Chapter 30

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

“It’s crazy, that’s what it is. I’m beginning to worry about her mental health. And you just went along with her.”

Jake looked down at his orange juice. He was alone with Leanne. All of her children were still asleep. He felt like going back to sleep himself.

“Leanne, I’ll admit that I didn’t challenge her premise. No, that’s not entirely true. I made sure that it wasn’t just lust talking or some other motivation like that. And I’m pretty sure that it’s not a mental illness. Or if it is, then it’s the kind of mental illness that I wish I had.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If you could see into her mind, you’d find such serenity there. She is extraordinary.” Jake pulled his chair closer to Leanne and took her hand. “Beloved, I think you’re seeing this wrong. Logically there are only two possibilities. Either her faith is justified or it’s not. If she is actually seeing her destiny then God will take care of her. Or fate or whatever it was that gave her that vision. If it turns out to have been just wishful thinking then I’ll be there to take care of her. I love her, Leanne. I’ll be there to support her and her baby.”

“Jake, you are dallying with a half dozen women. How committed can you be to her?”

“Leanne, don’t doubt this for a second. I am wholly committed. That I am also committed to other women doesn’t change that. I don’t know if Kara will become my wife, but she thinks that in addition to being the mother of my children, she’s going to be the head of my household. If she is right, she and I are tied together inextricably. I may end up relying on her more than she does on me.”

“You’re just a 13-year-old boy. How can you support her?”

“Before this year is up, I will probably have earned more than your husband, and that’s in just half a year. The truth business pays handsomely. My plans are still forming, but I think that I know how I’m going to set up my household.

“I’m going to buy a house before Kara’s baby is born. It will be big enough for my women and the first few children. It’s going to be me and Ellen and Kara for certain. I hope that you, Julie and Brian will come, too. Carol is doing well with my grandmother. I’d like her to stay there although she may join me later. But however the details work out, it will be a place where I can provide for my family. All of my family.”

“Jake, she’s so young. And speaking of young, look at you.”

“Leanne, how old were you when you were married?”

“Eighteen.”

“So she’s not so young, is she? For myself, I admit that I am, but I’m not a typical 13 year-old. I keep finding out how much I don’t know. At least, I have good friends who are frank with me and help me to be sensible. You are chief among them.

“I think that I’m the riskiest element in Kara’s future. I have a lot of influence on my women. What happens if I do something boneheaded? I can understand you being uncertain about me. If you were to decide that the risk was too great, and you choose to separate yourself from me, I couldn’t blame you. But I hope you won’t.”

“And if I did, would you go away?”

“Yes, though regretfully. But I would take Kara with me. And I will come back for Julie later when she is old enough to decide for herself.”

“Kara’s only seventeen.”

“When does she turn eighteen?”

“July 1^st.”

“Then you have three weeks to control her. After that, I’m pretty sure she’s coming with me. But, please, don’t let this become a power struggle. We can all be happy, all three of us. I’m sure of it. I’m committed to making it work, and it would devastate me to lose you. Kara would be hurt to have to choose between you and me. And you need me, too. No man in this world loves you as I do.”

“It was so abrupt. She had plans. She was going to college. And then, after one night with you, she’s just a housewife.”

“What’s wrong with that? You did the same thing. You turned out wonderfully despite Gus.”

“And what if something happens to you?”

“That’s a good point. I promise that I will contact a lawyer this week to write up a will, and I’ll get enough life insurance that Kara never has to worry about money.”

Leanne stared down at her coffee cup. Her fingers tapped on the kitchen table.

“Blast you, Jacob Fielding. You make my life so goddamned weird. If I hadn’t pushed you together with my daughter, I wouldn’t be worrying about this.”

“I do have a question, Leanne.”

“What?”

“Has this been a big enough fight for us to have make-up sex?”

She smiled at him regretfully.

“We can’t. Brian is here.”

“It’s getting time to tell him about you and me.”

Leanne tensed.

“He’ll never understand.”

“I’ll probably have to tell him about my abilities.”

“But he’s not loyal to you like the girls and me.”

