Chapter 10

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Jake, a little worse for wear after a short night’s sleep, knocked on the front door of the DeRizzo’s house at the stroke of nine.

“I figured you were the kind of guy who would be on time,” Julie said when she opened the door. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

“Can I kiss you good morning?”

Julie looked around, and when she saw the coast was clear, she gave him an earnest kiss. She pulled back when they heard steps.

“Good morning, Jake,” Leanne DeRizzo said, walking down the hallway. “Come on back to the kitchen and join me for a cup of coffee or whatever you drink. Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Yes, Ma’am. Honey Nut Cheerios, the best breakfast cereal money can buy. I’m not much for coffee, thanks for asking. I would enjoy visiting with you for a while though.”

“Nothing? How about some orange juice?”

“That would be nice, thanks. Will I be meeting any other members of the family?”

“Mr. DeRizzo is already at the golf course,” Leanne said. “Are Kara or Brian up yet, Julie?”

“No, they were both out late last night.”

“Well, maybe they’ll show up before long.”

“Your house is lovely, Leanne. Do you work outside the home?”

“No, my life is my family and this house.”

“Do you know the Finches very well?”

Jake felt her disapproval.

“Do I know them well? No, but we have been acquaintances for many years. Why do you ask?”

“I’m a bit concerned about Carol. I’ve come to know her through Julie, but I can’t say that we’ve connected really well. I’m usually pretty good with people, but Carol, well, she doesn’t relate well to others.”

“Maybe she doesn’t like you much.”

“I’m not saying she should automatically find me likable. But I don’t think that’s the problem. In fact, I’m pretty sure she has designs on me. She just doesn’t seem to be able to connect on an emotional level, not like most girls I know.”

“So you want to psychoanalyze her?”

“I want to understand her, and I want to be her friend. I’m trying to figure out how to do that. Would you say that Carol’s parents are warm people?”

Leanne snorted.

“Warm? No, not them. At least not so far as I know. They’ve never been more than casual acquaintances.”

“Have you ever socialized with them?”

Jake felt Leanne’s irritation. She recalled several invitations that had been refused. Jake got the impression that none of them were recent.

“No, we don’t seem to run in the same circles.”

“Julie, what kinds of things are the Finches interested in?”

“I don’t really know, but they do it a lot. They’re out most evenings. Carol spends a lot of time over here. Sometimes I go over to her house.”

“They don’t take Carol with them?”

“No, never.”

“That sounds kind of hard on Carol. Does she feel like she’s being rejected?”

“I don’t know if Carol even thinks about it. It’s just the way it is. Carol’s parents stopped hiring sitters about a year ago. Carol is by herself mostly.”

“Maybe they’re home now. I’d like to meet them.”

“They’re not early risers on the weekends.”

“Okay. Maybe later.” He turned to Leanne. “The flowers out front are very nice. Is gardening your hobby?”

Jake felt her pride.

“I let the men take care of the yard and the shrubs, but the flower beds are mine.”

“What are those big yellow flowers out front?”

“Those are chrysanthemums.”

Despite Julie’s impatience, Jake talked to Leanne about gardening for twenty minutes. When Jake asked a question about how to fertilize roses, Julie hissed at him.

“Are you getting bored, beautiful?” Jake asked. He turned back to Leanne. “You know kids these days. Go, go, go, all the time.”

“I’ll go, go, go all over your butt in a minute,” Julie said. “Let’s go see Carol.”

“Your wish is my command. Thanks for the juice, Leanne. Will you show me how you prune the roses when we have some more time to talk?”

“Of course, Jake. It’s too bad you live in an apartment, and you can’t plant a bed of your own.”

He kissed Leanne good-bye on the cheek and followed Julie out the front door.

“Suck-up!” Julie said once there were on the sidewalk.

“She feels ignored and unappreciated. If you all would kiss her once in a while and talk to her about things she’s interested in, I wouldn’t have to.”

“What do you mean she feels ignored? I’ve never heard her say that.”

“She feels it’s her job to take care of the rest of you. She doesn’t think it’s her place to ask for anything from you all.”

