Chapter 31: We Work on Plans for the Future.

"Have you thought about things since last night, Kay?"

"Some, but I still have a lot of thinking to do."

"Are you at a point where we can start talking?"

"Yes, and I have two or three things I want to start with, if they're okay with you."

"Shoot."

"I think the first things we should talk about are marriage, children, getting to where we can have children and jobs. Are those okay with you?"

"Not surprisingly, they're all near the top of my list, too. I want to marry you. If it doesn't offend your female pride I'd like to talk about getting married without having to be on one knee and proposing. I think we're beyond that."

"Yeah, we're beyond that. I wouldn't mind you doing it if you wanted to but it's not necessary. I think we've pretty much proposed to each other and accepted the proposals, thanks to my mother forcing us both to open our eyes. I don't think I need to make any formal announcement back home; Mom will take care of that. How about you, is this going to be okay with your parents?"

"When I spoke with them yesterday they were happy for us, and said they love me and you both. They didn't waste any time before they were talking about grand-children. I know they want them sooner than later but I told them we weren't ready yet. My mother basically said to hurry up. What they didn't say, but I know, is they wouldn't be as happy if the grand-children came before the wedding. As far as they're concerned they're happy for us now, they want a wedding, they want grand-children, and they want those grand-children soon. All in order."

"I don't have to ask to know my parents feel the same way. I'll have some leeway if Junior gets married before we do. They'll look to him for the grand-children first. I have two questions about getting married. Where are we going to get married and when are we going to get married? I also need to know if you want all the hoopla of a big wedding or if a simple one will work for you."

"That's at least three questions, but I won't quibble. Your parents' farm is in the middle of everyone but I wonder if your dad and brothers will be able to stop working before we get married and take a day or two off after as well. I want them to enjoy our wedding, not work through it. To me, it comes down to out here in California, or on the farm with your parents in Kansas and I'll be happy with either. As far as when goes, I'd marry you tomorrow if you wanted me to but to be practical, I think we either get married this summer, when you're on your two weeks off from the internship, or not until after you graduate next year."

"Why not sometime in between?"

"If we don't get married this summer, you're going to be too busy during the school year, especially if you get the internship for the year. Any time off will be for holidays and we'll be seeing one set of parents or the other at holidays. Besides, I'd rather have our anniversary as its own holiday, separate from existing ones."

"I hadn't considered the internship for the year when I asked. Okay, you've convinced me. Do you think we could get married this summer?"

"Great, I love it! As soon as you know which your two weeks off are, we can start putting things together. We'll need to call both families and friends as soon as we can set a date. Are you going to be okay if it isn't a church wedding? I'm Jewish and while I'm not very observant, a church wedding might be too much beyond my comfort zone."

"I don't have any church I'm tied to or even comfortable enough with to do a wedding in. I'd rather a small simple civil wedding with family and friends. I just have to make sure my parents are okay with that. I don't know if they've been hoping for all the pomp of a big wedding, but I don't think so."

"I hope not because I'm not close enough to a lot of people to invite them to our wedding. My side of the church would be pretty empty."

"I don't know if mine would have that many more. You're it for me, Rob. You're my closest and just about only real friend."

"So which do you want it to be, California or Kansas?"

"If you're sure it'll be okay with your parents, I'd like it to be in Kansas, this summer."

"Okay, that's two major decisions out of the way. What do we tackle next?"

"How about children?"

"What about them?"

"How soon and how many are the first questions our parents are going to want answered. I'd kinda' like to know that, too."

"I was an only child, you know that, and I don't know anyone with a large family."

"I guess that depends on what you call a large family."

"I'm used to one or two kids, maybe three, like your family. Four or more kids makes a large family to me."

"I wasn't going to bring this up until sometime later but with what you've just said this is as good a time as any other."

I looked at her and waited for her to go on. I didn't know what she was going to say.

"Rob, I had a sister, or I almost did, a long time ago. Her name was Bridgette Lynn and she would be seventeen now except she didn't make it, she was still-born."

"Wow! I had no idea."

"How could you? I never said anything about her. My parents and brothers didn't either. We very rarely speak about her. Mom and Dad planned for four children when they got married. They were going to have the first two years for themselves and then have a kid every two years or so; it was part of their ten year plan. When Bridgette came along she was supposed to be the last Sandersen. Depending on how you look at it she was or Tommy is. As far as I know, they never figured out what went wrong because Mom felt her moving the night before she went into labor, but Bridgette never took a breath."

"I'm sorry, Kay. I don't know what to say. Is a safe topic to discuss in front of your family? I don't want to offend anyone and I don't want to bring up bad memories."

"They'll never bring her up, at least not before they know you better. I hope that won't hurt your feelings. They will accept you and love you but they won't bring her up in front of you, not for a long, long time. I'll tell you anything I can but there isn't too much more to tell. It would probably be best if you don't mention her in front of anyone else. Not until they do.

"All that being said, when it comes to making our family, I'd like a boy and a girl and it doesn't matter which we have first. How about you?"

