Chapter 5

I guess I’m not used to waking up in a strange room. I stirred, consciousness coming to me slowly. I noticed the bed felt softer and the room seemed darker. WHERE WAS I!? I shot up in the bed and looked around the dark room getting ready to dive to the floor when I remembered that I was in Jean’s house. I’d gone to bed last night after making a serious and almost solemn promise to myself.

I lay in bed and wondered what the day would bring. What Jean would bring. I ran through my day’s to do list as I became more and more awake. I remembered that I had homework to do with Jean. I had to get a suit for Prom with Jean. My stomach rumbled, I had to have breakfast with Jean. Then I remembered the words we spoke last night. She told me she loved me. I told her I loved her. Of course she did it as she ran away and I said it after she’d run down the hall and locked her bedroom door.

It was going to be an interesting day.

I got out of bed and stepped into the shower, where I got rid of my morning boner by peeing up the shower wall. After I was drained and my cock had sunk to its normal position and size, I lifted the shower head off its mount and washed the urine off the wall and then soaked myself. The dispenser on the wall had a button for shampoo and another for body wash.

I washed my hair and then my body then my cock until I came all over the imaginary Jean showering with me. I’d never done that before. I mean I’d beat off but never to a specific girl. I didn’t even know what her body looked like. I had to be careful not to attach the perfect color and sized nipples to her perfect sized breasts, or her perfect color and curliness pubic hair covering her perfect pussy with its perfect lips.

I was hard again. I had to stop that. What if all those things weren’t perfect. Would I be disappointed because I had imagined something perfect? But she was perfect. I loved her. We would take a shower together one day. I was hard again. Down boy!

I rinsed off the body wash and turned off the shower. Opening the door I reached for a towel and dried my hair and upper body before stepping out and drying my legs with one foot on the toilet lid. I felt my cock wave back and forth and wondered if it was good enough for Jean. She seemed to like the feel of it through my pants. Hey! If she could feel me up through my clothes, couldn’t I do the same to her?

No. My father wouldn’t like me to do that. He would understand but wouldn’t think it was respectful. It might be fun, but not a sign of affection only lust. I could hear his voice.

I hung the towel over the shower door and got my clothes out of the dresser and closet. When I was dressed, I opened the bedroom door to find Jean standing there.

“Good morning!” She said and kissed me tenderly yet deeply before I could say a word.

“Yeah ... um ... Good morning to you,” I said a bit too dreamy in hindsight.

“Did you sleep well? You smell good.”

“Yes, I smell good.”

Jean giggled at her effect on me.

“I mean yeah, I slept well. And you smell good too.”

“Thanks. Do you feel like having breakfast?”

“Sure. I wonder what other news will get dropped on us this morning.”

Jean took my hand and we walked, slowly, down the hall to the stairs, our arm swinging a bit. When we got to the stairs, Jean stopped me and looked at me with an evil grin.

“Paul? Have you ever slid down a banister?”

“Once in elementary school. I got in trouble.”

“Can’t get in trouble here.” And with that she put her cute little butt on the right hand banister and slid all the way down to the bottom of the stairs.

Since I was on the left side of the stairs, I went to sit on the left banister and just as I was about to take a shot, Jean yelled at me.

“PAUL! NO!”

I almost fell of the railing.

“WHAT!?” I think I was a little panicked.

“Use the right hand railing. You can get killed on the left one.”

“Killed? Is that like getting in trouble?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Maybe I should just walk down.”

“No! Go for it, but on the right.”

I sat on the right railing and slid all the way down into Jean’s waiting arms.

“Nicely done, Paul.”

“Thanks. Now tell me about this getting killed thing.”

“Remember when I told you that when I was little I treated this place like my own personal hamster habitat?”

“Yeah.”

“Well when you slide down the right side, because it curves to the right, you gain centrifugal force and can fly backwards off the left side of the railing. And if you notice the only thing to stop your fall from the left side is the floor. If you fall of the right side, you fall onto the stairs.”

“And you have personal experience with this?”

“Oh yeah. A concussion and a broken wrist.”

“Well that explains a lot.”

“Really? How so?”

“You landed on your head!”

