88: Informant

We had a family meeting Sunday night. Jennifer, Courtney, Anna, Mom, Dad, and Betts. Addison held Maddie while we talked around the dinner table.

"We didn't mean to be so rude last night, Elizabeth Ann," Mom said. It was her 'listen up' name for Betts, but she said it kindly. "We get so carried away when Anna arrives that we forget our manners. We were going to talk to you and tell you. There just never seemed to be the right time."

"How long?" Betts asked.

"A couple years. Well, a little longer."

"Ever since I got married." You could just tell that Betts was about to 'take the blame.'

"Well, actually," Dad said, looking at us kids, "a little longer than that. I think the first time was New Year's Eve the night before you announced your engagement." My mouth fell open and both Jennifer and Courtney looked surprised, too. No wonder they didn't realize I'd stayed out in the barn with Joanne all night. Wow! I looked at Addison and she was just watching the action trying to understand what had happened. I'm not sure she knew what was being discussed when the conversation started.

"You all might as well know that we've invited Anna to move in with us here when you are all out of the house," Mom said to Jennifer and Courtney.

"We're not rushing you, though," Anna hastened to add. "Bill and Crystal would kill me if they thought I was rushing you down to IU."

"Maybe we could talk about that later this week," Jen said. "We need to talk to our boyfriend and girlfriends first, though. We're not looking forward to having a summer without Brian."

"You ... both... ?" Betts started. "But what about... ?"

"Sora has been with the three of us all week before you got here, Betts. She's our girlfriend."

"What about last night?" she asked.

"It was special. It was our first time together ... like that."

"Oh, Brian! I'm sorry!" Betts was crying and Addison still didn't know what the heck she was talking about.

"It worked out well, don't you think?"

"Mommy, can I be a little girl and start all over. I don't understand the world I live in anymore," Betts said, reaching to hug Mom. She found herself hugged by both Mom and Anna.

"I don't think any of us understand the world we live in anymore," Anna whispered to Betts. "All any of us really understand is love. It just bowls us over the same way it did you and Allen."

"I don't want another woman to share Allen," Betts cried.

"Honey, what you and Allen do is not based on what any of the rest of us do," Dad said. He reached for Maddie and Addison gave him the baby. "Look what a precious little girl you brought us. All you have to worry about is showing her and showing Allen how much you love them. You aren't responsible for our lives or for emulating them."

Monday morning, Dad had a contractor in to estimate putting a bathroom in the attic. Jen, Court, Sora, and Addison followed me around as I gave specifications for an extra-large shower and tub and a wall of sinks. The contractor looked at me strangely.

"Think dormitory," I suggested. "There's a lot of traffic." With that in mind, he suggested a privacy wall for the toilet so the bath could be used by more than one person at a time. We all agreed.

"Dad? Can we afford this?" I asked when I could get him aside.

"Hmm. Well since you have a full-time job now I'm thinking you can chip in for the improvements to your apartment." I really wasn't sure if he was joking or not. I had to leave and go to work.

I was only in for a half-day on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The first day was all about getting my paperwork handled. I didn't worry about it at the end of the year because I only did two shows for $250 each last year. I didn't even file income tax. But this year, I'd already made over $5,000 and would earn that much this summer as well. I couldn't even claim myself as a deduction. I was going to need a tax accountant.

Wednesday morning, Betts, Madeline, and Addison left for Seattle. I had a good hug and kiss with Addie before I had to leave for work and we promised to stay in touch. She really wanted to be a part of our group, but knew it was senseless as she would probably not see any of us again for a year. That was hard, but we promised to stay in touch.

Jen, Court, and Anna went back to Kokomo on Wednesday afternoon, but were coming back in a week to spend the summer. There was a question as to how that would work if all the other girls wanted to spend time with me this summer—some of them privately. Even in Kokomo, there were times I was with one or the other girl and times when we all went to our own beds just to get some sleep.

"I suppose the best thing would be for Brian to move downstairs and give the girls the upstairs," Mom said.

"No!" both Jen and Court almost shouted. We all looked at them. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of moving downstairs, but it was just for the summer.

"Girls!" Anna said. "What's the problem?"

"It's not fair for us to move in and kick Brian out of his apartment," Jen said firmly. "I won't do it. We can stay in Kokomo."

