Chapter 3

I woke up on Saturday morning with an erection. I thought nothing of it for a start. Hell, I woke up every morning with an erection.

Lying lazily in the early morning sunshine, I was just considering what exactly to do with it when my mother knocked lightly on the door, and swept in, completely ignoring my right to privacy. I turned over, quickly, and groaned at Mum as she pulled open the drapes and looked out at the brightness.

"Joseph, I've seen erections before, and I know what they are for. There's no need for you to hide every time I walk in the room."

"You've what ... Mum!"

"What, Joseph?"

"You can't say stuff like that. It's embarrassing!"

"Oh, my word, Joseph, is that all it takes? Next you'll be telling me you don't masturbate, despite my having to wash the evidence off your sheets."

"Mum, I don't ... I ... You know?"

"Of course I know. I have brothers, and you did have a father, you recall?"

"Yeah, but ... Oh God, can we discuss this some other time?"

"I won't have you speaking that way in my house, young man."

"What way?"

"Taking the Lord's name. I just won't have it. And don't think I haven't heard those other things you've been saying, either."

"Other things?"

"You want me to repeat them?"

"No!"

"Alright, then. Listen, I'll go. Three things first. I don't mind you masturbating. Just keep it to yourself, as you have so far. Secondly, remember we are helping with the refit at the diner today. Thirdly, don't take my casual attitude to your jerking off as an invitation to anything else."

"Else, Mum?"

"Fornication, Joseph."

"What?"

"Say, 'I beg your pardon', Joseph. Not 'what'."

"Sorry, Mum. Beg your pardon?"

"Fornication. Sex, Joseph. Between unmarried persons."

"Oh."

"Maybe if I said 'fucking'?"

"Mum!"

"Well, I won't have it in my house."

"No, I can see that."

"Are you giving me that attitude, Joseph?"

"No, Mum. I'm not."

"Good. Well, finish with that business, and get up."

"Business?"

"You know. Under there."

"Oh, you mean..."

"Masturbation, Joseph."

"Oh. I couldn't."

"No?"

"Not now."

"Well, get up then. Enough said about the matter. I try to be a proper mother, but being a father as well ... it's not easy."

"I know, Mum."

"Good."

As she turned and marched back toward the door, I called out to her again. "Mum?"

She turned back, her stern look still apparent. "Yes, Joseph?"

"You do a good job, Mum. The best."

"Oh," she said, surprised. "Thank you, Joseph." Her face lit up then with a smile, and she walked out of the room, calling "I try, Joseph. I try," back over her shoulder.

I lay there for a minute thinking through the ramifications of what she had just said. Mum never talked about sex. This was something of a breakthrough. I couldn't wait to tell Mel, at the diner.

Melanie. That caused me to think a minute longer, recalling what she had done to me a few days before, and what she had made me do. My erection reappeared in short order, and I reached down to stroke it, before realising that Mum would know what I was doing, and that meant I couldn't go through with it. I wondered briefly if that was why she brought it up.

I bounced out of the bed, wide awake now, and headed for the shower, though not before pausing in front of the full length mirror near the door, to admire my physique in the reflection. Alright, not my physique, just a small part of it. It didn't look too bad, and I took another couple of tentative strokes at it, before smiling to myself, and entering the bathroom.

We showed up at the diner a few minutes before we'd agreed to, and found the place deserted, and the door locked. I wasn't used to the diner being closed, and it all seemed a bit strange. I should have taken that as a sign. The day was going to be strange indeed.

Mum and I were only there a few minutes when Mel showed up, dressed in a short denim skirt and a buttoned up shirt. I was entranced, as usual. Mum tutted disapprovingly, standing in the doorway, before Mel got close enough to hear. After that, she put on her polite voice.

"Morning, Melanie. It seems we can't get in. Perhaps we should all go home?"

"That would go down well Nancy, wouldn't it? Neil would arrive, and have to do all the work himself. I'd say we would both be looking for new jobs."

"Oh, well we can't have that."

"No, we can't. Morning, Joe."

"Hi, Mel."

"You ready to work hard all day, Joe?"

"Well, I don't know. Showing up doesn't count?"

"You get some points for that, but the rest are for actual work."

"Oh, bad luck."

