Chapter 10

One day several weeks later a soft gong sounded throughout the silo. The girls were alarmed, not knowing what it was. They met John heading for the elevator, wrapping a robe around himself from the shower. He was grinning from ear to ear.

“What the hell’s that?” cried Theresa in alarm.

“That means it’s time to make some money!” John exclaimed.

He didn’t explain any further as the three of them rode the elevator to the Com room.

John turned on the computer monitor and called up his stock market screen. The NASDAQ had taken a sudden liking to some Internet stocks John had selected. The gong was an alarm he had set to notify him in case of a certain change. He grinned from ear to ear at the change in the graph. He called up some comparison graphs and then typed out a message to his broker. Sell this now, re-buy it after the other profit takers drove the price down. Sell this other and buy this other instead.

When he finished he sat back grinning. The girls looked at him expectantly. He said nothing.

“So what the hell was that all about?” Theresa demanded.

“I told you. I was making money.”

“I thought you had money.”

“I do. The best way to keep it is to make more.”

“So how much did you just make?”

John picked up a hand calculator and poked in a bunch of numbers. When he finished he looked up and announced: “about another hundred thousand.”

Both girls stood there with their mouths open.

“A hundred thousand dollars?” Theresa exclaimed.

John nodded.

“What for? In how much time?”

“In a couple of weeks. Just after Cindy arrived. I got my next year’s allocation and invested it. The stocks went up a lot and I sold some off. I’ll buy them back when they’re cheaper.”

“So ... for just letting your money sit, you made a hundred thousand dollars?” Cindy remarked sarcastically.

John looked at her a moment before replying: “No. I risked over a quarter of a million dollars of my money in an investment of my choice. I chose wisely and was rewarded with a larger return than I expected. Had the market gone the other way the last two weeks by just the same amount, I would have lost one hundred thousand dollars.”

Cindy seemed to think about this a bit. Then asked: “Could you teach me to do that?”

“And me!” Theresa jumped in.

“I can teach you the basics. You’ll have to do the work after that. You’ll also have to risk your own money. But you can play with imaginary money till you feel confident enough to risk it.”

“Will you teach us?” Cindy asked more solemnly.

“Be glad to.” John smiled.

For the next month John spent an hour a day with the two of them in the Com room going over each business days stock trends.

Otherwise John spent his time working on the Silo. Theresa had initiated sex once since his lecture. She was like a hungry animal. John returned measure for measure.

Theresa took to bringing him snacks and cups of coffee at the oddest times. By now neither girl bothered wearing a top —except when cooking bacon—. The shorts alternated between spandex and terry cloth, but always tight. John stayed with warm-ups or shorts, T-shirts and sandals or tennis shoes. When he swam, it was nude. He slept the same way.

The girls seemed to be getting restless. They swam more and made several short trips outside, short, as winter storms had left a covering of several feet of snow on the landscape. John knew this from his sensors and cameras, but he let the girls find out for themselves.

He could tell that they were getting Cabin fever. But there didn’t seem to be much John could do about it. The road had just too much snow on it to chance the ‘Cruiser. He only had one snowmobile, which would have carried two of them to the main road, but then the problem of getting to town still existed.

A note from his brokers to spend more or give it to the government spurned John into action. He contacted his brokers, some contractors and a bunch of retailers.

He spent several days surfing the Internet in search of what he wanted. Then proceeded to spend a large chunk of change. Not the least of it was the logistics of shipping. He arraigned with a helicopter service to have his purchases delivered to them. After all the crates arrived, they loaded up and called him.

John told the girls he was going to do some work outside. They offered to help, but he declined, saying he would need their help later.

He met the helicopter on the ready made pad of the Silo roof. (He had to shovel the snow off it first.)

It took several trips for the copter to complete the delivery. The pilot wondered about the equipment delivery to the middle of nowhere and John’s safety. But the existing structures looked sturdy and warm enough.

After the copter pulled away for the last time John summoned the girls to help him. The girls were excited over the crates, but John wouldn’t tell them anything until they had lowered the ones John designated down to the utility level. Then he made them leave him and the crates alone. They persisted, so did he.

