Chapter 61: Nine Days - Part One

Sex with Felicity Morgan lasted long enough to allow me to satisfy her and then myself, have a shower in the guest ensuite before Sandy drove me home in her brand new Honda S2000 with Pink Floyd's 'Momentary Lapse Of Reason' CD and the song 'Sorrow' pumping from the cars four speakers.

When we got to our place I saw I number of familiar cars but it never even occurred to me to wonder what was happening, I knew this was for mine and Maria's benefit and that it was designed for some kind of revenge on what Julie Morris did to me, that was enough for me.

What did surprise me though, was that Sandy hopped out of her sporty open-topped roadster, locked it up and began to follow me up the driveway.

Sandy stopped me near the garage and I noticed for the first time that the lounge room blinds had been drawn even though there was still plenty of early evening sunshine. She pointed to the open garage. "You're to go through there and into the kitchen while I enter through the front door." She leaned forward and kissed me on the lips. "Thank you again Justin," she smiled as she glanced down toward my groin, "for everything." Then she gave me a little sideways glance. "Mum's had a chance to thank you for saving me, but I haven't." She brushed my groin with her right hand. "And I plan to rectify that one day soon by reacquainting myself with that delicious cock of yours. Now go, your mum wants you to go straight into the kitchen."

I watched her walk off and then I walked through the garage and entered into the kitchen where I saw mum, dad, Maria and Vikki waiting for me.

"Oh you crazy, crazy gloriously wonderful boy Justin," said my mother as she walked up to me with a tear in her eye and gave me the most wonderful, the most maternal and the most heartfelt hug I had ever received. "Do you have any idea how proud I... how proud we all are of you?"

Then Vikki came up and hugged me too. "God Justin I thought I loved before, but now..." And she started crying too. "But now... Oh God how can I leave you and go to Britain and Europe with the band?"

"Because I love you, because I want you to, because you deserve it." I looked from mum to dad and then back to Vikki. "We've said it all before Vikki darling, this is an opportunity that is just too good to miss." I looked at her earnestly. "Okay?"

When she finally agreed I saw that dad was standing in front of me and holding out his hand. When he took my left hand in his he said, "Like your mother said, I am so proud of you son. First Vikki here, and now Maria and the mayor's daughter. And because of everything you've done your mother and I think you deserve a reward."

"No I don't, I was just doing..."

"Rubbish Justin. I do not want to hear any false modesty from you. And besides the decision has already been made."

"Decision, what decision?"

This was when mum decided to jump in. "Well, Kim couldn't tell us who was bowling against who during that league you and young Sarah will be bowling in but she could tell us what weeks you weren't bowling. Now two of those weeks are over the Easter weekend when there is no school." She looked at me and then looked at Vikki. "How would you feel about joining Vikki and the band on tour for two weeks?"

Vikki jumped up and down with a grin like a Cheshire cat that told us all how excited she was. And somehow she even managed not to scream, I think because she didn't want to disturb whatever was happening in the lounge. "Oh Daddy Louis, mum," she said turning to them and giving them a hug. "Are you... ?"

"Of course we are," said dad with a smile. "Heaven knows you both deserve it."

I couldn't believe it, this was a dream come true. Then I had a thought. "Okay, I'll agree on one condition."

"Name it," said my father.

"You allow me to pay you back for the tickets at a later date out of any prizemoney I win from the league."

He nodded his head and smiled. "Fair enough."

I looked across to Maria who was standing back away from everybody and hadn't said anything. "And you allow Maria to come with me." I saw a smile sweep across her face. I turned to mum. "Mum," I said, "after what happened this afternoon I think Maria needs, deserves, this as much as I do."

Mum held out her arm and indicated for Maria to come to her, which she did so willingly. "Of course she does., and we were already planning that she go." Mum turned to my sister. "Would you like that Maria my love?"

"Oh mum, dad." She hugged them both. "Of course I would. Then she turned to me moved out of her mum's embrace and wormed her way against my left side as I wrapped my arm around her. She looked up at me and said just two words before she kissed me on the cheek. "My hero."

