Chapter 48

She squeezed my hand back. Ally, Katherine, and Peter got up to fix our dinner.

“Are we done?” I asked.

“For now,” Brian said. “How about a free concert while we wait?”

My mother swatted at him but got up anyway. She, Jenn, and Isabel were available, so I ran the songs through my head, coming up with a number for Isabel...

As I started she realized what it was...

ISABEL CHAPMAN
Goodnight, my someone,
Goodnight, my love,
Sleep tight, my someone,
Sleep tight, my love,
Our star is shining
it’s brightest light
For goodnight,
my love, for goodnight.
Sweet dreams be yours, dear,
If dreams, there be
Sweet dreams to carry
you close to me.
I wish they may and
I wish they might
Now goodnight, my
someone, goodnight

Her breath control is quite good for a person her age.

True love can be whispered
from heart to heart
When lovers are
parted they say
But I must depend
on a wish and a star
As long as my heart
doesn’t know who you are.
Sweet dreams be yours dear,
If dreams, there be
Sweet dreams to
carry you close to me.
I wish they may and
I wish they might
Now goodnight,
my someone, goodnight.
Goodnight,
Goodnight.

Peter ran from the kitchen and picked up his sister and swung her around. They hugged and kissed platonically.

At the same time our audience was standing for this very talented redhead. She went to sit down. I would guess she could grow up to be a Soubrette Soprano, also known as a flirtatious Soprano! Ironic, wouldn’t you say?

Next up was my girl, and I mouthed to her ‘Always’ and she cleared her throat and began one of her purest numbers singing the Whitney Houston classic “I Will Always Love You.”

When it ended, there was not a dry eye in the house. Everyone applauded and she sat down.

I decided to sing with my mother, so I gestured to her to come closer and said, ‘Prayer’ to which she smiled and turned to the crowd...

JANICE
I pray you will be our eyes,
and watch us where we go
And help us to be wise,
in times when we don’t know

MICHAEL (JAN)
Let this be our prayer,
(Let this be our prayer, )
when we lose our way
(when we lose our way)

BOTH
Lead us to a place,
guide us with your grace
To a place where
we will be safe.

We went on to finish the song with some really good close harmony. When we finished, we had our first clinch in a very long while. I even saw a glint in her eye, but Jenn came to me and Brian came over to Jan, filling the room with kissing.

“DINNER”

Leftover chili, some grilled cheese sandwiches, and a small batch of noodles and chicken that had me salivating.

My girls were sitting on either side of me as usual and I got them some food, and then gave myself a double helping of noodles, leaving the chili to everyone else.

“So,” Jeff said. “Who has the CDL license for driving the bus?”

Ru-roh!

“Isnt it the same as driving anything else?” Ally said.

“Check with the Indiana DMV, but I am pretty sure that anyone driving a vehicle over 17 feet long needs a Commercial Drivers License, aka CDL,” he said.

“That means we have been driving illegally all this time?” Katherine advanced.

“Apparently so, but some of it can be done online I believe,” Jeff replied.

“I will look it up after dinner,” I said.

Peter said, “I am looking it up on my phone. You need to be 18, have an Indiana driver’s license, ready to show your Social Security card, pass a DOT physical and a written passenger transport test.”

He got a kiss from Katherine on the cheek for that.

“Pass a physical?” Alice said.

“Don’t worry Ally, I can help you ... I promise,” Jeff said giving and getting a kiss in the process.

“It looks like you could do it all pretty quickly,” Peter said.

“Maybe I can get Jan, Katherine and Jenn to join me,” Alice said coming up for air.

“I could too,” Peter remarked.

“That would give us five correctly licensed bus drivers,” Brian said.

“Who said that you would be left out, buster?” my mother said to her husband.

“All right, but I am busy providing our son with music, plus I am the point man on this, plus I have a job,” he said.

The next morning, I got my music, and gave the job to Clara giving her a deadline of three days. She was happy to have one of my ‘Projects’ again. An addition would be coming, without the same priority!

School and the GSS rehearsals went well. Jenn got off the morning of Friday to take her DOT physical. She reported that the place was full of mostly men, and Jan, Ally, Katherine, Brian, Peter and she were well attended to.

