Chapter 26: Fitting In

I took stock the next morning over breakfast. The catering crew had returned to serve our breakfast and to then fold up all their gear from the night before and cart it away. The morning was fresh and warm. The party goers that either lived at the house or next door, or that chose to stay over were all at some of the tables on the patio. All our next-door neighbors and their friends had rejoined us for breakfast. There were a few sailboats in the bay that the house overlooked. Even with some guests total nudity, nobody paid them any special attention.

Wendy and Tracy were snuggled on either side of me as I sat at the table. They were naked from having gone skinny-dipping in the pool to wake up. When I’d gone to sleep, I had the very naked Dakota and Lola cuddled into my sides. I’d made love to both of them in the middle of the night.

As I finished my four a.m. trysts, I was aware that Wendy and Tracy were present and wanted their ‘usual’ places at my side. They got the two new girls to move over slightly and they then burrowed their naked bodies alongside mine. I think Dakota and Lola nestled into them as they returned to sleep. Every one of us seemed worn out from a lot of physical activity.

Wendy, Tracy, and I had touched base and talked briefly about the party after we woke up. Although we weren’t alone in the big bed, our pillow talk was pretty openly discussed. We focused on how we were feeling, especially about each other and any of the people that we’d had sex with. We were still in love and full of desire for each other. We went to breakfast after that.

Misty and Lauren and Scott were sitting opposite us. Michael, Holly, and Jill were at the other seats at the table. The other women were topless and most of the men. The day was a warm one. Jill confessed that she’d ‘overdone’ it the night before and was a little sore. Those of us that had kept tabs on her laughed. She’d fucked eleven men, including some of them twice. We didn’t bother to figure out who the four were that she’d missed.

Quite openly, after Jill’s confession about her ‘unplanned’ gangbang, Michael commented in humorous terms about Jill’s nymphomania and ability to revert to luscious sluthood in such highly sexual environments. He had to admit that she’d never done that much sex in one go since he’d met her, however. She announced that her playground was closed until after dark when she thought she could play painlessly again.

Jill said, “Since puberty I’ve been hornier than all my other friends put together. Back then, I wanted to talk about sex, read about sex, hear sexual encounters, and eventually to do sexual things. Perhaps became of the variety in all that plus in the adult industry, I’ve come to realize that I’m not a one-man woman. Michael accepts me on that basis, and I hope that Holly will, too.”

Holly nodded and said, “If anything, I’d like a few pointers, plus I might like to try doing a video or two. Maybe Michael, you, and me could do one together.”

Jill looked surprised, but registered that information.

Misty and Lauren were especially interested in the fact that Jill had various tattoos scattered around her body, with some of them being quite colorful. Along one thigh, just below her pussy, she had the lacy top of a French nylon tattooed there, making it look like she wore a fancy stocking. She had a red heart alongside her left breast. Near her pussy was a pair of red lips, like red lipstick left behind. Her left arm had the partial design of tree branches and ivy entwined with a few colorful red and yellow flowers in the design. Looking carefully, you could see her nude form peering out from behind a tree.

Lola appeared, also naked, and asked Wendy whether it was all right to use the washer and dryer. Wendy said, “Of course. Let me help you.” She got up from the table and the two of them disappeared. I couldn’t not look at their departure; they were sex on a stick times two. No one else looked concerned and we went back to talking.

Dakota came along and collected the dirty dishes and cutlery. Holly moved to help her, but she gestured that she had it under control, so Holly sat again. When Dakota got near me to buss the table, I asked, “Dakota, what are you doing?”

She kissed my forehead and said, “My share. You stay here. Today, this is my job. I’m helping the caterers for a few moments.” She immediately carried a pile of plates into the kitchen and brought back a new urn of freshly perked coffee for the table.

When I did eventually get up and go into the kitchen, the place was spotless – more so than usual – and the dishwashers were both running. Dakota was just wiping down the last of the counters with disinfectant. I spoke; “You cleaned up everything? This is realty great.”

