Chapter 23

Suzie’s graduation was, of course, a joyous event. She was graduating summa cum laude, both because of her grade point average and because she earned her bachelor’s degree in three years, rather than the usual four. That meant more to Suzie and her academic family, than it did to her genetic family, but they knew it was important.

Mirriam was almost giddy with pride and excitement. Prudence told her several times to act her age. Mirriam stuck her tongue out at her best friend, and then giggled like a school girl.

It took four cars to get all the well wishers to Manhattan. All her sisters and brothers-in-law went, and Bobby, of course. Prudence and Constance went as well. With all the babies, toddlers and older children, they made a noticeable crowd.

The only real opportunity for disaster, as far as Suzie was concerned, was averted when she explained to her roommates that her entire allotment of tickets had been used up by her family, so there were none left for them. It turned out that Melanie had to work anyway, so Tiffany said that was fine. Suzie didn’t tell them that everyone was going out to eat afterwards.

Even so, another of Suzie’s friends came up to talk to her and showed obvious interest in Bobby. When she found out he was Suzie’s brother, she lit up.

“I’ve heard so much about you!” she said. “Suzie just goes on and on about what a wonderful big brother you are.”

Bobby looked at Suzie, who was blushing.

“In a moment of weakness I might have exaggerated your worth as a human being,” she said, trying to sound casual.

“What are you doing after graduation?” asked the girl, staring at Bobby with bright eyes. It was obvious she hoped he’d say he wasn’t doing anything.

“I’m here with family,” he said. “I think we’re going out to eat, and then I have to get back home.”

“Awwwww,” she said, staring at him. “That’s really too bad.” She brightened. “Well, if you change your mind, just tell Suzie. She knows where to find me.”

She wandered off and Bobby turned to find Constance standing right beside him.

“My, my, but aren’t you all popular,” she said, glancing at the retreating young woman.

Bobby couldn’t keep the blush from his face. He tried to cover for that by joking. “I can’t help it if I’m irresistible.”

Constance looked up at him, apparently missing the mirth. “No ... I suppose you can’t.”

Then she turned around to go talk to Bev. On the way she picked up Christopher, who was trying to get his mother to hold him, and pretended she was eating his neck.

Paula French sat, all but invisible in the sea of other young people, dressed in caps and gowns just like her own. Her parents were over in section K of the auditorium, also invisible in the assembled throng. They were proud of her again. The unplanned trip home during spring break had mended fences. Paula insisted that Millie had jumped to conclusions. She was careful to say that Bobby had done nothing to her on their New Year’s Eve date. She freely admitted that she had used bad judgment in getting drunk, and listened as the lectures were given. She apologized for getting frustrated with Millie and going to stay in the bed and breakfast. It was easier to just listen as her parents droned on and on about the dangers that were in the world. It was safer just to nod and smile and say she’d learned a lesson.

She had learned a lesson, really. She’d learned that when a woman is confident in her own sexuality, she has a measure of control over the men she dates that is very comforting. Upon her return to school, she’d talked to Melanie, who was effusive about Bobby’s visit. She assured Paula that her other two roommates were just as happy about it. Paula had listened to the details Melanie provided, and had been a little miffed that she had to miss out on the good time. She’d already been out on several dates since then, and she was happy with the way they’d gone. She hadn’t had sex with anybody yet, but the idea of it no longer made her so nervous. Now it was something to look forward to, assuming she met a man who made her want to engage in that activity.

Soon she would climb the steps to the stage and walk across it. Then she would go start her new job, meet new men, and forge a life that her parents didn’t necessarily need to know all the details of.

The announcer’s voice caught her attention with the word “Dalton”. She looked up to see a young woman shaking hands and receiving a ribbon-tied roll of paper. She looked familiar. Paula tried to place her, but couldn’t. She thought it was interesting that, while she was thinking about Bobby Dalton, another person named Dalton would graduate. She wouldn’t have thought that Dalton would be such a popular name. Then the woman walked on and Paula’s row had to stand up, in preparation to make their own trip across the stage.