"I thought you were anxious to spend the summer here."

"We are," Court said. "But I agree with Jen. We can't come and kick Brian out of his space. We can share if that's okay, but we can't just displace him."

"You are not going to share the upstairs with Brian for the summer. I know we've allowed a lot of freedom for you three, but living together is further than I'm willing to go," Anna said.

"I meant that Jen and I could share the guest room. We spend most of our time together at home anyway. The guest room is no smaller than Jen's room."

"Brian, is this an issue to you, as well?" Dad asked. I suppose he expected me to be magnanimous and offer the girls my room.

"It kind of is, Dad," I said. "I would never have said anything, but thank you, Jennifer and Courtney, for realizing it. I'd move downstairs if it's the only way you can spend the summer, but I know it would create conflicts among us."

"Explain—any of you," Mom said. I took a deep breath but Jen was on it before I could voice my concerns.

"Nona-Mom, we love you and we love each other. We'd love to see you three all sharing a room, but our own experience tells us that sometimes somebody has to escape, so we understand Mom taking the other bedroom downstairs," she said. "The thing is that Court and I aren't Brian's only girlfriends. His room is a special place that we all gather and sometimes we sleep with him. If we took over Brian's room and he moved down here, our other girlfriends would hate us. What if Sam wanted to spend time with Brian? Or Rose? Or Liz? Or ... Maybe I shouldn't enumerate everyone. Speaking for myself, I wouldn't want to spend the night with Brian in the room next to yours."

Mom and Anna shared an interesting look. The guest room had been my bedroom when I was downstairs and there was a bathroom between it and Betts' room where Anna was going to stay.

"Maybe we should rethink the arrangements," Dad said. "I'm not sure I want any of the kids staying in the guest room now that I think about it."

"Having the girls share a bath with Anna seems a little overcrowded, though," Mom said.

"They could share the bath upstairs," I said. "We designed it for a crowd."

"I'm not sure I want to think about that phrase," Mom sighed. "How about this, then. Anna in the guest room with semi-private use of the downstairs bath. The girls in Betts' old room. It's a little bigger than the guest room, but frankly..." Mom blushed. Really turned red. As soon as she did, Anna started to, too. " ... we're hoping Anna doesn't spend that much time in her room," she finished. Anna looked at Mom and Dad. Dad held out his arms and Anna practically leaped onto his lap. Mom cuddled up to them and kissed Anna deeply. Dad joined in. Court cleared her throat.

"Um ... We're still here, guys," she said. I was pretty sure it was Jen and Court and me who were blushing now.

"Who do you think we learned this behavior from?" Anna giggled. She hugged Mom and Dad tightly and didn't get off his lap.

"So would it be okay then if we share the upstairs bath, Brian?" Jen asked.

"And sometimes the upstairs bed?" Court whispered.

"It looks like the bath will be finished except painting when you get back next weekend," I said. "You won't be hanging bras and panties in it to dry all the time like Betts did, will you?"

"Not unless you take them off of us," Jen said.

"Okay. That's all the detail we are sharing at the moment," Mom said. "Which doesn't mean that any one of you can't talk to any one of us about anything, but the conversation seems to be a little more suggestive than is necessary for cross-generations. Come to us for advice or problems or just because you love us and need to confide. We all know that both of these trios are sexually active and unless a problem arises, we won't expect any details. Okay?" We all nodded.

The next two days included meetings with Harvey, Miss Polly, and Miss Betsy. Betsy filled me in on all she did to get ready for the show and how she assisted Miss Polly. She said I was going to have fun, but to remember how Miss Polly took her coffee and always have a fresh cup ready when she returned to her hostess seat. When it came down to it, Miss Betsy was an on-screen administrative assistant for Miss Polly. She ran errands, welcomed guests and made sure they were comfortable while they waited for Miss Polly, kept the schedule, notes on the production meetings, and reminded Miss Polly of the order the show would run. Man! What I'd been doing was pretty free-wheeling compared to Miss Betsy's job.

Thursday and Friday I stayed off-camera but otherwise shadowed Miss Betsy all day long. I was exhausted by the end of the week.

Elaine showed up Friday after I got home from work and announced that we had a date. I just assumed that she had cleared it with anyone who needed to know and told Mom and Dad that I'd probably be home late. I was taking advantage of the new extended 1:00 weekend curfew. I was surprised when Elaine took me to her house for dinner with her family.