"Tell you what, how about, after we finish, I take you for a swim?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. Would that be alright, Nancy?"

"I suppose so, Melanie. But he doesn't have his things with him."

"We could swing past and pick them up."

"Oh, alright then. Thank you, Melanie. You sure it won't be too much trouble?"

"No, it will be fine, really. You up for it, Joe?"

"Yeah, that sounds great Mel."

"Okay. Oh, there he is."

Neil drove an old ute with more parts rusting than not. I was always surprised that he was allowed to keep it on the road. I assumed that he had an arrangement with someone who would certify it without looking too closely. Maybe over the phone. As he pulled up outside the door, I noticed that he had someone else in the cab, a man, about his size and age, from the look of it. They both piled out, and slammed the doors behind them.

"Morning, ladies," Neil called, and pretended to take a hat off his head, and bow with it. He was obviously more relaxed than usual. I'd never seen him when he wasn't working, and this was like a different person. "Ladies, may I introduce this guy to you? He's my brother, but don't hold that against him. Robert, this is Nancy, my best worker, and this is Mel. She's second best, but don't tell her. She gets a swelled head, and calls me names."

"Morning, Mel. Morning, Nancy."

Mum was the first to respond. "Best worker? Have you been drinking, Neil?"

"I have actually, Nancy, but not this morning. Rob flew in last night, and we had a couple."

"Couple, Neil"? That was Robert.

"Alright, a few more than a couple."

"He got plastered, girls. I had to help him to bed."

"Oh, you did not."

"Well, who did you think it was?"

"I was hoping the blonde."

"Fat chance. She left after you were rude to her."

"I was?"

"You were. Anyway, I know I'm the new guy here, but does this young chap not get an intro?"

"Oh, sorry, Joe. You're part of the furniture. I forgot. Robert, Joseph. Joe is Nancy's son."

"Brother."

"No, son."

"Surely not."

"Listen, there's no time today for you to be hitting on the staff. They get enough of that when we are open."

Mum managed to get a word in. "Thank you, Robert, though your attachment to reality is a little suspect."

Mel spoke up, too. "Hey, do you get hit on, Nancy? I don't." She knew she was lying, and Mum went bright red.

"Stop it, all of you," she said. "You are all talking nonsense, and you can't even blame the heat, yet. How about opening this door, Neil."

The diner seemed a little strange inside, so quiet and peaceful. It can't have just been me that noticed, because Neil immediately wandered over to the jukebox, found the appropriate key from the bunch in his hand, and selected a few tunes to play. By the time he came back to the counter, Robert had returned to the ute, picked up a roll of plans off the seat, and come back inside. He was just unrolling them when Neil stepped up and took over.

"Ladies. Yes, Robert, that includes you. This is what I want to happen..."

I lost interest at that point, knowing that they would tell me what they wanted me to do. I was also distracted by Mel, who had leaned on the counter in such a way that her legs were on display, mostly to me, and her skirt had ridden up her back so much that I could almost see her panties. I thought the whole thing was unintentional until she turned her face to me, smiled, and winked. She wiggled her butt then, just a little, to make sure I realised that it was for me. I must have blushed, and I turned away, walked along the length of the counter, and sat down. It was too early in the morning to have to hide a hard-on, and I would have to if I kept looking.

Eventually the plans were digested, tasks were assigned, and Mel came down my way, and asked if I could help her move some of the tables. They were bolted to the floor, and needed to be detached, moved, and then new holes drilled to replace the bolts. Mel knew where to put them, and handed me the spanner to start undoing them.

Soon, we were alone at one end of the diner. I was on my hands and knees under a table, and Mel had just finished removing the condiments and things that littered the top of it.

"Joe," she said quietly to me, standing next to the table.

"Yeah, Mel." I didn't look up. I was busy with the spanner.

"Joe, you know why I wore this skirt today?"

"Ah, because it's hot?"

"What is?"

"The weather."

"Oh. Not the skirt?"

"Oh." I looked up. From where I was crouching, I would see Mel's legs, and where they went all the way up inside her skirt, and her pale panties. She moved her feet apart while I watched, and wiggled her ass again. "Dammit Mel, you know it is."

"The skirt is hot?"

