Chapter 28 -- Getting Even

Hey have you ever tried,
Really reaching out for the other side?
I may be climbing on rainbows,
But baby here goes...
Dreams are for those who sleep.
Life is for us to keep.
But if you're wondering what this song is leading to...
I want to make it with you!

--Make It With You (Bread)

My mother was delighted to see me when Patty dropped me off on her way to work. "Hi, Jim! What's the occasion?"

"I've been neglecting my family too long," I said, giving my mother a warm kiss on her cheek.

"Jim!" Merry said, running down the stairs to find out what the commotion was about.

"Hi, Merry!" I said, genuinely glad to see my sister.

"I had tryouts the other day!"

"I heard. How did you do?" I asked, not telling her that I already knew that she made the squad.

"It wasn't easy. June and Lynette tried to help me, and Sherry even tried to help as well, but I still can't do the flips like Sherry does."

I nodded. "Sherry is a bit exceptional at that."

"They said you needed to be special to get in as a sophomore. Sherry and Camille both made it. I think maybe Lynette did, too, but she never talks about things like that. I'm not as good as they are."

"They are all older than you are, but if my vote counts, you are indeed something special."

"They all speak about you, Jim," Merry said. "The cheerleaders, I mean."

I laughed. "I know they do. Just don't repeat their stories to me."

Merry laughed back at me. "June and Lynette already told me that," she explained.

"Is my bicycle still in the shed?" I asked.

"Are you leaving already?" Merry asked, her voice full of disappointment.

"I was thinking of taking a ride to the mall. I thought I might want to hang out with my somebody special."

"Kristen? Why wouldn't she pick you up?"

"I was talking about you, Merry. Want to bike to the mall?"

"Shit yes!" Merry shouted, and then she put her hand over her mouth.

I looked into the kitchen where my mother was sitting. I saw by her amused expression that she heard Merry but she didn't say anything. I think Merry's occasional colorful outbursts amused her as much as they amused me.

"You'll need to ask Mom, Miss Potty Mouth."

Merry stuck her tongue out at me, giggled, and then ran into the kitchen to ask for permission to ride to the mall. She was given permission.

"Jim, will you be taking Merry to lunch as well?" my mother asked.

"Vaughn's is nearby. I have some cash."

Giving me her most motherly look, Mom said, "Be careful, you two."

I kissed my mother and assured her, "I always try."

At the mall, we just walked around. Merry and I talked about everything and at the same time, we talked about nothing. She told me how excited she was to be entering high school and even possibly becoming a cheerleader, although she was feeling quite sure that she hadn't made it.

"So, where's Kristen?" Merry asked.

"Back at the apartment. I figured that I don't visit home enough."

"You're not home right now," Merry pointed out.

"I'm with my sister, which is home for me."

Merry looked at me sharply. "Sister?"

Once again, I was surprised that Merry caught that word, just as Lynette did. Luckily, I did have some time to think about it since Lynette and I had that discussion.

"Merry, you know why I don't call your father 'Dad.' That word is associated with a lot of bad memories for me, just like "father" and anything like it. With you, however, there is no reason to call you anything other than my sister. I think when we first met, I was... how old was I? Eight or nine? Anyway, I guess I felt a need to differentiate my stuff from your stuff--you know, my toys, my instruments, my room. I think calling you my step-sister was a way of reminding myself that you weren't really my sister."

"I never understood why you always called me that," Merry said softly. "I just sort of got used to it. Then you started calling me 'Shortcake, ' which bothered me at first, because you and Jack used to call me 'runt, ' but I noticed that you never called me 'Shortcake' except when it was the two of us, and you never said it nasty. After a while, I realized I liked that name. Patty told me that you call me that because you like me."

"Patty said that?" I asked. "When?"

"One of the times we talked while you were in the bathroom back when she visited you in the morning. She said you really like me and that name was your way of making me special... you don't call anybody else that name."

Hmm. I hadn't known that Patty and Merry had talked about me back then. I wonder what else they talked about that I didn't know. I didn't want to get off the track, though. I said, "In the past few weeks, I've seen you at the apartment a lot, and I'm realizing that you are growing up," I said, smiling at my sister. "I never had any complaints about you--we were always best friends."

"I know," Merry said. She found a bench and sat down, nudging me to sit next to her. "I felt the same about you."

"So," I said, smiling at Merry, "unless you prefer me to call you something else, I think I'm going to think of you as my sister."

Merry's reaction was to pull me down and hug me. "I love you, bro!"

"I love you, sis! I think we shouldn't get Mom nervous, though. Can I keep calling you Shortcake at home?"

"I told you, I love that name now, Jim!" Merry giggled.

