Chapter 30

When I woke up Saturday morning, it was late. I was still tired, but I decided to get up anyway. If Lily was not up yet, she soon would be. Besides, we all needed breakfast. Not really knowing what everybody ate, I made a little bit ... well, uhh, quite a lot of everything, really. Lily was the first of the ladies to come down to the kitchen. Suddenly I heard voices by the door and then it hit me. I had promised to see my aunty and Beth today. Shit. I liked it when they visited, but I wasn't prepared for them, today. At least there was enough breakfast for everybody.

I helped my aunty and Beth inside. Beth was just hugging and kissing me like she sometimes liked to do when I heard a raspy voice from the stairs.

"I told you he's some kind of fucking pervert! I warned you!"

Something inside me snapped, but I didn't yell or anything. I knew I had my running stuff in the laundry room. I just had to get away for a moment. I turned to my aunty.

"You are free to explain my status to them. All of it."

Then I turned around.

"Erin, here are my aunty and her girlfriend. I trust that you can explain your presence, here."

I was changed and out the back door in less than a minute. It was not raining any more, but the air was cold, so I kept my pace up, just to stay warm. It suited me, just now. Running was better than thinking.

As I ran, some thoughts kept sneaking in, even though I didn't want them. I had to admit to myself that Marie's leaving had hurt me enormously. I had just tried to hold myself together, and finish my studies. The thing I'd had with Beverly had been nice; but it had been mostly physical relief, safe physical relief for both of us. We both needed to know that there was nothing wrong with us on that level. But I had sensed something with Erin. I had opened myself again, the tiniest bit; and even if she had not rejected me, it hurt me to see the love the two girls had with each other. It just reminded me of what I had lost.

I guessed I had been running about an hour and a half when I finally got back to the house. Many different thoughts were still running inside my head. There was no real anger left; just some sadness, a huge empty spot, and a sense of uncertainty. At least I was able to feel, again. My aunty's car was still there, and I hadn't brought my house keys. Ringing the doorbell of your own house feels quite stupid. Oh well, just add it to the list.

"Daddy! I saved a pancake for you!"

"Hi, Angel, and thank you!"

I lifted Lily onto my lap and kissed her forehead, while four women watched me with various looks on their faces.

"Yack. Daddy, you smell!"

Beth was the first to start laughing, and all of them at least smiled a bit. Then they all came to kiss and hug me. Which meant that Beth and Erin kissed and hugged me, my aunty hugged me and Reyna almost hugged me. She also whispered when she was close to me.

"Sorry."

"No harm done. I needed that run to get my head on a bit straighter."

Then she wrinkled her nose before speaking a bit louder but still with her raspy voice.

"But Lily's right, you really smell. Please wash those clothes separately."

She almost panicked when all the other women burst out laughing. I stopped her by taking her hand gently in mine.

I smiled at her as I replied,

"That's ok. I don't want my clothes to smell like this, either."

Once I was back from the shower, all fresh and clean, I had my pancake. Then my aunty came to me.

"Beth and I will take Lily shopping and to lunch. I think you three may have some catching up to do."

Lily had no problems going out with her aunties - who of course spoiled her rotten. After my breakfast, I poured my second cup of coffee and sat in my recliner in the living room. The two girls were sitting side by side on the sofa, and both of them looked a bit uneasy. I rolled my eyes.

"Girls, I guess that my aunty and Beth didn't tell you everything. Besides, Erin, you're not the first girl who plays on your team, who has tried to seduce me. I'm not offended. To tell truth I should thank you. I have my own issues, and you helped me in getting my head on a bit straighter."

She blushed. They both blushed. But then Erin started speaking and finally their story got out. There would be no way that her family would accept their relationship. Since she had younger siblings for whom she cared a lot, she could not come out of the closet, at least not yet. She was not a virgin, but once she saw Reyna, there was no discussion if she liked girls more than boys. In her turn, Reyna let it be known that her family had disowned her. She did not exist for them, and they did not exist for her. Hard.

