Author: Thinking Horndog
Title: Second Best
Part: 051
Universe: Second Best
Summary: A full-length novel that follows several young couples and their
families through the period immediately preceding their Senior Prom.
Keywords: nosex

Keywords for full story:  F-solo, Ff-inc, M+F Ffm MF mf oral anal bd D/s Mg-
inc Fm-inc mm mmf rom MF-reluc

Chapter 51
Saturday afternoon

      Tim was sitting in the living room, watching TV, when Eddie came in.
"Uh, Tim?  Are you and Dolores doing anything tonight?"

      Tim scratched his head, "I don't know... Might be some backlash from
last night from her folks.  Why?"

      Eddie shifted nervously from foot to foot.  "I was thinking about
calling Denise... I figured maybe if you two were going out, we could
double.  It'd handle a number of problems."

      "Like what?"

      "Well, wheels, obviously, and it'd be public.  Another couple along
would give us both an excuse not to get too wild.  I figure you're gonna
need to come home early..."

      Tim grinned, "Now you're thinking!  Where you think we should go?"

      "Somewhere rowdy.  Dancing, I think - Treefrogs?" Treefrogs was a
local dance club, catering to the under 21 crowd.

      Tim nodded.  "Good idea.  Think you can wear her out on the dance
floor?"

      Eddie grinned.  "Probably not!  She gets a lot more practice than I do
- but it's worth a try!  I need to keep her from being bored."

      "Okay, I'll call Dolores."  Tim got up and suited actions to words.
As it turned out, Marcus Brown had growled a bit, but not inflicted any
punishment upon Dolores, and she was anxious to practice her dancing skills.
They scheduled pickup for 7:30 and dinner out.  Tim laughed when Dolores
diffidently suggested that they NOT go to Gino's.  Tim handed the phone to
Eddie, "Okay, Sport.  Batter up!"

      Mandi answered the phone.  She was somewhat at loose ends; the men had
evaporated at about noon, Rick going home and Big Al going to work after
hooking up Bobby's car to the tow truck that Bobby's 24 year old big brother
Mike had brought around.  "Giannelli residence."

      "Uh, Hi.  Is Denise there?"

      Mandi rolled her eyes.  This had to be the ten thousandth time she'd
answered the phone and a boy wanted Denise...  "Wait a sec, I'll check."
She thought about wandering off for fifteen minutes, leaving whoever it was
hanging, but Denise was pretty blue today... "Denise!  Phone!"

      Denise picked up the extension in her bedroom that her heretofore
manic social life had dictated.  Covering the mouthpiece, she yelled, "Got
it!" then cautiously set about determining the name and business of her
latest prospective suitor, "Hullo?"

      "Denise?  It's Eddie Vincent..." came a cautious voice from the
earpiece.

	"Oh, hi Eddie.  What's up?"

	"Uh, I thought I'd see if you wanted to go out..."

      Denise grimaced.  "I'm guessing that your brother spoke to you.  What
did he say?"
      "He said you might be, um, changing your dating habits."  Eddie was
obviously stepping VERY carefully.

      Denise wasn't letting him off the hook that easily.  "So, what made
you think YOU might fit the new pattern?"

      Silence.  Then: "Because it more closely resembles mine?"

      "How so?"

      "I have long-term goals.  Most of your dates appear to have short-term
goals." Eddie was becoming adept at avoiding a direct reference to a touchy
subject.

      Denise pondered that one.  What EXACTLY did it mean?  "Most of my
dates also have expectations."

      "I don't.  We'll play the ball where it lies, for as long as we agree
that it's in play."

      Denise was struggling.  Usually, by now the conversation would have
degenerated to a predictable series of double-entendres.  Eddie appeared to
be avoiding the low road completely.  But was he saying what she thought he
was saying?

      Eddie was also struggling.  Instinct told him that making his position
plain wouldn't necessarily help him get off the starting block - but talking
in circles wasn't his forte, either.

      Finally, Denise said, "I'm not making any promises."

      Eddie knew she wasn't referring to whether she was going to accept the
date.  This was a more direct reference to the underlying issues - and one
he could answer clearly.  "I'm not asking for any."

      Silence, while Denise thought about it.  "Where would we go?"

      "I thought we could do dinner, then go to Treefrogs.  We can double
with Tim and Dolores - they want to practice some things you taught them
last night."  Eddie held his breath.  He had no idea how close he had skated
- dance wasn't the only type of instruction Denise had given Tim and Dolores
the previous evening.

      Denise viewed the reference with suspicion.  "What's THAT supposed to
mean?" she asked truculently.

