Chapter 22

When Curt called Molly on Saturday, after two days of school resuming, she had mixed feelings. Part of her loved to hear his voice, but part of her wished that the torment would just stop.

"Molly, now that the Program is dead, there are quite a few families that are busted up because of it. There are kids here in Hooverton who don't feel they can go home because of the disrespect their parents showed by not exempting them. I suspect that around the country, there are even more.

"You've made up with your folks. Do you think you can write anything on the web to help the thinking of some of these kids? Any chance your mom could say something to the parents? She could really make an impact. I hate to throw this to you, but there's not much I can say for an example, since Mom has been with me all the way."

"You know," Molly answered, "I've been chatting a lot with kids on just that subject. You're right. There's a lot of healing that needs to be done. I'll see what I can come up with, and I'll ask Mom, too."

"Uh, Molly, do you remember when I mentioned Jordan and I said that there was no romantic interest there? Well, that has changed. We are officially boyfriend and girlfriend, now." As awkward as it was, Curt somehow felt that he owed Molly that much. He thought he had managed it without implying anything about her feelings for him.

"I ... I'm happy for you, Curt. I never met Jordan, but she sounds like a great girl for you."

"Yeah, thanks, Molly. Well, let me know if I can help with this reconciliation business in any way."

"Lisa, what's going to happen with you? Are you going back home?" Molly asked. For the two days since Curt had asked Molly to help with reconciliation, she had been writing, as had Eleanor. The more she wrote, the more she thought of Lisa and the amazing credibility that she had with other teens. If Lisa could have a reconciliation story...

"I don't know, Molly. I can find somewhere else to live."

"Oh, no! That's not what I meant at all. Let me tell you what I've been thinking." Molly recounted Curt's call, her writing, and her thoughts about Lisa's credibility.

"I know you're amazed by it, Lisa, but you have tremendous credibility with teens. I hope that you can reconcile for your own sake, believe me. But think of the impact your reconciliation story could have on other wounded families."

"But the Program wasn't the only problem for me," Lisa pointed out.

"I'm guessing that many of these families have underlying problems that were exacerbated by a dispute over the Program."

"'Exacerbated', huh? I wish I could use words as easily as you do, Molly."

"Who are you kidding, Lisa. You're no dummy. In fact, you're smart enough to try to evade the issue right now with that 'aw, shucks' routine." That made both girls break into giggles.

When the giggles stopped, Lisa took a deep breath and admitted "I've been trying to figure out how to make the first step. I'm afraid I'm going to have to. They're so screwed up now over my parentage."

"Your family will probably need counseling," Molly opined, "but you will probably have to take the lead."

"They're the ones who fucked up!" Lisa said shockingly. "Why should I have to take the lead?"

"That is a message that I'm trying to get across in what I'm writing and will be putting up on video," Molly explained. "We, the kids, are the ones who woke up, who understood just what was being done to us. Many of the parents were the sheep who never 'got it'."

"Maybe it's terrible of me, Molly, but I want to punish them. I've had this crazy idea. What if I told them that I'd come home, but only if we were all naked when at home.?"

"What made you think of that?"

"Well, when I suggested that mother had nothing to say about me going to school naked until she entertained her friends naked, she went nuts."

"You wouldn't do that, would you - make her entertain naked?"

"No. I guess that would be going too far. What do you think about just the family, though?" Lisa asked.

"Would you be naked, too?"

"Sure. I've already done it at home. It really bothers Mom, so it would be part of the punishment."

"Here's the key question, Lisa: would it lead to reconciliation?"

"Let's just say that I can't reconcile without some kind of punishment for them. And what about that theory about people being more open and honest when they're naked."

"The thing is, Lisa, that's not something that you could tell other kids to help them reconcile."

"Why not? How many other parents tried to force their kids to do something they could never do?"

"Good point. Lisa, do what you think you have to do to get home. Right now, I guess that's more important than trying to help other kids."

"Do you really think I could make a difference?"

"No question about it."

It had been several days since Beth's collapse and Lisa's flight from the house. Beth did not have the strength to try to contact her daughter. At that point, she could hardly talk to her husband. Realizing that he had essentially tortured her for sixteen years, knowing all about her adultery, had made it hard to even be in the same house with him. There was no emotional energy left to try to build bridges to Lisa.

