Chapter 15

It was still dark when I woke up the next morning. If it hadn’t been for the pesky call of nature, I would have stayed in bed, snuggling with Kelly. As it was, it wasn’t to be the case. Being careful not to disturb Kelly, I slid out of bed, pulling the covers around her sleeping body. I went into the bathroom, getting the much needed relief only a morning piss could provide. Deciding I’d stay up, I showered. It was almost strange showering alone. Not having Kelly there, playing while we washed each other, made me feel like I should have waited.

Finished in the bathroom, I dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt. Before leaving the room, I stood by the side of the bed for a moment, watching Kelly sleep. Heading downstairs, I grinned, thinking about how fortunate I was to have Kelly in my life.

I was making a pot of coffee when I heard someone say,” Good morning,” from behind me. I jumped, almost dropping the container of coffee grounds. Looking over my shoulder, I saw it was Becky.

“I’m sorry, Justin, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Becky said.

“That’s okay. I didn’t expect anyone to be up yet. We’ll have coffee in a few minutes,” I said. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yes thanks, I slept great. Need any help?”

“No, I’ve got it. Have a seat.”

Becky went to the table. She pulled out one of the chairs, sitting with her back to me. While the coffee brewed, I went to the breakfast nook to join her.

“You and Kelly have a great house.” Becky grinned, adding, “Comfortable beds too.”

Becky wore a pair of long pajama bottoms and a tank top. The top had thin shoulder straps with a scooped neckline, exposing the tops of her breasts. Becky’s dark areola and thick nipples were almost visible through the thin white material. The top hugged her body snugly, leaving a gap between the hem and the waistband of her pajama bottoms. After a quick glance, I diverted my eyes.

“Thanks, we love it here.”

“So, how have you been? I haven’t seen you since we graduated.”

“Great, how about you?”

“Much better than I was last summer.” Becky glanced out the window, seeming lost in thought for a moment.

“Bad summer?”

“Yeah, I did some real stupid things. You know, partying too much and stuff.”

“You look like you survived.”

“I did, but just barely.” Becky looked me. “If it hadn’t been for Keith, I might not have.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. When I started going out with him, I stopped behaving as I had been. Things are so much better now.”

Becky’s statement had my curiosity up, but I didn’t think it was my place to pry. Becky and I sat in silence for a moment. She looked out the window, watching as the sun began to light the morning sky.

“You didn’t go to many of the parties, did you?” Becky asked.

“No, I wasn’t into partying. I spent most of my summer at scout camp, not too exciting is it?”

Becky shrugged her shoulders. “If you like doing those kind of things it would be. I kind of wish I had something to do last summer, something other than party like a rock star. I guess you never hung around with many of the groups who threw the parties, did you.”

“No, I stuck to myself pretty much. I was very shy in high school. Want a cup of coffee?”

“Please, I’ll get it, I put cream and sugar in it.”

Becky and I got our coffee. She found sweetener in the cupboard, using the pink packs instead of sugar. We went back to the table, taking our seats.

“I was the same way. I didn’t hang around with many kids at school. After graduation, I started to hang with a few kids I met at some of the graduation parties. From there, it was all downhill.”

I sipped my coffee. If Becky wanted to talk, I would listen, but I wasn’t going to interrogate her. When I didn’t say anything, Becky went on.

“I got into drugs. Mostly pot, but some other things too. When I was high, I lost control. I became a different person. I did some bad things.” Becky paused to drink some of her coffee. “I guess I thought you would have heard about it.”

I shook my head, but didn’t say a word. Sipping my coffee, I waited to see if Becky was going to go on.

“Keith and I didn’t hook up in school. We got together at one of the parties before school started in the fall. I was out of control, like I usually was. Keith was at the party and ended up taking me home.”

Becky stopped talking, looking out into the yard again. She sipped her coffee, staring though the window.

“The night was one of my worst and one of my best. I had been doing X and I was completely out of it. Like a lot of the parties where I was fucked up, I was the center of attention for a few of the guys who didn’t have girlfriends. I was more than someone to talk to for them.

“Keith found me in a bedroom. He helped me get dressed and took me home after we sat in the parking lot of McDonalds for a couple of hours. Keith didn’t want to do anything but talk to me, even though he could have done anything he wanted to do. At that point in my life, I didn’t care.

