Chapter 4

On Pearl Harbor Day, a day that was still subdued in America in those days, there was cause for celebration in both Hutchinson and Granger when Amanda Griggs went into labor and delivered an eight pound nine ounce baby boy, with coal black hair and blue eyes.

She would forever think that it was the excitement of sucking her father’s erection that caused her water to break. She would also admit, later, that she panicked. She apologized to her father for abandoning him, and drove herself to the hospital, still in her soaked sweat pants. Once there, and in labor, she asked a nurse to call Rodney at the radio station, who came to the hospital and stayed with her for a couple of hours. She elected drugs, which made the labor a bit less frightening for her. She somewhat unabashedly asked Rodney to call Bobby and tell him what had happened, thus confirming, in Rodney’s mind, his and the rest of the station staff’s suspicions about who had gotten her pregnant.

Bobby got there an hour before she actually delivered. The nurses giggled as Amanda alternated between telling him how much she loved him, and cursing him for doing this to her.

Afterwards, as she held their son, who she named Michael Scott - her father’s and grandfather’s middle names, respectively - she was overcome by awe that she had produced this perfect, tiny thing that she already loved more than life itself.

“Thank you,” she said to Bobby, who had waited throughout her delivery and recovery.

“Oh, believe me,” he smiled, “it was my pleasure.”

“I know,” she said, looking at him through lowered eyelashes. “I always felt so good when you made it so clear that you wanted me as much as I wanted you.”

“Maybe we can do it again some time,” he said, grinning.

“Maybe,” she said softly, holding the tiny fingers of her son.

On the 20th of December, Bobby was in the hardware store, buying hinges for a job, when he saw Paul Engle walk in.

“Paul,” he called out, smiling. He walked over to him.

“Bobby,” said Paul, looking shy, for some reason.

“How’s college? You home for the holidays?” asked Bobby.

“School’s fine, I guess,” said Paul. “I didn’t really want to come home, but I didn’t want to stay there alone. Most everybody else went home.” He looked sad. “I just got here today, and already my dad has put me to work.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Bobby. “Of course you want to be here, with your family for Christmas!”

“I guess,” said the young man, morosely.

“Come on,” said Bobby. “Don’t tell me you’re still pining over my sister. With all those babes at college?”

Paul looked at Bobby steadily. “I don’t want them,” he said. “I don’t know how to talk to them anyway.” He looked pained. “Is she okay?”

“Linda?” asked Bobby. “She’s okay, I guess.”

“Is she ... does she have a boyfriend?” asked Paul. It was obvious that he hated asking the question.

“Nope,” said Bobby. “She’s still pining for you too.”

The casually made comment electrified Paul. “Really?” he asked, excited for the first time. “You wouldn’t shit me, would you, Bobby?”

“She’s a stubborn woman, Paul,” said Bobby. “She’s one of the most stubborn women I know, but she loved you then, and she still does, whether she’ll admit it or not.”

“But she’s not going out with guys?” asked Paul anxiously.

“She hasn’t gone on a single date since you left,” said Bobby. He didn’t want to admit to Paul that she hadn’t had to go out. Bobby was fucking her long, deep and continuous, about every other night.

“Oh man!” sighed Paul. “Oh man,” he repeated. “I was so stupid to let her go!”

“You got plans for tonight?” asked Bobby.

“I can’t ask her out again,” said Paul, looking terrified. “She said she never wanted to see me again.”

“Then she can eat somewhere else,” said Bobby. “I’m inviting you to dinner.”

“Really?” Paul’s voice rose a complete octave. “Why?”

“She’s miserable, Paul,” said Bobby. “She was a bear for weeks after you left. She’s better now, but I know if she finds out you’re home, she’ll get all worked up again. Why don’t we just get it over with? Come to dinner tonight at the house.”

“You think I should?” asked the boy, completely flummoxed.

“You said yourself you were an idiot to let her go,” said Bobby.

Bobby tipped off his mother, of course. She was thrilled. She liked Paul too. She went the extra mile for dinner, as a result, and it was noticed.

“Somebody coming to dinner?” asked Betty, as she was shooed away from the hot rolls.

“Yes,” said Mirriam.

“Who?” asked the girl.

“Never you mind,” said Mirriam. “Check the roast. It should be done by now.”

“I’m nothing but a slave,” moaned the sixteen year old girl.

She jumped as Bobby slapped her on her right butt cheek, sneaking up behind her.