"Uh huh. And so are you."

"Ooh, thanks Joe. I do so like teasing you."

"I can tell."

"Of course. Well, look all you want. I like you watching. I'm bad, I know."

"I can do that. But listen, don't do anything to make me..."

"Excited?"

"Yeah, excited. I have to walk around the diner today."

"Deal."

"Cool."

"Of course Joe, if I do anything by accident, you'll just have to ask me to stop."

"Oh, Mel!"

"Relax. I'll be good, mostly. Hey Joe, did you remember I said I had a surprise for you today?"

"Yeah, I remembered, but if you think you are sending me into the toilets again, you are wrong."

"Tough guy, huh?"

"Yeah, have to be."

"You like my panties?"

"Mel!"

"See, you're not so tough. Anyway, no plans for toilets. I'm just going to tease you all day. And you need to know something. If it makes you hot, it makes me hot."

"Oh, God."

"Uh uh. Your mother wouldn't like you saying that."

"I know."

"And 'fuck'."

"Fuck what?"

"No, she doesn't like you saying 'fuck'."

"No. I must tell you what she said to me this morning, sometime. Not now."

"Okay. Hey, take your eyes off my legs for a minute, and look up here at my face."

"Hmmm? Oh, sorry."

"I like it, but you need to listen for a minute."

"Okay."

"When your surprise arrives, you have to remember to trust me, okay?"

"Arrives?"

"Arrives. Just before lunch, I hope."

"Ah, okay."

"Good. Now, back to that spanner, while I flirt some more."

"Got it."

The rest of the morning went reasonably smoothly, Mel teasing me mercilessly with glimpses up her skirt, but managing to appear to be behaving whenever anyone else was watching. We were able to unbolt and move nine of the tables, and had them all set to reattach to the floor. We stopped for a breather, and a cold drink, and Neil even brought some cold beer out from the fridge in his office. I wasn't allowed one, and had to settle for a Coke, after Mum straightened Neil out yet again, but the two men and Mel both had one. A few minutes later, Mum helped herself to a bottle that was left sitting on the counter, and after pouring it into a glass, which none of the others had bothered to do, she joined us, laughing politely at Robert's digs at his brother, teasing Neil when she had the chance. There was something odd about her behaviour, but I was slow to catch on, and couldn't quite figure out what was happening.

Just as we were finishing off the drinks, and I was continuing to be surprised by Mum's behaviour, Mel's surprise arrived.

I didn't realise for a start. A girl came walking up to the front door of the diner. A nice looking girl, my age roughly, a redhead, with freckles, and a big smile. She pulled a large wheeled bag behind her, and pounded on the door with her fist.

I happened to be near the door, and pointed at the prominent closed sign, at least half sorry that the diner wasn't open. She shook her head, and said something that I couldn't hear properly. That was when Mel looked up.

"Ah. Joe. Your surprise is here."

"Oh, that girl has brought me something?"

"No, Joe. She's the surprise."

"Huh?"

"Let her in, and I can explain."

The key to the door was still in the keyhole, and I reached over to unlock it while Mel waved to the girl outside. The door clicked open suddenly, and the girl's weight caused it to swing in very fast, and she almost fell on the floor, except that she grabbed my arm. She stood up again, quickly, as we both apologised to each other, and then she turned to Mel.

"Well, Cuz, you going to do the intro's?"

"Yes, Stella, give me a minute will you?"

"If you insist." The broad smile returned to her face. "Start with the hero here, would you?"

"Of course. Joe, this is Stella, Lenny's cousin. Stella, Joseph."

"Charmed, Sir. Thanks for the save."

"Oh no, Stella, it was nothing. But it's just Joe, not Joseph. Only my mother calls me that."

"Speaking of which, here she comes. Stella, be good for a min, would you?"

"Aren't I always, Mel?"

"Frankly, no. But please. I don't want to get the hero in trouble."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good." Mum, with Neil and Rob in tow, had just wandered over to see what was going on. "Stella, this is my boss, Neil, his brother Robert, and Joe's mother, Mrs Campbell. Guys, this is Lenny's cousin, Stella. She's going to be staying with me for a while."

Mum piped up first. She seemed very chatty, and I wondered if the beer had been a good idea. "Melanie, there's no need for formality. Stella, it's Nancy."