She smiled and nodded. “The caterers did their share, but I intend to carry my weight and more. I love all of you, and being a good partner is just one way for me to show that.”

Michael caught me after that before I could comment to Dakota and asked, “What are your plans for the large room that Jill, Holly and I are in? I know you did a lot of work last week to make it livable. Thank you.”

I replied, “I did work on it and got an electrician to do some of the finish wiring, but beyond that, it’s one room in the house that I hadn’t thought much about. I do see it as a large suite – possibly another master bedroom since it has an attached bath, crude though it may be at this stage.” The bath had a working but old and cracked fiberglass shower, a toilet, and a small sink hanging from the wall. There was no counterspace.

“So, might it be helpful if I were to prepare a plan for finishing the room and get your approval?”

I nodded, “It sure would be helpful. I didn’t think I’d get to it for years.” I already have a deal with Scott to finish the room that he and Lauren live in, so one more deal like that would help speed the house to completion. I’ll pay for outside contractors and materials.”

“Good. I want to help create a really fabulous room and bath for you.”

I teased, “You might not want to move out.” I think I sounded hopeful. I liked having Holly, Jill, and Michael living in the house.

He laughed. “There’s that possibility. Holly sure likes being here with you and her new ‘sisters’, and Jill seems to like it around here, too.” He was grinning when he added, “And, to be honest, I find all the other women that hang out here delectable and the guys, like you, as great friends.”

I next found Lola in the home’s laundry room. We’d added a second pair of stackable washer-driers a month earlier. With so many people living in the house, we often had everything going at once.

“Lola,” I asked, “what are you doing?”

“OH!” I’d surprised her. She looked both guilty of something and embarrassed, and like I’d caught her doing something wrong. “I ... I had some of my own stuff to wash, and I wanted to take the opportunity so long as a machine was free. Doug let me bring my clothes with me to the party yesterday. I hope that was okay.

“Also, I collected some of the sheets from the guest rooms that got used last night and I’m washing them, too. No more wet spots.” She pointed at the two driers and washing machines. Every appliance was running. I could also see that she had a laundry basket full of shorts and t-shirts that looked like her own stuff.

“Lola, where do you live?”

“Oh, I crash at friend’s homes mostly. I used to be from Tennessee, but here is better.” I caught her in a lie. The night before she’d told me she’d just gotten into town and that she was from Idaho.

“Tell me about it, please.” I tried to sound helpful and sincere. I leaned against the doorframe so she’d know that I wasn’t going to rush off. I realized that something was ‘off’ about Lola. I’d felt it every time that we’d really talked.

Lola was quiet for a long time, yet she studied me, perhaps to evaluate whether I was trustworthy.

She finally admitted in a dejected tone, “I’m a runaway, but please don’t turn me in.”

I waited for more information.

“I’m the same age as Wendy and Tracy – younger actually. I just turned sixteen.”

I waited some more with a neutral expression on my face ... There was a story there. Internally, Internally, I was doing eye rolls and worrying about CPS all over again. I gestured for her to continue.

“I’m an outcast. I’m different and ... well, nobody around home wanted ‘different’.”

“We’re different,” I finally stated with the expectation to hear more. I even gestured at the whole house in a sweep of my arm. If, after the night before, she didn’t realize that, she really missed the point of it all.

Lola said in a lowered tone, “I was bullied at my school, only nobody would do anything about it. One of the reasons is that they learned that I was bisexual – I like boys AND girls, but I never approached any of the girls in my class - ever. I did look at them, and I said something in an offhand way one day that led one of those bitches figuring out that I was split in my preferences. That wasn’t acceptable. After that, my life became a living hell. I even got beat up a couple of times.”

“And your parents?”

“Pfffft. They could care less. I’m an after-thought. My older sister has their grandbabies and that’s all they care about; well, that and getting high on booze and pot. I bet they haven’t even missed me yet.”

