Chapter 33

"How were my boys?" Louise asked Beth at work that night.

"Oh, good ... Terence has this fascination for deep-throat ... I gave Damian a little anal ... We had a good time..." Beth smiled.

Louise grimaced. "I haven't gotten any calls..."

"It's early, yet," Beth replied. "I'm sure someone will, soon. If not, there's always Dr. Rankin. I still can't..."

Louise nodded. That was all clear, now ... God knew what restrictions Candace would put on Beth where the good doctor was concerned. "I'll wait a bit."

Toby came home at about eleven-thirty, and, perusing his webcam captures, found an amazing little scene! The tactic that this suggested might even be better than his original plan to get even with Lon for pressuring Jean into non-consensual sex -- AND it relieved the group of any requirement to keep pictures of Louise, if the Carter boys ever threatened to cause trouble. The downside was that he would have to admit to having recorded the session...

It also opened a couple of questions, like did anyone else play with other guys? Toby never had -- the subject had never come up. Ma had also surprised him with the admission that given the chance she might have fucked him -- and she also surprised him a bit with her tolerance of the Carter boys' little activities. Toby found himself wondering what Louise might think of her sons' activities. And there was Mr. Carter hanging out there, too -- was he vulnerable in this way? Obviously, he would probably do anything to keep from being exposed -- but he might not even be practicing, out of that same fear. Maybe it was time to do some careful feeling out of Louise ... Toby had a lot on his mind when he hit the bed.

Jean had been maudlin; it turned out that Rick had told her about the Goth girl, and she was counting the days until Toby found some bright young thing to replace her. But Jean might as well be seventeen herself, in so many ways ... Who cared? Toby had enough problems without adding young chicks to his calendar. The only thing he could hope was that Lon and Rick would show a little sense or their women would add value to the group -- and neither of those items was a sure bet...

Monday morning, the women met for a long-delayed post-mortem on the party. Jean wasn't working that day, and Beth was coming off-shift; Candace had little to do, as usual. Out of some consideration for Beth's situation (and the fact that she arrived first) Candace didn't make Beth chase around after food, drink, and waiters. Candace got right down to business, "So, how do you think it went?"

"Fine, I think," Jean shrugged. "Damian probably thinks I'm a flake, but..."

Candace scuttled the idea of seconding the motion and turned to Beth. "How about you, Hon? You saw the boys again yesterday and their mama last night..."

"I had a really nice time -- both times!" Beth replied. "The boys are pretty well-behaved and they certainly enjoy their sex ... Louise is kind of waiting to see if she's going to be in any demand."

"Does she want to be?" Jean asked.

"Oh, yeah," Beth nodded.

"I guess I have the only negative report," Candace sighed. "Damian..."

" ... Didn't hurt you, from what I heard," Jean interjected. "If I have to play fair, you should, too..."

"I don't like being run!" Candace retorted. Beth just looked at her; Jean picked up the expression and giggled. "Shut up!" Candace ranted. Beth spread her hands, but her expression didn't change. "You two can give young Damian everything he needs...

"Maybe..." Jean's eyes were hooded and she was smirking.

"Nice!" Candace complained. "Wait until he treats YOU like his white slut and see if YOU like it!" Beth just shrugged; Damian hadn't hurt HER any -- and he'd treated Jean pretty gently. But Candace brought out the dominant streak in some guys -- maybe it was her high and mighty attitude...

"Louise might have to wait," Jean interjected. "Rick suddenly latched onto this young thing. They're not having sex, but..."

Beth blinked. "Really? That sounds..."

"Dangerous." Jean nodded. "But it's like he said, he can't take one of us to the Prom..."

"Must be girl week," Candace grunted. "Lon apparently tripped some young thing..." Her eyes swept to Beth, "and she's reportedly big..."

Beth's eyes popped. "Really?"

"Really." Candace shook her head. "I have a feeling things are going to get quiet, real quick..."

"Yeah," Jean was looking at the floor.

"Toby doesn't seem to be affected," Beth argued.

"For how long?" Jean retorted.

Candace snorted. "Of the three of us, YOU are the one that probably COULD go to the Prom..."

"Yeah, right..." Jean rolled her eyes. "But Toby DID go to some lengths last night..."

"See?" Candace grinned. "Louise and I are the only ones coming up short -- and Terence is coming to see ME this afternoon..."

"You'll enjoy it," Beth predicted. "He's really a nice boy."

"I'll have to keep things quiet," Candace chuckled. "Lon is having his new girl over to swim. I gather that he figures she'll be trainable; if things go his way, he'll be bringing her to you for deep-throat lessons -- OUTSIDE the group, of course..."

Beth shook her head -- when did she become the Advanced Cock-Sucking teacher? "This is scary!"

"I agree," Candace nodded, "but they are all painfully aware of the consequences ... With any luck, the whole thing will either go away, or modify itself in some odd but stable manner..."

"God, I hope so!" Jean declared.

