Chapter 3

When I ate dinner at home Mother started her inquisition. “I want the whole story with no censorship. I’m not innocent.”

“You want a play-by-play?”

“Yes. What has this girl done to my former son?”

I gave her a detailed description leaving out the sex scenes.

“You did all that and didn’t have sex? Bradley!” She had this Mother look.

“Yes. As often as we could. Her mother knows and lets me stay there.”

“What about this internship with her father?”

“Dr. Frantz offered an amazing opportunity that would let me know if I wanted to go into oceanography.”

“Does that include marrying off his daughter?”

“No. He wants her to go into oceanography. She wants to go into academics. I’m trying to mediate. No wedding in sight. These are the most interesting people I have ever met.”

“Your dad has been offered a promotion that will require us to move up north. You can’t live here by yourself and keep the house up.”

“I can’t leave right now. Only four months until the end of the school year. Maybe I can stay with Dr. Frantz?”

“I need to meet her mother. Can you arrange a lunch?”

I did and they did. I guess ‘lunch’ at the country club lasted four hours.

She returned home late. “You did not prepare me for her. After seeing her, I knew I had to go back to the gym. She is a wonderful friend or whatever.”

Mother was beside herself with compliments and worries. “You liked her?”

“As well as I could, considering she was taking my favorite son.” I saw a tear. “You will stay with them until school is out and then you will come live with us in Ohio?”

“Maybe. If I get the ONR assignment, it will last all summer. Then, I might get a scholarship to study the Oceans.”

“So, you mean you won’t be coming to live with us?”

“Well I wouldn’t be living with you if I were at the University. I hope I can pay for my own tuition and support myself.”

“I don’t like losing a son but I knew it had to happen. I think it would be a good idea if you had those people over for dinner so that your father and I could meet them.”

“I believe I can arrange that. When would you like it?”

“I’ll talk to her and see when would be a good time.”

Mother was beside herself in preparing dinner. I mean she knows lots of things to cook that were outstanding. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so stressed about a dinner party.

Doctor Frantz and his wife and child arrived at the appointed hour. I could tell that mother was nervous but with a glass of wine and a few moments of conversation with her new friend things seem to smooth out.

After some drinks and wine people became more relaxed. Mother opened. I could tell that Hanna was very uncomfortable as well as she should have been. “Hanna, are you planning to get married soon?”

“No. I already have somebody to argue with. Why would I need somebody else?”

Talk about tension. My mother came from the old school and she thought every girl ought to be looking for a husband. Hanna was not. After that terrible situation we made small talk for the rest of the evening.

It had been my intention to spend time with Hanna and enjoy her wonderful charms. It was not to be. Mother insisted that I stay home that night. The parting with the Frantz family was very awkward. I cannot imagine how things got so out of control.

After they were gone, my father herded us into the living room. “Forget the damn dishes.” He was rarely so demanding.

We sat on the couch. He began. “Your son is not your child anymore.”

“But, but...”

“He has to plot his future. Can’t you see that he isn’t ever coming home like in the old days?”

“I don’t want him to go away and I...”

“I know. He was your dream. You need to wake up.”

She paused. “I hate it, but maybe they’ll give me grandkids. She’s so pretty.” Tears.

“I doubt that Hanna will give you grandkids anytime soon. She is her own person.”

I had to leave the room and let them deal with each other. In my mind, it was settled. I would live with Dr. Frantz until school was out and then maybe I’d get a chance for the summer. Seeing no need for delay, the next day I moved my stuff to Hanna’s room and settled in.

Later in the evening, Dr. Frantz beckoned me to his study. “Bradley, we keep secrets, okay?

“Sure.”

“I have a six months assignment in the Indian Ocean. They don’t know. I’m thrilled that you will there for them.”

“When will you tell them?”

“I have only a week to get ready, so, I dread it, but tomorrow.”

“Good luck, sir.”

“Your internship will be mostly in the lab. However, you will get great SCUBA instruction and be ready for me when I return.”

I guess he’d already concluded that I would be in his program. Maybe I had, too.

At breakfast, I wondered how he would handle the situation.

“Karen, Hanna, I have to tell you that I will be gone to the South Pacific for several months.”

Karen began. “I know it is important to you. I’m certainly glad you agreed to have Bradley stay here. We’ll survive, but it will be difficult.”

I felt uncomfortable with the conversation and excused myself. Dr. Frantz found me. “Are you okay with this arrangement?”

“Absolutely. I don’t want to go to Ohio right now.”

A week later, we took him to the airport with his several bags. He had a curbside porter take them inside. He shook my hand and reminded me that he appreciated my taking over for him. An hour later, we were back at their home.

Karen had put on a slow cooker with a lovely beef stew. She served us wine and super rolls. “I hated to see him go, but when you’re at that level and the ONR insists, he has to go along. Think about that if you decide to take the internship.”

