Chapter 9

Helen had hosted the Thorntons, Murphys, and Johanssons at the Turner home for Christmas Eve. Jake had a wonderful time. It was easy to be happy surrounded by people as good as these were. They attended midnight Mass together then parted ways at the church steps, full of the spirit of the occasion.

Christmas morning was more of the same as Melissa and Jake sat by the tree passing gifts to his newly extended family. At ten, the Diazes dropped in bringing gifts and homemade cookies. Jake scarfed down some cookies then rummaged under the tree for their gifts. He and Melissa had gone overboard for little Anita, but it was worth it watching her excitedly tearing off giftwrap paper with extra-bright eyes.

Jake and Melissa had a special gift for Louisa they managed to give her later. They had arranged for Louisa to get her GED and had a check for her to pay for a year’s worth of evening courses at Stetson. They also gave her a gold necklace with three intertwined hearts. Louisa held the check, too stunned to speak, as Jake pulled her hair out of the way and fastened on the necklace. Louisa thought that this had to be some kind of fantastical dream. From moping around the house in Houston to having lovers, horses, and college - all in the space of six months - was unbelievable.

The week between Christmas and New Years was relaxing after the frenetic pace of the week before. Visiting friends and introducing the Murphys around were the short list on the agenda for Jake. Melissa, as usual, threw herself into work, tidying up end-of-year details. Jake did find time to talk with Melissa and Charles Turner about Sean Murphy senior. Jake had concluded that, with all the retail business they were doing, it was time to look at corporate security and loss prevention.

Who better to head up loss prevention than an experienced big-city robbery detective? Melissa bought the idea right away. Employee pilfering was becoming an onerous operating expense for the expanding TnT and Thornton. Reducing theft from construction sites by ten percent would, by itself, pay for an entire loss prevention department. Jake himself approached Murphy with the offer. Sean senior said he would have to discuss it with the real boss and would let Jake know their decision before they departed on the third of January. Jake was hopeful they would seriously consider the offer. He knew they loved the area so far, plus the salary would be a definite upward move.

It was New Years Eve before they knew it. Maria’s party had been such a success last year that she was throwing another. When Jake and company arrived at the Thornton mansion most of the other guests were already there. In addition to last year’s crowd, the Murphys, Terry and Dawn, plus more people from Thornton Development were on hand. Maria’s law practice had grown in parallel with the expansion of the Turner and Thorntons’ business empires.

The ranch was baby sitter central as Carmen was nominally in charge of watching everyone’s children. In reality, she only had to personally deal with Anita and Billy Greer junior, the rest of the kids were actually old enough to amuse themselves.

Jake watched with interest the dynamics of the festive crowd as it split into roughly three groups. One group was the more conservative bunch from the Country Club and most of the Thornton people. Another was the core of family and friends that had had such a good time last year. The third consisted of the younger people. They were partying here instead of at the country club, this year. Jake and Melissa moved freely among the groups, but spent most of their time with the looser adult segment.

Jake had no doubt that there would be some commingling before the night was over as everyone was particularly lovey-dovey and lubricity was increasing as the punchbowls drained. Jake figured that Melissa was thinking of last year also when she tugged him over to talk to the Greers. Jake had to admit that Bill and Vickie were an attractive couple. Vickie had worked at turning Bill into a dapper gent, and with great success.

After greeting most everyone, Jake and Melissa headed for the bar. Jake got them both a drink and pulled Melissa aside to reaffirm some guidelines.

“Muffy, I want you to have fun and enjoy yourself however you want. I won’t get angry or jealous, no matter what.”

“Thank you, Baby,” Melissa replied. “I don’t have any specific plans but I appreciate the thought. Let’s just play it by ear, OK?”

“Sure, Honey, just remember that I’m gonna still love you regardless of what might happen tonight,” Jake said.

Jake sincerely meant every word he said. It actually bothered him some that Melissa had committed herself to him so completely while letting him do pretty much whatever (or whomever) he pleased. He actually wanted her to spread her wings some before they got married. He did not want her to start having regrets about things she missed after they were hitched. He planned to only do the marriage thing once. It had to be better, despite any discomfort on his part, for her to decide getting married young was not a good idea before the fact.

Jake and Melissa were not the only ones with an open mind that evening. Dawn Diamond was in a particularly naughty mood. The bemused Terry was along for the ride. His little lover was rapidly turning him around to her way of thinking. Dawn figured that tonight would be a good test of his stated desire to be open to new things. Dawn had taken extra care in her appearance and knew she looked hot. Her knee length red velvet dress fit her like a glove. She had eschewed underwear in favor of tan elastic-top stockings. Three-inch high heels and just a hint of make up completed her ensemble. She looked as if she were twelve, going to her first dress-up dance.

Dawn had an itch for a Daddy-rumba tonight and Erika’s big, good-looking father was an ideal candidate. Dawn pulled Terry across the room to where Sven and Helga were talking with Erik and Erika. Erika introduced Dawn to her parents, and then Dawn introduced Terry. The two pair were soon chatting on two levels as deep eye contacts supplemented the holiday chatter.

