot of movement upstairs, combined with girlish laughter, shouts and shrieks. He continued watching the game, even though it looked like his team was going to lose.

Then, "It's done, wanna see?" Annette called down from the head of the stairs. Karl went upstairs. Annette was waiting for him, she put her arm around his waist, while he rested his hand on her hip as they walked into the room.