“I stopped caring about myself. I was so screwed up I didn’t remember what Keith and I talked about. Anyway, things didn’t change for me. I still partied too much. A couple weeks later, Keith and I were at the same house for a party again. We had a chance to talk before I got high and drunk. When I did start to lose it, Keith told me he’d see me later. Before the end of the night, I wound up having sex with a couple of guys I’d been with before.

“Keith took me home again. A few days later, we went out. Keith called me, asking me to go to dinner and the show. I wasn’t going to go because it wasn’t what I was into, but he had been so nice to me I said yes.” Becky got up to get the coffee pot. She refilled our cups, adding the cream and sweetener to hers.

“It was the first of several more dates Keith and I had. I was still partying, but the next day I felt guilty, not something I was used to. One night, while we were out, I asked Keith if there was a reason he didn’t want to have sex with me. He’d never approached me about it. We hadn’t even kissed.

“When Keith answered me, I was so hurt I cried and left. He told me he did want to have sex, but he wasn’t willing to wait in line for it. The following night, I went to another party. I was still so mad at Keith for what he said I could hardly think straight. Like usual, I got messed up. I only drank, and smoked a few joints, but I was high nonetheless. Later in the night I was having sex with some guy, a guy who I didn’t even know. Another guy told him to hurry so he could have a turn.

“That’s when it hit me. Then I knew what Keith was saying about not wanting to stand in line. I managed to get out from under the guy. I grabbed my clothes and ran away from the house as fast as I could, stopping to dress in someone’s backyard.

“When I sobered up, I realized nobody wanted me, not for anything except sex. I stayed in my house for the next few days, thinking about what my life had become. I finally gathered enough courage and called Keith, asking if we could talk. He came over later and we sat on my porch, talking until late in the night.

“Over the next week, Keith and I spent a lot of time together. We talked about almost everything except my behavior. For the first time, I was getting to know someone, really know them. I was also getting to know myself a little better.” Becky stopped talking. She looked out the window, blinking away her tears.

“Keith said something to me one night and it made me change the way I thought. He said he’d care for me until I could care for myself. Keith said he liked me and liked being with me, but he wouldn’t hang around with me if I were going to keep acting like a slut.

“I never considered myself a slut. I was having fun. Guys finally liked me and were paying attention to me. While I was in high school, I wasn’t asked out, but now I was invited to a lot of parties. Keith said it would change if I stopped putting out for any guy who asked for it.

“The last party I went to without Keith proved he was right. I didn’t get fucked up. The guys hit on me and I turned them down. Before the end of the night, I found myself standing alone and no one was talking to me. I went home early and called Keith, asking him to come over.

“It was the night I decided to change. I quit doing hard drugs. Keith and I still smoke a joint once in a while, but that’s it. I quit going to the parties, and I stopped being invited. A month later, Keith and I made love for the first time. We’ve been together ever since.”

Becky turned to look at me. She forced a smile as she put her coffee cup to her mouth to take a drink.

“I’ll bet you wonder why I’m telling you this, aren’t you?” Becky asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, but also nodded.

“I’m telling you because you’re Keith’s best friend. At some point, someone is going to tell you about the way I used to be, but I wanted you to hear it from me. I don’t want you to think he made a mistake. I don’t want you to think your friend’s girlfriend is a whore. Justin, Keith thinks a lot of you. He told me how you didn’t get involved in the name calling he and some of the other kids as school did.”

“Becky,” I said. “Whatever happened in the past is your business. I don’t think I would have ever heard anything about you, I don’t talk to the few friends I used to have, only Keith. I am glad to hear you’ve gotten your life together though.”

“I’m not ashamed of my past, I can’t be. I made some very bad choices, but there is nothing I can do about it except not make them again. If I allowed myself to be ashamed, to carry the guilt, I could never move on, or be happy. What’s done is done.” Becky giggled, and for the first time since we started talking, she smiled. “Keith made me go to the clinic and get tested for STDs before he would make love to me. I can’t blame him though. When we did make love, it was like I’d never done it before, it was the first time I wasn’t all screwed up on drugs or alcohol.”