“Get to work, slave!” he ordered.

“Owww, why’d you do that, Bobby?” she complained.

Bobby ignored her and picked up a hot roll, biting into it.

“How come he gets a roll and I don’t?” she complained to her mother.

“It’s his guest coming over ... that’s why,” said her mother, grinning at Bobby.

“Is it a girl? Do you finally have a girlfriend, Bobby?” Betty grinned. No one had tried to hide anything from the girls. Betty and her twin sister might be the youngest Daltons, but they were just as smart as the older ones. They hadn’t asked any questions, because, to be honest, they didn’t really care all that much, but it was obvious that there were a number of women who liked Bobby, and didn’t mind if people in the house knew that.

“I have too many girlfriends already,” said Bobby. “I can’t pick one. It’s like all the girls in the whole town want me. I’m exhausted, just trying to keep away from them!” He sighed, hamming it up and acting frustrated.

“You’re so full of bull,” said his little sister.

“Language!” barked Mirriam.

“Well he is,” whined Betty. Then, like a lot of young women, she changed tactics, going up to her brother and putting her arms around his neck.

“So who is it?” she asked, sweetly.

“Nobody for you,” he said, picking her up with his hands around her waist.

“Help!” she yelped.

He moved her to the stove and set her down.

“Check the roast, like your Mamma told you to,” he growled.

Linda wandered in too, and noticed the festivities, but just assumed that it would be Prudence, or maybe that new woman, Renee, again.

“Smells good,” she commented.

“You won’t want to eat anything,” said Bobby.

Mirriam turned around.

“You hush up Bobby!” she ordered.

“Why?” asked Linda. “What’s going on?” She grew wary.

“Bobby has a guest coming for dinner,” said Betty, closing the oven door. “It’s ready, Mamma.”

“Well then take it out, dear!” said her mother sharply. She looked at her watch. “Hurry up, it’s almost time.”

“Time for what?” asked Linda, still trying to figure out what was going on.

“Never mind,” said Mirriam. “Go get your sisters.”

She had just left the room when Bobby heard a car door slam outside, and went to the back door. Paul was there, looking very nervous.

“Just wait here for a minute,” said Bobby. “We want to surprise her.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Paul, doubtfully. “She doesn’t much like surprises.”

“We’ll play it by ear,” said Bobby. “Trust me.”

“Okay,” said Paul, and sat down on the wooden steps.

Bobby went back in and whispered to Mirriam, who nodded.

Susie came in and sat down, still reading a book. Bobby loitered by the door, and when Linda came towards him with Matilda in tow, he stepped in front of her.

“Go on, Matilda,” he said. “I need to talk to Linda privately.”

“What’s going on?” asked Linda, trying to peek into the kitchen.

“Nothing,” said Bobby. “I invited someone to dinner, and I want you to behave yourself,” he said.

“Why wouldn’t I behave myself?” she asked.

Bobby pinned her to the wall and kissed her. She stiffened, but then habit took over and she kissed him back.

“None of that, for instance,” he said, grinning, when he pulled back.

“You know I wouldn’t do that at dinner!” she whispered. “What in the world is wrong with you?”

“I just want you to make a good impression on my guest,” he said.

“Oh my gosh!“ came a squeal from the kitchen, followed by very audible “Shhhh“ noises and. “Be quiet!” from Mirriam.

“I guess he’s here,” said Bobby.

He stepped aside, and Linda lurched away from the wall to see who was there. She stepped into the doorway, and saw Paul, already seated, right next to her mother. Her sisters were spaced all around the table. There were two chairs left, one across the table from Paul, and one right next to him.

She realized her mouth was open, and closed it with a snap as Bobby walked by her and took the chair ... next to Paul.

“Bobby!“ she growled, almost yelling.

He looked over his shoulder. “Oh, hi, Linda. This is Paul. He’s a friend of mine. Paul ... Linda. Linda ... Paul. I’m starved. Let’s eat.”

Whatever they all expected to happen, including Paul, they did not expect Linda to walk over to Paul, say, “Stand up!” and pull his chair back for him. It is doubtful that anyone, particularly Paul, expected her to then turn to Bobby, lean down, and kiss him on the lips. She slid her tongue into his startled mouth, to boot. Then she dragged Paul out of the kitchen, without a word.

“Where’s she taking him?” asked Matilda.