Suzie sighed. Everything seemed to be going well. She’d already crossed the stage, shaken hands, and received the roll of paper that represented her diploma. Now all they had to do was go out to eat, and Bobby would be gone back home, and the threat of exposure would be gone with him.

The announcer called Paula French’s name. With horror, Suzie watched the young woman cross the stage and shake the same hands Suzie had just shaken. How could she have forgotten about Paula?! It was Paula who had brought Bobby to Manhattan in the first place!

She didn’t know what to do. She tried to think of some course of action, as the remainder of the class got their diplomas, but couldn’t come up with anything. Then the graduates rose all around her, shouting and laughing. Some threw their caps in the air. People streamed in every direction.

Her family members knew where she’d been sitting, and they struggled toward her, weaving through the throng. She saw Bobby moving chairs out of his way, coming toward her. She looked frantically for Paula, but couldn’t find her in the sea of moving people.

Paula was moving slowly in the direction of section K when she saw Bobby Dalton moving chairs out of his way and striding directly toward her. She couldn’t believe he’d come all the way here just so see her graduate! Part of her exulted that he’d want her that much. Then panic set in. Her parents were probably working their way toward her too. She made a snap decision and lurched toward Bobby.

Suzie looked away from Bobby and her eyes saw Paula just as the girl’s face registered shock and dismay. Suzie felt so weak that she sat down on a chair. It was over. There would be a scene. People would stop and stare as Paula screeched her disgust.

Paula almost ran to Bobby, moving chairs herself, to get to him.

“You shouldn’t have come!“ she gasped. “You have to leave! My parents are here!”

Bobby’s face registered surprise.

“You have to get over me, Bobby!” said the excited young woman. “I made up with my parents. If they see you here it will ruin everything!”

Bobby struggled to adapt to the situation. He decided to just go with the flow.

“Where are they?” asked Bobby, looking around.

“That way, I think.” She pointed.

“You go that way,” he said. “I’ll go the other way.”

“Yes!” she yipped. “Thank you. Thank you for everything ... but you have to go!”

“All right,” said Bobby. “Go on.”

Paula watched as he turned, and then rushed in the opposite direction. She relaxed as she saw that her parents had stayed in their seats, waiting for her to come to them. When she got there she put on a bright smile.

“I’m starved. Let’s go!”

She led them toward an exit.

Suzie looked up, her eyes fearful. Bobby was gone! Paula was gone too! She stood up and looked around. Linda crashed into her and hugged her.

“What’s wrong?” said Linda.

Before Suzie could say anything, Florence was there, hugging her too. Suzie’s eyes jerked around. She saw Bobby sitting in a chair. He had apparently turned aside for some reason. Her eyes searched for Paula, but she was gone.

Then the others were there, and it was too hectic to do anything but respond to them. Eventually Bobby was there too. He was smiling, like the others. Nothing seemed to be wrong after all.

She didn’t understand, but she relaxed anyway.

With Suzie and supporters, there were twenty-five people, when they went out to eat. They basically took over a German restaurant in the little town of Ogden, which was squeezed between Manhattan and Fort Riley, the Army post that was responsible for the German restaurant being there in the first place. The meal lasted for hours, but nobody cared. Everything seemed right in the world.

Mirriam hugged Suzie one last time before she got in the car to go home.

“When are you coming home?” she asked.

Suzie shrugged. “My job keeps going until the end of July. I should have a couple of weeks between then, and when I have to be in Kansas City to find someplace to live and start med school.”

“I don’t get to see you any more,” complained Mirriam.

“I’ll come see you,” said Suzie. “According to Bobby, my old room will be rented out anyway. Where will I stay?”

“We can put you in the barn,” said Mirriam. “You just get there, and let us worry about that. I’m so proud of you!” she squealed.

“Thank you, Mamma,” said the only Dalton who had ever gone to college.

Suzie looked around for Bobby, wanting to hug him goodbye, and saw him getting something out of the trunk of his car. It was a diaper bag and he handed it to Betty. When Betty smiled and went to use the contents of the bag, Suzie went up to him.

“I miss you,” she whispered in his ear. “I’m horny all the time now, and it’s all your fault.”

“Find yourself a boyfriend,” he said, squeezing her.