“My mom? She needs something from us?”

“Try this experiment. Walk into the kitchen while she’s cooking and say, ‘You’re such a good cook. We don’t tell you often enough how much we appreciate you.’ If she doesn’t start to tear up, I’ll be your slave for a week.”

“How can you know all that about my mother?”

“Julie, what were you doing this last half hour? Didn’t you see how happy she was to talk about something important to her? Just because she doesn’t complain doesn’t mean she isn’t needy.”

‘Okay, I’ll tell her I appreciate her, but that doesn’t mean you’re not some kind of a mutant. I don’t really see how you can understand her so well when you’ve just met her.”

“Have I told you lately how much I like you?”

Julie was startled by his change of tack although she was pleased by his declaration of affection.

“Maybe you are a mutant, but you’re my mutant.”

“I can live with that.”

They arrived at Carol’s front door and Julie knocked.

“You’re not going to just walk in?”

“Not when Carol’s parents are home. Their privacy seems very important to them.”

Carol came to the door and let them in. Mrs. Finch was standing behind her. Carol introduced them. Mrs. Finch was short and buxom, probably in her early thirties. Jake reached out to shake her hand, reading her at the same time. She was a cauldron of sexual desire. Jake would not have thought it possible, but her need was even more intense than Carol’s.

Jake held her hand longer than was customary for a polite greeting and stared intently into her eyes. The longer he stood like that the more pronounced her excitement became. Julie finally cleared her throat, and he released her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Finch. Is Mr. Finch here? I had hoped to meet him today as well.”

Her mind flashed on an image of a middle-aged man lying on top of her in the act of sexual intercourse.

“I’m sure he’ll be down in a little while.”

“I smell coffee. Would it be too much of an imposition to ask you for a cup, Mrs. Finch.”

“Aren’t you a little young to be drinking coffee?”

“Probably, but I enjoy socializing over a cup. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“No bother. Come with me and let me fix you a cup.”

He followed her to the kitchen. Carol trailed them, looking a little confused.

“Cream and sugar, please, Ma’am.”

“I’ll put it out on the table, and you can fix it the way you like.”

He put his hand on her arm.

“Won’t you join me for a few minutes, Mrs. Finch?”

“Huh? Sure, if you’d like.”

She brought him a cup and sat with him at the table. He again looked her in the eye and touched her hand with his.

“I think I heard Carol say you and your husband went out last night. Did you do anything interesting?”

Mrs. Finch brought to mind a scene in which she was being fucked doggy style, screaming out in orgasm. The man over her shoulder rutting with her was not the Mr. Finch she had pictured in her head a few minutes earlier. There were other couples nearby, naked and engaged in a variety of sex acts.

“Mr. Finch and I like to go into the city and visit the art galleries.”

“I was talking to Carol about her test scores, yesterday. I didn’t realize how bright she is. You must be proud of her.”

“Oh, yes. Carol is quite a good student.”

Mrs. Finch was actually indifferent to Carol and her studies

“I’ve heard Carol talking about some of the student art projects at school. I bet she would have liked being with you and Mr. Finch last night.”

Mrs. Finch became more interested. She imagined Carol engaged in sex with Mr. Finch, Carol lying underneath him missionary fashion as he thrust into her.

“In fact, I really enjoy art myself. Maybe Carol and I could both go with you and Mr. Finch sometime.”

She pictured Jake with his cock between her large breasts, stroking back and forth.

“Perhaps we can arrange that, Jake. I’ll ask Mr. Finch.”

“You look so young. You must have had Carol at a young age.”

“Yes. I was eighteen.”

“How long have you been married?”

“We just had our fourteenth wedding anniversary last month.”

“Were you living here in town when you were married?”

She recalled her wedding. It was a civil ceremony with hardly anyone present. Mrs. Finch was decidedly pregnant, though not yet very large.

“No, we were married just before we moved here.”

Jake put his hand on her thigh under the table and rubbed up and down in short strokes. He again fixed her in the eye.

“It was such a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Finch. I hope that we can talk again. I’d like to get to know you better.”