Then it was Vikki's turn. She turned to me and said, "And I have a condition on your condition sweetie." When I asked what that was she continued, saying, "That you let me pay half out of what I earn with the band."

"I'll go along with that Vikki my love."

"Good, then that's settled," said mum with a smile.

That was when Maria jumped in and said, "What about me? What can I do to help?"

"Just enjoy yourself," Vikki and I said practically in unison.

"Everything's ready Mary," came the voice of a woman who suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "All we need is the DVD."

I recognised the voice. Even if the woman hadn't had an unmistakable likeness to Julie Morris I would have recognised the voice of... Jane Morris! The voice was the same one I'd heard on the phone when this had been set up Friday week ago.

Oh I had been at home many times when Jane Morris had been here for mum and dad's Saturday night orgies but without having ever attended one I had never gotten a proper look at her.

I moved even before mum had chance to. I'd seen a flat looking package about the size of DVD cover sitting on the table. I picked up the package and handed it to her and smiled to try to put her at ease because she looked a little nervous.

"Er Jane Morris isn't it." It was more of a statement than a question.

I took her left hand in mine and shook it. But when I saw that that wasn't working I put my left arm around her and hugged her to me before I stepped back and looked at her as I answered her unspoken questions. "You're here aren't you. You've brought Julie and you can't do any more than that." I continued to look the blonde-haired elder version of Julie Morris in the eye. "And you know that we're not going to physically harm her don't you?" She nodded and managed the barest of smiles. "So, as I understand it, basically all we are going to do is change of few of your daughter's misguided perceptions about me and about life in general. Okay?"

She nodded again and managed a barely audible, "Thank you."

"Now I know things have changed while I was in hospital so I'm pretty much in the dark as to what is going to happen from here." I looked to mum. "What do I do, stay here until you call me?"

"Yes Justin, both you and Vikki," answered my mother and she and my father and Maria followed Jane Morris out of the kitchen.

"Oh Justin," Vikki almost couldn't contain herself, "me and you and Maria, two whole weeks in Europe with the band. God that'll just be so... So..."

"Cool?" I finished for her.

She looked down towards my groin. "Do you suppose we've got time for... ?"

I certainly wanted to. Oh how I wanted too but then I knew that we could be called at any moment. "Better not," I said finally.

Vikki smiled as she sat me on a chair and perched herself on my lap. "No you're probably right."

In the lounge Jane Morris and Mary Robertson stood either side of a big screen TV while Jane's daughter Julie was wearing a blindfold, having been put in that condition by her mother before she got out of their car, and sat in the middle of the room facing them.

For her part Julie Morris was totally confused. Her mother had convinced her that she should come along to one of her regular Saturday night orgies, and not only that, but that it should be this one.

She could smell her mother's perfume and guessed that she was standing somewhere near where she remembered seeing the big-screen television. And then her mother began to speak.

"Julie, I'm going to take your blindfold off now. You can look to either side but please don't try to look behind you. Okay sweetheart?"

The last part was said the way only a loving mother could say it and Julie felt slightly better even though she was still a little unnerved. Then suddenly the blindfold was gone and she saw her mother in front of her, an empty chair in front and to the right at a angle of ninety degrees to hers and a brunette standing to the left of the television, her right as she looked.

The woman looked absolutely stunning in her short skirt and tight fitting blouse that she wore without a bra, a fact that was... er... pointedly obvious. But there was something else about her. Though she had never met the woman she felt like she should know who she was. Nobody though came immediately to mind and so she just shrugged it off and voiced the other thought that was bothering her.

"I thought I was here for an orgy." She smiled to try and make light of that comment and her next one. "This feels more like an inquisition."

Then the woman spoke for the first time.

