Chapter 43: Six Girls, Part I

July, 1983, Milford, Ohio

Stephanie and I walked out of the house and a short way down Overlook, then onto the path that led back behind the house and into the clearing. I chuckled when I saw a blanket and pillow sitting in the center of the grass.

"Planning ahead, Squirt?" I chuckled.

"Limited time, Big Brother. Now, get your clothes off!"

We had our clothes off in seconds and a minute later were rolling around on the blanket, kissing and fondling each other. A few minutes later, I slid into my sister's silky hot tunnel and we began moving slowly against each other. We made it last as long as we could, savoring the pleasure we could give each other. When her amazing muscles had milked the last of my cum, she still held me tight to her, not letting me go, drinking each other's kisses for about ten minutes.

"I love you, Big Brother," she said wistfully.

"I love you too, Squirt."

"Let's get back so you can make Bethany the second-happiest girl in Milford!"

We got up, dressed, and walked back to the house. Stephanie stopped me at the door and we hugged tightly before stepping inside. I went to my old bathroom and took a quick shower so I wouldn't smell like my sister, then got dressed again, said goodnight to my dad and went to pick up Bethany.

Melanie and Pete were sitting in the living room when we arrived at the Spencers', so we sat with them for a bit. Melanie let me know that Josh and Mary were going to share a two-bedroom apartment with her in the Fall. Pete had about six weeks before he went to his training in Maryland, and they were trying to spend as much time together as they could. They'd have a long-distance relationship for about nine months, then they'd be getting married.

"Still looking at graduation day?" I asked.

"If we can swing it. That would just cap the whole thing with Pete having proposed on my High School graduation day."

"Just let me know. I'll do whatever is needed to be there!"

"I know you will!" Pete said.

We talked for a few more minutes, then Bethany and I went up to my room. We quickly took off our clothes and got into bed.

"Letting your hair grow?" I asked.

I'd noticed when we were in the sauna but hadn't said anything because I hadn't wanted to direct that conversation to sex.

"I've just been lazy over the Summer, not to mention there's nobody to show it to. Which do you prefer?"

"Either way is fine, though keeping it neatly trimmed is important if you let it grow."

"Maybe I'll let you shave me if you behave!" she smirked.

We kissed a bit and turned to face each other.

"What is it that you want from me, Bethany?" I asked.

"Now? Or like, in the future?"

"I think I know what you want right now!" I said, pushing her onto her back and quickly sliding into her.

"Yes!" she hissed. "You're right!"

"And long term?" I asked.

"Forget that question, Steve," she said, humping slightly against me.

"I'm serious, Bethany," I said, pulling back and slowly sliding in again.

"Are we going to talk or fuck?" she giggled, moving her hips side-to-side.

"Seems like we're doing both," I chuckled, sliding back and forward once again.

"The same thing I've always wanted. The same thing Jennifer and Stephie and Karin and Sofia want," she grunted, rocking her hips as she spoke.

I made another slow thrust.

"If all of you want exactly the same thing, I'm going to disappoint four of you," I said.

Bethany slowly ground her clit against me and said, "We all know that."

We began kissing and our conversation ceased while we slowly made love. Twenty-five minutes later, we cuddled, savoring the afterglow of our mutual orgasms.

"Thanks!" she sighed, "I needed that!"

"You're welcome," I answered. "And thank you! That was what I needed right now, too!"

I squeezed her to me again, my arms wrapped around her, feeling her breathing and mine moving together. Together? To my surprise, I had unconsciously synchronized my breathing to hers; we were breathing as one, just as I'd learned with Anala. I smiled to myself, keeping at it in silence for a few minutes more, and ordering my thoughts.

"Bethany, do you think I manipulated Kara?" I asked.

"I suppose that depends on what you mean. We all do things to get someone to do what we want. It's when the intent is to get them to do something they really don't want to do or is harmful to them that it becomes a problem. Why are you asking?"

"Something my sister said while we were having dessert. She accused me of manipulating Kara after I commented about the way she uses the prospect of sex to get boys to do her bidding."

Bethany laughed, "That's not uncommon for High School girls! And I can see Stephanie being a master at that. She sure has you wrapped around her little finger."

"True, to a point. I've learned to push back when she's stepping over the line with me."

"Because fucking your brother ISN'T stepping over the line?" Bethany asked with a smirk.

"You know what I meant! Seriously, do you think I manipulated Kara to get her to sleep with me?"

