Chapter 25: I Dare You to Call Me a Cab

October 13th, 1995, 10:45 AM EST, Washington Union Station, Washington, DC

It had been an early morning for Baruch and Miriam Abati. They had wanted to take the morning train because it didn’t seem to make much sense for them to take a late train. The person on the phone had mentioned something about changing in Washington, D.C., but they didn’t quite realize that there was another, more direct option that would have gotten them into Chicago earlier, even though it left Washington, D.C. later in the day, or that there was a direct route straight from New York that would have still gotten them in with plenty of time to catch the Southwest Chief.

They were also miffed because they found out that the train they were now taking had run all the way to New York as recently as last month. They were annoyed about this because they had to get up at 4:00 AM to get out of the house at 5:30. They had to take a roundabout route: catching the F-train at Forrest Hills to Herald Square, then walking the block west and two blocks south to Penn Station, where they arrived just in time to hear Northeast Direct 79 to Washington being called.

The train to Washington was a bit cramped, and there were a ton of people on it. They were glad that they had decided to splurge on Roomettes for the trip to Los Angeles. It was expensive, but they didn’t think they could stand to be stuck in coach this long. They didn’t want it for their son, either, so it made sense for them to spend the extra, and they were glad they did. They were also happy to have the nicer Metropolitan Lounge to sit in while they waited for the train.

“Vhy cudent de flyin’ vee do, Bar?” Miriam complained, “Cramped de seats vere, und loud de kids in front of us vere. In de schul shouldn’t dey be? For three days on de train vee vill be! De six hours de plane takes! More money dis costs!”

“Calm yourself, Mimi,” Baruch told her softly, “The scenery will be beautiful, and we should be relaxing. We don’t take vacations often, we should have some fun, no? We will have fun being together.”

Miriam snuggled against him from the armchair next to him. Her affection for his kind, gentle, loving nature and his soft demeanor had not decreased in the 31 years they had known each other and 24 they had been married.

“I luff yuh, yuh know?”

“Of course, I know that, Mimi,” Baruch said, “I love you, too. Enjoy this, it should be an experience.”

“Voo vas it dat sed ‘experience iss de name mankind giffs tuh its mistakes’?”

Baruch rolled his eyes and laughed, just as an announcement was made over the lounge’s loud speaker:

“Now calling Amtrak’s Cardinal number 51 with Superliner service to Chicago, Illinois, making the following intermediate stops: Alexandria, Manassas, Culpepper, Charlottesville, Staunton, and Clifton Forge, Virginia; White Sulpher Springs, Anderson, Hinton, Prince, Thurmond, Montgomery, Charleston, and Huntington, West Virginia; Catlettsburg, South Portsmouth-South Shore, and Maysville, Kentucky; Cincinnati and Hamilton, Ohio; Connersville, Indianapolis, Crawfordsville, Lafayette, Rensselaer, and Dyer, Indiana. If you are ticketed onboard this train please go to the door at the back of lounge in preparation for boarding.”

Baruch and Miriam picked up their carry-on bag and moved towards the back of the lounge. The agent at Penn Station had encouraged them to check whatever they might not need for the three day trip; they only had one small suitcase to take with them; they had checked their other suitcase. They were not heavy travelers; Miriam was not a big makeup person, and didn’t try to go for the fancy dress stuff. She had seen too much in her life to bother with all the nonsensical pretentious stuff other women often went to.

They were lead out the door and walked to the track whereupon sat Amtrak’s least sensible train, the Cardinal. Recently truncated to Washington as part of its re-equipping with as a Superliner train, it was one of two that ran from Washington D.C. to Chicago. One was the Capitol Limited which traveled practically straight to Pittsburgh over the old Baltimore and Ohio, then joined the fast and straight Water Level Route with the Lake Shore Limited for a pretty direct 780 mile trip to Chicago that took just under eighteen hours.

This was the other one. It followed a long and meandering path across the scenic mountains of West Virginia, through Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, before completing its 929 mile journey in Chicago. It took 23 hours, fifteen minutes. It was a far more scenic route, but its meandering nature and plodding pace tended to keep all but the sightseers from riding it. Taking it from New York made even less sense: it took 26 hours with the connection, compared to less than eighteen for the Lake Shore Limited.

