Chapter 26

Day 29, Monday

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Anna!? Are you in there?"

"Huh?"

Oops. You weren't supposed to actually answer him Sweetheart!

"Open the door! Now!"

Doug seemed cross. I couldn't begin to imagine why.

It was Monday morning and having put him and Ma on the alert after openly displaying our feelings, Anna and I had slept the whole night through after she had once again snuck into my bedroom.

I picked up my boxers, noticed Anna's PJs and threw them to her before hopping across the room with one leg in and the other foot caught. I stepped out of the way as the door flew open immediately the snib had been released.

"What do you think you're doing in here?"

"If you give me a second, getting dressed."

"Don't give me any cheek, Anna. You know this room is off limits to you. Being told you can see Roger isn't the same as sleeping with him. And you... !"

I took another step back, mainly because it gave me room to avoid hurting the man who had taken me into his home and who I was sure my girlfriend loved deeply.

"If it helps sir, we did just sleep."

"Yeah right, which is why my daughter is putting her pyjamas on under your covers and I'm pretty sure you've worn those all night -- backwards.

Ma poked her head in. She didn't look happy either but wasn't about to let anything happen or be said that would cause irreparable damage.

"I want you two to get ready for school and come downstairs for breakfast. We will discuss your behaviour there. Come on Doug."

She eased him out the door. I closed it quietly as they made their way downstairs.

Anna looked strange. She was relieved at the issue of our sexual relationship being in the open -- despite the actual absence of sex on this occasion -- while at the same time being concerned over what her parents' reactions would be.

Mainly she wanted to be held quietly for just a minute or two before the storm, me in my backward boxers and her in just her PJ pants.

"I guess we blew it," she eventually offered.

"I guess we were tired after all!"

"I'm sorry.

"I'm not. I love you Anna, and if your parents can accept that they're going to accept we were eventually going to have a physical relationship."

"Will they accept we've been having one for a couple of weeks?"

"Maybe we keep that to ourselves then."

"I want to shower with you."

"Is that wise?"

Anna just shrugged. "Can't make things worse can it?"

"I'll leave the door open then."

"See you in a minute or so."

We kissed, a little sadly, and Anna headed down the corridor, her top clutched to her chest in case Brent came out. I found myself admiring her back then went in to use the bathroom before she returned.

Anna slid in behind me as I stood under the shower. She put her arms around me and took the soap from my hand.

"If either of us is Brent this is going to be awfully embarrassing," she quipped.

I had already washed my front but Anna made doubly sure that everything was squeaky clean.

"I don't want to get my hair wet this morning."

I adjusted the shower rose and turned so the water was striking the middle of my back. Anna's fingers dug into my butt and she pulled my wet front against her dry body.

"I could get used to this. Do you think they'll let us? Or will this be the last time for anything? Could they send you away?"

"They could I suppose but I wouldn't start worrying about that until they have had their say. However I don't think we should give them time to get upset again if they've calmed a little so let me wash you and then we should get dressed."

Anna and I moved around and she leaned back against me as I soaped her breasts and pussy, even rejoicing in my hands rubbing the suds through her armpits and over her shoulders.

"Oh yes, I could get used to this!"

I knew I could too.

We walked downstairs together with our schoolbags and left them ready by the front door. Anna had dressed in half her usual time and some of her haste showed. She just hadn't wanted me to be downstairs alone.

Our plates were on the table and Ma came and sat with Doug once we'd taken our places. Brent must have been woken when we were but sensibly avoided the coming crisis.

"Eat!" Ma had spoken to Doug. She'd told him before that he wasn't going to have to be the bad cop to her good cop and intended to show she could be as tough as him.

"We are both disappointed in the pair of you. We counselled you both to go slowly and to wait until you had your studies out the way and what did you do? Jump into bed at the first opportunity."

I tried to comment but Ma held up a hand to stop me. "You'll get your chance; it's my turn."

I did the only thing I could, I kept eating.

"I want to treat you as adults but I'm not sure you can behave that way. I want honest answers from you. Roger -- have you and Anna had sex yet?"

Doug seemed ready to pummel me regardless of how I answered but Ma must have told him, in her own way, to just sit down, shut up, and let her handle things.

I looked her straight in the eye. "Last night, no; previously, yes."

Doug stirred.

