Chapter 19: The trip(s) home

Phyllis remarked that it had been years since she'd been in Perryville. "It's grown!"

"Yes," I said, proudly. This was my town, and I'd had a small part in bringing it back to life. I continued down Main Street, pointing out the new businesses, and turned onto the street where the small house that I shared with my mother was located.

"I'll find out when visiting hours are, and we'll go see Kitty," I said, as we stopped in front of the house.

"My God! It can't be!" Phyllis exclaimed, as she jumped out of my truck. I followed her eyes to the SUV parked next to my mother's Toyota. A rather large man came out of the house.

"Dad?"

"Phyllis?"

"Dad, what are you ... oh ... oh no, this can't be happening."

My mom came out of the house, greeted me with a smile, gave Phyllis a questioning glance, and turned to the big guy. "Phil?"

Introductions followed in a somewhat confused, but civilized, manner. This was followed by questions beginning with, "What are... ?" or "How did... ?", only to be stopped in mid- sentence when the questioner realized that we were all of legal age, some more than others, and it was no one's business who was sleeping with whom.

We were all educated people, and logic eventually took over. Phil was obviously the high school coach my mother had been 'seeing', and also Phyllis' dad, who was dating 'some woman' from Perryville. All other questions, how long and how serious, were best left for private talks between me and my mom, and Phyllis and her dad.

Tilley, as Phil referred to my mom, ended what was becoming an awkward moment by herding us into the kitchen and filling us up on homemade soup and sandwiches.

"These cold cuts are from a delicatessen in Redding. Phil's always hungry after a home game," she exclaimed, falling silent when she realized she'd just imparted far more information than she intended to convey.

If the delicatessen was in Redding, and the home game was at Redding, how did the cold cuts wind up in our refrigerator unless... ?

"Did you go to the game, Mom?"

"I never miss a home game."

"Did your team win, Dad?" Phyllis asked.

It took him five minutes to explain why Redding had lost the game, seventeen to six. At one point, he became so agitated that my mother had to take over, calmly, but with the same biased conviction Phil had subscribed to. What amazed me was the command of football terms she employed.

"If it hadn't been for a reckless fumble at the twenty yard line, we would have scored and sent the game into overtime," she said, smiling confidently at Phil. I was surprised to see him smile back at her. Sending the game into overtime didn't make any sense to me.

"If the score was seventeen to six, a touchdown makes it seventeen to thirteen, and that's if you make the extra point?" I pointed out.

Mom placed her sandwich on the plate and sighed, like she was suffering my football ignorance. "We would have gone for the two point conversion, making the score seventeen to fourteen, and then recovered the ball on an onside kickoff. All it would take from there would be two long passes and a field goal. Phil has a kicker who never misses from twenty-five yards. That would have tied the score, and who knows what would have happened in overtime, but it would have been better than suffering the humiliation of giving up the ball with less than two minutes on the clock," she said, watching Phil smile approvingly.

I'd never heard my mom expound on a subject with such conviction. Was the appreciation of football what Kitty meant when she said mom and Phil had a lot in common?

Before we left for the hospital, I carried our overnight bags into my bedroom. Again, Phil and my mom were able to bite their tongues, leaving any criticism they may have felt unsaid.

"I'm afraid you'll be on your own tonight. We have plans, but we'll spend tomorrow catching up," my mom said, sounding apologetic.

"Don't worry about us, Mrs..."

"Please call me Matilda," my mom said, adding, "I'll call you Phyllis?"

They smiled at each other to seal the deal. I took Phyllis' hand and walked her to my truck.

"I never ... even ... suspected!" Phyllis exclaimed, having trouble putting her thoughts into words. "Were you as shocked at me?"

"I should have put two and two together, but I had no idea your dad is a coach. Yes, I guess you can say I'm shocked."

"You're mom seems nice. How long has it been since... ?"

"Ten years. I was twelve when my dad died. How long has it been for your dad?"

"Six years. I was fifteen."

"This is progressing way too fast. I could see signs that they're serious."

"Mickey, are you forgetting that we only met two weeks ago and we've slept together every night for a week?"

"Seven nights, tonight will be the eighth."

"You're not suggesting that we ... I couldn't, not with my dad in the same house."

I smiled at her, "We'll see."

We stopped for flowers, and I let Phyllis convince me to get a potted plant in place of cut flowers.

Kitty was uncharacteristically subdued. She greeted me, and looked quizzically at Phyllis.

"Kitty, this is Phyllis. You won't believe what just happened. Phyllis' dad is the football coach."