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I took off running for the breakfast nook and the supposed safety of parents and Lois and the breakfast nook. When I arrived, I quickly slipped into a seat and sat with my hands folded on the tabletop, trying to look innocent.

“Good morning, son.”

“Good morning Mom. Good morning Mr. C.”

“Paul O’Dell!” Jean said loudly when she entered the room.

“Yes?” I answered batting my eyelashes at her.

“Don’t you yes me, mister.”

“Good morning, dear,” Mr. C said greeting his loud daughter.

“Good morning Daddy. Good morning, Mrs. O’Dell. I’m sorry for your loss.”

“My loss?” Mom said with a questioning tone.

“Yes, the early death of your son!”

“Jean!” Mr. C exclaimed with a smile. “The O’Dells are our guests. I’ll not have you killing one of them. What happened?’

“Jean asked me to slid down the banister. I was going to take the left railing.”

“Oh no!” Mr. C said.

“Yes, she stopped me, I slid down the right side and then she said a person on the left side could fall all the way to the floor. She told me that she had gotten a broken wrist.”

“And a concussion,” Mr. C quickly added.

“Right, and I said that explained it.”

“Oh! So you figured it out,” Mr. C said very matter-of-factly.

“Figured out what?” my mom asked.

“That Jean landed on her head. She hasn’t been the same since.”

“DADDY!”

“Yes, my love?” her father said, quickly blinking his eye lashes, copying me, and making me laugh.

Jean sat down next to me and looked at my mother.

“Do I have to look forward to this treatment from all the men I love?”

“Yup!” Mom answered before she realized what Jean said. “Love!?”

“Oh oh,” Jean said quietly, taking hold of my hand.

“Really?” My mom didn’t sound as surprised as I’d have thought.

“Jean, I think perhaps our children need to tell us something,” Mr. C said.

That was when I noticed that he and my mom were holding hands under the table.

“Hold the phone! Are you two holding hands?”

“Yes.”

My mom answered my question and then sat there stone quiet. Mr. Carlesetti smiled and looked around the table before bellowing out, “LOIS!”

“What, Boss?”

“I hate that! Would you please take our breakfast orders so we can have a little family meeting?”

“Don’t you mean ‘families’ meeting?” Lois said, making a meaningful observation.

“Just take the orders, please.”

Lois went around the table and Jean ordered pancakes and sausage, I asked for the same. When Lois was done, she left and then Mr. C cleared his throat.

“Ahem! I guess the best way to say this is to just say it. Kids, I think I’m fallen for Joyce. We’re going to wait a couple three weeks for this crap to blow over and then, unless Paul has objections, I’m going to propose that he and Joyce move in here. At that time, if she will agree, Joyce and I will live together and if all goes well I hope we can get married.”

“Married!?” Joyce gasped.

“Wow, Mom. Work fast much?”

“Paul. Don’t make fun, please. I asked you last night if your father would be upset. When you told me no, I let myself go with Leo. We, um, slept together last night. But nothing happened. I mean something happened, but we didn’t have sex.”

“So what you’re saying is that we WILL have to do hand checks on you at Prom,” I said.

“Paul, please,” my Mom pleaded. “In some ways this feels so right, but I’m still not sure. If you’re going to take this less than seriously, I don’t know if I have the courage to take the step. I still love your dad so much and Leo loves his Sandra so much, but we feel like this has been like lightning striking.”

“Mom, I have no objection. I was hoping, actually Jean and I both talked about this possibility. We were wondering if we could still date if we were brother and sister.”

“Well of course, son. You would be step-brother and sister and not really related. Paul you would still be an O’Dell and Jean would be a Carlesetti. I wouldn’t ask Leo to adopt you or ask you to change your last name.”

“But while we’re on the subject,” Mr. C said, looking at his daughter. “What’s this about you love him?”

Jean blushed, “You kinda caught that huh?”

“Kinda, yeah.”

“Well, Daddy, he’s saved me twice. He is sweet and in spite of the smart remark about me landing on my head...”

“You mean wise remark,” Mr. C injected.

“Daddy! I was only eight years old. I was a rugrat.”

“I know, Baby. I won’t make any more comments about it. Paul, would you like to see some really cute baby butt pictures?”

“DADDY!”

“What? They’re cute.”

“They are of me naked!”