Saturday’s WICKED rehearsal was rather weak, both in an orchestral and performance way.

Afterward, I really wanted to get on their case, but instead, I told them that we were taking two weeks off from rehearsing it again. I may have stretched them all a little thin. Their response wasn’t verbal, just saw a lot of shoulders perk up in response.

When I told them to go home, Mike Bell got up and said, “When is our next Gold Standard Rehearsal, Boss?”

“If you want to, we could have one next Wednesday, the new music books should be ready by then.”

“New Music Books?” Nancy Newman questioned.

“Yes, I have removed about two dozen songs from the current book and have added some more to ramp up to 479 pieces of music.”

“Jesus Michael,” Elizabeth, our second violinist said. “I just about had all the first one memorized.”

“I have only cut 24 songs from it Miss Minder, but if I hear that kind of language again, I may be replacing a violinist.”

“Sorry Sir,” she said.

“So, I will pass out the new books. At your own convenience, you may keep your old sheet music; just change it to the new number. Go home.”

As they were leaving, Mike Bell came up to me, “Was that because of me, Michael?”

“A little, I have never really fancied people who curse for no good reason. Also, I’m trying to cut back myself. We seem to be affecting each other as we tread along together. Do you need a ride home Mike?”

“I was going to give my brother a call, but sure.”

I let Jenn and Isabel have the front seat so I could talk to Mike.

“So, what projects does your father have coming up?”

“Nothing on the horizon ... that’s why he’s working so hard on your backyard to get it perfect for you. Do you know of any projects coming up he could do?”

“As a matter of fact, I do...”

After making him pledge not to say a word, I gave him the whole spiel about the auditorium project. He was taken by surprise, and he was very grateful for my standing up for his dad. We had a big handshake. I reminded him not to say a word as we let him out.

“I understand boss, I won’t say a word,” he said. I stayed back there instead of moving to the front.

That caused Isabel to climb over to sit with me. “I think that you were very rude with Elizabeth, Michael,” she said.

“I have decided to raise my standards in life, Miss Chapman. I have already promised to myself that I will not curse again, unless prompted by someone else’s actions. I am sorry if that offends you. Mike Bell and his father set an excellent example to others, and it’s time I do a better job of that myself.”

“Bravo,” said the lone voice from the front seat.

Last in the house, I did take Izzy by the hand, walking by Jennifer who turned the other way.

Izzy ran into her room, and I went to mine to wash my face in some cold water. I came out with a towel on my face, but I felt a presence in the room. I went back in to comb my hair, and I felt a body pressing into my back.

“Michael, I am so sorry. I just get so damn jealous. Especially of Isabel. We have had over two years together and I feel like I am losing you to her.”

I had my arms around her, and we had embraced significantly. Her lips barely touched mine, and then my mouth opened wide to start a massive kiss. This was remarkable. I was getting hard and pressing up against my fiancée.

The door opened, Isabel saw us and turned around with a giggle and went back through the door, closing it loudly

That inspired me to pull my lovers panties off and dive my mouth and tongue deep inside her causing her to scream her bloody head off, “OOOOOOHH DEAARRR GOOOD.”

While I continued to get all the Jenn Juice I could, I dropped my boxers and moved my hands to her wonderful wazoos. She took my head and pushed my face back up against her pussy.

“MIIIICHAELLLLL, DONNNNTTTT STOPPPPP.”

I didn’t want to stop. I heard nothing from the other side of the door ... no sounds at all.

I moved my mouth to her bosom, sucking and licking her as she kept making all of those marvelous sounds. She always enjoyed my lips and mouth on her boobies. In the moment I would use my teeth on her nipples and fill my mouth with her fleshy globes getting every square inch I could inside my mouth. She was near her 2^nd orgasm now, so I took my fingers and plunge them inside.

That took her over the edge and I felt her orgasm on my fingers. I took my fingers to her mouth and she slurped it up like catnip to a pussycat.

Now I knew she was slick enough for me to fill her up inside and did just that. All the way in, in a single stroke. She was nearly passing out.

“Stay awake Jenn, I have got more to do still,” I said beginning a nice speed to my thrusting.

