Author: Thinking Horndog
Title: Second Best
Part: 078
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 78
It's about forgiveness

      School let out, producing the usual scatter.  Jackie and Terry headed
for Terry's house, And Rick and Mandi for Rick's.  Bobby and Dina made for
the same destination, separately.  Tim, Dolores, Eddie and Denise piled into
Tim's car and wended their way home to the Vincent's.  Trish detected their
arrival from the kitchen, but didn't detect the number immediately, so she
had no idea what she was getting into when she yelled "Boys!  I want to
continue this morning's conversation!"

      Tim's eyes were laughing as he and Dolores entered the kitchen.
"Good, since we have all of the players present, maybe we can resolve the
issue!"

      Trish realized she had been blindsided with Dolores' arrival.  When
Eddie walked in trailing a pretty brunette, she knew that all hope of an
easy solution had gone out the window.

      "Mom, this is Denise." Eddie made the introduction.  Denise stepped
forward and tentatively offered her hand, which Trish took, more out of
politeness than anything else, while giving her the once-over.  Well, she
was pretty, all right...

      "How do you do," Trish asked, formally.  In the background, Dolores
reflected upon how differently she had been received and was grateful for
it.

      Denise nodded, and stepped back.  Her hand stole into Eddie's of its
own accord, and he grasped it firmly, glaring.  The significance of this
byplay was not lost upon Trish - obviously, unless a miracle happened, she
was going to be at open war with her younger son - but she forged ahead,
anyway.  "I'm concerned about the amount of time that these young ladies are
suddenly taking up in your lives!" Trish announced.  "It remains to be seen
what effect that the distraction is going to have on your grades, but I
can't imagine that it will be good.  Tim, you're almost finished with high
school, so I expect that it's too late to ruin your career - but I think you
both need to be careful!"  'Both' in this case obviously included Dolores.
Tim opened his mouth, but Trish forged on, not allowing him to interrupt,
"You, on the other hand," she announced, addressing Eddie, "have a long way
to go.  I think it's a bit early for you to be seriously involved with
anyone.  While I would not normally presume to second-guess your choices, I
believe that this one is an indication of your immaturity."  Addressing
Denise, she said, "I think you understand why I'm not happy.  You have a
certain reputation - one that is pretty public..."

      Trish stopped dead in her tracks.  Denise was silent, but tears were
pouring down both of her cheeks.  Trish had expected bluster, anger, self-
righteousness, an assertion that it was none of her business...  But the
girl just stood there, mute, accepting the bitter hurt as her due.

      Eddie was so angry that he, too, was crying.  "This is unspeakable!"
he roared.  "Do you have ANY idea how much hurt you've just inflicted?
Denise is trying to get on with her life and leave that period behind her!
She's chosen to be with me, partly because I'm mature enough to be able to
deal with her past!  Then YOU come along and insult us both to our faces
ninety seconds into your first meeting with her!  I..."

      "Oh God! I'm SO sorry!"  Trish exclaimed.  Eddie probably could have
rambled on for hours without affecting Trish - but Denise's mute tears
SCREAMED injustice!  "I know you'll never forgive me for this, but..."  She
stepped forward and took Denise's other hand and they locked eyes for a
moment, then Denise stepped forward into her embrace and cried openly.
Trish rubbed the sobbing girl's back and murmured, "That was SO incredibly
mean of me!  I'm so sorry!  I just didn't understand!"  Eddie stood there,
hopping from foot to foot, looking for a way to discharge the emotional
storm.  Eventually, he contented himself with glaring fiercely at his
mother, who absorbed it with a nod.

      After a couple of minutes, Denise stepped back and composed herself.
"I will do whatever you think best," she murmured, eyes downcast.

      Trish, contrite, replied, "You'll continue to date my son, then, I
hope.  I apologize, and I withdraw my objection to you."  Turning to Eddie,
she added, "I'm sorry I insulted you, Son.  You're a better man than I gave
you credit for."  She frowned.  "There is still the matter of the large
amounts of time diverted from your studies.  How are we going to resolve
that?"