Mary Robertson looked at the girl who almost brought her son to tears on the Friday just over a week ago. She didn't really hate the girl, at 17-years-old and with the rest of her life in front of her she couldn't, after all, all Julie Morris had done was verbally assault Justin for no apparent reason. But she didn't feel any compassion for her either, this was punishment to fit the crime, nothing more and nothing less.

"No Julie Morris, this isn't an inquisition as you put it. But it is a chance for us to put some facts to you that I... we... hope will change a few of your perceptions about people and about life."

"I... I don't understand what are you... ?"

"You'll see," said Mary and she pressed enter on the remote she was holding.

Julie Morris looked at the discs menu. At first it looked like just a regular menu from a regular DVD, and then she saw the name of a band. But it wasn't just any band, this bands name was 'Multitude of Sins'.

This was making her curious. Why the hell would her mum, this woman and however many people, and there were a few, that were standing behind her and out of sight bring her here to view a 'Multitude of Sins' concert? And she was just about to ask that very question when her heart missed not once but about a half-dozen times. There right in front of her as large as life on the big screen was a menu item titled 'Julie Morris- Nine Days' at the very top of the list! What the fuck!!

By this time Jane Morris had moved back to the television and was standing on its other side and facing her daughter. "Ah," said Jane with a knowing smile as she looked at her daughter, "I see you've spotted your name." She turned to her friend. "I think we can begin now Mary."

Julie knew enough about her parents Saturday night parties to know that the hosts names were Louis and Mary. But she knew no more than that. She watched the very attractive thirty-something brunette scroll the little highlighter up from its position on play on the menu to her name, then she watched her press return on the remote. And that was when she saw Brian Hacker and Carol Baker both sitting on stools facing the camera.

"What the fuck... !" she began to say but she was quickly shushed by the woman called Mary. And then the lead singer of 'Multitude of Sins' began to speak.

"Well," said Brian Hacker looking directly into the camera, "if I'm on this TV screen and speaking then I will assume that Julie Morris is sitting on a chair in the centre of the lounge and is looking directly at me. So, hello Miss Morris. Now I know you know me and I definitely remember you, even though I only met you once."

Julie was stunned. Of course she remembered the meeting at the school, after all she had made a total fool of herself. Now the penny was just beginning to drop, not that she was prepared to believe it at this stage. Then she saw a man move to stand next to the brunette. He was a big man with dark hair and the beginnings of a beer belly. It was a description that tallied with what she knew of Mary's husband Louis.

"I think it's time you were introduced to the two people who should now be standing next to the television," and he looked to his left. "Julie Morris I'd like to introduce you to Louis and Mary Robertson!"

Mary turned slightly, pointed the remote and paused the picture. She turned to face her friend's daughter and was pleased to see an expression of utter shock on her face.

Indeed Julie was in shock. She might be a blonde but she wasn't stupid, she now knew exactly why she was here on this particular Saturday night and when she spoke next the brunette, Mary Robertson, confirmed it.

"Yes Julie," said Mary Robertson with a smile, "you are absolutely correct. We are the parents of Justin Robertson.

"You know Justin, your classmate Justin who you said these things to," and she picked up a piece of paper that was sitting on a coffee table near where she was standing. "Now I'm not going to quote the whole thing verbatim, I'm just going to pick out the odd word, the odd phrase so that the crowd behind you who you can't see will understand what you meant.

"I think you said things like this after the first of the afternoon classes in front of the whole class. Let me see it was a week ago Thursday when Justin asked if you wanted to go to the formal because he knew you wanted to go to and didn't have a partner."

Julie began to redden around the face. She knew what was coming, what she had said. "Mrs. Robertson..." she started to say.

Justin's mother was quick to cut her off. "No Julie, you'll get your chance later tonight, or maybe on another day. For now all we'd like you to do is listen. Right Jane?"

"Yes Mary," said Julie's mother. She turned to her daughter. "Honey I really am sorry, we both are, your father and I that is, but we really do feel you owe what's going to happen here tonight to young Justin."

Julie shrugged her shoulders, saw her father join her mother at that moment and then she nodded her head. After last Saturday afternoon's punishment for what she'd done at the bowling alley she knew better than to cross her parents again.