"I'm leaving for New Jersey Sunday morning for the summer at East Lynne," she explained. "I won't be back until Labor Day weekend to start school. Mom and Dad and Cam wanted to have a nice dinner before I left and you got invited. Somehow." She grinned at me and we held hands as we went into the house. I found out that Elaine wasn't the only one in the family who could cook. What surprised me was that it was her brother who turned out the incredible soufflé that we feasted on. Cam was his usual entertaining best.

"I get off at three in the afternoon," Cam said. "They don't want me holding up traffic at five o'clock."

"Cam!" his mother exclaimed. "Your whole shift gets off at three. That's why you start work at the ungodly hour of seven. Don't give Brian a bad impression."

"Mom," Cam laughed. "He's Elaine's boyfriend. How much worse an impression could I make?" That got him beat on by his sister, who flopped in his lap and demanded that he wheel her to the table like the princess she was."

"If she's a princess, then I must be Laird o' the Castle," Mr. Jones said, waving his drink around.

"You're getting to be the Lard of the Castle, all right," Mrs. Jones shot back at him. "Cam is going to start chasing you down the block in his wheelchair to get you to exercise. You'll have to move in order to keep from being run over."

Most of the dinner conversation was light and funny, but I had the feeling that Mr. Jones was progressively drinking heavier. He was funny, but he was drunk funny, not clever funny. I'm pretty sure that's not what he thought.

After dinner, he retired to watch a baseball game on TV and Cam, Elaine, and I went out onto their back deck. Mrs. Jones insisted that it was her turn to clean up the dishes and as soon as we'd cleared the table she shooed us out of the kitchen. The deck had a ramp that let Cam maneuver to the back yard and into the garage. He had his own car that was equipped with hand controls and was proud to show it off to me.

"I hope you don't think ill of us because of Dad," he said as we sat at their picnic table.

"I don't, Cam. Are you guys all okay?"

"Yeah. Dad never used to drink that much, but I'm afraid that seeing me in this condition every day has taken its toll on him."

"I made it worse when I changed my name," Elaine sighed. "I should have just adopted it as a stage name, but life is punctuated with 'should haves.' I didn't think he minded, but since the first month—well, since I was called to the podium for my diploma with my new name—he hasn't called me Elaine again. Thing is, he never uses my name at all. If he needs my attention he just says 'daughter' or even 'girl.' Don't think that everything is your fault, Cam."

"Oh, I don't, sister. Things will improve," he said confidently. "You know, Brian, I wish I could be both brother and boyfriend like you are." I didn't know what to say.

"Cam!"

"She's still the only girl I've ever seen naked."

"Hah!" Elaine raised her watch hand in our accepted signal for bullshit.

"Well, except for the other three," Cam laughed.

"Watch yourself or I'll tell Patsy and see when you get to see her naked again."

"I've got a secret," Cam said. I wasn't sure I'd ever seen a brother and sister verbally spar like these two. No wonder Elaine stayed so sharp. I just sat and watched them. "I was going to announce it at dinner, but Patsy can't come over until Sunday. You'll be gone, so I'll tell you two, but not a word to the parents."

"Cam, you didn't!"

"I did and she said yes. We're going to get married." Elaine launched herself back into Cam's lap and hugged him.

"I'm so proud of you!" she said.

"Are you totally overwhelmed, boyfriend?" Elaine asked when we parked in my drive.

"Darling, I love you and I love your crazy family. I might not be able to keep up with you, but I still love being with you and with them."

"Well, I think it was a little much when Mom got out the Monopoly game, but I think she just wanted an excuse to keep you around longer."

"I had fun. But I'm better at cards." Elaine's dad had fallen asleep sometime during the second inning and the other four of us sat at the kitchen table and played for about two hours. Elaine finally said she was taking her boyfriend home and not to wait up for her.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked as she kissed me.

"Are you sure?"

"Not for sex—I mean, not all the way—but please let me hold you so I'll have something to keep me warm while I'm gone for the summer."

"You know I'll do anything with you, Elaine. I've been hesitant since we don't get to spend a lot of time together with you away at college. But I love you, girlfriend, and if you want more than a cuddle, I'm available."