I also found out that Reyna was the oldest of us, at twenty-four, and Erin was a year younger than me. Reyna had not studied after high school as she'd had no money. She had been doing all kind of odd jobs but it was hard and the pay was low, especially when you did not want to give any liberties to your male bosses. That reminded me about Sara and her experiences.

After paying Erin's tuition and with Reyna without decent work, they'd had some tough times. That is where Erin got the idea about winning the pool. After all, she was no virgin, and she had gotten enough suggestions from guys at the college that she knew that the guys found her attractive. But she had not dared to tell her plan to Reyna until now, when she had to. Now she did not really know what to do. She should become a nurse. She had everything planned out, even to the place where she'd do her final practice. It included a promise of a steady job, afterwards; and a place for both of them to live, openly, together - three hundred miles away from here. But, that was almost five months away. They had no money, and no income, right now.

I looked at the girls. They both were attractive in their own way; Erin was redheaded, curvy but not at all fat, while Reyna was dark and thin. With the right clothes and makeup, she would have looked like a high school freshman. Her lack of curves made sure that you focused on her face, which looked really pretty, There were some curves. I had noticed those through the T-shirt she was still wearing, and the oversized socks looked cute, too. I noticed all that and several other things while my brains were multitasking about my options ... if I really had any. For a second I questioned myself as to why couldn't I just find some nice girl to come and mother Lily and me. And at the same time, I knew that I was not yet ready for that. The girls looked a bit startled when I let out a little laugh.

"You know, whatever I choose, I will be facing hard times. Either my aunty and Beth will kick my ass until it is too sore to sit on, and I repent; or, I'll just accept my fate, and face all the 'hard' times ahead."

It took a moment for Erin to catch on, but suddenly she blushed and started giggling. Reyna turned to look at her in astonishment. Once Erin had herself in control she took Reyna's hand in hers.

"Honey, I think he's trying to tell us that he's going to let us live here, and that he finds us attractive."

Reyna blinked a couple of times when she looked at Erin and then turned to look at me. The look of surprise on her face was so genuine that I had to smile myself. When her chin started to quiver I could guess that the poor girl had not gotten many positive surprises in her life.

"But ... Why?"

I shrugged.

"I could say that because I feel that it is the right thing to do. But the truth is that I don't exactly know. Maybe it is part of my own healing process. Maybe I want some females present in Lily's life. Maybe I just like to torture myself by looking at two good-looking girls. I don't really know. But I do know that my aunty and Beth will kick my ass if I don't."

"They really are something else, aren't they? And Lily is really an adorable little girl."

Erin's comment wasn't so much a question as a statement. As I agreed fully with her there was not much point responding, so I just nodded. The silence that followed was not unpleasant, as I guessed we all had something to think about, and of course when we tried to talk we all started at the same time. We looked at each other for a second before starting to laugh. I think it was that laughter that finally eased the situation. After that, we were finally able to talk more freely. I did not mention it, but I was quite sure that my aunty would work on finding some work for Reyna - if she was going to be staying here.

After talking for a while we had a sort of a connection. Reyna also commented on something every now and then. Foremost, we had an agreement about how we should be handling certain practical things, and how certain activities should be kept out of the eyes of a curious four-year-old. When I told the girls that kissing and some petting would still be ok, they both blushed and I rolled my eyes.

"Girls, I was in a relationship with her mother until spring, and it was more than once or twice when certain activities were interrupted by a curious little girl. So, if you decide to live here for a few months, be prepared to have an explanation for your actions. THAT I will not do for you, unless you let me take part of the action."

Why did I say that? Suddenly it became very quiet.

"Erin and Reyna, I'm sorry - that was supposed to be a joke."

"So you HAVE taken part in girl'n'girl action before?"

Erin actually sounded curious. Reyna looked simply shocked.

"Look, Erin, that comment was out of line, and even if I had, I wouldn't talk about it."

The look on her face made me think that this was not probably the end of this discussion but I wasn't going to discuss my sexual experiences with them, period, no way.

"So that is another reason we don't disgust you, and you remained hard even though you knew I was a lesbian."

