Chapter 6

“Hi, Mom, Dad. Isn’t it a good morning!” I exclaimed.

Dad said, “You seem to be happy about getting up early. I suspect that it’s the company rather than the hour.” Mom grinned as did Alice.

I decided to go all in. “Alice and I ran together this morning. It was great running with her.”

Mom grinned some more. “As long as all you are doing is walk and run. If you stop more like you did in our driveway, it’s amazing you made any distance at all.”

Alice smirked, “That was during our rest time on the way back. We made the long circle first.”

I said, “It was a nice way to end our run.”

Mom served breakfast. After a blessing, we ate. Dad finished and left after kissing Mom. Mom looked at us and said, “What are your plans for this morning?”

Alice said, “I need a shower but, after that, I’m open. We might swim. With just the two of us, Jerry and I could put in some serious laps.”

I just nodded. I agreed with her thinking. We finished eating and excused ourselves from the table. I followed Alice as she headed for her bedroom. She was just beyond my door when she stopped and turned around. “What were you going to do, Jerry?”

“I also planned to shower. I also volunteer my ability as a back scrubber.”

“Only if your mother approves and my father then does the same.” She grinned.

‘I don’t think I can obtain the requisite approvals in a timely manner. I’ll wait and go after you this time.” I grinned.

“Thank you. I’ll see you in the kitchen later ready to swim.”

I just grinned and went into my room. I closed the bathroom door. I set my regular swim trunks out for use. I lay on the bed waiting for the bath to quit running and the door to open. It didn’t take long before the water quit running. Very shortly thereafter, the door opened and Alice’s voice said, “Your turn, Jerry.” I stood with my trunks in hand. I heard the other door close though the light was still on. I stripped down and took a quick, rinsing shower. I dried off and then pulled my trunks on. I left the bathroom with my running clothes placed in the bedroom for another day. I slipped on a tee shirt and my flip flops. I headed for the kitchen.

When I walked in the kitchen, Mom and Alice were both there grinning. Mom said, “By the way, Jerry, I do not approve of you showering with Alice just in case you wondered.” They both laughed at my look.

Alice took my hand and guided me out to the swimming pool. Once there, we pulled off our extra clothes and dove into the pool. She then started a lap and I joined her. We churned water for a few laps. I really didn’t count but we did five or six at speed. She stopped and I glided up beside her in the shallow end. She said, “Let’s sun.” I nodded and we got out. We lay beach towels on adjacent lounge chairs and lay down next to each other on them.

Alice said, “Jerry, I’m comfortable and happy with you. I’m a bit surprised since we haven’t known each other that long.”

“Alice, I’m comfortable and happy being with you. You’re right. It hasn’t been that long in time but we’ve been together a lot during that short time. With us spending all the days and evenings together, we are putting in more time together than might be done otherwise. I’m enjoying our time and look forward to it continuing for a long time.”

Alice grinned at me as I heard a slight noise behind me. “How much evening time have we had, Jerry. I would like more.”

I grinned back, “I guess we have enough for now. I don’t want my parents to get the wrong idea though my mother will try.”

My mother said, “What will I try?”

“You will give us opportunities to be together. I think you see the real attachment to each other that is building between us.”

“I’ve noticed that neither of you mind talking about your feelings for the other and to each other. That’s good. Your father and I started that way.” She sat down in another lounge chair next to Alice. She grinned, “I also think you are spending enough of the night together already.”

I decided not to touch that comment. I noticed Alice grinning. She said, “Then, we have your permission not to do less at night.”

I decided to continue to lay low. Mom was quiet for a long time. I could tell she was mulling over what, if anything, to say. Finally, she said, “I think I’ll swim for a bit.” She stood and walked to the pool and dove in to swim a bit.

Alice looked at me grinning. “I guess we have some interesting permission.”

“I don’t want us to get in trouble with your parents or mine.”

“We won’t but can tease your mother a lot now.”

We lay back on our lounges while my mother finished her laps. She resumed her seat toweling off and breathing just a bit heavily from the exercise.

Alice said, “Jerry, it’s so good sleeping close to you and now we have your mother’s permission. I will suggest my mother extend a similar permission.”

I kept my mouth shut. I was glad Mom was sitting beside Alice rather than me. I had the feeling my mother was distressed. “Alice, I didn’t mean for you two to sleep together by my comments.’

Alice laughed happily. “We aren’t sleeping together, Missus Short. We haven’t even talked about doing that. We won’t be either, doing it, that is.”

Mother couldn’t resist. “You will be talking about it then.”

“At the appropriate time, yes.”

“When would that be?”

“it depends upon the emotional context and how we feel about each other. I don’t have a time expectation nor will I forecast when or even if that event will occur.”

Mom decided to quit. I think both Alice and I were glad. I felt we just weren’t ready for some discussions. We all lay back to enjoy some sun.

We had gone back to the water a couple of times with rests in between. Lunchtime had arrived and Mom invited us inside to help her with fixing it for the three of us. We were ready to eat and I blessed the meal. We ate. I reminded both of them that Joe and Marilyn were coming over a bit later to swim. Mom nodded as did Alice.

After lunch, Alice and I went back outside to play in the water before lying on the lounge chairs to get some more sun. It was about half an hour later that Joe and Marilyn came to the pool area through the house. They had brought towels. Once they were in the pool area, they left their cover-ups on loungers and went in to swim. Joe was wearing regular trunks but Marilyn was wearing a thong that was even skimpier than the one Alice had worn!