Kelly came into the kitchen. After getting her coffee, she joined Becky and me at the table, giving me a kiss before she sat down.

“Good morning, how’s it going?” Kelly said. “You aren’t trying to steal my baby, are you, Becky?”

“No, I have my own. Like mine, yours is a great listener. We’ve been getting to know each other this morning,” Becky said.

Leaning over, Kelly rested her head against my shoulder for a moment. She kissed my cheek and said, “That’s not all he’s good at.”

One by one the others came down to the kitchen. The place began to buzz as everyone started talking. Clark and Keith offered to make breakfast, asking what we all wanted. The group managed to agree on having scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast.

I sat back, watching the interaction of our friends. Like Becky, Amber wore pajama bottoms, but she also wore the matching top. Kelly had on shorts and a tank top, while Jenny was wearing a robe like she usually did, but she had a tee shirt on under it.

Kelly asked me to get a couple of chairs from the basement so we could all sit in the breakfast nook. Rob helped me, telling me he wanted to get started on the beef brisket after breakfast.

After we ate, Rob and I helped Keith and Clark with the clean up. Rob and I put on coats so we could get the fire started in the grill. While we loaded the grill with wood and kindling, Clark and Keith came outside too.

“Need any help? The girls started talking about clothing so Keith and I escaped,” Clark said.

“I think we’re okay for now, but we will need more wood before the meat is finished cooking,” Rob said.

Clark, Keith, and I went to the woodshed, returning with our arms loaded with split firewood. We stacked it on the deck near the grill. Keith asked Rob if he needed more, but Rob said he didn’t.

Rob began explaining how he planned to cook the meat when Clark asked him. Keith and I listened as Rob pointed to the grill.

“I’ll build the fire on this side of the grill. The meat will go over here, not over the fire. I have an aluminum pan to put under the brisket to catch the juices. I’ll use the juices for the sauce,” Rob said.

“You said it takes four or five hours?” Keith said.

“Yes, cooking it slow and low makes the meat more flavorful and tender. I’ve done a pork shoulder for over twelve hours before. Once you get the meat in the grill, all you have to do is tend the fire.”

The morning was shaping up to be nice. The sun was up and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. While the air was crisp, it wasn’t as bitter cold as it had been. The weather report called for temperatures above freezing, but I was skeptical. It hadn’t been above freezing since we moved to Marquette. With the fire going strong, we decided we didn’t need to stand in the cold to watch it.

Keith, Clark, Rob, and I went into the house. We got coffee before heading to the great room to wait for the fire to burn down. Rob said he wanted a good bed of coals before he put the meat on the grill.

We could hear the girls laughing from time to time. The four of them were still sitting around the table, talking about who knows what.

“Are either of you into fishing?” Rob asked, looking at Keith and Clark.

Clark shook his head. “I’ve never been fishing. My dad has had me working since I was old enough to walk it seems.”

“I’ve never really been fishing. Once we rented a cottage on a lake and I fished off the dock, but I was only nine or ten at the time. I don’t remember if I caught anything or not,” Keith said.

“I’m a fisherman. Justin and I are going fly fishing this spring,” Rob said.

Laughing, I said, “If I can learn to cast a fly. I’m interested, but I’ve never done it. The only fishing I’ve done was at scout camp.”

The flash of a camera lit the room. Turning around, I saw Kelly pointing her camera at the four of us. She asked us to smile and then took another picture. Kelly went into the kitchen, taking more pictures of the girls.

“I want to get a few shots of all of us together,” Kelly said. “Will you guys come in here please?”

The guys went into the kitchen so Kelly could get her photos. After taking a few shots of each of the couples, Jenny took a couple of Kelly and me. Kelly got her tripod so she could use the camera’s self-timer to get a few of the entire group. We all gathered close, the girls standing in front of the guys. Kelly set the timer, running back to stand in front of me.

A small light on the camera flashed faster and faster until the camera went off. Kelly had told us about it so we would be ready. She reset the camera, taking another shot of our group.

“Okay, one more for now,” Kelly said as she reset the timer. “Remember, big smiles.”

We all watched the flashing LED before the camera went off, all four of the girls lifted their shirts, pulling them down as soon as the flash went off. It happened so fast none of the guys, including me, even knew what they did. The girls laughed and hugged each other.