But there it stood, larger than life with its double decker Superliner consist. Lacking a dining car made the train a bit less luxurious than the Lake Shore, as well, although the Sightseer Lounge on this train served tray meals in the lower level. The Abati’s were awed as they were brought to their sleeping car, and led up the stairs to their roomette. They were taken aback by the room’s small size, and ended up putting their carry-on downstairs in the luggage rack.

The train departed Washington on time, the second leg of their long trip which would ultimately carry them across the entire country on a 3413 mile trip that would take a bit over 63 hours. It was an adventure for them, and they were longing desperately to see their son. They settled back and relaxed, anxious to meet the people who managed to befriend their socially awkward son, and to make sure he was just as uninjured as he said he was.

October 13th, 1995, 8 AM MST, Holiday Inn & Suites, Phoenix, AZ

Jill woke up, spooning up to a naked George, feeling comfortable and content with life. She was happy and relieved that they had managed to get revenge for the derailment. She was a tad worried about Miguel, but she figured he’d pull through. Killing people was something you had to get used to. Miguel was made of stern stuff. He’d make it.

She turned over and faced the clock and the window. It was 8:00, more than a little too late for her taste. Their bed was the one closer to the door, so she was also facing the naked bodies of Josh and Akilah, now laying spooned together, Akilah in front of Josh. They looked similarly content to last night, but with a bit less of the glow. Jill swung her legs out of bed and stood up and stretched, then touched her toes, cracking her back in the process.

She then padded over on the thin but soft carpet to the drapes, and threw them wide open, bathing the room in bright light. Unfortunately, everyone was facing away from the window, so this gesture alone did not wake them up. The room was a bit warm, and everyone had shed their sheets over the course of the night. Jill went back to her bed and shook George awake, or at least tried to. After being unsuccessful, she went into the bathroom, fetched a glass of water, and dumped it upon him.

He jumped awake and looked at her with some irritation, “Jillian McGee, that was uncalled for, I don’t have class today.”

“I’m hungry, and I want to eat,” she replied, “And unless you want me to eat you, this worked, didn’t it?”

“Eating me would have been a more pleasant wake up,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I’ll try it next time,” she said, “I thought you would object because we aren’t alone, speaking of which I need to wake these guys up.”

She then turned towards Josh and Akilah, who were still quite thoroughly asleep. She leaned over Akilah, and started rubbing Josh’s shoulder, not realizing that her right breast fell upon Akilah’s face. Josh woke up to the strange sight of Jill leaning over Akilah, her boob in Akilah’s face. The strange scene took a turn for the even stranger when Akilah started suckling the nipple. Jill moaned in strange pleasure, almost instantly getting wet from the experience.

Both Josh and George watched the strange scene with wonderment, a distinct degree of embarrassment as both of them felt the strengthening of their arousal. The commotion woke Akilah up out of her strange dream, to find out it was no dream at all. She jerked away, pressing herself suddenly against Josh’s now rock hard “schlong”. Jill backed away smirking and giggling, giving the two of them a view of George’s lower half - equally hard.

“I have to use the shower,” George choked out, and jumped up and ran to the bathroom.

“Me, too.” Jill sighed, and followed him.

I can’t believe exactly what I was dreaming was what was happening! Akilah thought, more than a little scared, God that felt wrong and good and messed up and right. All at once. I can’t believe it. They seemed so turned on. What the hell is happening? I am so horny right now! Why is Josh so hard? Why is George so hard? Is it all of us???

Suddenly as she was trying to run away, Josh wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

“Josh, I just...”

“I know, Acky,” Josh said, “I know. Unnerstand dis I don’t, but as my mudder sometimes says, ‘Das weilt ist meshuga,’ but guess can yuh what she also says, or what?”

“You should not have lust for other people?”

“Dat I don’t tink she has evuh said,” Josh said, “What she says is, ‘love is good always, and hate is always bad’, and whatevuh dis is I tink, out of love it comes. I mean wit’ de funny accent she says it, but dat’s what it means.”

“Joshua, I do not know how to say this, but I feel like making love.”

Josh inserted himself into her, “Alone yuh are not, mawh love makin’ I wanna do, too.”

