Chapter 5 Labor Day 1985

Later that day when I spoke to Ellen she told me that she had been upstairs, making the beds. "You didn't drink your orange juice," she said accusingly. "Do you know how much a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice costs in a restaurant? Your family can afford fresh squeezed orange juice and blow jobs and you rich boys take it all for granted. I don't want anything else to do with you."

"But Ellen, its not that way," I tried to reason with her.

About that time Suzanne came in from outside. She was wearing a two-piece swimsuit, showing more skin than ever before. She gave me a curious look and I explained that Ned had sent me after an oven mitt. Ellen tossed me one and I exited the kitchen, my business with her botched.

The party was in full swing. Ned had invited everyone I had met during my short time in the Oldham household, plus his girlfriend, Penelope.

Clarence and Colleen were there, he showing his muscular body, she wearing a two-piece swimsuit with frilly aprons dangling off both pieces, like ruffled curtains.

Alice wore a bikini and stayed in the water with her daughter until it was time to eat and then she rushed to get dressed in shorts and a halter that covered more of her body. Brenda loved the water and kept calling for me to join them. She was wearing blow-up floaters.

I was so busy watching the females in their suits that I was able to put the situation with Ellen out of my mind. Mr. Oldham called me over to where he was sitting at a table and asked me if I was enjoying myself. If I could only put into words what I was thinking. I had my own room with a closet full of clothes, all kinds of sports equipment, and people around me that actually cared about me. I wasn't even thinking about how much the school I was going to attend would cost. "I'm waiting for the dream to come to an end and I wake up," I answered truthfully.

Ned did the cooking with Penelope's help. I watched them working together. She was tall with a long neck and long fingers, her movements were languid and graceful, her disposition gentle. Her hair was jet black, much darker than her skin, which was about the color of the syrup inside a Snickers bar.

"She works for one of the neighbors," Mr. Oldham broke the silence. and I turned to see that he knew I had been watching Penelope.

"Who does?" Suzanne asked. I was surprised that she had joined us at the table.

"Penelope. She spends most weekends with Ned."

"I know that," said Suzanne, indignantly.

"It was said for Sammy's benefit," Mr. Oldham said, pronouncing his words distinctly like he was talking to a three year old.

"I know that too," Suzanne countered. "Look at her move. Her body language spells adoration. Why don't they get married?"

"I think it's..." Mr. Oldham halted in mid sentence and looked at me. I knew when I wasn't wanted and got up to leave, heading for the back door.

"Sam," I heard him call me.

"Yes sir," I went back so he wouldn't have to yell.

"Don't let her take advantage of you."

I must have blushed three shades of red. "Yes sir," I said and saw Suzanne turn her head so I wouldn't see her smile. I did a quick count of the guests to make sure they were all accounted for as I resumed my trip to the back door. Alice and Brenda were in the pool. Clarence and Colleen were playing badminton and Penelope was hovering close to Ned.

Ellen was mixing greens in a large salad bowl. "What do you need now, another oven mitt?" She asked when she saw me enter the kitchen.

"No, I wanted to talk to you," I answered.

"Go ahead, talk, it's a free country."

"I was wondering if you will be here tomorrow."

"Why?" She wasn't letting me off easy. I was sure she knew what I was hoping for.

"If you are here will you be bringing me a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice? I promise to drink it."

"You promise?" Her eyes told me she was playing with me but I didn't care.

"Yes. I'll drink it right down."

"Cause I worked awfully hard squeezing that juice for you and you didn't appreciate my work enough to drink it."

"I do, I mean I will appreciate your work." She had me begging now.

"I worked hard on your cock, too and you didn't appreciate that either," she said coyly.

"But I did appreciate it. That's what I'm talking about. I want you to do it again tomorrow morning," I blurted out.

Ellen stopped mixing the salad. She stared at me, appraisingly like she was trying to make up her mind about something. "You'll probably have to pay for this one yourself. Do you have twenty bucks?"

"Did someone pay you to do that this morning? Who paid you?"

"I can't tell you. Do you want me to bring you orange juice tomorrow or not?"

"Yes, I want you to come to my room tomorrow. I have twenty bucks."

"Okay, we got a date then. Carry some of this stuff outside for me so they won't think we've been doing something we shouldn't." She loaded me down with corn and potatoes for the grill.

I didn't see Ellen again that day. We played in the water until the food was ready and Ned called us to eat. We sat at tables near the pool. Clarence kept looking at his watch and eventually said he had to catch a four o'clock flight. This turned the discussion to college memories; led by Suzanne, Alice and even Mr. Oldham told us how he had panicked the first time he left home. I wondered if that happened at Cromwell or when he was a college freshman. Ned lamented the fact that he had not attended college and this developed into a sympathy reaction from Penelope. Ned excused himself to go attend to the grill and Penelope followed so I didn't learn why he didn't go to college.

Clarence and Colleen had an argument. It started quietly, but as they both became more vocal, we learned that he had to leave to catch his flight and wanted her to go with him. She resisted, saying her flight was not until the next morning. Eventually, Clarence thanked Mr. Oldham for inviting him to the party and left without saying anything to me or anyone else, not even Ned who, I was sure, was the one that extended the invitation.

A few minutes later, Alice said she would leave too because it was time for Brenda's nap. The little girl was already falling asleep, but woke up enough to demand that, "Sammy go too." Naturally, I took the opportunity to help Alice take her daughter home. We got up to leave and Mr. Oldham suggested that Alice come back to the party after Brenda got to sleep. She said she might.

As we left, Brenda riding on my shoulders and fully awake, I looked back at Colleen and made eye contact, sending a silent message, willing her to wait for me to come back. I got the impression that she understood my wishes.

Alice questioned me about school and I answered bravely, trying to disguise my anxiety about returning there to begin classes. I was sure the orientation had not prepared me for what it was going to be like to room with six other guys and compete with kids my own age. She must have heard the apprehension in my voice. "Study hard and you'll do fine. I know you will," she said. Brenda must have been tired. She didn't put up too much of a fuss when I handed her over to her mother. Alice did not come back to the party.

Colleen and I cavorted in the water; long after the others folded their tent and went inside. We heard a car start and I remembered Suzanne's Mercedes had been parked in front of the house. That had to be the one; we wouldn't be able to hear a car being started in the garage. I wondered if Suzanne was taking Ellen home. Or did Mr. Oldham and Suzanne go someplace together? I went inside to confirm my suspicion, which proved to be correct. The kitchen was clean, Ellen had departed, and the house was empty. A plan materialized in my mind.