“Hey, let’s do it again,” Rob said, “we missed it.”

“Sorry, boys, you’ll have to wait until I have the film developed. Besides, who said you’re going to get to see it anyway?” Kelly said.

“I need to get the meat on the grill or we’ll be eating late tonight,” Rob said as he headed for the refrigerator.

Keith, Clark, and I went to the counter with Rob. We watched him take the beef brisket out to the refrigerator. Placing it in the aluminum pan, Rob carefully removed the plastic wrap. He used the remaining rub to recoat the large chunk of beef. All four of us went outside. Rob asked Keith to hold the pan while he opened the grill. Using two large forks, Rob transferred the brisket from the pan to the grate.

Rob put the pan under the beef to catch the drippings. He opened the firebox door, adding more wood to the bed of coals. After closing the lid on the grill, we stood around looking at the grill as if it would help.

About fifteen minutes later, a barrage of snowballs flew at Clark, Keith, Rob, and me. We turned around to see the girls standing several feet away, making more snowballs to throw at us.

We retaliated, making snowballs and throwing them at the girls. Clark was smart enough to caution us not to throw them too hard. We continued to toss the snowballs back and forth. The guys connected more often than the girls did, but they did manage to hit us. Keith rallied our side, calling for a charge.

The girls tried to run away when the four of us went after them. We caught them easily as they tried to run though the deep snow. Each of us tackled our girlfriend, falling to the ground. We all rolled around in the snow, laughing while trying to get the upper hand. By the time we were finished, we were all soaked to our skin.

Calling a truce, we gathered on the deck, using the heat from the grill to warm ourselves. While it helped, the grill didn’t provide enough heat to keep us from shivering. After a few minutes, Kelly came over to me.

“Honey, we’re going in. We’ll get undressed in the basement and then go upstairs. Give us a few minutes before you come in, okay?” Kelly said.

“Sure, make sure there are towels for us,” I said. “Now get going before you guys get sick.”

Kelly gave me a kiss on the cheek. She, and the other girls, went into the basement through the sliding doors off the deck. We stood near the grill, trying to keep as warm as we could while we waited. A few minutes later, Kelly called to me from the door wall, telling me the girls were finished.

Rob checked the fire. After he tossed on another piece of wood, we all went in to get dry clothing. Keith and I went into one of the bathrooms while Rob and Clark used the other one.

“The snowball fight was fun,” Keith said while we peeled off our wet clothing.

“Yeah, it was. The girls are good sports, aren’t they?”

“They sure are. I’m glad they’re all getting along so well.”

Keith and I used the towels Kelly left for us to dry off. Kelly also left robes hanging in the bathroom for us to wear.

“Becky tells me she had a nice long talk with you this morning,” Keith said.

“Yeah, she was telling me what a great guy you are. I told her she hasn’t seen the real you yet and to watch out,” I said, not knowing how much Becky had told him about her confession.

“Thanks, but I know what she talked about, she told me. Look, I hope you don’t judge her on her past, Justin. Becky has made a lot of progress. She was messed up before.”

“I’m glad you were able to help her.”

“Becky helped herself, I pointed the way. She needed someone to believe in her. I do.”

“I doubt a lot of guys would have done what you’ve done, Keith.”

“I don’t care about other guys. I know what some of the people we used to go to school with say about Becky, including me. I also know what they say about me because we’re going together. It doesn’t matter, not to me and not to Becky. We’ve decided to forge forward, regardless of what people say.”

“That’s cool, everyone needs someone. By the way, when did you start smoking pot?”

Keith laughed. “In high school. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think you would think it was cool. I don’t do it very often, once in a while when I want to mellow out. Have you ever tried it?”

“No. I’ve had a few drinks, but I’ve never been drunk. I guess I’m a wuss.”

“Because you don’t smoke dope? I don’t think so. Look, I’m not a pothead or anything. I can almost tell you every time I’ve done it, and that’s the strongest thing I’ve done. I haven’t done any of the real heavy shit,” Keith said.

Keith and I finished in the bathroom. We gathered our wet clothes, taking them with us when we went out into the basement. Clark and Rob were waiting, both of them in robes. When we got to the kitchen, Kelly told us to put our wet things in the laundry room so she could dry them.