“I don’t have time for that,” she pouted. “Besides, I’m leaving here in a couple of months. Mamma wants me to come home for a visit before I go to Kansas City. She says I can stay in the barn. That’s where your room is now ... isn’t it?”

He pushed her back, and his eyes narrowed. He looked around before speaking.

“Are you on the pill yet?”

“No,” she said, her voice tiny.

“You’d better be if you’re planning on staying in the barn,” he said.

She smiled.

“Okay!”

It was in the morning, a week later, when a full sized Chevy van pulled into the yard at the farm. Five people got out, and removed suitcases from the back.

Mirriam and the twins were there, waiting. Mirriam showed Jeffrey Hamilton to Bobby’s old room, which the man had requested. It was at the head of the stairs. He said he didn’t mind going down the hall to the bathroom. Randy and Wanda both claimed they didn’t need any help. They’d been there before, and claimed the two rooms at the end of the hall, with the newly built bathrooms in them. Betty ended up with a young woman named Jennifer, and put her in Flo’s old room. That left Matilda to take care of another young woman who introduced herself as Candy.

Jeff was in his role as the professor, and yelled for all of the grad students to just put their suitcases in the rooms, and then get back to the van. Within half an hour after their arrival, the van was leaving again, on its way to the research site, fifteen miles away.

Jeff had already warned Mirriam that they’d get back late. They were all dusty and dirty too, so by the time they got cleaned up and sat down at the table, it was already seven. She had planned accordingly.

The Dalton’s dining room table was at least fifty years old. It had been a work of art when it was first made, but had been owned by several families. The inevitable dents and scratches had been dealt with by Bobby’s loving attention, once the B&B idea had been accepted. The table had three leaves, and would seat fourteen when all three leaves were installed. Two leaves were in at the moment, primarily to make room for the two high chairs that were needed. The original set of chairs only numbered ten. That had been sufficient for the family, and still served to accommodate the ten people gathered around the table. Theodore had graduated from a high chair to a regular chair, even though he had to sit on a box Bobby had made for him, to reach the table easily. Joseph and Veronica, now almost eight months old were in the high chairs. Mother’s milk was still their primary diet, but that was being supplemented with solid food too.

Mirriam was used to cooking for a large family, so the only difference was that there were new faces around the table as she set out bowls of mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, and green beans. Two pans of hot rolls were split between ends of the table. The huge platter of fried chicken would have to be passed around. The diners had their choice of lemonade, iced tea or water.

“Since you all are going to be living here, I want you to feel at home,” said Mirriam. “Part of that is feeling free to get up and get whatever you need. I’m not going to wait on you hand and foot.” She smiled.

“Thanks,” said Jeff. “I feel bad that we’re making all this work for you.”

“You’re paying for it,” said Mirriam, smiling. “I just want you to feel like you can have whatever you want.”

“Whatever we want?” asked Candy, looking pointedly at Bobby, who was sitting across the table from her.

“Down girl,” said Jennifer, who was also looking at Bobby.

“Within reason,” said Mirriam, dryly.

“You’re here to do research,” said Jeff firmly.

“Of course we are,” said Candy, still looking at Bobby. He seemed to be very interested in his plate. “And research we shall perform.” she added.

Bobby got the feeling at supper that he was somehow in hazardous waters. Candy and Jennifer seemed to look at him a lot. It was after supper, though, that he knew he was in trouble.

Both girls engaged him in conversation, obviously competing against each other for his attention. Randy and Wanda had disappeared somewhere, and the professor was in the kitchen, where Mirriam was doing dishes. The twins had gone to the barn to let Veronica and Joseph suck. Bobby wished he was there as well, and not just because he’d get some mouthfuls of sweet milk too.

His experience with Melanie and Tiffany had left a faintly sour taste in his mouth. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them. He did. It wasn’t because it hadn’t been fun breaking them in. It had been. But it also hadn’t meant anything, and that still bothered him.

Now there were two other college women vying for his attention. It didn’t require the experience he had, to know that he could get either of these women between the sheets. It was obvious. Part of his mind evaluated whether he could get both women between the sheets ... at the same time, like he had done with the twins.

