Chapter 5

After walking nearly a mile to get my truck, I drove to work. I parked at the office and saw my oldest brother Frank smiling through the window. He was also my boss. The sun was only a couple fingers above the horizon, and his white Cadillac was the only other vehicle in the parking lot. I wanted a full-sized pickup, maybe an F350, which would be great for work tasks. I’d also dreamed of having a Corvette or another hot sports car.

Other than Stormi, my primary goal was starting my own company and flipping houses. I’d buy them cheaply at auction, fix them up, then sell them for a hefty profit. Instead of buying a flashy car, I saved what I could and made do with my rusty little S10 pickup, which I’d bought cheap from my brother Rodney when he got his new Range Rover.

Frank was our construction company’s Architect and General Manager and Rodney was Engineer. I had never gone to college and was only a lowly Team Lead, in charge of a three- to six-man crew most days. I didn’t like plumbing, and knew I’d never reach Journeyman Plumber, which was the last qualification I needed for promotion to Foreman. I hated crawling in the mud, and it seemed any pipes I put together were cursed to leak. I was already a Master Electrician and Master Carpenter, plus a Journeyman at drywall, brick + tile, and concrete.

As I shambled in Frank happily said, “Whatever you told Helen last night, thanks, bro!”

I was hungover and badly needed some caffein. In my confusion, I asked, “Huh? What?” I vaguely remembered Helen being furious with me.

“Wendy will watch the kids this weekend, and my wife ORDERED me to go to a strip club Friday night! She says she wants to date another guy sometimes, and once a month she’ll let me mess around with somebody else!”

“Wow! I was pretty drunk last night.” I filled a coffee mug and fibbed. “I’m not sure what happened.” I took a few sips and said, “Maybe five years back, you asked her for a yearly ‘cheat day’ but she turned you down. She finally agreed?”

“Not just once a year, a whole weekend every month!” I hadn’t seen him so elated since his younger daughter Summer was born. I sipped more of the hot black elixir of life, and the expression on his face gradually changed to uncertainty and embarrassment.

“I think maybe Helen uh ... has feelings for you. I ... I trust you, Bro. I know you won’t uh ... hurt her or try to take her away, right?”

“Of course not!” I didn’t believe she wanted to date me. The previous night, it looked like she wanted to murder me instead.

“If Helen wants you, I...” He choked up a moment. “I give you permission. You’ve had like forty women over the years, so I know you won’t keep her long. Right?”

I laughed and admitted, “Hahaha! Thirteen girlfriends, just thirteen, a baker’s dozen.” My brothers and I grew up next door to the Kramer and Wilson families, and had a major thing for their girls in our early days. They apparently had a thing for us, too. Rod and Frank had both dated two sisters from each family, but I’d been with all seven girls. I smiled in self-satisfaction remembering. I’d cum in all seven of their mouths, and all but Helen’s pussy. I doubted it would happen, but anticipated that changing soon. I thought that at the same age, Helen had been just as beautiful as her daughter Stormi. She was still remarkably attractive for nearly forty.

I continued, “I’d never hurt you or Helen, bro. We’re family.” I felt a surge of guilt about what I’d done with my niece. Him hearing I had sex with his precious daughter Stormi ... I sure didn’t want to be on the receiving end of the rage that would cause.

He patted my shoulder. “Good.” He drastically changed the subject. “Rod and I need to finish up the Oak Apartments proposal today. Julio and his guys are working on the Anderson Road development the rest of the week.” Julio was my direct supervisor, our Foreman. “Today I want you to pull the concrete forms off the new retaining wall at the park on seventh, with Mike and Hector. Then take a dozer and a loader with backhoe over to the Brighton job, and level the ground. Have Hector run the loader. I know Mike enjoys driving it, but last Thursday he dug through a bunch of cables.”

I was there and saw Mike cause the minor disaster. It knocked out power and internet service for a thirty-block area, and we were stuck standing around most of the day while the power and telecom companies patched dozens of wires and fiber lines. The repairs would probably cost our company twenty grand, half what Mike or Hector made in a year. I was annoyed that my brother thought he needed to tell me. It seemed either he or Rod irritated me every day. I was tired of supervising barely capable boneheads, too. The sooner I could start house flipping, the sooner I could get out from under my brothers’ thumbs, and the happier I would be. I remembered I had forty grand saved away, about half what I needed.

I sighed and said, “After last night I need another coffee. With Mike...” I groaned, “Gurrr ... two more, maybe three.” Frank chuckled as I refilled my cup and took an aspirin.