We shuffled around cleaning up and decided to watch a movie on Netflix. I sat between them on the couch as we watched a dramatic show containing much innuendo about sex. I found it sexy and couldn’t wait until Hanna and I could go to bed.

Karen snuggled up, too. I suspected, but did not know then, that she was starved for affection. Earlier, I had googled his problem and read many articles about impotence and sterility.

“You haven’t danced with me since the debate tournament.”

“I’d like to, Hanna. Put on some music”

‘I think you like to dance and so do I. It is wonderful to feel you against me.”

We danced close for three songs. She pointed. “Dance with her.”

I invited Karen to dance. We danced to swing numbers and I felt that she really knew what she was doing on the dance floor. When a slow number came she molded herself against me and I felt a real woman. Shortly, I could feel the heat of her groin against my belly and I know that she could feel my erection. I did what was natural, lifted her chin and I kissed her. Apparently that’s what she wanted because she kissed me back with even some tongue.

The silence lingered. “Kiss her good night. You should kiss Mother like you kiss me.”

“Good Night, Karen.” I pulled her to me for the final delicious kiss. She went to her bedroom.

“You know, Bradley, you may have more than your hands full. Maybe tomorrow or the next day, but she will not be able to keep her cool longer than that. I know what it feels like to want and want. I’m glad you wanted me, too.”

“I love you, Hanna. I’m fascinated by Karen. I hope she likes me, too.”

“After you danced with her and kissed, she will be more than ready. She’s been without for ages. I saw her push against your hard on and I could see in her eyes that she wanted you, too. If I hadn’t been there, she would have taken you to bed.”

“I would have gone. Now, show me what you wanted.”

“When you showed me your photos of me in the car, I was drawn. You wanted me didn’t you?”

“Every time I see you or dream about you.”

After our extended lovemaking, we slept. I mean, we really slept.

The women were chatting when I went to breakfast. Surprise!

I had a fresh minty mouth that I didn’t like much, even though I rinsed well. Hanna came to me for her kiss. We went on. I’d never get tired of kissing those sexy lips. Karen held her mouth up and I gave her my best.

“Thanks, I needed to feel human.” She paused. “Can you operate the grill? I’m feeling the need for a steak dinner.”

I examined the gas grill and found it easy to light. “Yes, I can grill.”

Hanna knew, I guess, but Karen was really trying to please me. I had been on the net often enough to know that women were very taken by shows of affection. It would take some doing but I knew that I had to show affection to Karen as well. She was feeding and housing me and I wanted her to like me to stay around. I took every chance to hug and pat and squeeze her. She responded in kind. Sometimes she was more like motherly at other times she was more like Hanna. The more attention I paid to her the better she seemed to like it.

As we were riding home from school Hanna patted my back. “You’re doing a nice job showing affection to my mother. She hasn’t received much attention since my father got so terribly busy. She likes you a lot or she wouldn’t kiss you.”

“I’m glad that you kiss me all time. I’ve told you before how terribly exciting it was when you first smiled at me. I often look at that picture and try to remember how we got started.”

“You said you would like to take more pictures of me with your good camera. Do you still want to do that now that I’m no longer a mystery?”

“I’d love to take your picture and I would also like to take pictures of you and Karen together.”

“Would you like us to be nude?”

If nothing else Hanna was very straightforward. I was always surprised at some of the things she said. “That would be outstanding. I certainly have to use a tripod because I couldn’t keep the camera still. Both of you unnerve me.”

“What you’re trying to say is that you’re hot for my mother. Do you deny it?”

“At the risk of sounding crude, I’m a horny young male and any time I see such beauty I am attracted. Both of you are special. I would love to see your mother nude.”

“Bradley, I like it when you’re perfectly honest with me. That will let us go a long way together. I’ll see what I can arrange.” She paused and looked away. “Would you like to make love to her?”

“Can I get right to the point? If I were not present would you put a move on her?”

“Not yet. I’d have to feel more comfortable about it and I don’t want to find myself on the street. How would you feel about it?”

“At first, I would have been jealous. After I saw how she takes to you, it seemed to be an obvious next step. If you were to make love to her with my knowledge and permission I would be happy to share.”

“Are you serious?”

“I was jealous of Amy. I think I would be jealous if you went back to those cheerleaders. I would not like it at all if you went back to the clarinetist.”

“I can’t say what I would do if you abandoned me but right now I cannot imagine having a more satisfactory situation. I have two affectionate women who seem to like me. My plate is full and I am thrilled with the menu.”

“You know that mom and I don’t keep secrets. I learned the hard way never to try to fool her or lie to her. That’s exactly why you’re able to stay with me, or I should say to stay with us.”

“I made an effort to be honest with my mother but sometimes I had to fudge the truth a little. I wasn’t always staying all night with my friends.”