Rob was next. "Hey, any friend of Mel's..."

"Is someone you don't know, and far too young for you." That was Neil.

"I wasn't..."

"Yes, you were. You can't help yourself."

"Oh, you can talk. That blonde last night..."

"Did I really?"

"You did. Hush. Nice to meet you, Stella. I'm Rob."

"And I'm Neil."

"Listen, brother..." Rob kept talking to Neil as they drifted away again. Mum stood there for a moment wondering what to do before deciding to go with them. She lifted a hand casually as though waving to Stella, and then left.

"Joe, she's very ... casual, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I don't know what's going on. It's not normal. Not for Mum."

"Hmm ... Watch out for her, Stella."

"Gotcha, Cuz. Listen, can I park the bag?"

"Oh, yeah, put it in the ladies. Nowhere else will be safe, with everything moving around. Jo, can you show her where that is?"

"Yeah, sure. Come with me, Stella."

"Certainly, my hero."

"Oh, stop that."

"No, Stella, keep it up. Teasing Joe is the best fun there is around here."

Stella left her bag in the bathroom, and came back out to where we were dealing with the tables. She had a quick whispered conversation with Mel, involving far too many giggles, and then headed back to the bathroom, while Mel went and got her a coke.

When Stella returned again, She had changed out of the jeans she had been wearing, and wore a skirt remarkably like Mel's, and a pink tee shirt which might have been a little too tight. Might have been, but I'm not one to complain. The shirt left a bare midriff showing, and the skirt was too short to hide much more. Mel stood and stared at her, and so did I.

"Yeah, that ought to do it, Stella."

"You think?"

"Well, we can ask him if he likes it."

"Well, hero? Does this pass?" She stunned me then, by twirling. The skirt flew up to reveal skimpy black briefs. Stella took my complete lack of an answer as an affirmative response, and grinned back at Mel. "Yep, you're right."

"I knew it."

"You're pretty clever, aside from your choice of boyfriend."

"Lenny's alright."

"Opinions differ. He must have something going for him though, for you to stick around."

"He does."

"Is it something you can discuss?"

"No."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yep."

"I never knew."

"No reason you should know about how your cousin behaves in the bedroom, is there?"

"Is that what you were talking about?"

"You know damn well!"

"I think, Cousin Melanie, that I'm going to enjoy teasing you at least as much as teasing Joe. We just might gang up on you. Right, Joe?"

"Leave me out of this."

"Coward."

"Stella, he's not a coward. I could tell you stories."

"You better not, Mel."

"Not those ones, Joe. Later, Stella. Let's get this work finished."

"Yes, Mistress."

"That's better."

We started positioning the tables in their new positions, and got Neil to come over with each one, and make sure this was where he really wanted it. After that, the girls would hold the table while I drilled new holes through the feet into the floor, and rebolted the tables. It was hot, dirty, sweaty work, but I didn't mind at all. Mel and Stella seemed to deliberately stand in positions where I could see straight up their skirts, and the fact that they were doing it on purpose just made it worse. It was lucky that I was crouching down on the floor, and no one could see the bulge in my trousers.

With a break for lunch, and another about an hour later, we got all the tables moved, and fastened to the floor. Neil came over to check things out, and was happy with the state of the furniture. He went back to the counter, and opened the till. I assumed that he had some more instructions, but he removed some cash from the drawer, and walked back over with it.

"Umm ... Mel, you want to do this the correct way, or the easy way?"

"Easy is best, Neill. What do you want to do?"

"I'll just give you the cash, okay, and then we can forget it?"

"Sure, suits."

"Okay, here you go." He counted out some notes and handed them to her. Then, as he turned to return to the till with the remainder, he had a thought. "Joe, Stella, you were a great help too. Here, I want you to have this." Generosity from Neil was unheard of, and my weird day was getting more wacky by the minute.

"You don't have to do that, Neil," I said to him, knowing that was what Mum would have wanted me to say."

"No, Neil, I just came here to meet up with Mel," said Stella. "I wasn't expecting payment."

"Well, seems to me that the fact you didn't expect it is the perfect reason to give it to you. Get Mel to come up with something, and go have fun with it." He handed us fifty dollars each, and put his hands to his ears every time we tried to thank him.