At the same time, he wasn’t interested. That was new to him, but he didn’t have time to reflect on that, because he had to use all of his mind to try to get away from them.

“If you ladies will excuse me,” he said. “I need to go collect eggs for tomorrow’s breakfast.”

“Need any help?” offered Jennifer.

“Been doing it all my life,” said Bobby. “I can probably do fine on my own.”

Jennifer’s face fell. She looked like she might pout any second.

Bobby was saved when Professor Hamilton came into the room, and the girls turned their attention to him. It was obvious, at least to Bobby, they were just hot to trot. Apparently they liked older men too. They were flirting with their professor when he left the room.

Bobby did collect the eggs. He put them in the kitchen and then left, to go to the barn. Betty was sitting in the living room, topless, with Veronica in her arms.

“Good,” she said. “You’re here. She got sleepy and didn’t eat much.”

“Wake her up,” said Bobby, grinning.

“She sleeps through the night now,” said Betty. “She’ll be hungry in the morning, when she wakes up. I’ll be in pain by then, though, if you don’t help me.”

“Where’s Tildy?” he asked.

“She’s still feeding Joey. He eats like a horse. She won’t need you tonight. If he keeps it up, she’s not going to ever need you again.”

“Give her to me,” said Bobby, reaching for his daughter. “I’ll put her to bed.”

The transfer woke her up a little, and he patted her on the back while she relaxed on his shoulder. He hummed a lullaby to her while he put her in her crib. She blinked twice at him, and then closed her eyes.

He found Betty in his room, lying on the bed. She was naked, and was already playing with herself.

“Hurry,” she purred. “I need you for lots of things tonight.”

Bobby lay on his back, with his arm under Betty. She had been wild tonight, straining against him as she sought her release. She loved to have him suckle her. She told him it made her horny just thinking about it and said that even after she weaned Veronica, she was going to keep making milk just for him.

She’d wanted him on top, tonight, and asked him to let his weight down on her as he strained to get as deep inside her as he could. She’d had four orgasms, to his one.

Now, with her sleeping half on and half off of him, he stared into the darkness.

He loved Betty. There was no doubt about that at all. He loved making love with her too, just like he loved making love with all his sisters. There was a closeness there that meant something, and reached deep into his essence to make him feel good.

But he wasn’t in love with any of his sisters. When Mary didn’t need him any more, he hadn’t minded. It was the same with Bev and Flo and Linda. They had found other men, and that was fine. He was happy for them. He knew that if the twins found men ... or another man, which seemed much more likely ... he would miss this, but it wouldn’t kill him. He even hoped they would meet some men who would sweep them off their feet. They deserved to be in love, and their babies deserved to have a full-time father. He could serve in that role here, at the farm, but it wasn’t the same as having a real daddy, and he knew that. And he could never acknowledge them as his son and daughter in public.

In all the time that he spent seeing to the needs of the women in his life, Bobby hadn’t come to grips with his own needs. He would have laughed if someone had suggested that. Only now did he sense that he was missing something. He was searching, and didn’t know he was searching.

He lay awake a long time, staring into the dark, before sleep finally claimed him.

June was a difficult month for two men in Granger, Kansas.

Candy and Jennifer seemed to be in what amounted to heat. They didn’t give up on Bobby either. He was handy, and handsome. Both women sensed an aura about him of competence. And when Bobby didn’t respond, they simply turned their attentions to Jeff Hamilton, who was the other handsome older man available. From their perspective, they were away from the university, and the rules that applied there ... didn’t apply here. Randy was off limits. That was made obvious, both by Wanda’s attitude, and the noises that often came from one or the other of their rooms in the middle of the night. Those noises only inflamed the passions of Jennifer and Candy. They were away from school. It was summer. They had a chance to kick up their heels, and they tried hard to do just that.

Jeff wasn’t interested either. It was tempting, but much too dangerous to his career. If he’d known how they’d act on this project, he’d have chosen other students. What made it more difficult was that, while they were on the job, they were studious and serious. It was in the evenings that they prowled.

It was great for the twins. Bobby spent much more time in the barn than he would have otherwise, keeping away from the two young researchers. It was almost like old times, and they often slept with him together.