Chapter 27

We changed for school, and found Katie in the kitchen fixing breakfast. She heated up a plate of noodles with a couple of chunks of chicken for me while they had bacon, eggs and toast. As much as I enjoyed it, I realized that I needed to eat healthier. I guess I can start that next week sometime.

As we readied for school Jan and Ally came out of her room... “Sorry kids, we overslept.”

“No problem, Janice. I took care of them,” Katie said.

Jennifer asked, “May I drive this one time?”

“OK Jennifer. Michael, sit in the back, please?”

“Why?”

“She shouldn’t be distracted.”

“Do I distract you, Jennifer?”

She smiled at me, and I got in the back seat.

She was a very considerate driver, getting us there without doing anything wrong that I could tell. She parked at Lincoln and we kissed for a moment, before I jogged to my school.

I waved to Clara as I walked to my office. Cece was leaving it as I walked up. “Didn’t catch us today, did you?”

“I’d rather catch you by yourself, Miss Crabtree,” I said walking by her.

“Naughty boy.”

I walked in catching Paul combing his hair.

“Hey Michael, you just missed Cece.”

“We talked in the hallway. Don’t you guys get enough of each other at night?”

“No comment,” Paul answered with a droll smile on his face.

I pulled out my laptop and created a new document...

“ATTENTION

ALL JACKSON & LINCOLN STUDENTS”

“As you may or may not know, I officially leave Jackson Heights Primary School after we all put together the Broadway Musical next May ... SOUND OF MUSIC.”

“After that, the two schools will assume their own identities again. Each school will choose and perform its own concerts. At Jackson High, Miss Crabtree and Mr. Planck, along with Jeremy Nichols as the conductor will organize and perpetuate what has been started by yours truly, Michael Thomas Junior.”

“Lincoln High School, with my assistance, will begin to have their own schedule of events. I assure you all that any conflicts will be at a minimum. The two student bodies, musically speaking, will be under the new Musical Director of Operations, Miss Jennifer Stapleton. She will deserve and expect all of your respect during the transition over the next six months.”

“At Lincoln High, next November, we will be putting on the edgy musical ‘RENT.’ Only current fourteen-year olds from Jackson Heights and any students from Lincoln High will be allowed to audition for this very adult musical. Specific dates for the audition will be released after the first of the year. This show needs a multi-diverse group of talented singers and performers.”

“More to come.”

I showed it to Paul, who looked it over saying, “You write like a high school student, Michael. It’s very illustrative without sounding pretentious. Looks good to me.”

“Thanks, buddy,” I said printing a couple of copies.

I found Cece and had her look it over. She gave it the once over and said, “Very nice Michael. You are as eloquent on the printed page as you are in person.”

“Thank you Cece, I still need to have both principals and Jennifer look it over before I plan to post it. Later.”

She came over and grabbed my butt squeezing it a little. “Goodbye Michael. Are we on for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Yes, my mother is buying something special to cook for us all. Come hungry.”

“We will,” she said. “Goodbye honey ... Michael.”

I got the document approved by Harold, while Clara looked at it as well. I went to Lincoln and showed it to Clarice, who appreciated being involved, and Richard. He stamped it as approved, as had Harold.

Before I put it up, I found Katie in her office. I dropped it on her desk. She picked it up and read it. She was wearing a more modest pink blouse and light yellow skirt. I hadn’t noticed earlier because she was dressed less provocatively than usual. Hmmmm?

“Very nice Michael, I think you covered everything very well,” she said.

“May I ask you a personal question?”

“Sure.”

“Are you dressing less seductively on purpose?”

“Yes, I thought I should tone things down. I don’t need to dress so provocatively at school, because I have you in my life. If my circumstances change, I still have a closet of my ‘special’ clothes.”

“You are a vixen, my dear. I had better leave before we end up naked on your desk, Goodbye.”

She slapped me on the butt as I left.

I saw Shirley Wicks in the hallway. I took her and gave her a big kiss.

“Oooh Michael, thank you!”