Eventually we gave up, and he smiled at us, and spoke again. "Actually guys, I had an ulterior motive. I hope you don't mind. I need someone to fill in the holes that are left from where the tables were. I've got some filler here. Maybe you could do that while you wait for Nancy to finish, Joe?"

"Oh," Mel butted in. "He isn't going with Nancy, Neil. He's coming swimming with us."

"Swimming?" That was Stella.

"Yes Stella, swimming."

"Oh, well doesn't matter that much. Never mind. You guys have fun, alright?"

"Neil, the three of us can do it, can't we?"

"Hey, I won't complain if you want to."

"I don't mind." Stella.

"Nor me." I finally spoke.

"It's settled then, Neil. Where's the filler?"

"Back of the truck. Joe, could you get it? Someone needs to let him out."

"I'll do that," Stella offered.

"Great. Leave you guys to it."

The filler was in disposable tubes, so there was no reason we couldn't all work on the job at once, and I handed out the tubes to the grinning girls. "What's so funny?"

"Well Joe, we aren't exactly dressed for this. I hope you'll be able to get your portion of the work done."

"Yeah, Joe. I can't hold my skirt down and do this. You'll have to be a gentleman, and not look."

"I won't look!"

"I bet you will. Stella, I told him earlier that he could look all he wants. Do you mind?"

"Oh, well, if you said he could, then I guess we have to let him."

They were grinning wildly now, and dropped to their hands and knees ready to start. I couldn't help but watch as they both deliberately wiggled their asses at me, and faced away from me whenever possible.

I was able to remain relatively calm until they started talking again.

"Mel, this tube of filler isn't much good."

"No?"

"No, it's going all stiff in the heat."

"Stiff?"

"Yeah, I'm having trouble keeping it under control. Is this the right way to hold it?"

"Yeah, that's it. You might need to stroke it to keep it working properly, Stella."

"I tried that, Mel, and it seems to make it stiffer."

They both collapsed, laughing, on the floor then, and pointed to my red face. I carried on with the job, as best I could, trying to pretend they weren't there. I wasn't very successful, but eventually, despite their help, we were finished. More teasing comments about how the tubes had now gone limp, and stroking them didn't seem to help at all, and then, finally, we went over to say goodbye to Mum, Neil and Robert.

The three of them seemed to have worked together rather well, but Mum and Robert especially. I realised then why Mum's behaviour had been a little strange earlier, and silently wished her luck. She needed someone, and Robert seemed nice.

Mel had another surprise for me though, before we left.

"Hey Nancy, what are you guys planning to do once you leave here?"

"Oh, just go home, and get some dinner ready for Joe, I guess."

Robert stepped straight in. "Oh, hold on, you can't do that. We have to go and celebrate. I've never worked for Neil before, and once I get out of here, I'll have to wash off the filthy accumulation of money. Well ... assuming he gives me any. You have to come with me."

"Me?"

"Yes, of course. Look, he's been poisoning you with his capitalist ideas on a daily basis. You'll need a few nice wines, and a decent meal."

"You people are just despicable, you know. I pay you, and keep you safe from the streets, and then you turn on me in an instant!" Neil was grinning now.

"Tell you what, Neil." This was Rob again. "How about you come with us. Nancy has to be my date though. She works for you. It wouldn't be proper."

"No, you two go, and have fun. But not yet, you have to help me with this first."

"Hold on. Hold on." This was Mum. "I can't go gallivanting off on a drinking spree with you, Rob. I need to be at home for Joseph."

"Oh, no," Mel piped in. "That's what I was going to say. Joe can stay at our place for the night. There's plenty of room, and then you don't have to hurry home."

"Oh ... I ... Joe, will that be alright? Mel, are you sure?"

We stood there and convinced her, Mel insisting that it wasn't a problem, and that we could grab everything I'd need before we went swimming, Rob insisting on the curative properties of red wine, and Neil complaining that we were wasting good working time on figuring it all out.

Eventually, it was settled, and we said our goodbyes, and headed for the door. Just as we got there, Mel turned to Stella.

"Hey Stel, what about your bag?"

