Chapter 6

Karen and I didn't make love again that afternoon, but she did go down on Becky. I thought Becky was going into orbit. Karen said she was a little sore, but she said she was looking forward to the next time.

We got dressed before mom and Alice came home. We got Cokes and went out on the patio. It was a little chilly, even in the middle of the afternoon, so all three of us cuddled close to share body heat.

"So, when are you going to make love to Becky?" Karen asked.

"I don't know," I said. "I guess it'll be whenever she's ready."

"I'm ready," Becky said. "Now that we've made love to Karen, I think it's my turn."

Now that Becky and Karen had made love to each other, they became more demonstrative toward each other. Mom noticed it that same evening. She asked me about it when Becky had gone to the bathroom. I didn't see any reason to hide it, so I told her. She accepted our new situation with no apparent qualms.

Unfortunately, it was noticed at school, too. Evidently, they were holding hands as they walked to lunch. Rumors about them being lesbians were flying before the day was over. I heard some of them before we started home.

Since we were only a half dozen blocks from school, we walked in nice weather. Once we were away from other walkers, I said, "Ladies, I heard this afternoon that the two of you are lesbians. Do either of you have any idea how a rumor like that got started?"

"No. What exactly was said?" Karen asked.

"The guy who told me said you had been seen walking along, holding hands, and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes."

"The only time we've walked together today was when we were going to lunch." Karen said.

"Were we holding hands?" Becky asked.

"I don't remember. We could have been."

"To be honest with you, I don't give a damn if people do think we're lesbians," Becky said, defiantly. "I think I've been hit on by every boy in the sophomore class since I've been here, and by several juniors and seniors. Maybe that would make them lay off."

"Well ... I don't care what people think about me," Karen said. "I wouldn't want to be an embarrassment to Johnny, though."

"Honey," I said. "The two of you could never be an embarrassment to me. If you want to hold hands at school, then I'll back you all the way. I know Mom will, too, and I suspect Alice will if it comes to that."

"Yeah, Mom will. I told her about the three of us making love. She's okay with it. I think she could see that I am happy about it," Karen said.

"Someday, I plan to get the laws and the attitudes changed about things like that," I said.

"In the mean time, what do you say we really shake things up at school?" Becky asked.

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, tomorrow, any time the three of us are together, Karen will walk in the middle, and we'll all three hold hands," Becky giggled. "That should really get some tongues wagging."

Karen grinned and winked at me. "I'm for it," she said. "Do you dare hold hands with a lesbian, Johnny?"

"With pleasure," I said. "I haven't asked, but are we going to the Halloween Dance this Friday?"

"You haven't asked me," Karen pouted.

"He hasn't asked me either," Becky said.

"Would both of you ladies go to the Halloween Dance with me this Friday?" I asked.

Both girls grabbed me and hugged me. "We'll have to figure out costumes for all of us," Karen said.

"Yeah, something that goes together. Maybe he could be the master and we could be his slaves," Becky said.

"Or, he could be a Sultan and we could be his harem girls," Karen opined.

"Hey, I like that," Becky said. "We could dress like Jeannie on "I Dream of Jeannie"."

"That I like," I grinned.

"You would, pervert," Becky laughed.

We ended up deciding those would be the best costumes for us. Becky called a costume shop and reserved three costumes for us. We were to pick them up on Thursday.

All three of us went in to talk to Mom when we got home. Mom was sitting at the dining room table sipping on some lemonade when we went in, so I got some for me and the girls also.

"Mom," I said when we were all seated, "the rumor mill is in full swing again."

"What about this time?"

"Evidently, Becky and Karen were seen holding hands today. Now, the rumor is going around that they are lesbians."

"Gee, she must be. We heard that same rumor at her last school," Mom teased.

"Mom, this is serious," Becky told her. "When we started school here, they gave us a copy of the school district's 'Code of Conduct'. Believe it or not, I actually read the whole thing. There's a whole bunch of crap, but the one category that might apply to this is called 'Sexual Misconduct'. Under it are things like public displays of affection, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, and the like. They don't mention homosexuality, but the last thing on the list is 'Other Sexual Misconduct'. That could cover just about anything they decide on the spur of the moment."

"So, could holding hands be considered a public display of affection?" Mom asked.

"Things like fondling and kissing are part of the PDA section, but hand holding isn't mentioned. What we're worried about is the 'Other Sexual Misconduct' rule. A student can be expelled under that rule."

"I think we should get Alice over here so she can be involved in this discussion," Mom said.

The three of us looked at each other as Mom went off to call Alice. "Do you think they'd really expel us because Becky and I held hands?" Karen asked.

"I don't think so, Love," I said. "If you were accused of it, you could say you didn't do it. They'd warn you not to do it again, and it would be forgotten."

"It's not right, though," Becky complained. "I see boys and girls holding hands all of the time and nothing is ever said about it. Why is it okay for a boy and a girl to hold hands, but it isn't for two girls to hold hands?"

"As you said, it's not right. We'd probably be busted if the three of us were holding hands tomorrow, unless I was in the middle," I said. "In that case, I don't think they'd say anything."

"They would if they knew we're a triad," Karen giggled.

"That's something we can't let anyone find out until after we're all three eighteen years old. If anyone found out before that, the state could take us away from our parents," I said.

"I hadn't thought of that," Becky said. "We can't let them know about Jed and me until then, either."

"Too true," I said.

When Mom came back in, she had Alice in tow. "So, what's this I hear about you being a lesbian?" Alice asked Karen.

"Gee, mom. I don't know where they got that idea," Karen said as she put her arm around my shoulder.

Alice laughed, "I guess they've never seen you with Jed. Is this some kind of serious problem, or is it just something you have to live through?"

"It could be either, Alice," I said. I went on to tell her about everything we had been talking about before she got there. Then I told mom and Alice the things Becky, Karen, and I were talking about when they weren't there.

"So even if the school got involved, all you guys would have to do would be to deny everything. Is there a problem with you doing that?" Alice asked.

"I guess that is what we'll have to do, mom," Karen said. "What we'd like to do, is flaunt our relationship. We'd like to get the stupid laws and regulations changed."

"I can understand that, but now isn't the best time to start. While you guys are under age, we are responsible for you. If we are found neglectful, the state can take you away from us. They would either put you with foster parents, or in an orphanage until you're eighteen."

"Yeah, we thought about that, too. We'd like to stretch the envelope a little bit, though. Tomorrow, any time the three of us are together, we're all three going to walk hand in hand. I'll walk in the middle, and maybe that will stop some of the lesbian rumors," I said

"That makes sense," Alice said.

"We'd really like for Karen to be in the middle," Becky giggled.

"Are you trying to drive people crazy, Becky?" Alice grinned. "If you did that the poor rumor mongers wouldn't know whether to say Karen was a lesbian, or a heterosexual."