“I am awake lover ... I may not be much longer but do all you want. I don’t care who hears me or sees us.”

Those were the words.

I began slamming down into her very hard. Every thrust caused a little “Mmmph,” out of her. I was clearly ready to unload what felt like a gallon of Michael Milk deep inside my sister, er ... my lover.

“Pow, pow ... pow ... pow,” I said breaking loose and filling her deep fantastic kitty. I stopped, so she could feel my emptying inside her.

“It’s so warm, it feels so damn good. It’s been a while, but you know how to give a girl a good time, Michael Thomas.”

“Nobody came in to stop us, do you think we are in trouble?” I asked.

“Don’t know and don’t care,” she said gasping for air. “That more than made up for all the times we couldn’t or shouldn’t. We probably have some explaining to do to our little sister, don’t you think?”

“Don’t know and don’t care,” I said very carefully pulling out of her. “Be right back.”

I got her a moist towel and she ran to the toilet and drained herself out. What an erotic sound, I thought to myself. We took a shower having too much fun for teenagers, then dressed and I texted, ‘Olly Olly oxen free!’

We were eating some leftovers when the gang showed back up. I was expecting ... I don’t know?

Katherine gave Jennifer a big hug and I got one from Alice.

“I sure do hope I find someone as loving as you are big brother,” Isabel remarked eating much faster than she usually did. She gave us a ‘Toodles’ and went upstairs to her room.

“Well ... she seems well-adjusted,” I said.

“It was the first time in a while he had stuck his marvelous tongue up inside my pussy,” Jennifer was quietly explaining to the ladies. “I couldn’t help myself. You all know how good he is at ... everything ladies.”

Katherine almost fell over when Jennifer talked about her pussy out loud.

Opening her door, we all saw Isabel come out in a new bikini. “Anybody want to join me in the pool?”

“Somebody has to be with her,” Ally said. “She is too young to be in there by herself.”

“I will,” Jennifer said. “Wait for me, Isabel.”

She gave me a red-hot kiss before getting off ... my lap.

We all met up for dinner. Katherine tried something new, Meatballs in Pasta Sauce. She got it from the Internet, and it was as good as my mother’s meatballs. I wouldn’t dare tell mom that, but they were.

Isabel made a ‘Mmmmm’ sound with every bite she took. We had cooked gnocchi as an après dish.

I put a meatball in my mouth and leaned into Jennifer. She took a bite and we got a messy kiss out of it. Isabel applauded at our new recklessness, but she tried it herself and couldn’t get a whole meatball in her mouth. Everyone giggled at that.

“The meatballs are too big,” she said.

Even I had to suppress a hearty laugh at her, cutting a piece off of one and putting it between my lips. I leaned to her and she got it, bit it off, then we got a chaste kiss from it. There was no slap on the back of my neck from anyone.

That was a nice change of pace!

In our after-dinner music, I included a few of the new music pieces I had yet to receive from Brian. One of them I knew that my redheaded sister had already memorized... (Summer Lovin’ from GREASE)

ME
Summer lovin’,
had me a blast
HER
Summer lovin’,
happened so fast
ME
Met a girl
crazy for me
HER
Met a boy cute as can be
Summer days drifting away
To, uh oh,
those summer nights
THE OTHER LADIES
Well-a, well-a, well-a, uh!
Tell me more, tell me more
Did you get very far?
Tell me more, tell me more
Like does he have a car?

We all broke into brisk laughter after it was all over.

“Jeff and his sister would be great doing that. They could add a dance to it,” Izzy said. So unselfish!

We went on for another hour, and then it was bedtime. It’s funny how we all kiss each other goodnight just about every night. I feel good about Ally’s future ... while I still wonder about Peter and Katherine.

The next morning, I was thinking about it some more, I found an empty mayonnaise jar and labeled it “Swear Jar” ... expecting a dollar for each ‘per word infraction’. It’s likely going to be as tough on me as it will on everybody else.

Utterances during sex should be the only exception!

I took it to school with me.

I pulled it out as I attended the two orchestra classes and choir classes. By the end of the bay, it had eleven dollars in ones and IOU’s ... many of them didn’t carry one-dollar bills. I expected to paid up quickly.