She pulled away and had more of a lilt in her stride. Katie saw it and smiled at me as she closed her classroom door.

I put up the document at Lincoln followed by getting back to Jackson Heights and doing the same. Before I was even done putting it up, kids came over to it to read it.

They started peeling away coming up to me. “What is Jackson Heights doing next year?” Anna Prefontayne asked me.

“We have discussed shows like NEWSIES, CINDERELLA, maybe MAMMA MIA.”

“And what about over at Lincoln High?” Cathy Amos asked.

“Besides RENT, I was thinking of CABARET or CHICAGO, maybe even EVITA or WICKED,” I speculated out loud.

“Wow,” the group of mostly girls all said.

“I can’t wait to get to Lincoln High School,” Rose Newman said.

“Me neither,” Fabian Reed, who is playing Gavroche in LES MISÉRABLES, added.

“Well kids, tell your friends who don’t go to Jackson Heights to join you here and you all can audition for the Jackson Heights productions together. That way, when you join the gang at Lincoln High, you will be back together.”

I got some high-fives. A few of the girls were only nine years old, but still followed Rose’s lead to give me a peck on the cheek. Without exception, they giggled and walked away.

I wondered if WICKED was available for High Schools and Community Theatres yet? I called Mom to ask Brian about it. She said she would call me back.

I did some research about the show, finding out who wrote it, what it’s based on, all that kind of stuff. I found the website MusicalSchwartz.com and I dug down to find the email of Stephen Schwartz. Despite that he was likely besieged by personal requests, I wrote him the following.

“Dear Mr. Schwartz...

“My name is Michael Thomas, and I am a huge fan of yours. I am a student and a musical conductor. I am fourteen years old.”

“I have enjoyed Broadway music for my entire, albeit young life. GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and WICKED are three of my favorite shows, while I also enjoy Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber show music.”

“Our school, Jackson Heights Primary, has recently put on varied productions, such as ANNIE and an evening of John Williams music. He actually showed up, much to my surprise.”

“I am planning the schedule for our sister school, Lincoln High, here in Vincennes, Indiana. I have read that you are not releasing WICKED to communities until after the possible movie is made and the show is finished with its Broadway run. I have listened to the music more than a few times. It is very amazing to listen how well the lyrics both tell their own story as well as moving the complex story forward.”

“We have the talent to put on this production in the form of a concert ... all the songs and a little bit of dancing. We are putting on a Concert of LES MISÉRABLES towards the end of this coming November. If you would like to come and see it for yourself, I could leave as many tickets for you and your entourage as you may need.”

“Once you see our talent pool of young performers, I am quite certain you will agree that our little city of only 18,500 people is more than qualified to be the exception to your ‘No Release’ policy that is currently in place. I would want to place it on our schedule a year from this coming May.”

“Yours very truly,

Michael Robert Thomas Jr.”

Assuming he has someone screening his emails, I had less than ‘High Hopes.’ That didn’t keep me from having a mini-hope.

I walked into the Jackson Heights choir rehearsal and sat down. They were working on LES MISÉRABLES music. Cece was doing a wonderful job conducting them. Her technique needs a little work, but I would not be presumptuous enough to say anything to her, especially in front of her class.

She asked if I wanted to take over. I declined and just listened. I heard a few voices a little flat, but I would take care of that on Saturday. I applauded after each musical moment.

After everyone had left, Cece asked me to stay behind. “Michael, I hope you can stay discreet after our recent personal moments?”

“Of course, just remember ... we will always have Whispering Oaks. I have dreamed about that more than once since it happened. I have also had some dreams that were just you and me. Have you ever told Paul about any of it?”

“I told you I did, but, I honestly didn’t ... I have been afraid to. I told him a fib that you went to help me look for places to have our wedding. I added that we ran into Jennifer, who came along to help.”

“He came up to me, and I figured that out by what he said. From my point of view, I think you should tell him before you get married.”

“Have you told your girlfriend about it?” she quickly retaliated.

