Chapter 4: The Boys

Laura was surprised when her husband came through the front door while she was eating a hasty breakfast early Wednesday morning. Jack dropped his suitcase in the living room and walked into the kitchen to kiss his wife.

For one of the few times in her life, Laura Norton was flustered. The pain in her bowels reminded her of what she had done the afternoon before and she felt strangely guilty about it, even if her husband was returning from what she was certain was a nonstop orgy with his teenage mistress.

“You’re home early,” was all she could think of.

“Everything fell into place last night,” Jack remarked. “You know how those things happen.”

“Did you have breakfast on the plane?”

“Yeah,” Jack sighed.

“Coffee?”

“A cup would be nice,” Jack said. “I have to shower and change and head for the office.”

Something was wrong, very wrong. Laura sensed it, but she couldn’t guess what it was. Jack was very nervous, more nervous than she had seen him in years.

“Tell me what’s happened with you while I was away,” he said as she followed him to the bedroom.

Laura spoke very generally about her work, desperately trying to get a handle on what was wrong with Jack. They’d been married too many years for her not to recognize his anxiety.

Was this all an effort to make peace after their angry weekend before he left? Laura didn’t think so.

She saw his hand tremble when he lit a cigarette after showering and heard his frustrated, impatient sigh when be had trouble buttoning the collar of his shirt. Wondering if it was business, she asked him questions about the Federated account.

“It was just a silly mix up after all,” he assured her a little weakly. “They had double paid us twice and somehow it never was credited to their account. That and a territory misunderstanding. Little things can become giant messes, can’t they.”

“Then you didn’t lose the account?”

“Oh, no. In fact, the new contract they signed yest ... last night calls for an increase in billing.”

Laura heard his near slip and his quick cover to explain why he had stayed in Seattle last night, but chose to ignore it. She was glad that he hadn’t lost the Federated account. That could have been a financial disaster.

“I’m glad,” she said slowly.

“Look, Laura,” Jack began cautiously, “I know that things have been strained between us and I want you to know that I’m sorry. We have to get back on our old track again. I’ve been thinking that we should take a trip together. Maybe Hawaii. We can borrow from our savings. You’ve been working pretty hard.”

“Let’s talk about it later, Jack,” Laura replied softly. “I’m late now and I have to get to work.”

“Okay,” Jack smiled.

Laura shook her head as she drove to the church facility. This complete reversal in Jack’s attitude had her baffled. And why was he so nervous?

A trip to Hawaii? They’d talked about that for years, even saved towards it. Why now, she wondered. Why at this particular moment?

Had Jack had a lover’s fight with Candy? Had it somehow come to him how ridiculous he looked with a teenage girl? Or had Candy tired of a lover old enough to be her father? Was that it? Had they fought? And was he now trying to make up at home?

Laura doubted that. In the first place, if Candy had told him to stuff it, Jack would have been desperately down in the dumps, not anxious to make up with Laura and please her. And the Hawaii trip was definitely designed to please her. Jack didn’t care that much about going back to the islands. He’d been stationed there when he was in army and wasn’t anxious to be reminded of those days.

This was the last Wednesday of the month, the day set aside for church staff meetings. Laura doodled restless on her pad as she listened to other members of the staff outline their progress and problems during the past month. They had lunch at the Denny’s across the street and then returned for further discussion.

Laura was glad that she wasn’t affected by the budget cuts Carl announced. Each staff member protested the decrease of funds available for certain projects.

“This is just temporary,” Carl assured the group. “The new playground equipment we ordered simply threw us over budget. We’re going to ask the congregation to increase their tithing, so we should be out of this crisis by fall.”

“Which we should be able to increase the number of foster kids,” Pastor McGrudder stated.

“Probably,” Carl smiled, “but our crises always seem to work themselves out.”

The talk about crisis made Laura’s mind wander back to her husband. It was obvious that Jack was experiencing some sort of a crisis and Laura wished she knew what it was and how she could help.

“Laura?”

“What? Oh, I’m sorry, Carl,” she said. “I must have been daydreaming.”

“Did you come to our monthly meeting without your NoDoz?” McGrudder asked.

“I was asking you what you thought about the Harper boy,” Carl said when the chuckles died down.

“Oh,” Laura responded, hoping that she wasn’t blushing. The mention of Matt’s name brought the exciting vision of his black cock to her mind instantly. “Well, please remember that this is an unqualified opinion. I’m sure that Pastor McGrudder can say much more than I can about Matt Harper. I think that there’s a good possibility that Matt could make an excellent adjustment in a white home.”

“Providing a white foster family is emotionally ready for a black teenager, I agree,” McGrudder said.