      "Huh?"  Eddie was confused.  'What did I say?'  "Uh, Tim said you gave
dance lessons last night..."

      "Sorry.  I thought you were talking about something else.  Okay, what
time?"

      Eddie grinned in relief, still wondering what land mine he'd stepped
on. "Well, we've got to pick up Dolores... Quarter to eight?"

      "Okay.  Where are we going for dinner?"

      "Don't know yet.  Tim said Dolores doesn't want to go to Gino's -
something about it being too soon.  I guess they ate there last night...
Any suggestions?"

      Denise giggled.  "Hey, maybe that new pizza place up on Route 4?"

      "I'll check with Tim.  See you then?"

      "Okay.  Bye!"  Denise hung up, smiling.  That went entirely too well.
She sobered.  'Ah, well.  I'll find out tonight whether he's jerking me
around or not...'  She pattered downstairs, catching both Mandi and Helen in
the kitchen, the latter in her work clothes.  "Momma, I'm going dancing
tonight!"  Helen's features began to rearrange themselves into a dubious
look.  "Oh! I'm going with Tim's brother, Eddie.  We're going to double with
Tim and Dolores."  She grinned wickedly, "I'm sure we'll be home early..."

      Mandi tittered, "...Or Mr. Brown will have Tim's head on a plate!"

      Helen's face cleared.  "That's fine, Dear.  I'll look to see you
around the time I get home?"  Helen would get off at 11:00 p.m.

      Denise nodded. "Yeah.  I would think so."

      "Okay, Dear.  Call me if plans change."  Helen left the room, smiling.


      Terry called Jackie at about 3:30.  Jennifer answered the phone, then
declared, "You're going nowhere, Young Lady!" as she handed it off to
Jackie.

      Terry's first words were, "What movie do you want to see?"

      Jackie giggled, "Something long.  An adventure yarn.  Lord of the
Rings?"

      "VCR or DVD?"

      "DVD."

      "Anything else?  Snacks?"

      "Bring a raw steak for the bear!" Jackie giggled despite herself.

      Terry chuckled, too.  "What time?  6:30?  7:00?"

      "You eating first?"

      "Dunno.  Maybe. Mom doesn't seem to be in any hurry."

      "Six-thirty, then.  We'll call for pizza.  How did your end of the
call go?"

      "Mom wasn't pleased - but she liked the crap your mom was giving her
even less.  We'd already had it out last night, though.  She ended up
defending us.  You're welcome here anytime - Mom figures your home life is
Hell!"

      "It isn't always, but it can be.  Mama isn't a lezzie, but she has no
use for men.  That's going to make life tough, I'm afraid. I'm glad your mom
was cool about it!"

      "Yeah, it was a kick.  See you at 6:30!"

      "Bye!"

      Jackie turned to hang up the phone, finding her mother standing there,
red in the face.  Obviously, she'd heard the 'lezzie' comment.  Jackie just
looked at her.

      Jennifer spat, "Is that boy coming here?"

      Jackie regarded her mother coolly.  "Yes, we're going to have pizza
and watch a movie."

      "What if I don't want pizza?"  Jennifer snarled.

      "We'll buy our own, and you can have whatever you want."  Jackie
refused to be drawn.

      Jennifer considered forbidding him to come, but remarks made during
the telephone calls had sunk in.  If she pushed them, she would get
something she DIDN'T want - and she couldn't live with the idea that she
might push Jackie to duplicate her mistake.  Better to just press, rather
than squash things flat.  She turned and walked off.


      Helen arrived for work at McGinty's Diner at 4:00 p.m., and within ten
minutes her co-workers were buzzing.  "Honey," Flossie, the head waitress
asked, "What's goin' on?  You got this glow on..."  Helen merely smiled.

      Another waitress, Gina, came up from the back. "You know, Helen's
walking kinda funny..."

      Something clicked, and Flossie's eyes lit up.  When Helen returned to
the kitchen area from taking orders in booth 14, she dropped the bomb: "You
got laid, didn't you?  From the look of you, whoever did it did a mighty
fine job, too!"

      Helen blushed scarlet. "He certainly did!"

      "I'm happy for you, Honey.  You need some happiness.  You gonna see
him again?"

      Helen looked a bit wistful.  "I sure hope so..."

      Flossie patted her on the arm.  "How long did he stay?"

      "Goodness!  Eight hours? Ten?" Helen started doing the math.

      Flossie nodded, "Then he'll be back.  If he wasn't gonna, he'd have
left early."  Flossie's order came up, ending the conversation.