We continued looking around the mall. The closeness that the two of us shared was something that I had been missing in the months since I'd been living with Kristen. June had been right, after all.

Jackie "accidentally" bumped into us at eleven o'clock near the food court.

"Hey, Oogie... Merry! Fancy meeting you here."

The two of us said hello back.

"Merry, can I talk to you in private?" Jackie asked.

"I have no secrets from my bro," Merry answered.

Jackie smiled. "You'll need to give your sizes to Mrs. D. You'll need to get a uniform."

"You mean... ?" Merry said, her excitement building.

"Welcome to the squad, Merry!" Jackie said.

Merry hugged Jackie very hard. "I got in?"

"You're the only sophomore so far this year!" Jackie smiled. "Even I had to wait until mid-season as a junior to make it in. Congratulations!"

"Jim! I got on the squad!" Merry squealed.

"That's great, sis!" I said, hugging my sister.

Jackie turned to me. "Can you give me a few minutes with Merry? Squad talk."

"No problem," I said. "I'm going to the candy store over there to get something for Kris."

Jackie nodded and then added, "I'll need to talk with you privately also, so just give us five minutes."

"Sure thing, Jackie."

I went to the candy store, and purchased a pint-sized clear plastic container of freshly made chocolate covered peanuts. Kristen apologized to me, and this was my way of telling her that I forgave her.

There were still a few more minutes to kill, so I did some window shopping until I noticed that Merry and Jackie got up from the bench that they were sitting on, which I guessed was a signal for me that it was safe to return.

Merry made herself scarce as I went to talk with Jackie. Jackie and I sat back down on the bench.

"Jim, I need to apologize for last night."

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"You don't understand," Jackie said. "I've lived in Camille's shadow for a long time. She became a cheerleader in tenth grade, and it took me until mid-season last year to get on the squad. Kristen and you are sort of a legend, and Camille, Lynette, and even June seem to be part of it. I think I was a bit jealous."

I nodded. What Jackie told me made sense.

"When Kristen ran into your room and started yelling, I got scared," Jackie said. "I thought I did something wrong. When Kris came out of the room, however, she looked completely destroyed. What happened in there?"

I sighed. "I'm sorry you got in the middle of that, Jackie. Nobody blames you for what happened, and nobody is holding anything against you."

"But what happened?" Jackie asked.

"That's a private matter, Jackie."

Jackie stared at me for a few minutes, and must have decided that I wouldn't budge on this issue. Switching tracks, Jackie said, "I'm sorry if I tried to..."

"I said, nobody blames you, Jackie. You did nothing wrong."

"You're really not mad at me?" Jackie asked.

"Come back over in a couple of days, Jackie."

"Really?"

"I mean it, but before you come, I'll have Kristen call you to let you know that it's all right with both of us."

"Thanks, Jim."

"Did you give Merry the secret handshake and everything?" I asked, changing the subject.

"We've found it prudent in the past not to tell the new people about the initiation unless they are alone."

"I'm cool with that."

Jackie asked, in a conspiratorial whisper, "Are you going to set up another recording session for Kristen on the first day of school?"

I laughed. "I've already done that once. I can't continue to try to outdo the stuff I did last year. It would make things impossible very quickly. Besides, Kris will be at college."

Jackie looked disappointed. "Well, whatever you do, we're behind you."

I looked around, and saw Merry looking over at us from the other side of the food court. I got up, and Jackie followed me. I kissed Jackie as Merry approached us. "I'm really not angry with you, Jackie."

As we walked toward the area where our bikes were locked, Merry finally got up the nerve to ask me her question.

"Jim?" Merry asked, a bit nervously.

"Yeah, sis?"

"I've been told there's going to be an initiation, and I need to bring a boyfriend."

"Who will you bring?" I asked. "Jack Williams?"

Despite her nervousness, Merry burst out laughing. Jack and Merry never really got along. "I don't have a boyfriend," Merry finally admitted.

"I told you on New Year's, any boy would be proud to have you as their girlfriend."

"Some of my friends date, but none of the boys that asked me were... mature enough."

I didn't want to torture my sister too much. "Maybe I could ask Jackie if the squad would allow you to bring your brother?"

"She said I could bring anybody," Merry said quickly.

"Did you want me to attend?" I asked her.

"Could you? I could tell Mom..."

"Just tell her you're with me," I suggested. "I don't think Mom will mind if I'm there, but your dad will probably have a fit if he hears that you're attending a cheerleader initiation."

Merry once again threw her arms around me, and kissed my cheek. "Thank you, Jim!"

"No problem, sis."