“That, of course,” Laura said.

“Do you think he’s ready now?” Carl Mersh asked.

“Well,” Laura said cautiously, “I’m not sure about that.”

“I think that he needs some conditioning preparation, as it were,” McGrudder offered.

“Laura?” Carl prompted.

“I think Pastor McGrudder is right,” Laura said.

“If it didn’t work out, it could set Matt back quite a bit.”

“I also think it would be a mistake to concentrate too hard on him alone,” McGrudder added. “He shouldn’t be made to feel that he’s too special.”

“Okay,” Carl said. “I think we have the perfect home for him, so I’d like to go ahead as quickly as possible. I agree that he shouldn’t be made to feel too special. My suggestion, Laura, is that you include Matt in every group you take to your home. That way, you can give him some concentrated preparation without seeming to single him out.”

“All right,” Laura said with mixed emotions.

The meeting broke up not long afterward and Laura drove home to find Jack already there. She looked at her watch and was surprised to find it wasn’t even four o’clock yet. Jack was never home this early.

When she walked into the house, Jack had a drink waiting for her. “I was tired,” he remarked, “so I came home early. Working as hard as you have been, I thought you’d appreciate this.”

“Thanks,” Laura said as she noted his hand tremble when he handed her the cocktail. She did not remind him that this was the first time in ten years that he had mixed her a cocktail like this.

Laura changed into a lounging robe and they sat in the living room talking. She had to fight back the urge to ask him what was bothering him, and they exchanged small talk. She noted that Jack was interested in her work and solicitous about how she was doing.

Every time she tried to change the conversation back to his trip, Jack clammed up and became noticeably more nervous.

When she offered to fix dinner, Jack insisted they go out. Laura changed clothes again and they went to her favorite seafood restaurant near the church. By the time they finished dinner Laura was exhausted from trying to get her husband to talk about his trip. He either avoided her questions or changed the subject, so she finally gave up.

As they climbed into bed, Jack remarked, “I feel like making love tonight, honey, but I’m so damned zapped I can’t see straight!”

“I understand,” Laura said kindly.

Alone with everything else, this remark sent her curiosity soaring to new heights and Laura tossed and turned for quite a while before she fell asleep. Laura learned the reason for Jack’s strange reversal early the next morning, and the solution came from an entirely unexpected source.

Laura overslept and Jack kissed her good-bye as she came out of the shower. It was only seven-thirty, and Laura wasn’t due to pick up the kids this morning until ten, but all of their married life she had prepared Jack’s breakfast and it was particularly irritating that she had slept so long today when Jack was in such a strange mood.

The front doorbell rang just as Laura was pouring her coffee. She wondered who in the world would be ringing their bell before eight in the morning. Her forehead creased when she opened the door and found Candy Delany standing there.

“Mrs. Norton,” Candy began nervously, “I’m sorry it’s so early, but I just have to talk to you.”

“Jack has already left for the office,” Laura said in a very cool voice. The nerve of the bitch coming here.

“It’s you I have to talk to, Mrs. Norton, not Jack. May I come in?”

Laura was tempted to slam the door in the teen’s face, but something held her back. The girl was obviously distraught and highly nervous. Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

“Can’t it wait until later?” Laura asked, still reluctant to face this girl alone.

“It can’t wait!” Candy cried. “Please, Mrs. Norton. It’s, it’s important.”

“All right,” Laura sighed. She stood back and let the girl into the living room. The girl’s usually erect frame was stooped and Laura could tell that her distress was very real.

“How about a cup of coffee?” Laura offered. “I was just pouring mine when you rang the bell.”

“Yes, please,” Candy said.

Laura poured an extra cup and brought it into the girl. Candy sat on the couch and Laura sat across from her in the large overstuffed chair.

“I, I don’t know where to begin,” Candy said hesitantly.

“Until I know what’s on your mind,” Laura chuckled, “I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

“Mrs. Norton, I’d, well, I’d rather walk through fire than come to you like this.”

“Come now, Candy,” Laura smiled, “it can’t be that serious.”

“Oh, but it is.” Candy said quickly. “You see, well, Jack and I have, well, we’re...”

“Having an affair?” Laura offered. “I know, Candy. I know all about it.”

“You do?” Candy asked in amazement. “How? I mean, did Jack tell you?”

“Never mind that, Candy. I want to hear what you have to tell me. Does Jack know you’re here?”

“No. Heavens, no,” Candy sighed. “I sat in my car down the street and waited until he left.”

Laura studied the girl carefully and believed her. Candy was so distraught Laura almost felt sorry for the young girl. But she deserves it, Laura reminded herself.

