Chapter 66

The next day was Christmas Eve, so it was the usual start of the Culver-Littlebuck Holidays. As always a big tree was in the Big House, and after dinner we were singing as Grace or I played her keyboard. And the next morning was the usual gift giving in the morning. I think my gift for Grace surprised her, as it was a gold heart with a small diamond in it on a chain that had caught my eye.

She gave me a huge hug and even kissed my lips, which slightly surprised me as she rarely did that. And I put it on for her so she could go around and show everybody. And after lunch, I went ahead and headed to the barn to have a smoke as it was still snowing.

But I could smell cigar smoke when I got to the door, and was not surprised to see Pete was already inside. And with him was Mandy, who as usual was sitting in his lap. They waved me over, so I joined them and lit up a cigarette.

After talking for a bit, I realized they might help me resolve something. “Pete, I’ve heard a lot about all the double dates you went on back long ago. How exactly would that work?”

Pete actually laughed at that, and Mandy pouted at me. “Long ago? Gee, thanks a lot, asshole! It was not all that long ago, I’ll have you know!” Pete simple chuckled, and reminded his wife that was over twenty years before, and she slowly nodded.

He said mostly it was trying to pretend that any other couples in the car did not exist. “You know that saying, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’? Well, kinda the same thing. What happened in one part of the car stayed there, and was ignored by the others.”

“OK, I guess I get that, but, well, what if it’s your sister?”

Pete looked at me and raised an eyebrow, and Mandy actually started to laugh. “George, you should know we don’t have a sister. At least, if we do Dad never told us about her.” I feigned throwing a punch at him, and Mandy just laughed some more.

“OK George, you mean Grace, right? OK, well I actually have more experience like this than Pete here does. And yes, a few times the two of them did go on double dates with me and somebody else. And just like your brother said, we pretty much ignore what the others are doing. Oh, we generally have a really good idea what they are doing, but we tried to pretend they did not exist.”

“And did that always work?”

Mandy smiled, and shook her head. “Oh no, of course not! Of course, my sister was a bit of a freak. Well, let’s just say that some can be almost silent, some murmur or moan, others be more vocal. Well, sis almost shouted to the world what she would be doing or have done to her. Discretion was not something that came easily to her back then.”

Pete laughed at that and nodded his agreement. “George, I’ll just say that Linda likes to talk at times like that. And quite descriptively at that. More than any girl I had ever been with, Linda was a master of dirty talk. Add to that she was an exhibitionist, and there was likely little discrete with what we were doing.”

“And me, I just tried to concentrate on who I was with, and absolutely ignore what she and Pete were doing at the time. Even though it really was almost impossible.”

And I got almost shocked looks from both of them when I asked what Peggy thought. Mandy stuttered a moment, and Pete just looked at me. And I realized that I had never mentioned that to them before.

“Mandy, I’ve actually known about the two of you for quite a while. Kris is actually the one that told me, she had figured it out even before then. But I noticed you were talking about the one you were with, you said person not guy. So that would mean Peggy. Right?”

She nodded, and softly asked if we could keep that between us. I told her I would tell nobody else, as most of the family likely would not understand at all.

But what I did not expect was Pete to start laughing out loud. “Oh really? And who exactly would not understand, little brother?”

“Well, mom and dad. Certainly not Aunt Kim and Uncle Jeff. And I would not want to think of Dave and Darlene.”

What I did not expect was the two of them to look at each other and start laughing. “Oh George!” Mandy laughed. “Trust me, pretty much all of them know. Pegs and I tried to be discrete, as much as fourteen and fifteen year old girls can be. But your dad figured it out real fast, as did my mom. In fact, they both knew before Pete here did. He literally had to see it with his own eyes before he understood. And that was when he was dating your mom, so Pegs and I sleeping over at you house on nights your dad was gone was not unusual.”

Pete nodded, then smiled at me. “And this is only between us, but I happen to know that Kim had a bit of a fling with another girl years ago. Don’t go thinking that because they are religious that means they either do not understand, or are intolerant. Tell me, have you ever heard either of them speaking badly about gay people?”

I thought for a moment, and shook my head. “And remember, we all were once your age. Now Mandy and I may be closer in age to the parents of your friends than dad is, but I happen to know that Dave and Darlene used to double date with my mom and dad. And they had mentioned around me before going to the lake and getting drunk. And I have no doubts that some of those dates with the four of them would not have been unlike what I did later on, or you.”

Mandy actually came over and sat next to me and held my hand. “Remember, you are a bit different here, as your mom is quite a bit younger than your dad is. Let’s see, Darlene is a year older than Dave. Kim is actually a year older than Jeff. Pete’s mom was over three years younger than your dad. And Pete you know is over three years older than I am. But your mom, she’s almost nine years younger than your dad. He had returned from Vietnam, married Pete’s mom, and was working here when your mom was just entering College.”