“Every scintillating moment. We have no secrets between us. To keep you in the loop since she has moved in, I started calling Miss Stapleton, Katie so as not to confuse whom I was talking or making love to. Katie and I have been intimate since she moved in, several times and Jennifer both knows and approves.”

I got a hard slap that I hadn’t expected.

“They already speak of one another as sisters, and both care for me, and for each other.”

She had sat down after slapping me. “I am so sorry I did that. I think I was jealous for a split second. You are right, I do need to talk to Paul, but after we all have dinner together tomorrow night. I can only hope he doesn’t hate me, or you.”

“I think you may just be surprised. He told me what a mistake Jennifer was, and he cried when you took him back. Be brave, my little Cece,” I said, leaving her room.

Wow, Cece Crabtree was jealous that I made love with Jen Stapleton. I am getting into too much trouble that I may never fully extricate myself from.

I had a date for lunch with my girl, so I hopped over to Lincoln High to wait for her. I checked my phone to see what time it was. I was early. I waited before going in to talk to Clarice.

We talked as Richard came out with a woman about my mother’s age, a redhead with a dazzling smile. I stood up.

He introduced her, “Michael, this is Jennifer Robinson. One of the persons I am speaking to about the open position we have at the moment.”

I put out my hand and said, “Hello ... is it Miss or Mrs. Robinson?”

“Miss,” was her reply.

“My name is Michael Thomas. I am temporarily, with the approval of Principal Summers here, taking the reins of the choir and orchestra at Lincoln High School. Have you had lunch yet, Ms. Robinson?”

“Well, no I haven’t.”

“My girlfriend and I have lunch together most days in the Teachers’ Lounge. Would you care to join us today?”

“What a courteous young man. I would love to join you and your girlfriend, if she doesn’t mind.”

I saw her walking towards the office. I waved her in. “Miss Jennifer Guthrie, this is Miss Jennifer Robinson. She is a candidate for the positions I am temporarily caretaking until school starts up in January. I have asked her to join us for lunch. Is that all right with you?”

“What a wonderful idea,” my blue-eyed blonde said, taking my left arm. Miss Robinson took my right arm, and I took them both to lunch. I found a table for us all to sit at.

“So, Michael, are you a junior or senior at Lincoln?”

Jenn giggled.

“I am an eighth grader at Jackson Heights, which is next door to Lincoln High. I am only fourteen, Jennifer turns sixteen in a few days,”

“My goodness, I would have never thought an eighth grader could be so gracious and well-spoken.”

“I never thought that I would meet such a lovely lady today.”

“Jennifer,” she turned and asked, “Is he always this way?”

“Pretty much all the time. What is your background in music, ma’am?” my girl asked.

“I went to a high school in the northern part of the state, then transferred to Jacob’s School of Music where I got multiple degrees in Dance, Voice, and Musical Theatre. When I was younger, I loved dancing the most, and I still do.”

Jenn and I looked at each other and laughed out loud.

“What’s so funny, Michael?” the third Jennifer asked.

“What years did you go to Jacob’s?”

She answered, then asked, “Why?”

“Did you ever know a girl named Janice Forrester?”

“Yes,” she said. “I haven’t seen her in years. How do you know her?”

“She’s my mother,” I said with a deadpan voice.

We were handed the choices for the day.

“Thank you,” I said to the kitchen staff member.

“Your mother, that’s amazing! Oh dear. I must see her while I am in town for the next few days. Could you be a sweetheart and arrange that for me, Michael?”

“It’s A Small World,” started playing inside my head. We picked our selection and kept on talking. I planned to call mom later about this.

“Did you know my mother, as well?” Jennifer asked.

“Who is that, dear?” she replied.

“Alice McMillan was her maiden name,” she disclosed. I hadn’t known that.

“Oh my God, Janice, and Alice are back together again. They will have a cow when they see me! Ask her over as well, Michael, please?”

We gave our meal choices to the staffer.

“I don’t need to. The Guthrie Girls moved in with us recently, and we all live together. Even more recently, a teacher from Lincoln, Jennifer Stapleton, moved in with us, and the two of them have become as close as sisters.”

