Chapter 31: Home for the Holidays, Part II

December, 1981, Milford, Ohio

On Sunday, after swimming and having breakfast with Stephanie, I called Karin, and then Stephanie and I hung out until lunch. I had let Kara know that I was going to Don Joseph’s, so I wouldn’t see her. After eating lunch, I called Stephie to see how she was doing. Things were fine at home and she was hanging out with Red and Rose, plus seeing her other friends from High School. Daryl had called her, but she wasn’t going to see him.

“I miss you, Yankee. It’s three more weeks before I see you!”

“It’s not that long, Peaches. I was gone away from my friends for a year, once, remember?”

“Yeah, but I’m not used to stuff like this. I went to school mostly with the same kids from kindergarten on. Not to mention this itch I got,” she giggled. “I need you to scratch it for me!”

“I will. As often and for as long as you need it scratched!”

“I’ll hold you to that Yankee. If it’s anything like it was with your fingers, I think I’m going to need a LOT of scratching!”

“That was just coming attractions, Peaches. The real thing is far better!”

“Oh God, now I got to wait for three weeks thinking about that! When do you get back to Chicago?”

“On the Sunday before classes start, around noon.”

“Pick me up on your way home, Yankee. I’m going to make you prove it!”

“I will. I’ll call you from O’Hare when I land and let you know I’m on my way.”

We talked for another couple of minutes and I hung up.

“Well, I guess that answers that question!” Stephanie smirked, standing in the door to my room.

“Yeah. It was a foregone conclusion that last night before I came home.”

“What time are we leaving for the Grossi’s house and when are we coming home?”

“About 1:15pm. We’ll pick up Ed and we’ll be there around 2:00pm or so. We’ll probably be home by 8:30pm. Why?”

“I thought maybe you would take me for ice cream afterwards, just you and me. Graeter’s is closing their Milford store in about 10 days.”

“Sure. I’ll do that!”

“Cool!”

We were just getting ready to leave when the phone rang. Stephanie ran to pick it up. She called me to the phone.

“A girl. I don’t recognize her voice, but I’m sure it’s not Becky.”

I took the receiver and said ‘hello’.

“Hi, Steve, this is Anna Wilson. I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”

I was really surprised. It had been over a year since I’d heard from her, and although she’d been friendly at our last meeting, I’d hurt her pretty badly right after Jennifer had revealed to me that she was moving to Seattle.

“Hi, Anna. This is a real surprise!” I said.

“I know. I was sitting here reading my diary, and I decided to call you.”

That meant she was reminiscing. I had good memories about Anna until I’d done something stupid when I was out of control because I overreacted to Jennifer, keeping her family’s move to Seattle secret from me. Anna had hung up on me, but when we saw each other later that year at a chess meet, she’d hugged me, but that was only after reminding me that I’d ruined something that had been pretty good.

“I keep a journal,” I said, “and I’ve taken to reading stuff I wrote years ago from time to time just to see how my life has changed. I don’t mean to be curt, but I was just about to leave the house. We could talk later, if you want.”

“Oh, sorry! Would you like to meet for lunch one day this week? Maybe on Tuesday?”

That was an interesting turn of events. I’d always liked Anna, and she’d always been fun to be with, and we had dated for several months when I was a Sophomore. Having lunch with her would be OK.

“Sure. Are you still living at home?”

“Yes. Could you pick me up around noon?”

“I’ll see you then,” I said. “Thanks for calling!”

We hung up after she said goodbye. Stephanie was standing in the doorway to my room, her eyebrow arched.

“Anna? The girl from Turpin? What did she want?”

“Lunch on Tuesday. Other than that, I have no idea. I guess I’ll find out when I pick her up.”

“When’s the last time you saw her?”

“At the chess meet, a year ago last September. Before that was in July, I think. Everything that happened after Jennifer told me she was moving is a blur. It’s in my journal, but that’s back in Chicago.”

“You’re still keeping that up?”

“I am. I finally put it on the computer. I was going to bring it with me, but in the end, I decided to leave it. I carry a small notebook with me to write when I’m not at home.”

Stephanie sighed, “This isn’t home for you anymore, is it?”

“No. This is my parents’ house. Home is my apartment in Chicago.”

She looked so sad and lost when I said that. I pulled her into my arms and held her tight while tears streamed down her face. I’d really just hit on the crux of her problem. What for me was joyous freedom and escape was devastation and the despair of abandonment for my little sister.

