Chapter 3: That\'s What Friends Are For, Part II

December, 1982, Chicago, Illinois

"I'm concerned about you, Sweetheart. You and I can't just screw. We've never, ever just screwed. I thought we did that first time, but it turned out that you were in love with me. You told me it would only ever be that one time, but I don't know that you really intended that. You're still in love with me and I'm very, very concerned about how you'll react to making love. I can't make any commitments to anyone."

"I know," Bethany said softly. "The only person you could even think about really committing to has a gold ring on her RIGHT hand because it can never be like you both want. Please, Steve, just make love to me."

I looked at Stephanie, who nodded her approval. I took Bethany's hand and led her down the hall. Stephanie followed us to my room and, to my surprise, went to sit in the bay window. From the way she sat, it appeared that she wasn't even going to watch, she just needed to be in the same room with me. I chuckled when I thought about going to the bathroom, but it wouldn't surprise me if she followed me there. In fact, I was sure that she would.

As we had that very first time, Bethany and I kissed, then I undressed her and she undressed me. Unlike that first night, we didn't need a condom, and we both knew each other's' bodies well enough that our lovemaking was like a virtuoso concert performance — each movement having a proper place and time and a proper relationship with every other movement. Our bodies moved in perfect unison, moving inexorably to the crescendo of a joint orgasm that shook us to our cores, pouring out a year of unfulfilled desire. Our hearts beat as one; our breathing was as one; we were as one.

I stayed on top of Bethany, who had her legs and arms wrapped tightly around me, and we kissed softly for a few minutes.

"Jesus, Big Brother," Stephanie breathed. "That was like watching a work of art being created!"

"It was perfect, Steve," Bethany sighed. "The most perfect lovemaking we've ever had."

"It was wonderful, Sweetheart," I said.

"Bethany, if you want to sleep in Steve's bed with us, you can. In fact, I think you should," Stephanie said softly.

"I'd like that," Bethany said softly.

I moved next to Bethany, and she scooted over slightly. I put my arm around her and she turned on her side and pressed against me. Stephanie undressed and got into bed on my right side and did the same thing. I put my arms around the two girls who had come to help me and we quickly fell asleep.

In the morning, I woke first and Stephanie woke a few minutes after I did. Stephanie looked at Bethany, who was still asleep, then moved up just enough so that she could kiss me. We kissed softly a few times, and Stephanie slid her hand down to my dick and began gently stroking me. It didn't take long before I was hard. Stephanie looked up, smirked, then slid down and took me fully into her mouth.

Bethany woke up a moment later, saw Stephanie and smirked, then whispered, "I'll leave you two alone."

Stephanie released me and said, "Stay Bethany, it's OK. Really."

She engulfed me again and Bethany put her head on my chest. I glanced down and saw that Bethany was watching Stephanie, which somewhat surprised me, but also somehow made the blowjob more exciting. I adjusted my arm that was around Bethany so that I could gently caress her breast. She looked up, and I smiled. She moved to kiss me and our tongues tangled while my sister's tongue worked its magic on my rock-hard erection. My kissing with Bethany became more intense as Stephanie brought me closer and closer to release. When I came, I groaned into Bethany's mouth as I filled Stephanie's with spurt after spurt of cum.

Stephanie released me and moved up close to my face. Bethany broke the kiss with me and looked at my sister, who had her mouth open, showing what she'd collected. To my surprise, Bethany started to lean towards my sister and Stephanie leaned towards her. Just as their lips were about to touch, they stopped. Stephanie closed her mouth and backed off a bit, just as Bethany moved back and shook her head. It was as if some kind of invisible barrier prevented them from actually kissing.

"I can't," Bethany said. "Not from your sister, it's a line I just can't cross."

Stephanie visibly swallowed, then sighed and kissed me.

"I understand," I said, kissing Bethany and then pulling both girls close to cuddle them.

We lay together about twenty minutes, then all three of us went to the bathroom to shower. Bethany got in first and when I went to step into the tub, Stephanie held me back. She got into the shower with Bethany, who had a puzzled look on her face. Without a word, Stephanie tenderly washed Bethany's body, and then Bethany did the same for her.

Having washed each other, they looked at me and smiled, each girl taking a hand as I stepped into the tub. They stood on either side of me and took turns using my soap to wash me. When they finished, Stephanie and Bethany dried each other, then they dried me. We dressed for the day and then I made breakfast while the girls set the table and made some coffee. It was going to be a tight fit at the table, but we'd manage.

"I'm sorry," Bethany said. "You and Steve are special together, but the taboo is just too much for me to do that. The shower was a nice touch, though."