Merry and I ate lunch at Vaughn's, and Merry wouldn't consider any dessert, let alone the Belly Buster. We talked a lot together. Merry told me about her friends, and she again talked about her hopes and expectations about attending high school.

Although I didn't want to disappoint her too much, I tried to reset her expectations so that they weren't too high.

When we got back home, Mom gave me a warm smile. "Will you be having dinner with us? I'm making roast beef."

"I'm not sure. I think I need to give Kristen a call."

"No problem, Jim. We'll have plenty enough for leftovers, so you and even Kristen won't be a bother."

"Let me call her first."

"Is there something wrong between the two of you?" Mom asked.

I shook my head. "Kris needed to spend some private time without me, and I haven't been coming over as much as I want. I miss my sister, the house..."

"Sister?" Mom asked, surprised. Just like Lynette and Merry, my mother noticed the wording change as well. Was I that fucking obvious?

"Don't make a big deal out of it, Mom. Merry and I talked, and I decided that always referring to her as my step-sister didn't make sense. She's always wanted a brother, and I've always wanted a sister."

My mother smiled at me. "I'm glad things are working out with the two of you."

"You don't mind if I borrow Merry next weekend, will you?"

"Borrow?"

"Kristen and I will pick her up, and we'll take her to lunch and dinner. I really want to spend more time with Merry, since we'll be going to the same school in a few weeks."

"I've let her stay over before, Jim. Why the personal request?"

I sighed. "I have a music studio at the apartment, as well as a pool table. Merry's all worked up about what high school will entail, and Kris and I want to talk with her so that she doesn't get too disappointed. Merry likes hearing me play, and I only have the upright here. Kris is going to get me a mixer to go with my multi-track recorder so I can make professional sounding demos."

"Really?" Mom asked, impressed.

"I also want to get a few friends together and put together an ensemble. Gerry said he can get me an audition for a weekly gig at Puppy Dawg's."

"You're too young to go to Puppy Dawg's," Mom pointed out.

"Too young to drink, but not too young to perform. You know how I feel about drinking."

My mother nodded. "Who do you have lined up for your ensemble?"

"Sam, Roy, Stacy, Bill, myself, Kristen, Amy, and Derek," I said. "I haven't gotten in touch with all of them, but I think we'd make a killer band."

"How much money a week?" Mom asked, always the stickler for details.

"Gerry makes a hundred fifty, and his best stuff consists of songs that I arranged for him. I was thinking of using the venue to record us all together, so we can make live demos for the record companies."

"Well, be careful, Jim," Mom said. "I know I don't have to tell you this, but beware. The music industry isn't easy to get into, and it's also difficult to get out when you're big. Charley Swift told me at Kristen's birthday party that she used to perform, so you might want to get her perspective and advice on this."

"Great idea, Mom!"

Mom beamed.

Smiling, I added, "Let me give Kristen a call."

I went into the den, and felt strange using the phone. At the apartment, there was never a time limit to deal with, but at my parents' house, I needed to abide by their rules, which meant ten minutes maximum.

I dialed the private number that connected me directly to the apartment.

"Lynette's House of Torture," Lynette announced.

"Cool name! Can we get a neon sign?" I giggled.

"No," Lynette said loudly. "Kristen is tied up and gagged right now. Can I take a message?"

"Are you playing right now?"

"Yes."

"I take it that Kristen is listening."

"Jim isn't here. He gave Kristen to me to bring her in line."

I giggled, wondering what was going through Kristen's mind right now.

Lynette paused a bit before continuing her charade. "The services for Pussy Slave for the entire football team?"

My eyes widened as I laughed.

Another pause, and then, "I've retired from the Pussy Slave business, but I have a replacement. Do you think the team would mind a different blonde?"

I let Lynette play her silly game.

Yet another pause and then, "No, she hasn't done anal, I think. I do have a toy that Cammy left us that I could use to loosen her up for you."

"You wouldn't, Lynette!" I said.

"No," Lynette said, answering me. There was another pause and then, "I don't know if she's taken guys in her cunt and mouth at the same time. I think she'd be willing to learn, though."

"Is she squirming, Lynette?" I asked.

Lynette again incorporated her answer within her charade: "Yes, she is. Each guy will have to pay twenty five cents per trick."

I heard muffled moans in the background behind Lynette.

"Twenty five dollars? That would be a hundred tricks! I don't know if she could take it... Oh... That sounds interesting, but you'd have to provide your own horse!"

"When should I come back, Lynette?"

"You want a test drive?" Lynette asked, still in character. "It will still be twenty five cents per trick. I'd have to pick you up, since nobody but me can get past the security gate without Kristen or Jim's verbal OK. May I pick you up?"