      Denise turned to Eddie.  "Are you having problems?"

      "No, not at all.  I have a 3.7 GPA."  Glancing at his mother, Eddie
added, "And I haven't missed an assignment.  The problem is perception, not
reality."

      "I'd be happy to study with you, here.  Going out less is in the plan,
anyway.  I could use additional study time - although I'm not hurting,
either."  She, too, glanced at Trish.

      "How much going out are we talking about?" Trish demanded.

      The pair looked at one another.  "Certainly nothing much on school
nights..." Denise replied.

      Trish huffed, "Despite your experience with nightlife - no criticism
intended! - you're both still sophomores in high school.  I think you should
take it easy."

      "Saturday, we doubled with Tim and Dolores. Is that good enough?"
Eddie demanded.

      "Yes.  That kind of thing is sensible.  I didn't realize... We need to
communicate better."

      "I'll take care of it," Denise responded smoothly.  "Boys have a
certain natural reluctance to tell their mothers what they are up to..." She
eyed Eddie.

      "Hey!  When did I become the enemy?" Eddie looked injured.

      Denise grinned.  "In the war of the sexes, you're on the wrong side -
and there is nothing you can do about it!"

      Trish stepped up and wrapped an arm around Denise, hugging her close.
"I'm truly sorry, Dear, but it's probably for the best.  If I had been
properly friendly, I'd have never seen that look on your face - and I'd
never have been sure where you really stood."

      "I'm no angel," Denise replied, turning to face Trish.  "Despite our
ages, I'm a woman, and Eddie's a man, from a sexual standpoint..."  Trish
raised an eyebrow, and Denise nodded tightly. "We're going to do things that
you no doubt do not approve of - but it's within what I consider to be a
committed relationship; you need not worry what I'm doing when I'm not with
Eddie.  In fact, if I have MY way, there will be very little time that I'm
NOT with Eddie on a daily basis!"

      Trish frowned.  "Aren't you a little young for the 'committed
relationship' thing?"

      Denise looked serious.  "Maybe - but we're a bit ahead of the curve.
Nobody can predict the future - we know that.  But here and now, Eddie's my
man, and he has my loyalty.  I've been around the block a few times, and
Eddie is pretty mature for his age; I think we're gonna make it!"

      Trish eyed the pair.  "You've carefully avoided stating baldly that
you're going to have sex - but you've made it clear that you are.  What
about pregnancy?"

      "I'm on birth control.  Neither of us is stupid - it was one of
Eddie's first thoughts!" was the reply.

      "I need to talk to your mother," Trish declared.

      "It's not her fault!  She works, hard - and I was uncontrollable.  She
couldn't stay home and chase me!"  Denise rushed to her mother's defense.

      "Oh, no!  No! That's not it!  Does she know about Eddie?  Does she
approve?" Trish threw out her hands in defense.

      "Oh!  Yes.  And yes."  Denise's smile left no doubt.  "And she's aware
of the sex, too.  She didn't want us crawling around in cars..."

      Trish nodded.  "I don't, either.  I never thought I'd say this, but
Eddie has a bedroom; feel free to use it."

      Eddie blushed.  "We'll probably spend more time at Denise's.
She's..."

      "Loud."  Denise finished, blushing. "With Momma at work, no one has to
listen to embarrassing noises."

      "Nonetheless, if it means I know where the pair of you are, I'll grin
and bear it." Trish replied.  "Who knows?  Your father may appreciate the
resulting situation; I'm sure the exposure will move the whole subject up on
MY priority list!"

      Tim and Dolores, until now silent witnesses to the confrontation,
nearly collapsed from mirth.  Trish turned a purely counterfeit jaundiced
eye upon them.  "What about you two?"