"It's fine, Bethany," Stephanie said. "I shouldn't have even thought about it. I should apologize to you."

"Girls, it's fine, we all recognize the limits. And they're good ones. I don't need another bad situation, especially between my Sweetheart and my sister!"

Bethany and Stephanie both smiled.

"I was wrong about you two initially, and wrong again when I told you to stop," Bethany said slowly. "Honestly, in a just world, that ring would be on your left hand, Stephanie."

"I know. We were made for each other. We fit perfectly together, love each other perfectly, and complete each other perfectly. But you're right, it just can't be."

I got the food onto the table and we all ate heartily, having worked up a tremendous appetite the night before and this morning. When we finished eating, the girls did the dishes and I changed the sheets on the bed. I gathered them up and took them to the washing machine, then went back to the apartment.

"You left without me being with you!" my sister said, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed as I came back upstairs.

"Sorry, but I was doing laundry. I didn't think about it."

"Don't do it again, Steve!" she growled.

"Stephanie, you're going to go home on Saturday, we'll be apart then."

"I know," she said softly, "but please don't do that again."

"OK," I said.

We relaxed with coffee until the washer was done, and Stephanie and I moved the sheets and pillowcases to the dryer. As we were about to leave the laundry room, Stephanie stopped me.

"Steve, I should never have even thought about that. It's just being around you gets me so excited that sometimes I don't think. I don't EVER want to be with another girl except Jennifer."

"I understand, Squirt. I promise I'm not going to make the same mistake I made with Kara again. I'll help you keep your limits."

"Thanks, Big Brother," she said, hugging me tight.

We went back upstairs and the three of us went shopping because I'd only really planned on food for myself for this week. When we got back from the store, Bethany went down to the laundry room to get the sheets and folded them and put them away in the linen closet. I made us lunch and after we ate, we took a walk. The temperature was in the mid-40s, which was mild for Chicago in late December. We stopped at the video store but we didn't find anything that the girls really wanted to watch, so we walked back to the apartment.

When we turned the corner, I saw a familiar girl, sitting on the steps that led up to the door to the building. I smiled and shook my head.

"Did you know she was coming, Squirt?"

"Yes; I called her. Her parents told her to book a plane ticket, no matter what it cost. It seems that they think you're worth it."

Bethany laughed, "He is, you know. And despite what Stephie thinks, or even what Steve thinks, that girl has the inside track now."

I walked the half-block to the apartment, held out my arms and said, "Hi, Jen."

Jennifer Block stepped up to me and we hugged tightly. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then we went inside, with Bethany carrying Jennifer's bag. I stopped to get the mail from the mailbox before we went up the stairs to my apartment. I reminded myself that I needed to answer Tina's last letter, which was still sitting on my desk. Once inside, I made tea and the four of us sat in the living room — the three girls on the couch and me on the loveseat.

"Your flight must have cost a fortune, Jen. Last minute flights aren't cheap."

"My parents didn't care. When I told them what had happened, they insisted I come see you. I'm sure you know why, too."

"They see this as a chance for us to get back together, or at least get on a path to getting back together."

"Yes! I tried to tell Mom that there were still all kinds of obstacles, but she kept saying that if I didn't come to Chicago, I had zero chance, so why not come here and see what happened?"

"That sounds like your mom. Did she also tell you to fuck me within an inch of my life, so I remembered how good we were together?"

Jennifer laughed, "She didn't have to! But she certainly implied I should! Something along the lines of doing whatever it took."

"No promises right now, Jen, not even that. You don't even know the story."

"Because you didn't answer your damned phone when I called you! Stephanie called me and told me that something had happened between you and Kara, something really big. She also mentioned something about an engagement ring which I don't recall hearing about, Mister!"

"I didn't either, Jennifer," Bethany said. "And the prick had promised me a last fling before he got engaged. He didn't even tell Stephanie until the last moment!"

"I decided after Thanksgiving. Elyse knew something was up and pushed me to tell her. I had to tell Stephie because I was moving up the end date of our relationship. In a sense, I'm glad I didn't spread it around."

"Yeah, but it got out anyway because of what happened. All your friends know," Jennifer said.

"I know," I sighed. "The ring is in my dad's safe, and it's staying there until he returns it to the jeweler, which I guess is likely to be next week, given Kara doesn't even want to talk to me."

"What happened?" Jennifer asked.

"Stephanie, I need to break your rule and talk to Jennifer in private. There's something I need to talk to her about that I can only tell her."

"I warned you, Big Brother," Stephanie said with a glare, but her face softened after a stern look from Jennifer. "Uhm, OK," she said sheepishly.