“So?” Laura prompted.

“The, the worst thing of all has happened, Mrs. Norton,” Candy blurted out.

“What?” Laura asked softly, almost enjoying this.

“I’m, I’m pregnant!” Candy cried. Laura jolted forward. This was something she hadn’t expected.

“You’re sure?” Laura demanded.

“Positive.”

“When? I mean, how long?”

“I missed my period by three weeks,” Candy said.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean...”

“I got one of those pregnancy tests. It was positive.”

“Oh, I see,” Laura said. “Does Jack know?”

“I told him last week,” Candy replied. “That’s why he took me to Seattle.”

“And?” Laura prompted.

“He was very mad,” Candy said. “You see, I lied to him. I told him I was taking the pill.”

“Why did you do that?” Laura asked.

“Because, I didn’t want him to think I was a silly girl who was too young to even get a prescription for the pill. Now he wants me to get an abortion.”

“It sounds like the sensible solution to me,” Laura sighed. What a fucking mess. If the church found out though, she and Jack would be asked to leave and that would put her job in jeopardy.

“But, but we’re Baptists and the church wouldn’t approve,” Candy cried. “Abortion is, is murder in God’s eyes. Not to mention my parents. It would devastate them if they knew.”

“What, that your pregnant or an abortion?” If anyone found out, Jack was fucked and so was she. God damn him.

“Both.”

“That’s a conflict you’ll have to resolve between God, your parents, and yourself, Candy,” Laura said, none too kindly. “Being an unwed mother today is murder itself.”

“You don’t understand,” Candy said plaintively. “I want to have Jack’s baby.”

“Then go ahead and have it!” Laura snapped. “I’m sure your parents will throw quite a christening party.”

“Please, Mrs. Norton.”

“Candy, I don’t understand why you’ve come to me with all of this,” Laura said. “What do you expect me to do? Are you here to ask me to be the child’s godmother?”

“Mrs. Norton, you have to help me!” Candy pleaded.

“Let’s get one thing straight right now, Candy. I don’t have to help you at all. Even if I would, I don’t see how I could.”

“You’ve got to convince Jack that he has to marry me,” Candy cried.

“Marry you?” Laura snapped. “You seem to forget Jack is already married. I’m his wife, remember?”

“You could give him a divorce,” Candy said.

“A divorce?” Laura had a strong urge to throw the teen out of her house, but she fought it back. “Did Jack put you up to this?”

“No! He doesn’t know I’m here at all,” Candy replied frantically.

“Have you discussed this with Jack?” Laura demanded. “What does he think about getting a divorce to marry you?”

“He, he won’t do it!” Candy said with tears welling in her eyes. “He, he says he likes me, but he doesn’t love me that way. He says we would be miserable, that people would always make jokes about the difference in our ages. I told him I didn’t care about what people said, but he just won’t listen.”

Relief flooded Laura’s system and she felt her muscles relax. So Jack wasn’t in love with the pretty young girl. He’d been confronted with the crisis and wanted to return to his marriage.

“Jack’s right, Candy,” Laura said quietly. “You’d be miserable.”

“He’s just saying that because of you.” Candy insisted. “I know it. You’ve been married so long and he doesn’t want to hurt you. If he knew that you didn’t care, that you’d give him a divorce, he’d marry me. I know it.”

“Do you think that you’re in love with Jack, Candy?” Laura asked softly.

“Oh, yes!” Candy cried.

“You may think you are, Candy,” Laura said, deciding to see if she couldn’t bring the girl to her senses, “but you’re not. You’re in love with his hard prick, that’s all. You were a starry-eyed little virgin when he pulled your pants down and shoved his hard cock up your cunt, and you can’t get over the joy of sex. It’s sex you’re in love with, not Jack.”

“You bitch!” Candy shrieked.

“Oh, I know that you can’t accept that now,” Laura smiled. “But if you’ll think about it, you’ll realize that there’s a lot in what I’m saying. You’re a pretty girl and you have a very sexy body, Candy. Any man would want to take you to bed. And Jack’s only human. You swished that cute tail of yours in front of him until he couldn’t stand it. So Jack took you out and laid you. He taught you all about sex, how to suck cock, how much fun it was to have your cunt licked, and the two of you had a ball together this summer. Now you’re pregnant and you want him to divorce me and marry you. So when the fun is over and things get serious, Jack levels with you and tells you that he doesn’t love you and doesn’t want to get a divorce to marry you. It’s time for you to grow up, Candy.”

“Oh my god!” Candy cried, tears flowing freely from her eyes now. “You’re, you’re awful!”

“Because I’m telling you the truth?” Laura smiled.

