Chapter 7

Prudence and Ted had been submerged to their necks in the water for ten minutes. They seemed to just be talking, as far as Mirriam could tell. Prudence was laughing, at something. Mirriam felt much calmer when they left her alone, and she felt much more in control of herself. Watching them, she thought about everything that had happened.

Ted was a mystery to her. He wasn’t like any other man she’d ever met. He was so open ... so direct ... so willing to say what was on his mind, even when that terrified her. Joe hadn’t been a big talker. Joe had just loved her. When she was with Joe, everything had been so simple. He was there, and she was there, and she knew he would make her feel like the most important woman in the world.

She looked at Prudence and Ted. Prudence was carrying Bobby’s baby. It was obvious she didn’t mind that one bit, even though it meant there would be the raising of a baby alone. Mirriam knew what that was like very well. Then again, Prudence had raised Constance, mostly alone.

Mirriam concentrated on how she felt about Prudence for a few minutes. Prudence was going to have her grandchild. Over the weeks since she had become friends with her, she had come to cherish the time she spent with the woman. Prudence wasn’t like any other woman she knew either. If ever she could share a man, it would be with Prudence.

The thought shocked her. How could she think of sharing a man? And yet, she knew very well that Joe, when he wasn’t with her, was with other women. She hadn’t cared about that ... as long as he came back to her sometimes. And she had to admit to herself that, in moments of weakness, she thought about sharing Bobby with Prudence. It would be the other way around ... Prudence sharing him with his mother, really, but it was the same thing.

The rush of emotion, when she thought about Bobby, kissing her ... touching her ... made her look at Ted in another light. He was interested in her. He plainly wanted to seduce her ... both of them ... even though Prudence was great with child! If she let herself go with Ted ... and the thought of that was in no way distasteful ... she might not want her son that way.

It was that, more than anything else in her roiling mind that made her take her outer clothing off, and walk toward the river.

“That’s not the kind of kissing I’ve ever done!” gasped Linda, from behind Flo.

Bobby lifted his head from between Bev’s thighs. His face looked shiny, like it was wet. Bev’s head turned, and what had clearly, to Flo’s ears, been a moan of delight, turned into a squeal of dismay, as Bev’s legs popped up in the air, athletically, and she lunged for the other side of the bed. The after-image of Bobby’s fingers, pulling at Bev’s nipples, while he slurped between her legs, dominated Flo’s consciousness. She was frozen, unable to move, or say anything.

Oddly, another part of her mind noticed that Bobby was fully clothed. She saw his body rise from the bed, where he had been kneeling, and he stepped toward her.

Panic, and adrenaline kicked in, and her body unfroze.

“Don’t you touch me!“ she screamed.

She backpedaled and ran pell mell into Linda, who was trying to move forward, to see better. There was an “Ooof” from Linda’s mouth, and Bobby stopped.

“Come in here!” he said.

“No!“ squealed Flo, trying to get around Linda, without losing eye contact with Bobby.

“Get in here!“ Bobby roared.

“Noooooo ... pleeeeease,” whined Flo, sure that he was going to kill her. “We won’t tell, pleeease don’t hurt meeeee.”

It was Bev who resolved the immediate situation. She popped up from behind the bed, flushing furiously, stark naked, but she stalked around the bed, and past Bobby, right up to her older sister. As she grabbed her sister’s elbow in a grip that was almost debilitating, she yelled.

“He won’t hurt you, you stupid girl! He would never ... ever ... hurt one of us!“

Flo was herded, more or less, by Bev, pulling at her, and Linda, pushing from behind.

“Wow!” Linda said, her voice breathy. “Wow! ... Oh Wow! ... Oh Wow!”

There was only the excitement of discovery in her voice, though she seemed as paralyzed, mentally, as Flo was.

Flo was still in the grip of panic, but Beverly wasn’t the source of the fear that gripped her. She therefore felt no distaste in hugging Bev, and seeking safety in her arms.

“Everybody just sit down,” said Bobby, his voice tired. “We have some talking to do.”

“Wow,” said Ted softly, as he saw Mirriam walking toward them on the grass.

Prudence looked at what he was looking at.

“She is beautiful, for an old broad, isn’t she?”

Ted actually took his eyes off Mirriam, to look at Prudence.

“You’re both beautiful for old broads, Prudence.”

Prudence blushed. They’d been talking about nothing, really. Ted had told her a little more about his past life, and a really funny story about his trip “out west” from St. Louis. He hadn’t exactly invaded her personal space, but, as they stood on the sandy bottom of the river, his hands had touched hers, or brushed her arm, occasionally, and he was standing closer to her than the average person would, when just talking. She liked Ted. She liked his attitude, which was so vastly different from hers had been when she lost her mate. He was taking it all in stride, with a positive attitude, and just starting over, in a sense. He also made her feel good about herself. His constant comments about her beauty, or her motherhood, or how much he had looked forward to taking her off into the country on this picnic all made her feel desirable. She had no illusions about his intent. He was interested in sex, though she truly believed that was only part of his interest. And, in an odd turn of things that she hadn’t really thought about all that much, she didn’t think he was perverted for wanting two women at the same time. She would never give Bobby up, if she had her way about it, but she was attracted to this man too.

His awe-filled “Wow” had made her look at Mirriam, and the thought that flitted through her mind wasn’t one of jealousy. Rather, it was that he had good taste. Mirriam was a wonderful woman, who in a way had, after Joe died, made the same mistake that Prudence had made. She hadn’t taken another man. She was a wonderful woman, and a wonderful friend, and she deserved what her son was giving another woman. Her comment to Ted about Mirriam being an “old broad” wasn’t intended to make Mirriam less attractive to him. It was just a product of feeling comfortable around him. His response made her want to kiss him, and she blushed at the thought. She wished Bobby was there. She’d bend over and let him take her in an instant, right about now.

“You have awfully good taste in women,” she said, instinctively, watching Mirriam’s swaying hips, and bouncing breasts.

“You both make me hard as a rock,” sighed Ted, watching the same things. He realized what he’d said, and that he’d said it out loud, and murmured an apology.

“If you think you’ve offended me, you are incorrect,” she responded, blushing even more.

“You two can stop talking about me now,” called out Mirriam, as she stepped delicately into the water.

Prudence laughed out loud, wondering if she should tell Mirriam what he’d just said. Instead she just said, “It’s all been good, Mirriam.”

Mirriam stopped, bending forward. Her breasts swung away from her body, and the bikini top couldn’t hold them tightly enough to keep them from falling forward. Both bathers could see clear through her cleavage.

“That is a truly wonderful swim suit,” sighed Ted. “I can’t tell you how glad I am you decided to join us.”