I led Jennifer to Elyse's room to prevent any misunderstandings. Jennifer sat cross-legged on the bed and I sat in the bay window on the throw pillows. I told Jennifer everything that had happened with Kara, including the incident with Joyce. Jennifer asked a few questions, but mostly let me talk through the situation.

"Oh man," she said when I finished talking. "It's worse than I thought. You know what this sounds like?"

"Yeah, you in seventh grade. Or the situation with you and Melanie."

"You don't think she's suicidal, do you?"

"No. That would be a ticket straight to hell in her book, and that's what she thinks she's avoiding."

"You do realize, given what you've just told me, that there's little chance of her coming back to you, right?"

"I know," I sighed. "That's why the ring's going back to the jewelry store in a week or so. I'll hang onto it for that long just in case she snaps out of it, but I don't think that's going to happen."

"What are you going to do?"

"What can I do except live my life? I have to learn from what happened and move on. Seriously, what else can I do?"

"That sounds eerily familiar," she declared. "And Stephie?"

"She's moving in, but we're neither exclusive nor committed. I'm not making any commitments for quite some time. Tatyana will be here on the 3rd, and Karin's coming in February. Stephie knows about them and knows I'll be sharing a bed with them."

"And me?" Jennifer asked, cocking her head at an angle and smiling cutely.

"One step at a time. We still have a lot of ground to cover, and you and I both know we won't get a third chance."

She nodded slowly, "Yeah, that's true. I guess I'd rather take it slowly than blow whatever slight chance I have."

"According to Bethany, you have the inside track," I said with a smile.

"She said that? Really?"

"Yes, as we turned the corner and I saw you."

"Then I better not blow it," she said, then laughed, "unless you want me to!"

"Cute, Jen. Cute. But there's something a bit more important right now. Just stay right there."

I got up and went out to the living room and took Stephanie's hand and pulled her up from the couch.

"Go on. I'll be right here. I promise not to leave the apartment."

"Really?" she said excitedly.

"Yes. Go love her. I could see it in your eyes the minute we saw her."

She kissed me softly on the lips, "You're the best, Big Brother."

She went down the hall and closed the door to Elyse's room. I walked over and turned on the stereo and turned the volume up enough that so that we wouldn't hear Jennifer or Stephanie. I poured some tea and took Bethany over to the bay window, where she sat between my legs and leaned back against me.

"So, Jennifer and Stephanie? How long has this been going on?"

"It started when Jennifer came to visit the Summer after Senior year, when Stephanie tried to orchestrate Kara's downfall, so to speak. She and Jennifer had been wanting it for quite some time. I watched them make love for the first time, then the three of us made love. Stephanie's been longing for Jennifer ever since."

"Does Ed know about this?" Bethany asked.

"I don't think so. He does know about my past with Stephanie. Does he know she's here?"

"Yeah. He was a bit miffed that she was going with me to see you without talking to him, but I don't think he expected the two of you to start up again. She has to tell him, Steve. And then he'll break up with her."

"I was afraid of that. But are YOU going to tell her that she has to stop? Could I, now?"

"No," Bethany said, "neither of us could. This is what she wants more than anything in the world. She knows that she can't have you the way she really wants, as her husband, but until such time as someone ties you down, nothing will keep her away from you. She's here, isn't she?"

"That she is. I have a question for you, Bethany."

"Shoot," she said.

"Well, this is one of those tough ones that we usually discuss better after we've made love. Care to help me, Sweetheart?" I asked with a smile.

"You do NOT have to ask twice, Steve!" she giggled.

We went to my room and made love. It wasn't the same as the night before, it couldn't have been, but it was physically, emotionally, and mentally satisfying.

"So, what's your dilemma?" Bethany asked.

"Should I make love with Jennifer? Or should I take it slow?"

"What is it you want, Steve?" Bethany asked.

"Hell if I know right now," I sighed. "You said she had the inside track. I told her that we wouldn't get a third chance if we screwed this up."

"Both of those are true. I guess what I'd say is that Jennifer is the one girl who could handle your relationship with Stephanie indefinitely. From what I've seen, I don't believe that Tatyana and Stephie can handle it at all, and I guess Karin came to terms with it being over. I have my problems, but I could handle it before we got married. Don't read anything into that," she quickly added, "it's just a statement."

"So, what are you telling me?" I asked.

"That you should take it slowly, Steve. Don't rush. You guys had some serious problems in the past, and if you aren't completely sure that they're resolved, don't move too far into a relationship. I guess what I'm saying is to be careful."

"When's the right time to have sex in that situation?" I asked.

"When you're sure that you're two are moving forward on the right path, not before."

Chapter 4 »