I got a call from Ally, “Your music from Brian has arrived. Do you want me to bring it to you?”

“No. Jenn, Izzy, and I can organize it tonight so I can give it to Clara.”

“That’s a big job, Michael.”

“She wants it ... she told me she misses my projects.”

“OK, bye honey,” she said.

Great. I went to Miss Jepson and told her the rest of the project would be in her hands by the following morning. She was happy to hear it.

I caught up with Isabel and we walked to Jennifer’s car and waited for her.

We got to the house, and Isabel and I went to look at what was happening. I saw something new. There was a tall pole in the southeast corner of the back yard with a light at the top. I didn’t remember that in the plans. It looked ... forty feet tall.

Hand in hand, we walked out to it. There was a covered switch about four feet off the ground. Isabel went to touch it, but I said, “Don’t! It may not be hooked up yet?”

“It’s hot, go ahead,” came Ken’s voice. “I know it wasn’t in the original plans, but it made sense to have plenty of light for when you performed at night.”

“Not only that, but I got called from Brian today. He wants me to be the architect and General contractor for a $415-million-dollar complex on south Main Street Road and South Middle Hart Street Road. I can hardly believe it!”

Isabel looked over at me with an odd look on her face.

“That’s called acting, Izzy. I told him about it, remember?”

“You didn’t tell me it was going to be so big, Michael.”

“Can you do it, or not, Mr. Bell?”

“Yeah,” he said confidently. “I know and have plenty enough guys that we could start tomorrow.”

“When does he want the plans?” I asked.

“By this coming Friday,” Ken answered. “That’s plenty of time. All we have left here to do is detail work. My deadline is still March 15th.”

“That’s great news, Mr. Bell. I am very proud I know you,” Isabel said to him.

“You remind me so much of my Lily, except for the red hair. She is really jealous of you being in the Gold Standard.”

“We already have three Newman’s involved Ken, plus they all are in WICKED. If, and when, I add any more girls, they would be seven or eight years old. We always will need a cute girl out front that makes the audience go ‘Awww’, right now it’s Isabel. Who knows, maybe the next one you have will be in the Gold Standard Society, someday.”

He smiled and said, “Gotta get back to work. Thanks for your help in this new project.”

We all got to work on the ‘New book’ project. I was going to use a different numbering scheme so future additions and deletions would be easier.

“Michael,” Isabel said. “Why don’t you just put the music in alphabetical order, by title? Wouldn’t that be easier than some kind of Dewey Decimal system for music?”

Jennifer was grinning at me.

“Let’s do that, why don’t we?” I said. “We don’t have to number anything then, do we? That’s a great idea, Tink.”

I approached it like the job Jenn and I had before, first breaking it in to three stacks, ‘A’ to ‘H’... ‘I’ to ‘P’... ‘Q to Z.’

This was still a big job, but my girls kept it going past our usual dinnertime.

“Gotta pee,” Isabel got up and left.

I gave Jenn a kiss.

“Gotta pee,” she got up and left.

Izzy came back and gave me a kiss.

I kept going even though I needed to pee as well. I promised this in Clara’s hands first thing, and it will be ready. Both girls would stop and look lingeringly at a title, then get back to work. No doubt, they were eyeing some solos for themselves.

I did need to pee and got up for a moment. I came out smelling leftover meatballs but reminded the girls how close we were. We were down to fine-tuning each letter of music. I reminded the girls of the rule to drop ‘As’ ‘ANs’ and ‘THEs’ as we went. I got the same look from each of them, and it went quite quickly.

Done. I got up and pulled up the girls.

Very proud of our success, we strode to the table and had meatballs and macaroni.

The next morning I was proudly walking up to Clara I said, “This is already in the proper order, Dear. I will have binder covers to you by the end of the day. I need 150 complete copies please. Have fun.”

I took her hand and gave it a kiss and said ‘Goodbye.’

The evening before, I ordered 160 covers from a local supply store to be delivered directly to the school. I wanted her to have enough, just in case.

I went through my usual back and forth between the two schools, including taking Clarice to lunch again. I ended back at Jackson, at the end of the day, with Clara saying, “Thanks for the covers, Michael!”