She stared back at him, shuddered, and then pressed her thighs together, trapping his hand between them. He smiled at her brightly. She smiled back and released his hand from between her legs. He stood and turned to Julie and Carol. They had been standing near the doorway watching the conversation.

“Carol, want to go somewhere and talk?” Jake asked.

“Let’s go to my room.”

“Mrs. Finch, do you mind if I go up to Carol’s room?”

“No, that’s fine. You kids have fun.”

Jake followed Carol with Julie behind him. Julie whispered in his ear as they climbed the stairs.

“That was the creepiest thing that I’ve ever seen, Jake. How could you feel up her leg like that?”

“I have to agree about it being creepy,” he whispered back. “I was totally out of line, and yet, she liked it, and encouraged it. I don’t understand what’s going on here.”

Jake did not sense either of the Finches close by, so he lay down on Carol’s bed and pulled Carol down next to him. He kissed her warmly and held her close to him.

“Your mom was very nice, Carol,” Jake said. “I didn’t expect her to be so friendly.”

“That’s just how she is. She’s always friendly with men.”

“How come you didn’t go with them to the gallery last night?”

“They say that I’m not old enough yet, that it’s too grown-up. They say I can go with them when I turn fourteen.”

“What do you think about that?”

“I suppose it’ll be okay. I like art class, but I really think it would be boring to go to art galleries three or four times a week like they do.”

“Will they go out tonight?”

“Probably. They almost always hit the galleries on Friday and Saturday nights.”

“What will you do while they’re gone?”

“I might get together with Julie. Maybe I’ll watch TV. I was wondering this week about inviting Jason over or maybe you if Julie doesn’t mind.”

“Carol, sweet thing, you can always call and talk to me. It’s hard for me to get out in the evenings sometimes, but I can try. Maybe you can get together with Julie, too. Or even better, with both of us.”

“Right,” Julie said.

“How did you get such a good score on the social studies test, Carol?” Jake asked.

“Oh, that was easy. I always get good grades. I just don’t let on so people won’t think I’m a freak or something.”

“Well, brainy thing, I know who I’m going to go to for help with my classes from now on,” he said and then kissed her. “There’s nothing sexier than a smart girl.”

Carol giggled. “You’re just saying that, but thanks. You can study with me.”

“Tell me something. What do your parents do for a living?”

“Dad’s a CPA. Mom is his receptionist.”

“So they’re always together?”

“Mostly. Sometimes Dad runs errands by himself, but usually, they’re always together.”

“Do you ever talk to your mom about boys?”

“She never talks about that stuff with me. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say anything about sex at all.”

“Are your parents affectionate around each other?”

“No. Dad’s very formal. I can’t imagine him actually hugging or kissing someone.”

“Would you do something kind of crazy for me?”

“Like what?”

“Go talk to her about sex.”

“No way. She’d have a cow. She’d probably ground me.”

“I’m not saying talk about your sex life. Ask her about the birds and the bees. Ask her when a girl should get involved with boys and what’s proper for the girl to do. Ask her about what things she did when she was your age. Maybe you’re misreading her. Maybe she’s not the kind to bring up the topic, but I’m pretty sure she is more receptive to it than you think.”

“It would just be so embarrassing to talk to my mom about sex.”

“We’re walking on eggshells here worrying about your parents. It looks to me like we might not have to be careful at all. Wouldn’t you like to know if your parents are open about us having sex?”

“I guess so. But I’m not sure I can do this.”

Jake bumped up her courage and her desire for adventure.

“It won’t be that bad. And think about how nice it would be if you and Julie and I didn’t have to worry about your parents. There would be a lot more chances for us to play.”

“You know, I think you’re right. It would be fun to push my mom and see what she does.”

Julie looked at Carol in surprise. Jake frowned at her and shook his head. She subsided but looked unsettled.

“Can you talk to her in the living room?”

“Why? Are you going to eavesdrop?”

“I might. If you can’t get her to talk to you there then come back and let me know. But if you just take the lead and act confidently, I bet you’ll find that she’ll do what you want.”

“Okay, Jake. For you. But sometimes you’re the strangest guy.”