"Why not last night?"

"Quite honestly, we had both had a long day and were tired. We intended only cuddling but fell asleep."

"And if you continue staying here, you two would go on having sex regardless of our feelings I suppose?"

Anna picked up on the "if you continue". I put my hand over hers and she stopped just before she said anything. I think that amazed Ma and Doug as much as it did me. Anna was prepared to let me go in to bat for both of us -- though perhaps waiting in reserve as reinforcements might have been a better analogy. She did have more experience dealing with them and perhaps was aware when being quiet was a better strategy.

"You might doubt us but we do love each other and we aren't careless about having sex. I'm sure we would both listen to any arguments you might make but I'm equally sure we wouldn't be able to promise not to have sex again unless we felt there was more reason than your wishes. Sorry."

Anna was nodding beside me.

"We need to think things over. You know we're not happy you both disregarded the rules you were given and we're not happy you run the risk of messing up your futures. Finish your breakfast and get ready for school. I'll drop you off and you'll be late if you don't hurry. We'll talk again tonight."

Doug looked discontented. I guess he wanted to have his say now rather than later. Ma had convinced him that our school day would be disrupted enough as it was without the pair of us planning to run off together because he'd told me I would be leaving.

My day was disrupted anyway since I no longer had a need to maintain it as a cover other than to avoid appearing out of character. I hoped my next job allowed me to be at least my true age if not a little older.

Doug left; I was rather glad we weren't in his car this morning. I had to admire his restraint though. If my teenage daughter had been deflowered by a house guest I might have felt the need to do more than squeal my tyres.

I stood and placed my plate and cutlery in the sink. Ma shooed me away, telling me once more to get ready. I think she found her own stress relief in washing them for me. Nothing ended up broken so I guess I had to admire her restraint as well.

Anna indicated with her head that I was to leave her alone with her mother; I didn't think twice about eavesdropping though.

"Are we still okay Ma? You and me?"

"Of course Anna. That can't, or at least shouldn't, change. That doesn't mean I think you've been sensible."

"I know you aren't happy but can you understand we are? I do love Roger and I know he loves me."

"A few weeks ago he was taking other girls out. It's a sudden change to decide he only loves you. What if in another couple of weeks he decides he loves someone else; what do you do? And if you have a fight? You're both stuck here in this house together."

"You and Dad don't always get along. You're stuck here just as much as we are. At least we've got you and Dad to knock our heads together if necessary."

"You're lucky your father didn't do more than that this morning when you didn't answer from your room."

"Ma?"

"Yes?"

"While you're thinking about what we are going to discuss later could I ask you to consider something?"

"You can ask."

"Is there any chance Roger could move into my room?"

Ma took a long look at Anna. At least there was no sound of an explosion.

"You really like to push your luck, don't you?"

"Well I don't know what you are going to decide and I guess you and Dad are a bit unsure too. If you come down heavy then there's not much I can do about it. If you decide to accept our love then it seems silly for Roger and I to have separate rooms.

"I don't think I will spring that on your father just yet but I will consider it. You're young Anna, as is Roger. Young to have a relationship that should be more than just a casual fling; too young to have one that ends up with you pregnant."

"We are being careful Ma."

"Careful isn't always enough."

"Mmm. They make me feel so good though."

Oh-oh! I thought.

Ma thought her daughter meant orgasms rather than partners, fortunately.

"There is more to a relationship than just sexual pleasure Anna. That is one of the things that you find out as you get older, as you have a chance to discover each other as people rather than as sex objects. You have to like someone before you can really love them and it takes time to find out a person's bad points as well as their good ones. That's the whole point of dating, to understand a person as a real person not just the image you first see. You take the time to find out if you want to give yourself to them before you take what should be a serious step."

"While we didn't wait that long I didn't just have sex at the first opportunity. Roger is gentle, loving, considerate."

"Lethal, secretive, deceitful," I added to myself then included one further item -- "non-existent".

"He cares for others. I had a chance to see that. Rosalee and Hailey see it in him as well; that's how come we get on so well together."

"I don't doubt he cares for you. It's more a case of whether you care for each other in a few weeks time when the novelty of sex has faded a little and the reality of each other's faults begins to hit you both."

"What faults?"