“You’re just bitch enough not to give him a divorce if he wanted it!” Candy cried. “Why do you think he, he laid me? Because your cunt is all dried up and dead, that’s why!”

Laura wanted to pull the girl to her feet and slap her senseless. She dug her nails into her palms. Candy was suffering enough now, and she’d suffer a lot more before this was over.

“No, Candy,” Laura said quietly. “Jack laid you for variety, because you were something different. You’re young and laying you made Jack feel young again. He was tired of the same old sex all the time. And now, Candy, he’s tiring of you.”

“That’s not true!” Candy screamed. “We, we fucked for three hours our last night in Seattle. He’s not tired of me.”

Regardless of the fact that she already knew it, hearing the girl say it sent a pang through Laura’s heart.

“Wasn’t that your farewell fuck?” Laura asked with a smile.

“No! We’re, we’re going to a motel this afternoon.” Candy announced defiantly.

Laura flinched with that remark, but she would never let the girl knew that it hurt her. “Well, have a good time,” Laura said.

“You, you don’t care. You just don’t care, do you?” Candy demanded.

“I care very much, Candy,” Laura responded sincerely, “but I don’t really see that there is much I can do about it. I love my husband and I’ll be here waiting for him when he’s through with you.”

“You dirty bitch!” Candy screamed as she jumped up and ran for the front door. “I’m sorry I came here.”

“I’ll bet you are,” Laura said, but the door had already slammed behind the distraught teenager.

Candy ran down the block and climbed into her EV. She was crying so hard she had to wipe her eyes to see the start button. When she pressed the button, nothing happened. She pressed it again and again until she finally accepted the fact that her battery was dead. She had been meaning to buy a new battery, but she kept putting it off because she spent all of her free time with Jack.

“How can I face him today!” she cried. The young girl dropped her head to the steering wheel and let go to have a good self-indulgent cry. Candy did not want to go to the office. That bitch of a wife had probably already called him and told him that she had been there. Jack would be furious. She couldn’t go home and endure the endless questions her mother would subject her too because she wasn’t working. She cried and cried, wanting to purge her system so that she could think logically. Candy’s head was still bent over the steering wheel when Laura backed her car out of the garage and drove past the parked EV.

Laura herself was so preoccupied she failed to notice Candy slumped over the steering wheel in the parked car as she passed.

After a few minutes Candy composed herself and walked to the nearest gas station. The mechanic drove her back in the tow truck and checked her battery. “It’s below normal,” he said, “But it has plenty of juice left to start the car. Must be the starter that’s bad.”

Candy moaned when he told her that he would have to go to the electric car store to get a starter. He offered to let her ride with him, but Candy didn’t like the way he was eyeing her and said she’d rather remain with her car. Thus, Candy Delany was sitting in her car when Laura drove back with the three teen boys.

Candy had little desire to talk to Laura again so she stayed low in the seat. Once Laura had passed and entered the driveway, Candy sat up and idly watched the boys climb out of the car. Candy was terribly depressed and gave Laura and the boys only idle interest until something in the way the black boy moved rang an intuitive bell in her mind. Was something going on here?

“They’re teenagers,” Candy said softly, shaking her head and smiling at herself for being suspicious. She watched Laura unlock the door and usher the three young boys inside, then returned to her own problems.

Once they were inside the living room, Pete Carlson hit Donnie Mason on the arm and accused him of pushing.

“Boys! Boys!” Laura snapped. “Now just calm down. Why don’t you go out in the backyard and play darts?”

Laura was definitely not herself today. She was short of patience and ready to jump at every little sound. And it certainly wasn’t the boy’s fault.

“Is everything okay?” Matt asked Laura when the other two ran out to the patio.

“Sure, Matt,” Laura said. “Everything is fine. Go out with the others and I’ll be with you in a minute.”

“Okay.”

Laura walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinet and took down the bottle of vodka. She never drank in the morning, but today was an exception. Laura poured a stiff straight shot and downed it. Candy had unsettled her this morning. She could have killed Jack for getting the young girl pregnant. And while none of it was her doing, she was involved whether she liked it or not. What a fucking mess. Once again she tilted the vodka bottle, but this time she half filled a water tumbler with the clear liquor. If she could just relax.

So they were going to a motel this afternoon and fuck. The thought absolutely infuriated Laura. If Jack wanted to dump Candy, why didn’t he dump her? Why keep it alive? Maybe he thought he was letting her down gently, but as far as Laura was concerned he was just prolonging the agony for the teen girl. And how did he think Laura felt when he was off in a motel fucking Candy? She drained the tumbler and almost gagged as the burning alcohol raced down her throat into her empty stomach.