“Atta girl. Kiss me before you go. And I want to be well kissed.”

Carol took his command seriously. They were both breathing heavily when Jake finally broke it off.

“You are one sexy girl, Carol. You’d better go before I lose control.”

She ran off with a big smile on her face.

“How did you do that?” Julie asked. “She’s terrified of talking to her mother about sex.”

Jake lay down on the bed and pulled her down beside him. He kissed her.

“That was pretty good, wasn’t it? I just hope it will do some good. We’re doing this more to find out about her mother than that I hope Carol can bond with her. I’m not sure that Mrs. Finch can connect with Carol.”

“Why do you say that? And why do you want Carol and her mother to talk in the living room.”

“I can’t tell you right now. It’s got something to do with one of the skeletons in my closet. I promise I’ll try to tell you soon.” He kissed her on the nose. “I just wish you and I had more time alone so that we could talk about important stuff.”

“That’s not the first time you’ve said that. I’m getting very curious.”

“I don’t mean to torment you. Now, would you do me a favor? I need a couple of minutes to think something through. Can we just lay here and snuggle quietly for a little bit?”

“Carol’s right. You are the strangest guy.”

Mrs. Finch’s libido, which had already been simmering at a pretty high level, jumped.

Mrs. Finch imagined a scene in which Carol and a good-looking boy of the same age were fucking in the middle of a crowd of men and women.

“Rod,” Jake heard Mrs. Finch yell with both his ears and his mind. “Come here and talk with us. It’s important.”

Jake heard the slow tread of steps coming down the hall and going down the steps.

Do you still have your hymen, Mrs. Finch asked.

What? No, I broke it almost a year ago?

But you’re still a virgin, aren’t you? Mr. Finch asked.

Please, don’t make me talk about stuff like that.

Are you or aren’t you? Mr. Finch asked firmly.

Carol was starting to cry.

“Uh oh, we’ve got to go,” Jake said jumping to his feet.

He pulled Julie up and to the door.

Yes, I’m a virgin, Daddy, Carol was saying through her tears.

Mr. Finch imagined himself having sex with Carol surrounded by enthusiastic spectators. In his mind, Carol was thrashing back and forth and screaming in ecstasy.

“What are we doing?” Julie asked.

“If you love Carol, play along with me. We’re getting Carol out of the house. Make a lot of noise as we go down the steps.”

They thundered down the stairs and burst into the living room. A slender man with graying hair was standing over Carol.

“Hey, Mrs. Finch. Good to meet you, Mr. Finch. Carol, hurry. We’re going to be late.”

He grabbed her hand and jerked her up and toward the door.

“We’ll have Carol back soon. Julie’s parents were expecting us ten minutes ago,” Jake said, giving no one a chance to interrupt.

Jake threw open the front door and pushed Julie and Carol through.

“Goodbye,” he said over his shoulder. “Maybe we can talk next time.”

And then they were out the door and down the front steps.

“Hurry! Run!” Jake said. “We’ve got to be out of sight before they realize what happened.”

Jake grabbed them by the arms and urged them along.

“Julie, we need a private place for the three of us to talk. Is there someplace at your house?”

“Sure, the garden out back. We can go there.” She noticed Carol crying. “What’s wrong with Carol?”

“We can’t talk yet,” Jake said. “Just get us to your garden.”

They ran across the street and came to Julie’s house. She led them around the side of the house and into the backyard. There were flowers everywhere. They followed her to a gazebo near the back fence. There were chairs arranged around a patio table.

Jake sat in one of the chairs and pulled Carol into his lap.

“Darling, I’m sorry I put you in that situation. I didn’t know it would be so bad.”

“Why did they want to know that stuff, Jake?” Carol said, still crying.

“Carol, I have some ideas, but I’m way out of my league. There is stuff going on here that I don’t understand at all. We’ve got to get some advice.”

“Do you want to talk to my mom, Jake?”

“I don’t know who to talk to yet. We’ll be taking a big chance whoever we talk to. We may need to call CPS.”

“What’s CPS?” Carol asked.

“Child Protective Services. They’re supposed to protect children from abuse.”