“Oh my, how do you deal with two ladies named Jennifer?”

“The first one I knew was this young lady, so she gets the full first name. Miss Stapleton has a middle name of Katherine with a K, and I have started calling her Katie. What about you Miss Robinson, what should I call you?”

Why I would throw out such a question, I don’t know?

“Jennie would be all right with me, as long as that isn’t too close to what you call this pretty young lady of yours. I need to hear the story of how you two met. I will betcha, it’s a doozie.”

Our food came out, we ate it, and I escorted Jennie back to the office. I quickly went in and quietly said, “Richard, you need to hire her. She is a long-time friend of our mothers.’”

I walked back out, saying goodbye to her, kissing her hand in the process. I took Jennifer out of sight and gave her a big kiss and said goodbye.

I took out my phone.

“Hello Mom, this is Michael.”

“Hello dear. Is something wrong?”

“No, just the opposite. I met an old friend of yours today. May I invite her for dinner on Friday or Saturday?”

“Michael, who is it?” she asked warily.

“Can’t tell you. Which night is better for you?”

“Friday, can you tell me anything about her?”

“No, I cannot. Just trying to give my mother a heads-up, that’s all.”

“All right then. See you later, honey.”

“Bye Mommy.”

That will give her a few days of trying to figure out who I could have come across from her past.

Later in the day, I went back to Lincoln to get Jennie’s phone number from Harold. He wrote it down as I explained why I needed it. He smiled and asked me to leave.

Hmmmm?

Katie let Jenn drive home, using a different route to help her get used to driving. I got up behind Katie and said, “Have you met your replacement, yet?”

“What are you talking about, Michael?”

“A woman named Jennifer Robinson is being interviewed as your replacement.”

“Wow ... I didn’t realize that Richard would be so quick to do that,” Katie remarked. “What do you know about her, Michael?”

“I don’t want to distract you or Jennifer. It can wait until we get home,” I said, giving her a kiss on the back of her neck. She giggled.

“Whatever it is you are doing over there, Michael,” Jennifer said. “Stop it. Driving is more focus than I ever thought.”

“Sorry, Dear.”

“You two sound already married sometimes, Michael,” Katie said making Jennifer giggle.

“Is this new Jennifer pretty, Michael?” Jennifer asked turning into the driveway obviously trying to get me in a trap of some sort.

“Why would you ask me that?” I said. since Katie wasn’t aware we all had had lunch together.

“I can hear it in your voice. She is pretty and you like her, don’t you?” she said turning off the car and handing Katie her keys.

“Don’t tell Mom or Ally anything yet? It’s a kind of a secret,” I asked them both.

“What’s in it for me, Lover?” Jenn said.

“OK, how about I let you have your way with me, after dinner.”

“I get that anyway,” she giggled.

“All right. How about both of you at the same time?”

“Now you are talking Michael. I call shotgun,” Katie said, giggling loud.

“Oh, the things I do for love ... and great sex. I agree to your conditions. Keep the ‘Jennifer Robinson’ matter to yourselves please?”

“Don’t you just love him?” Jennifer said.

“That’s only part of my problem,” Katie said.

I took the keys and opened the door.

I got to finish off the noodles while the ladies had Chili Verde for four. I downloaded and watched the Final RENT performance that had been filmed live on Broadway in 2008. Jenn sat by me and said, “I have decided I want Maureen, I feel like I could get deep inside her head. I know you expect me to audition, but I will blow your socks off when I do. Nobody else will even try out after I do. I am that confident in my lesbianism.”

I turned to her and remarked, “You have had a single conversation and kiss with your ‘big sister’ and you think you know everything about lesbianism?”

“Well, I talked to Kaylee, Harmony, and Joan and we all practiced kissing each other to see how good it felt, and I decided I would be a great lesbian.”

“You did what?”

“Gotcha — Michael,” she said as the other ladies all laughed at my expense.

“I told you, Jennifer,” Katie said. “All boys are pigs.”