Kitty's mouth flew open, and for a brief second, I saw that old spark I'd first seen when she was a senior in high school. "What did Matilda say?"

"She was flabbergasted, the same as we were. Has she been to see you?"

Kitty glanced at Phyllis before answering me. "She brought me to the hospital and stayed until the baby was born. I don't know what I would have done without her. That's the reason I named the baby Matilda."

"You named the baby after my mom? Does she know?" I asked, wondering why my mom hadn't mentioned the baby's name.

I saw a tear running down Kitty's cheek. Phyllis must have seen it too. She told Kitty that she was glad to have met her, and left us alone. Kitty watched her leave before breaking down.

"My mother won't come to see me, and he pretends that I don't exist," she said, as she reached for a box of tissues.

By 'he' I assumed that she was speaking of Mr. Perryman. "What's gotten into him?"

She blew her nose and wiped her eyes. "His position in the town is the only thing that's important to him. He steals from me and he's been ripping off the state for years."

I'd never heard Kitty speak harshly about anyone. "He steals from you?"

She nodded, finding it difficult to continue. "He writes checks on my company account and leaves me without funds to cover my expenses."

I wanted to ask what Mr. Perryman did with the money, but we were interrupted by a nurse. "Your baby wants her mama," she said, glancing at me.

"It's okay, he's my brother," Kitty informed the nurse.

I turned my head while they got the baby situated to feed. When I turned back, Kitty was smiling down at the baby, and the nurse was leaving the room.

We didn't talk more about Mr. Perryman. I didn't want to upset her further, and anyway, she was too consumed with the baby to be distracted. I watched the feeding frenzy, the burping, and the baby falling asleep before the nurse came back to retrieve her. Kitty looked tired. I told her I would be back later, as I tiptoed out of the room.

"What's wrong?" Phyllis asked, as soon as she saw me.

"She's all alone. Her mother and her husband have deserted her. If it were not for my mom, she'd have no one for support."

"She was certainly happy to see you."

'Yeah, she told the nurse that I'm her brother," I said, trying to lighten up, but I couldn't get Mr. Perryman's actions out of my mind. I drove straight to the town offices, determined to get to the bottom of why the old man had turned his back on Kitty. What prevented me from creating a scene was the sign on the door, indicating that the office was closed on Saturday.

Phyllis urged me to cool off. I tried, by driving around the town, showing her the changes that had taken place in the last five years. Some of the changes were new to me. Buildings had gone up on what had been vacant lots last year.

We stopped at the café for an early dinner, and I was astounded that no one recognized me. The employees on duty were strangers to me, and naturally, the customers were strangers. I asked about Ben and Ruth, and was told they only worked four days per week. The waitress said she didn't know who Agnes was, but someone else said that she was now working at the pool hall.

We went back to the hospital to see Kitty. She was in a completely different frame of mind, inquisitive and thoughtful. She wanted to hear more about the surprise we felt when we discovered that our parents were romantically involved. We told her we were still trying to become accustomed to the idea.

"What are the sleeping arrangements tonight? Are you and Phyllis going to stay with Matilda and the coach?"

I heard Phyllis clear her throat, just as I answered, "Yes."

"Will you come back tomorrow and tell me all about it?" she asked.

Remembering how Kitty enjoyed hearing a juicy story, I answered without consulting Phyllis. "Yes, we'll give you all the details."

Phyllis said goodbye to Kitty, and left the room, presumably to give us some private time together.

"She's a little nervous about what her dad will say. I'll work on her and we'll have something to tell you tomorrow," I said, and watched Kitty's eyes light up with excitement. We said goodbye and I found Phyllis waiting for me just outside the room.

"I don't think it's a good idea that I stay with you tonight, Mickey. It would be better if you take me to our house in Redding."

"Nonsense, you heard Kitty. She's anxious to hear what happens when a young couple sleeps across the hall from their parents."

We jousted all the way to Perryville. My argument was that I wanted to have something to amuse Kitty the following day. Phyllis' maintained that her dad had lofty expectations of her and she didn't want to spoil them. She became agitated when she saw that I was heading toward Perryville, and not Redding.

"I'll stay in your room, but that's as far as it goes. You can make believe I'm wearing a chastity belt."

"Is it okay if I put my arm around you?"

"I suppose so, as long as you don't try to pick the lock on the chastity belt."

"How about your ass?"

"What about it?"

"Kitty said you have a nice ass, and I agreed with her. She asked if I'd ever kissed it, and I had to admit that I haven't. This may be a good night for me to try that."