"Does he snore? Do you fart in the mornings? Does he leave his dirty socks around the bedroom? Do you always insist on watching some inane sitcom when there is some documentary on? All sorts of things you might decide are far more important than they seem as I say them."

"You complain Dad snores."

"I'd complain more if he left his laundry around the room. Come on, you'll be late as it is." She raised her voice, "You ready Roger."

I walked back into the kitchen after a slight pause. "Yes."

Ma wasn't fooled. "You understand what I said?"

"Yeah. I understand. I guess I've found life can turn out to be terribly short and when you find someone you feel is special it is hard to want to waste a minute of the time you could spend together."

Ma looked more closely at me. I guess I wasn't sounding like a seventeen year old.

"In the car then and try not to think about this all day." I barely heard her mutter the rest, "That's what I'll be doing.

We separated with a hug and Anna's "Sorry I got you into this mess" followed by my laugh.

"Anna, my loving Sweetheart. I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather be in this mess with. We'll survive it, if we survive first period. Scoot!"

I got to my home room just before the teacher who didn't try to interrupt those who were busy discussing the tragedy and asking if I'd heard about Kyra and Mark.

"Yes but not the full story. Does anyone know how it happened?"

I heard five versions in two minutes before Ms Aster called us to order.

"You are probably aware that we lost two of your classmates over the weekend in tragic circumstances."

There was a sob from somewhere behind me.

"We have some people coming this morning to talk to us generally and then to those of you who knew Kyra and Mark Pringle well or who feel the loss. Don't feel embarrassed to show emotion; there is nothing wrong with caring for your friends."

They meant well but it was to be the start of a L-O-N-G day!

Lunchtime, Anna sought me out and we held each other in the presence of my classmates. Hugging wasn't normally permitted but a few people had gone home, either legitimately distressed or taking advantage of the excuse to get out of classes. Those that remained were sometimes weepy and their friends gathered around to support them. This inevitably involved bodily contact that was not sexual.

Anna started by asking if I was okay. The lower classes had limited if any contact with the deceased and were counselled more generally. They had been told to be sensitive to our needs and how some of us might react with denial and later anger before we could grieve properly. Anna wondered whether that was the reason I had been so calm yesterday.

"I'm sadder today I guess. It took me a little while to deal with my mother's death; my fathers didn't affect me as much. I guess when you've been through it before it is easier to accept especially if you've only spent a few hours with them."

"You've only spent a few hours with me," Anna pointed out.

"Most filled with a lifetime of love. I would grieve heavily for you if you were to be taken from me."

I got rib-crushing proof that my death would have a similar effect on Anna.

Those who had seen me with Kyra thought Anna was supporting me. We didn't kiss and fooling around in any way at school was only going to make matters worse at home if we were discovered so that wasn't going to be a consideration.

I even consoled one of the guys who had broken down, but in the way of guys on campus -- patting his back, holding his shoulder, telling him that it was okay to show his emotions and that, today, no-one would think any less of him.

School was out and Anna turned up at the entrance shortly after I sat down to wait on the wall bearing the name of the school.

"Oh well, on to the slaughter."

I stood and we set out for home. "Do you really think so? Ma seemed somewhat uncertain whether to kill us or marry us off."

Anna suddenly looked at me with surprise in her eyes. I'd said the "M" word which she considered totally ridiculous. Of course I hadn't made any suggestion that I was considering that as an option. We were only at High School and had only known each other for a total of four weeks at about this hour.

Anna might have been romantic enough to consider how "Anna" and "Torrent" went together but she was realistic enough to know that the things her mother had said about getting to know each other were quite valid.

If I'd proposed she would have said wait. If I'd asked her to run off with me she might have gone without thinking twice.

"If they say it's okay would you like to share my room?"

Anna had been thinking about the possibility all day and while she liked the idea she wondered if it had been the right thing to talk to Ma before raising it with me.

"It would be a bit crowded but I'd love to wake up next to you every morning."

"I'd ask Ma and Dad for a bigger bed."

"Does that mean I'd have to help get it up the staircase? Hmm, can I reconsider??"

"Though Rosalee and Hailey would spit chips when they found out."

"Well if we kept my bedroom as it is I could sleep back there and you could invite them over for the night."

"I was actually thinking they'd be envious of me getting the bulk of your time."

"You don't think they are envious of me too?"

