Chapter 21

I woke up at 6 when the alarm went off. I'd slept for over ten hours and felt rested again.

School went fine. I actually participated in my classes. Mr. Hanson and Miss Beevers both made comments about it being good I was back. When Miss Beevers added "son" to her comment, it got a laugh from the rest of the class. I joined in.

Swimming went well. School normally gets out at 2:40. I stayed until 4, then left. I did some trial runs on the events I'd messed up and made better times than I had prior to the meet. I was back, better than ever.

Mom made grilled cheese sandwiches for me and Mary. Mary started to complain till I told her that we normally ate junk from the snack bar and would probably go out for something after the game. If not, I promised to make her popcorn when we got home.

Mary had a Fernmont sweatshirt on when she came out of her room.

"You want to get mugged?"

"They wouldn't."

"Probably not, but there's no reason to give anybody an excuse."

She went in and put a wintery sweatshirt on that I gave her for Christmas last year.

We were heading for the door when Mary saw what was under my arm.

"What about you? Aren't you afraid?"

"This isn't for me."

She got a knowing look on her face. "Oh."

I heard the car horn about 6:10. We went outside.

John and Wanda were in the front seat, Jill was in the back. I leaned in the door.

"Mom wants to know if we're still on for Sunday."

"Of course we are. Why would you think any different?"

"It's a long story. Hang on a minute, I need to let Mom know so she can get up at 4 in the morning to get started on her potato salad."

John piped up. "I told you she didn't have to bring that, Jack."

"I know. I'm just screwing with you."

"Better me than my daughter."

"I'll go tell my mother."

I ran up and told her, then got in the back and sat in the back seat between Jill and Mary.

I introduced Mary to Wanda and Dr. O'Hara. He told her she might as well call him John since I did.

Tonight's game was at Griffith. They'd lost both games while Highpoint had won both of theirs. John and Wanda were making bets on how many points Highpoint would win by. The winner was going to be the other's slave on Sunday.

John spoke over his shoulder. "Jack. I hear you've got a girlfriend at school."

Jill had her arms around my left one. They tightened perceptibly when he said that.

"No Sir. A friend, but not a girlfriend."

"Come on, Jack. I've heard that before."

"You know, John, you sounded awful chummy when you made Jill's appointment with Dr. Bartlett."

"Miriam? We've known each other for years."

"That's good. So, are you fucking her?" There were sharp intakes of breath from the three females in the car.

"Touche, Jack. Touche."

The grip on my arm loosened.

"Your daughter is the only person I'm interested in romantically, Dr. O'Hara. I've actually been contemplating what it would be like to be married to her."

"Don't you think that's a little early?"

"It's never too early to dream, Sir."

He was looking at me in the rearview mirror as if I was crazy. Wanda had turned halfway around in her seat and had a new look of respect on her face. Mary was looking at me with a smile on hers.

Jill pulled me toward her. Her face was up, her mouth opened and her eyes closed.

I hadn't kissed Jill since Monday night when I took her home from our aborted dinner. The peck on the cheek when she left us at school wasn't even worth mentioning.

It was as if we'd been away from each other for months. She melted in my arms, our mouths melded together in liquid fire. I held her tight and was surprised when I felt her hand on my penis. Of course, it was easy for her to find, it was the thing that looked like a cucumber down the inside of my right pants leg. Tight jeans usually felt good but they could get downright uncomfortable when I had an erection.

I don't know how long we kissed. We were still going at it when the car stopped and Jill's father announced that we'd arrived.

Wanda asked if I was going to be able to walk with that thing and got a laugh from Mary and John. Jill and I both reddened.