"I think it started that way, or at least you were trying to get her hot and bothered, even if you didn't think she'd ever go through with it. Do YOU feel manipulated? After all, she had ulterior motives as well."

"Not really, no. And she and I talked about it before we actually made love."

Bethany laughed, "Let me guess. You agonized over it, asked her a bunch of times if it was OK, talked about what it meant and probably even talked about it when you two were naked together right before you did it."

"Guilty as charged. You know me too well, Sweetheart!"

"I don't think you were manipulative. Becky was."

"Yeah, and so was I. Remember, that was all about taking some rich-bitch's cherry."

"At first, yes. But you dropped that as soon as you realized that you actually liked her. As best I can tell, Steve, you occasionally think about manipulation, but then you back off pretty quickly. So no, you didn't manipulate Kara in my view. Normal human interaction isn't manipulation."

"And my sister?"

"You were a goner from day one. She's a master at it. But she's not evil like Becky was. Sure, she plays the 'prick tease' at school, but from what I can tell, she's very, very careful not to let it get to a point where the guy thinks he's getting something. She just stirs up the fantasy and they eat it up. With you? Jennifer and Melanie had it right. Stephanie had you in her sights and wasn't going to let anything stop her from taking you to her bed."

"And now?"

"You love her enough that you'll do pretty much whatever she asks, though I've seen you push back when it's not in your best interest. I suppose it's about as healthy as an incestuous relationship can be."

"I'm guessing they usually go bad?"

"Horribly so. Most of them involve some kind of coercion or outright assault. The father-daughter or uncle-niece ones are almost always that way. In fact, I'd say statistically, effectively all of them are. Brother-sister is usually that way, though there have been cases where it isn't. Yours is one of them. Usually, the older sibling initiates it, and as I said, there's coercion or force involved. In this case, it was the younger, female sibling who started it. That's super rare. Also, even in the cases where it's mutual, it usually ends in disaster."

"And me and Stephanie?"

"Only if your parents or the police find out. For whatever reason, you two have the healthiest, most loving relationship of anyone I've seen, and that includes Pete and Melanie, my parents, the Spencers, and other happily married couples I know. I could write a book, except that I'd have to obfuscate everything to keep you guys out of serious trouble."

"If you want to do your Master's thesis on us, I'm sure Stephanie would agree."

"I might just do that. But enough of this. How much can we do without making Tatyana upset?" Bethany grinned.

"A couple more times like that should be fine!"

We ended up making love twice more before falling asleep in each other's arms. When I woke, Bethany was snuggled close and had a contented smile on her face. She opened her eyes a few minutes later.

"I don't think you know how much I like sleeping in the same bed as you. That week in Chicago was so perfect. Wouldn't it be perfect if it could be like this forever?" she asked wistfully.

"Bethany," I said softly.

"I know," she sighed. "I said it would be perfect. I know you're still conflicted about things and still fighting your inner demons. I wonder if maybe at some point we'll figure out what keeps causing our relationship problems."

"One step at a time, Sweetheart. Now, I need to get out of bed to go swim with my sister. Do you want to come with me or do you want me to drop you at home?"

"Drop me at home. You and your sister need your time together. Do I get to meet Tatyana?"

"Absolutely! Stephanie arranged with my dad for a dinner at my house tomorrow. We won't invite everyone, but you, Kathy, Kurt, Larry, Elyse, Pete, Melanie, Mary, and Josh will be invited. Stephanie is going to call everyone today."

"Uhm, your Russian friend is really conservative. Is that going to be an issue?"

"When she invites them today, Stephanie will warn everyone that they have to be on their best behavior."

"You're not inviting Joyce?" Bethany asked as we got out of bed and started dressing.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I asked.

"Yes. You'll control yourself because Tatyana is here and it'll be a nice gesture to Joyce. She's your friend, Steve. She made a huge mistake. When you made yours, how did Kara, Jennifer, Stephanie, and I respond?"

I sighed, "You can be a real bitch, Bethany."

"That's my job!" she exclaimed with a smile. "Who can talk to you like that except your best friend?"

I pulled her to me and kissed her deeply.

"Thanks. I'll tell Stephanie to call her."

"No, Steve. YOU call her."

"Damn you, Bethany! Really?"

"What would Doctor Mercer tell you to do?"

"I hate it when you're right; you do know that, don't you?"

"Get used to it, Buster. Every class I take, I learn more about how and why you think and act. You're a perfect case study if there ever was one."