"Certainly, Lynette. My mom invited Kris and me for roast beef. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to add another one--Merry and I can put in a leaf in the table."

"That sounds divine!" Lynette answered. "What time?"

"We eat at six."

"I can certainly be there in a few minutes. I'll have the new Pussy Slave waiting for you."

Lynette hung up the phone, and I laughed hysterically.

Merry came into the den. "What's so funny?"

"Lynette's playing a joke on Kristen, and it's so cool!"

"Ooh! Can you tell me?" Merry asked.

"Sorry, sis. This is one Oogie Story that I won't be sharing."

"Aww," Merry said, disappointed.

"I think you need to call Sherry and June and thank them for their help, huh?"

"Ooh, good idea."

"Lynette's on her way over here to pick me up. You can thank her in person."

"Great!"

I went to the living room, where Mom and my step-father were watching television.

"Mom, Kristen and I have Lynette with us, so would it be possible to include her for dinner as well?"

"There's enough meat, but I might have to make more mashed potatoes."

"I'll help, Mommy!" Merry offered. "Jim can help me put in the leaf."

Mom laughed and looked at her husband. He nodded his approval, and Mom said, "Fine, Jim. I'll have Merry help make some more salad as well."

I let Merry answer the door when Lynette rang the bell.

"Lynette! I made the squad! Thanks so much for all your help. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Jackie told you that you're on the squad?" Lynette asked, a bit surprised.

"Jim and I saw her at the mall and she gave me the good news!"

"I'm proud of you, even if you did tell somebody that you think of me as 'Coach Bitch!'"

"I didn't mean..." Merry said, reddening.

Lynette laughed. "I don't mind, Merry. Sometimes I needed to be tough on you in order to get you in shape in time. Did Jackie tell you your score?"

"Eight out of ten. She didn't explain the point totals, though."

"That's impressive for a sophomore," Lynette said. "I bet you got two-four-two."

"Huh?" I asked.

"Two for being sponsored, four for routine, and two for difficulty," Lynette explained to me. "Merry started at two-three-one to my way of thinking, and after working with me, I decided that she probably improved one point each in the routine and difficulty."

Having the former squad captain as a coach was obviously very helpful for Merry.

"Thank you!" Merry said, really impressed in Lynette's analysis.

"You did the work, Merry. You deserved every point you got."

"Thanks, anyway!"

"You're welcome, Merry," Lynette said. "I need to borrow Jim, but I told him we'll be back for dinner in an hour or so."

"Jim told us!"

"I'll see you later on. OK, sis?" I asked my sister.

"OK."

I kissed my sister on the cheek, and Lynette did the same as well. The two of us left and drove back to the apartment.

"I bet Kristen is scared shitless," I said on the drive back.

"I may have laid it on a bit thick on the phone."

"I was laughing my ass off," I said. "Jackie apologized, by the way."

"Jackie has an inferiority complex about her cousin," Lynette remarked. "She may have unwittingly put Kristen up to what she did last night."

I nodded. "Jackie and I talked. She said she's sorry."

"You know that I can't hate Kristen, Jim."

"It's one of the reasons that I love you," I said.

"I'm not just a convenient ass fuck?" Lynette said, smiling.

"You're very convenient," I said.

"It was the only time I achieved orgasm when a guy was back there."

"Camille and I discussed ass fucking one night we were together when Kris was asleep. She said that ass fucking does little physically to stimulate the recipient, and said that a girl should not be too embarrassed to frig herself during the act."

"Cammy told me that, too," Lynette said. "I never felt comfortable about doing that with other guys. I would have done it with you, though, because I wanted to enjoy it with you, but when you did it for me, it was much better."

"I love you, Lynette."

"I love you, Oogie."

I decided that I needed to find a good pet name for Lynette. "Do you forgive Kristen?" I asked.

"I can't hate her. It was hard for me to even do that to her over the phone, but whenever I felt uneasy, I'd think about her happily ordering me to eat June, or to suck you, or any of the other things she made me do. I would do anything for her if she asks, but the terms I agreed to were that she gave orders, not just ask."

I nodded.

"I don't want to be her slave anymore, Jim," Lynette said. "I want to be her lover."

"I know. This was brewing for a while, wasn't it?" I asked.

"It would have come to a head sooner or later," Lynette said wistfully. "I figured it could last until I left for New York, but now I'm staying in Illinois."

"June retired as 'Cunt Whore' before Kristen knew it. June always thought of it as a game, though, and let Kris play. June loves being ordered, though, so it's different with her."

"I don't mind playing games, Jim," Lynette said seriously, "but love isn't a game."