“So, you ran? How long ago?”

“Three months – right after the school term ended. I came south because of the better weather. I left a note with my general plans, but nothing specific so that they’d know where I was headed, but not specifically. Warm weather. If anywhere, they’ll think that I went to Arizona.”

“You’ve been camping out somewhere?”

“I have a hidey-hole in some woods near a church. I bought a hunter’s tarp and made a camouflage camp. No one can really see my set-up until they’re right on top of it. Otherwise, I’d be considered a homeless minor and turned over to the cops. I don’t cook or have fires there, so I have a minimal trace. Since I have no real ID that’s what would get the authorities all in a twitter.”

“Do you work? What do you do for money?”

“I got a part-time job washing dishes at Porter’s restaurant – cash under the table. They allow me to eat healthy and I get a few bucks cash for other stuff that I need. I think they know that I’m on the lam. I fill in waitressing when they get busy and that’s how I met Doug. I get to keep my tips, too. I flirted with him and he kept coming back, so I turned up the flirt. I guess I signaled that I was horny, but we did nothing serious – at least until a week ago when he asked me if I wanted to go to a sex party. He was just about that blunt.”

“You accepted?”

She shook her head. “I’m a normal horny teenager that’s bisexual. Without becoming a prostitute, which I could have become – I’d had an offer and was thinking about it. The party sounded like a better bet to both be with Doug – who I like, and to meet a bunch of people that I might befriend and find a better way forward. I’m kind of stuck in a rut. I’m going to have to change something because I can’t keep going like I’ve been doing, especially when the colder weather arrives.”

“Did we pass muster? I’m surprised Doug picked somebody so young to ask to the party. We’re willing to be your friends. We’re even willing to give you a place where you can sleep without worrying about the elements and your possessions.”

“I told Doug that I was twenty-two, but that I looked much younger. I told him that I got carded all the time, so much that I rarely had even a beer. I said that I’d fallen on hard times. I lied a lot. I need to correct a lot of that with him. He thinks that I’m from Idaho, too.”

I asked, “Do you know Wendy’s background and why she’s with me and lives here?”

Lola looked puzzled. “I know she’s just seventeen, almost through college, and smarter than the Library of Congress; that’s about all. Tracy, too.”

“Wait here, please.” I left the laundry room and Lola went back to folding clothes. She seemed to be a hard worker but trying to get a handhold on some new life.

Wendy was working on a grocery list in the kitchen, going through the freezers to see what we had. Dakota was helping. I said, “I need you to come and talk to Lola. She’s a runaway, and I think you might understand her situation better. She could share a room here with somebody – maybe even you, Tracy, or Dakota, since you all sleep in my bed all the time.”

Wendy nodded and came with me, “Do you like her?”

“I do. We made love twice last night and she was a delight. She’s an unknown, but has a similar background to you, so far. See what you think. She was bullied a lot, beat up, had no friends, and her parents pretty much ignored her in favor of older siblings and grandkids.”

Wendy came with me and we collected Lola and the three of us went outside. I turned to Wendy and said, “Tell Lola how we met, please, and what the circumstances were.”

Wendy smiled and our new friend and said, “I was a runaway – sixteen and abused. After the sexual innuendoes started, I figured I’d better leave before I got raped.”

I left the two of them to talk. I wanted Wendy to get a gauge on Lola so that I had a separate perspective. Wendy was savvy enough to look for clues as to her deeper personality.

I telephoned Doug to ask about his perspective on Lola. He told me that she’d told him that she was staying over, so he left the remnants of the party about one a.m. “I thought you’d invited her to stay. She’d brought her backpack and a bag of clothes, and I told her I was sure you’d let her do a wash. She seems cute and independent, but a little naïve about a few things about how the world ticks – including some of the sex stuff.”

“Do you know how old she is?”