Bobby leaned back, rocking his chair back on two legs, and looked out the doorway. He looked at his mother, with one eyebrow raised.

“Looks like she took him to her room,” he said. His comment was punctuated by the slamming of a door, in the direction of the kids’ bedrooms.

Matilda and Betty both jumped up, as one. “I gotta hear this!” said Matilda, excitedly.

“Sit down!“ ordered Mirriam.

“Awww, come on, Mamma,” complained Matilda. “I bet she’s yelling at him something fierce!”

“You will not intrude on your sister’s private conversation!” said Mirriam, getting up.

“Where are you going, Mamma?” asked Betty.

“Never mind!” snapped Mirriam. “Eat your dinner!”

Bobby got up too.

“Now, Mamma,” he said, a note of warning in his voice.

“That is no way to behave at dinner!” said Mirriam, her voice hard. “I don’t care how mad she is at him for showing up like that, I expect her to be polite!”

“Mamma, they’re just probably talking,” said Bobby, following her up the hall. He grasped her wrist as she reached for Linda’s doorknob.

“Mamma,” he said, still warning her.

“We can’t do that!” came an obviously male, obviously agitated voice through the door.

“Shut up!“ came Linda’s also loud and agitated voice.

“But honey!” came the pleading voice of Paul.

“Don’t you ‘honey’ me, you bastard!” yelled Linda.

Mirriam struggled against Bobby’s grip, trying to open the door.

“They’re fighting!” she hissed.

“Leave them be, Mamma,” said Bobby.

“I will not!” she said, turning to him. “You shouldn’t have brought him here!”

“As I recall, you thought it was a great idea,” whispered Bobby.

“I didn’t know she’d act a fool and try to kill the poor boy!” hissed the woman.

“At least knock,” said Bobby. He let her wrist go.

Mirriam knocked.

“Go away!” came Linda’s yell from inside.

“Linda? Honey?” said Mirriam, in her best “please let me in” voice.

“Go away!“ yelled Linda.

“Linda!“ yelled Paul.

“Shut up!“ yelled Linda.

“Please ... linda ... no ... you can’t...”

Mirriam tried the doorknob. It was locked. She pounded on the door.

“Linda jean, you let me in there this instant!“ yelled Mirriam.

“Go away!“ came the yell from inside.

A strangled moan came from what sounded like Paul’s voice, through the door. “Ohhhh pleeeease,” he begged.

Mirriam turned to Bobby. “Break it down,” she said, her voice tight.

“Mamma, you’re overreacting.”

She took a breath to yell at him, and then stopped. Her eyes lit up. She stepped to the linen closet and opened the door. Reaching inside, she took a skeleton key off the nail. She’d just remembered it was there. Bringing it back, she bent over and inserted it in the keyhole of Linda’s door.

“Mamma, please,” begged Bobby. “They’re just working things out.”

“No they’re not,” moaned Mirriam. “My baby is in there. She probably has a knife or something. She’s doing something horrible to that sweet boy, I just know it!”

She twisted and there was a rusty grating sound. She turned the knob and pushed the door open, already moving ahead.

Had Bobby been moving behind her, he would have run into her when she suddenly stopped, and took in a gasp of air. Bobby peeked in. It did look like there had been knock-down drag-out fight going on.

The chair had been knocked over, and there was clothing lying everywhere. Paul was lying across Linda’s bed, his shirt torn open. His pants were down around his calves. Linda was stark naked. The clothing strewn everywhere was what she had been wearing when she came to supper.

She was sucking Paul’s cock.

She either heard the door open, or heard her mother’s indrawn gasp, because she sucked hard, pulling her mouth off of Paul’s mostly hard prick, and looked over her shoulder.

“Go away!“ she growled.

Then she went back to work on a moaning Paul, who lifted his head off the bed, saw Mirriam and Bobby standing there, and dropped his head back to the bed, covering his eyes with one hand.

Bobby pulled at his mother’s waist, pulling her backwards on wooden legs. She stumbled, and his arms went around her, lifting her to pull her out of the room backwards. She was craning her neck as he stopped to pull the door closed. To shake her out of her shock, he slid his hands to her breasts and squeezed them.

“Looks like fun, doesn’t it?” he whispered.

She went almost limp, and he held her sagging body with his hands on her breasts, turning her to find the twins and Suzie standing there, wide-eyed, at the end of the hall. Mirriam moaned, got her feet under her, stood, and pushed at Bobby’s hands.