"Listen girls, you both are hot. Besides, that certain male part does not care a single bit about your orientation."

Reyna snorted when I told them they were hot.

"Reyna, you do not have to believe me; but yes, you are hot, too. Your breasts may not be big and your hips are not wide but you are still hot. With that teenaged-girl-face you have, you are a walking wet dream to several men - probably women, too. And seeing Erin caress your nipple through that T-shirt doesn't help me at all."

She blushed and I sighed.

"Look, I can't promise that I won't get erections around you. Hell, Beth teases me and I get hard, but still we don't get intimate. You two also have to understand the fact that I may need to go and give myself some release by myself every now and then. Also, I will not change my habit of sleeping nude, and occasionally walking nude around the house, just because the two of you are here."

Reyna started to mutter something but Erin put her hand over her mouth.

"Eric, we are ok with that. Besides, Reyna needs some desensitization therapy."

Reyna was about the protest but Erin used her mouth instead of her hand, and also put her hand under the oversized T-shirt and started caressing a breast. I saw her other nipple stiffen even more.

That was all it took. I was ready to walk to the bathroom and take my problem into my own hands, which was what I did. There would definitely be some 'hard' times ahead.

Soon after that talk, things cooled off. We all got dressed decently, and visited the nearby mall to do some restocking. Soon after that, I was preparing an early dinner. After all, there were three of us who had not had lunch. I was a bit surprised to see Reyna by the kitchen door, I raised my eyebrows a bit.

"Erin is doing the laundry, as I'm terrible with machines. Can I help here?"

That was probably the longest speech she had ever given directly to me.

"Sure, the salad and the veggies are still in the fridge, or would you like to do these chicken fillets?"

"I've never done any fillets before, so I guess it's salad for me."

Never done any fillets? The girl was twenty-four!

"Hey, let's do these together. There's still time to do the salad afterwards."

I knew I was not really any gourmet chef, but I was sure that I knew the basics of preparing food. I could feel her reluctance, but we did the fillets together, and then we did the salad. Even if Reyna had been working in the cafeterias or some low-scale restaurants, she had only been allowed to do some waitressing. I liked cooking, but I didn't mind if there was someone to help me.

When my aunty and Beth came back with Lily, we had our dinner ready. Even though they had already had their lunch, they joined us at the table, telling us the smell around the kitchen was irresistible.

"Reyna helped with the fillets and also with the salad."

That poor girl blushed when my aunty turned to look at her.

"Really? Have you been working in the kitchen?"

"No, only waitressing, but I'd sure like to."

She almost looked embarrassed after saying that, but I didn't really look at her. I looked at my aunty. I could almost see the wheels turning and cogs clicking inside her head. She looked in my direction, and by her expression I knew that she knew that I knew. Maybe I imagined that she nodded to me, then again, maybe not.

If the two girls did something in their bedroom during the night, they did it silently. On Monday morning Erin and I left for college while Reyna stayed behind with Mrs. Fraser, whom I had warned about the changes that had taken place. I don't really know what she thought about the situation, but I trusted that her 'mother hen' persona would see Reyna as someone who needed support.

At the college parking lot there were a few people who noticed me and Erin arriving in the same car. Oh well, let's play some more. Before going to different directions I pulled Erin to a close hug and kissed her forehead. She looked a bit startled at first but then a mischievous grin came to her face and she pulled me to her for a kiss. A real kiss, and a very close hug. When we separated, I knew that I had only myself to blame for the fact that I would probably be having an erection throughout my first class.

It was late afternoon when we came back home. I had barely parked the car when Reyna ran out the door and launched herself at Erin.

"I start working at a restaurant kitchen next Monday!"

Both the girls were still dancing with joy when we all got inside. Also, Mrs. Fraser was smiling at Reyna's enthusiasm. Before leaving, though, she came to me looking very serious.

"Eric, you know that I think that you should take care of your own happiness at some point. You deserve it. But ... but please ... don't do anything that even might hurt that girl. Not a thing."