“I love you Squirt, I’ll always love you.”

I realized as soon as I said it, that I’d made a huge mistake. Using that nickname held so many connotations and conveyed so much that I’d just landed myself in a world of hurt. Stephanie raised her head to show me a contented smile, then rested it on my chest and sighed deeply.

“Thanks, Big Brother,” she said, then broke the hug.

We walked out to the car and stopped at the Krajicks’ house to get Ed, then drove to Colerain Township to Don Joseph’s house. Stephanie and Ed sat in the back seat chatting while I was lost in my thoughts. I’d created the potential for a huge mess with my sister. If I did what that nickname implied, I was opening a whole can of worms. If I didn’t, I was likely to hurt her. The question was, which was worse? I had no idea.

It was tougher because I wasn’t even sure of whom I could talk to. Of all my friends, probably only Jennifer or Melanie could really have that conversation. Both of them were totally accepting of the relationship, though Jennifer might be too close to it because of her relationship with Stephanie. That said, she might have some good insights.

When we arrived at Don Joseph’s, Joyce was already there. As soon as I had greeted Don Joseph, she took my hand and led me to the guest house. She shut and locked the door behind us and pulled me into a tight hug and gave me a scorching kiss.

“I just saw you about three weeks ago!” I grinned.

“I know,” she laughed, “but you’ve been home for a week and other than two phone calls, nothing!”

“I’m seeing you tomorrow, and you’re invited to the party on Friday!”

“But I need some time ALONE with you!” she said, striking a sultry pose.

“And what exactly is it that we need to be alone for?” I smirked.

She dropped her skirt and then pushed down her panties, turned and knelt on the couch and shook her butt at me.

“Just like at your party, Steve. Quick! Before we’re missed!”

I chuckled and moved behind her. I dropped my pants, took my rock-hard dick in my hand, lined it up and thrust hard into her moist pussy. I grabbed her hips and began pumping in and out of her, slamming against her with each deep thrust. Joyce moaned and pushed back against me when I moved forward. It didn’t take long for me to cum, spurting cum deep into her pussy. The hot blasts set her off, and she groaned loudly as her pussy clenched tightly around me.

I stayed embedded in her for a moment, then pulled out, kicked off my pants and walked into the bathroom. I grabbed a washcloth and cleaned up, then put my underwear and pants back on. Joyce went into the bathroom, cleaned herself up, then put her panties and skirt back on, after inserting a tampon.

“I don’t want to leak!” she exclaimed.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen that done!” I said.

“It won’t be the last. Not with Kara moving in with you.”

“It’s funny, despite living with Elyse, and having a very close relationship, she’s very private about that. It’s about the only thing she’s private about, though.”

“Well, it is kind of gross and embarrassing at one level. I mean, having your period is natural and all, but having blood run out of your body for several days each month is kind of strange when you think about it.”

“If I bled that much every month, I’d be dead!” I quipped.

“Which just proves that women are stronger than men!” she said haughtily.

“They’re always in control, too. You’ve heard the joke where little Johnny goes to his friend Janey in kindergarten and shows her his dick and says, ‘I have one of these and you don’t’. She leaves crying. The next day she comes to school and pulls down her pants and shows him her pussy. ‘Mom says I have one of these and with one of these I can get as many of those as I want!’.”

Joyce chuckled, “Yeah. Except in your case. I believe Kara commented that you collect hymens like other kids collect baseball cards. You didn’t get mine, but you got me, so to speak.”

“Oh, I got yours!” I grinned.

“Smart ass!”

“Cute ass!”

We both broke up laughing. Joyce unlocked the door so we could rejoin the party. We found Stephanie in the living room. She told me that Ed was in Don Joseph’s study, so I walked in to join him and the Dons.

“Ah, Steve, «figlio mio», I see you have escaped the clutches of my disrespectful granddaughter!” Don Joseph said with a grin.

If he knew exactly what she was clutching and what she was clutching it with, he might not be so friendly! Then again, she’d hinted that he knew what was going on and so long as I didn’t make her angry, I had nothing to worry about.

“I hadn’t had a chance to see her since I’ve been home. She was rightly cross with me and I’ve learned the error of my ways!” I said with a grin.

“Your sister would kill me if I did something like that!” Ed joked.

“I think Stephanie has to be adopted,” I joked. “She’s at least part Sicilian!”