“I can make it so that he won’t tell others about me. In every other way, he’ll be unchanged.”

“He still won’t be happy about things. Me with a boy two years younger than him. He may never accept it.”

“Then he doesn’t. That’s his right.” Jake looked over his shoulder. “Kara’s coming.”

After a few seconds, Kara appeared in the doorway. Jake smiled his biggest smile for her. When she saw him, she squealed and ran to him. He stood and hugged her.

“Oh, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” he whispered.

She kissed him and then stepped back.

“I doubt you missed me very much. I hear you ravished my little sister yesterday.”

“So you and she got to talk?”

“We had a long talk. Including about you and me.”

“Did she take it well?” Jake asked.

“I don’t think she’s at all jealous. She seems willing to share you with me.”

“Did you tell her you might be pregnant?”

“I am pregnant. But no, I didn’t tell her.”

“Your mom and I have been talking about our future.”

Kara looked over at Leanne. “What have you decided?”

Leanne sighed. “It’s not like it matters what I think.”

“Of course it does,” Kara said. “It might not change what I do, but I don’t want this to come between us. The baby and I need you.”

“Jake thinks I’m wrong to try to talk you out of having his child.”

“Of course he does. And now you’re just babbling. That decision’s already been made. Will you accept it or not?”

“Yes. If you are determined to do this, I will support you.”

Kara knelt on the floor in front of Leanne and put her arms around her waist, her head pressed against Leanne’s chest.

“Thank you, Momma. You’ll see. It was meant to be.”

Jake knelt with her and slid his hand under her shirt and put it on her belly. He checked to see if there was anything different in her uterus from the other day. He couldn’t detect any change.

“What are you doing?” Leanne asked.

“Trying to see if she is pregnant.”

“Is she?”

“Not that I can tell. I’m pretty sure that I won’t be able to tell anything until the embryo implants in the uterus. Even then, I’m not sure that I’ll be able to detect it.”

“It takes like six days from ovulation until it implants,” Kara said. “I probably ovulated Sunday or Monday.”

Jake sat back down on the chair. Kara sat on his lap, smiling broadly.

That’s how Brian found them. He looked at Kara and then frowned at Jake.

“Let me talk to your brother, beautiful.”

“You want me to make room so he can sit in your lap, too?”

He kissed her.

“Sit in your own chair. I need to talk to him without distraction.”

“At least, you think I’m distracting.”

She moved over to another chair.

“Are you ready for my report, Brian?”

“You mean here? Now?”

“Why not? I don’t have anything to say that anyone else couldn’t hear.”

Brian did not want to talk in front of his mother, but he couldn’t object without looking like he wanted to hide something. Brian grudgingly sat at the table.

“The good news is that she likes you well enough and is willing to give you a chance to prove yourself.”

“Then why isn’t she nicer to me?”

“That’s the bad news. She’s giving you a chance to treat her with respect and show her that you are interested in her as a person. She’s not happy because she’s not seeing those things.”

“What do you mean? I’m interested.”

“Okay. Then tell me the names of her three best girlfriends?”

“There’s Kathy, but that’s all I know.”

“What’s her favorite class and what grade did she get in it?”

“How would I know?”

“Because you asked her questions about herself. You found out things that are important to her. That’s how. What does she want to study when she goes to college?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it.”

“Her friends are Kathy, Gina and Katie. Her favorite class is Chorus and she got an A. She wants to major in music. She’s hoping to get a scholarship to a top-flight music school. Until you know those things and the other stuff that’s important to her, you’re not getting to second base. She’s one of those girls who wants to be romanced before she gets groped.”

“Oh.”

“You’re starting at a disadvantage. You’re the second football player she’s dated. The other was Tom Kinswood. He expected her to put out, and when she didn’t after the second date, he started ignoring her. She hopes you’ll be different, but she really expects that you’ll be as much of a jerk as he was.

“I don’t know for sure, but Beth may be a very talented singer. If you were to attend a concert or a recital or some performance and then tell her how good she is, I would expect you could write your own ticket. She’s a nice girl, so if you use that tidbit to take advantage of her, I’ll kick your ass.”