“That feels so good, don’t move,” Akilah moaned softly, “Okay, you can move, but kiss me first.”

Josh leaned around to her offered face and kissed her from behind. He knew from the kiss that he didn’t need to worry about what he had.

“What if George and Jill get done in the shower?” Akilah suddenly worried aloud.

“Don’t de wawhryin’ do, I tink mawh than showerin’ dey are doin’.”

Jill leaned into the shower and turned it on, “Let’s wait for it to warm up.”

“Ok, you are on to something, Jill,” George said, “It’s not just you. God I’m horny.”

Jill took him in her mouth, and said, “Mmmmm.”

“God I need that,” George said, “Oh god...”

A few minutes later, Jill stood up and said, “I think the shower’s warm, now.”

They got into the shower, and Jill just leaned over and put her hands on the back wall of the shower. George got in and pushed himself into her offered pussy, moaning softly as he was enveloped in her soft, moist, warmth.

“You feel so good,” George whispered, “Why are we considering complicating things?”

“Oooh,” Jill said, “Because, mmmm, complicated is, ahhhh, more interesting, oh yes, gosh I love you.”

“I love you, too,” George said, “I just don’t want to complicate it for them, they love each other, and they are so insecure.”

“Hmmmm,” Jill moaned, “They are so much, oh man, so much better, mmmmmm, better now, ohhh, I’m mmmmmmhh.”

“I’m not so sure about all of, mmmmm, this, Jill,” George panted.

“Liar,” Jill hissed softly, “Just pretend I am Akilah.”

George got distinctly harder, and started moving a bit harder.

“See,” Jill said, “George, god, a little harder, see what I, mmmmmm, what I mean?”

“I oughtta spank you,” George groaned out, “you little minx.”

“Go ahead,” she tried to giggle, but moaned instead, “Your hand is already, mmmm, on my hip, you don’t, oh gosh, have far to go.”

“Too late,” George groaned to, “I’m going to-”

“Actions speak louder than- ohhhh gggoddd.”

George’s climax lasted longer and harder than it had for quite some time. He was a little embarrassed; he had followed her instructions and thought about Akilah instead of Jill. It was ... it added something different to it.

They moved around each other, and George leaned back against the wall shaking, Jill leaning against him, letting the warm water just flow over them. They were both shaking.

“I don’t want to hurt them, or us,” George said after recovering.

“I promise,” Jill said, “We ain’t going to do this if I have even half a suspicion it won’t be ok for all of us. But the attraction is there, George, and so is the love. I love them, I really do. It would mean something to me, for you too, I think, to share more than we have already.”

“I know,” George said, “I love them, too, and it would be very meaningful to me. I just don’t want to break them.”

“Could they break us, George?”

“God no,” George said, “Nothing could break us. You know that.”

“Didn’t you see them last night?” Jill asked, “Nothing could break them either, not anymore.”

There was a knock at the bathroom door.

“Enter, if you want,” Jill said.

Akilah came in wearing a pair of baggy blue jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt, and saw them in the shower, and blushed a bit, “Your dad suggested that we go out for breakfast, and then rent a car to drive to Las Vegas, and Miguel wants to come to breakfast.”

“We’re done in here, we just need to get dressed,” Jill said.

“I will go down and get us a cab, then.”

Jill giggled uncontrollably, “Ok, please do that.”

Akilah was so confused by what was going on in her head with regard to George and Jill that she didn’t even catch the fact that Jill found something particularly amusing about her going down to get a taxi cab for them. Somehow the idea of playing with Jill while having sex with Josh appealed to her. It seemed strange and wrong, but fun, daring, and perhaps very physically gratifying. She tried to logic out why she’d want this.

She loved George and Jill; without them she wouldn’t have the things she had now, she would have been alone for all kinds of things they helped her through. Without their help she wouldn’t have Josh at all. He completed her; without him she would have been in a very different world. They were almost as much a part of her new life in America as Josh was. She had been having dreams about this sort of thing, but that was a dream; actually contemplating it in real life was another thing entirely.