"Thank you Julie," said Mary Robertson continuing. "Now what you said to Justin was things like: 'Are you fucking kidding!' And stuff like: 'Fat, bloated, overstuffed tub of lard!' 'I get nauseous just fucking looking at you'." She looked directly into Julie's eyes. "Now have I got those things right? I mean I'd hate to misquote you."

God, Julie didn't realise how bad it sounded until she heard it come out of somebody's else's mouth. She really would have to learn to put her brain into gear before she opened her mouth. As it is she nodded her answer to Justin's mother before she watched Louis Robertson take the sheet of paper from his wife.

Louis Robertson stayed calm. Oh at the moment his opinion of Julie Morris wasn't high but he sensed that with a little nudge in the right direction courtesy of tonight and maybe Monday at school his views might change just a little.

Louis Robertson turned to Julie Morris and looked her in the eye. "Justin took that pretty well on that Thursday afternoon Julie, even considering the way you expressed yourself. But I guess he found this unprovoked attack the following day at lunchtime a little harder to take. You remember don't you Julie? It was Friday, the first day of what we've now come call 'Justin's Nine Memorable Days'.

"Now to set the scene, his mother, my wife Mary, sent Justin off to school in a good mood by being extra nice to him," he smiled, "if you get my drift."

He leant forward and looked even harder into Julie Morris's eyes. "But that good mood only lasted until lunchtime didn't it? Because that was when he had the temerity to look at you. And your response was: 'Had a good fucking look jerk? What's the matter Robertson you fat fuck, never seen a pair of tits before?'"

Justin's father walked over to Julie before he continued. "But you weren't finished were you? You continued by saying: 'Then again you like looking at our legs too, don't you?' Then you used expressions like: 'Disgusting fucking pervert!' 'Perverted fuck!' But it was what you said next that finally got to Justin, that upset us and in the end made your friends, I guess I should say ex-friends, squirm. You said: 'Real men aren't a slimy fucking retard like you'." Louis Robertson put his hands on the girl's chair and stared right into her eyes. "Do you know how insulting that expression is Julie? I mean it's bad enough when it's used to describe people who are intellectually handicapped? But to be used on a young man whose worst crimes were to look at you and find you attractive and to politely ask you to the Formal. All Mary and I and the people who are gathered here tonight want to know is, why?"

Julie could smell Louis Robertson's aftershave he was leaning that close. And she could hear collective gasps from the many people who were standing behind her. She'd never felt this small in her life. She didn't respond in any way, instead she just slunk down in her seat and watched as Justin's father walked back to his spot next to his wife.

As he reached his wife Louis turned around and once again looked Julie Morris in the eye. "Our son then said to you: 'What did I do to you?' And you used words like: 'Embarrassing' and 'Temerity' because our son--" he reached out and took his wife's hand "--had the cheek to ask you to the formal. Then you said things like: 'Oh I can see what you've done with your physique, but to me you still look fat' 'And being the school brain doesn't stop you from being a sleazy little cunt who makes my blood run cold'. Then as if that wasn't enough you finally added: 'Come on girls lets take this outside, it's starting to smell in here'. I mean I just don't understand why you would say something like that, why you would be so rude to our son who was trying his best to be nice to you?"

Julie was almost in tears now, she hadn't come here expecting this, she had come here expecting to do what showed enjoyed doing most. FUCKING!!!

And then her mother said, "I think it's time we brought him in Mary, don't you?"

Julie wasn't really phased by now. Having had her terrible behaviour made public to whoever was behind that hadn't witnessed it in person she was resigned to her fate and in some strange and perverse way was beginning to think that she deserved it.

I was in the kitchen talking quietly to Vikki about nothing in particular and trying not to ask her anything about what was going on knowing that she would have been told not to say anything.

We had just started talking about how I'd bowled that afternoon and Vikki was just starting to tell me how impressed she was when mum appeared in the doorway.