Roger answered the phone when Lisa called, and it took him a few minutes to convince Beth to get on. "Do you want me to move home?" Lisa asked.

"Yes, yes! Of course!" Beth declared instantly.

"What about you, Dad?" Lisa had struggled over how to address him. 'Dad' had seemed like a worthwhile conciliatory gesture.

"Please come home so we can end this, Lisa," her dad said.

"Well, I've thought about this a lot, and I have two conditions that you won't like," Lisa said. "First, we are all going to counselling. Second, if I come home, you will be naked at home for two weeks. If..."

Beth let out a shriek. "Oh, no! You can't ask that! No! Lisa! No! Why would you do such a horrible thing?"

"We'll talk about that IF you decide you really want me home," Lisa said firmly. "Don't try to sucker me in, either, or I will leave for good. I've got an offer from someone who will help me launch my music career. I am thinking very hard about it."

"M ... music career?"

"Yes. Apparently, I am more than just a good piano student. People who know have heard me and assured me that I have promise. Oh. One other incentive. As long as you stay nudist at home, I will continue on a strict diet and exercise program, promising to lose two or three pounds a week. Of course, that will take much longer than two weeks, but it's up to you."

"Why wouldn't you do that anyway?" her dad asked.

"Oh, I might. You could just make sure of it. Well, email me if you want me to come home."

Molly had been listening in. "Did you just think of the weight loss on the spur of the moment?"

"Yeah. I guess that's not the best way to do things, is it?"

"Why don't you start today, no matter what?" Molly asked gently. "Some of your reasons for wanting to stay heavy are gone, aren't they?"

Lisa did not react angrily to the suggestion that her overweight was intentional. She had too much respect for Molly.

"What do you think they will do, Lisa? And what was that bit about someone helping you with your career?"

Lisa explained the talk with Patricia. "I don't think Ben liked the idea of me living with them, but he would do anything for Patricia."

"I guess you will just have to watch your email, won't you?"

"Nelson," Bert said later as he called his friend at Collette's house. "Could we talk?"

"About getting back together with my folks, I'll bet," Nelson said.

"Yeah. I guess that's a sensitive subject, but..."

"Well, I get it non-stop from both women here, so join the crowd," Nelson said a bit sourly.

"Uh, I don't mean to pile on. If you're not ready..."

"No, let's talk. Uh, you guys dressed this time?" Nelson asked.

"Uh, huh. Mom, too."

"Darn! We'll be right over, anyway."

When Nelson and Collette arrived, Eleanor, Molly, Bert, and Lisa all sat down with them. Lisa took the lead. "I know our situations are different, Nelson. I suppose every kid's is different. I'm at least going to give them a chance to get me back home. Let me tell you why it's so hard. You'll keep this confidential, won't you?"

When Lisa had told her story, Nelson was very sober. "Well, I won't make that condition, but I will require that they tell their side on the net, for all of those other parents."

"That's great, Nelson," Eleanor enthused. "I'll bet lots of people will be affected."

"I just hope they are," Nelson said. "I just hope they are."

"Collette, do you think it's because of how they feel about you?"

"Nah. Naomi came over and cried on my mom's shoulder for an hour. I think that's squared away."

It was Gwen's third date with Paul in a week, and she was undergoing quite an internal struggle. It had nothing to do with how she felt about Paul. She found herself both excited by him and comfortable with him. Her problem was that she had spent almost all of Curt's lifetime putting him first and she could not shake the feeling that making any kind of a move toward Paul would be tantamount to abandoning Curt. Her rational mind told her that was nonsense, but rationality was not the dominant influence there.

When they finished dinner and the live band started, her struggle got pushed to the background, first by the sheer fun of dancing, and then by the way Paul pulled her close for the slow songs. In the end, though, the whole delightful evening just made her internal struggle worse.

Curt and Jordan had spent almost every evening together, faithfully studying, but doing a lot of talking, cuddling, and petting, as well. When Paul dropped Gwen off from their date, Curt was waiting. She was barely in the door when he put his arm around her and pulled her toward a couch.

"Honey, I can tell that you have something on your mind, and I want to hear it," Gwen said. "Take a lesson, though. Upon returning home, a woman usually needs a pee stop before anything else. I'll be right back."