"I don't think so," she said, with a tone of finality.

It was nine-thirty when we arrived at the house. The SUV was missing, which meant Phil and my mom were still out. We watched television for a half hour before I announced that it was time for bed. Phyllis probably wanted to avoid seeing her dad and my mom come in and followed me to my bedroom. She got a T-shirt out of her bag and disappeared into the bathroom. I was in bed when she joined me.

"Remember the chastity belt," she reminded me, when I put my arm around her waist.

"Exactly where is the lock I'm not supposed to pick?"

"The location of the lock is none of your concern. You wouldn't be able to pick it even if you found it."

"You're right; it's none of my concern. Tomorrow, we'll get up and have breakfast, and then I'll talk to Berry. After lunch, we'll go see Kitty and be on our way. Let's go to sleep so we don't hear our parents come in."

"That's a good idea. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, it is a pity that we won't have anything to tell Kitty tomorrow. She really enjoys hearing X-rated stories."

"I'm sure you can make up something that will amuse her. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I said, and fell silent for a few minutes. "I've got it. Would you like to hear what I'm going to tell Kitty?"

"Hmmm, I suppose ... AH, Mickey, take your hand off of my ass. Just tell me what you plan to say to Kitty."

"I need to feel where the smooth places are before I kiss it. You don't expect me to kiss a rough spot, do you?"

"It's smooth all over. There are no rough spots."

"I need to find the smoothest place."

"Mickey, you're moving your hand. I didn't agree to ... you know what this will lead to."

"What will it lead to?"

"You'll want to take my panties off, and our parents will come back and hear us."

"It would be easier for me to find the smoothest place if you take your panties off."

"Okay, but remember, the chastity belt is still locked, and you're not to try to pick it."

"I know about the chastity belt. You're right, it's smooth all over."

"I told you ... Mickey, you're patting my ass ... ah ... there, rub me right there ... ah ... that's it!"

"Don't I get a goodnight kiss?"

"I'd have to turn over and face you."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Promise you won't try to find the lock?"

"I promise."

"Okay, one kiss, and then we'll ... Mickey, you promised."

"Oh, is that the lock?"

"You know it is."

"I'm sorry, that was purely unintentional. The chastity belt is still locked, right?"

"You know there's no chastity belt. Hurry, get a condom before our parents get back."

Phyllis had removed her T-shirt and was in position when I got back to the bed. She was ready and urged me to hurry, but I took my time, relishing the union from the beginning. No matter how she used her arms and legs to pull me into her, no matter how she thrust her pelvis upward, no matter how she whimpered in frustration, I maintained a steady pace, altering my speed to keep her off guard. Frenzy eventually took over, and I lost control, giving way to her demands to "Fuck me harder and faster."

We were catching our breath when we heard a knock on the door.

"Are you all right, Honey?"

I started to roll off of her, but her leg lock had me restrained. I felt her pussy squeeze my cock.

"Couldn't be better, Dad."

We heard my mom say something to him, and heard his answer.

I continued to enjoy the squeezing and releases she was giving my cock. "You couldn't be better?" I whispered.

She untangled her legs and pushed me off. "Don't get a big head. That was a spur of the moment response. If he asked the same question again, I would tell him that it could have been better if you had cooperated."

"Thanks for the critique. Do you need to pee?"

"Yes, but I'm going to wait until I know their door is closed."

"How about taking the condom with you?"

She got out of bed, found one of my shirts to wear, and took the condom to the bathroom. I heard the toilet flush, and she was soon back. "I'm ready for that goodnight kiss," I whispered, pulling her to me.

She yielded her lips, and my hand went automatically to her butt.

"Don't start with my ass again. They'll hear us," she whispered.

"I think I found your sweet spot," I said, continuing to squeeze and pat her ass.

"Mickey, we can't."

"You said it could have been better if I'd cooperated. How can I improve if I don't practice cooperating?"

"I didn't mean it. There's no room for improvement. You were very cooperative."

"You think you tricked me before, don't you? I can tell that you want some more."

"Can you be very quiet this time?"

"I can be quiet if you can."

She sighed. "Stop playing with my ass and get a condom."

I was moving into position when I heard a sound coming from across the hall. It was faint at first, but soon, the unmistakable sounds of two people consumed with physical activity grew.

"I can't do this," I said, forgetting to whisper.

"What is it?" Phyllis asked, pulling my head down for a kiss, but releasing it when we heard the sound again. Phyllis shuddered as we heard the rocking of my mom's bed become louder.