"I'd like a son and a daughter, too, I think. That answers the question of how many. It doesn't answer when. I would be good the day after we get married. It'd satisfy our parents but it isn't practical. I think you should finish your degree as a minimum and that rules out getting you pregnant before next Halloween. If you want to hold off beyond then it would be okay with me. What are your thoughts?"

"I don't know. I mean, I agree with not before I graduate. I wonder about getting a position with a company and how much my getting pregnant will affect that. Will it hurt me to have to take time off? I can't see how it wouldn't."

"I think you would do well and be in the best position if you waited a year to a year and a half before you were so pregnant you couldn't work. It would give you a chance to establish yourself and show you're worth keeping around. I know a company cannot hold you getting pregnant against you, legally. The reality can be something else."

"So, we get married this summer. I graduate next year and then get a job either as a result of the internship or with another company in this area. A year after that we get pregnant with the first of two kids. That's three or four biggies we've covered and a plan for the first two to three years. Are you comfortable with it, Rob?"

"I'm very comfortable with it and I think it's a good plan. This would be a mid-term plan I think. Short-term, we need to get you ready for your summer intern program. That means getting you whatever you need so you can show up ready to learn and work with the company, including wardrobe and transportation. Once you start at the company and have your two weeks off scheduled, we have to plan out the wedding and make arrangements to get everyone to Kansas for it."

"I sure am glad the farm house has all those bedrooms. Junior and Tommy will each be in their own bedrooms. I'll be in mine; you can be in the bedroom connected to mine. Your Mom and Dad will be in one guest room, which leaves the other guest room for William and Mary if they can come. The only fly in the ointment will be Junior's girlfriend; we have to have a room for her, but we'll work that out."

"I don't think that will be too hard. Do you?"

"Not really. Mom wants this to happen so she'll juggle people as necessary."

We completed the second lap of the trail and then went to the diner for dinner. What we were talking about was too personal to do in public so while we were in the diner we didn't talk about the big topics. When we got home we took a bottle of wine out to the hot tub and settled in.

We were sitting opposite of each other with a glass of wine and started talking again. "Have you thought of anything about our plan we need to change or go over again, Kay?"

"Sort of, we've pretty well decided when we're getting married, we've figured out how many children we want and when. What we haven't talked about is what we're going to do between now and then. I mean, I know we're going to go on living here and I'm intending to go on keeping the house clean. You're going to go on doing what you do to bring in money and I'm going do my damnedest to be the best whatever they want me to be during the internship, the same way I've needed to do in my classes.

"The only real change I can see is I've moved into your room and your bed on a full time basis, which I have to add is most comfortable and the only place I want to be. I told you I was moving into your room, I didn't ask you. Is it okay that I'm there?"

"Of course it is. You just beat me to the punch by moving while I was on the phone. How about you come sit over here, by me, instead of all the way over there on the other side of the tub? I think what we still need to talk about will be better done sitting side by side."

She looked at me with a little question in her eyes but moved over next to me. "Is this better?"

I put my arm across her shoulders. "Much. Kay, I've already told you, I've grown attached to you, both physically and emotionally. I think you feel the same towards me, at least I very much hope so. We share a bed, we're sitting here in the buff, and you've now started to take your showers with me. All this is causing us to have more physical contact"

"Is this a problem? You're not asking me to change any of that, are you?"

"No, not at all, I'm comfortable with it. We've talked a little about my physical reaction to you, that I can't control it; just being around you causes me to react. You know it and you do things intentionally to cause it. It's a bit of torture you seem to delight in when we're settling into bed."

"I wouldn't say I'm torturing you, Rob. I'm just getting comfortable before I go to sleep." She was smiling broadly as she said this, giving lie to her statement.

"The question I have is, are you reacting, physically?"

Even in the soft lighting of the hot tub enclosure I could see her turning pink in embarrassment. "Maybe."

"Only maybe?"

"Alright, yes, I do react."

"I thought so, and I've noticed it sometimes."

"You've noticed what?"

"I've noticed your nipples getting taut and crinkly. Not all the time but more often than not."

"I didn't know you were watching me that closely."

"I always watch you, Kay. Is that your only reaction?"

Now her blush went all the way down to the tops of her breasts. "No. I also find myself getting damp, which is why I always wear my panties to bed. Out here or in the shower it doesn't show, but in bed I'm afraid I'll leave wet spots where I lay or you'll feel the dampness on your leg or hip."

"That's good, Kay."

"Why's that good?"

"Because it means your body is reacting, normally and automatically, to the stimulus of being around and in contact with me. Way back when we first got together you told me you had three experiences with physical intimacy and they all were failures. You said you didn't see what the big deal about sex was. I told you a lot had to do with your partner. Your reacting to me confirms you're developing an emotional connection with me and that's very encouraging."

"I'd already admitted to having a connection with you, so why are you surprised?"