      Dolores took the bait.  "He's been limiting me!" she declared in mock
anger.  "I'm not going to stand for it much longer!"

      Trish clearly didn't know how to take this declaration until Tim
offered a two word amplification: "Prom night."

      Trish rolled her eyes.  "Well, it's traditional.  And you have a
room."

      Dolores planted her fists on her hips.  "That's if I can't break him
down first!  I'm DYING here!"

      Trish and Tim exchanged glances.  Tim shrugged.  "You see what I'm
putting up with, here? I had a wrestling match in her bedroom yesterday,
trying to keep my pants zipped!"

      Trish wheeled on Dolores.  "I'd prefer that your father didn't feel he
had to teach my son a lesson!"

      Tim laughed.  "He won't.  He caved yesterday - that's how I found
myself in her bedroom!"

      Trish shook her head.  "What is it with you young people?  The older
generation apparently isn't doing its job..."

      "More like you remember the stupidity YOU had to put up with!  I'm
proud of you!"  Tim laughed.

      Trish rolled her eyes.  "Yeesh!  Go into the living room, all of you.
Want anything to drink?"  Serious issues gave way to normalcy.


      Terry and Jackie strode into the Michaels' home and made for the den.
Ellen popped out of the kitchen and followed them into the den to make the
ritual offer of refreshments.  Terry picked her up on radar and stopped in
the middle of the room, Jackie's hand in his.  Suddenly, Terry's eyes
flashed! Eyeing his mother, he announced, "I'm tired of fooling around!" He
pulled Jackie to him and enfolded her in his arms, then proceeded to ignore
Ellen while kissing Jackie soundly.  Jackie cooperated fully, pressing
herself against him and opening her mouth.  After a moment, one foot came up
as she leaned in.  After a bit the pair backed off.  Terry smiled and
glanced up to find his mother still standing there with her mouth open.
"Any questions?"

      "N-no," Ellen managed.  "Well - anyone want a coke?"  At two nods, she
evacuated to the kitchen.

      "That wasn't nice." Jackie asserted - but she was smiling.

      "Look, she's got to get used to it.  I'm not going to tiptoe around
any more.  We're together, and it's not to play checkers.  If I want to sit
on the couch with you and neck, she can suck it up!" Terry tugged Jackie
onto the couch and proceeded to put actions to his words.

      Ellen got an eyeful when she returned with the cokes - the couple was
too decisively engaged to notice her presence.  Ellen went out to the
kitchen and placed a distraught call to her husband:  "Paul, Terry's in on
the couch making out with Jackie something outrageous!"

      "Umm hmm..." Paul responded.

      "Is that all you've got to say?"

      "Remember what WE did?" Paul replied.

      "That was different!" Ellen howled.

      "No.  It's the same damn thing you did to your father that night.
Hell, you took both of my hands and stuck them on your tits in front of him!
Terry's showing you that you don't run his life.  If he can't bring his
girlfriend home and be comfortable with her, he'll do it in that car of his.
Personally, I would prefer that if they're going to do it, they do it right!
You know what she's putting up with at home; give them a break!" Paul had
had enough.

      "Oh, you!  You'll pay for this!" Ellen screeched.

      Paul's voice got frigid, "I don't think so!  In fact, if you don't
straighten up and fly right, I'm going to go out and replace you with a
bleached blonde!"  With that, he hung up, leaving Ellen sputtering into the
phone.

      An hour later, Ellen was still sitting in the kitchen.  Terry and
Jackie had quit putting on their exhibition when it became apparent that
they had no audience, and Terry decided he'd better check on things.
Entering the kitchen, he found his mother sitting at the table, pensive.
"C'mon, Mom, it's not that bad!"

      Ellen looked up.  "Maybe not.  I appear to have bigger fish to fry."

      "Huh?"

      "Nothing.  Something your father said when I called him.  Guess I'd
better get dinner started." She got up and started shuffling through the
cabinets.