Josh touching her in various places while they made love added to the sensation; she had been thinking about what it would be like with more touching, more stimulation. That would require tools ... or more hands. The idea, for example, of riding Josh while Jill or George or... both of them suckled her nipples ... that turned her on just riding the elevator and thinking about it without seeing them. She didn’t want another lover; she had that, she just wanted to take this amazing pleasure to another level.

And she loved George and Jill; she really cared for them. If she was going to do this, if she was going explore this kind of thing, she wanted to do it with people she cared about and she knew would respect the private emotional bond she had with Josh. She trusted them so completely; she didn’t even feel uncomfortable sharing the same room with them, or being naked near them, or letting George put his hands on her in a bathing suit. A level of comfort she never felt with anyone before.

She pushed the thoughts aside; they weren’t going to do anything before she was married to Josh. There wasn’t time or a place. She also wanted to solidify the vows and bonds between her and Josh; confirm her commitment to him, before introducing this sort of thing into their relationship. She didn’t want to confuse three distinct sets of feelings: romantic, life-bonding love towards Josh; a deep family friendship love she felt towards Jill and George; and the lust she was feeling towards them.

She was so consumed by her thoughts that the elevator opened and closed before she realized she was already in the lobby. She pushed the door open button, and walked out of the elevator, committing not to think of this situation. She was scared she’d accidentally voice her thoughts, or show it on her face. She put on her best poker face and walked to the lobby desk. The desk was unoccupied, so she timidly rang the bell and then waited. A minute later she rang it again a little firmer.

The desk clerk slowly strolled out of the back and looked at her condescendingly, and said, “What do you want?”

Her thoughts were confused enough that she missed the rudeness, and said, “I am Akilah from room 306, and I would like you to call me a cab.”

“Alright,” the clerk said, waving his hand over her, “Poof, you’re a cab.”

“Excuse me?” She replied, not quite understanding.

“You asked me to call you a cab, so I called you a cab.”

“I’m sorry,” she said with contrition, “My English is not very good. I would like to arrange transportation to a restaurant a few miles from here. I thought the term for that transportation was a ‘cab’.”

“Your English stinks, miss,” the desk clerk said nastily, “But you are correct, we do call that a ‘cab’ or ‘taxi.’”

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I have only just arrived in this country, but I would still like to arrange for the cab. There are going to be six of us.”

“Perhaps you should go back where you came from,” the desk clerk sneered, intently focused on Akilah, “We don’t really want you Mohammedans in our country. If you really want a cab there is a taxi rank-”

His speech was interrupted by a blur, a crack, and yelp as he flew sideways.

Jill and George quickly ran into the bedroom and threw on their clothes from yesterday as soon as the door closed in the room. Josh was wearing a white button down shirt and a pair of khakis, as they rushed out in their towels.

“Josh, you have to change your wardrobe, boy,” Jill said as she put on her panties.

“What’s wrong wit’ what I wear now?” Josh said, “Comfawhtable it is, and always matchin’. What mawh I need it tuh be?”

“A little more ... with it,” Jill giggled pulling up her shorts, “Come on we gotta get down to the lobby, I’ll take you to Bullock’s department store when we get to Los Angeles and we’ll fix it then.”

“What’s wit’ all de rushin’?” Josh asked, “Why so quick do we have tuh go?”

“She’s going to ask the desk clerk to call a cab,” George said, quickly buttoning his shirt, “This is going to be so much fun.”

“Oy vey ist mehr,” Josh sighed, “A bunch of meshuganas I am friends wit’.”

They rushed to the elevator together, and George kept stabbing the button. When it came, they jumped in and pushed the lobby button. When it finally came down George and Jill walked out and listened to the conversation that had just started.

“Your English stinks, miss,” the desk clerk said nastily, “But you are correct, we do call that a ‘cab’ or ‘taxi.’”

George sneaked up behind the desk, and that statement made his face turn red.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I have only just arrived in this country, but I would still like to arrange for the cab. There are going to be six of us.”

George could see that he was actually hurting Akilah’s self esteem- and unreasonably so. Her English was eminently understandable, just a bit stilted and formal. Josh’s was far less good, and he was American born, for god sakes, if Queens is in the US. His rage was seething.

“Perhaps you should go back where you came from,” the desk clerk sneered, not seeing him, “We don’t really want you Mohammedans in our country. If you really want a cab, there is a taxi rank-”