“Yeah, but they are great pictures of your cute little butt.”

“Daddy, if I want Paul to see my cute little butt, I’ll show it to him!”

Everyone at the table froze. I looked at Jean wondering if she had landed on her head just recently. Just then Lois came in with a cart full of breakfast delights. She placed plates in front of each of us and then refilled the OJ and coffee cups before leaving the area. I think she was hoping to dodge any shrapnel.

“So, today I have to do some homework before I go shopping for my Prom suit. Mr. C, do you think it’s safe?”

“If my guys go with you they should be able to keep you safe from the gamblers ... and my daughters cute little butt.”

Jean almost dropped her face into her pancakes and had her hair not been in a cute ponytail, she would’ve had syrup in her tresses. Finally, she accepted her fate and sat up straight and finished her breakfast in quiet grace and dignity.

“The detective called,” Mr. C said. “The only news is that the police have found the guy driving the red Honda and have arrested him on suspicion.”

“Suspicion of what?”

“Suspicion of suspicion!” Mr. C said with a chuckle. “They are going to sweat him a little, but I don’t think he’ll talk. However, my guys are waiting for him. When he’s released my people will ask him a few questions. And convince him to be more forthcoming.”

“OK, I have to ask,” I said. “Mr. C, I’m sorry and I don’t want to insult you, but have my mother and I gotten ourselves into a war between two “families”?” I made air quotes when I said “families”.

He smiled and put down his fork. He finished chewing his Denver omelet and swallowed. He slowly wiped his mouth and then looked at my mom and then at me.

“Paul, several years ago my “family”, as you put it, was involved in some shady dealings. Ours was one of the families that went into legitimate business. This is not a gang war. This is some punk gamblers who tried to take my daughter away from me. I still have friends and contacts and I’m using them to protect my family, which now includes your mother and you, if you don’t mind.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. C. I just had to ask. I love Mom and after seeing how well you live I was concerned.”

“I understand. I really do. But rest assured that I have no interests in anything that is even remotely illegal.”

If the look on his face was any indicator, he was telling the truth. I nodded and turned my attention back to Jean.

“Jean do you still want to go shopping with me today, I mean if we can leave the grounds?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind being seen with a brain-damaged girl,” Jean said sarcastically.

“No, I don’t mind,” I said very sincerely.

“Paul! I swear...”

I don’t know why, but right then and there in front of God and everybody I took her head in both of my hands and I kissed her with as much passion as I could muster. I released her after about a minute and let her sink back into her seat. She seemed to be having trouble sitting and was weaving a little.

“Jean are you OK?” my mom asked.

“Oh yeah ... I’m doing fine ... Feeling pretty good ... Yup.”

“Paul, while that was impressive, perhaps kisses like that should not be shared in front of your parents,” Mr. C said.

“Sorry, I just felt that the time was right.”

“Yup ... Time was right ... Uh huh.”

Jean was still weaving in her seat and blinking her eyes randomly as she spoke.

“Paul, when did you learn to kiss a girl like that?” my mom asked.

“I don’t know, Mom. I just sort of did it.”

“Yes he did ... He did it all right ... Yup. Yup. Yup.”

I rubbed Jean’s back and looked over at Mr. Carlesetti.

“Mr. C, will we be able to leave the property and get my suit for Prom today?”

“I think so. My guys will go with you. But you should be OK. Assuming that Jean is fully functional.”

I continued to rub Jean’s back and she was soon returning to her normal self.

“Paul kiss me again,” Jean begged.

“I don’t think I should do that. Not after what your dad said.”

“What did he say?”

“Jean, he said it right in front of you.”

“He did?”

“Yes. I kissed you and you went a little loopy for a few minutes.”

“Oh. Yeah. That kiss. Wow! Thanks. When can you do that again? Do you need to regenerate or something?”

“Heck, Jean, I don’t know. I’ve never kissed a girl that I love. My lips are in all new territory here. Right now you should finish your breakfast and then we need to get some homework done. Let’s get to all that before we go shopping for my suit.”

“OK.”

Jean smiled and returned to her pancakes. I returned to mine. Lois returned and filled my glass of OJ. That was when I returned my attention to the fact that my mother and Mr. C were still holding hands under the table.