“You think you’d stand a chance against me?”

“I’ve got skills you don’t suspect.”

“Enough testosterone, boys,” Leanne said.

“How did you learn all that?”

“I talked to her.”

“I was sitting there, too. I don’t remember some of that stuff.”

“You weren’t listening very closely. I could tell that you were getting bored when I was asking her about herself. Besides, sometimes you have to read between the lines.”

“Jake!”

Julie appeared at the kitchen door. She ran over and plopped into Jake’s lap and kissed him.

“Have I mentioned how much I like coming over here?” he said.

“Julie, let him up,” Leanne said. “Jake, since everyone has turned up, why don’t you help me with breakfast. I think we’ll do French toast for everyone.”

“Sure.”

“Get the eggs and milk and mix up the batter. I’ll get a bowl for you.”

Jake broke several eggs and mixed them with milk.

You were pretty rough on him.

He’s pressuring Beth for sex, and it scares her. She needs some more time before she’s ready to take that step.

Sprinkle this cinnamon into the mix, and get some oil from the pantry. How do we tell Brian about you and me?

Jake poured some oil into the skillet. Then he started to get silverware and plates. He remembered where they were from dinner on Saturday. Leanne took over at the stove, dipping the first two slices and putting them in the skillet.

There’s going to be no easy way to do it. He’s going to be mad. Maybe unreasonable. He’s a bit paranoid about me already. If we tell him today, I’m not sure he’ll respond rationally. I can’t say that I would be so rational either if someone so unlikely suddenly showed up in Ellen’s life.

I don’t want to keep hiding it from him. It’s inconvenient for us, and it makes Brian an outsider in his own home.

Maybe we should prepare him a little more first. Knowing about us might damage his relationship with you, but if he learns about my mind reading, we only risk his relationship with me. There’s a lot less downside.

Leanne flipped the French toast.

Not if he starts to tell people about you.

I have a technique that prevents specific behaviors. I can apply it narrowly so that it will stop him from talking about me, but won’t otherwise change him.

Can you get the powdered sugar from the pantry and put in on the table?

Sure. You look ready to serve the first plate.

Give it to one of the girls. We’ll serve Brian last so that he doesn’t bolt before we can talk to him.

Jake gave Julie the first batch of French toast.

Why now? Leanne asked.

There’s nothing to be gained by waiting. Besides, you owe me some make-up sex, and I don’t want to have to wait forever.

He smiled at her.

Juice for Kara and Julie. Brian will want a glass of milk.

Jake served the drinks. The second plate went to Kara.

Coffee for you?

Please.

How do you drink it?

Black.

Jake poured her a fresh cup and got some milk for himself.

Take this next plate for yourself and eat, Leanne sent. I’ll serve Brian and me last.

Jake sat. The girls were smiling at him. Brian was looking perturbed.

“I wish I knew how you two do that,” Brian said.

“Then today is your lucky day. Because your mom and I are going to tell you our secret.”

“You’re not!” Julie gasped.

“Yep. Too much is going on. Brian needs to know the truth.”

“Big mistake,” Julie said.

“No, Jake’s right,” Kara said. “Brian will be able to handle it.”

“Handle what?”

“The reason your mom and I are such a good team in the kitchen is that we’re talking telepathically.”

Brian looked up at his mother and over at Jake.

“If you are trying to make me look stupid, I’m going to thump you.”

“How else would you account for it?”

“Actually, it makes sense. It also explains how you knew so much about Beth. The only problem is that it’s impossible.”

“I think you would be closer to the truth if you were to say that it’s rare rather than impossible.”

“It’s still hard to swallow.”

“Would you like me to explain why Beth doesn’t trust you very much?”

He shot a look at his mother.

“No. That’s okay.”

Well, nothing ought to convince you more than a little mind talk. You can just think your replies back to me.

That’s all it takes?

That’s it. I’ve got everyone patched in so anything you think at me will be heard by the women. I’ll filter out your private thoughts.

That’s not very reassuring. I don’t like the idea of you knowing everything I’m thinking.