I got Isabel and we walked over to Jennifer’s car where she was waiting on us. She pushed the button to unlock the car and we all got in with me in the middle.

“You know ladies, we talk all the time about music and such. How are you doing school-wise? I mean the other classes you are taking?”

“I knew what you meant, Michael,” Isabel said. “I’m not stupid, you know.”

“I never said anything of the kind. My focus has been on your musical knowledge and ability. That is, unless, you want me to check your homework for you to make sure everything is on track.”

“I wouldn’t mind. Is that OK with you Jennifer?” she said.

“Fine with me, Isabel. He looks at my stuff also, when I ask him to.”

“Cool,” my little Tinker Bell said.

We got home and found the ladies in the spa. The girls joined them, while I worked out. Finding time to do that with other people around the house seems to be getting very difficult.

I changed to my suit and jumped in the pool starting some laps. After five complete laps, I heard a splash. Quickly, Izzy was on my back wanting to ride me, while I swam my laps with her wrapped around my waist.

“Giddy up,” she said, and I took off losing her at my first turn. We tried it a few more times, but she couldn’t handle it. I believe I accidently put my hand on her covered breast.

She swam away from me and got out of the pool, going all of the way into the house. I pushed myself down got out of the pool and ran into the house.

I stripped and changed into boxers and sweats, then knocked on her door.

“Go away!”

“Are you sure?”

“I said, go away... Daddy!“

Shit! Did her father physically molest his own daughter? My goodness, I had no idea how to handle this.

I found my phone and called Peter to come over. The door was open for him as he pulled up in his car.

“What’s going on, Michael?”

“There is no way to say this ... except to say this, ‘Did your father, or mother, molest either of you ... ever?’”

His shoulders slumped, a sure indication I was on to something. Mom and Brian came into the house, “What’s happened, Michael?”

“Sit down, everyone,” I asked.

The ladies were coming in from the spa, saw the groups assembling and rushed in and came out somewhat dressed.

“I need to explain what started this. I am very embarrassed about it, but I must...”

I told them of what happened in the pool, and Isabel’s violent reaction. Nobody slapped me, understanding it was a natural reaction.

Covering his face, Peter explained: “Anytime he came home thinking he didn’t sell enough vehicles, he hit either my mom or me. It wasn’t pretty. When mom decided to withhold sex from him because she was mad, he would look at Isabel like a real pervert. I don’t know if he ever did any more than touch her with his hands, but she cried herself to sleep more than once.”

Katherine moved next to him and started rubbing his back. Isabel’s door opened and she came out.

After climbing on her brother’s lap, she said, “He didn’t do any more than touch me with his hands, but he sometimes would threaten me ... threaten me that he would rape me if I ever talked back to him.”

“I stopped talking to him completely at that point. He did say whenever we went out together, ‘We better look and act like a real family’ or we would both be beaten when we came home.”

“I often got in between Dad and Isabel,” Peter said, “Taking his slaps that were meant for ... Izzy.” He broke down into sobs at that point. Isabel wrapped his arms around her as they cried together.

“I am really sorry for setting you off like that, Isabel,” I said. “Forgive me ... please?”

She got up and came over to me, saying, “I over-reacted Michael. I am very sorry for that?”

“No reason to be, Tinker Bell.”

That was her cue to kiss me again.

“Stay for dinner?” Alice requested.

“Certainly,” Peter said looking over at Katie.

“Sure,” Brian added after a shoulder knock from Janice.

Peter and I got out the extra leaves to the dinner table to get it ready for our extended family.

“Is Jeff in town?” I asked.

“I think so,” Brian said.

I got out my phone and called him.

“Hello Michael.”

“Hey Jeff, are you in town?”

“As a matter of fact...”

“Get over here now, your woman wants you here ... and so do we ... for dinner!”

“On my way!” he said.

Alice got up and threatened to hit me, but instead gave me a kiss. After Jeff arrived, dinner was started and a mini-concert began.

Even though there was only a synthesizer here, I called up the Original Gold Standard Quartet and they performed “Lady Marmalade,” with Janice O’Sullivan taking the lead to the enjoyment of her husband.