The three Dons all laughed, and Don Antonio said, “She does seem to be as feisty as girls from Sicily. You need to be very careful with those types of girls, Edward!”

“Yes, and of their fathers and brothers!” Don Carlo added, nodding towards me.

“I do NOT interfere with my sister’s choices in boys. I do NOT have a death wish, Don Carlo!”

“See, I tell you, this is a wise young man,” Don Joseph said, “He knows how to keep himself out of trouble with beautiful women like my granddaughter and his sister.”

I stayed in the study for about an hour, drinking Sambuca and talking with the Dons and Ed. I noticed that Ed was being treated somewhat like I had been years ago when I was working in the deli. I had some concerns about Ed getting in deeper than I felt he should, but, in the end, that was up to him. Stephanie knew what was going on and I knew if she had a problem with it, she’d tell Ed and that would be that.

When we left the study, we found Joyce, Stephanie, and Larry sitting at the dining room table drinking hot chocolate. It was well below freezing outside and nobody wanted to brave the cold. When I’d gotten up Sunday morning, it had been 4°F and it hadn’t gotten much warmer during the day. Ed and I got mugs of hot chocolate from Mrs. Grossi and sat down at the table. A few minutes later, Connie and her boyfriend sat down as well.

I was happy to see Connie with the same guy, because that seemed to have broken whatever spell it was that had her obsessing over me for years. That happiness was short-lived when she winked at me and licked her lips suggestively. My sister saw it, but Ed and Joyce didn’t. Stephanie elbowed me gently and rolled her eyes. I felt the same way. It seemed nothing, including having a boyfriend, was deterring Connie.

After we finished our hot chocolate, we all went to the basement to play pool. In all the years and all the times I’d visited the Grossi’s, I had never realized that the Don had a pool table. I quickly got over my rustiness and proceeded to whip everyone. Eventually, I was told to put the cue down and let others have a turn. I headed upstairs to use the bathroom and get a Coke. When I came out of the bathroom, Connie was in the hallway, blocking my path to the kitchen. I really shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Hi, Steve!” she said sweetly.

“Hi, Connie,” I said evenly, not wanting to encourage her.

“You can still have anything you want,” she whispered.

“We’ve had this talk before. Besides, you have a boyfriend.”

“So? Sneak out to the guest house with me. I’ll do anything you want!”

“I’ve told you ‘no’ before, Connie. The answer’s the same,” I said as I gently pushed past her.

She went into the bathroom without another word. If she dropped it, I’d let it go. If she didn’t, I’d let Joyce know. And Joyce would deal with it quite harshly, I was sure. One thing was for sure — I had not wanted her before, but being willing to cheat on her boyfriend made absolutely sure that I’d never be with her. I got my Coke and headed back downstairs.

Dinner at the Grossi’s was always fantastic, and tonight was no different. The Don’s wife was a master in the kitchen. Joyce wasn’t all that far behind her. I had learned to cook, and was getting pretty good, but the Italian women were in a totally different league. I smiled when I saw dessert — peach cobbler with ice cream. Not exactly an Italian dish, but it made me think of Stephie. It also made me think of how Stephie tasted, which caused a reaction that the table hid quite nicely.

After dinner we had coffee and about 7:30pm, we said our goodbyes. I hugged Joyce and told her that I’d see her tomorrow evening, then headed out to the car. Ed handed me the keys to the apartment, saying that Stephanie had told him that I needed them Monday night. I pocketed them and we got in the car and drove back to Milford. We dropped Ed at his house, then headed for Graeter’s.

“Two desserts in one night. I’m going to need to swim a hundred laps tomorrow!” I said.

“Oh, I can think of a way to burn off those extra calories, Big Brother!” Stephanie smirked.

I just let the comment go with a smile. I still had to figure out how to deal with my comment earlier. Stephanie hadn’t said anything about it, and the tease she’d just made was similar to other ones, so I wasn’t too worried. Not at the moment, at least. We both ordered sundaes and sat down to eat them.

Stephanie ate her cherry then smirked at me, “Hmm. I don’t seem to have any cherries left! Do you know what happened to them, Big Brother?”

I chuckled, “I might have an idea where they went.”

“Oh, you know damned well what happened!” she smirked.

“Stephanie, we need to talk about this,” I said softly.

“Not here. Let’s finish our ice cream,” she said.

We finished our ice cream and headed back to the car.

“You have the keys to the apartment, Big Brother. Let’s go there.”