"Not as much. We have fun and I love them and would welcome them to stay with me but I really do love you best and I think they feel much the same way."

"You must all hate me as well then for not choosing."

"No. You've chosen, just not what any of us would prefer but possibly the best choice in the circumstances. If you move in I think Hailey and Rosy will worry you will end up letting convenience make a second choice and I don't want that. You will have to find a way to share your nights with them as well somehow."

"You don't want to make things too easy for me, do you?"

"Nope! But you've got bigger problems than that."

"Like what?"

"Like I did sleep well last night so I'm going to be able to keep my eyes open tonight. I might just require you to work out how we can make love properly when Ma and Dad are determined to keep us apart."

She pulled me closer and I paused to kiss her in the middle of the footpath.

Ma was home and suggested we get any homework out of the way before Doug got home. She planned to talk further with him before our next family meeting and gave us no clues as to what the agenda held.

We were getting started, firing up the word processor and getting refreshments to share when the doorbell rang and then rang again.

Ma was out the back and Anna was partway up the stairs so she turned around to answer it.

I heard her say "Rosy" and then "What's the matter?"

I left my books and hurried downstairs.

Rosalee was in Anna's arms, her face buried in Anna's shoulder and she was sobbing.

I joined them and Rosalee cried out "Roger!" and grabbed me without letting go of Anna.

"What is the matter?"

"My father," she managed. "He's gone a bit crazy."

We held her while she caught her breath again; the emotion, added to her hurried pace getting here, had made it difficult for her to talk.

"Our neighbour, Mr Fletcher from last night, told my Dad that I was kissing you in the park and then he must have seen me when I opened the curtains. He told Dad about that as well and when I got home he went mad at me. He called me names and hit me."

I noticed the redness across the front of Rosalee's cheek. She must have dodged the bulk of the slap or punch but it would still have hurt.

I was angry but not foolish enough to go and confront him. Other than satisfying me, and convincing him that it wasn't good to be on the receiving end, I didn't think it would accomplish much.

"He said he knows we've been sleeping together. I think he's gone through my bedroom but there wasn't anything there that I could think of but a condom I kept as a souvenir."

We must have looked at her strangely since she added. "It hadn't been opened!"

I guess adding one and one and one together and getting ten when ten was closer to the right answer than three wasn't too unusual in the circumstances.

"Then he said he was going to kick me out but not before I got the thrashing I deserved. I ducked out the front door while he was taking his belt off and came here. I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't worry. We'll sort it out."

"But I've spoilt everything."

"No you haven't!" I lifted Rosy's chin and pressed my lips to hers.

Anna was still hugging Rosalee from the side and kissed her cheek; Rosalee left my mouth and turned to kiss Anna instead. Their lips parted and tongues collided -- as Ma came out of the kitchen.

"What!?"

The two girls broke apart.

"Rosalee is having some problems with her parents that make ours look like they're nothing," I advised Ma. "She came here seeking our help and support."

"You've got problems?" Rosalee looked at Ma and then back to myself and Anna.

"I fell asleep in Roger's bed last night and my Dad found me there this morning. Ma and Dad know Roger and I have had sex and we are supposed to sort it out tonight."

"Oh. I should go then."

"Don't be silly!" I caught her and drew her back against me. "Where would you go? Hailey's?"

"We're not letting you go until we've sorted things out at the very least," Anna agreed. "Come on through to the Family Room."

Anna led us with Rosalee's hand in hers while my arm remained around Rosalee's waist. Ma overtook us and snagged a place where she could watch us on the three-seater. She could understand us hugging Rosalee but that was definitely a kiss she had witnessed and not just a friendly one. Our whole attitudes had been of concern though and she would deal with that issue first.

Rosalee sat between Anna and myself, drawing on us both for strength as she leaned against me and linked forearms never releasing Anna's clasped hand. We all looked at Ma when she started.

"Okay, start with what Rosalee's problems are and we'll see if they are quite as insurmountable as you imagine."

Rosalee looked back and forth between us. She didn't really want to be the one to speak lest she say something we wanted kept quiet. From her own point of view it didn't seem like things could get any worst but she felt she could, quite likely, screw up whatever peace Anna and I had established with Ma.

Anna spoke up instead.

"When we were coming back from Hailey's house last night we stopped at a park near Rosalee's for a few minutes and..."