Uncharacteristically he locked the utility level and the exit door. The girls couldn’t get at any of the crates even when he was asleep (they tried and got angry he didn’t trust them.)

Each morning after breakfast John went off by himself, locking the doors behind him.

Theresa and Cindy responded by keeping to themselves. Theresa even took to sleeping in Cindy’s room. John didn’t seem to notice.

“What the hell is he up to?” Theresa wondered aloud one afternoon.

Cindy reclined on the bed, nude, reading a book.

“You know about boys and their toys.” She replied without looking up.

Theresa looked down at her and continued looking for a long time.

Cindy looked up, raising a questioning eyebrow over

Theresa’s gaze.

Theresa met her gaze and then dropped her own.

“What’s wrong?” Cindy asked.

Theresa was quiet a moment before she answered.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“Oh, oh.” giggled Cindy, “About what?”

“About us.”

“What about us?”

“No, not us, you and I. About Us; You and I and John.”

Cindy put her book down and said: “Oh ... and what have you been thinking about Us?”

“What both of you said.”

“We both said something?”

“Yes, almost of the same thing.”

“What was that?”

“That neither of you could see a problem.”

Cindy shook her head as if to clear it.

“Will you make sense! What the hell are you talking about?”

“About you and John being together!” Theresa shouted.

“We haven’t been!” Cindy replied softly.

“I know ... but you both want to be.”

“I won’t deny it.” Cindy said.

“He doesn’t either...

I love you both, I want to be with you both. Why does it bother me that you two also want to be with each other?”

“So why does it?”

“I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t want to lose him to you. But if I don’t, I might lose you both.” Theresa cried.

“You’re not making much sense. Why would you lose either of us, no matter what happened between John and I?”

“I don’t know. I guess I was just raised to think that way. Like John said; I’m programmed to it.”

“Oh ... I don’t know if that’s the case. I was subject to the same programming you were. I don’t feel that way. I think you just want it all for yourself.”

Theresa looked sharply at her.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful to you. I don’t mean you’re being stingy with ... anything. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. I know that. But you invited me here. You should have realized that I would feel something for John and he for me. It’s natural for any two people who spend time close to each other.”

“That’s what John said too ... Maybe you’re both right. But it still bothers me.”

Cindy reached out a hand and pulled Theresa to her. Theresa was receptive but distant.

“Okay, love. What is it about it that bothers you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, come on. Think about it. Would you care if we kissed?”

Theresa thought about it for a moment and replied: “Well, no. I guess not.”

“So would it bother you if he touched these?” Cindy said as she drew Theresa’s hands to her breasts.

Theresa felt the soft skin under her fingers and the firmness beneath and replied.

“Well, no. I guess not.”

Cindy got a mischievous look in her eye. Theresa wasn’t quite fast enough to stop her.

“How ‘bout if he did this?” she said as she tickled Theresa sides.

“NO!” Theresa giggled, pushing her hands away. “In fact I’d rather he did that to you than me!”

“So, has his thing got a warranty on it. It wears out if he uses it too much.”

Theresa giggled.

“No. Of course not. In fact it seems to work better the more he uses it.” she concluded absently.

“So you’re afraid that mine will wear out then?”

Again Theresa giggled, but added softly “No ... no more than mine.”

“So what’s the problem then?” Cindy asked softly.

“I ... I don’t know ... maybe there isn’t one. It just takes some getting used to the idea.”

“Take your time love. I’m in no hurry.” Cindy said, pulling her friend into a soft kiss.

Theresa melted into it and abandoned herself.

The next morning John awoke them early. He was wearing a white beard.

“Merry Christmas!” he hollered.

“What, What?” Cindy asked groggily.

“Christmas?” Theresa asked confused.

“Don’t you two even know what day it is?” John laughed. The two girls pulled on their shorts and John tugged them by the hands.

“Just a minute, I’ve got to go!” Theresa protested.

“Me too!” Cindy said, breaking away.

“Well, ‘maker snappy!” John barked, laughing.

The two girls ran to the bathroom. Theresa beat Cindy who danced around till she was done.

Both relieved they headed up the elevator with John.