"I'm not surprised; I'm pleased, because your body is confirming what your mind is saying about our building connection. We've talked about having kids and unless we're planning on doing that with the aid of a clinic and a test tube, we're going to be doing it the old fashioned way. It should be more pleasurable that way for both of us and your reacting to me is encouraging. I very much want you to enjoy the great pleasure of physical intimacy. Us sharing a bed will help. I enjoy your closeness and I think you enjoy my touch."

"I assume you mean when you have your arm around me and I hold your arm and hand close."

"Exactly, and I want to increase our physical contact, here in the tub and in our showers. I want you to enjoy our contact and I want to build upon it. Truthfully, I'd be comfortable at this point with love making, but I want to build up to it with you slowly, not rush into it. I think it's the best way for you."

"Rob, I trust you, completely. I'm closer to you than anyone else, other than my family. I'm already leaps and bounds closer to you than to any of the three guys I've tried with before. I knew the guy back home all through high school but I didn't know him as well as I know you. The first guy out here, I didn't know more than a couple of months. The last guy I didn't know at all, I just met him at the party. You and I have known each other nine or ten months. Is that enough time or do we need more?"

"Under normal circumstances and for most people, I'd say it was enough time. In your case, our case, I want to take more time and build up to the physicality. It's not sex we're building to, it's love making. There is a difference, although not everyone recognizes it."

"My mom told me you're smart and I know you to be an honorable, old fashioned gentleman. I'll go along with any plans you have or make for us, especially on this. I want to be happy; I want the joy I hear so much about. Bring me that joy, Rob."

"I'll do my very best for you, Kay. Not just on this but on everything I do for you. I love you."

"And I love you. Tomorrow is my last day of class and it's still going to be a full one. I can't slack off, as much as I'd like to. We need to start getting ready for bed and we still need to go through your things in the bath. I need more room than you've left me."

We closed down the hot tub and went inside. Somewhat more than half an hour later we had things sorted out in the bath and I had more trash than I realized. Mostly things I didn't use but were taking up space in the cabinet and drawers. When we were done Kay had two-thirds of the storage space other than under the sink where the cleaning supplies and bulk storage was.

When we got in the shower we were even less shy than before in making contact. "Do you want me to wash your back?"

"Yes, please." She then handed me the wash cloth and turned her back to me.

I soaped up the cloth and started at her shoulders once again, scrubbing side to side. I worked my way down her back. When I reached her hips I started back up her sides and to her belly. I dropped the rag and continued using just my hands. "If I make you at all uncomfortable, Kay, say something and I'll stop. I want you to be comfortable with this contact, knowing it isn't casual or unintentional. Knowing that I have my hands on you to make us both feel good. I'm still not going to go south of your hips; I don't want to rush this."

She tensed when I initially brought my hands to her belly but shortly relaxed and leaned back on me as I explained what I was doing. "I told you, Rob, I trust you, completely. Just as an 'oh-by-the-way' I like your touch, don't stop."

I continued to rub my hands up and down her sides, rubbing in a circular pattern and working around to her belly, once there I continued rubbing, working up a lather and continuing the circular motions of my hands. When my hands started brushing her breasts I didn't change my motions until I was palming them.

As her nipples erected she said, "This feels good. Mmmm, I like it, thank you."

I was holding her against me, almost supporting her. She was swaying side to side as I fondled and caressed her with one hand while stroking her face, neck and sides with the other and my erection was being caressed by her butt. I was alternating hands so I was stroking both her sides and maintaining as complete contact as I could.

"I hope I get to do the same to you."

"You do, this works both ways. There's pleasure in both the receiving and the giving, at least there's supposed to be and I told you, you have to be an active participant to get the most benefit."

"I'd like to give you the same feelings of pleasure you're giving me. I hope I can."

"I like your touch as you like mine. I'm sure you'll do fine giving me pleasure. Are you ready to try?"

"Yeah, I am." She stepped away from me, breaking my contact. She bent down to pick up the wash cloth and wiggled her butt against me while she gave a giggle. When she was standing again she had the wash cloth and soaped it up. We kissed and held it for a little then she said, "Turn around so I can get at your back."

I turned and she started to work me over the same way I did her. She scrubbed away at me and then did the same as I did when she reached forward to my belly the wash cloth fell again. I kicked it away from the drain so the tub wouldn't fill and then stood there absorbing the rub down and good feelings.

I couldn't help but moan, "Mmmm, you don't have to worry, you're doing a great job of giving me pleasure."

"I like this, too. I liked it when you were doing my back and I like doing yours. We're not limiting ourselves to backs anymore, how much longer are we going to do this?"

"I think we should stop with enough time to rinse off before the shower goes cold."

"Probably a good idea."

We had finished up in the bath and were standing in the bedroom.

"Do I put on panties and tee shirt? Both? Neither?"

"Would you be more or less comfortable wearing them? When you first moved in here you wore a tee shirt and panties to sleep in. It never seemed to matter if you were going to sleep in my bed or yours. I've noticed that lately it's been my tee shirts, by the way. I sleep in my light weight sleep shorts normally, because I'm most comfortable that way. There's no reason, at this point, for you to change your sleep wear habits, later maybe, but not now. I want you to be comfortable, always."