You can’t like it any less than I like having to hear it. Look, Brian, I’ve been this way all my life. I’ve been around horny boys all year at school. I’ve heard it all, and I doubt you could think a thought shocking enough that I would give it even a second thought.

Leanne sat down with plates for her and Brian.

But I think you and I do need to talk about how you’re making Beth feel insecure, she sent. I raised you better than that. And more importantly, she deserves better than that.

Brian started to roll his eyes.

Don’t give me that. I couldn’t care less if you’re screwing her, but if you’re going to do it, I expect you to do it lovingly and considerately. I’m not going to have my son running loose with the same attitude that his father has.

That stung Brian.

“So you’ve been doing this with mom and Kara and Julie?”

“Yes, and that’s why we’ve all become as close as we have.”

“By talking in your heads? Why is that any different than talking the normal way, except that you can’t be overheard?”

“We can communicate more than just words,” Jake said. “We can share emotions, thoughts, memories, sensations and motivations.”

“How does that work?”

Jake projected Leanne’s feelings for Brian to him. They were complex. She was still feeling prickly about Beth, but there was affection, hope, worry, and some admiration as well. There was also a frank appreciation of Brian as a handsome, fit young man.

“Oh, fuck,” he breathed.

Exasperation surged in Leanne, and Brian looked a bit shamefaced.

“Sorry. It was just such a surprise.”

Jake turned it off and explained what he had done.

“It was a serious breach of your mother’s privacy for me to do that, and I won’t be surprised to get called on the carpet for it. But even so, it was worth it because there’s no better way to show you how powerful this thing is. You may have learned more about your mother in those ten seconds than you would have in all your high school years. Think about the intimacy of sharing honest emotions back and forth. Is it any wonder that I have drawn so close to your mother and your sisters?”

“Are you like that with everyone?”

“No. Hardly anyone knows about my mind reading, so I’ve only opened up to a few people.”

“So why did you pick my family?”

“It wasn’t so much me choosing as fate. It was just my good luck that their minds are so beautiful. It doesn’t hurt that their exteriors are, too.”

“Awww,” Kara said.

“Hush,” Leanne said.

“I don’t like this. You’ve come in here and suddenly my dad is gone, you’re sleeping with Julie and Kara, and who knows what you’re doing with Mom. Half the time she’s angry as wasps and the other times she’s mooning over you and dancing with you in the kitchen.”

“Who says he’s sleeping with Kara?” Julie asked.

“Please. They didn’t come home the night before last. I’m not stupid. I see what goes on around here. And what the fuck was with the card game? I won’t make that mistake again. I want my money back.”

Jake laughed.

“You have a point there.” He fished three dollars out of his wallet. “But I did learn that I could have a future as a professional gambler. Brian, you’ve got to keep the mind reading a secret.”

“Why should I?”

“Think about it. If it gets out, there will be people who want me to read other people for them. Some of them would do anything to get control of me. They wouldn’t hesitate to use the people around me for leverage. Do you want to see your mother or your sisters hurt?”

Jake thought that Brian was going to take his need for secrecy seriously, but he decided not to take a chance. He created a link between Brian’s fear of something bad happening to his family and the intention to talk about Jake’s abilities.

“Yeah. I guess I can see that. But even if I don’t tell anyone, don’t think for a minute that I like what you’re doing here to my family.”

Brian pushed back from the table.

“I need to get away and think. I’m going out for a while. I’ll probably end up at Alex Martin’s.”

They listened to Brian stomp out.

I wish that had gone better, Leanne sent.

Yeah, but now we’ve got Jake all to ourselves, Kara thought.

You can have him later. He and I have an appointment for some make-up sex. You two clean up the kitchen.

Leanne grabbed Jake and led him to her bedroom. The king-sized bed was still unmade. Leanne pushed the bedclothes to the side. She took off her robe and stood before him in her nightgown. Jake kissed her, barely touching her lips, and then reached for the hem of the nightgown. Leanne lifted her arms and Jake pulled it over her head, her breasts bouncing a little.