Toby kissed his mother on the cheek as she came through the door. "Hi, Ma, how was your shift?"

"Oh, fine, fine..." Beth was bothered by the young girlfriend situation, and was trying to figure out how to air it.

"And Terence and Damian? How were they?"

"I had a lovely time!" Beth replied, then frowned. "It's a good thing, too, since Rick and Lon have found other pursuits..."

"Oh, yeah -- that!" Toby grunted. "Idiots!"

"How bad is this, do you think?" Beth asked.

"Well, Rick's choice is a real strange duck -- but that's probably good because if she came out with some wild tale, everyone would discount it," Toby theorized. "Lon's ... Lon picked this big, shy chick -- he thinks he's gonna train her to be a slut, or something. He figures that she'll be more ... accommodating than some flashy girl -- more willing to take his shit and be there for him..."

Beth nodded. "He may be right..."

"I hope so, because if he gets too loose with his mouth ... Sally isn't stupid, she's just big. Hell, she might be smarter than Lon..." Toby sighed.

"Well, us big girls tend to be grateful for what we can get -- and Lon is a catch..." Beth mused.

"If you say so." Toby moved on to his other subject of interest, "Say, Ma, do you know what Louise's schedule is?"

Beth raised her eyebrows. "I think she sleeps after her shift -- especially if Fred isn't home. Why?"

"I thought I might pay her a visit."

"She might like that!" Beth dimpled. "I'd give her a call before she goes to sleep..."

"What about her husband?" Toby asked.

"If a man answers, ask for one of the boys..."

"Hullo?"

"Hey, Terence, it's Toby. Is your Mama around?"

"Well, yeah, but she's gettin' ready to crash..."

"Hey, no problem, I just wanted to ask, not come over..."

"Cool. Mama! Phone!" Terence roared.

Louise picked up, "Hello?"

"Hi, Louise -- it's Toby."

"Hi, Baby. How are you?"

"Fine. Hey, I know you're getting ready for bed, but I thought maybe later..." Toby began.

"Did Beth put you up to this?" Louise interrupted. "You don't, if you don't want to -- I'll understand..."

"No, no, it was my idea; I thought maybe we could get in a talk about things and maybe a little fun..."

"Sure, Baby. How is two? We'd have to be done before five, or Fred could get to be a problem..."

"Hey, cool. I'll see you then."

"Okay, Baby! Bye!" Louise was smiling when she looked up.

Terence was grinning. "Toby gonna come over and even the score for his mama?"

"It sure looks like it..."

"Cool." Terence nodded. "I'll hang out and keep lookout for Pa; Damian has a date."

"Oh? With who?"

"Candace."

"Boy..." Louise eyed her eldest son askance.

Terence shrugged. "Damian swears that she's just bitching to hear her mouth flap..."

Louise grimaced. "He could be right -- and he could be dead wrong! You make sure he knows to come home if she gets cranky..."

"Okay, Mama. I'll tell him you said watch it. I'm gonna go with him, and if things look bad..."

"All right, Boy. I'm going to bed -- I want to be in good shape for Toby..."

"Night, Mama."

"Good night, Son."

At about twelve-thirty, Lon and Rick set out separately on their missions. The arrivals differed, however; Rick got a voice mail from a nervous Teela while he was on the road in which she said, "I really don't want to go into this with Poppa -- can you meet me down the block?" Lon, on the other hand, was met at Sally's door by a short, somewhat heavyset woman wearing eyeglasses low on her nose and her uncolored, grey-streaked hair in a bun. "You'd be Mr. Carpenter?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I'm Eleanor, Sally's mom. Come inside -- she's upstairs, changing her mind about something or another she's wearing..." Eleanor backed up and Let Lon in, parked him on the couch, and stood watching him with bird-bright eyes.

Lon returned the stare nervously. Eleanor gave him a thorough examination -- and she had to admit that he was quite the package. "So, you're into sports?" she asked.

"Well, swim team," Lon replied.

"Not much future in that," Eleanor murmured.

"No," Lon agreed shortly.

That was impressive in itself, Eleanor figured. Most jocks would have yakked about scholarships and such -- some of them going so far as to toot their horn about professional prospects. This one just eyed her cautiously and agreed with her. He was pretty, too -- he wouldn't have much difficulty finding girls to feather his bed. That being the case... "Why Sally?"

'Fuck!' "Why does everybody ask that?"

"Boys that look like you are usually hunting elsewhere," Eleanor replied.

"Unsuccessfully," Lon replied. "They tend to change up, either from the start or later, when they realize that mirrors and charge cards are the only things important to that bunch."

"So, easy prey?"

Lon took offense. "You would call your daughter that?"

"If the shoe fits."

"That sucks." Lon eyed the woman with distaste. "I like what I see when I look at her. And I like what I hear when I talk to her."

"I'm not sure that changes things. I don't want her hurt. Are you sure your mother is going to be there?"