At that I nodded, as he was already retired but she still worked. “And remember, your mom was in college in the 1960s. You think she did not try pot at least a few times? Or maybe some of the other counter culture stuff going on at the time? That was when the LGB movement first got started. Now I don’t know, but remember that as Pete here said, we were once your age also. And likely already did many of the things you are doing now. But about what you asked earlier, I actually do understand what it’s like to be with somebody parking in a car, while hearing somebody you care about is doing the same thing close by.”

I nodded at that, and decided they were both right. If we did it again to just ignore what the others are doing as best I can. We talked a bit longer, then Pete finally put his cigar out and he and Mandy walked hand in hand back to the house.

I stood in the doorway to the barn watching the snow come down, and lit another cigarette. I was half way though when I heard the door to the house close. I looked up, and saw Grace heading towards me. I waved at her, and she smiled and waved back. When she came in she hugged me, then after seeing my cigarette asked me if I had anything stronger.

I simply smiled and shook my head. “Actually, it’s been almost two weeks since I had any. Before I go back I’m gonna tell Pete and Mandy I will be good for the drug testing to start in February.” Grace actually smiled and gave me a hug saying that was great.

I asked her if that would be a problem, and she actually just shook her head. “I really don’t smoke all that much, to be honest. I think over half the time was with you when you come up. But you quit for a good reason, and I think that’s great. Me, I can take it or leave it.”

We talked for a bit, and she asked me what I was going to do the next day. And she seemed surprised when I said I was planning on going up to Pebble Creek. She said she had already promised her mom to help do some things at home, but was planning on going out that night with Robin.

I asked her what they were going to do, and she said she was not sure and they would probably just wing it. I suggested going to Deleta, and she actually smiled. “You know, that’s not a bad idea. Want me to call Amy?”

She said that with a grin, and I told her to go ahead. She gave me another hug, then asked me to try and borrow the SUV again before taking my hand so we both could return to the house.

Skiing the next day could have been better, but it also could have been worse. I had not skied much in the past couple of years, so was quite rusty. But by the end of the day I was doing better. And on the drive home I called Grace and asked what time I should be ready. She told me to pick her up at seven, so I knew to have dinner before heading out.

Mom looked surprised after I got home and showered, as I was dressed in black slacks and a nice shirt. “Going out again?” she asked, and I said I was going out with Grace, Robin and Amy again and we were going to Delita.

She smiled at that, and told me to have a good time. And almost as soon as I finished dinner I borrowed the SUV again and went to get everybody. Like last time, Grace just got in the back and once I had everybody we headed to the rink.

But I’m not sure what Grace imagined tonight, but Robin bought them tickets for both sessions. So I did the same thing and we headed on in. It was a lot of fun, even if I had to use rental skates as mine were back in LA.

We had a lot of fun, and I saw and chatted with several friends. But remembering what Mandy had told me, I mostly paid attention to Amy. And I was a bit surprised when Grace came and took my hand at the last couple skate of the first session, and thanked me for coming. I told her she was more than welcome, and I was glad to come again. We chatted and it was more like it always had been in the past.

We all took a break between sessions, and got sodas and shared some nachos as the four of us talked. And I think it had finally sunk into Robin that by doing a double session, we would be getting out at close to midnight so I would be taking everybody straight home afterwards.

During the first couple skate, I was a bit surprised when Amy nudged me, and nodded with her head to the side of the rink. And in a dark corner I saw Grace and Robin kissing, his hands on her hips as he had her pressed against the wall. Well, that was one way to help make up for not realizing how long the session would go.

Finally the last couples skate ended, and squeezing Amy’s hand I said I was going to go ahead and get the truck warmed up. She joined me, and we spent about ten minutes kissing before a laughing Grace and Robin climbed in. And as expected, the two of them made out the entire time to his house. I even managed to mostly ignore that he was groping her breasts almost the entire time.

Once he got out, Grace said that Amy was staying with her again so to go ahead and head on home. I did, and got some rather nice kisses before the two of them got out and headed inside. Once I got home and put the keys away, I went ahead and changed into sweats then went into the kitchen. I decided to repeat what I had done the last time. But when I opened the fridge I saw the box of mom’s wine, so went ahead and poured myself a glass of that instead.

I sat in the dark living room and enjoyed the glass, then poured another before heading outside for a final smoke before bed. And I was a little surprised when I saw that Amy was under the awning, apparently waiting for me.

I went up and apologized, as I did not know she would be there. She smiled and kissed me, and I could feel how cold her face was against mine. I took her hand in mine and guided her over to the covered patio area. As it was winter none of the hands were up here, the few that did remain over this time of year all stayed down below in the bunkhouse now. But in addition to a grill one of the things that had been added over the years was one of those propane outdoor heaters on a pole. I had her sit down as I went and turned it on, then sat next to her.