When Gwen came back, she settled right on his lap. She just sensed that it would be that kind of a conversation. "Mom, this is not easy to say, but here goes. Jordan and I are ready to take the next step."

"I've been expecting that, Curt. I hope you don't think I'm still holding out for Molly. I've always liked Jordan, and I see how perfect you two are for each other. You'll be her first, won't you?"

"Yeah. But that's not what I wanted to talk about," he went on. "Ever since I can remember, I feel like I've been your man." Gwen barely suppressed her gasp at that. It was so much the flip side of her own feelings.

He went on. "If Jordan and I get closer, I will feel like I'm abandoning you. That bothers me - a lot. Is, uh, anything happening between you and Paul. I know it hasn't been long, but the two of you seem really good together."

Propriety completely out the window, Gwen pulled Curt's face between her breasts and hugged him for all she was worth as she cried openly. He did not understand what was happening, but he returned her hug, hoping to comfort her.

When she could speak, she said "Oh, Honey! You have just spoken what has been bothering me for several days. Yes, I think something is happening between Paul and me. I was worried about abandoning you!"

"Then the thing for you to do, Mom, is to haul his ass into bed and hook him for good!"

"Curtis Valez! Is that any way for a young man to talk to his mother?"

"It is when his sexy mom has given up way too much for way too long and finally has a man worthy of her interest."

"Sexy? It has been a long time since anyone has called me that."

"To your face, you mean," he quipped. "I'll bet Paul can't keep his hands off of you."

"That, Young Man, crosses the line into more than a mother should discuss with her son."

"Well, if he isn't having trouble, he isn't the man I think he is."

"He's plenty of man, all right," she said, almost to herself.

"Mom, maybe this is stupid, but I don't won't to make love with Jordan until you do it with Paul."

"What? You mean you want me to tell you when ... Curt!"

"Oh, come on, Mom! With everything we've shared. Especially me."

"You mean this - about being afraid you'd be abandoning me?" she asked.

"Yes, it has been bothering me a lot."

"Saturday night. You get the house. I'll go to Paul's." Having said it, she disintegrated in embarrassed laughter.

"Jordan, did you mean it when you said you were ready?" Curt asked when they finished studying the next night.

"Absolutely! It seems like you have been stalling," she pouted.

"Saturday night?"

"Where?"

"Well, we can have the house, but I should get a hotel room," he said quickly.

"You mean, overnight?"

"Can you work it out?"

"I've talked to Mom about it a lot. She'll be cool with it," Jordan assured him, then fell all over him.

"Hey, hey!" he laughed. "At this rate, we won't make it until Saturday.

"Don't spend the money on a hotel, Curt. Your house has the only thing it needs?"

"What's that?"

"This, silly!" With that, she was stroking his hardness almost frantically.

Late Saturday afternoon, Gwen had her overnight bag all packed. In his usual fashion, Paul had told her exactly where they would be going for dinner. She had talked Curt into delivering the bag to the maitre d' at the restaurant, along with a suitable tip to hold it for her.

She stood naked in front of her vanity mirror and assessed herself. The big four-oh was not that far in the future, but she felt satisfied with what she had to offer Paul. From everything that they had shared, she had the feeling that her degree of physical perfection mattered relatively little to him. Oh, he responded to her body in ways that pleased her greatly, but their connection was beyond that.

It was only their fourth date, and part of her was aghast that she planned to have sex with him so soon. But a bigger part of her knew that she was already falling deeply in love with him, and it had been so long. After her little talk and cuddle with Curt, there was no turning back.

Paul erased any small thought she might have had of backing out. They had danced several numbers, when after a slow, romantic one where they had been closer than ever before, Paul just stood and held her when the music ended.

Speaking softly so only she could hear, he told her "Gwen, I don't consider myself an impetuous man, but in just this short time, I have fallen in love with you."

Gwen never once thought that he might be insincere, might be trying to manipulate her. Everything she had seen in their times together had convinced him that he was a straight up guy. Now, her preparation was rewarded. Taking him by the hand, she led him to the maitre d' station and picked up her bag. All she did was hand it to him. No words were necessary.