"Give me something to write on, please," Lon asked, barely civil. Poker faced, Eleanor collected paper and a pencil from an antique desk nearby. Lon took it and wrote out a phone number. "That's my house. You can call there any time -- Mama will no doubt answer. Do you want me to write something here guaranteeing I'll return Sally intact?"

"That ... won't be necessary." The boy was pissed -- THAT much was clear... "Sorry. I'm sure you understand my concerns..."

"Everybody seems to have them," Lon growled, clearly aggravated. "Why can't anyone leave it alone? Do you know how many variations on 'You can do better' and 'Are you just looking for sex?' I've heard in the last week or two? Why does everybody assume that chasing some stupid, stuck-up, bad-tempered, money-grubbing blonde whose only sense is for fashion is the right way for me to go? Why is everyone ELSE that stupid?"

Eleanor was taken aback. "Sorry!"

Sally, sitting at the top of the stairs, was afraid to go down; she was trying to get control over her features. It wouldn't do to let Lon know she'd heard that outburst...

Downstairs, Lon grated, "Look, Sally looks good to me. I can't, like, pick it to pieces -- it's just the way things are. There's an ... attraction. I don't think that's bad..."

"No, it isn't," Eleanor found her voice. "It's just ... surprising. You'll have to forgive me -- being concerned for my daughter's welfare is my job."

"Sorry I went off," Lon replied.

"I'm not," Eleanor insisted. "It was very ... honest."

Sally got up and headed downstairs; the other two looked up when she became visible. She failed to school her features, though; it was obvious to both of them that she had heard at least part of the conversation. Eleanor stepped into the breach, "I'm afraid I added to the weight of public opinion -- on the wrong side." She looked at Lon, "And I learned that it WAS the wrong side."

Sally swallowed, trying to bring her eyes to Lon's, and not doing well, "So, are we going?"

"Yes." Lon sounded vaguely surprised. "Do you have everything?"

"I'll get my purse." She headed back up. Sally was on the Pill -- her periods gave her terrible cramps. But there were rubbers in her purse, too. After the conversation that she just heard, if Lon wanted to plunder her, he could by God have it! When she came back down, she locked eyes briefly with her mother, who hadn't missed the significance of the ploy -- they'd had many talks about boys and birth control ... Eleanor grimaced, but said nothing; if Sally came back missing her virginity, it would be partially her fault. "You two have a nice time," she murmured, in a belated attempt to paper things over.

Sally murmured, "Thanks." Lon just nodded. On the way to the car, Sally husked, "Sorry!"

"Not your fault," Lon sighed. "I've apparently confused the crap out of everybody south of God by being just a little less shallow than expected ... Don't get any wild expectations, though -- I'm still self-centered. Wait until you meet Mama -- you'll see, I'm a real chip off the old block..." Sally giggled and things lightened up.

Rick found Teela at the foot of her block in a pair of rip-stop hot pants and a black bra under a gauzy ruffled black cover-up blouse. Shiny buckle shoes and thigh-high fishnets that didn't quite reach the hot pants completed the look. The hair spritz today was magenta ... and she was lugging a HUGE purse. "Jeezus, Squirt, how come you always have to look like you're turning tricks in a graveyard?"

"It keeps the living off me, I guess," Teela replied. "Except succubi like you..."

"Well, come on, then. I reinforced the clothes bar in my walk-in closet so we can both hang out and neck..."

Teela opened the door and got in, placing the handbag on the seat between them. Rick took one look and grabbed the thing, tossing it into the back. "Uuhh! What have you got in there, a gun? A baseball bat?"

"Both!" Teela grinned. "Especially the bat -- I figured I might need a little more reach..."

"It won't help," Rick laughed. "You can't hit what isn't there. I use Jedi mind-tricks on the weak-minded..."

"I'll show you weak-minded!" Teela swatted his shoulder -- and it connected, of course -- but it wasn't anything serious, and she was grinning.

"I certainly hope so!" Rick chuckled. "I'm hoping you're thoroughly gullible. We're off to a good start -- you got in the car..."

"Guess I'd better get the bat..." Teela turned in her seat.

"Nope -- you're disarmed. You're gonna have to suck it up, now..." Rick started picking and pinching with his right hand, inviting squeals and slaps on the arm. Teela started wrestling with his right arm, trying to fend him off -- but again, it wasn't terribly serious. The climate between them had changed, somewhat. Teela ended up pinning his arm in her left armpit and hanging onto his hand with both of hers; neither of them was under any illusions as to whether this was truly a defensive move...

Wheeling up into his driveway, Rick stopped the car and went to work on Teela with both hands -- which got her out of the car and running. "Hey, better get your bag!" Rick yelled and reached back for it and started digging.

"You get OUT of there!" Teela yelled, running back to the car and fighting with him for control of the bag.

Laughing, Rick let her have the bag, circling to haul her out of the car. He pulled her out and closed the door, then led her along to the door of the house by hauling on the bag's handle.