On the way upstairs, Clark said, “You know what sounds good right now? Hot spiced cider and rum.”

I looked at Clark, about to ready to say something about drinking. Clark went on before I could say anything.

“Amber said she talked to Kelly. She told me about your rule about drinking before dinner. I’m not talking about getting loaded, just something to take the chill off.”

“I’ve never had it, is it good?” I asked, deciding Clark wasn’t proposing a drinking party.

“It’s great,” Rob said.

“I could run to the store and get the cider and spiced rum if you want to give it a try,” Clark said.

“Why not? Look, I don’t want things to get out of hand, that’s all,” I said.

Clark told me he understood, adding he thought keeping any drinking curtailed until later in the evening was a good idea. He said getting loaded wasn’t his idea of fun anyway.

We went to our rooms, returning to the kitchen after we put on warm dry clothes. While Clark and I went to the store, Keith and Rob checked the meat. Clark and I got back with two gallons of cider, a fifth of spiced rum, and cinnamon sticks. He began heating the cider in a pan, adding the cinnamon sticks to it. He stirred the cider, pouring in the rum before it reached serving temperature.

I helped Clark fill coffee mugs with the scented brew. We took the mugs to the great room, passing them out to the others. When I tasted it, I found it to be very good. While we were at the store, Rob built a fire.

We all sat in the great room, drinking the cider and enjoying the fire. The girls claimed victory for the snowball fight. The guys began to protest, but it didn’t matter to us who won, we all had a blast.

The meat had been cooking for several hours. I went outside with Rob to check on it. When he opened the grill’s cover, the aroma was wonderful. Rob used a fork to test the meat, telling me it was coming along.

An hour before the meat was ready Rob, Keith, Clark, and I went to work in the kitchen. We prepared the rest of the meal and set the dining room table. Rob went out to get the brisket so it could rest before carving it. He used the drippings to make the sauce he would serve with it.

While he was at the store, Clark picked up a few bottles of red wine. He asked if it was okay to serve the wine with dinner before uncorking two of the bottles. Keith and I put wine glasses around the table while Clark filled them with wine.

Once the meal was ready, we called the girls in to eat. Clark proposed a toast to friends and good times. We passed the food around the table, each of us taking what we wanted. When I tasted the brisket, I was amazed by how delicious it was. The meat seemed to melt in my mouth. I added some of Rob’s sauce, finding it enhanced the wonderful flavor.

It seemed like everyone liked the brisket. Becky and Clark preferred it without the sauce, but the rest of us enjoyed it both ways. The baked sweet potatoes went over big too. Amber didn’t care for them, taking one of the white potatoes instead. The dry red wine suited the meal to a tee. We all had two glasses of the wine with our dinner.

After we finished eating, Rob told us he forgot about dessert. We all laughed, claiming we had no room for any more food. No one was in a hurry to get up from the table. The group sat there, talking about the great meal as well as what we would have for future dinners.

Rob got up, collecting some of the dishes. Keith, Clark, and I helped, clearing the table while the girls chatted. The girls offered to take care of the dishes, but we told them we would do it.

“Man, the meat was to die for,” Clark said while rinsing plates to go into the dishwasher. “I’d like to get the recipe from you, Rob.”

“No problem, I’ll write it down. It’s very simple to make. You can make it on any grill as long as you keep the heat indirect. I have a kettle grill. I build a small fire on two sides and put the brisket in the center. A grill like Justin’s makes it real easy,” Rob said.

“What else do you do on the grill, besides steak, ribs, and chicken?” Clark asked.

“You can do most anything over an open fire or on the grill. I do fish, turkey, almost anything. I have a recipe for pork tenderloin that’s great.”

Keith and I finished carrying the dishes from the dining room while Rob and Clark worked at the sink. It only took us about twenty minutes to finish the task, including the pots and pans. We went to the great room to sit with the girls. They moved while we worked in the kitchen.

“I’m stuffed,” Kelly said, rubbing her stomach. “I think I ate too much.”

Amber laughed. “I think we all did,” she said.

We relaxed, letting our food digest. I tended to the fire, placing more wood on it.

“Well, it isn’t Florida or Mexico, but I hope you guys are having a good time so far,” I said. “Kelly and I enjoy having you here with us.”