At Paul's place, right on the grounds of the compound, both partners were silent as they headed directly for the bedroom. "If it doesn't bother you if my hair gets a little wet, I would love to shower with you. I want to be completely fresh for you," she told him. She was not sure where her boldness was coming from, but she was greatly enjoying his responses.

Staying in her leading role, she turned her back for him to unzip the cocktail dress that she wore. Not only did he unzip her, but with a kiss on each shoulder, he eased the dress off of her arms and down her body. There was no hesitation as he unsnapped her strapless bra, pulled it off, and replaced its hold on her breasts with his hands.

Loving his gentle yet possessive touch, she tilted her head back and around in clear invitation for a kiss. The kiss lasted minutes. She had no desire for his hands to release their hold and he was thrilled by the way her ass moved against his growing hardness. The intensity of the kiss itself, though, nearly overrode those other wonderful sensations.

Wearing only thong, shoes, and holdups, she turned around to face him, trying not to let any of her nervousness show. When she told him "You're overdressed," there was a slight catch in her voice that he did not miss.

As she was loosening his tie, he took her face in both hands. "Gwen, Honey, I know you're worried about how I will react to your body, but you have no need to be. You are a beautiful woman, and the beauty of your body is just a bonus. Don't worry. I feel blessed."

Maybe he knew that such talk would melt any woman, or maybe he was just speaking from his heart. It didn't matter, because Gwen melted. Actually, she shuddered quite hard, first, possibly in a small orgasm. Then, she melted, collapsing forward against him and wrapping her arms around him in a death grip.

Her plan had been to be cool, in charge, seductive. The plan was a goner, and all she wanted was to be loved, touched, taken, held, possessed, treasured. Trying not to seem frantic, she still heard one shirt button go flying across the room. The shirt was gone and she was working on the slacks. Sensing her near desperation, he managed to get his shoes off so he could step out of his puddled slacks. As she reached to pull down his shorts, he did the same to her. With a little dancing out of their puddled underwear, he stood in only his socks and she in just heels and holdups.

She began unmistakably pulling him toward the bed. "Gwen, I've been dancing. I'm kind of sweaty."

"Me, too. We'll shower later, before the second round. I'll bet you're on a short fuse, and I want it in me. By some sleight of hand, she got the duvet and covers thrown back on the bed and pulled him down atop her. He saw absolutely no reason to fight her leading, and almost instantly, he was pushing into her little by little.

"God, you're tight!"

"Neglect," she panted back.

"That's ended - forever." He kept turning her to mush with his words, and when he bottomed out, two firm strokes turned her into a jerking, shaking mass. Not being made of steel, he held out as long as he could through her climax. The light was still on, though, and the sight of her face as she came was too much for him.

They were not conscious of time, but anyone with a watch would have clocked little more than a minute before the new lovers were a sweating, gasping mass.

"Do you have a hot tub?" she asked when she regained some breath.

"There's one for these four units."

"Let's go." She hauled him to his feet, then sat back down and rolled off her stockings. She went in his bathroom and found two large towels and asked "Which way?"

"Um, it's not that private. Shouldn't we wear suits? Take robes?"

"Do you really think anyone will bother the boss's right hand man if they see him in the tub? You can wrap that towel around you. She did just that with her own towel, sensing his reluctance to expose himself.

The tub itself was quite sheltered and private. She waited for him to sit on the lower level, then got right on his lap. "Gwen, my life gets pretty hectic, chasing Jason all over."

"Is there an opening for a chaser's helper? I've spent my life right here, doing what I had to do for me and Curt. To my, chasing would be wonderful, especially if I can do it with you."

"We're talking some serious things here, aren't we?" he observed.

"I'm deadly serious," she declared.

"Do you really think we can work together and live together both?" he asked.

"Is that a proposal of sorts?"

He paused only a moment before he said "Not a proposal of sorts, a proposal of marriage."

This time, he caught her completely off guard, and she just gaped at him. Fearing that he had pushed too hard, he backpedaled "We can make it a long engagement if you need time?"

"Yeah. I think we'd better," she said dreamily. "Is two weeks too long for you?"

She truly had not meant it as humor, but he could not hold back a snort. After a brief flash of anger, she saw that it was indeed humorous and began laughing. That released him to laugh freely, and then it was a few minutes before they could talk again.