I kissed her again, and we quickly changed the sheets on the bed, and then headed to my car. I dropped Bethany at her house and then drove over to my parents' house. Stephanie was waiting for me, so I quickly changed into my suit and we swam our laps. She beat me by nearly a full lap.

When I pulled myself up on the deck, she leaned over and whispered, "It's a good thing your stamina hasn't failed in OTHER areas."

I laughed, and we went to our rooms and showered and dressed. I made breakfast for her and my dad, and we ate together. I talked to my dad to make sure that everything was OK for the dinner party Stephanie had planned and he said that he'd be taking my mom to a show. When we finished, Stephanie and I cleaned up and then she walked me out to my car since I was going to visit Kara before heading to the airport.

"Squirt, count one more for dinner."

"Who?"

"Joyce. I'll call her later. Bethany basically browbeat me into inviting her."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but when have I ever been able to say 'no' to Bethany on something important?"

"Never!" she replied with a knowing smile. "Go see Kara and then bring your Russian girlfriend over after lunch. I get home from Stepping Stones about 1:00pm."

"Is Mom going to behave?" I asked.

"Who knows? But she was OK when Stephie was here."

I hugged Stephanie and then drove over to the Blanchards' house. I walked up to the door and rang the bell. Nancy answered and greeted me.

"How's she doing?" I asked.

"OK. She's been eating and sleeping, and she's even come out of her room a bit. Doctor Mercer thinks she can go back to work tomorrow if she wants to."

"Does she?"

"Yes. According to Doctor Mercer, what Kara needs right now is a routine. Basically, something she can focus on to take her mind off of whatever it is that you and Doctor Mercer won't tell me about."

I suppressed a sigh, "Nancy, if you love and care for Kara, please, please, just let this go for now. It's up to Kara to tell you, and I'm sure Doctor Mercer has told you not to pressure her about it."

"Yes," Nancy said, clearly exasperated. "I'm not sure I trust Doctor Mercer, though."

"I told you that I trust her with my life. And I did, for real. Kara's in the best possible hands. Let Doctor Mercer work with Kara. She was making good progress until Kara's little setback. That's going to happen. I had them. I don't see Doctor Mercer anymore, but I still use the things she taught me to improve myself and deal with all the shit that comes around in my life."

"Steve!" she exclaimed as a reprimand for my use of profanity.

"Sorry. But there really is no other word for all the stuff that has happened, including Kara's meltdown. I got serious help there from my friends, especially Bethany, who is a former patient of Doctor Mercer's, and who's studying to be a therapist. Is Kara awake?"

"Yes. She just ate breakfast and she's in the shower. She should be down in a few minutes. Come in and I'll pour you a cup of tea."

We went into the kitchen to wait for Kara and I sipped tea while Nancy told me about her new job and how things had been going prior to Monday. About five minutes later, Kara came into the kitchen carrying her bear. She was dressed as she had been before — every inch of skin except her face and hands covered. As she sat down at the table, her mom set a cup of tea in front of her and then left the room.

"Hi," she said softly.

"How are you doing, Kara?"

"OK. I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow."

"Good. You're feeling better? And you slept OK?"

"Yes. The doctor at the hospital gave me some pills to help me sleep, and I talked to Doctor Mercer yesterday. I'm seeing her again this morning. I hope she lets me go back to work."

"She'll decide what's best," I said. "You should listen to her and talk to her."

"We talked about what happened and why I got upset. It was scary, Steve!"

"I know, Honey, but you need to do it if you want to get better."

"I know. I'm doing it because you told me I had to."

I suppressed a sigh because I hated the idea that Kara was doing this for me, instead of herself. But, in the end, she WAS doing it and that was what mattered.

"You just keep talking to her. That's the most important thing you can do now."

"What you said to me at the hospital when you left. Do you believe that?"

That was perhaps the most dangerous question she could ask me, and one that I would have difficulty answering under the best of circumstances. I'd walked right into the situation by quoting John 3:16 to her and now I had to answer her in a way that didn't violate my own beliefs.

"Kara, it's what the Bible says. The Christian message is that God loves sinners. Didn't Paul write that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? Isn't the entire point of the Gospel that God sent His Son to save sinners?"

"Yes," she said.

"Then why don't you believe that, Honey?" I said gently. "It includes you."

"God can still love me?" she asked quietly.

I was committed at this point. Whatever I believed, I had to tell her the answer that would help her the most.

"Yes, Kara, the Bible says He can, and that He does."

She sipped her tea quietly. Nothing was said for several minutes. I refilled both our cups and waited until she was ready to talk.