Jake took a step back and waited on her. Once she realized that Jake was letting her lead, Leanne put her arms around him and kissed him hard, using her tongue. Then she stepped back and unbuttoned his shirt. She pulled it off and then knelt in front of him. She undid his belt and the waist of his pants. She pushed them and Jake’s boxers to the ground. Leanne smiled up at him and then kissed the tip of his erect penis.

“If I asked you to suck it, would you?” Jake asked.

“How do you expect to find out if you don’t ask?”

Jake considered her for a moment. He caught her recalling an incident from the past and he smiled.

“You haven’t done it more recently than that?”

“In high school, it was a common way to keep a boy from expecting to go all the way.”

“A girl as beautiful as you must have had a lot of boys trying to bed you. Does that mean you had a lot of practice?”

“Is that your idea of sweet-talking me?”

“It just seems the inevitable conclusion.”

“I was actually pretty proficient. I thought of myself as a student of the art. I did save my virginity for marriage.”

“I don’t know whether to feel happy for those high school boys or pity them for what they missed.”

“Jake, I’m sure there’s something commendable in your male solidarity, but is it getting you and I anywhere?”

“No. I’m just a little uneasy about coming out and asking you.”

“I don’t bite, Jake. At least not very often and not very hard.”

He straightened his shoulders. “Leanne DeRizzo, would you, please, give me a blowjob?”

Leanne smiled at him, leaned forward, and took Jake into her mouth. Jake drew his breath in at the sensation.

“Leanne, my love, that may be the most exquisite thing I’ve ever felt.”

He projected the sensation into her mind. She stopped in surprise.

“Oh, my. That does feel nice, doesn’t it? Here I thought it was my witty conversation that kept those boys coming back every weekend for another date.”

She returned to her task. She drew him all the way into her mouth. He could feel her throat around the head of his penis. The warm, moist way it stroked the most sensitive parts of his cock was exquisite. Jake had no chance of lasting long. When she sensed that his orgasm was imminent, she pulled back and used her tongue.

“Leanne, I don’t want to, but I’m about to come.”

He shot off into Leanne’s mouth. She swallowed perfunctorily. His knees buckled and he fell back onto the bed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything as good as that.” He smiled at her. She was still kneeling on the floor. “I don’t know why it’s a big deal for me, but I really like that you swallowed.”

“That is something I saved for my favorites.”

“What about Mr. DeRizzo?”

“He was my favorite for a while. It’s been many years now since I’ve offered that service to Gus.”

“Extreme disappointment would explain why he turned to drink.”

“Stop that. Now I think you owe me something in return.”

“No, I would give it to you freely no matter what you had done for me. But I think that something extra special for my favorite is called for.”

Jake helped her off the floor. He kissed her thoroughly, probing her mouth with his tongue. Then he pushed her back onto the bed, making her squeal. He moved between her legs as soon as she landed.

He kissed the insides of both of her thighs and then moved to her slit. She was already aroused, her labia puffy and her sex fragrant. After licking around the entrance of her vagina for a minute, Jake turned to her clitoris, first licking it and then taking it into his mouth and sucking.

Leanne enjoyed the sensations from Jake’s mouth as much as he had enjoyed her blowjob. Jake fed a tendril of energy to her feedback circuit. The sensations overwhelmed her. Leanne moved quickly toward an orgasm. After a couple of minutes, she was getting close. Jake reduced the suction on her clit. Attending closely to the level of her arousal, Jake managed to keep her deliriously close to coming, but he didn’t let her go over.

Jake watched with satisfaction as she flailed and called out his name while he kept her poised on the edge. Then Jake sensed a commotion outside the bedroom. He could not really hear anything over Leanne’s screams, but he suddenly sensed Kara and Julie in distress and coming into his range with a very angry Brian.

Jake pulled away from Leanne and quickly pulled a sheet over her. He had no sooner covered her than Brian burst in, the door flying open and banging against the wall. He looked at them scornfully.

“What a fucking slut,” he yelled. “Dad’s only been gone for a couple of days, and you’re already in bed with this little boy, screaming like a fucking whore.”

Brian turned and stalked out of the bedroom. Leanne’s arousal dissipated in the blink of an eye. She erupted into tears. Jake felt her shame at being caught in such a position, and at the elements of truth in Brian’s accusations.