Sensing the others were becoming engrossed in an emotional dance, Erika grabbed Erik and beat a hasty retreat away from the parents. She had her own his-and-hers plan for her brother that involved Claudia and Michael Murphy. The teenagers were mostly hanging out on the pool deck. Maria had co-opted the propane heater idea and it was pleasantly warm outside. The teens had extinguished the lights mounted on the house so the only illumination was a soft glow coming from the pool. Maria had wisely not stocked the usual outside bar with booze. Anyone wanting a drink had to run a fluid gauntlet of observant parents when going both to and from the inside bar.

Jake and Melissa hung out with the other teens for a while. It was good seeing their old friends. Scott Hughes was there, much to Jake’s delight. Scott was as funny as ever and had everyone cracking up. Scott was also a hit with the ladies, with a covey of them vying for his attention. In addition to the usual suspects, there were some new additions. Some of the Thornton people had brought their teens at Maria’s urging. Jake recognized a few of them from high school as he and Melissa introduced themselves. The new additions were mostly boys, which helped in the pairing off process.

Jake and Melissa went back inside after a few minutes and mingled there. They ended up in the group that included Helen, Charles, and the Greers. Vickie was regaling them with her son’s exploits. It seemed that even at six months, Billy junior was amazingly bright. Helen kept looking at Jake meaningfully, her gaze made him distinctly uncomfortable as he thought he could sense her ovaries swelling at the thought of a new child both bright and beautiful.

Everyone seemed to have loosened up the strings on their corsets by ten-thirty. The lights were dim and someone had loaded the stereo with slow dancing music. Jake danced with practically every female available, spreading it around among both the adults and the teens. Melissa’s dance card was full also, although she seemed to favor Charles and Bill Greer senior. Dawn was snuggled up to Sven, incongruous as that seemed. The top of her head barely reached Sven’s chest. She could, in that position, hear his aorta pulse ever more strongly as she subtly dropped her hands south to his manly butt cheeks. Terry and Helga were dancing close also. Terry looked as if he had hit the mammary lotto as he held the plush blonde in his arms and her comfortably compressed chest orbs did a delightful slide dance of their own between the two partners.

Jake was most surprised that the Murphys and Greers had hit it off so well. Jake was slack-jawed in wonder at the cozy way they were eventually dancing with each other’s spouses. Jake also noticed that Scott Hughes was dancing with Mitzi Walker in a serious way. Mitzi was especially beautiful tonight. Jake really noticed how much she and Melissa favored each other. He pointed them out to Melissa and got a grin from her.

“I played Jake Turner for them,” she said. “I just told Scott that she needed someone to dance with and then I told Mitzi about Scott.”

“Told Mitzi what about Scott? Jake asked.

“Hmmm, to put it delicately, that Debbie said he was very well equipped, very energetic, and not given to bragging about his lovelife,” Melissa said, her grin getting even bigger.

“Oh,” said Jake, it was his only reply possible as he considered just how stupid his question had been. Then he pressed on, “What about Claudia and Erik, did you get them together?”

“No, that was Erika’s machinations. They are a cute couple though,” Melissa said.

Jake next asked her if she had any scoop on her cousin Tyler. Tyler and erstwhile girlfriend Angie were pretty much ignoring each other. Angie was dancing with her cousin Michael, while Tyler was seriously trying to make a move on Louisa. Melissa shrugged and said that cousin Tyler was acting more like her brother Chip every day, and was becoming another Thornton playboy jerk. Just what the world needed. Chip was not at the party. He was skiing in St. Moritz. When Jake voiced his concern about Tyler trying his Romeo act on Louisa, Melissa burst into a fit of giggles. Melissa was constantly amazed at Jake’s naivety when it came to the scheming his women did without his bidding. Mr. Tyler Thornton was being set up - big time.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about Louisa, Baby. We ladies got together and made a pact with Angie that if he hit on any of us we would make him pay a fine. It looks like Louisa got the hammer honors,” Melissa said.

The words were no sooner out of Muffy’s mouth than sly Tyler led Louisa out the side door by her hand. Jake started to follow them when he saw Debbie slip out right behind them. Jake relaxed, Louisa would be fine, but old Tyler might be a different story.

‘Jesus, women could be evil if you pissed them off,’ Jake thought. Then a second thought opened the door to hell, ‘How can a guy ever know, ahead of time, what’s going to piss them off on any given day?’ Jake quickly closed that mental door and sealed it with crime scene tape, and a vow to be more sensitive.

Five minutes later, Debbie and Louisa returned; Jake kept a watch on the door but Tyler never reappeared. Jake went across the room to see what was up. Debbie and Louisa were huddled with Erika, Angie, and Tigger laughing their collective asses off as they looked out the patio doors. Jake glanced in the direction they were looking just in time to see Tyler hauling himself out of the backside of the pool.

‘Tyler can kiss that Brooks Brothers’ suit goodbye,’ Jake thought, ‘and his Italian loafers are probably soggy history.’

Debbie gave Jake her devilish grin, “A junior Lothario seemed to need a little cooling off,” she said.