“I’m having a great time,” Amber said. “It’s so cozy here. I don’t care if it is freezing outside. It’s nice and warm in here.”

“We don’t have the ocean or a pool, but the sunroom and hot tub are nice,” Kelly said. “We can hang out there if you guys want to.”

“You guys can go, I didn’t bring a suit,” Becky said. “I didn’t think I’d need one.”

“I would let you wear one of mine, but I don’t think it would fit,” Kelly said. “Maybe we could run to town and buy one.”

“Why don’t you wear your bra and a pair of shorts?” Jenny asked. “Shit, most of my underwear covers more than my bikini does anyhow.”

Becky looked at Keith. He smiled and said, “I’d like to check out the hot tub.”

All of us went up to our rooms to change. Kelly pulled two suits out of her drawer. One was her new tiny one. She held them up, asking which one she should wear. I pointed at the skimpy bikini, winking at her. Kelly grinned, dropping the larger of the two suits back into the drawer.

“Are you going to wear your sexy suit too?” Kelly asked as she removed her top.

“If you want me to.”

“I do. I like the way boomer looks in it.”

Kelly and I changed, taking a moment to hug while we were naked.

“Love me?” Kelly asked.

“I sure do, baby, you’re the best!”

Kelly gave me a kiss and then began putting on her suit. We left for the sunroom so we could get the hot tub started. Kelly knocked on Jenny and Rob’s door, opening it when Jenny said, “Come in.”

I stood behind Kelly as she opened the door. Both Rob and Jenny were naked, but neither of them made any movement to cover themselves.

“Jen, would you please grab some towels before you come down. Justin and I are going to get the tub started,” Kelly said.

“Sure, I did a load of towels this afternoon.”

“Thank, see you in a few,” Kelly said as she closed the door.

Kelly and I removed the cover on the hot tub. She set the timer, making sure the temperature would roll back after twenty minutes. I checked the refrigerator, making sure we had wine coolers, beer, and sodas. While I was leaning over to look in the refrigerator, Kelly came up behind me. She put her hand between my thighs, sliding it up until she was cupping my balls. I opened my legs a little and she started rubbing my cock through the thin material of the Speedo.

“You’re going to give me a hardon, sweetie,” I said, but I didn’t attempt to stop Kelly.

Kelly removed her hand, giving me a slap on my ass. “It fits better when it’s hard.”

Turning around, I traced her lips with my fingertip. “Depends on where I put it, doesn’t it?”

Kelly captured my finger with her mouth. She sucked it for a moment before releasing me. “Mmmm, that’s true. Maybe I should give you a quick blowjob before the others get down here.”

Glancing past Kelly, I saw Clark, Keith, Amber, and Becky heading toward the sunroom. “Sorry, too late. We have company.”

Kelly faked a pout. She rubbed her hand over my cock again, giggling as it responded to her touch. While I wasn’t sporting a full erection, I wasn’t flaccid either when our friends came into the sunroom. While Kelly and I were saying hi, I noticed Amber and Becky’s eyes glancing at my bulging member.

Rob and Jenny joined us a moment later. We milled around the bar for a moment while our friends looked at the sunroom. Keith told me when they took the initial tour of the house Kelly let them look inside for a moment.

“This is a great room,” Clark said. “I like how they used the deck off the breakfast nook for the roof of the sunroom.”

Rob stood behind the bar. He asked if anyone wanted something, passing out beers and wine coolers to everyone. Rob remained behind the bar while Clark, Keith, and I sat on the stools on the opposite side. The girls took their drinks to the other side of the room, sitting on the couches and chairs while they chatted. After a few moments, Kelly checked the temperature of the water.

“It’s ready,” Kelly said and then she explained about the timer.

Kelly and Jenny got into the tub. Amber removed her robe, climbing in next. When Becky giggled, the four of us at the bar looked over to see what she found amusing.

“Oh well, here goes nothing,” Becky said as she slipped the robe off her shoulders.

Keith let out a low wolf whistle when Becky dropped the robe on one of the chairs. She was wearing a pink bra and a pair of matching panties. Becky turned around to face the bar. She smiled at Keith as she struck a sexy pose. Laughing, Becky got into the tub.