Kara ran into the room.

“I’m sorry, Momma. He came back to change his clothes and he heard you and Jake. We tried to stop him, but he was too strong.”

Leanne cried harder.

“Please, don’t let it get to you,” Kara said. “He’s just a stupid boy.”

“He’s not stupid. He’s right. What am I doing with a boy? I was screaming like a whore. I was acting like a slut.”

Do something, Kara sent to him.

There’s nothing I can do. She’s got to decide if she’s ashamed to be with me or not. She’s very proud. That makes her easily manipulated by her fear of humiliation. Come over here and lie with us. You can comfort her more than I can. Right now she feels that I’m the cause of her problem.

Kara lay next to her mother and put her arm around her.

“Momma, you know it’s not like he said. You know that Jake is special. That’s why we all love him. If Brian understood, he wouldn’t say those things.”

Julie looked in the room. Jake got out of the bed and gestured her to come close.

Please, come here and take my place. Right now, your mom needs understanding from the people she loves the most. Lie with her for a little while. Try to reassure her that she didn’t do anything wrong.

Julie lay next to her mother and stroked her. Jake’s practice of strengthening Julie’s affection for her mother was having an effect. Progress was slow but the cumulative effect was becoming significant. Julie sniffled in sympathy with her mother’s sorrow and told her that it was unfair and that being with Jake was a good thing.

Jake pulled on his clothes and stood at the foot of the bed.

“Leanne,” he called.

She started but refused to look at him.

“I’m not going to do you any good if I stay here. I’m going to let you, Kara and Julie be together. I’ll come back on a moment’s notice if you want me. I’m sorry that what Brian said was so hurtful, and I want you to know that I don’t believe it, even though I know that at the moment you do.”

Leanne sobbed into Kara’s chest and ignored him.

Jake knocked on the Harrisons’ front door. Leanne’s unhappiness was a weight on him. Christine answered the door. She stared at him like an entomologist looking at a bug.

After a few moments, Jake said, “Hi, Christine, I’m here to see Jan.”

“Oh, you’re the boy who was here Saturday,” she said after staring at him for several more seconds. “Wait here. I’ll let her know.”

Jake stood at the front door. After three minutes, Jake knocked again.

“What? She’s still not here?” Christine said. “Maybe you should come back later.”

“She’s expecting me. Please, tell her that I’m here.”

“Okay. Just a minute.”

She closed the door on him again.

After two more minutes, Jake tried the door. It was locked. When knocking brought no further answer, he walked around the house. He found Jan sitting on a lounge chair by the pool reading a book. She noticed him coming around the corner.

“Jake, you’re here!” she said, smiling brightly. “Why are you prowling around?”

Her swimsuit was quite daring, a string bikini that barely covered her nipples and her crotch.

“Christine left me locked out on your front stoop. It was either take matters into my own hands or camp out there.”

“I’m so sorry. That girl sure can be snooty. I’ll have a word with her.”

“That’s not necessary. I’ll deal with her in my own way.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “This isn’t going to end up with me making a painful explanation to Mark, is it?”

“I’ll try to be careful. I won’t let things get bloody.”

“Did you bring your swimsuit?”

Jake held up his book bag.

“There’s a changing room in the pool house. I’ll wait here for you.”

Jake changed and came back. He sat beside her.

You are inhumanly sexy in that suit, he sent.

She smiled at him.

I like the way you look in those trunks, too. That lean, smooth chest of yours gets me wet. It’s too bad that Christine and Shannon are here.

You being wet gets me wet.

Does not.

Does too, at least metaphorically. Since we have to stew in our frustration let me tell you what I learned about my father yesterday.

I’m all ears.

You can’t be more than partly ears, because I see some really memorable parts that are definitely not ears.

She laughed. Come on, tell me about your father.

Uh, before I tell you, we should decide if we want to risk getting you more involved. He’s not a nice man. In fact, if I had anything to say about it, he would already have used up his share of air. I’m not sure what to do. If I tell you about him, I might be putting you in danger, but if I don’t then the danger increases for Ellen.