Tyler never reappeared. Jake guessed that the Thornton men were not going to be tempted to do anything else that would get Debbie on their case. Jake wandered on back to the main party to relay the dunking events to Melissa. Melissa was dancing with Charles again. Jake chuckled and grabbed Helen for a turn around the floor. Muffy was subtly letting him know that tonight was not the night to let their hair down in public, at least not this early in the evening anyway.

Dancing with Helen was probably not the best idea he had ever had. She immediately informed him that now that Charles had agreed, it was time to make a baby. She said that in two weeks she would be at her most fertile. Then she lobbed the ‘if you love me you’ll do this for me’ grenade at him. Jesus, she was relentless. Jake caved.

“Ok, I’ll do it,” he said unhappily.

“Jacob, honey, don’t be so down about it. Things will work out, Sweetie, trust me. You know I would never do anything to hurt you or your father. I don’t know why I want this so badly, but I trust my instincts and so should you.”

Jake nodded. He had to admit that, as fiercely protective of her family as she was, she was not going to suddenly do something to harm them.

Helen caught his nod, saw his mood lighten, and played her trump card.

“I’ll make it worth your while, honey. After I’m pregnant, I’ll be your love slave in that little house you use, anytime and anyway you want. I understand you still have a spoon to keep me in line with your desires.”

Wow, she was indeed pulling out all the stops and tuning up his organ. That was one promise Jake was going to make sure she kept. The thought of her tied to the big four-poster bed in the bungalow made his impregnator as hard as a hooker’s heart. Helen noticed the wood he had sprung and gave him a little smile. She knew he was truly on board now because a hard dick had no conscience.

Elsewhere at the party, things were going smoothly for Dawn Diamond. She had had a little chat in the powder room with Helga, who had, in turn, talked to Sven. The Johanssons were excited about fulfilling another family fantasy by making love with different partners in the same room. Terry was keen on trying out the big blonde Viking vessel, while Dawn had already started calling Sven ‘Daddy’. They were going to leave together after midnight and go to Dawn and Terry’s condo where their upright dancing could morph into horizontal hulas.

Erik Johansson and Claudia had actually made a date for tomorrow to go to the beach. Erik thought that Claudia was about as captivating as any woman he had ever met. Her shy sweet nature had his glands pumping out testosterone by the gallon. Around her, he was a manly man. Scott Hughes was sitting on a couch with Mitzi Walker. They were holding hands, oblivious to everything except each other. Scott was about to acquire an appetite for things Italian. Mitzi was fixing to become computer literate. Sean Patrick and Nina elder were in their own little world as usual -- slow dancing as if they were glued together.

The crowd of revelers listened to the countdown to midnight on the radio. When Dick Clark got to zero, champagne corks and kisses flew in all directions. Jake and Melissa kissed and then headed into the throng to spread some good cheer. Jake had to admit that it was a great tradition. His lips got a work out, especially from some of the moms from the children’s Christmas party. Finally, Jake and Melissa made it to where the Murphys, Turners, and Greers were standing. Jake brushed lips with Helen and received a very hot kiss from Vickie. Melissa put a big one on Charles and then Bill. Then the shocker of the evening occurred when Jake kissed Mary and she unexpectedly squirmed her tongue into his mouth. Jake was breathless when he broke the kiss. The companion look on Sean’s face let Jake know Melissa had not skimped on her kiss either.

Shortly after midnight, the more staid partygoers departed. Jake and Melissa danced a couple of times and called it an evening. Mary and Sean were ready to go by then also, so Jake drove them home as well. They arrived at the ranch just as Carmen was headed home. The Greers had already picked up Bill junior and everyone else was in bed. Once in the house, Melissa and Mary headed to the bathroom to powder their noses. Jake poured him and Sean a shot of Jack Daniels that they drank at the bar, while shooting the breeze.

“That Melissa is some woman not to be Irish,” Sean observed.

“Well, Sean, she’s half Italian and they say in Italy that Italians invented love,” Jake responded.

“Ah sure, and that’s a bunch of hooey, Laddie Boy,” Sean said. “It’s a well known fact that we Irish taught the world about love. See, the Romans were our best students before we chased them off the Emerald Isle and they spread that good news through the empire.”

To hear Sean tell it, the world would still be hunting mammoths with spears if it hadn’t been for the Irish. Before Jake could respond to Sean’s assertion, the women returned. Melissa kicked off her heels and went behind the bar. She rummaged around for a while and emerged with a bottle of champagne. Jake uncorked the bubbly while Melissa rustled up some glasses. They toasted the New Year again then Melissa put on some soft music. She gave Jake a smile and held out her hand to Sean.

The dancing was much more intimate than it had been at Maria’s. With the lights out, one couple could barely make out the other in the dimness. Jake knew now why Claudia and the elder Nina were such good dancers as he twirled Mary around the room. Mary was light as a feather in his arms and molded herself against him like a second skin.

“That was some New Year’s kiss you gave me, ‘ Jake said.

“As good as Claudia’s?” Mary asked teasingly.

“I don’t know. I was too surprised to think about comparisons,” Jake replied.

“Then you better kiss me again so you’ll know,” she said, raising her lips to his.