"That's going to make it hard to stay celibate tonight, lover," she laughed. Man, would it. "But I'm just like the other girls. I want to plan and anticipate our moment together, not just do it because we're available. I thought about it, but you've had a line of lovers since May and I want you to look forward to being with me as much as I look forward to being with you." In a strange sort of way, I understood. My cock had been in four pussies in less than two months. I didn't want to have any one experience lost in the crowd.

We brushed teeth and went upstairs. Mom and Dad were already asleep. Once in my room, Elaine kissed me deeply.

"Elaine, other than the last step, I give you permission to be with me in any way you want to tonight and to touch me any way that you want. May I have the same permission?"

"Yes, my love. But remember, we have all night and I'm sleepy. Why don't you dream up some nice way to wake me in the morning?" We undressed each other with a lot of touching and kissing, but once we were in bed we spooned together and I held Elaine close as we went to sleep.

"Sweetheart, I love you," Elaine whispered. It couldn't be much past four-thirty. I'd woken up, said a little prayer for Rhonda, and snuggled back up against Elaine. My rigid cock was positioned between her buns, but I hadn't made any moves as far as I knew. "I know you can hear me, Brian. You don't have to say anything. I know how totally impossible it is for us to be together forever, but I just can't let go. I keep trying to tell myself that I'll get over it when I'm at school or working for the summer, but I don't get over it. I just keep wanting you more. Sometimes I think I should just chuck this whole idea of becoming an actress, but I don't know what I'd do. Is this what Heaven felt when she left you to become a model? If so, the girl is in misery. Don't give up on her, Brian. Don't give up on me." I squeezed her and put a small kiss on her neck. But Elaine wasn't done.

"I've kept putting off making love to you. Age. Timing. Priorities. Most of all, it's because I know that once you've been inside me and I feel that last connection, I will never want to give you up. That scares me. I will never stand in the way of your other girlfriends—our other girlfriends. When I come back to town and I spend time with Samantha and Rose and Whitney and Liz, I realize that we are all really one. How did you put it? I love all of them and I love each of them." She turned in my arms so we were facing each other. We kissed softly. I kept quiet. This was something that Elaine had to say, but I was so afraid she was going to say that she wouldn't be back. I knew that she could go out East and join the actors' union and probably start working full time forever. Just the mention of Heaven had caused a little heartache to resurface.

"Brian, I want to make love to you. I want to give all of myself to you. I'm not going to give up my dream of becoming an actress, though. That means that I'll be traveling like I am this summer. I certainly won't be finding full time work here in Northern Indiana. But I have to have a base—a home. If you'll have me—knowing that I'll be going away to work but that I'll always come home—then that home will always be wherever you are. When we started the dating group, I thought it was going to be a temporary thing. But it isn't, darling. We might not all stay together, but we are in a plural relationship for the long haul. I love you and I want to consummate our love. This fall. It will give us both time to think about it while I'm gone this summer. Will you spend Labor Day weekend with me? We'll find some little place where we can be together and make it our honeymoon weekend because after that, I am yours forever. Without taking that last step, darling, will you make love to me?"

Words were simply inadequate. This cute little redhead that I met at the Fair had just proposed to me. Sort of. We would have a honeymoon, but not a wedding. She'd told me that she would always be with me and that would include more than just the two of us. I held her, caressed her, loved her with my mouth and my hands and my heart. When Elaine climaxed, she burst into tears and clutched me to her with my come spurting between us. I held her as she wept against me and I joined her in her tears.

"Elaine, would you help me wake our boyfriend?" I heard the whisper as I slowly woke.

"Sure, girlfriend. How do you want to do it?"

"I thought maybe if I could have the north end, you could take care of the south?"

"Kiss?" There was a little heavy breathing and I kept my eyes closed trying to figure out who the visitor was. I was pretty sure. In a few seconds I felt Elaine's mouth descend on my hardening cock and I caught the first scent of an aroused female as the world's silkiest pussy lightly brushed against my lips.

"I love you, Samantha," I whispered.

"Show me?" I don't know if I actually showed her anything, but I certainly tasted her. I opened my eyes to look up at her flat tummy and round breasts as my tongue worked into her slit and my hands loved her legs. She smiled down at me. "You weren't up to make breakfast so I thought I'd see if you were alive," she giggled.