“I would like to remind each of you ladies that we have all had relations and none of you were ever left unsatisfied.”

Suddenly, my mother and Ally blushed deeply. Katie turned to me. “You made love with your mother? And your girlfriend’s mother as well?”

“Ladies, it was going to come out sooner or later. We have a houseguest who needs to know about all things Thomas, Forrester, and Guthrie.”

“That explains some of the looks I have seen around here. Do you all know about what Cece and I did with Michael?”

The first to break her glare at me was Janice. “Yes, we all knew both before and after what happened. For a day or so we all thought you were a predator, but not since we have grown to know and love you.”

Looking very uncomfortable, Miss Stapleton said, “Please don’t say any more, Janice. I believe you and just want to tell all of you how much I have begun to care for each of you. Michael is more than just a student. I am sorry for the angst I must have caused. If you want me to leave, I will.”

Placing her hand on Katie’s, my mother said, “Jennifer, we all care deeply for you. We all care deeply for one another. You may think I am a terrible mother for sleeping with my own son, but I still love him -- as my son.”

“So do I,” Alice said.

“As do I,” Jennifer added.

“That’s all I need to hear. You know about me. I know about you. Isn’t that what they used to call détente?” Katie said.

“I don’t know that word,” I said. “But, I am going to look it up later.”

All the ladies, including Jennifer, giggled.

After clearing the table, Katie and I washed and dried the dishes and put them away. It got peacefully quiet between us. I reached over to put the dry plates in a stack. She glanced at me. I would smile back to her. It felt odd for some reason.

“Michael, I need to postpone what Jenn and I have scheduled with you tonight. I am not really in the mood, after all.”

I knew why. “That’s OK Katie. I am sorry about tonight. I was planning to bring up the subject eventually...”

“Michael, Stop. It’s OK. Now I know. It’s new information that I need to process.”

“Are you mad at me for telling you my deepest darkest secret?”

“Actually, you didn’t, they did. You could have at least warned me, somehow?”

“Exactly how would I have started that conversation with you in school?” I said. “Hey Miss Stapleton, I have fucked my mom. Is that OK with you?

She looked at me, almost dropping a plate, but catching herself. She wiped her hands dry, picked up her purse and very curtly said, “That’s enough, Michael,” heading up to her room.

I headed to my room and closed the door. “Where’s Katie?” Jenn asked.

“She’s pissed off about hearing about Jan and Ally. I am pissed off at her, but I don’t know what to do about it?”

“Go and talk to her about it, Michael?”

“But I don’t know what to say,” I said. “Besides, she’s already gone to bed.”

“Then, knock on her door, go in and tell her how you feel about her. Us girls need lots of physical love, plus the kind you feel when someone you care about, tells you that they care just as much. You and I can always make love, but she needs you right now ... more than I do.”

“Dear God, I love you, Jennifer Guthrie. I may not get back to you tonight, if that’s all right?”

“Give her a few loads of Michael Milk. That should make her happy,” she said with a giggle.

I chuckled on my way out of our room. I went to her room, knocked and walked in closing it behind me.

“Michael.”

“Let me love you, Jen. You are such a beautiful woman who needs love as much as I do. Let me make you happy.”

“Michael, don’t?”

Stripping myself naked, I said, “You don’t mean that, you want me as much as I want you. I know that. I am sorry about how you heard about everything tonight. Why don’t we get over it together while I fuck you unconscious?”

I saw her biting her lip, and her hand moved under the covers.

“Let me watch you play with yourself. I love to watch women masturbate.”

“Michael, you are not playing fair. You know how I feel?”

I pulled her covers back and saw three fingers up inside her beautiful totally hairless pussy. Her other hand was inside her top playing with a nipple. I reached down and pulled off her completely soaked panties. I stopped to smell them for a moment taking in a deep breath of her fragrance.

I watched her hand thrusting inside getting slicker from her juices. I added a few fingers of my own which made her jump. She removed her hand, and I took over moving my fingers quickly in and out. I could possibly get my entire hand inside her, but that wasn’t my goal.