"Oh, yeah, it's in the ladies. Joe, could you come help with the door?"

"Yeah, sure. Come on."

As we approached the bathroom, Stella had a change of heart. "Listen," she said to me, "Could you drag the bag, and I'll hold the door?"

"Sure thing, Stella. No prob. But it's in the ladies. You might have to bring it out first."

"Oh, come on. There's no one there. You can do it."

"Well, it's just ... oh, okay. I guess."

Stella held the door open for me, while I went through, and found the bag. I had never been in here before, and it felt rather weird, but I tried to concentrate on the bag. I unhooked the handle for towing it, and leaned it forward, and started to pull, but something was wrong.

"Hey Stella, the wheels won't go around."

"Oh, yeah, forgot about that. Hold on." Letting the door go, she came into the room, and up to the bag. "I could have just told you, I guess, but it's a little difficult to find the brake release, and besides, I couldn't have done this."

Without any warning, she took my head, turned it towards her, and raised her lips to my face. I didn't know what to do, but as soon as her face touched mine, I seemed to realise, and kissed her back. I don't know if it was any good, but it sure felt fine to me. She stood up close to me then, and took my hands, pulled them towards her, and placed them on her hips. Her own hands pulled my ass in toward her, and she tipped her face up and kissed me again. With some force. And a tongue. Hers. I loved it, but was terrified at the same time.

"Thanks for helping with my bag," she whispered in a husky voice.

"Ah, no problem Stella, none at all. Actually, I haven't done anything yet."

"You will though. I was just thanking you in advance."

"Wow."

"Yeah, I agree. Now tuck that thing in a bit, and let's go."

"God, you are worse than Mel."

"Not worse, better. Come on."

Stella stepped away from me, smiling again, at least partially at my attempts to reposition the bulge in my trousers, and the spectacle of redness that had formerly been my face. She opened the door again, and held it there.

"No one will notice, so long as you don't do anything silly, Joe. Just relax."

I couldn't. My mind was buzzing now, and I didn't know what to do. I took the bag, and trundled it out the door of the bathroom, doing my best to hide myself from whoever might be watching. It turned out that the only problem was Mel, and she didn't say anything until we were in the carpark.

"How we going to do this, guys? Anyone going to sit in the front?"

As I wheeled the bag to the boot of the car, both of the girls grinned at each other, and Stella yelled out, "Shotgun!" Needless to say, I ended up in the back.

As we pulled out of the carpark, Mel couldn't resist a comment. "You kissed him, didn't you, you slut!"

"I was just thanking him."

"For what?"

"Helping with my bag."

"But he hadn't done anything, and you didn't need help anyway."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well?"

"What?"

"You know."

"Oh. Enthusiastic, natural talent. No experience or training. Curable."

"Ah."

"Was that what you thought?"

"I've never kissed him Stella, but that's what I would have guessed."

"Yeah, me too."

I was left completely out of this conversation, flabbergasted, as the two of them continued chattering and giggling in the front of the car.

Eventually, we made it back to my house, and I left the two of them in the car, and went to get my stuff. Just as I got to the door, Mel stood up beside the car, and called out to me.

"Hey stud, you need a hand with your bag?"

I'm sure I went bright red again, but I ignored her as best I could, and picked up my things.

The trip from our place to the pool took about twenty minutes, most of which was spent giggling. I gave up trying to separate myself from what was going on, and just went with the flow.

When we arrived at the pool, I left the girls to get changed, and agreed to meet up with them near the main pool. When I got there, they were nowhere to be seen, and I stood around for a few minutes, feeling a little strange. It was worth it. As I looked over by the women's changing rooms, I could see them walking toward me. Mel was dressed just the way I imagined she would be, in a skimpy yellow bikini. I wasn't the only one watching her. But it was Stella that stunned me. She had on a shimmering black one-piece that hugged her curves like you wouldn't believe. The black brought out the freckles somehow as well, and the bathing suit inevitably emphasised her firm breasts. I actually jumped into the pool before they got to me, fearing that my interest would be obvious. They ran up then, and leapt in beside me. Mel was the better swimmer, and caught up to me first.

"Well stud, what do you think?"

"God, Mel. You both look stunning."

Stella surfaced beside her then. "What did he say, Mel?"